Idiots Talk History

Idiots Talk History

By Idiots Talk HistoryComedySociety & CultureHistory
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Idiots Talk History episodes

  • 52 The Glider King and The Flying Tailor

    Matt reports this week on two pioneers of early aviation history. First up is Otto Lilienthal, a man who popularised the art of flight through 2000 tests. As these were watched by the masses he became known as the Glider King. Soon after a man named Franz Reichelt decided he was going to create a new, safer parachute. His subsequent trials and errors ensured his name as a mainstay in history books forever more. He was the famous Flying Tailor.

    Elsewhere, Lorna gives us a lesson on the film series Madagascar as we get waylaid.

    This is a new start for the Idiots, as we move into Year 2 of Idiots Talk History!!

    Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod

    Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

    The video of Otto Lilienthal flying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLuIiwmu3OE

    41 min
  • 51 The Bizarre Founding of Sealand

    In 1966 Paddy Roy Bates and his family took to an old army fort in the middle of the North Sea, and the next year decided to declare it as a nation, called the Principality of Sealand. This is a challenge for Matt who constantly mixes it up with Seaworld, however this has nothing to do with the marine parks and instead Sealand has a history you won’t believe.

    Whilst discussing Sealand’s bizarre history Matt also has a personal connection to a member of Sealand’s football team. And we finish by looking into becoming a lord and lady of Sealand.

    Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod

    Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

    53 min
  • 50 The 1968 Paris Riots (& Closing of Cannes Film Festival)

    It’s our 50th birthday this week!! To celebrate Matt brings us a fantastic report on a moment from history 50 years ago. The focus is on Paris in 1968 and its period of civil unrest. Listen out for Matt’s attempts at French when reciting a famous saying of the time and also his bad ‘bless you’ joke.  

    Also another exciting moment this week is Matt’s Movie History corner, a development from previous movie corners when we learn about the closing of the Cannes Film Festival!

    Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod

    Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

    47 min
  • 49 "The Blind Traveller" James Holman

    This week its Lorna’s turn to report, and she focuses on James Holman, who at the time of his death was arguably the most travelled man in the world. He zig zagged across the globe, all this despite the fact that he went blind early in his life. James Holman also went on to write travel books, and as a result we attempt to shorten the name of his first novel (it was such a long one!).

    A seamless edit in the middle of the episode hides a McDonald’s trip and some car issues.

    And finally, in Lorna’s movie corner we discuss James Holman the New Zealand director.

    Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod

    Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

     

    42 min
  • 49 “The Blind Traveller” James Holman

    This week its Lorna’s turn to report, and she focuses on James Holman, who at the time of his death was arguably the most travelled man in the world. He zig zagged across the globe, all this despite the fact that he went blind early in his life. James Holman also went on to write travel books, and as a result we attempt to shorten the name of his first novel (it was such a long one!).


    A seamless edit in the middle of the episode hides a McDonald’s trip and some car issues.
    And finally, in Lorna’s movie corner we discuss James Holman the New Zealand director.


    Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod


    Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy


     

    42 min
  • 48 Murasaki Shikibu: Author of the First Novel

    Matt reports this week on the poet and author of the first novel, Murasaki Shikibu. She lived in 10th Century Japan, and today she holds an incredible legacy.

    Lorna makes some very poor guesses early on, and we work out what our surnames would have been.
    And as always, another episode, another existential crisis for Lorna.

    Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod

    Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

    48 min
  • 47 Oldham in WWII: The Last Flying Bomb and POW Camp

    Lorna tells us all about our hometown, Oldham, in WWII. It was struck by the Last Flying Bomb of the war and was also home to the Prisoner of War Camp named Glen Mill.

    There are personal stories about the POW's and their interaction with locals.
    Lorna wrote her dissertation on the topic and is full of interesting titbits!
    Elsewhere, Matt creates his own new segments to various degrees of success.

    Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod

    Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

    37 min
  • 46 Zelda Fitzgerald

    Lorna reports on the author Zelda Fitzgerald, an iconic figure of the Roaring Twenties in America and in Europe. Not only did she write but she also painted and was an accomplished ballet dancer.

    Zelda was one half of the first celebrity couple, with her partner being Lost Generation writer, and author of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald. To say the two had a turbulent relationship would be an understatement. Famously Scott stole writing from Zelda’s diaries for his own works!

    For once Matt actually knows a bit about the topic and almost ruins the whole story at the start!

    There’s also talk of Zelda as a feminist revolutionary, Lorna reveals her favourite celebrity couple and Matt worries about the hygiene levels of the 1920s.

    Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod

    Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

    50 min
  • 45 JFK and the Kennedy Family Curse

    Lorna begins by detailing in quick fashion her disastrous day. Then Matt jumps in to his tragedy-ridden report on the Kennedy Family Curse. Throughout the 20th Century numerous members of the famous family died in horrific ways.  

    Also this week, Lorna worryingly wants to become the first member of the 23 Club, and your hosts realise a shared love of spelling bees. 
    There's also an impromptu game of "Curse or No Curse?"

    For this week’s Big Question Matt runs through some out-there conspiracy theories about the assassination of JFK.

    Thanks for listening!

    Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod

    Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

    54 min
  • 44 Peace Walks (1950s, 60s and 70s)

    This week Lorna reports on 3 incredible peace walks that took place in the second half of the twentieth century. It encompasses the creation of the peace symbol, and two men giving teabags to world leaders on the brink of nuclear war.

    There’s other important developments too as Matt learns (and is immediately disgusted by) what crimped hair is, and we use Siri to try to learn how to say antipathy.
    As usual Matt side-tracks the episode multiple times. this week with his talk of English counties and wrestling’s biggest event, Wrestlemania.

    Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod

    Individual Twitters: @MattSingleton17  @lornabarryy

    54 min

About Idiots Talk History

From the publisher's feed

A weekly history based podcast where we discuss lesser known moments from the past, or shine a new light on famous events, in our own distinctive British way.