Best NZpodz Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 108 - Sally Ride 41:47

1M ago41:47

41:47

In the early 1980s, more than a decade after the Moon Landing, America saw the stratospheric rise of Sally Ride, the third female astronaut and the first woman from the United States to go into space. Overnight, she became a national hero: but she never felt comfortable with her celebrity status. She also became a pioneer when it came to promoting …

1
Episode 107 - Wheel of Fortune 27:42

2M ago27:42

27:42

This time we’re focussing on one of the more seemingly innocuous inclusions in Billy Joel’s lyrics, the TV game show Wheel of Fortune. Thriving off a deceptive simplicity, and a healthy amount of audiences yelling at their TV screens, this spruced up version of Hangman was at one point the highest rated television show in all of syndication. Howeve…

1
Episode 106 - Russians in Afghanistan 36:37

2M ago36:37

36:37

In this episode, we return to the Middle East and explore the country known as the Graveyard of Empires: Afghanistan. More than 30 years before America’s War on Terror began, Russian troops invaded the mountainous region and plunged the country into conflict. Joining us to talk about the Russian presence in Afghanistan is special guest, British mil…

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Episode 105 - Ayatollahs in Iran 59:31

3M ago59:31

59:31

In this episode we’re back in the Middle East and one of the world’s most hotly-discussed countries – the Islamic Republic of Iran. Today, it’s often depicted in Western media as a closed and repressive society. But prior to the Revolution of 1979, Iran looked very different. We’re joined by a very special guest, Ervand Abrahamian, to discuss the d…

1
Episode 104 - Terror on the airline 40:08

4M ago40:08

40:08

In this episode, we’re returning to a time before restrictive airline security, where - if you had a ticket - you could stroll onto a plane carrying anything you wanted. The 1960s - 70s are known now as the golden age of airline hijacking. It was a time of political crime, of massive, subversive, system challenging actions. It was also a time of pe…

1
Episode 103 - Palestine 55:45

4M ago55:45

55:45

In this episode we’re returning to the Middle East and taking on a contentious and sad topic: the history of Palestine. We’re joined by a very special guest, the Israeli-born historian Ilan Pappe [Eelahn Pah-pay] who is a Professor of History and the director of the European Centre for Palestine Studies at the University of Exeter in the United Kin…

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Episode 102 - Reagan 1:04:39

6M ago1:04:39

1:04:39

This episode we’re tossing on our cowboy hats and riding horseback all the way from Sunset Boulevard to the White House. The first celebrity U S president, Ronald Wilson Reagan, marked a turning point in world history. From the aggressive deregulation of Reaganomics, to the massive consequences of his aggressive foreign policy, Reagan’s influence o…

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Episode 101 - Begin 51:52

7M ago51:52

51:52

In this episode, we’re traveling back to the Middle East, and the birth of modern Israel. Key to the founding of the state of Israel in the 1940s was Menachem Begin – a soldier, a right-wing zealot and a Zionist. Joining us to discuss the controversial figure who was Menachem Begin is special guest Avi Shilon. Avi is a historian who specializes in …

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Episode 100 - Punk Rock 52:16

8M ago52:16

52:16

While it struggled for radio play, Punk managed to take over the world anyway. Digging its teeth into the pillars holding up “respectable society”, it leaked its way out of the world’s cultural centres to disenfranchised, embittered youth and gave them the tools to fight back. This is music as war, music as identity, music as freedom. So, Cheers to…

1
Episode 99 - Watergate Part 1 53:50

8M ago53:50

53:50

This time we’re doing something a little unconventional for us. The Watergate Scandal, even all these years on, is still a controversial issue; in the historical community, potentially more controversial than ever. So, we’re making two separate episodes hearing from guests with two different perspectives on the issue. We are joined by very special …

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Episode 98 - Woodstock 31:28

10M ago31:28

31:28

In this episode, we’re heading to the world’s most famous music festival, Woodstock. This pivotal moment in cultural history was held in the summer of 1969, and more than 50 years later it still has a mesmeric hold over our imaginations. At the time though, it was an unlikely success. With the help of special guest Joel Makower, we go behind the sc…

1
Episode 97 - Moonshot 47:08

10M ago47:08

47:08

In this episode we look into the epic story of how man got to the moon. Our guest is historian David Whitehouse, author of “Apollo 11: The Inside Story.” David is a former BBC science editor and Asteroid ‘4036 Whitehouse’ is named after him.By NZpodz

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Episode 96 - Richard Nixon back again 41:41

11M ago41:41

41:41

This episode, we’re telling the story of one of the most tumultuous events in contemporary American political history - the 1968 presidential election. Our guest for this episode it Dr Luke Nichter, Professor of History at Chapman University, California. His area of specialty is the Cold War, the modern presidency, and U.S. political and diplomatic…

1
Episode 95 - Ho Chi Minh 37:10

11M ago37:10

37:10

We’re returning to South East Asia and the theme of colonialism, as we explore the story of Ho Chi Minh – the Communist leader who passed away before he could see the end of the Vietnam War. It’s difficult to cover Ho Chi Minh’s history in one episode, but to help us we’re joined by special guest Professor Tuong Vu, who gives us a snapshot of Ho Ch…

1
Episode 94 - Birth Control 49:58

12M ago49:58

49:58

In this episode we explore one of the most significant medical advances of the mid-20th century: hormonal birth control. The Pill is commonly associated with better family planning, and a rise in women going out to work, as well as the more relaxed attitude towards sexuality that became more prevalent in the swinging 1960s, and the hippy movement o…

1
Episode 93 - JFK blown away 32:52

12M ago32:52

32:52

This episode, we’re examining one of the most hotly debated events in American history. Over the past fifty plus years, the assassination of President John F Kennedy, has become increasingly defined by the litany of conspiracy theories that have sprung up around it. The sheer and wide reaching tragedy of the event itself, has, for many, faded with …

1
Episode 92 - British politician sex 35:46

1y ago35:46

35:46

In this episode we take a look at one of the juiciest scandals of the mid-20th century: the Profumo affair. It’s the media circus that ushered in the swinging 60s: and it’s got everything – English politicians, Cold War spies, wild parties, young showgirls and even a high society osteopath. We’re joined by special guest Stephen Dorrill, who talks u…

1
Episode 91 - Malcom X 47:58

1y ago47:58

47:58

This episode we’re looking at the life and work of one of America’s most polarising political and religious figures, Malcolm X. Also known as Malcolm Little, and el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, Malcolm X was a prominent voice in Black empowerment and served as a more provocative and anti-establishment counterpart to Civil Rights Leaders such as Martin Lu…

1
Episode 90 - Pope Paul 31:00

1y ago31:00

31:00

In this episode, we’re telling the story of one of Catholicism's least remembered, yet most relevant, figures of the 20th century. Pope Paul VI, who was born Giovanni Montini, arguably changed the relationship Lay-Catholics have with Church Leadership forever, with his determination to uphold traditional Church teachings on Birth Control. Yet Pope …

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Episode 89 - Liston beats Patterson 29:54

1y ago29:54

29:54

This episode, we go back to the ring and explore the tumultuous and complex world of American Professional Boxing in the 1960s. Sonny Liston’s challenge of Floyd Patterson, is one of the most high profile, vicious, and tragic stories in the history of boxing. With tendrils extending out into organised crime, and even the oval office, it proves that…

1
Episode 88 - John Glenn 37:28

1y ago37:28

37:28

In this episode, we’re looking at the life of an American legend: a fighter pilot, astronaut, and politician. He’s John Glenn, the man who left an indelible impression on 20th century US history. We’re joined by special guest, American political and presidential historian Jeff Shesol. Jeff’s the author of Mercury Rising, John Glenn, John Kennedy an…

1
Episode 87 - Ole Miss 50:20

1y ago50:20

50:20

This time, we return to the United States and the battle for Civil Rights. This conflict would involve President Kennedy, and his Attorney General brother. It would lead to the mobilisation of several (30,000) troops, the most for a single disturbance in United States history. While racism still exists in the United States today, and is in many way…

1
Episode 86 - British Beatlemania 44:00

1y ago44:00

44:00

In this episode, we look at the astonishing rise of The Beatles – the band once described as “Bigger than Jesus”. We’re joined by special guest Dr Kenneth L. Campbell, a history professor at Monmouth University in New Jersey where he teaches a course on Beatles’ history. Dr Campbell is also the author of “The Beatles and the 1960s: Reception, Revol…

1
Episode 85 - Lawrence of Arabia 57:00

1y ago57:00

57:00

For the second time this series, or third if you count our episode on Doctor Zhivago, we find ourselves discussing the work of film director David Lean. Famous for his epics that pushed the limits of Hollywood technology and budgets, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ is undoubtedly his most ambitious work, an epic amongst epics. Here to talk about the man who w…

1
Episode 84 - Bay of Pigs invasion 22:54

1y ago22:54

22:54

In this episode, we return to Cuba and to the regime of socialist leader Fidel Castro. We’re traveling to the Bay of Pigs, the site of a botched invasion carried out by Cuban exiles, and financed by the US Government. Today, it’s remembered as a minor disaster, but it’s one of the most significant early events of the Cold War.…

1
Episode 83 - Berlin 56:00

1+ y ago56:00

56:00

This time we’re heading to the turbulent city of Berlin. Over its four-hundred-year lifetime, Berlin has been through unparalleled amounts of change. Finding itself at the epicentre of two world wars, and then split in half by the Cold War, history never takes a break in Berlin. Here to talk about Berlin is our guest on this episode, retired Britis…

1
Episode 82 - Bob Dylan 36:41

1+ y ago36:41

36:41

In this episode we take a look at an enigmatic cultural icon and a Nobel Prize-winner, who’s been well-known for six decades – he’s Bob Dylan, one of the world’s most famous singer- songwriters. We’re joined by special guest Dennis McDougal, a music journalist based in Memphis, Tennessee, and the author of Dylan: The Biography.…

1
Episode 81 - Stranger in a strange land 39:54

1+ y ago39:54

39:54

In this episode, we’re seeing Earth through the eyes of a Martian named Smith, and everything looks a little bit off. Robert A. Heinlein’s seminal science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land was released on the first of June, 1961, and to this day remains an influential and pivotal work in the history of science fiction and American Literature…

1
Episode 80 - Eichmann 46:27

1+ y ago46:27

46:27

This episode takes us into the 1960s, as we return to the legacy of WWII, and look at a chilly figure who has fascinated historians for decades. He’s Adolf Eichmann, the man responsible for the transportation network that took hundreds of thousands of people to the Nazi death camps. In 1960, he’s finally captured in Argentina. Here to help us unpac…

1
Episode 79 - Hemingway 35:12

1+ y ago35:12

35:12

In this episode we explore the life of iconic 20th century fiction writer – Ernest Hemingway. Throughout his life Hemingway cultivated an image of hyper-masculinity: he was a heavy drinker, a big game hunter, a deep sea fisher, and a war correspondent. He was present at some of the most significant conflicts of the 20th century, and they influenced…

1
Episode 78 - Belgians in the Congo 37:50

1+ y ago37:50

37:50

We return to the theme of colonialism as we visit the Belgian Congo. It’s a tale of two countries: one a huge territory deep inside the equatorial rainforest, and the other a tiny European nation, led by a King with imperial dreams. We’re joined by a special guest Adam Hochschild, a writer, historian and the author of King Leopold’s Ghost, the stor…

1
Episode 77- Psycho 58:58

1+ y ago58:58

58:58

A cultural touchstone and masterpiece of suspense, this week’s episode features Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal film, Psycho. Perhaps more than any film we’ll discuss during this series, Psycho is a film so completely entrenched in the cultural consciousness that it’s hard to separate the film from its myth. Here to talk about the history of Psycho is A…

1
Episode 76 - Chubby Checker 31:55

1+ y ago31:55

31:55

In this episode we’re talking about the Twist. The dance that took the teenage world by storm in the 1950s and 1960s. More broadly, we’re talking about its various different recordings, and the artist whose cover of the song made it into a smash hit phenomenon, Chubby Checker. Here, helping us with this episode is Musicologist, Music Historian and …

1
Episode 75 - Kennedy 47:17

1+ y ago47:17

47:17

Today many people know about his assassination, and his rumoured affair with Marilyn Monroe – but there was a lot more to Kennedy than that. Special guest Frederik Logevall, JFK’s biographer, a professor at Harvard University, joins us to tell us about John F Kennedy: his politics, his family, and his time.…

1
Episode 74 - Payola 30:40

1+ y ago30:40

30:40

Todays episode looks into the process of paying for radio time which is called Payola. A dominant trend in the 1930s onwards, Payola was a core part of the music industry and a huge influence on the dominant trends in popular music. Interestingly, while the practice is illegal, and suggests a rich-get-richer musical hierarchy, it played a surprisin…

1
Episode 73 - Syngmann Rhee 49:22

1+ y ago49:22

49:22

In this episode we go back to the origins of the split between North and South Korea, as we learn about another famous statesman: Syngman Rhee. He was a gifted scholar, a revolutionary, a prickly, authoritarian ruler – and a dangerous driver. We’re joined for this episode by special guest David Fields, a historian and associate director of the Cent…

1
Episode 72 - U-2 34:25

1+ y ago34:25

34:25

In this episode we’re looking at the revolutionary spy plane that defined post World War 2 military surveillance, the Lockheed U-2. The U-2 is still a key device today in the gathering of military intelligence. Its intensely aerodynamic design allows it to fly incredibly high, right near the edge of the atmosphere.…

1
Episode 71 - Edsel is a no-go 27:46

1+ y ago27:46

27:46

In this episode we’re looking at debatably the most notorious product failure in American history. A flop that puts Crystal Pepsi and Google Glass to shame, the Ford Edsel has become synonymous with failure. A new line of cars designed by Ford to try and compete in the upper-middle budget range, the Edsel suffered from poor planning, poor marketing…

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Episode 70 - Castro 57:02

1+ y ago57:02

57:02

In this episode we return to the Cold War and discuss yet another controversial political figure - Fidel Castro, the revolutionary firebrand who came to power in Cuba in the late 1950s. To some he’s a tyrant, and to others, he’s the hero who deposed a corrupt regime and defied America for decades. We’re joined by a very special guest, the historian…

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Episode 69 - Hula Hoops 16:20

1+ y ago16:20

16:20

In this episode we’re spinning the story of one the world’s most timelessly popular toys, the Hula Hoop. While it’s often thought of today as a fad of the past, the Hula Hoop has actually existed in a variety of different forms for centuries, and is debatably still as popular today as ever. Joining us to talk about it is Bunny B Star, the founding …

1
Episode 68 - Mafia 41:25

1+ y ago41:25

41:25

This episode explores one of the darkest versions of the American Dream - the deadly world of the Mafia. For more than a century, the organized crime groups also known as the Cosa Nostra have inspired fear and fascination in America, as they change and evolve along with society. We’re joined by a very special guest, former journalist and accomplish…

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Episode 67 - Space Monkey 24:40

2y ago24:40

24:40

In this episode we’re looking at the history of the unsung pioneers of space travel, Monkeys and Chimpanzees! Before rockets were safe enough to take humans, and even after, NASA and rival organizations sent apes into space to test conditions without risking human life. These primates risked life and limb, faced incredible danger and adversity, and…

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Episode 66 - Ben-Hur 28:18

2y ago28:18

28:18

This time we’re looking at another epic of classic Hollywood cinema, Ben-Hur. Widely considered one of the greatest films ever made, Ben-Hur had more than enough drama happen off screen to fill all 4 hours of the blockbuster’s running time. What is the story of Ben-Hur? And what impact has it left today?…

1
Episode 65 - Buddy Holly 31:54

2y ago31:54

31:54

This episode takes us to a poignant time in the history of rock music: the brief and brilliant life of Buddy Holly. We travel back in time to learn about the young man behind the music: who accomplished such a lot, and could have achieved so much more. We’re joined by special guest, Philip Norman. Philip’s the author of Buddy: Philip Norman. He’s a…

1
Episode 64 - Children of Thalidomide 44:20

2y ago44:20

44:20

In this episode we’re looking at what is arguably the greatest medical catastrophe in recent history, the Thalidomide Scandal. A drug designed to reduce morning sickness in pregnant women, Thalidomide caused more than 10,000 children in the late 1950s and early 1960s to be born with intense physical disabilities. Pushed primarily under the name Con…

1
Episode 63 - Starkweather homicide 20:20

2y ago20:20

20:20

In this episode we’re looking at the lives of America’s first real celebrity killers, 19 year old Charles Starkweather and his 14 year old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate. The object of perverse levels of public attention, the pair participated in a series of Spree Killings between December 1967 and January 1968 that would go on to inspire movies, mus…

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Episode 62 - California baseball 24:05

2y ago24:05

24:05

This episode takes us back to the world of sport, and the era of California Baseball, when major league teams packed their bags and headed West in search of new opportunities. The Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants are the most famous teams that chose to leave, but others followed suit, and major league baseball also eventually made its way i…

1
Episode 61 - Charles De Gaulle 51:21

2y ago51:21

51:21

In this episode we discuss the most famous French leader of the 20th century - General Charles de Gaulle. He’s the stubborn military commander who defied the Germans during WWII, and became the voice of hope that inspired thousands. After the war, he was also the President who restored order to war-torn France. He returned to power again in 1958, w…

1
Episode 60 - Lebanon 23:40

2y ago23:40

23:40

In this episode we’re traveling back to the Middle East in the 1950s - and to the time when the United States conducted its first major military intervention in the area - in Lebanon. What were the origins of the Lebanese crisis, and what led the Americans to intervene? Looking back today, did it make a difference?…

1
Episode 59 - Bridge on the River Kwai 26:22

2y ago26:22

26:22

We’re returning to the movies in this episode, digging into the first of David Lean's canonical epic films, The Bridge On the River Kwai. A defining film both in the history of war movies, and in cinema in general, The Bridge On the River Kwai is as grand as it was excessively ambitious. Here to help explain is our guest, Film Historian and Blogger…

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