Podcasts about that was genius

Fellow historians. It's our last EVER episode. What a blast we've had. And we're going out with a ruddy big bang - our rudest episode yet (by far)! Sam kicks us off with a tour of medieval swearing, and how rudely named streets can be used to track the economy of England in the middle ages. Next, Tom takes a look at Roman and Greek graffiti. Which is just as childish as you'd expect.  It's been a pleasure podcasting with you all for the last three years! If you'd like more That Was Genius, pop over to www.patreon.com/thatwasgenius where you can still get all the 20+ exclusive episodes, songs and doodles (just cancel your subscription once you're done listening). All the cash from the next few months will go to humanitarian aid charities. Just to prove we're not total b**tards.   Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook (and our Facebook group for memes and fun), Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear!

There's nothing civil about That Was Genius. Except this week's theme, civil wars.Sam starts off with a look at the Battle of Bamber Bridge, a WW2 attempt to segregate US troops stationed in a small village in Britain, which saw whites banned and a running battle between African American and white US troops in the streets.Next, Tom takes a look at the civil war origins of various words, phrases and idioms throughout history, with an honourable mention for Basil Copper Hands, the Byzantine con-man and insurrectionist. Next week is a patron exclusive all about, erm... Shoes (Tom's choice)! Join our Patreon for access to all episodes, special songs, medals and more amazing perks! Our next public episode in two weeks is all about 'Naturalists' (not nudists).Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // SpotifyWelcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history.Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange.From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world.We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time).Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear!

We're going on a history hunt, we're going to find a fun source!Yes, it's traveler week. Tom kicks us off with a look at Till Eulenspiegel (which bizarrely translates as either toilet paper or owl mirror), the ridiculously rude medieval book about an idiot circus performer who farts and poops his way through Germany and the Holy Roman Empire, annoying people along the way.Next, Sam takes us to, erm, Germany again (with an honourable mention for Jimmy Carter's speech about wanting to get to know Poland carnally). This time, he's been learning about Ahnenerbe, the Nazi archaeological society who traveled the world trying to prove that Hitler was related to Buddha, and that Germans come from the lost city of Atlantis. Which is an insane as it sounds - though it did give some inspiration to the villains in Indiana Jones!Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

We tried not to. We begged not to. But the audience demanded: This week we're doing pandemics. In a rare and possibly slightly drunken display of bravado, Sam goes first this week with a look at the bizarre phenomenon of 'Mass Psychogenic Illness'; where madness becomes momentarily contageous. Sometimes it's becoming convinced your windscreen is being smashed repeatedly, sometimes it's smelling gas that isn't there, fainting at work because of imaginary illness or, in the case of several 14th Century nuns, becoming convinced en-masse that you are cats.  Next, Tom gives us a peek into the thoroughly miserable time everyone was having during the 30 years war from 1618-1648 - when plagues ripped through the land and people were getting thrown out of windows for no obvious reason (and surviving, only to be taunted about it with silly nicknames). Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

It's not high kicks, it's not karate kicks, oh no, it's sidekick week. A bit of a tricky one this week, if we're being honest. Tom's been looking at the odd triangle of sidekickery between the Byzantine emperor Justinian, his wife Theodora (known for her very public and quite voracious sexual appetites), general Belesarius and two-faced, bet hedging historian Precopius, whose unfortunate job it was to write about all three. Meanwhile, Sam's been looking into duelling. Specifically women duelling, and extra specifically the bizarre (alleged) duel between Princess Pauline Matternich and Countess Anastasia Kielmannsegg, who took up swords in a disagreement over flower arrangements. They also happened to be fighting topless for... erm, medical reasons. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

This episode's all about guts, balls, and lofty ambitions to wow a crowd. Yes, it's daredevil week! Desperate to avoid traditional daredevils if we can, Tom's been looking at the horrifically violent ancient sport of mob football - banned by most medieval towns in England for being too dangerous (it had no rules except 'don't murder' but still led to several deaths) but still being played in a few small villages centuries later - with the rivalries as old and violent as ever! Meanwhile Sam's been looking at the hot air balloon pioneer and Neapolitan nobleman Vincenzo Lunardi, who spent the 1780s whipping through the clouds and wooing the crowds - especially the ladies - in London. It's a story involving frozen cats, vomiting dogs, a LOT of wine, and a trip and fall which led to the first entrants into the mile high club. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

In out in out shake it all about, it's movement week! Tom starts us off this week with a whistlestop tour of the humble Waltz, a dance deemed too risque for stuffy bishops because it involved (shock horror) touching!  Next up, Sam takes us to the Wild West and Mary 'Stagecoach' fields, the first black woman stagecoach driver in the US. A ripped, gun-toting, bar-room brawling, horse hitching badass who started delivering mail across the mountains in her 60s, and was never late once. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

The name's Genius. That Was Genius. Yes, it's spy week! Pew pew pew! Tom starts with a guide to simple sabotage by the OSS (later CIA ) in WW2. Now available to download (so you can kick start your own revolution), it's a handy, step by step guide to just really annoying people and being a bit of a p**k. Which according to the CIA, might just be enough to overthrow the Government. So get cracking.Next, Sam's got the story of Noor Inayat Khan, the reluctant, pacifist Indian Princess who became an allied spy in occupied Paris, despite some pretty scathing reviews of her ability from her superiors.  It's a great episode. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

The head bone's connected to the... Knee bone. Hmmm. It's probably best that we're historians talking about body parts, rather than actual doctors. Tom kicks us off this week with the horrific story of William Lanne, one of the last remaining 'full-blooded' Aboriginal Tasmanians. His heritage led to the pretty appalling treatment of his corpse when he died, from people wanting to examine him... And people wanting a piece of him. Next, and in a turn from tragedy to very, very much comedy, Sam looks at the Native American legend of 'Old Man' - the bad tempered and cunning God and prankster - and how he made our bottoms all wrinkly. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

It's time to *lift* your spirits, *stretch* the truth, and *work out* exactly what the sources are telling us in an episode all about health and fitness! Yes, after a week's break we're back, re-united in the UK at last! Although we still live several hundred miles apart. Sam kicks us off with a look at Jean II le Meingre, better known as Boucicaut, the 14th Century French knight with a knack for kicking butts, and a workout regime to match it. A hardcore, slightly silly workout regime. Next, Tom takes a look at the pankration, the brutal, bloody and usually oiled and naked ancient Greek art of wrestling. Which involved a lot of chocking to death, clubbing to death, and occasional eye gouging (which was the only thing against the rules). Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history and used to live in New Zealand but is now in the UK as well), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

There once was a podcast on history. And why they still did it's a mystery. This week's about verse, so Sam's picked the worst. And Tom's done Catullus for his story. Yes, it's poetry week! Tom kicks us off with a look at the absolutely filthy mind of the famed Roman poet Catullus. Telling your rival to quite literally suck your d**k has never sounded so beautiful. Next, Sam takes us on a tour of the poets and poems widely believed to be the worst in the English language: The Tay Bridge Disaster by William McGonagall, A Tragedy by Theophile Marzials, and On Visiting Westminster Abbey by Amanda McKittrick Ros. Three terrible poems, topped by a very funny, very rude one from Gulliver's Travels author, Jonathan Swift. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Oh have mercy, it's serial killers week! Featuring Sam murdering a song in our first proper musical interlude! Tom kicks us off with a look at Alexander Pearce, the Irish convict sent to Tasmania for stealing shoes, who pretty quickly found a taste for his fellow inmates. Next, Sam takes a look at some of the murderous cults and assassins through Indian history, from the Visha Kanyas - beautiful young women with a knack for poison - to the Thugees; a group of robbers and murderers responsible for millions of deaths. And for the word Thug. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Welcome to the age of discovery, as we attempt something we've never done before: An episode on world firsts! And it's a good'un this week. Tom kicks us off with a look at the lesser known stories and backwaters from Magellan's circumnavigation of the globe. From deaths, to revolts, to the gretest hits of Enrique Iglesias. Next, Sam takes a look at the adventures of Maurice Wilson; Climber who couldn't climb, pilot who couldn't fly, and Christian mystic who made a bold and incredibly stupid attempt to be the first man up Mount Everest. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Sacre Bleu! It is ze week we av all been waiting for, kick arse Frenchmen week!Yes, after months of baiting our cousins across the sea, it's finally their time to shine as we explore some of the most competent, brave souls from the beautiful country. We do mock the Swiss though, don't worry.Tom kicks us off with a look at Marcel "Bruno" Bigeard, a French commander in the first indochina war and Algerian independence uprising who was famed for his incredible fitness, devotion to his men, and brutality against his enemies.Next, Sam takes a look not so much at French success, but more at their competence in the face of British stupidity with the Boudan Expedition, a napoleonic era French mission to map, colonise and even invade Australia. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Finally, something to laugh about - this week's episode is all about the humour (well it's rarely about the history)! Tom kicks us off with a look at the Philogelos (Love of Laughter), the oldest known jokebook. Written by a couple of witty Greeks in around 400AD, it pokes fun at students, foreigners, and sufferers of bad breath. And it has at least a 5% success rate when it comes to actually making you laugh. Meanwhile Sam's discovered the Berners Street Hoax, an 1810 prank which saw every tradesman in London called to one house in London, grinding the entire city to a halt and causing a national scandal. Honourable mentions go to whoopee cushion inventor, the Roman Emperor Elagabalus, and biological bat poo prankster William Buckland, who's fertiliser graffiti got heads scratching at Oxford University in the 1790s. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

What a nice cheery one this week. It's all about genocide. But don't worry, we've still managed to squeeze out some (awkward) laughs. Don't say we never give ourselves a challenge! This week we're discussing all things mass murder (or, at least, attempted). Sam kicks us off with the story of Nakam, the post-WW2 Jewish organisation who tried to kill of Germany once and for all by poisoning the entire population, and actually succeeded in poisoning thousands of SS prisoners.  Meanwhile Tom goes biblical - literally - with a whistle stop tour of mass murder in the Old Testament and Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

When two tribes go to war... Or don't. Because this week we're talking about wars which didn't quite happen. Or did, just not very successfully. Tom kicks us off with the Huéscar - Denmark war, a 172-year-long war between Denmark and a tiny town in Spain in which no-one died, and which was completely forgotten about until 1981. Meanwhile, Sam talks about the Battle of Fishguard, a particularly terrible attempt by France to invade Wales, and the last time mainland Britain was invaded all the way back in 1797. An invasion that involved heavy drinking, a lot of fistfighting, and some terrible accents courtesy of Sam and Tom. Well, it is That Was Genius after all... Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Happy 2020! As a special welcome in to the new year and thanks to all our listeners, we've done a Q&A answering your questions. From hot water taps to 90s TV and the emu wars, here's everything you ever wanted to know about Sam and Tom. (A normal episode, our first of 2020, will be arriving in a few hours!) Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

How do you prove an arch-nemesis history teacher wrong? How many facts can you find beginning with the letter Q, and how many make it onto a major British TV panel show? How do you stay curious?   John Lloyd knows the answers to all these questions and many more (including plenty of general knowledge), as the creator of the TV series QI and host of BBC podcast The Museum of Curiosity. He's also the name behind sketch shows Not The Nine O'Clock News and Spitting Image, as well as legendary comedies Blackadder and the radio version of Douglas Adams' legendary Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.   So we've got plenty to talk about! Welcome to That Was Genius' "the Other Genius", a little side-hustle in which we catch up with other history creators and fanatics and talk about why they love history, what they get out of it, and their favourite quirky stories from the past.    Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Roll up, roll up for the greatest show on Earth! Yes, we plumb the depths of what humans will do for entertainment in this week's podcast, which is all about shows. Sam kicks us off with a look at Lazarus and Joannes Baptista Colloredo, two 17th Century conjoined twins who became one of the first 'freak shows', when they toured the courts of European royals amazing all who witnessed them with their unusual condition - and great stories. Next, Tom takes us to the seedy backstreets of Victorian London and the Penny Gaffs - the ruder, racier, more drunken and generally worse predecessors of today's musical theatre. Places where taste (and talent) went straight out the window! Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify This week we also gave a shout out to History Impossible - they are a great podcast and you can find them here or on your app of choice: https://www.historyimpossible.com/ Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Here's a free trial you definitely don't want to sign up to... This week we're covering arcane laws, from trial by fire and water, to dealing with ancient arsonists. Tom kicks us off with a look at some of the medieval ordeals - religious trials against adversity involving fire, water, or sometimes just hanging around a murder victim to see if they'd wake up. The idea was that if they were innocent, God would usually save them. Or sometimes let them die so they could enter heaven. It really was pretty much down to whoever was conducting the trial, to be honest. Meanwhile Sam takes a look at the Nesilim law code - the laws of the ancient Hittite empire in the Middle East - which covered everything from your sex life (be that with relatives, slaves or pigs) to what to do with someone who burns down your house, and how much you should be paying for shoes. And like all good law codes, it shows that the Hittites had some very specific and slightly disgusting problems. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify This week we also gave a shout out to The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong - they are a great podcast and you can find them here or on your app of choice: https://www.constantpodcast.com/ Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

What if the real treasures are the friendships we make along the way? Nah. Gold is much more valuable. Gold and cheese. This week we're discussing buried treasure, from the sublime to the slightly ridiculous. Tom kicks us off with a look at Samuel Peyps' diary - the world famous musings of a man equally interested in bureaucracy, great fires of London, and his own bowel movements. We explore the lengths he went to in order to keep his gold, wine and, erm, Parmesan cheese safe from a fiery inferno. And also the Dutch. Next, Sam takes us to Afghanistan for the incredible story behind the Bactrian Hoard, a one-in-a-lifetime ancient treasure trove of gold that was found, lost, and found again hidden under the noses of the Taliban - a story with a particularly Indiana Jones-esque twist. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

This week we're celebrating badass women through history. With a series of sources written by men, because history. Sigh. Tom's giving us a whistlestop tour of The Moralia, Greek/Roman historian Plutarch's account of even older Greek and Roman women. Condescending and sexist? Yes. But there's still plenty of fierce women and rebels to enjoy. Next, Sam takes us to Mongolia for a look at Khutalun: 13th Century Mongol princess, champion wrestler, incredible archer and superb kidnapper... Who very nearly inherited the mongol empire whilst breaking the noses of every good looking bachelor in 1000 miles in her search for love. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

"Doctor Doctor, give me the news, I've got a bad case of loving you": Sounds serious, try rubbing this cream made out of seeds and good energy on it. Yes, this week we're abandoning responsible medicine, not reading the label, and diving into the world of quacks, frauds and charlatans. Tom kicks us off with a look at the history of piss prophecy, or examining people's urine to determine what's wrong with them. In reality, it's more asking someone questions whilst looking at their wee and taking a wild stab, but hey, the ancient Greeks were into it so it must be good, right? Next up, Sam heads to Brazil for the strange story of Dr Adolf Fritz, the German surgeon who died in WW1 and now (apparently) inhabits the bodies of completely unqualified Brazilian conmen, allowing them to perform miraculous surgery on thousands of sick people. It's one of Brazil's most believed - and bizarre - urban legends. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Cor Blimey Guv'nor, it's a Holy Ghost! Which, fact of the day, is Cockney rhyming slang for, erm... Toast. Yes, it's Spooky week, which has absolutely nothing to do with that other scary holiday a couple of weeks back. In a horrifying twist, Sam goes first this week, with a look at the Hammersmith Ghost Murder of 1804 - the hunt for a spook haunting a graveyard that left one very much alive painter and decorator very much actually dead. Next, Tom takes a look at some of the ridiculous Mediums of Victorian Britain - oddballs and con artists like Helen Duncan and Eva Carriera who claimed to be communicating with the dead, whilst actually just lightly assaulting their victims with paper maché heads, fake arms, their real toes, and ectoplasm made of old rags which were hidden somewhere very, very scary indeed. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.  

History is all about discoveries. From scientific breakthroughs, to new philosophies and ideas, to finding out what women get up to in sleepovers and finding wads of classic work used as loo roll. And yes, the last two are our stories for this week, as we explore the topic of discovery. Tom kicks us on with a look at the Oxyrhynchus papyri (good luck spelling that drunk), an incredible archaeological horde of classical and lost texts from Egypt, which over the centuries found themselves thrown away, and even used as toilet paper. Meanwhile, Sam discovered the Bona Dea incident this week - an ancient Roman sex-scandal which saw a randy, cross-dressing young senator sneak into a top-secret, women only festival in order to try and get off with Julius Caesar's wife. Which didn't go well. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.  

It's badass week. From the good badass, to the bad badass, to the ugly badass. And yes, it's a rare triple billing as well, since Sam couldn't decide and bought two stories to the table. He kicks us off with a look at Franceska Mann, the celebrated Jewish-Polish ballerina and holocaust victim who in a final act of defiance, did a strip-tease and started a riot. At Auschwitz. Next, Tom takes us to Afghanistan and the disasterous retreat of the British from Kabul under General Elphinstone in 1842 - in which a force of 4,500 British troops and thousands of civilians was completely wiped out in an act of unbelievable military incompetence. So more of a bad ass than a badass. Finally, it's back to Sam and the story of 'Iron' Mike Malloy, the murer victim who refused to die. In 1930s New York, Mike was the victim of a cruel insurance fraud in which five of his friends tried to murder him... Nine times. And every time, Mike bounced back for more. Like a badass. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

I mean honestly, it's amazing it's taken us this long to tackle revenge. That's basically what history is all about. And we've no shortage of things to talk about. Tom kicks us off with the bizarre and brutal true story behind Alexandre Dumas' 1844 novel The Count of Monte Cristo - as well as a look at the incredible history of the Dumas family themselves (did you know the three musketeers was based on the real-life adventures of his Dad?) Next, Sam takes us to Soviet Russia, Mariya Oktyabrskaya and 'The Fighting Girlfriend'. It's a classic love story: Woman meets man, man dies on WW2 Eastern Front, woman sells worldly possessions, buys tank, and gets permission from Stalin to use it to kill Nazis. A tale as old as time. Incidentally, Sam talks about Olga of Kiev today: she features in Episode 15, which you can find here. The link goes to our website. Now that's a properly brutal story of revenge. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Say aah please, it's health week! From conspiracies to the Charleston, we've got it covered. Tom kicks us off with a look at the conspiracy theories surrounding the Pineal gland, a completely normal part of the brain which has been the source of some completely mad conspiracy theories and quackery over the years, and still is today. Next, Sam takes a look at the dance marathons of depression-era America. Part Dancing with the Stars, part grotesque survival epic, these competitions were freak shows riddled with corruption, rigging, staged storylines and very, very little sleep. And the public loved them. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Order! Listen in the name of the law! We're discussing all things legal this week. Sam kicks us off with a follow on from last week's Papacy special with a look at all the times God has ended up in the dock - as a defendant, as a plaintiff, and as a witness. He looks at just a few of the times people have been punished for offending God, have sued God, or have used God to get out of jail... Next, Tom examines a dark story from Australia with the cases of John Button and Darryl Beamish, two men wrongly imprisoned for murder. Their victims had, in fact, been killed by serial killer Eric Edgar Cooke, who even confessed to the crimes... But the innocent men weren't cleared for decades.  Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Bless you my child, it's Popes week! And we've avoided almost all the obvious jokes! Tom's been learning about the Malleus Maleficarum or 'Hammer of Witches', a hideous medieval treatise on how to spot witches, how to deal with them, and, erm... quite a lot of detail about their supposed sex lives. Lovely.  Meanwhile, Sam heads down into the crypt of the Cadaver Synod - the gory and highly political trial of the already dead pope Formosus in the 9th Century. And yes, the dead pope was there in the room.   Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

We've got a new and exciting side project! Welcome to That Was Genius' "the Other Genius", a little side-hustle in which we catch up with other history creators and fanatics and talk about why they love history, what they get out of it, and their favourite quirky stories from the past.  In episode one Sam catches up with History with Hilbert, creator of YouTube 'explains' videos and Facebook historical memelord, to discuss ancient forgeries, the highs and lows of the Dutch navy, and how legends are written by Dads trying to entertain their kids. Hilbert's studying Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at Cambridge and has been making videos since 2016. But whilst the Vikings and the early British kingdoms are his forté, he makes videos on everything from the Wars of the Roses, to the Spanish Civil War, to Korea, flags, the evolution of languages and everything in between. Do check him out! You can find Hilbert on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1Zc6_BhPXiCWZlrZP4EsEg Or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistorywHilbert Or on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/HistorywHilbert   Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Ahoy there shipmates, and all aboard for a nautical-themed adventure. Tom kicks us off by looking at the odd nautical origins of some well known phrases. And there are a lot of them: Mostly about drinking and occasionally about the, er... Ladies of the port. Which won't come as a surprise to anyone. You'll never look at the phrase Hunky Dory the same way again. Meanwhile, Sam takes a look at the brief period in history when cruise ships became battleships and why that was an absolutely terrible idea, culminating in the WW1 Battle of Trindade, when the cruise ship RMS Carmania fought and sunk... The cruise ship RMS Carmania (or rather, the German luxury liner/battleship SMS Cap Trafalgar in disguise). Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.    

Let us take you on a journey to the mysterious East. Or the equally mysterious West. Whatever. It's silk road week! Yes, this week we're taking a trip down the original information superhighway, the silk road. For centuries, the only route linking the West with the mysterious East, and the East with the mysterious West. A place of luxurious goods beyond your wildest imagination, new ideas that will blow your mind, barbaric hordes, and a bit of plague. Tom kicks us off by looking at the Lost Legions of Carrhae in 56BC, the theory that ten thousand Roman soldiers, captured in battle against the Parthians, eventually found their way into China where they established a city. It's a controversial theory, but a very fun one! Next, Sam looks at Rabban Bar Sauma, the Eastern Marco Polo - a monk who travelled from China to Baghdad in the 13th Century, then got sent on an even stranger mission, to form a military alliance between the French and the Mongol Empire. And it very nearly worked... Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

It's Japan week! So we've not exactly been short of fun things to talk about. First up, we've got special guest, That Was Genius fan and Japanese resident Stephanie, to talk about the mythical Tanuki and their incredible testicles. Next, Sam's been desperately trying to find a positive story from Japan in WW2, and has come up with 'The Japanese Schindler' Chiune Sugihara, also known as Sempo. A diplomat with a conscience, he saved over 6,000 Jewish refugees from the holocaust. Tom then brings it back to silliness with 'Journey to the West', a Chinese folk tale which has become incredibly popular in Japan and features rolling monkeys, half-pig half-man muck-ups in the reincarnation wheel, and lots of other Buddhist mythical fun! Then, to top it all off, we've got a couple of urban legends from Japan's public toilets. Quite a lot for one hour then!Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

It's vegetables week! No, we're not sure why either.  Tom kicks us off by looking at Priapus (and his collection of poems The Priapeia), Rome's bad-tempered and EXTREMELY well endowed garden-protecting gnome-God. His poetry is really quite something, and leaves very little to the imagination. Meanwhile Sam's been learning about the vegetable lamb of Tartary, a stupid medieval monster that's about as threatening as it sounds, and which people believed in for far, FAR too long. Mentions in this episode... We talk briefly about the film pumping iron, and Arnold Schwarzenegger's bizarre rant about coming. Aaand here's a Google image search of Alan Titchmarsh. You're welcome?! Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Episode 30, can you believe it? And to celebrate, this week's episode is particularly silly. We've been looking at rivers. Tom dives right in with a (quite roundabout) look at the ferrymen of folklore, from Ireland's speedboat-driving Manannán mac Lir and his sword of truth (he doesn't actually have a speedboat), to a battle of wits over a ferry ride between Thor and Odin. Meanwhile, Sam's gone to Japan to explore the dark and deeply funny folklore of the Kappa, the farting, childish, but deadly imps which haunt Japanese waterways drowning unsuspecting passers by. Unless, of course, you throw them a cucumber. Some of the artwork surrounding the Kappa is brilliant, so do check out our social media to see more (links below) Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Fasten your seatbelts and put up your tray tables, because this week we're talking all things plane crash. From the world's luckiest man to several very unlucky victims, we've been looking at what happens when the sh*t hits the propeller. Tom examines the war time flying record of a certain WW2 RAF ace and famed children's author, who he keeps a surprise but we have to mention for SEO (so his name's at the bottom of this description).  Meanwhile Sam takes a look at Marcus Schrenker, the Indiana businessman and stunt pilot who faked his own death by leaping from his plane high above Alabama in a spectacularly stupid and very unsuccessful attempt to escape the law. Special shoutout to 10ish podcast - A comedy and edutainment podcast covering a different Top 10 list every week. We really like them and we think you will too. Find them at https://www.10ishpod.com/ or via your favourite podcast app. Sorry about the sound quality in this episode, Tom's been on holiday so had to record through his laptop microphone this week. Normal service will resume shortly!  Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.   *Spoiler alert: It's Roald Dahl, who wrote James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory etc.

Hola! And welcome to an episode all about Conquistadors, the swarthy and generally deeply unpleasant Spanish settlers, treasure-seekers and soldiers who made the new world their home in the 16th century. And when we say home, we mean it's the place most of them met grizzly ends.   Tom kicks us off this week with a look at three intertwined characters, La Malinche, Gerónimo de Aguilar and Gonzalo Guerrero - who between them went from conquerors and royalty, to slaves, to leaders of the new world. Meanwhile Sam takes a look at possibly history's least successful conquistador, Pánfilo de Narváez, and his namesake colonization and conquest mission (slash utter disaster), the Narvaez Expedition. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

WARNING: This episode contains references to sources which use language in common use at the time, but which would be considered offensive and derogatory today. Which isn't surprising, because today we're tackling the grim topic of slavery, which was abolished in the British Empire on August 1st 1834. Tom kicks us off with a very odd book from a chap called Josiah Priest, an American who was almost as obsessed about slavery as he was about genitalia and sexual perversions in the bible. Meanwhile Sam goes over some of the odd pro-slavery propaganda used by the pro-slavery lobby in the lead-up to abolition, from plays about how wonderful slave owners were (there may or may not be a musical number) to speeches to parliament about what a good life the slaves led in captivity. And, of course, getting one over on the French. Which totally makes the whole thing ok, right!? Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

STOP, in the name of love, as we take a look at some of history's host of heroic homosexuals to celebrate Pride season. Tom kicks us off with a look at the Theban Sacred Band, the elite fighting force of ancient Greek men united by their love for one another who took on the Spartans and won. Meanwhile Sam looks at Sergius and Bacchus, two secret Roman Christians martyred for their faith, and united by their love for one another - with the result they are now especially revered among the gay Christian community.   Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Ey up, it's Northern week on That Was Genius! This week we're discussing all things North of the Border. Sam discovers what the Ancient Greek's thought lay beyond the grumpy horse who makes the north wind blow. Meanwhile Tom looks at the strange phenomenon known as the Sea People, who ravaged and destroyed the civilized world at the end of the Bronze Age.  Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

THIS WEEK: An adult card game (???), a peepee collector, and shoes made out of trash. Plus, the boys take a trip down memory lane with some classic high school memories. Doesn't sound that good? Well, it's either listen to YKS or...freakin' drive a trolley over a bunch of baby puppies eating bacon! Your choice dude!Music for YKS is courtesy of our friends Howell Dawdy, Craig Dickman, and Mark Brendle. Thanks guys.Want more YKS? Head on over to www.patreon.com/yourkickstartersucks and buy yourself some.And a big thanks to the history guys over at That Was Genius for sponsoring today's show. Check em out at www.thatwasgeniuspodcast.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

# I'm having the time of my life, and I've never felt this way before # Yes, it's music week! And yet somehow we've managed to fall into a pit of depravity, once again. Tom explores some of the earliest known nursery rhymes, which are quite sweary and you definitely don't want to sing to your kids.  Meanwhile, Sam takes us on a whistlestop tour of some of the dirtiest lyrics in classical and folk music, from dirty trousers to dirty Mozart. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Right you lot, your mission? Escape from camp Genius. The plan? One hour of close calls and narrowly avoided disasters as we explore some of history's greatest escapes. Sam kicks us off with a look at the escape from Zozgad prison camp, also known as the road to end-or; a WW1 escape in which an Australian and a Welshman escaped a Turkish POW camp... using telepathy. Meanwhile Tom looks at Edward III and his very lucky escape at the Battle of Crécy in 1346, part of the hundred years war. A disastrous turn in a military campaign became an incredible victory thanks to a cunning plan. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Waddup there burpers and skwodies here's a brand new episode for your listening pleasure, or listening anyway!We have lots going on in this show with stories about sex doll makers creating dolls that look like people's dead spouses - would you get that done?Matt found out what he was supposed to do for Back to the Wuture, so we did that this week instead of finding out stuff about the Chinese dog meat festival, which sounds delightful!Don't forget you can sign up over on patreon.com/newsburp for more exclusive content just for you and you can get in touch with us on social medias all @newsburpAnd keep an eye out for more shows from us on www.podskwod.comJump to your favourite segment:Weekly Weird Wupdates - 10.12Weekly Was Wupdates - 39.39Back to the Wuture - 57.47Godd News - 1:05.36Catch all's y'alls next week!Oh and be sure to check out That Was Genius podcast - here's the link to where you can get them - http://bit.ly/ThatWasGeniuslinks

Waddup there burpers and skwodies here's a brand new episode for your listening pleasure, or listening anyway!We have lots going on in this show with stories about sex doll makers creating dolls that look like people's dead spouses - would you get that done?Matt found out what he was supposed to do for Back to the Wuture, so we did that this week instead of finding out stuff about the Chinese dog meat festival, which sounds delightful!Don't forget you can sign up over on patreon.com/newsburp for more exclusive content just for you and you can get in touch with us on social medias all @newsburpAnd keep an eye out for more shows from us on www.podskwod.comJump to your favourite segment:Weekly Weird Wupdates - 10.12Weekly Was Wupdates - 39.39Back to the Wuture - 57.47Godd News - 1:05.36Catch all's y'alls next week!Oh and be sure to check out That Was Genius podcast - here's the link to where you can get them - http://bit.ly/ThatWasGeniuslinks

Be our guest, be our guest, be prepared to be impressed, by our knowledge about Disney, bad accents and Prince's frisky... That's right, it's Disney week! Tom and Sam have been delving into the stories behind the Disney classics in what is - even by our standards - a very NSFW episode. Lots of swearing and adult themes. You've been warned. Tom examines Pinocchio, the murderous, tortured and executed Italian children's comic book character designed to scare the hell out of them. Meanwhile Sam discusses Sleeping Beauty, a charming story of love-rat kings, absentee parents, attempted necrophilia and cannibalism. Joy oh joy. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Why howdy y'all, and welcome to an episode of That Was Genius dedicated to the good 'ole US of A! This week, Tom examines the horrific case of Elmer McCurdy, the useless criminal and genuine corpse discovered hidden in an American fairground ride 70 years after his death. Meanwhile Sam explores the *Less* than United States, with a look at a couple of the breakaway republics within the USA, including the Republic of Vermont and the State of Muskagee, a short-lived republic in Florida which took was home to an odd alliance of native Americans, British and Spanish exiles, escaped slaves and just a few pirates.  Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

G'Day Bruces and Shielas, stick another shrimp on the barbie because it's Australia week!  Tom takes us on another highly entertaining (and, as usual, it's deeply harrowing) story of shipwreck survival against all the elements with the wreck of the Sydney Cove. Meanwhile, Sam's finally getting to talk about the Burke and Wills expedition - an adventurous trip across Australia which, even by Victorian standards, was an absolute shambles from start to finish and a testament to bad bosses everywhere. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Oh Lordy, it's religion week. Which we're approaching with as much tact as you would expect for a delicate subject like this. Sam discusses the Freedomites, Canada's nudist vegan terrorists (pacifist terrorism, of course. The best kind). Meanwhile Tom discusses the origins of the term buggery. Which, it turns out, may just be a bit of medieval fake news. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Eureka! Inventions is the topic this week, from some of the oddest and least successful to the most ingenious. Tom looks into Roman siege equipment courtesy of Vetruvius, including some really quite astonishingly large machines with crews of hundreds. Meanwhile, Sam takes us to the USSR to look at some of the stranger inventions the Soviets came up with to try and make life a little better for the population, from early mobile phones to bizarre ship/plane hybrids that terrorised the seas. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.  

Talk about a historical epic: Episode 17 is all about events which should have been made into films, but aren't! Sam discusses the battle for Itter Schloss (the only time the Germans and US fought on the same side in WW2, alongside a load of retired French Prime Ministers). Meanwhile, Tom discusses the other side of the Scottish War of Independence. The side Mel Gibson didn't want you to see... The interesting side. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Resistance is anything but futile! And it's the topic this week. Sam's been learning about British superspy and inventor of imaginary resistance networks Juan Pujol Garcia, the rare recipient of a gallantry award from both the British and the Germans in WW2.  Meanwhile Tom's been discussing Norwegian accountant / badass saboteur Gunnar Fridtjof Thurmann Sønsteby, who managed to get away with some incredible acts against the German occupation of Norway - partly through being really smart, and partly through looking really boring. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

You dirty rotten cheat. Foul play is the topic this week. Tom's gamed the system to make sure cheating in the early years of the Tour de France comes up, with both bizarre and terrifying drug cocktails, and some wacky-races style tricks and booby-traps!Meanwhile Sam's slipped an ace up his sleeve with the tale of Olga of Kiev and the Drevlian uprising - a series of gruesome political tricks which makes the Game of Thrones Red Wedding look like a slumber party. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

'Perfidious Albion' or the dastardly English is the topic this week, although through a series of miscommunications it's actually an episode featuring one horrible person and one absolute idiot. Tom looks at bored, spoiled idiot and all-round moron John 'Mad Jack' Mitten. Meanwhile, Sam discusses the arms dealer and British intelligence agent Basil Zaharoff or 'ZedZed', the salesman who did more than anyone else to kick start WW1 by stirring up hatred and sleeping his way around European aristocracy, whilst making an enormous fortune for himself as a result.  Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify  Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.

Yarr, it's pirate week on That Was Genius. Tom discusses French Buccaneer, privateer and all-round nasty guy Francois L'ollonois, who is definitely not one to cross if you happen to be Spanish. Or like your head to be attached to your body. Meanwhile Sam discusses the pirate dynasty of Ching Shih, Cheng Yud and Chung Po: The husband/wife/adopted son (who was later also husband, yes it's complicated) family who terrorised the South China Sea with a fleet of hundreds of vessels and tens of thousands of pirate sailors. Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history. Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange. From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world. We upload new episodes every Wednesday night/Thursday morning (UK time). Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and via our website, and please do subscribe to us and leave us a review if you like what you hear! That Was Genius is produced by Glorious Republic Broadcasting.