Best Coup D Podcasts (2025)

1
"An Ignorant People Can Never Remain a Free People" The Attack on the "Great Writ" Habeas Corpus, Due Process, the Rule of Law & Democracy by the Trump Administration. Are we on a Collision Course with ... 1:04:16

21h ago1:04:16

1:04:16

Welcome to this explosive edition of Light ‘Em Up! In these critical and delicate times that we find ourselves in — democracy is in clear and present danger. As nothing feels certain or safe and everything appears to be in “transition” we interrogate and examine the Trump Administration and its efforts to suspend the “great writ” of Habeas corpus. …

1
Battle of the Beanfield and the Champions League anthem 51:04

5h ago51:04

51:04

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Dr Nivi Manchanda, a reader in international politics at Queen Mary University in London. First, a moment when two cultures clashed in 1985 at Stonehenge. We hear about an English language novel from 1958, called Things Fall Apart. Th…

1
Ned Ludd mythical leader of the Luddites 27:43

5d ago27:43

27:43

We don't even know if Ned Ludd was real, but perhaps that was the point. "You could say he was everyone and no one - and that's what made him so terrifying for the authorities." Leader of the Luddites, who often signed letters and proclamations Ned Ludd, he is shown in one engraving wearing mismatched shoes and a blue polka dot dress, suggesting a …

1
The history of photography 50:58

7d ago50:58

50:58

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. The expert guest is Dr Mirjam Brusius, a research fellow in colonial and global history at the German Historical Institute. First, we hear about Martín Chambi - Peru's pioneering documentary photographer. Then Amaize Ojeikere talks about his fathe…

1
Richey Edwards of The Manic Street Preachers 27:40

12d ago27:40

27:40

Richey was, beautiful says Cummins, a natural icon and a gift to photograph. He also believes his writing has been overshadowed by the fact of his disappearance in 1995. "I think nobody has looked beyond that for quite a long time.” Manic Street Preachers biographer, Simon Price, also knew Richey Edwards and says he was "the most intelligent rock s…

1
Sweden’s Vipeholm experiments and the Intervision Song Contest 51:00

14d ago51:00

51:00

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Dr Elizabeth Abbott, writer, historian and author of the book, "Sugar: A Bittersweet History". First, we confront the dark history of sugar. We hear how a researcher in the 1990s uncovered the unethical aspects of Sweden’s Vipeholm ex…

1
Benny Hill 27:28

19d ago27:28

27:28

Biography show in which the guest picks someone they admire. Benny Hill is a thorny choice but playwright Jonathan Maitland is determined that - despite accusations of sexism and racism later in his career - Britain's most successful comedian deserves a second look. Benny was fired by Thames TV in 1989. "The show was past its sell-by date," was the…

1
Rescuing Palmyra’s treasures and 80 years since VE Day 50:33

21d ago50:33

50:33

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Rubina Raja, professor of classical archaeology and art at Aarhus University in Denmark. First, we go back to May 2015, when the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria was about to fall to Jihadist fighters and how of a group of men risked …

1
"Whatsoever You Do to the Least of My Brethren, That You Do Unto Me”. Criminalizing Undocumented Immigrants. The Hatred of MAGA Towards the Foreign-born. Immigration Facts & How the GOP Strategically ... 58:47

22d ago58:47

58:47

Tonight, on this explosive, educational, investigative episode of Light ‘Em Up we will explore in-depth the issues of: — The treatment of migrants & refugees — Criminal Immigration — How the radical right-wing politicized and took advantage of the death of Laken Riley when in reality they really didn’t give a single, solitary care about her — takin…

1
Maggi Hambling picks muse and lover Henrietta Moraes 27:35

26d ago27:35

27:35

“Henrietta's eyes looked into one's soul at the same time exposing her own. She posed for me most Mondays for the last seven months until two days before she died.” In a raw and very funny opener to the new series of Great Lives, painter and sculptor Maggi Hambling chooses someone she knew extremely well - her lover Henrietta Moraes. Born in India,…

1
The Vietnam War and the expansion of the EU 50:51

28d ago50:51

50:51

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service about the Vietnam War and the invention of the hugely popular mobile phone game, Snake. Don Anderson, a former BBC TV reporter during the final days of Vietnam, discusses the atmosphere in Saigon as the North Vietnamese forces closed in. We also he…

1
Harriet Harman on Maria Callas 27:57

1M ago27:57

27:57

The legendary opera star Maria Callas was lauded for her magnetic stage presence and extraordinary vocal range. Born in New York in 1923 to Greek immigrant parents, she moved with her mother and sister to Greece aged 13. In 1939 she attended the Athens Conservatoire where she embarked on a rigorous vocal training in the Italian "bel canto" traditio…

1
Secret D-Day rehearsal and YouTube begins 51:32

1M ago51:32

51:32

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is World War Two military historian and archivist Elisabeth Shipton. We start by concentrating on two events from the last year of the Second World War. Exercise Tiger took place in April 1944 in preparation for the D-Day landings of All…

1
The Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and World Book Day 51:10

1M ago51:10

51:10

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. It’s 50 years since soldiers of the communist Khmer Rouge party stormed into the capital, Phnom Penh. It was the start of a four year reign of terror which resulted in up to two million people being killed. We hear two stories from people affected…

1
Tren de Aragua: The Alien Enemies Act of 1798, the "Theater" of the Trump Administration, Trumped-Up Charges, Providing Cover to Detain and Deport Without Due Process. 1:01:15

1M ago1:01:15

1:01:15

Tonight, on this explosive, educational, investigative episode of Light ‘Em Up. We debut in 121 countries around the globe! Is that sick, or what? Tonight, we challenge you to listen and think critically as we examine in-depth the Venezuelan transnational criminal organization called: Tren de Aragua. Its origins can be traced to its foundation in 2…

1
Bonus: Defeated 49:47

2M ago49:47

49:47

8th May 1945 was a day of rejoicing in Britain, the US and many other countries: Germany had surrendered, and World War II was over, at least in Europe. Yet it was not a day of celebration for everyone: for the vanquished Germans, it marked the end of bombings and of Nazi rule. But it was also a time of deprivation and chaos, fear and soul-searchin…

1
Nazis and sex strikes 50:57

2M ago50:57

50:57

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Dr Katrin Paehler, Professor of modern European history at Illinois State University. First, a journalist describes how he accompanied Hitler through the embers of the Reichstag fire in 1933. Then, the harrowing recollections of a doc…

1
Kate Raworth on Donella Meadows 27:56

2M ago27:56

27:56

Born in Illinois in 1941, Dana Meadows studied Chemistry and Molecular Biology, before turning her back on a post doc position at Harvard, to pursue environmentalism. She joined her husband Dennis Meadows as part of the team working on Professor Jay Forester's World3 computer model of the world economy at MIT and wrote the report on the results of …

1
The wonder woman of the comic world and Namibia's 'ghost town' 51:27

2M ago51:27

51:27

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. We hear from the first woman to lead DC Comics - the home of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. Jenette Kahn began turning the company around in the 1970s. Our expert is Dr Mel Gibson, associate professor at Northumbria University. She has carried …

1
The Death of Haley Cheney, a Beloved “All-American Girl”. Concerns of a Rush to Judgement from an “Investigation” that was “Phoned in" (at Best), Riddled with Indifference, Pre-Judgement and a Misogynistic ... 1:08:56

2M ago1:08:56

1:08:56

Welcome to this explosive and investigatory episode of Light ‘Em Up. Our global audience has reached 119 countries. Spread the word! This is the story of the tragic death of an “All-American Girl” and the sloppy investigation that ensued. Out of Aubrey, Texas, we shine the antiseptic light of the truth to investigate the death of Haley Cheney, a 24…

1
The phone call that changed Nigeria and a 'one of a kind' portrait of Nelson Mandela 50:59

2M ago50:59

50:59

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. We hear about the historic moment in Nigerian politics when Goodluck Jonathan made a phone call to General Buhari marking the peaceful handover of power in 2015. Our expert is historian and creator of the Untold Stories podcast, Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie…

1
The history of space travel 51:08

2M ago51:08

51:08

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service.This week we’re looking at the history of space travel, including the 60th anniversary of the first ever space-walk by Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov.Also, the speech that would have been given if the Apollo 11 astronauts didn’t make their way back…

1
The Americans with Disabilities Act and the invention of GPS 51:24

3M ago51:24

51:24

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. We find out about the landmark protest in 1990 when wheelchair users crawled up the steps of the US Capitol Building in Washington DC, campaigning for disability rights. Our expert is Dr Maria Orchard, law lecturer at the University of Leeds, who h…

1
The Twisted, Perverted Concept of Qualified Immunity. A Proverbial "Get Out of Jail Free Card" for Law Enforcement. Examining its Historical Background & Original Intent. Protecting & Shielding the Bad ... 58:13

3M ago58:13

58:13

Welcome to this probing, brand-new, fact filled episode of Light ‘Em Up. We are currently being actively downloaded in 119 countries, globally. Please spread the word with a friend regarding our podcast! Remember, we are here for you and because of you! We tackle the topics that touch your lives! We hear so much talk about the topic of Qualified Im…

1
The invention of the shopping trolley and the Calais 'Jungle' 50:55

3M ago50:55

50:55

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week’s Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. We find out how Sylvan Goldman’s invention of the shopping trolley in 1930s America turned him into a multi-millionaire. Our expert is Rachel Bowlby, Professor of Comparative Literature at University College London, who is also the author of two b…

1
Ep. 37: Spirituality for Community Organizing with Br. Ken Homan, SJ 38:09

3M ago38:09

38:09

Br. Ken Homan, SJ, joins David to discuss their recently published article, "Community Organizing and the Call of the King." Article: https://www.pdcnet.org/jcathsoc/content/jcathsoc_2024_0021_0002_0307_0324 Spiritual Exercise: https://www.academia.edu/126445163/The_Call_of_the_King_Exercise_from_Community_Organizing_and_the_Call_of_the_King_ Music…

1
Mark Billingham chooses George Harrison 27:00

3M ago27:00

27:00

George Harrison was a musician, singer and songwriter who became one of the most famous people in the world as one quarter of the Beatles. That alone would merit a place in the Great Lives pantheon, but his work in the decades after the band broke up indicates a man of diverse and arguably underestimated talents. Erupting onto the pop music scene i…

1
Jake Arnott on John Gay 27:42

3M ago27:42

27:42

John Gay, eighteenth-century satirist and author of The Beggar's Opera, is nominated by the writer Jake Arnott - whose novels, including The Long Firm and He Kills Coppers, are also set in London's criminal underworld. Editor of Private Eye, Ian Hislop, is the presenter, and Dr Rebecca Bullard of the University of Oxford is on hand to help uncover …

1
Discovering the haemoglobin structure and the Nellie massacre 51:16

3M ago51:16

51:16

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week’s Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. We hear about the moment Dr Max Perutz discovered the haemoglobin structure. Our expert is Professor Sir Alan Fersht, who is a chemist at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology and knew Dr Perutz personally. We also hear abou…

1
Ellen E Jones nominates Florynce Kennedy 27:59

3M ago27:59

27:59

One dubbed "the biggest, loudest and indisputably the rudest mouth on the battleground", Florynce Kennedy was a force to be reckoned with. She was a lawyer, a vocal figure in the American civil rights and feminist movements of the 1960s and '70s, and a champion of numerous other causes besides; from legalising abortion to campaigning for sex-worker…

1
Death of a language and the world’s longest kiss 51:13

3M ago51:13

51:13

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. We hear about the death of one of the oldest languages in the world, when an 85 year old woman died and took it with her in 2010. Our expert guest is Dr Mandana Seyfeddinipur, who is the Head of the Endangered Languages Archive which endeavours to…

1
A N Wilson selects Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 27:47

3M ago27:47

27:47

"I've chosen him because I think he was possibly the most interesting human being who has ever lived". A N Wilson Born in the middle of the 18th century in Frankfurt, Goethe went on to become the pre-eminent figure in German literature. As well as writing plays and poetry (including Faust) he was a statesman, a scientist, an artist and a critic. Qu…

1
Is this America? The Railroading of 14-year-old Dillon Reedy. How Your 1st Amendment Free Speech & Due Process Constitutional Rights can be Stripped from You in a Blink of an Eye. An In-depth Discussion ... 51:56

4M ago51:56

51:56

Welcome to this super-charged, explosive episode of Light ‘Em Up. We're currently being downloaded in 119 countries. We tackle the topics that touch your lives! On this episode we examine how our First Amendment (freedom of speech) and due process rights can be stripped from us and violated in a rapid series of cascading events that ultimately put …

1
Great speeches from around the world 51:20

4M ago51:20

51:20

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. We discuss the 1992 speech given by Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating, in which he acknowledged the moral responsibility his government should bear for the horrors committed against Indigenous Australians, with our guest Dr Rebe Taylor from …

1
Jessica Fostekew on Boudica 27:44

4M ago27:44

27:44

"The Queen Boadicea, standing loftily charioted, Brandishing in her hand a dart and rolling glances lioness-like, Yell'd and shriek'd between her daughters in her fierce volubility": so wrote Alfred, Lord Tennyson in the 19th Century, celebrating the story of an ancient English warrior queen who sparked a brutal and bloody rebellion against Roman r…

1
Cult films and a 'rockstar' philosopher 50:58

4M ago50:58

50:58

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is film critic and journalist Helen O'Hara who dissects what makes a cult film classic, after we hear about the making of the 1989 American film Heathers. We also learn about the French philosopher behind the theory of deconstruction and…

1
Reginald D Hunter selects Eugene V Debs 27:41

4M ago27:41

27:41

Eugene Victor Debs, born 1855 in Indiana USA, was a railway worker, a trade unionist and a five time candidate for the presidency. He was imprisoned during the First World War for sedition. He'd urged resistance to the draft; President Woodrow Wilson called him a traitor to the nation, but Debs still ran for the presidency in 1920. His sentence was…

1
The 'Wolf Children' of World War Two and China's TV lessons 51:13

4M ago51:13

51:13

We hear from 'wolf child' Luise Quietsch who was separated from her family and forced to flee East Prussia. Whilst trying to survive during World War Two, these children were likened to hungry wolves roaming through forests. Journalist and documentary film-maker Sonya Winterberg who recorded the testimony of “wolf children” for her book, discusses …

1
Pen Hadow nominates Sir Peter Scott 27:48

4M ago27:48

27:48

"Make the boy interested in natural history," wrote Captain Scott from his tent in the Antarctic. He was talking about his son, three year old Peter Scott, whom he never saw again and who went on to found the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust and campaign against the hunting of whales. The son also designed the panda logo for the Wold Wide Fund for Nature…

1
The Police & De-escalation of Aggression: What is it? Leading with Empathy, Establishing a Collaborative Relationship, with a Distressed Person in Crisis, Reserving Judgement, Actively Listening, NOT Shoot ... 1:11:03

4M ago1:11:03

1:11:03

Happy New Year, we welcome you back to Light ‘Em Up! This is our 2nd installation of our brand-new 6th season! A double dip this month. Who’s listening to us in Mozambique? We’re actively being downloaded in 117 countries, globally! On this no holds barred, explosive, investigative, educational episode — we once again, shine the antiseptic light of…

1
Back to 1995 50:55

4M ago50:55

50:55

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week’s Witness History episodes, all about events which happened in 1995. First, we hear how Microsoft launched Windows 95 after a $300 million marketing campaign. Our expert guest is Dr Lisa McGerty – Chief Executive of the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge. Next, after 17 years terrorising America,…

1
Lauren Cuthbertson on Margot Fonteyn 28:06

4M ago28:06

28:06

Margot Fonteyn was an icon: a ballerina who helped build and indeed embodied the traditional image of a dancer, just as the artform was finding its feet on the British cultural scene. From humble beginnings she became an international star, enjoying a dazzling career with the Royal Ballet, a glamorous social life as a diplomat’s wife, and an electr…

1
World War Two on film and Africa's landmark lifestyle magazine 51:12

4M ago51:12

51:12

Josephine McDermott sits in for Max Pearson presenting a collection of the week’s Witness History episodes. We hear from the author who stumbled across the story of Oskar Schindler while shopping for a briefcase in Beverly Hills. Our guest is Dr Anne-Marie Scholz, from the University of Bremen in Germany, who reflects on the impact of dramatization…

1
Dr Hannah Critchlow picks Professor Colin Blakemore 27:59

5M ago27:59

27:59

Professor Colin Blakemore was a famous communicator of science, the youngest ever Reith lecturer on the BBC. He was also targeted by members of the animal rights movement, which sent bombs and letters lined with razor blades to his home address. Born in 1944 and brought up in Coventry, Colin Blakemore was committed to brain research and the connect…

1
The Charlie Hebdo attack and the art of decluttering 51:08

5M ago51:08

51:08

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week’s Witness History episodes. We hear a first-hand account of the attack at the offices of French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo. Our expert guest is Dr Chris Millington, who leads the Histories and Cultures of Conflict research group at Manchester Metropolitan University. We also hear about Swedish di…

1
Doug Allan on Captain Jacques Cousteau 28:07

5M ago28:07

28:07

Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau was an oceanographer, filmmaker and explorer who made the seas a subject of fascination for millions. During his time in the French Navy, Cousteau co-invented the Aqua-Lung: the first self-contained kit that allowed a diver to breathe underwater. This and his fascination with capturing images of the subaquatic world pa…

1
The Fiery Cross: The Foundations of the KKK and the Ties That Bind with the MAGA Movement. Exposed Roots of: Anti-Immigrant-Nativism, White Supremacy, a Dark Side of Hate Crimes, Wrapped Firmly in the ... 1:17:01

5M ago1:17:01

1:17:01

Happy New Year to each and every one of you! Welcome to Season 6 episode 1 of Light ‘Em Up! We launch 2025 with exciting news! We’re actively being downloaded in 117 countries, globally! Without fear or favor — we follow the facts wherever they lead us. We present the facts not the fiction that drive and support our theories forward! We’ll shine th…

1
The Boxing Day tsunami, and Alexa’s creation 51:04

5M ago51:04

51:04

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week’s Witness History episodes. We hear two stories from the deadly 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, which killed thousands of people in south-east Asia. Our expert guest is Ani Naqvi, a former journalist who was on holiday in Sri Lanka when the wave hit. We also hear from the two Polish students who created the vo…

1
German traditions and cooking for presidents 50:50

5M ago50:50

50:50

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week’s Witness History interviews which all relate to food.First, Dinner for One, the British TV sketch that's become a German New Year’s Eve tradition.Our expert guest is Ingrid Sharp, professor of German cultural and gender history at the University of Leeds. She tells us about some other festive tradition…

1
Referendums and cannibalism 51:05

5M ago51:05

51:05

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Professor Chandrika Kaul, a specialist on modern British and Imperial history at the University of St Andrews in the UK. We start by hearing from both sides of Australia's 1999 referendum on becoming a republic. Then, a survivor recou…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Coup D Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen