The Boring Talks

#55 -Farts Apr 28, 2021

The colorectal surgeon and comedian Jenan Younis wants to get to the bottom of a taboo subject, that everyone has struggled with at some stage. Farts.

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

Jigsaws Jul 06, 2020

It started with 'regency wedding scene' puzzle purchased for £2 in a charity shop.

Now Anya Driscoll is a jigsaw junkie.

In this edition of The Boring Talks, she discussions her obsession, and pieces together the history of jigsaws, the art of jigsaws and whether or not they could save your life (spoiler - they can't really).

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting... maybe.

#53 - Car Boots Jun 01, 2020

From Anglo-American differences, to escaping kidnappers and celebrating the classic car boot sale. In this Boring Talk, Auto Express journalist Hugo Griffiths climbs inside the 'space of temporariness' that is the car boot.

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

#52 - Breakfast Cereals May 04, 2020

Family holidays for the artist Louise Ashcroft meant one thing - variety pack cereals. Would it be Cornflakes? Or Frosties? Coco Pops or Ricicles? Through this multi-grain multiple choice Louise realised she could be anyone..... kind of. Join her for a creative, personal journey through her favourite corn syrup-infused inflated grain.

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

#51 - Oboe Reeds Apr 20, 2020

Gouging, scraping and chopping. The reporter Chloe Veltman shows us the painstaking art of making an oboe reed, and how it can be the difference between sounding like a singing nightingale, or a belligerent duck.

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

#50 - Windows Apr 06, 2020

Where does the word 'Window' derive from? And what does it have to do with a Norwegian architectural historian and a bohemian Austrian poet? On a lyrical journey from death to inspiration, Anne Ulrikke Andersen takes a look through the windows in the life of Christian Norberg-Schulz.

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

#49 - Coal Holes Mar 30, 2020

They are either 12, 14 or 16 inches wide, they live just outside our doors, and they come in a variety of striking designs. So why has no one heard of coal holes? Local historian Amir Dotan explores the streets of London to find the small metal discs you may not have noticed before, but may well have stepped over thousands of times.

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

Data Centres Mar 23, 2020

What do we all use, but never visit?

The sound artist Matt Parker takes us inside the bizarre world of remote Data Centres, where our wireless world is powered by rows and rows of computers running all day, everyday.

But what is the true cost of these centres to our planet?

What do they sound like?

And why does one have an empty white room with an executive leather armchair and a faceless portrait hanging on the wall?

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

#47 - Crinoline Ladies Mar 16, 2020

It began as an image of Victorian femininity, became a 1920s style icon, and perhaps ended as a 1970s toilet roll cover. Dr Kathryn Ferry looks at the curious history of the Crinoline Lady, exploring the growth of suburbia, Gone With The Wind and 'crinolinemania'.

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

# 46 - Teletext Mar 09, 2020

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

From Bamboozle, to being switched off, and now being salvaged for the digital age. James O'Malley looks at the life, death and resurrection of Teletext.

#45 - Box Certificates Mar 02, 2020

One day while breaking down a box in a corridor, Joyce Smith noticed a box certificate. Quickly followed by a second one. Now Joyce had 2 of them, and 2 of anything is the start of a collection.

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

# 44 - Swearing: a personal cross-cultural comparative study of Hindi and English Feb 24, 2020

If you hit your thumb with a hammer, what swear word would you immediately scream? Charvy Narain asked her friends and family this question, which lead to a personal journey from the 'buffalo's eye' to New York City cops and the her surprising Mausi. In this edition of The Boring Talks Charvy Narain takes a very foul mouthed and personal look at swearing in Hindi and English.

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

The Sounds Of Computer Games Loading Feb 17, 2020

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

The clunk and click of the datasette machine. The white noise of the tape loading. The strange and compelling soundtrack of the loading music. The author and video game Keith Stuart remembers the forgotten whirrs and clicks that made up the soundtrack of his youth.

#42 - The Lexicon Of Breakups Feb 10, 2020

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

In 2011, comedian Rosie Wilby was dumped by email. (Though she did feel better about it after correcting her ex’s spelling and punctuation). Obsessing ever since about whether technology has enabled abrupt endings to relationships, she discovered an entire new language. But what are ghosting, breadcrumbing, submarining, pocketing, benching and curving?

Rosie Wilby is a comedian and presents The Breakup Monologues podcast.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Rosie Wilby Producer: Luke Doran

#41 - Pencils Feb 10, 2020

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

Brian Mackenwells is passionate about pencils. In this Boring Talk he shares his passion for good pencils. He talks us through their history, and explains why having a good pencil gives you a pleasurable 'small pivot point that can change your whole mind set'. He also talks us through his favourite pencils, and shares the very personal reason that he can't part with one particular pencil in his collection.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Brian Mackenwells Producer: Luke Doran

#40 - Thank You (again) Feb 27, 2019

James Ward says thank you for listening to series two and chooses the best numbers from each of the talks.

Presenter: James Ward Producer: Luke Doran

#39 - Doormats Feb 25, 2019

Can a doormat actually increase the value of your property by £30k? Alex Baxevanis explains all in his study of the doormats from his block of flats.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Alex Baxevanis Producer: Luke Doran

#38 - Markham Moor Roof Feb 18, 2019

Just off the Markham Exit on the A1 motorway lies an architectural wonder. Ed Carter shares his love for an unusual roadside roof, with help from a whistle or two.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Ed Carter Producer: Luke Doran

#37 - Watergate Tape 'Silence' Feb 11, 2019

The neuroscientist Sophie Scott takes a close listen to the long 'silent' gap on the Watergate Tapes. Buzz. Click. Buzz. Click. Buzz.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Sophie Scott Producer: Luke Doran

#36 - Shanghai Architecture Feb 04, 2019

From the 'eye of Sauron' building, to a deserted London town. The designer Hannah Cameron takes a walk back through the buildings that shaped her time living in China's biggest city.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Hannah Cameron Producer: Luke Doran

#35 - How Tall Are Celebrities? Jan 28, 2019

Who is taller, Robbie Williams, David Duchovny or the chef James Martin? And what does being ‘solid tall’ actually mean? The writer Greg Stekelman (same height as Emilio Estevez) explores the world of online celebrity measurements.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Greg Stekelman Producer: Luke Doran

#34 - Sounds of Grassroots Football Jan 21, 2019

The squelch of the white line marking machine, the crack of the ball against the crossbar, the shrill cry of the full time whistle. Sound researcher Paul Whitty captures the sounds of grassroots football.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Paul Whitty Producer: Luke Doran

#33 - Change Jan 14, 2019

Are you sick of getting too many coins in your change at the supermarket? Can British coins be better? Fear not people, Adam Townsend has the fix.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Adam Townsend Producer: Luke Doran

#32 - Roads That Don't Exist Jan 07, 2019

A Brixton block of flats, an oddly-angled building in Piccadilly and a park that 'smells like bins'. Road enthusiast Chris Marshall explores how London has been quietly shaped by roads that don't actually exist.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Chris Marshall Producer: Clara Nissen

#31 - Happy New Year Dec 31, 2018

James Ward says 'Happy New Year', and that's about it really.

#30 - An Underwhelming Christmas Dec 24, 2018

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas, or maybe a magical trip through a Winter Wonderland? Well forget it. Rhodri Marsden explores the disappointing realities of the festive period.

Ho ho ho.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Rhodri Marsden Producer: Luke Doran

#29 - Animal Vaginas Dec 17, 2018

Science has historically studied penises more often than vaginas, but why? Florence Schechter and Emma Parkin attempt to redress the balance by examining some curious genitalia from the female of the species, including those of the two-legged, four-legged, and even eight-legged variety.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Florence Schechter Contributor: Emma Parkin Producer: Luke Doran

#28 - Asterix Puns Dec 10, 2018

Tracy King, with the help of the Asterix comic books, proves that puns definitely are not 'the lowest form of wit'. Warning: this podcast may contain some Latin jokes.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Tracy King Producer: Luke Doran

#27 - Dutch Landscape Paintings Dec 03, 2018

A windmill. Two hunched countrymen. Lots of drab sky.

17th Century Dutch landscape paintings can be very dull, but is there something more exciting going on? Maybe. The writer Andrew Male takes a closer look at these works of art, and discovers a pastoral snapshot, which might be the world's first 'humblebrag'.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Andrew Male Producer: Luke Doran

#26 - Call Centres Nov 26, 2018

How many days of our lives do we spend 'on hold'? What does 'business in the front, party out back' actually refer to? Has God been replaced by salad? The artist Louise Ashcroft explores the uncertain future of the Call Centre to find some answers.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Louise Ashcroft Producer: Luke Doran

Jeremy Bentham's 'Auto-Icon' Nov 19, 2018

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe.

Did Bentham leave his body to University College London? Does he still attend council meetings there? Has anyone played football with his head? Subhadra Das debunks some myths

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Subhadra Das Producer: Jack Soper

#24 - The Taxonomy Of Cornflakes Nov 12, 2018

From lollipop sticks, to batteries and used car headlight bulbs, the collectaholic Anne Griffiths has always made art from the 'accumulations of the bricolage of everyday life'. But how did Anne get 84 mounted cornflakes accepted in to the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition? We take a trip to her studio to find out.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Anne Griffiths Producer: Luke Doran

#23 - NATO Phonetic Alphabet Nov 05, 2018

Charvy Narain is fed up with people mispronouncing her name, especially when trying to book a taxi down the phone. Could the NATO phonetic alphabet help clarify things? Or will it just add to the confusion? And what does this have to do with Bradley Walsh?

Presenter: Juliett Alfa Mike Echo Sierra Contributor: Charlie Hotel Alfa Romeo Victor Yankee Producer: Lima Uniform Kilo Echo

#22 - Toilet Graffiti Nov 05, 2018

Declarations of love, offers of sex, messages of hope and even film reviews. The graffiti we leave behind in toilets is strange, personal and anonymous. But is there a difference between what is written in male and female bathrooms? Scott Kelly ventures forth to find out.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Scott Kelly Contributor: Clara Nissen Producer: Luke Doran

#21 - Thank You Jun 07, 2018

James Ward says thank you for listening to series one and chooses the best word from each of the twenty talks.

Presenter: James Ward Producer: Luke Doran

#20 - Carry On Shakespeare Jun 04, 2018

Infamy! Infamy! The writer and broadcaster Samira Ahmed explains just why the Carry On films are actually better than Shakespeare.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Samira Ahmed Producer: Luke Doran

#19 - Ice Cream Vans May 28, 2018

Good maths, a strong bladder and the ability to hold eight '99s' in one hand. Ali Coote remembers the important lessons she learned as an Ice Cream Van driver.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Ali Coote Producer: Luke Doran

#18 - Kinder Egg Linguistics May 21, 2018

What's 119mm long & 55 mm wide, and contains a world of linguistic pleasure? Keith Kahn-Harris explores the wonders of the Kinder Surprise warning label.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Keith Kahn-Harris Producer: Luke Doran

#17 - Gasometers May 14, 2018

Tall rusting skeletal relics of our industrial past. Why would anyone care about London's Gasometers? Sarah O'Carroll explains.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Sarah O'Carroll Producer: Luke Doran

#16 - Toilet Roll Serial Numbers May 07, 2018

'Do you recall the fogged beef, mate?'.

The writer Nicholas Tufnell proves that poetic inspiration can be found in the most unlikely places, including a toilet roll. But what is 'fogged beef'?

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Nicholas Tufnell Producer: Luke Doran

#15 - Smell Walks Apr 30, 2018

The artist and designer Kate McLean leads us, nose first, on a smell walk across the world. This podcast may include the odours of cooking sausages, carbolic soap, shattered dreams and bins.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Kate McLean Producer: Luke Doran

#14 - Name Change Apr 23, 2018

Can you change your name to your existing name? And, more importantly, why would you bother? James Michael Ward explains what happened when he tried to become James Michael Ward.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: James Ward (the same one) Contributor: Anya Driscoll Producer: Luke Doran

#13 - Basalt Apr 16, 2018

Is basalt really the most boring type of rock in the world? Not according to Dr Anne Jay.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Dr Anne Jay Producer: Luke Doran

#12 - British Earthquakes Apr 09, 2018

Rhodri Marsden is underwhelmed by British earthquakes. He thinks it's time to reassess how we report these 'tremors'. Is he right? Maybe.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Rhodri Marsden Producer: Luke Doran

#11 - Sneezing Apr 02, 2018

Since 2007 Peter Fletcher has been counting and documenting all of his sneezes. Every single one. Now he tells us why, and what he has learned along the way.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Peter Fletcher Producer: Luke Doran

#10 - Lampposts Mar 26, 2018

Are you for or against lampposts? The author and design historian Dr Eleanor Herring looks at the controversial history of the lamppost, and those that have railed against them.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Eleanor Herring Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

#9 - Sounding Gestalts Mar 19, 2018

What exactly is a 'Sounding Gestalt'? And how can you make music from a Gentleman's cravat or E. coli? The artist Laurence Jordan will explain.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Laurence Jordan Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

#8 - Danish Public Information Films Mar 12, 2018

From brick making to motorbikes, Dr Claire Thomson celebrates the golden age of Danish Public Information Films (that's 1935 to 1965, in case you were wondering).

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Claire Thomson Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

#7 - Green Belt Land Mar 05, 2018

Once called 'Green Girdles', today's Green belts are strange and relatively unknown places. Follow the writer John Grindrod on his guided tour through a world of naturists, cavemen and rancid pies.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: John Grindrod Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

#6 - The Argos Catalogue Feb 26, 2018

The artist Louise Ashcroft takes us inside the mysterious portal that is the Argos catalogue, and examines what it reveals about people’s desires and aspirations.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Louise Ashcroft Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

#5 - Model Villages Feb 19, 2018

From beautifully crafted tourist attractions, to nightmarish dystopian visions, the broadcaster Tim Dunn shares his love for the 'little works of art' that are model villages.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Tim Dunn Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

#4 - Wooden Pallets Feb 12, 2018

How did the wooden pallet become the 'single most important object in the global economy'? Liam Shaw delves deep in to the history of this ubiquitous object.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Liam Shaw Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

#3 - Yellow Lines Feb 05, 2018

The journalist Andrew Male takes a personal journey in to the mysterious beginnings of yellow line road markings.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Andrew Male Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

#2 - Book Pricing Algorithms Jan 29, 2018

A book for $1.7 million? To a computer, it made sense. Sort of. Tracy King explains.

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Tracy King Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

#1 - The End Of The World Jan 29, 2018

What is the specific date of Armageddon according to Douglas Adams? Steve Cross close-reads The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy to find out

Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Steve Cross Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

Boring Talks #00 Jan 07, 2018

Behind every boring subject is another layer of boringness you could have never imagined.

Presenter: James Ward Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

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