Heroes and Howlers

Oh!" said Pooh again. "What is the North Pole?"  "It's just a thing you discover," said Christopher Robin, not being quite sure himself.  A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh Paul and Mikey take the road north to balance out the series, stopping off to seek a route through the fabled NorthWest Passage on their way. But how can you discover a land that has no land?! Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Every human longs for peace and love.” Hiawatha Separating ‘Fact' from ‘Fiction' is the constant challenge of an historian. None more so than the early history of North America's First Nations peoples. Research relies heavily on oral traditions handed down from generation to generation but that hasn't stopped Paul and Mikey digging for nuggets of truth.  Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"If every fool wore a crown, we should all be Kings." Welsh Proverb Everybody's favourite day of the year - well, certainly Paul and Mikey's. But some of the stories behind the  pranks and foolishness might surprise you. Just what is a Scottish gowk? And why should we hunt it? Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The world is a drama, staged in a dream.” Guru Nanak  Mata Khivi and the tradition of serving free communal meals (Langar) changed the face of Sikhism for ever. It has grown to become one of the most cherished institutions all over the world.  Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I would travel down to hell and wrestle a film away from the devil if it was necessary.” Werner Herzog But if that film was Birth of a Nation, Werner, you can just leave it there. In this episode Paul and Mikey look at how one film single-handedly resurrected the KKK. Then take a sideways glance at a few other early 20th-century repugnant (and sometimes costumed!) misfits/Howlers. Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection.” Winston Churchill It's that time of year again! The halls are decked with holly and there's a big tree blocking Martin Place. Listen in on the last of this Season's episodes to get you in the Festive Spirit. Bottoms Up! Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"England was merry England, when Old Christmas brought his sports again. 'Twas Christmas broach'd the mightiest ale; ‘Twas Christmas told the merriest tale; A Christmas gambol oft could cheer, The poor man's heart through half the year."  Walter Scott - Marmion  Paul and Mikey are unwrapping presents for everyone - they've got Wars on Christmas, Coke bottle Santas, and drunken sleigh rides across New England.  Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The boys have had a bumper year, and with the 'Giving Season' upon us they're delivering their final treats. When did a 'cab' become a 'taxi'? Who really was that 'Third man'? And which Hero had the worst Howler of a school report card?  Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Paul and Mikey chat to academic and Theatresports legend Professor Jioji Ravulo. It's a fascinating look into the history of  sexual and gender diversity in communities across the Pacific, as well as a discussion about the arrival of and the repercussions brought about by those pesky missionaries. Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Guests. New Heroes. New Howlers. All of which have inspired Mikey and Paul to do a deep dive into more 'stories behind the story'. Sir Francis Drake, Lord Byron, Quack Doctors, and the North-West Passage - which side of the ledger will this lot fall?' Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Paul and Mikey chat with American comedy legend Jessie Joyce. He's written a fantastic book with the wonderful title ‘Killing the Guys Who Killed the Guy Who Killed Lincoln”We look at Edwin Booth the brother of John Wilkes Booth and ask the question, “was there ever a stranger character in Civil war history than Boston Corbett?" Find Killing the Guys who Killed the Guy who Killed Lincoln by Jesse Joyce available exclusively on Everand - where you'll find a host of ebooks, audiobooks, podcasts, magazines and sheet music. Enjoy millions of great titles across every genre, including best-selling authors, diverse voices, emerging talents, and more. Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Award-winning journalist and and broadcaster Tracey Spicer joins Mikey and Paul to shift the debate a notch or two. Women have long been written out of schoolbook History but why The Sciences too? In the life of Ada Lovelace, Tracey believes lies the answer.  Follow Tracey on X HERE, Instagram HERE and purchase her book 'Man Made' HERE Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The boys are joined by Otto English and together they set out to skewer some of the biggest names in the pantheon. Did Coco Chanel collaborate with the Nazis? Was JFK really 'The Man'? Or more of a myth? Not even Mother Teresa escapes untarnished.  Otto English is the pen name of author and journalist Andrew Scott - find him on X HERE and purchase his latest book 'Fake Heroes' HERE Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight, and the only reason a warrior fights is to win, otherwise why be a warrior? It is easier to count beads.” Miyamoto Musashi  Well, the Japanese navy was certainly not “counting beads” when it took on the Russians in 1904-5. In this episode Paul and Mikey look at the ‘Wild East': Russian expansion, Japanese expansion and a naval battle that changed the world. Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Antarctica has this mythic weight. It resides in the collective unconscious of so many people, and it makes this huge impact, just like outer space. It's like going to the moon.” Jon Krakauer  The race to the South Pole was always going to throw up some Heroes, maybe a few Howlers too - but who should really get the credit for discovering the Seventh Continent? Paul and Mikey wrap up warm to take a look. Get in touch, follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Rather fail with honour, than succeed by Fraud” Sophocles  If only Gregor McGregor had spent more time studying the Classics. This week Paul and Mikey go hunting for a Scottish rogue and find themselves marooned on Central America's Mosquito Coast. Get in touch and follow Heroes & Howlers and find them everywhere HERE Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“As for all your latest Mayan discoveries and poems, I want to hear every word of it.” Jack Kerouac, Letters to Allen Ginsberg The Americas were home to many fascinating nations and cultures, long before the Europeans arrived. And they did pretty well on the fruit and veg front too. In this episode, the boys take an in-depth look at the Maya, and see what Heroes and Howlers Meso-America might have to offer. Get in touch and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Like the English in New Holland, we live only on the shores of a continent even yet, and hardly know where the rivers come from which float our navy” Henry David Thoreau  Captain Cook was the first to admit that the Dutch had been mapping New Holland decades before he set sail on The Endeavour. Could the Chinese have travelled that way too? The Spanish? The Portuguese? Paul and Mikey weigh anchor to find out.    Get in touch and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Are we not like people sitting up with a corpse, and making merry in the house of the dead?” Herman Melville  Over a thousand years before Melville wrote his words one Pope actually did this very thing. In this episode Paul and Mikey look at the Cadaver Synod and the perilous political games played out amongst the early medieval papacy. Get in touch and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Do not to look upon the loss of 10 days with wonder or scorn. Do not regret the removal of 10 days from the calendar. All those who love sleep can console themselves by thinking about how wonderful it will be to go to bed on the second of the month and to sleep until the morning of the 14th”  -Benjamin Franklin Julian vs Gregorian. Ten months vs twelve. Lunar vs solar. Paul takes Mikey for a spin around the zodiac and ends up… in Macclesfield!  Get in touch and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.” Marcus Aurelius If only the Emperor Commodus had inherited a fraction of his father's wisdom.In this episode Paul and Mikey look at the turbulent reign that many believe was the beginning of the decline of the Roman Empire. As well as the fascinating role played by adoption amongst Rome's ruling elite. Get in touch and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“To follow the Silk Road is to follow a ghost. It flows through the heart of Asia, but it has officially vanished leaving behind the pattern of its restlessness: counterfeit borders, unmapped peoples.” Colin Thubron, Shadow of the Silk Road Rather than being a bridge to link East and West, The Silk Road was a web of routes growing ever outwards. From its heart in Central Asia, it would stretch to all four corners of the continent. Yet its architects, The Kushans, like the network itself have all but vanished - Paul and Mikey go in search of this lost people, and the ‘ghost' of their leader, Kanishka the Great.   Get in touch and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I could calculate the motions of the heavenly stars, but not the madness of people.” Sir Isaac Newton With ‘Money' becoming more liquid, and ‘The Market' more fluid, investors in ‘The City' searched far and wide for new opportunities. Mikey and Paul are hot on their heels - hoping to catch a glimpse of the bubbles before they burst.   Give feedback and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Paul and Mikey russle up some new guests to join them, enjoy this classic episode all about the Samurai. "To win any battle, you must fight as if you are already dead." Miyamoto Musashi (Japanese Swordsman/Philosopher) Paul and Mikey head eastwards in search of Japan's Three Great Unifiers… and some Black Ships!  Give feedback and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Produced by DM PodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guests have inspired us with chunky extra helpings to share with you - a veritable smorgasbord of tales. From duels, to Greek philosophers, dangerous British politicians,  and bizarre American presidential family trees, to a big slice of The Great Wall of China.There's even dessert - with the origins of tiramisu! Give feedback and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Paul and Mikey talk to broadcast legend and co-host of the “Suddenly Senior” podcast Ian Rogerson about his hero Teddy Roosevelt. We also find out just what his uncle thought about Aussie fascist Francis de Groot, spoiler alert it's not flattering! Listen to Ian Rodgerson on the Suddenly Senior podcast here Give feedback and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Paul and Mikey talk to author and historian Esme Louise James about the complicated life of the sword fighting soprano Julie d'Aubigny. They also pass a sideways glance at a the rather odd man who went down in history as Diogenes the Cynic. Give feedback and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Paul and Mikey talk to writer, presenter and bon vivant Matt Preston about Zheng Yi Sao, the woman who became possibly the most powerful pirate in maritime history. They also discuss the eventful life of Major General Smedley Butler and a foiled insurrection during FDR's administration. Give feedback and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Guests, New Heroes, New Howlers! It all means Paul and Mikey are doing more deep dives to find those ‘stories behind the story'. Look out Captain Moonlite, and Sriracha Sauce lovers! Give feedback and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode the lads talk to author and broadcasting legend Wendy Harmer, discussing Jimmy Carter, Australia in the ‘70s, and some timely reflections on the state of politics in the USA. Follow Wendy Harmer on Twitter  Give feedback and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Season, the boys are mixing it up a bit and will be joined by special guests with their very own contenders for 'Heroes' and 'Howlers'. In this episode Max Markson, showbiz guru and celebrity manager, offers up the greatest showman of them all - P. T. Barnum. Follow Max on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram Give feedback and follow Heroes & Howlers on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Season 9 and for the new series the boys will be joined by special guests, each with their very own Hero and Howler. First up is Historian and author, David Hunt, but which side of the ledger will he be putting legendary bushranger Ned Kelly? Contact David Hunt here Follow Heroes & Howlers and contact on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I  asked: ‘Do you speaka my language?' He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich.” Men at Work Do armies really march on their stomachs? Paul and Mikey tuck into how conflict has transformed food production over the centuries and given us some of our best-loved staples.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Young men make wars…, old men make the peace. And the vices of peace are the vices of old men. Mistrust and caution. It must be so.” Prince Faisal (Lawrence Of Arabia)The Arabian Peninsula has been pivotal since ancient times, and for good reason. Home to legendary figures such as the Queen of Sheba, and thriving trading hubs linking India to Africa to the Mediterranean, its territories have been fought over for centuries. Time for Paul and Mikey to get some sand between their toes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“They say openly that Christ and his saints slept.” The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Paul and Mikey look at how one howler of a booze cruise plunged twelfth century England and France into chaos.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I wish for adventure. I wish to matter.” Sins of a Wicked Duke Good Dukes, Wicked Dukes and Wicked Uncles - Tudor England had them all. Or was that just Shakespearean propaganda? Paul and Mikey dig deep to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“If nobody else is going to invent a dishwashing machine, I'll do it myself.” Josephine Cochrane  Paul and Mikey look at the life of this groundbreaking entrepreneur and inventor, and the rise of the women's rights movement in late 19th century America.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“No, not quite naked. I shall have my uniform on.” Curious last words of King Frederick William I of Prussia (1713-40)  Paul and Mikey kick off Season 3 by going Prussian! Join them as they cast a quizzical eye over the man they called the ‘Soldier King'.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Peccavi - I have sinned (Sindh)” Charles Napier (Major-General British Army in India)  The arrogance of the British in India knew few bounds. Paul and Mikey pick through probably the worst howler of them all - The First Afghan War.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“A merry life and a short one” Pirate motto of Bartholomew Roberts (aka ‘Black Bart') Black Bart captured over 400 ships and was the complete opposite from this episode's Howler: Stede Bonnet. Paul and Mikey shiver their timbers and have a look down the spy-glass at the man known as ‘The Gentleman Pirate'. Beware the Black Spot! Facebook Twitter Instagram  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I am the son of the road, my country is the caravan, my life the most unexpected of journeys.” Leo Africanus Paul and Mikey follow in the footsteps of one of History's greatest historians. Their journey takes them along West Africa's Gold Coast, up the Niger and into the heart of the Sahara Desert - all in search of …?  Facebook Twitter InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One of us has to go.” -Oscar Wilde In this episode Paul and Mikey look at the bizarre connection between the death of Napoleon and one of Britain's greatest interior designers. Facebook Twitter Instagram  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘Steal a loaf of bread and they will cut your hands off, steal an entire country and they will proclaim you their king.' Norse Sagas Don't be fooled by chilly tales of beards and battle-axes. Head east with Paul and Mikey, and discover a whole new (warm!) viking world. Facebook Twitter InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Assassination has never changed the history of the world” Benjamin Disraeli Sorry to disagree with you, Ben, but the killing of Lincoln had repercussions that we still feel today. Paul and Mikey look at that fateful April night and one participant that history has tried to forget. Facebook Twitter InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Whenever I can find the time, I read history books and the classics so as to avoid idle living.' Yongle (Ming Dynasty Emperor) Big China or Little China? Why did Ming Dynasty China turn its back on the world? Could modern-day China be about to do the same? Paul and Mikey go in search of the answers. Facebook Twitter InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I am a man more sinned against than sinning.” King Lear, Act 3 Scene 2 Paul and Mikey look at one of theatre's greatest sins - the century and half when King Lear was performed with (of all things) a happy ending! Facebook Twitter Instagram  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I shall be a good politician. Even if it kills me. Or if it kills anyone else, for that matter.” Mark Antony Mikey and Paul ask you to lend them your ears as they recount one of the epic showdowns in history: Mark Antony vs Octavian (Augustus). But who's the hero? Facebook Twitter Instagram  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The same intelligence is required to marshal an army in battle and to order a good dinner.” Lucius Aemillius Paullus (Roman Consul and General, conqueror of Macedon 168 BC) A secret but often overlooked weapon the United States brought to the battlefields of WWI. Mikey has a theory but Paul's going to need some convincing. Facebook Twitter Instagram  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Here's an equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either scale, who committed treason enough for God's sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven..” Macbeth Was Guy Fawkes a Catholic terrorist or the ‘equivocator' alluded to by Shakespeare? Mikey and Paul scour the records and find out more about Bonfire Night than they bargained for. Facebook Twitter InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I have often marvelled at the thin line which separates success from failure.” Ernest Shackleton But sometimes failure is hard-wired in from the start. Paul and Mikey uncover why the Burke and Wills expedition was already in deep trouble long before the tragic events of the Dig Tree. Facebook Twitter InstagramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I have not told half of what I saw.” Marco Polo (1254–1324) There's a reason why Marco didn't tell the other half - because that would have lifted the lid on Niccolo Polo, Marco's dad. Niccolo was the true hero and it's his name that should have gone down in the history books - Paul and Mikey tell you why.  Facebook Twitter Instagram  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.