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
Halloween Myths
Early in the horror movie, Halloween II, a kid is shown being admitted to a hospital emergency room, a razor blade stuck in his gums. It’s gruesome and reminds us of the warnings we all heard about sickos putting sharp objects into Halloween candy. The third installment of the Halloween franchise includes references to the…
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Dracula in Fiction and History
Dracula 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…
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Clement Attlee, 1945, and the Year of Hope in Britain
Professor Richard Toye talks about a pivotal year in British history – 1945. The end of 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…
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Columbus and the Taino People
The 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…
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Christopher Columbus Myths Large and Small!
Sebastian 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…
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Hands of Time: a Watchmaker’s History
Dr. 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,…
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Popular Episodes
“It’s a Wonderful Life” Myths and Urban Legends: 2023 Encore!
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
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.
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…
Read MoreThe 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!
—FrenchTurk, Submitted via Apple Podcasts
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