094 - MIKE STUCHBERY - WORLD'S WORST EPIDEMIC

November 5, 2018

This week we're donning our sterilised plastic gloves, three face masks and a full hazmat suit as we prepare to deal with the world's most peculiar, disturbing and deadly epidemics. We're joined by outstanding historian and curator of one of the most informative and sinister Twitter feeds around, Mike Stuchbery.

Together we talk about renaissance nuns pretending to be cats, Singaporean men who think their wangers have disappeared and why it’s never a good idea to throw a smallpox party. We also discover the unusual genesis of cooties (hi America listeners!), dabble in some medieval witchcraft and discover why Portuguese schoolchildren have taken the biscuit with excuses for taking days off school.

Visit www.worstfootforwardpodcast.com for all previous episodes and you can now donate to us on Patreon if you’d like to support Ben’s new baby and Barry’s crippling trivia addiction: www.patreon.com/WorstFootForward

084 - LORD FEAR AKA TOM BELL - WORLD'S WORST EMPEROR

August 20, 2018

Listen to the sound of those really long trumpets with carpets dangling off them - it can only mean one thing, it's time for our episode about the worst emperors of all time.

We're joined by the master of the Knightmare dungeon Lord Fear, in heavy disguise as actor and comedian Tom Bell as we discover tales of incest, concubines, whoopee cushions, penguins, ghost-killing ceremonies, Ming the Merciless and fox-tossing.

If you enjoyed this show you can support us by heading to www.patreon.com/WorstFootForward and pledge to support the show from as little as $2/month. When we hit 25 donors we'll crack out an extra show each month where we will go even more in depth about previous show winners and reveal even more daft stories of heroic, farcical and often bloody failure.

075 - TRISTAN BERNAYS - WORLD'S WORST SEX SCENE

June 18, 2018

Warning guys. This week's episode is SERIOUSLY SEXY. Stick on some mood music, dim the lights, burn some incense and relax as we lather on the baby-oil in the company of playwright Tristan Bernays. This week's orgy of awful is all about the World's Worst Sex Scene and there are some - literal - bangers in here for you. There are appearances by the Marquis de Sade and Morrissey, we take a trip to the brothels of Pompeii and we discover that men will have sex with literally anything - even picnic tables. Genuinely, if you are a bit squeamish, there are some very rude bits in the show. However, if you like that sort of thing, then lay back and let rip!

057 - MATT STELLINGWERF - WORLD'S WORST PUNISHMENT

February 12, 2018

We're joined this week by award-winning Kiwi comic and former criminologist Matt Stellingwerf to cover a seriously grisly topic: the world's worst punishment.

This episode comes with a serious content warning as we delve into the depths of human behaviour to discuss capital punishments with the sort of inventiveness normally reserved for Wallace and Gromit. Our search takes us from medieval Spain to Enlightenment Sweden, with nods to Greek myths, Greek history and depressing American present. You'll learn a lot in here and hopefully come away not too depressed about the nature of humanity...