Collecting Historical Evidence,

Busting Myths,

Taking Names.

Collecting Historical Evidence, Busting Myths, & Taking Names.

The Professor Buzzkill podcast is a weekly romp through some of the history myths that are most deeply embedded in our culture.

Latest Episodes

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day – Encore!

December 29, 2023

There aren’t many myths about New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day celebrations, Buzzkillers. But most of us don’t give any thought to how the standard Western calendar came about, and how we ended up with those celebrations. So I thought we could end the year, and look forward to next year, with a little…

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Auld Lang Syne: an Appreciation

December 28, 2023

It’s that time of year, Buzzkillers, when we ring out the old and ring in the new. This is the end of another year of busting myths and taking names. We couldn’t be more pleased with the way the old show has developed, and we couldn’t be more stoked about the new things we’ve got…

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The 12 Days of Christmas – a Secret Coded Song? Encore!

December 25, 2023

Many of you Buzzkillers already know that most Christian churches celebrate Christmas over a period of 12 days. Depending upon the denomination, it lasts from December 25th to January 5th, or December 26th to January 6th. There are lots of theological reasons for celebrating the 12 days of Christmas, but we’re here to talk about…

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The Candy Cane – Encore!

December 22, 2023

This week, we examine a history myth that gets a lot of “air time” during the holidays: the supposedly religious origins of the candy cane. The story (seen mostly in emails from your nutty uncle) goes something like this: In the early 20th century, a confectioner in Indiana created the candy cane as a symbol…

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The Mozart-Saleri Feud: Did “Amadeus” Tell the Real Story?

December 19, 2023

The 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…

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“It’s a Wonderful Life” 1947 Radio Drama

December 15, 2023

Listeners 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! — Buzzkill Bookshelf Michael Willian, The Essential It’s a Wonderful Life – 75th Anniversary Edition: A Scene-by-Scene Guide to the Classic Film To celebrate…

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Popular Episodes

“It’s a Wonderful Life” Myths and Urban Legends: 2023 Encore!

December 14, 2023

Imagine being tortured by wartime memories. Explosions, death, mutilated bodies (some of them friends of yours), all the screaming. Now, imagine them coming from a very confined and dangerous place. I’ve always thought that being in a warplane or submarine would add the extra stress of being trapped, and not even being able to contemplate…

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McCarthy and McCarthyism: American Demagoguery During the Cold War

September 19, 2023

Senator 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…

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Albert Einstein: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

May 29, 2017

Albert Einstein was one of the most significant scientific geniuses of the 20th century. His theories helped scientists break through some of the barriers to our understanding the physical world and the universe. He also contributed greatly to the philosophy of science. Is it any wonder, therefore, that the quote, “the definition of insanity is…

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The Buzzkill Institute

The Professor Buzzkill History Podcast tackles our culture’s most commonly accepted history myths and misunderstandings, one show at a time. Through intensive research, discussions with some of the world’s most important historians, and a relentless dedication to finding historical truth, we have become one of the most popular history show in the podcast world. We bust myths, but go further — we show why the history surrounding that myth is so important. We explore dubious quotes from the internet, bring to light overlooked people who deserve more fame and glory, and have fun with our listeners.

Meet Your Host

Professor Buzzkill

Historian for the Public

In real life, “Professor Buzzkill” is Dr. Joseph Coohill, a historian of Britain and Ireland. Coohill’s first experience with the audio realm occurred while studying modern history at Oxford. He hosted “The History Show” on Oxford Student radio, which lasted almost four episodes; “The History Show” was an instant failure and Coohill feels shame.

Yet, the spark of enthusiasm for history and the desire to inform remained, and the Professor Buzzkill podcast was born. Coohill works tirelessly to explain complicated yet compelling historical analysis to diverse audiences. By explaining how misunderstanding history hurts public discourse and policy decisions, he offers clear and concise solutions to such problems, using examples from history.

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A Word from Our Listeners

Great history podcast!

Love the detail and complexity that the host goes into–so many popular history podcasts flatten the past for an easy story but this one shows that the reality is always more interesting.

—Mr.Gal, Submitted via Apple Podcasts

I'm hooked!

Great mix of historical facts and pop culture. Prof Buzzkill delivers a well-paced informative podcast.

—sixfloors, Submitted via Apple Podcasts

It's that good.

It’s not everyday you come across a podcast that has great information that you can relate to from someone who is so passionate about sharing it with the world. So glad to have discovered Professor Buzzkill and to learn a little bit more of something I didn’t really know a lot about.

—Dependent_Nick, Submitted via Apple Podcasts

Won’t kill your buzz, history lovers!

This is a really fun podcast with a fresh take on history. Produced and researched by professional historians with a sense of humor, the podcast takes on subjects all over the historical map. The only point of commonality is a goal to bust popular preconceived myths about the subject. Making the podcast even more lively is the format, which takes the form of a freeform conversation among several people instead of a monologue or lecture. Recommend!

—FrenchTurk, Submitted via Apple Podcasts

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