Our Fake History

In this throwback episode Sebastian takes a look back at a show that explores one of the greatest legends in 20th century popular music. Did the legendary blues musician, Robert Johnson, really trade his immortal soul for superhuman musical talent? In the newly recorded intro, Sebastian shares one of the wildest pieces of listener mail he ever received--- a weird and spooky tale of a listener searching for the grave of the famous bluesman. This episode is a must for anyone obsessed with the blues, rock'n'roll, the guitar... or just great stories. Tune-in and find out how king snakes, hell hounds, and haunted paintings all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this OFH Throwback episode Sebastian takes a look at one of the most fun and accessible episodes in the OFH catalog. The world of food and drink is filled with colourful mythology. How much should we believe about the origin stories of our favourite foods? Could this be the best episode to recommend to someone who thinks they don't like history shows? Tune-in and find out how all night gambling sessions, the taste of the stars, and guy named Gino Spaghetti all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this throwback episode we take a look at an episode Sebastian thinks may have been the best "one-off" show created over the podcast's six seasons. Take a listen to how the host thinks this one has held up. Is this oddball episode about a German fairy tale secretly the best place to start listening to OFH? Tune-in and find out how perfect band names, a breadcrumb trail, and non-stop boogying all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this throwback episode Sebastian revisits "Part II" in the Season One series on the conquest of Mexico. In the freshly recorded introduction the host reflects on criticisms that this episode first received when it was originally published in 2015. Do you think Sebastian goes too hard on Cortes and the conquistadors? Tune-in and find out how far-out flute concerts, the Wizard of Oz, and a creep with an agenda all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this throwback episode Sebastian revisits a series from Season One of OFH. After the shows on Jared Diamond it seemed like a good time to take another look at the conquest of Mexico. This was also the first time "Ancient Aliens" came up on the show. Tune-in and find out how regrets about pacing, scallywags, and Christopher Walken all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Season 6 wraps up with Sebastian taking questions from the listeners! He gets into everything from the name of the podcast, to his most loved shows, to the nature of humanity itself. Tune-in and find out how obscure Canadian playwrights, stubborn Stratfordians, and a "wombly child" all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Jared Diamond's 1997 bestseller a work of staggering genius, or a piece of intellectual garbage? Has it moved our understanding of humanity forward, or has it set us back by decades? Are these binary choices ridiculously limiting? Totally! In this episode Sebastian does his best to parse the good ideas from Guns, Germs, and Steel, while also engaging with some of the best and most memorable criticisms of the book. Tune-in and find out how cantankerous zebras, the neglected history of India, and the Sapa Inca all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Sebastian first read Jared Diamond's Pulitzer Prize winning book Guns, Germs, and Steel as an undergrad, he thought it was brilliant. That was until a Professor he deeply respected, dismissed it as being little better than the Da Vinci Code. It turns out that while the 1997 bestseller earned many high profile plaudits, it also spawned legions of of critics. What's in this book that has inspired such passionate responses? Did Jared Diamond crack the code of human history, or was he playing a little too fast and loose with his pop-science? Tune-in and find out how Charles Darwin, expletive laden academic journals, and Will Smith all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Every spring thaw between 1812 and 1814 seemed to inaugurate a completely new war in North America. The momentum in the War of 1812 would swing wildly between the Americans and British until the two sides eventually hammered out a peace in 1814. Before the war was over the Niagara frontier would be desolated, York and Washington would both be ravaged by fire, and thousands would be dead. The war also remained somewhat inconclusive. Can Sebastian make a thoughtful case about who the true "winner" of 1812 really was? Tune-in and find out how rocket's red glare, bombs bursting in air, and the worst campaign slogan ever, all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Sebastian first learned about the War of 1812 when he was a Canadian middle-schooler, there were two words he was told he had to remember of the test: manifest destiny. Back then it was heavily implied that this nefarious ideology was the most important cause of the war. Since then historians have largely dismissed this interpretation. But, that is just the start of misconceptions about this conflict. Canada beat the odds by resisting the first American invasion in 1812. How was this even possible? Tune-in find out how a pan-indigenous prophet, a war decree bordering on criminal negligence, and "Teddy Burns" all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.