Professor Buzzkill History Podcast
833 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★★ - 180 ratingsProfessor Buzzkill is an exciting podcast that explores history myths in an illuminating, entertaining, and humorous way.
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Episodes
Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII
April 16, 2024 07:29 - 48 minutes - 67.2 MBJane Marguerite Tippett discusses her new book about Edward VIII, the English king who abdicated the throne in 1936 for the woman he loved, the American socialite Wallis Simpson. She describes the complexity of his life and the almost innumerable myths about his political views, his hopes for the British monarchy, and his famous meeting with Hitler before World War II. This is fascinating new historical research. Listen and learn! Episode 549.
Hitler's Rise to Power: History and Myth
April 02, 2024 09:00 - 1 hour - 91.8 MBWe examine the many myths surrounding Adolf Hitler’s rise from Chancellor to the outbreak of World War II. These include: how Nazi Germany functioned; the myth of his purely tyrannical dictatorship; and the myth of an efficient, orderly dictatorship. We also explore Hitler’s genuine popularity, and explain the successes of Hitler’s diplomacy and expansionism. It’s very deep and complicated, Buzzkillers! Encore Episode.
The "Princess Qajar" Meme: Junk History and Conceptions of Beauty
March 19, 2024 16:42 - 22 minutes - 31.5 MBDr. Victoria Martinez joins to debunk and explain Junk history is embodied a viral meme that portrays a nineteenth-century Persian princess with facial hair, alongside the claim that 13 men killed themselves over their unrequited love for her. While it fails miserably at historical accuracy, the meme succeeds at demonstrating how easily viral clickbait obscures and overshadows rich and meaningful stories from the past. It's junk history! Episode 548.
Irish America: Race and Politics
March 12, 2024 11:33 - 40 minutes - 55.3 MBProfessor Mary Burke destroys the myths and caricatures of Irish Americans as a monolithic cultural, racial, and political group. Figures from the Scots-Irish Andrew Jackson to the Caribbean-Irish Rihanna, as well as literature, film, caricature, and beauty discourse, convey how the Irish racially transformed multiple times: in the slave-holding Caribbean, on America's frontiers and antebellum plantations, and along its eastern seaboard. Her cultural history of race and centuries of Irishness...
Green Book Sites: Local History and Architecture
March 05, 2024 06:33 - 46 minutes - 64.1 MBWe've already learned about the importance of "The Negro Motorist Green Book" from our previous show. Here, historians Catherine Zipf and Susan Hellman discuss their project on the architecture of the sites found in the Green Book and what various efforts are being made to locate more Green Book sites and preserve them. Perhaps the best show we've ever done about local history! Episode 546.
Traveling While Black: The Green Book Guides to African-American Motoring - Encore!
February 26, 2024 03:22 - 39 minutes - 36 MB20th-century automobile travel was supposed to represent freedom, but what else did it represent? Professor Cotten Seiler from Dickinson College joins us to discuss the difficulties and hazards of traveling in the United States faced by African-American motorists in the 20th Century, especially during the height of segregation and Jim Crow. Specifically, we learn how important guides like the Negro Motorist Green Book and the popular Travelguide: Vacation and Recreation Without Humiliation we...
Henry Kissinger Part 2: Perpetual Power?
February 20, 2024 12:05 - 1 hour - 84.2 MBProfessor Philip Nash joins us for Part 2 of our examination of the life and loves of Henry Kissinger, perhaps the most influential American foreign policy figure of the later Cold War. This episode discusses his time in power in the Nixon administration, his carefully crafted public image, and his continuing power after he left office. We puzzle over his continued influence and assess his responsibility for some of the worst crimes of the 20th century. Episode 546.
Henry Kissinger Part 1: Meteoric Rise
February 06, 2024 11:00 - 49 minutes - 67.4 MBProfessor Philip Nash joins us for Part 1 of our examination of the life and loves of Henry Kissinger, perhaps the most influential American foreign policy figure of the later Cold War. We look at his origins, his education, his move into governing circles, and his meteoric rise to power in the 1970s. An amazing story that takes us from his escape from Nazi Germany, his World War II service, his education at Harvard, and his subsequent work in the early Nixon administration. Episode 545.
Ben Franklin, "A Republic, if You Can Keep It" - Quote or No Quote? Encore
January 30, 2024 12:52 - 13 minutes - 12.8 MBAt the end of this month of asking "what is America," we give you a show on this famous Ben Franklin quote. Franklin supposedly said this after the Founding Fathers had agreed on the broad nature of the new U.S. government in 1787. But is the quote genuine? We explain it all, and the wider context of Franklin’s political and social world. Encore episode
Lies of the Land: Rural America in History and Myth
January 23, 2024 08:10 - 40 minutes - 56.2 MBProfessor Steven Conn shows us that rural America—so often characterized as in crisis or in danger of being left behind—has actually been at the center of modern American history, shaped by the same forces as everywhere else in the country: militarization, industrialization, corporatization, and suburbanization. He invites us to dispense with the lies and half-truths we’ve believed about rural America and to pursue better solutions to the very real challenges shared all across our nation. You...
America a Continental History
January 16, 2024 08:50 - 30 minutes - 41.4 MB“Forging America” speaks to both the complexities of historical experience and the meanings of the past for our present-day lives. Warning against the assumption of preordained outcomes, Pulitzer-Prize-winning historian Steve Hahn focuses the reader's attention on those moments when historical change occurs. He weaves a history that is continental and transnational, a history of the many peoples whose experiences and aspirations -oftentimes involving struggle and conflict- went into the forgi...
The Unknown Martin Luther King: 2024 MLK Encore!
January 15, 2024 08:50 - 40 minutes - 18.4 MBMartin Luther King did so much more for American society, and wanted so much more from the US government and US elite than most people realize. Popular history has airbrushed out far too much about his life and work. Professor Phil Nash reminds us of the importance of King’s work, especially during the forgotten period between his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech and his assassination in 1968. Listen and learn.
America's Origin Stories and Myths
January 09, 2024 08:45 - 49 minutes - 68.4 MBDr. Brian Regal joins us to discuss some of the stories and myths about who “discovered” America, and what the continued popularity of those myths tell us about American culture. From Irish saints to marauding Vikings to Chinese admirals to African explorers, people from almost every culture on earth have been credited with discovering America. Listen as he explains all! Episode 542.
America: What's in a Name?
January 02, 2024 08:30 - 12 minutes - 17.6 MBThe Professor starts off his January 2024 "What is America" series of shows with a short episode that looks at the naming of "America" and the naming of the "United States of America." Was America named after Amerigo Vespucci, as we were all taught in school? Why was it named after him? And when did Americans first start to refer to the "United States," rather than the "colonies"? Episode 541
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day
December 29, 2023 08:40 - 3 minutes - 5.39 MBHow did New Year’s Day end up in the middle of winter in the northern hemisphere (and the middle of summer in the southern hemisphere)? Wouldn’t a day in spring be more fitting? Find out how people celebrated New Year's in past centuries and why things turned out the way they did. Encore Episode.
Auld Lang Syne: an Appreciation
December 28, 2023 08:30 - 15 minutes - 21.3 MBShould old acquaintance be forgot? What? Should we forget old friends? Should we sing about remembering them. What does Auld Lang Syne actually mean? Why do we sing it every New Year’s Eve? Join the Professor as he waxes lyrical and sentimentally about Auld Lang Syne, Scotland, and good auld Robert Burns!
12 Days of Christmas: a Coded Song?
December 25, 2023 08:15 - 12 minutes - 16.7 MBWere there special, secret meanings behind the lyrics in the famous Christmas song, The 12 Days of Christmas? Ten Lords a Leaping and Nine Ladies Dancing sounds like a pretty good party! But why wasn’t Professor Buzzkill invited? We explain it all and wish all you Buzzkillers out there a happy holiday season! Encore episode.
Candy Cane Myths! Encore!
December 21, 2023 08:10 - 5 minutes - 7 MBCandy canes are a well-known symbol of the holiday season, but what is the origin and meaning of this peculiar candy? Some say it was invented by a German choirmaster in the 17th century. Others say it was invented by an Indiana confectioner in the 19th century. Or maybe it was a Catholic priest? Is the candy cane is full of religious symbols that represent the blood of Christ, the nativity, and the strength of the Christian church? Listen and learn!
The Mozart-Saleri Feud: Did “Amadeus” Tell the Real Story?
December 19, 2023 08:10 - 25 minutes - 35.4 MBThe film “Amadeus” was a huge hit in the mid-1980s. It depicted Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri as musical rivals in the Austrian court in the late 18th century, which ultimately ends with Mozart's early death. But was anything in the film accurate? Did Salieri plot to kill Mozart? Was jealousy over musical genius really that serious? Dr. Kristin Franseen explains it all. Rather than being a buzzkill, she shows us that the real story is actually more interesting than the film vers...
"It's a Wonderful Life" 1947 Radio Drama
December 15, 2023 08:45 - 1 hour - 85.4 MBListeners have asked me to post the 1947 Lux Radio Drama version of "It's a Wonderful Life," starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. Enjoy this great story in a different format!
"It's a Wonderful Life" Myths and Urban Legends: 2023 Encore!
December 14, 2023 08:10 - 41 minutes - 56.7 MBOne of the most popular movies of all time, “It’s a Wonderful Life” (starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed) is a holiday classic. It has also given us a cornucopia of history myths and urban legends. Lend an ear as the Professor analyzes these stories, talks about how the movie was received when released in 1946, and highlights many overlooked supporting actors in the film. And you learn why the Professor thinks he also has a “wonderful life”!
The Best Years of Our Lives: the Greatest Film You Haven’t Seen!
December 12, 2023 08:15 - 55 minutes - 75.9 MBReleased in 1946, The Best Years of Our Lives became an immediate success. Life magazine called it “the first big, good movie of the post-war era” to tackle the “veterans problem.” Today we call that problem PTSD, but in the initial aftermath of World War II, the modern language of war trauma did not exist. Award-winning author Alison Macor illuminates the film’s journey from script to screen and describes how this authentic motion picture moved audiences worldwide. And Professor Buzzkill gus...
Pearl Harbor 2023 Encore
December 06, 2023 15:15 - 47 minutes - 65.1 MBDid FDR know about the Pearl Harbor attack ahead of time? And who was the attack more devastating for - the United States or Japan? Professor Phil Nash joins us to explain the myths and misconceptions about December 7th, 1941, as well as the complexities of the cultural importance of the attack since then. You’ll learn more about an event that you thought you already knew well by listening to us! Encore Episode!
Resistance from the Right: Conservatives and the Campus Wars in Modern America
December 05, 2023 08:20 - 42 minutes - 58.9 MBWhen thinking of campus protests, most Americans think of left-wing students marching and shouting. Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd shows, however, that right-wing students and groups have protested very frequently on college campuses, even if they haven’t received as much attention from the media. In part, right-wing student protests in the 60s and 70s were a reaction to left-wing protests. But we also talk about how right-wing campus politics built political movements of their own, and promoted...
Quote or No Quote? Who Said “If you don’t have anything nice to say, come and sit here by me”?
November 29, 2023 08:10 - 4 minutes - 10.1 MB“If you don’t have anything nice to say, come and sit here by me,” is one of the best snarky-isms ever uttered. But who said it? Dorothy Parker? Joan Crawford? Lady Buzzkill? Hear the full story, and learn what in the world Teddy Roosevelt, Nellie Taft, and Thomas Dewey have to do with it all! Listen and learn! Wisdom Wednesday Encore!
1932: Politics, Protests, and Electioneering in a Crucial American Year
November 28, 2023 08:05 - 32 minutes - 45.3 MBVeteran journalist and commentator, Scott Martelle, describes the fevered political year of 1932. Farmers’ strikes, industrial difficulties, marches and protests by military veterans, women’s rights protestors, tension over prohibition, and much more made this among the most politically active years in American history. Episode 537.
Thanksgiving History and Myth
November 22, 2023 08:25 - 9 minutes - 12.5 MBWho invented American Thanksgiving, and when did they invent it? The Pilgrims in 1621? Abe Lincoln in 1863? FDR in 1939? Turns out there were a lot of cooks involved in making the traditional American feasting holiday. The Professor gives a brief overview of Thanksgiving's history and myths.
Democracy Dies in Darkness? Philadelphia and Paris in the 1780s
November 21, 2023 08:15 - 33 minutes - 45.3 MBAs both American and French revolutionaries sought to fashion representative government in the late 1780s, they faced a dilemma. In a context where gaining public trust seemed to demand transparency, was secrecy ever legitimate? In Philadelphia and Paris, establishing popular sovereignty required navigating between an ideological imperative to eradicate secrets from the state and a practical need to limit transparency in government. Unveiling modern democracy’s surprisingly shadowy origins, P...
Ben Franklin and the Turkey - Thanksgiving Myths!
November 20, 2023 08:20 - 8 minutes - 8.09 MBOne of the legendary stories that reappear during Thanksgiving season is that no less a luminary and Founder than Ben Franklin thought that the bald eagle was an improper choice as the national bird and a national symbol. Franklin preferred the more “dignified” turkey, and tried to convince the Founding Fathers to agree. Apparently, they thought Ben was a senile old sentimentalist, and so they ignored him. But is any of this story true? Listen and find out!
Thanksgiving Popcorn - MiniMyth!
November 17, 2023 08:15 - 4 minutes - 1.92 MBAs the pilgrims pushed their chairs back from the first Thanksgiving table, their stomachs full of turkey and potatoes, Squanto appeared with bushels of popped corn and spilled it out on the tables for the Pilgrims to enjoy. That's how Americans got popcorn, right Buzzkillers? Well, maybe not, but you'll have to listen to this Buzzkill favorite to find out!
Medieval Myths
November 14, 2023 17:30 - 41 minutes - 56.5 MBDid medieval people have bad teeth and poor hygiene? Did they all die before they were 40? And what was the actual story about Lady Godiva? Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse, the Fake History Hunter, takes us on a great tour of medieval Europe, busting myths and taking names! A great show about a completely misunderstood era! Episode 535
Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture, and Control in Cold War America
November 07, 2023 08:20 - 37 minutes - 51.9 MBIn the wake of yet another gun tragedy in Gun Country USA, we interview Dr. Andrew McKevitt, whose new book is a must-read this year. He shows why so many guns flooded onto the American market after World War II, and how this developed into “gun consumerism.” We discuss the various attempts to stem the tide of gun violence in the US since World War II, and why gun capitalism and gun culture have defeated them every time. Essential listening. Episode 534
Halloween Myths
October 31, 2023 07:40 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBHalloween is a demonic holiday chock full of sin, and endangered by razor blades in trick-or-treat candy, right? Wrong. Nothing about the origins of Halloween can be called demonic, satanic, or anti-Christian. And the adulterated candy thing is an urban legend. Get the full story from the Buzzkill Institute.
Dracula in Fiction and History
October 24, 2023 07:15 - 36 minutes - 49.9 MBDracula tales, legends, and myths fly around faster than a vampire fleeing from sunlight. Dr. Gemma Masson explains Bram Stoker’s famous novel, “Dracula,” and then goes on to explain the various histories behind Dracula’s namesake – Vlad Dracula, the Romanian Prince. Along the way, she discusses how attributes from Count Dracula have been attributed to Vlad Dracula ahistorically. But we talk about more than that – including the ways in which fiction helps “create” history. Episode 533
Clement Attlee, 1945, and the Year of Hope in Britain
October 17, 2023 07:15 - 33 minutes - 46.5 MBProfessor Richard Toye talks about a pivotal year in British history – 1945. The end of the war, a landslide election for the Labour Party under Clement Attlee, and the start of the modern British welfare state. He explains why Labour won the election, why Churchill and the Conservatives lost, and what the Labour government of 1945-1951 tried to accomplish. Episode 532.
Columbus and Taino People
October 10, 2023 07:10 - 26 minutes - 36 MBThe story of Columbus and the Taino people is fascinating, and is made even more fascinating by Kate Messner’s analysis of it in this episode. She explains who the Taino people were, how they discovered Columbus, and what happened during and after their encounter. Kate’s “History Smashers” series is a fantastic way to understand history and how history myths have been embedded in our culture. Episode 531.
Christopher Columbus Myths Large and Small!
October 03, 2023 07:15 - 35 minutes - 49.2 MBSebastian Major, the producer and host of the "Our Fake History" podcast, explains the myths about Christopher Columbus, who “discovered” the New World. Sebastian schools Professor Buzzkill about where the myths came from and about their larger significance for American history. You will learn dozens of new things about the history of Columbus, and about the history of history myths! Episode 530. Check out Our Fake History here! https://ourfakehistory.com/
Hands of Time: a Watchmaker's History
September 26, 2023 07:15 - 26 minutes - 36.9 MBDr. Rebecca Struthers, an academic expert on horology and an award-winning watchmaker, guides us through the fascinating history of wristwatches, and their importance to social history. These seemingly mundane and utilitarian objects can tell us a fascinating story about our changing attitudes toward keeping track of time. From Elizabethan fashion, to World War I battlefields, to the Swatch craze, to the rise of smart watches, Dr. Stuthers illuminates the broader significance of the wristwatc...
Heather Cox Richardson on Saving Democracy - Wisdom Wednesday!
September 20, 2023 04:09 - 21 minutes - 29.9 MBWhen it comes to the crush of the American daily news cycle, Heather Cox Richardson has always taken the long view. The New England-based historian gained wide popularity writing casual, history-informed summaries of the news — a perspective millions of readers were hungry for. Her new book is called “Democracy Awakening.” Shirley Leung from the Boston Globe podcast, Say More, sits down with Dr. Richardson to talk about the evolution of the GOP, the uncertain health of our democracy, and why ...
McCarthy and McCarthyism: American Demagoguery During the Cold War
September 19, 2023 07:15 - 59 minutes - 82 MBSenator Joseph McCarthy was one of the most notorious politicians in American history. He made wild accusations, ruined the lives and careers of countless people, and stained American politics with investigative tactics similar to those in Stalin’s Soviet Union. Just as important, however, was McCarthyism. Professor Philip Nash explains all in this gripping episode that has all sorts of parallels to politics in today’s America. Episode 529.
Naming Gotham: The Villains, Rogues and Heroes Behind New York’s Place Names
September 12, 2023 04:44 - 52 minutes - 72.1 MBWhy are New York’s roads, bridges, buildings, and institutions named after certain people? Who were those people and why did they matter so much? Professor Rebecca Bratspies explains all in this fascinating romp through not only New York history, but also the history of the practice of naming things after individuals, and the complex specifics of how that usually happened. Episode 527
Coffee with Hitler: Civilized Diplomacy?
September 05, 2023 04:59 - 32 minutes - 44.4 MB“How might the British have handled Hitler differently?” remains one of history’s greatest "what ifs." Dr. Charles Spicer tells us the astounding story of how a handful of amateur British intelligence agents wined, dined, and befriended the leading Nazis between the wars. With support from royalty, aristocracy, politicians, and businessmen, they hoped to use the recently founded Anglo-German Fellowship as a vehicle to civilize and enlighten the Nazis. Episode 526
Anarcha: One of the Mothers of Gynecology
August 29, 2023 10:28 - 35 minutes - 48.5 MBAnarcha was a young enslaved woman who was operated on by J. Marion Sims, the now-discredited 19th-century “father of modern gynecology.” Author J.C. Hallman has made many important discoveries about the life of Anarcha and the malpractice of Sims. His “Say Anarcha” excavates history, deconstructs the biographical smoke screen of a surgeon who has falsely been enshrined as a medical pioneer, and brings forth a heroic Black woman to her rightful place at the center of the creation story of mod...
Gun Carnage in the United States
August 22, 2023 07:15 - 44 minutes - 61.7 MBDr. Thomas Gabor shatters the many myths that help keep American gun culture alive. His strong evidence-based research shows that the many slogans and claims repeated incessantly by the gun lobby and its surrogates are completely false. The real evidence about guns is almost completely ignored in American society and politics today. Please listen, and help spread the truth! Episode 524.
Titanic Myths Smashed!
August 15, 2023 06:05 - 39 minutes - 54.1 MBKate Messner, the author of the wonderful "History Smashers" series, enlightens us about the innumerable myths surrounding the famous ship, The Titanic, and its sinking in 1912. Everything from the myth of it being proclaimed "unsinkable" to the myth of the last song played by the ship's band as it slipped under! You'll learn whether men dressed as women to get into lifeboats, whether your ticket class determined whether you survived, and how the whole story has been mythologized by films suc...
Undelivered Speeches and What They Can Tell Us About History
August 08, 2023 07:05 - 39 minutes - 53.6 MBFor almost every delivered speech, there exists an undelivered opposite. These "second speeches" provide alternative histories of what could have been if not for schedule changes, changes of heart, or momentous turns of events. Listen as speechwriter and political analyst Jeff Nussbaum explains why studying these speeches is so vital in helping understand what actually did happen. One of our greatest shows! Episode 522.
Oppenheimer: the Man, the Myth, the Movie
August 01, 2023 15:46 - 1 hour - 133 MBThe blockbuster film, Oppenheimer, is sweeping the cinema world, and has become an historical event in itself. Professor Philip Nash discusses the life and work of J. Robert Oppenheimer, and we analyze his significance. We also review the film. Most importantly, we show how all of this is _extremely_ relevant to today’s fraught political and scientific atmosphere. The dangers shown in the Oppenheimer story can teach us a lot about the dangers we face now. Episode 521.
The Atomic Bombs: Flashback Friday 2023
July 28, 2023 07:05 - 59 minutes - 82.1 MBThe recent Oppenheimer film has prompted interest in the events surrounding the building and dropping of the atomic bombs. This Flashback Friday episode addresses whether there was an actual decision to use atomic bombs in World War II. If not, what were the questions and issues about using the bomb? Why did the US choose Hiroshima and Nagasaki as targets? Did Truman do it to scare the Soviets? Did dropping the bomb actually save lives compared with how many would have died during an invasion...
Religious Conversions in Modern America
July 25, 2023 07:05 - 41 minutes - 57.5 MBIn the mid-twentieth century, certain private religious choices became lightning rods for public outrage and debate. In talking about “public confessions,” Dr. Rebecca Davis reveals some of the controversial religious conversions that shaped modern America. She explains why the new faiths of notable figures, including Clare Boothe Luce and Muhammad Ali, riveted American public opinion. Unconventional religious choices charted new ways of declaring an "authentic" identity amid escalating Cold ...
Lawyers in Japanese-American Concentration Camps during World War II
July 18, 2023 07:15 - 38 minutes - 52.4 MBThe US government placed white lawyers at Japanese-American concentration camps during World War II. These lawyers were given contradictory instructions: provide legal counsel to the prisoners, and keep the place running. Within that job description are a vast array of tasks, and an enormous amount of discretion they can use for good or for ill. Professor Eric Muller explains this complicated and compelling aspect of the home front during the war. Episode 519.