That Was Genius - A Funny History Podcast

Mar 31 2022 108 ep. 55 mins 2.2k

That Was Genius - A Funny History Podcast artwork

A comedy history podcast looking at the forgotten side of the past. The jokes are silly, the accents are terrible, and the history will amaze you. Every Wednesday, join two history buffs for a sweary, laugh-filled hour of (slightly) educational fun.

Comedy History Education

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A Stephen Hawking-Shaped Adult Toy (Swearing week) - That Was Genius Episode 134

Mar 31 2022 45 mins

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 expec

A Jacket Made of Condoms and Geese (Stock Market Week) - That Was Genius Episode 133

Feb 26 2022 54 mins

It's time to lean back and take stock(market), as we look at all things boom and bust. Tom kicks us off with a look at the Drunk Oil Trading Incident, and the Great Comic Book Bubble. Meanwhile Sam's been looking at Tulip Mania and the South Sea Bubble. Sorted. Next week's episode is a patron exclusive all about swearing, and it's an flipping blinder! Find it at patreon.com/thatwas

The Artful Todger (medical procedures and men behaving badly week) - That Was Genius Episode 131

Feb 06 2022 50 mins

We got confused! It's medical procedures week, but Sam jumped the gun and did a man behaving badly. Doh. Tom kicks us off with a look at the early 20th century obsession with grafting bits of animal (or criminal) testicle onto the knackers of well-to-do gentlemen and professional sportsmen to boost their performance. Meanwhile, Sam's been looking at Saci, the naughty, smelly, wish-

260 Menopausal Librarians (Trains week) - That Was Genius episode 129

Jan 20 2022 44 mins

Choo choo, steaming in two months late, we're back! This week it's all about trains. Sam kicks us off with a look at the Australian 'Afghan' or 'Ghan' camel trains of the 19th century. Next, Tom's looking at the ancient Greek sort-of-railway, sort of road for boats, the 'Diolkos'. Next week's episode is a patron exclusive all about people called Tom and Sam! Find it at patreon.com

We‘re taking a break - but we‘ll be back!

Nov 04 2021 5 mins

Hi everyone, We've taken the decision to give ourselves a few weeks break from the podcast to reset and get ourselves sorted out. Sam's daughter has just started nursery so is perennially low-level ill, and his day job is going through a busy spot which doesn't leave much free time to write and edit this old thing. If you're a Patron (patreon.com/thatwasgenius) you'll be getting a

Tom‘s Ping-Pong Canary Show (Traditions week) - That Was Genius Episode 127

Oct 21 2021 58 mins

Like carving a pumpkin at Halloween, sprouts at Christmas, and burning policemen in giant wicker cages, this week it's all about traditions! Sam kicks us off this week with a look at the not-as-nice-as-it-sounds Aztec tradition of the Flower War - a sporting contest with very real and deadly consequences, and an even worse runner-up prize. Nest, Tom's been looking at 'Line Crossing

Minor Lion-Based Surgery (Feats of Survival week) - That Was Genius Episode 125

Oct 07 2021 56 mins

Well we nearly didn't make this one (Tom's mic broke). But we survived and we're back with an episode all about feats of survival! Tom's up first this week, with the parallel tales of H.M. Stanley and Dr David Livingstone, whose lives collided with the famous greeting, "Dr Livingstone, I presume"? Next, Sam's been looking at survival from a great number of feet, rather than feats,

The Misadventures of Florida Man (Internet week) - That Was Genius Episode 123

Sep 16 2021 56 mins

It's internet week (Beep beep, boop boop, modem screeching noises)! Sam starts us off with a look at project CyberSyn, a 1970s attempt by communist Chile to let a computer with a millionth the power of an iPhone run its entire economy. Next, Tom's been looking at archaeological finds identified through the highly scientific medium of... Google Earth. Next week's episode is a patron

We‘re Bim Bam Bina Back (Italy week) - That Was Genius Episode 121

Sep 03 2021 57 mins

It's been... A While. But we're back, tanned, and ready to go! This week it's all about Italy. Tom has been looking at operation Mincemeat, the allied attempts to thwart Axis intelligence in the lead up to the Italian campaign in WW2. Meanwhile Sam's been taking a look at the history of the worlds (sort of) oldest and (sort of) smallest country, San Marino! Next week's episode is a

That Was Genius Episode 119 - The Many Follies of Heidi Klum (Gardening week Patron exclusive!)

Aug 04 2021 62 mins

This episode was a patron exclusive, which we're releasing to the public as we're taking a short summer break. Want to join and get more than two dozen exclusive episodes? Find us at patreon.com/thatwasgenius. We'll be back in two weeks! Down at the Bottom of the Garden, among the birds and the bees, there live two slightly sweary hosts, and it's gardening week. Yes, that's t