The Bend of History

We’re back! Ever hated someone so much that you dug up their corpse and accused them of betrayal in front of a crowd of people? Then you need to step up your hater game. Join Scott and Zo on their journey to learn about the ninth century feud between Pope Formosus and Pope Stephen VI that only started after Formosus was dead, buried and definitely a rotting corpse.

Famine is a phenomenon that has followed humanity as a sustained tragedy of almost inconceivable horror. But while we may be aware of more modern famines in India, the Soviet Union and Somalia, a foundational moment in European history was borne out of a massive continental famine in the early fourteenth century. What caused the famine? What sustained it? What was the response? How did it relate to the Black Death? All these questions and more are explained as comedian, actor, and medieval history buff Clare Blackwood joins Scott to discuss the Great European Famine of 1315-1317.

It’s literally 1984 as Scott and Bothered Boy discuss the life and times of famous literary figure George Orwell. In this discussion we'll touch on his time as a colonial officer, his service in the Spanish Civil War, his career at the BBC, his two most famous works, and the list he made of suspected communists. 

When Eric Clapton spewed racist, fascist vitriol at a show in Birmingham in 1976, he did so surrounded by a rising fascist party, violent hate crimes, and working class support for white supremacy. The left answered by organizing bands from across genres to play together and fight racism, eventually leading to a 1977 concert where over 80,000 people attended. Here’s the story about how fans fought back with organizing, underground tactics and, most importantly, rock. Join Scott and online hate researcher Dan Collen as they discuss punk, Clapton and anti-fascist organizing as well the fascist answer to Rock Against Racism.

Do you like Historical movies? Well so do we! Enjoy this teaser bonus episode which Patrons will enjoy. Scott and Caleb Townsend talk about what makes a historical movie, their favourite historical movies, and why some just don't work.

In 1945, shortly after the end of World War II, a cipher clerk named Igor Gouzenko escaped the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa, Canada with over 100 classified documents. What he revealed showed the dastardly communist plot to overthrow the free world and institute tyranny, but it was all stopped thanks to one brave hero with a pillow case on his head. Well... not really. Join Scott and Bothered Boy (from the YouTube Channel of the same name) as they discuss the case of Igor Gouzenko, how cold warriors weaponized the narrative for ideology, how Canada used anticommunism to violate human rights, and the general geopolitical tension between capitalism and communism from 1930-1950.

In 2007, the Florida county of Collier posted a bulletin warning parents about the dangers of teenagers huffing "jenkem", a drug created by fermenting human waste. Everyone had a good laugh, but the societal conditions that allowed this hoax to spread are more sinister than you might think. I'm joined by Hilary Agro, Anthropology PhD candidate at UBC focusing on drug use, host of the Bread and Poppies podcast, and leftist TikTok star to discuss how white supremacy, anti-drug policies and classism led to a concerned parents thinking their kids were huffing poop gas.

In the part two of our episodes on Richard Nixon's early years, Zo and I return to discuss the early years of former U.S President Richard Nixon post congressional electoral win. The case that made him a household name, his senate campaign against Helen Gahagan Douglas and why the name Checkers will forever be attached to Tricky Dick.

In the first episode of Haphazard History, I sat down with activist and radio host Zo to discuss the early years of former U.S President Richard Nixon. We'll discuss his childhood, short-lived legal career, failed business, marriage to Pat and how he won his first congressional race.

Oh no! Not another podcast! Well I'm afraid so. Join me, Scott Martin, as we explore historical people, events, movements and trends in order to take lessons and apply them to the modern day. We'll have fun, learn a couple things, and learn what history can teach us. So instead of not learning history and being doomed to repeat it, we can learn history and be forced to repeat it anyway by the powers that be. Frustrating, isn't it? In this teaser I'll lay out what I get up to, why you should listen and what the plan is for the pod. It's a short one, and the first episode will drop next week.