Learning about history doesn’t have to mean dry dates and dusty textbooks — in fact, some of the most compelling stories of our past are being told right now through podcasts that entertain as well as they educate. These history podcasts are anything but snooze-worthy — they’re packed with wild tales, spicy scandals, and more shocking twists than an FBI dossier compiled by Hoover himself. Whether it’s Ed Helms gleefully unpacking government blunders, Eva Longoria dishing out the untold origins of your favorite snacks, or Kal Penn diving into déjà vu disasters, these shows prove that history doesn’t just repeat itself — it sometimes comes back with a microphone and a vengeance.
SNAFU with Ed Helms
From FBI leaks to failed Russian double agents hiding in plain sight, history is full of spectacular screw-ups — and actor and comedian Ed Helms can’t get enough of them. With a mix of humor and genuine curiosity, Helms brings these blunders to life in a way that keeps you laughing, learning, and wincing at the same time.
Now, SNAFU with Ed Helms returns for Season 4 with even more of history’s greatest fiascos — one per episode. This time around, Ed brings along a cavalcade of smart, hilarious guests to help unpack what these blunders say about who we are as humans. (Spoiler: Basically just toddlers with nukes.) It’s part history lesson, part hangout pod, and part group therapy for humanity.
Hungry for History with Eva Longoria and Maite Gomez-Rejón
If you’re looking for history that’s extremely delicious, you’ve come to the right place. Weaving together personal stories, cultural background, and interviews with both chefs and historians, hosts Eva Longoria and culinary historian Maite Gomez-Rejón bring you the hidden history of your favorite foods. From the wonderful world of Mexican wine to the surprisingly heated history of our love affair with eggs, each episode with Longoria and Gomez-Rejón will leave you wanting a second helping. This season, they’re starting strong with guest host New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who shares his thoughts on everything from affordable food in the world’s wealthiest city to what it would mean to become the first Muslim mayor in NYC history.
Here We Go Again With Kal Penn
If you only know Kal Penn from his iconic role in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, you might lump him into the same category as other actors in the “stoner comedy” genre. But Penn is a man of many talents…some of which took him all the way to the White House, where he worked under the Obama administration as an associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement. So it’s no surprise that he’s popping up in yet another unexpected role, this time as the host of iHeart’s new history podcast Here We Go Again.
Have you seen an incident in the news recently and gotten that eerie feeling that this has all happened before? You’re not alone, and in each episode of Here We Go Again, Penn explores a current phenomenon in an attempt to answer that age-old question: “Why does this sh*t keep happening to us?!” From bank collapses to bombings, Penn calls on experts to help explain the mistakes our forefathers have made throughout history…and what to do when people in power make those same mistakes again (and again, and again).
