Marlene Dietrich was undoubtedly an icon - with an impressive string of films, lovers and mic-drop quotes. Her work in the Second World War was inspiring but her relationship with her husband and daughter reveal a much darker side to the life of the dazzling movie star. Amy Gledhill, Ria Lina and Alasdair Beckett-King decide - diva or devil? Produc…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for November 30, 2024 - All the Meat We Can Shove Down Our Meat Holes Download audio On this show, I play a song from Dungen; autumn is my favorite season; burning brush is fun; I was an indoor kid; Thanksgiving is overrated; my mom worked the Thanksgiving angles; Brazilian steakhouse for the holidays; the AARP cooler…

The 'Prince of Darkness' Miles Davis was a jazz revolutionary with a famously husky voice and a passion for fashion. Musical genius? Yes. Deeply flawed character? Yes. Blew his own trumpet? Big time. Our guests Desiree Burch, Ian Smith and Susie McCabe uncover the darker side of a fascinating life and debate whether he was in fact evil... or genius…

Former First Lady of Argentina, Eva Perón, was idolised by her nation and is still worshipped to this day. Our guests Kerry Godliman, Glenn Moore and Helen Bauer expose her skeletons in the closet, question the sincerity of her deeds and give their passionate feedback on Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical 'Evita' based on the story of her incredible…

Simone de Beauvoir was one of the first thinkers to call the concept of gender 'total bollocks' (not quite her words). Her feminist work was groundbreaking and shocking in equal measure. In this episode, guests Phil Wang, Lindsey Santoro and Katie Norris put on their philosopher hats to examine her fascinating life and answer the big questions: Is …

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for November 18, 2024 - The Rest Of The Brain Was Not In On The Joke Download audio On this show, I play a song from Billy Treacy and the Scope; all the information is on the task; I am way into Junior Taskmaster; I watch all English language Taskmasters but am not sold on Norway; Three Bean Salad podcast is not for m…

John Edgar Hoover was an American icon who revolutionised crime-fighting and transformed the FBI into the powerhouse it is today. But do his problematic views, enormous vanity and controlling approach make him evil… or genius? Laura Smyth, Josh Jones and Johnny Cochrane expose the king of the FBI. Producer: Sasha BobakEvil Genius with Russell Kane …

Was Anne Boleyn a cold-hearted killer or a badass feminist? What saucy activity did she allegedly import from France? And was this iconic queen the ultimate gay icon? Rachel Parris, Daliso Chaponda and Stephen Bailey join Russell to debate her life. Producer: Sasha BobakEvil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 and B…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for November 4, 2024 - 17 Liter Tub of Grampa Shoes Download audio On this show, I play a song from Amy Ray; I saw the Indigo Girls the night I turned 21; I have neither Halloween nor Xmas spirit; the chiropractor nagged me into buying proper shoes; mean time from buying shoes to covering the in dog food was shockingl…

How did an illiterate peasant from Siberia find himself dining with an Emperor? Did Rasputin really have magical healing powers or was he a cunning fraud? And what exactly earned him his shocking nickname? Producer: Sasha BobakEvil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for October 25, 2024 - What a Death Affirming Way to Begin Download audio On this show, I play a song from Landon Blood; children in jeopardy make me cry; redefining masculinity; being a parent is a long process of trying to make the next minute happen; people who are spreading FUD about hurricane relief efforts to sc…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for October 6, 2024 - How To Podcast the Evil Genius Chronicles Way Download audio On this show, I play a song from JD McPherson; my podcasting workflow and process would make no sense to anyone else; I spent a little time in the less devastated part of the Hurricane Helene devastation; I don't understand what is happ…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for September 28 2024 - I Am Still Angry, One Star, Signed Bruce Banner Download audio On this show, I play a song from Louise Connell; I have already been late to the new school; I read Never Get Angry Again by David J. Lieberman and found it pretty mediocre and barely useful; I still have a Headspace account; we are…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for September 21 2024 - Not How an Adult Should Conduct Business Download audio On this show, I play a song from King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard; I very briefly touch on the presidential debate; you can't refute the lies of people whose whole deal is that they lie with impunity; my kid asked to go to a Kansas conce…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for September 7 2024 - Everything is Difficult Download audio On this show, I play a song from The Heavy Heavy; I play an audio comment from James Cridland; we close the discussion on Radio Open Source; I talk about our trip to DragonCon; I had my first EV charging site confrontation; the Kennedys were our benefactors…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for August 30 2024 - Could the Stakes Possibly Be Lower? Download audio On this show, I play a song from The Three O'Clock; arguments about podcasting are tedious; I am attending Dragon*Con on a low preparation trip; the old dog had an incident; everyone who called the ACA marketplace "socialism" is an idiot and can g…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for August 23 2024 - 20th Anniversary Podcast Episode Download audio On this show, I play a song from The Gentle Readers; I take a victory lap about 20 years of doing this particular podcast; I tell the quick version of my origin story and cite Dave Winer and Adam Curry for me getting started; Bloggercon 3 and Portabl…

Twenty years ago today, inspired by Dave Winer and Adam Curry I sat down in front of my laptop and started talking. The methods and equipment have changed but I've never stopped. Today I am celebrating that auspicious date by reposting my original episode. This preceded the coining of the term "podcasting", the existence of any podcatcher other tha…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for August 16 2024 - Vacuum Hose to Your Wallet Download audio On this show, I play a song from Ortega; we attempted a vacation and abandoned it due to a tropical storm; we rafted in man-made rapids; the Great Wolf Lodge did not soak us; delivery drivers love to give us wet packages; I opted to not jerry-rig a whole h…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for August 5 2024 - The Sheer Force of my Charming Ass Personality Download audio On this show, I play a song from Lawrence Rothman; grampa's house is sold; the Taskmaster watch continues forward; Mike Wozniak is my favorite contestant; we are watching the Mae Martin show Feel Good; I am planning for a 20th anniversar…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for July 21 2024 - Manic Depressives with Big Dreams and Poor Execution Download audio On this show, I play a song from Pharoah Sanders; I have really been enjoying several local venues; selling grampa's house is getting real; we play a new round of terrible podcast promos; I do a bit of a retirement check-in; we trad…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for July 12, 2024 - I Wished Nothing But Ill For Him Download audio On this show, I play a song from The New Marines; grampa's house is under contract; the family went to Carowinds and we went to Heroescon; my con strategy was different this time; less bin diving, less autograph seeking, more print and collection buyi…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for June 14 2024 - Swift Immediate Poetic Justice Download audio On this show, I play a song from Agitprop; middle school is finished; I could skate through K-12 and I could not skate through Georgia Tech; I never signed the kid in late for middle school; I was petty cleaning out a classroom; we play "Is This Asshole …

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for June 3 2024 - Sweaty Working Class Metal Heads Download audio On this show, I play a song from the Beths; I had to spike a show for audio reasons; I am in danger of getting my Podcast HOF Trophy repossessed; we are limping to the finish line of middle school; my family stayed in grampa's house; the cleaning standa…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for May 17 2024 - Find a Nickel in your Intestines Download audio On this show, I play a song from Bourgeois Tagg; I talk a little about the Ellen James Society and Mojo Nixon; are we a low functioning family? I had a day that was my Platonic ideal of a retired person's day; I hate my school day routine; I don't measu…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for May 11 2024 - Roulette Money Burning a Hole in my Roulette Wallet Download audio On this show, I play a song from Bobo Bojangles; grampa's funeral has happened; I had my first complete EV charging meltdown; we charged at a brand new Circle K charger in Goldsboro; less than one week after I posted my concerns about…

Evil Genius Chronicles Podcast for May 3 2024 - Open Faced Sandwich Generation Download audio On this show, I play a song from There I Ruined It; grampa is no longer with us; his last months were difficult for everyone in such an avoidable dumb way; don't mix your important documents with trash; grampa was a Glengarry lead; wtf is a "personal repre…

Daliso Chaponda, Catherine Bohart and Rachel Parris explore the enigma of the Quiet Beatle. Deeply spiritual hippie or deeply selfish hippiecrite?Producer: Beth O’DeaEvil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC SoundsOleh BBC Sounds

Geoff Norcott, Felicity Ward and Sophie Duker debate - wearing a crown, or going down? Taking in Geoff's hatred of dressing gowns, how it's a difficult time to be an ugly Ryan, and who the panel would allow to tap cigarette ash into their palm. Producer Sally HeavenEvil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and …

Kerry Godliman, Darren Harriott and Helen Bauer spill the tea on the Chanel fashion guru. He might have been the greatest designer of his generation but was he the greatest human?Producer: Beth O’DeaEvil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC SoundsOleh BBC Sounds