Anachronismo!
A historical comedy podcast
4 years ago

Victorian Pipe Culture, Ferdinand the Imposter

Happy new year all! We return with two tales of weird history - first, Max reveals his research into the pipe smoking culture of Victorian England, with stops along the way to revel in the crazy things that we've done with and to tobacco over the ages. From Reeking Gallants to city-sized snuff factories, prepare to get weird.

Then, Noel takes us through the life of Ferdinand Waldo Demara, the most prolific imposter in history! By the time he was 30, Ferdinand had lived 10 different lives, in different places and professions, and not easy professions either. He impersonated a monk, a professor, a zoologist, a surgeon and so much more, with the aid of his photographic memory and incredible confidence.

Along the way, we make jokes about farting horses, incredulous popes, and teeny tiny baby pipes.