History of Fools

ken callahan

From the court entertainers dancing for Egyptian Pharaoh Neferkere 4,000 years ago, to the hot clown girl you saw on Twitter yesterday, the role of "professional fool" has been around for a long time with many variations. If you've ever wondered who the first ever clown was, the romantic tensions between a jester and their king, or why there's a whole subset of Christianity devoted to acting like a total weirdo, then step into my circus tent while I spend roughly 30 minutes telling you about all of those things and more!

Season 1

  1. Episode 1

    Jesters

    Who among us has not thought of the jester and been hit with a stab of jealousy? Who wouldn't want their whole job to be making fun of their boss? Today we're kicking off the series with one of the most well-known and well-envied dead professions: the royal fool! Learn about some of the most famous jesters! Be regaled by tales of potential romantic tension between jesters and their kings! Bask in the knowledge that people have loved fart jokes for thousands of years! This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

  2. Episode 2

    Commedia Dell'arte

    Have you ever wondered, "Wow, the Joker is so cool. I wonder if he owes his existence to some several hundred year old style of Italian improvisational play?". Well if you have ever pondered that highly specific sentence, then do I have the episode for you! I read dozens of highly pretentious academic literature so you don't have to in order to answer that question. Jump in and I'll tell you all about the ancestral agent of chaos and the environment that produced him as we do a little tour through the commedia dell'arte! This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

  3. Episode 3

    Sacred Clowns and Holy Fools

    I didn't plan to make this episode- this episode revealed itself to me as I researched, peeking behind other more prominent figures like the royal jester and circus clown and just begging me to spend dozens of hours reading about it. I can't promise that this episode will open your third eye and grant you unequivocable insight to the universe and the role you play within it. But I also can't promise that it won't. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

  4. Episode 4

    Rodeo Clowns

    This episode has everything. Cowboys. Bulls. An ancient civilization. A Disco man. A short king. A series of truly outstanding names like Jasbo, Skipper, and Dusty. And most of all, my heart. The subject of the ever-underappreciated rodeo clown has always been a favorite of mine, and if my proselytization is successful, it will be one of yours too. sYeehonk, cowpokes. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

  • 4 Episodes

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

From the court entertainers dancing for Egyptian Pharaoh Neferkere 4,000 years ago, to the hot clown girl you saw on Twitter yesterday, the role of "professional fool" has been around for a long time with many variations. If you've ever wondered who the first ever clown was, the romantic tensions between a jester and their king, or why there's a whole subset of Christianity devoted to acting like a total weirdo, then step into my circus tent while I spend roughly 30 minutes telling you about all of those things and more!

Information

  • Creator
    ken callahan
  • Episodes
    4
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026
  • Show Website
    History of Fools