My great grandmothers name was Orpha - pronounced Orfa

Not all podcast make you want to talk back at times to the caster but this one is so engaging that are many of the topics I want to discuss further and dive deeper even though Robert does do extensive research. I don’t always agree with everything presented, nor are all things fully researched from multiple viewpoints, but that is what makes it engaging and in a world where we don’t think critically much more I think this is very important.

A podcast for when I want to learn something new and be a bastard hater.

I love the idea of this show, which is why I subscribed recently after a recommendation from a friend. However, I was shocked by the sheer amount of raucous laughter in an episode about the unnecessary deaths of children undergoing quack autism cures. I understand the intent was to make the mood light, but laughing loudly at a description of how a clinic director herself was making light of the death of a child comes off in doubly-poor taste. Add to that the mispronunciation of the words “chelation” (kee-lay-shun, not chu-lay-shun), and “thimerosal”—each central to the episode—seemed a bit lazy in the era of the internet. Perhaps this episode was an exception to how the show is otherwise produced, so I’ll keep listening, hoping to find reasons to revisit my 3-star rating.

What can I say that hasn’t already been said. Great podcast. Host has a carefully-tuned moral compass. Wickedly interesting. Not only does Robert really read and research, he puts these out like twice a week and they’re always interesting. It should be part of your regular listening.

A young boy is about to die in the telling of this horrific tragedy and the narrator is …. laughing?? Revolting.

hey uhhhhhh robert here…. just here to report on this ultra niche thing you definitely didn’t have a question about but i need to clarify because i will go insane if i don’t love u rob love u sophie

The hosts need to tone it down a bit. Especially the male host. The content is interesting enough, but they ruin it with almost hyperactive commentary and cursing that is unnecessary.

I listen all the time and love most things about this podcast. However, I cannot stress enough just how bad Robert is at pronouncing some words. It’s bordering on felonious. It’s like nails on the chalkboard and it is the most distracting thing ever. In the latest episode he pronounces Chelation as Chill-lay-shun that is hilariously wrong. It’s Kee-lay-shun. He pronounced Laos and Loation wrong. There are so many others that my mind has walled off. Someone, for the love of god, make Robert look up words he only reads.

Robert is a good researcher and writes a nice show. I can tell he is getting better about interrupting and shouting Sophie down (like a boss). I think the guests jokes are funnier when Robert does not immediately repeat them in a slightly different format.

I listened to the first couple of episodes about the Zizians, but I have to stop because Robert’s incessant laughter is so incredibly annoying. Nothing you’re saying is funny dude, and it’s even less funny when you’re laughing at something *you’re *saying. He also can’t stop saying “like” and “right.” As a podcaster, public speaking is your job–please learn how to do it like a pro.

I totally agree that Limbaugh’s negative impact on society is one of the reasons we are in the state we are currently in. A very successful show that preached that Democrats are the devil every day for years and years to his millions of listeners.

Love the show, but why admonish a fellow podcaster. It also sounds as if you’ve not listened to crooked programs. He can be a bit snooty, but is also an accomplished activist. We need as many of those as we can get.

The show is great. Get over yourselves, whiners.

I thought I was ready to keep going down the Zizian hole. Then Rob mentioned Otherkin. Jumpin' Jehoshaphat.

All my homies hate Microsoft copilot

I’m not going to sit here and listen to a woman who undermines men for no reason, as if we owe her something or are guilty just for being men. This kind of in-your-face feminism made the show unbearable for me. I think her name is Bridgette or something.....I’m not sure. Also, the way they talk on the show is exhausting. It feels like they’re in a constant competition to see who can speak the fastest and loudest at the same time.

What in the Orwell is this nonsense?

They look at historical figures without context, spending a great deal of time lamenting why people who lived in a different era had different values than we do. This doesn’t lead to an intelligent or interesting conversation. The podcast makes sweeping generalizations about people based on nationality, and is homophobic, often confusing being gay with pedophilia. Not for me.

Long time introverted fan. Thank you, from the history nerds with roots in both sides of colonialism and slavery. I know no one who gets a mic on the show has roots in Spanish Colonialism (Intended as observation, not a critique. I’m confident your hearts are with the work). The brief callout in the Diego Garcia episode about the bombing of Vieques and Culebra made some of your Boriqua fans thirsty for recognition. I do NOT want to reduce any of the attention on the suffering of other colonized folk. Black and norte indigenous folk have fair claim to a LOT of attention to their oppressions. There is colorism and queerphobia across the Boricua diaspora. I and my nesting partner are very white-presenting and do not experience the treatment others get. I was born into and have the privilege of citizenship on mainland Norte. The mother of my nesting partner (born in Arecibo) does NOT have the same rights my mother (born in Brooklyn) has. Puerto Rico is the oldest colony, the place subjected to the most consecutive years of colonial oppression anywhere in the world. Please hear us and give us a little airtime. Taino and Kalinago language were not a choice I ever had. Even our colonial dialect of Spanish was beaten out of my grandparents, so my mother didn’t even teach me that. All the many mestizo folk like me have is the structures of our colonizer, and the privileges of skin color and and hair that separate me from my cousins. I know the infrastructure is fuzzy, but please…see us, por favor. If you just can’t…I get it. Hard choices. I’ll keep at what I’m doing, and I’ll keep listening. But at some point…let your Boricua fans know you see them. ¡No más colonias!

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Title says it all, I don’t have much interest in it could happen here, particularly not all grouped up together into a giant block. Main episodes are great though. Keep it up.

This is my favorite podcast—especially now in these crazy times. But Robert says “right” too much…he’s way too good to say this often as he does.

I love BTB. I learn AND laugh a lot. Reading these reviews is always hysterical with the exception of Sophie haters… her keeping Robert from completely losing his job is my favorite dynamics of the podcast that always makes me laugh. Sophie is AMAZING, and I particularly love the episodes where she is more in the conversation. I’m always bummed when Sophie isn’t there. The Sophie shade is just misogynistic BS— if you’re mean to Sophie, then you risk becoming the target of my fury . However the “BoO tHiS pOdCaSt HaS a LeFt BiAs”… reviews are hysterically ridiculous….ok… most mainstream media and history is biased to the right. If you want more of the same old whitewashed version of history, this podcast isn’t for you. You are allowed to be boring— The rest of us will be here having fun cursing, atonally screeching, and working on our Boston accents.

Love the show and the other reviewers are dead wrong misogynists for going after Sophie. She’s funny and she brings levity and I’m not sure I’d like the show so much without her

It’s really good

I hate running. So much. But I have to make weight for a sport. This podcast is the only thing that does not make me want to jump in-front of a bus while I force myself to run. I’ve been listening for 5 years and I love following up on sources & doing my own deep dives when I’m particularly interested in something. A fantastic gateway into learning more about history.

By way of Bechdel Cast and hunting Sophie’s awesome work I found this podcast. I got started with the Gordo Liddy episodes of Behind the Batards and haven’t turned away since. I can testify as an exvangelical millennial from TX, it hits a chord of interest.

Loved the Tony Alamo episodes, not only was he featured on the GOO but he and Susan also appeared on The Porter Wagoner show (another totally creep and bastard !). Isn’t the worst of the worst but would love to see you cover particularly creepy country musicians…

Love it overall, but Sophie’s interjections are not a great fit for the rest of the show. She brings down the vibe

I tried the Jack Parsons episode and, between the conjured extreme sarcasm and maniacal laughter over nothing, I just had to turn it off despite being very interested in the topic. Look elsewhere.

Robert is an incredible writer. This pod is like learning stuff while on gas station speed: It’s rare, yet when it occurs, it is undeniable.

I really wanted to enjoy this podcast because the content is interesting, but 2+ placeholder "like"s per sentence is distracting to the extent that I can't listen to it. It undermines the material. I'm a millennial and I'm used to hearing "like" a ton in casual conversation, but even the AI transcript can't pick up on as many as you all use. You're podcasters. You're adults. Learn to speak definitively.

Love this podcast- also love that Robert always announces the ads. Topics are great- informative.

I really want to like this podcast. The research especially on Peter Thiel is incredible, but what they uncover about him is so chilling and terrible and the constant laughing and joking about every “bastard’s”life details detracts from the hard work they have clearly done.The non stop laughing between the hosts about every tiny detail detracts from the humor when they hit an actual thing to laugh about. I hope the hosts read this and work on filtering bc I want to keep listening.

✨complex feelings ✨ about this show. I’ve come around to liking Robert, but after a lot of listening, I really don’t feel that Sophie’s commentary is a good fit for the show. I’m sure she’s a good producer and it sounds like she brings in great guests and topics, but the random interjections are almost never about the topic at hand and the jokes fall flat. I’ve really hesitated on this because I know women get a lot of unfair criticism about their voices, etc, but I really can’t stand the talking over hosts/guests to interject something that doesn’t really contribute to the discussion, just detracts from it. Other than that, I really do enjoy the show, the topics, and all the research that goes on behind the scenes.

The host is an insufferable misogynist who brings strong youth pastor energy. This guy is certain he’s the smartest person in any room. The premise is great but sadly I can’t anymore. Shoutout to Molly, who clearly does all the work. PS Stop saying “right” after every sentence, Robert. It’s a very annoying tic and someone should have talked to you about it before they gave you a podcast. I’ll tune in once he is fired and Molly becomes the host.

Idk about it

Listening to the first episode of the Oprah series, about 47 minutes in, the male host blatantly speaks over the female co-host for a full 20 seconds, non-stop. Not only is this unprofessional (let her finish her sentence before you make the correction), but it’s very unpleasant as a listener, which is something to consider if you’re telling stories in an audio format.

When I’ve lost all hope, I come to the comment section for this show to remind myself I was right. Five stars.

Once I noticed that two of the hosts use "like" more than once in many of their sentences, I couldn't listen anymore because it became a tick that I could not like.

I started off liking this podcast but as I got deeper there have been several israel mentions and praises. pretty disgusting and disappointing to hear, especially from people who seem educated. if you’re truly educated, why would you ever even consider israel to be anything but a terroristic occupation.

Why is it, not a single episode covers anything remotely close to all world destroying stuff going on with fossil fuels? The closest thing was the Union Carbide episode (which was good) but not a single thing about PFAS, fracking, Transfer Partners? Y’all parents operate a refinery or something? Cmon. Just concentrate on identity politics? Go listen to Drilled.

Calling Oprah a @bastard@ is horrible considering the original meaning of the word. In general you were absolutely horrible about her and poor people, people of color from the past, women go through so much already only to be called names by you. Shame!

Good and funny The research is good, and same with the writing. Not the biggest fan of the full left lean some times.

Really appreciate the research done to make this show happen. Nevertheless, with every episode I’ve listened too, I find myself having to overlook their blatant disregard for anything even nearing the spiritual. I finally had enough after listening to them berate Eckhart Tolle in the Oprah Winfrey series. They’re missing the bigger picture. Not every spiritual teacher is delusional and woo-woo. Eckhart is a profound and highly conscious human and his work is deeply committed to helping people heal their fraught interior landscapes. I don’t want a podcast (or anyone of that matter) to share my own outlooks on life, but this show sometimes feels narrow minded. The host and guests have condemned spiritual beliefs too many times for me to derive interest from its biographical aspect. While I would never ask someone to change their personal beliefs, I do find blatantly mocking spiritual beliefs upsetting. Especially Eckhart, when his practice is more focused on being in the present moment than it is anything otherworldly. Maybe you’d realize that if you did more research on him and had more of an open mind. I have truly appreciated and respected the podcast, and still do. The mocking of Eckhart was just the tipping point for me. And no, I do not idolize Eckhart nor I am some woo-woo cult member, if that’s how I’m coming across — but I have read Eckhart’s work enough to know how off base these comments are.

Far more ads than normal podcasts, and the guests mostly waste the space in between rephrasing Robert’s lines. Prop is the worst, he just repeats Robert’s lines in blaccent and then does that “AH AH AH” fake laugh after everything like a sociopath, but rarely do any of his guests add anything insightful or funny. Hire your best guest, leave him in the hot seat so he improves over time like Gareth from the dollop, and pile your ads at the front and back, otherwise you’re just playing games.

Oof, invalidating childhood memories in the Oprah episodes was NOT IT. Took the words right out of my abusive parent’s mouth. Be better.

The horrible laughter is so unnecessary and it really destroys the quality of the podcast, I stopped listening because of the fake laughter!

Incredibly interesting episode, but honestly triggering for those of us who went through pretty extreme/extensive abuse throughout childhood. Obv not gonna trauma dump here lol, but Andrew questioning the legitimacy of memories when you’re six -and *especially* Robert’s little quip at the end about how the past is “a fantasy/fiction novel that you’ve been writing your whole life without even knowing it”- are particularly (inadvertently) clumsy…especially when the nature of your abuse forces you to avoid/invalidate that it was bad for the *vast* majority of your life, until you get into therapy and discover just how bad it actually was (despite the fact that you have so many external sources, like court records/dates/witnesses/etc who validate just how early those memories actually were lol). To anyone who’s listening to this ep and questioning the legitimacy of your own abuse (or questioning if maybe it *was* actually abuse and not normal 😅), please look into a therapist who specializes in trauma. It was life-changing for me (especially to realize that I was living most of my life with pretty major PTSD that inhibits every aspect of my life due to just how bad it actually was lol). Also, it’s incredibly common for abusers and victims of abuse themselves to refuse to believe when others have been abused. I believe there can be inconsistencies in her recollections, but this doesn’t negate that the visceral/sensory aspect of truly traumatic memories due tend to be *very real* and it’s pretty rare to just completely fabricate them lol. It would have been particularly interesting had he looked into research on traumatic memory in children, especially those of us who “Ace the ACE test” 😂 and have external sources validating this. Excited for part 2, though!