23 episodes
The Dubious Book of Famous Deeds The Sonar Network
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- History
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4.6 • 38 Ratings
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One day, Paul Bates found a book in an alley. It wasn’t a magical book, but it was very old - 132 years old, to be exact. It’s called The Pictorial Treasury of Famous Men and Famous Deeds: its cover is beautiful, its language is flowery, and its tone is problematic. It’s also full of wildly obscure and preposterously inaccurate stories about people and deeds you’ve probably never heard of. And, it’s the basis for this history podcast. Each episode Paul shares a chapter with a guest and together they cut through the rhetoric, fill in the blanks and bring a modern perspective to this relic from the height of the British Empire.
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Correct Me If I'm Wrong (Livestream) w/ Leigh Cameron, Mark Little & Brandon Hackett
Inspired by his favourite British panel show, Paul Bates (host of The Dubious Book of Famous Deeds) came up with this hilarious concept for a game. Correct Me If I'm Wrong is a game where funny people have to speak for a full minute on a given topic without hesitation or deviation and everything they say must also be factually correct (as judged by Paul's Google Home device).
This livestream episode was recorded as part of The Sonar Network holiday marathon in December, 2021.
Featuring:
Brandon Hackett
Leigh Cameron
Mark Little -
Chapter 19. Horatio Nelson, or: The Naval Gaze
Clare Blackwood joins me for the tale of Lord Admiral Nelson: commander of the Royal Navy, hero of the Napoleonic Wars, deadbeat husband. Listen to the story of a man who left everything on the field, including an arm, most of his teeth and an eyebrow.
Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/ -
Chapter 18. Samuel Colt, or: From My Old, Dead Hands
Guests Rhys Waters and Jesse Harley ('Canadian Politics is Boring') come for the weaponry and stay for the pyromania as we explore the life of Samuel Colt, a gun inventor who had a singular appetite for destruction.
Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/ -
Chapter 17. Walter Raleigh, or: Misadventure Time
Comedian Brandon Hackett is here for the story of Walter Raleigh, namesake of Raleigh, North Carolina: a great explorer, so we're told, but really - did he get a single thing right? Or was he really famous because Queen Elizabeth I had the hots for him?
Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/ -
Chapter 16. Sir Henry Holland, or: Lady Chatterley’s Doctor
In a surprisingly horny episode, comedian Ashley Botting is here for the story of Sir Henry Holland: physician to the wealthy, confidante to the elite, and - to spread a rumour we can in no way substantiate - hot lover to them all?
Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/ -
Chapter 15. Great Lighthouse Disasters, or: Lead Belly
Alastair Forbes is here for stories about lighthouses! Specifically, stories about lighthouse disasters. We'll also hear a bit about John Smeaton, the first ever civil engineer... but mainly we're talking lighthouses failing.
Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/
Customer Reviews
Love! Perfect Balance of Comedy & History
I love conversational podcasts and I love a bit of history! This podcast marries the two beautifully and is my new favourite! I really like the casual and humourous commentary between Paul and his guests. It keeps the topics light and fun, and I really enjoy the friendly roasting of the chapters/subjects as they’re discussed. As a fellow Canadian in the Peterborough area, I really appreciate the locally based/Canadian content as well. Also great audio mixing - all the hosts’ voices sound great every recording and the ads/music are nicely balanced, which I really appreciate. 10/10!! 🌟🌟
the funniest history podcast?
this is such a funny glimpse into a weird time in history when britain really was so full of itself lol And I have to say the host is so charming and SO good at reading this bizarre book. I dont understand half the things written in this book but i love listening to Paul and the guests unpack it! Learning a lot about historical figures and laughing a lot! what more could i ask for
What a fun way to learn history!
I’m loving these weird history lessons about old white men and the surrounding history of their lives! Plus it helps having Canada’s best comedians handling all this material.
Every episode has been a fantastic listen, both hilarious and educational. Highly recommend.