Podcasts by Very Bad Words
As long as there’s been language, there have been forbidden words. What gives these words their power? Why are they considered “bad”? Producer and Host, Matt Fidler, reaches out to experts, linguists, and historians to explore these words and their cultural significance. From diving into specific bad words to exploring what language has the “worst curses”, Matt weaves personal stories and interviews to help shed light on the power of very bad words.
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42: The N-Word from 2018-06-27T08:00
Guest Producer Stephanie Billman helps guide us through the feelings, emotions, and history of the most violent, loaded word in the English lexicon, The N-Word. With guests Listen
41: Constructed Curses in Sci-Fi & Fantasy from 2018-06-20T08:00
Nerf-herder? Frack? Farking Zarquon? Guest producers Forrest Phillips and Emily Block guide us through cursing in fictional Worlds. Special...
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40: Minicast - Conversational Klingon from 2018-06-13T08:00
Matt talks to Marc Okrand about cursing in Klingon. The fictional Star Trek language that has become nearly as popular as the franchise itself.
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39: Euphemisms from 2018-06-06T08:00:19
Certain topics in our society aren’t considered proper to talk about. To make it easier to talk about such sensitive subjects, we have invented terms that dance around the issues, instead of fac...
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38: Minicast - The "D" Word from 2018-05-30T08:00
In this week's minicast, Matt reflects on a death that is close to him and how we use or don't use words about "dead". We talk a little with Rabbi Physllis Sommer to help explain.
37: The Poo List from 2018-05-23T08:00
Are you allowed to play swear words in scrabble? And if you really can, why aren’t they listed in the official scrabble player’s dictionary? Competitive scrabble players Listen
36: Minicast - The Accepted Slur from 2018-05-16T08:00
In this minicast, Matt ponders why it's not okay to use the phrase, "Jew them down" ,but it's okay to say, "I've been gypped". Both words are considered offensive in their communities, but even peo...
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35: George Carlin's Last Words from 2018-05-09T08:00
On this episode of Very Bad Words, we put the last four words on George Carlin’s list on trial. Are these two 4-letter words, and two compound unequivocally indecent under all circumstances? With d...
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34: Minicast - An American Comic in London from 2018-05-02T08:00
George Carlin laid out the 7 words that can never be said on television, but of course he meant, American Television. In today’s minicast, Matt talks to British linguist, Listen
33: Yo Mama! from 2018-04-25T08:00
On this episode of Very Bad Words, we are talking about Yo Mama! We bring in producer Joaquin Cotler and his interview with bl...
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32: Minicast - Terms of Abuse from 2018-04-18T08:00
On this minicast, Matt talks to one of our listeners about how terms of abuse are used to dehumanize certain segments of society.
29: Swearing is Good Medicine from 2018-03-28T08:00
In this episode, Matt tries to find out if a study saying that swearing has an "opiate" like effect on pain is valid. He calls in journalist Listen
28: Minicast - Matt Vists a Karate Dojo from 2018-03-21T08:00
In this Minicast, Matt goes to a Karate Dojo to chase a story about swearing and pain.
25: Minicast - What's coming up on Very Bad Words from 2018-02-28T09:00
Matt is back after a break with a bunch of new topics around swearing and taboo language. In this Minicast, he lets you all know a little about what he has coming up for Very Bad Words.
24: Minicast - Do the Irish really swear more than the rest of us? from 2017-12-13T06:00
Matt tells a story about his foul-mouthed Irish friend and wonders what you would like to get out of the new season of Very Bad Words.
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23: The Other F-Word from 2017-11-15T06:00
Matt is joined by Dan Savage, creator of "It Gets Better" and Savage Love to talk about the cultural impact and reclamation of the Fa-word. He also talks with Mark Morton, author of Dirty Words: Th...
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22: Minicast - Friend of Dorothy from 2017-11-08T06:00
Contributing producer, Stephanie Billman, tells Matt the ridiculous story of the FBI’s hunt for “Dorothy”.
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<h5 class="card-title"><a href="/podcast/very-bad-words/21-tourettes/">21: Tourettes</a><small> from 2017-10-30T16:00</small></h5>
<p class="card-text">In this episode, Matt speaks to both the director of a camp specifically for children with Tourette Syndrome and the Tourette’s Hero, Jess Thom to dispel the idea that it’s just the “swearing disea...</p>
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<h5 class="card-title"><a href="/podcast/very-bad-words/20-minicast-the-swearing-lady/">20: Minicast - The Swearing Lady</a><small> from 2017-10-25T05:00</small></h5>
<p class="card-text">A friend tells a story about his childhood fascination with Tourette Syndrome.<br /><hr><p style=){kind=link}
16: Minicast - Matt's Mom from 2017-09-27T05:00
We meet Matt's mom and talk about how she would swear around him growing up.
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15: What an A-hole! from 2017-09-20T05:00
In this episode of Very Bad Words, Matt talks about A-holes with UC Berkeley Linguist and author of the book, Ascent of the A-Word, Geoffrey Nunberg.
10: Minicast - Little Jill's Potty Mouth Story from 2017-08-16T05:00
With the help of her parents, executive producer Jill, tells a story about her using the “F-word” as a young child.
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9: Swearing in Foreign Languages from 2017-08-09T05:00
We learn about swearing in German, Dutch, Brazilian Portuguese, Farci, and Tamil. Linguistic Anthropologist Evelyn Dean-Olmstead helps us make the connection between taboo and the culture that crea...
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8: Minicast - Your Italian Grandma called you what?? from 2017-08-02T05:00
Matt talks to Tara Clancy about being sworn at in Italian by her Grandmother.
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7: The C-Word from 2017-07-26T05:00
On this very special episode of Very Bad Words, Matt is joined by co-host Katrin Redfern to explore one of the most controversial and misunderstood words in the English language. The C-Word! They r...
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6: Minicast - The Bill Burr Story from 2017-07-19T05:00
Matt's cousin talks about comedian Bill Burr and the C-Word.
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