Best Paul Rees Podcasts (2026)

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RE-AIR: Conversations: A Long and Storied History of Sparta, Modern Misuse & Misconception w/ Stephen Hodkinson 1:41:10

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34m ago1:41:10

1:41:10

This episode originally aired as part of the Spartan Mirage series, in January 2023. It's time we listen and learn (again). Liv speaks with Stephen Hodkinson, expert in all things Sparta. They discuss Sparta throughout history including its use in politics from the founding of the USA to Nazi Germany to modern day misuses of Spartan culture and his…

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"If we want to provide really good services to our population, we have to make sure they are inclusive"| Ben Travis | Voices of Care 40:36

19h ago40:36

40:36

CEO of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust shares leadership lessons on eliminating racial disparities in staff treatment and preparing for the Government's 10-Year Health Plan: ”We have got to be able to take the pressure off our hospitals. They suck up way more resource now, in terms of percentage of the healthcare budget, than they ever did before.…

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20 Questions With John Sergeant 52:32

2h ago52:32

52:32

Legendary broadcaster John Sergeant tells the often hilarious stories that knit together to form a career that has straddled both the deadly serious and the comic and absurd. From Northern Ireland to the shiny floors of Strictly Come Dancing via Vietnam and Westminster, Sergeant has spent a life in the limelight. He reveals the background to his fa…

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Conversations: The Only Ones Who Benefit from War Are the Bad Guys w/ Joshua Cannon 1:51:44

10m ago1:51:44

1:51:44

Liv speaks with classicist, author, and veteran, Joshua Cannon about the Iliad, warfare in the ancient Mediterranean, and how War is Bad, Actually. This episode was recorded in October 2025. Learn more about Joshua and his book Fatal Second Helen here. Submit your question for the next Q&A via email or a voice note. Get ad-free episodes and so, so …

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How Can Men Be Discipled Well? (Joe Barnard) 48:10

1h ago48:10

48:10

This week, we’re joined by Rev. Joe Barnard, minister of the newly renamed Holyrood Church in Edinburgh and founder of XTrainingMinistries, an organisation dedicated to forming mature, godly men in a spiritually distracted age. Joe reflects on the landscape of discipleship today, the unique pressures men face in modern culture, and why intentional,…

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Doing Business in Mid-Republican Rome 33:24

6d ago33:24

33:24

The rise of the Roman Republic was built on conquest and war, but also on the massively expanding economy of Italy as a whole and Rome in particular. What was it like to live through that, and what did an expanding economy actually mean? Patrick launched a brand-new history show! It’s called Past Lives, and every episode explores the life of a real…

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Conversations: White Ain't Right, How White Supremacy Uses Classics to Defend Bigotry with Curtis Dozier 1:25:40

10m ago1:25:40

1:25:40

Liv speaks with classicist Curtis Dozier about the troubling (and tragically unsurprising) connections between the world's worst people (white supremacists) and ancient Greece and Rome. Learn more about the White Pedestal book and the Classical Controversies book mentioned. Submit your question for the next Q&A via email or a voice note. Get ad-fre…

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Helen, the King Maker; Lucifer the Morningstar; Enyo, the Bloody... A New Years Q&A 56:46

6d ago56:46

56:46

Liv answers all your burning questions (and some notably less urgent as well!). Submit your question for the next Q&A via email or a voice note. Get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subscribing to the Oracle Edition at patreon.com/mythsbaby CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. I try to provide direct warnings when there is refe…

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Interview with Professor Tom Birkett on "Runes: A Concise History" 42:48

14d ago42:48

42:48

Runic writing carries connotations of magic and fantasy, but it was a widespread, useful, and long-lasting system of writing. Professor Tom Birkett has written a fantastic overview of runic writing that returns it to the real time and place in which it existed - Runes: A Concise History. Patrick launched a brand-new history show! It’s called Past L…

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20 Questions With Dame Mary Beard 58:46

6d ago58:46

58:46

Britain's most famous classicist, Dame Mary Beard, takes us on a journey through her life and career, offering insights and anecdotes along the way. What would the Romans have been like on X? Should we pass moral judgements on those who lived thousands of years ago? Does being a classicist make you a better person? Does she see herself as an outsid…

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RE-AIR: Slow But Steady Wins the Race, Ancient Aesop & His Fables 37:05

7d ago37:05

37:05

This episode originally aired in January 2023. Not at all a children's author... We're talking ancient Aesop and his oh so famous fables.Submit your question for the next Q&A via email or a voice note. Get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subscribing to the Oracle Edition at patreon.com/mythsbaby CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve ass…

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RE-AIR: Conversations: How Women Became Poets, Gender History in Greek Literature w/ Emily Hauser 1:50:55

11d ago1:50:55

1:50:55

This episode originally aired in November 2024. Liv speaks with author Emily Hauser about her book How Women Became Poets. They look at women in Greek myth, literature, etymology, and, very specifically, the long and arduous history of women 'poets' in Greek literature. Plus, a sneak peak at Emily's next work: Mythica/Penelope's Bones. Find more fr…

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How Alexander the Great's Soldiers Spent Their Money 33:55

21d ago33:55

33:55

Let's imagine a Macedonian soldier during the time of Alexander the Great. How did this man, whom we'll call Red Cleitus, spend the vast amounts of coin he plundered and earned as he and his comrades fought their way across Asia? Patrick launched a brand-new history show! It’s called Past Lives, and every episode explores the life of a real person …

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20 Questions With John Humphrys 35:33

14d ago35:33

35:33

The veteran broadcaster reflects on a career that led him to become a presenter on the BBC's flagship Today programme, and one of Britain's most famous interviewers. He explores the impact growing up in a Cardiff slum had on his later life, reveals what has motivated him in his work, and shares his views on politicians. Humphrys also looks ahead to…

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Battle of the Bad B*tches: Helen and Clytemnestra 56:58

14d ago56:58

56:58

Liv and Michaela come together for the third (?) annual Battle of the Bas--no wait that's actually the Battle of the Bad B*tches. Helen and Clytemnestra come together and we chat about everything that those two wonderful women were up to in the ancient sources. It's beautiful, it's amazing, and we support all their wonderful ways. Submit your quest…

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The World of Wodehouse Podcast by Vikram Doraiswami and Shrabani Basu 14:46

22d ago14:46

14:46

The PG Wodehouse Society (UK) presents: The World of Wodehouse Podcasts The PG Wodehouse Society (UK) celebrates the work of the great humourist in a series of audio podcasts by Wodehouse’s celebrity fans. The World of Wodehouse Podcast by Vikram Doraiswami and Shrabani Basu. Vikram Doraiswami, a Patron of the P G Wodehouse Society (UK), the High C…

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Liv Reads Statius: The Thebaid (Final) 1:19:11

18d ago1:19:11

1:19:11

Liv reads the final book of Statius' Thebaid, translated by JH Mozley. The brothers of Thebes, Eteocles and Polynices, are dead. Their wives and sisters want to bury them, but (unfortunately!) they need the king of Athens, Theseus, to make it happen. Submit to the Q&A at mythsbaby.com/questions and get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subs…

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Two Murders at the Dawn of History (Lost Worlds Audiobook Preview) 27:07

28d ago27:07

27:07

Patrick's new book, Lost Worlds: How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our World, launches May 5th, 2026! Check out this audiobook preview chapter on two murders around 5,300 years ago, hear about everything we can learn from Otzi the Iceman in the Alps and Gebelein Man in Egypt, and be sure to preorder the book in your medium of choice th…

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20 Questions With Ray Mears 32:15

29d ago32:15

32:15

Expert in bushcraft, TV presenter and writer Ray Mears explains his love of nature, his fascination for human history, and the ways in which he uses his skills to become at one with his environment in the wild - both in Britain and beyond.By Matt Stadlen

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Now for Cleopatra Senior!: Revisiting The Very Real Cleopatra VII with The Partial Historians 1:10:18

21d ago1:10:18

1:10:18

On Friday we looked at Cleopatra Selene (aka Cleopatra Jr, Cleopatra VIII), so it's only fitting to revisit an old (and very fun!) episode with the amazing Partial Historians about Cleopatra Selene's far more famous mother, Cleopatra VII (aka THAT Cleopatra... Find more from the Partial Historians here. Submit your question for the next Q&A via ema…

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Past Lives: Nanaya'ila'i and the Bleeding Edge of the Assyrian Empire 24:21

1M ago24:21

24:21

Check out a scripted episode of Patrick's new show, Past Lives! Nearly 2,700 years ago, a woman and her daughter were ripped away from their homes in what is now Iran by the soldiers of the Assyrian Empire. Nanaya'ila'i was one of thousands upon thousands of people to experience the violence that accompanied conquest, but she's one of the very few …

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20 Questions With Alistair McGowan 50:04

29d ago50:04

50:04

Impressionist, pianist, poet and star of The Big Impression Alistair McGowan takes us behind the scenes of his career. Along the way he does impressions of Louis Theroux, Harry Kane, Raymond Blanc, David Hockney, Alan Bennett, Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Skinner, Richard Madeley, Alan Shearer, Jo Brand, Dara Ó Briain, Monty Don, Gareth Southgate, Ronni…

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Conversations: Cleopatra Selene... A Queen her Mother Would Be Proud Of w/ Dr Jane Draycott 1:38:18

25d ago1:38:18

1:38:18

Liv speaks with Jane Draycott again this week about her book Cleopatra's Daughter: Egyptian Princess, Roman Prisoner, African Queen. Jane Draycott is an amazing scholar who has done phenomenal work on Roman women who often are left without a voice or are given a much lesser reputation than they deserve. Cleopatra Selene is a delightful character to…

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The Economic Life of Megakles, Farmer of Classical Athens 35:40

1M ago35:40

35:40

We've talked about how rich classical Athens was, but what did that mean for an average person living at the time? In this episode, we follow the life of a composite character, an Athenian citizen farmer named Megakles, to see how the economic developments of the classical age shaped daily life in Athens. Patrick launched a brand-new history show o…

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The Worst Friendship Breakup of All Time (The Wars of the Diadochi and the Hellenistic Period) 34:53

28d ago34:53

34:53

We are back with the Wars of the Diadochi and finally Ptolemy gets his proper introduction. Join me today to see what goes on after the Lamian War, see who takes what sides, and who does or does not die. Submit your question for the next Q&A via email or a voice note. Get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subscribing to the Oracle Edition a…

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"Current Training Models Not Fit For Purpose" | Mumtaz Patel | Voices of Care 41:10

29d ago41:10

41:10

In a compelling episode of on Voices of Care, Professor Mumtaz Patel, the 123rd President of the Royal College of Physicians and the first South Asian woman to lead the oldest medical Royal College, delivered an urgent assessment of the mounting pressures facing NHS doctors and set out her vision for transforming medical education for the 21st cent…

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🎙️ FS79_Julia Slay & Ending Sessions Well 34:01

1M ago34:01

34:01

In today's episode, Olivia is joined by Julia Slay, founder of Facilitation 101, to explore an often-overlooked part of facilitation: how we end sessions well. With 15+ years' experience across social policy, consultancy and learning design, Julia shares her journey into facilitation and what sparked her growing fascination with powerful endings. T…

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Conversations: The Empire is Back. . .and This Episode is the Seleucids w/ Dr. Talia Prussin 1:38:45

1M ago1:38:45

1:38:45

Liv and Michaela speak with Dr. Talia Prussin about the Seleucid empire and the Hellenistic Period generally. Much shenanigans went down, and many discussions on which little guy is everyone's favourite. Submit your question for the next Q&A via email or a voice note. Get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subscribing to the Oracle Edition a…

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20 Questions With Ian Hislop 31:11

1M ago31:11

31:11

The Private Eye editor and star of Have I Got News For You on how to debate populists, the fluctuating fortunes of satire, the state of Britain, what he thinks of Keir Starmer, the role of social media in politics, the tone-setting of Donald Trump, the nature of the England Test team, life outside work, and the success of his wife, best-selling aut…

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Doing History through Movies: Interview with Dr. Jason Herbert 48:25

1M ago48:25

48:25

Like many of you, I first fell in love with history through the movies. Dr. Jason Herbert hosted a podcast called Historians at the Movies, now retitled Reckoning with Jason Herbert, that focuses on films depicting the past and what historians think about them. We have a delightful conversation about some of our favorite history movies, what makes …

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Listen to Patrick's New History Podcast, Past Lives 19:56

1M ago19:56

19:56

Patrick has a new history podcast, Past Lives! It's all about the experiences of real, everyday people throughout the human past, people just like you. Listen to the first full episode, "On Historical Storytelling," right here, and then go subscribe to the Past Lives feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast platform of choice. Past Lives is…

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That One Time When Alex Said Hey Guys, Figure It Out (The Wars of the Diadochi and the Hellenistic Period) 39:37

1M ago39:37

39:37

Some more fun history time for you all! This time we are diving into the Wars of the Diadochi, well more like Alex dying and all the Greek rebellions and the Lamian War in this episode. Starting off a new subsection of episodes based on the Hellenistic series, because we all need some more Hellenistic lore in our lives! Submit your question for the…

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20 Questions With Sir Simon Jenkins 36:09

1M ago36:09

36:09

Newspaper columnist Sir Simon Jenkins discusses his new history of America, reflects on the unpredictable state of British politics, looks back on his career in the media - including his time as editor of The Times - and offers a warning about what he sees as a threat to the British countryside. He also gives his view on the challenges to the union…

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Conversations: Life At the Far Edges of a Crumbling Empire... w/ Owen Rees 1:52:14

1M ago1:52:14

1:52:14

Liv speaks with returning guest Owen Rees about his new book looking at the fringes of ancient empire... From Egypt to Greece to Rome and China. Learn more about Owen's book, Bad Ancient, and Substack. Submit your question for the next Q&A via email or a voice note. Get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subscribing to the Oracle Edition at …

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Why Was Classical Athens So Rich? 38:17

2M ago38:17

38:17

Ancient Greece was rich compared to other ancient societies, and Athens was the richest place of all within ancient Greece. But why? The answer lies not just in the silver lodes of Attica or access to the sea; it was about democracy, law, and institutions, which made people feel safe doing business in Athens. Patrick is launching a brand-new histor…

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20 Questions With Tim Marshall 51:59

2M ago51:59

51:59

Best-selling author and populariser of the power of geography Tim Marshall looks at the role geography plays in conflicts and international relations - past and present - from Britain to Japan, via the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the Middle East.By Matt Stadlen

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Hermes Here, Admitting All My Sins: the Remix 47:34

1M ago47:34

47:34

Michaela here giving you a remix of past episodes, looking at three different times that we have explored Hermes here on the show. From the Homeric Hymn, to Emily Hauser's How Women Became Poets, to Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound we are examining the ways that Hermes appears within antiquity. He is an interesting character for sure, and has a lot of d…

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"NURSING AND MIDWIFERY PROFESSIONS ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE NHS" | Paul Rees MBE | Voices of Care 37:04

2M ago37:04

37:04

Speaking on Newcross Healthcare's Voices of Care podcast, Paul Rees MBE, Chief Executive of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, reveals how childhood experiences of racism have shaped his mission to transform the UK's largest healthcare regulator into an anti-racist organisation committed to fairness and equity for all nursing and midwifery professi…

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Conversations: Deconstructing 'Classicism' and So-Called Western Civilization, w/ Dr Dan-el Padilla Peralta 1:42:51

2M ago1:42:51

1:42:51

Liv and Michaela speak with Dan-el Padilla Peralta about his new book Classicism and Other Phobias, breaking down the 'Founders of Western Civilization' myth, the field of 'Classics', and the racialized mess its often made. Find more about the book, and the article Racing the Classics. Submit your question for the next Q&A via email or a voice note…

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🎙️ FS 78 – Relaunch Episode: Meet the New Hosts; Umah, Sam, Olivia 28:25

2M ago28:25

28:25

In today's episode, the Facilitation Stories podcast returns with a brand-new hosting team — Olivia, Sam, and Umah — who share their stories, inspirations, and hopes for the next chapter of the podcast. They talk about: Why they joined the Facilitation Stories team and what excites them about podcasting as a way to connect facilitators and share le…

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Patrick's New History Show, Past Lives, Launches December 3rd! 2:37

2M ago2:37

2:37

From Patrick Wyman (host of Fall of Rome and Tides of History) comes Past Lives, a brand new podcast! Every week, we’ll focus on the lived experiences of real people from the past, bringing their stories to life. The first season of Past Lives is available December 3rd! Be sure to subscribe to the feed now (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pas…

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Why the Hundred Years War Actually Lasted Two Hundred Years: Interview with Professor Michael Livingston 39:34

2M ago39:34

39:34

The Hundred Years War was the defining conflict of the Middle Ages, but today's guest - Professor Michael Livingston of the Citadel - argues that it actually lasted for 200 years. That's just one problem with the way we've learned about the Hundred Years War, and Livingston's new book, entitled Bloody Crowns: A New History of the Hundred Years War,…

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20 Questions With Alain de Botton 54:03

2M ago54:03

54:03

Popular philosopher Alain de Botton on life, death, the role of philosophy in contemporary life, love, anger, decision-making, pleasure, happiness, success, and ignorance.By Matt Stadlen

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Liv Reads Statius: The Thebaid (Part 12) 37:17

2M ago37:17

37:17

Liv reads (the second half) of Book 11 of Statius' Thebaid, translated by JH Mozley. It's the beginning of the end... The brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, fight to the death and leave their surviving family members - Jocasta, Antigone, Ismene, and Oedipus - to deal with their grief. Submit to the quarterly Q&A at mythsbaby.com/questions and get ad…

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Conversations: Real Women's Voices at Real Ancient Work, w/ Andromache Karanika 1:44:54

2M ago1:44:54

1:44:54

Liv speaks with Andromache Karanika about women's work, work songs, and the very concept of real ancient women's lives. Set fire to the patriarchy, my dear listeners... And learn more about Dr Karanika. Submit your question for the next Q&A via email or a voice note. Get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subscribing to the Oracle Edition at…

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The Phoenicians, the Greeks, and the Iron Age Mediterranean 38:02

2M ago38:02

38:02

As the Bronze Age gave way to the Iron Age, the economy of the Mediterranean shifted dramatically. It expanded to encompass the entire sea for the first time, everywhere from the Levant to Iberia, and laid the foundations for what would eventually become the Roman Empire. Patrick's new book - Lost Worlds: The Rise and Fall of Human Societies from t…

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20 Questions With Steven Finn 46:54

2M ago46:54

46:54

Steven Finn is a triple Ashes winner. A 6"8 fast bowler with 257 international wickets to his name, he was part of a side that won Test series in Australia, India and South Africa. He got Steve Smith out twice in one game, and also counts Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers amongst his Test victims. Middlesex's youngest debutant at 16, he came of age bo…

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Oracle You Glad to Hear From Me? Decoding Ancient Oracles & Prophecies... 40:54

2M ago40:54

40:54

We're here this Tuesday with another fun history episode because Liv deserves a break too! This was a fun one to research and write for you all, just a good ole deep dive into all the fun little oracles that are out there. Okay, we only looked at Delphic oracles, but to be fair that's because they were so incredibly important within the ancient Gre…

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"We've no idea if that means that we're more productive" Thea Stein | Voices of Care 40:22

2M ago40:22

40:22

In conversation with host Suhail Mirza, Stein delivered a frank assessment of the challenges facing the Government’s 10 Year Health, calling for clarity on objectives, upfront investment, and a fundamental shift in organisational culture to ensure any large-scale transformation has a hope of truly succeeding.…

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Turns Out Disney's Hercules is Super Duper Queer (feat. Historical Homos) 1:36:03

2M ago1:36:03

1:36:03

Hear ye! Here ye! Liv met up with the Historical Homos again to talk all things Disney Hercules and how wonderfully queer it is! Thebes as the big city! Feeling out of place as a child because of something that's just a part of you! Merch as success! It's simply the most beautiful thing in the world. Submit your question for the next Q&A via email …