Popcorn History

Find out how a trio of populists used intimidation (and a bucket of poop, literally) to bulldoze the Senate. And at last, the answers to your steamiest questions about Queen Cleopatra. It didn't end well for any of these people - except one. For more reads and views, Detz and Dice recommend: - Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and Antony & Cleopatra - Robert Harris' Cicero trilogy - Tom...

Why did Julius Caesar get bumped off, and why did Canada name a cocktail after him? Detz & Dice offer you bread and circuses: the gangsters of the Senate, expansion of the Empire, and how some naughty Romans cheated the government. Coming soon: Part II with some surprises about Cleopatra.

1960s Europe. Student riots, IRA in-fighting, bank robberiesa la Robin Hood. Even in the Basque Country, terrific wine took a backseat to the freedom fighters. What was all the fuss about, and why did they all decide to be Revolutionary Roommates in Libya? There are some bits about Palestine, which had quite a different vibe then. Scotland’s Lockerbie bombing also features. It’s not our funniest e...

What do the Ottomans have to do with furniture, the invention of ice cream, or the piercing blue eyes of Peter O'Toole? Detz breaks it all down (1800s onward) with plenty of interruptions from Dice. Spoiler alert - there was also an OttoWoman empire! And listen to the end for book recommendations (if you like reading about history too).

Ever wondered why the Pope has his own Vatican passport? This one features Detz Senior, aka Mark Detzler. The pater familias is an excellent storyteller who steeped himself in Italian history when he was living there. In this thrilling, romantic account of the 19th Century Risorgimento we discover the role Garibaldi played in making Italy a nation - and learn why all sorts of other nations got cau...

What did Britain get up to between World War 1 and 2? A political rollercoaster, for one thing - and we’re not just saying that because Detz finds politics endlessly thrilling. We’re talking coalitions and party splits, backroom bribes and mass strikes. There was a “coupon election,” the “flapper election,” and - well, a general obsession with elections. (basically, having one every five minutes)...

This one’s all about Evita: the passion, the politics, and the legacy of Peronism in Argentina. Featuring Matias Ilivitzy, our favourite Argentinian and a real charmer. He is both highly educated and admittedly biased, so enjoy.   Hungry for more than the popcorn version? The Rest is History did a 5-parter about Evita’s life, which we highly recommend. Even Dice listened to it.

Turns out there’s more to this story than Dr. Zhivago or ABBA would have you believe. In this episode, Detz dispels some myths and Dice learns a lot.    Fun fact, this is our first and favourite episode! And we were asked to add a disclaimer, assuring our (tiny) audience that Dice is more intelligent than this podcast implies. “I’m sure they’ll know we’re being silly, Mum…okay fine.”