Pack your bags, pop on a gaudy Hawaiian shirt and don't forget your toothbrush: we're off on holiday. Joined by glamorous guest Ashraf Ejjbeir, star of Ru Paul's Drag Race UK, we head off on a whistlestop tour of the globe with stops in Peru, Japan, diseased cruise ships and the ends of the earth in search of the world's worst vacation.
THE THIRD FOOT - PLINY THE ELDER (BONUS EPISODE)
It's about bloody time! Old friend of the podcast Pliny The Elder goes solo! We devote our bonus monthly episode to the man who gave us the myth about mice fearing elephants, who mastered the art of simultaneously reading and writing (clue: use two servants) and who died while getting a little too close to Mt Vesuvius.
168 - MUFSEEN MIAH - WORLD'S WORST PRIDE
During Pride Month, join the podcast in supporting Black Pride UK by clicking the link and donating*
This week is Pride Week in the UK! So on the show we are going to rain(bow) on your parade in the company of LGBT rights activist and podcaster Mufseen Miah, as we take part in the World's Worst Pride. We learn about the hanky code and the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom from Barry, Mufseen teaches us about the history of the Pride Movement and the story of the Stonewall Uprising, and Ben takes us to the bottom of the planet to the most remote Pride celebration.
167 - MARC BURROWS - WORLD'S WORST INVASION
Very much in keeping with the spirit of the times, this week we're charging headlong into battle with very little strategy or plan, joined by musician, comedian, journalist and official biographer of Terry Pratchett, Marc Burrows.
There's pretty much every variety of military misadventure including drunken penal battalions, invading deserted islands, attacking your own troops from behind and one very angry pine martin.
166 - SIF BOYNTON - WORLD'S WORST LAW
Please join the podcast in supporting organisations working for justice and equality for black people. Spurred by the death of George Floyd and too many others, and in solidarity with the waves of protest around the world, we have donated this month's Patreon income to the following three, but there are many others which need your help: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bailfundscovid The Community Justice Exchange - National Bail Fund Network (USA), Black Pride UK.
This week we are joined by Sif Boynton, our friendly neighbourhood Dane and long-time Patreon donor to the show. With her incipient law degree, Sif helps Ben and Barry investigate the World's Worst Law, with serious discussions on Burqas and racism, and sillier chats about salmon and suing God.
165 - BETHANY BLACK - WORLD'S WORST RACE
On your marks...get set...GO!
We're off to the races this week, along with brilliantly funny stand-up comedian, actor and writer Bethany Black as we discover new heights of human incompetence and brazen cheating.
It turns out that the turn of the 20th century was a highpoint for incredibly stupid motor car races, terribly organised Olympic marathons and cheating of the most audacious scope. This is a proper vintage episode full of misadventure, injury, wrong-headed endeavour and excellent stories.