Evil Genius with Russell Kane

Simone de Beauvoir was one of the first thinkers to call the concept of gender 'total bollocks' (not quite her words). Her feminist work was groundbreaking and shocking in equal measure.In this episode, guests Phil Wang, Lindsey Santoro and Katie Norris put on their philosopher hats to examine her fascinating life and answer the big questions: Is polyamory like sharing your favourite spoon? Are ugly people deeper thinkers? Why did Russell get fake tan on his new born baby? Was Simone de Beauvoir evil... or genius?Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

John Edgar Hoover was an American icon who revolutionised crime-fighting and transformed the FBI into the powerhouse it is today. But do his problematic views, enormous vanity and controlling approach make him evil… or genius? Laura Smyth, Josh Jones and Johnny Cochrane expose the king of the FBI.Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Was Anne Boleyn a cold-hearted killer or a badass feminist? What saucy activity did she allegedly import from France? And was this iconic queen the ultimate gay icon? Rachel Parris, Daliso Chaponda and Stephen Bailey join Russell to debate her life.Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

How did an illiterate peasant from Siberia find himself dining with an Emperor? Did Rasputin really have magical healing powers or was he a cunning fraud? And what exactly earned him his shocking nickname?Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Daliso Chaponda, Catherine Bohart and Rachel Parris explore the enigma of the Quiet Beatle. Deeply spiritual hippie or deeply selfish hippiecrite? Producer: Beth O’Dea Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Geoff Norcott, Felicity Ward and Sophie Duker debate - wearing a crown, or going down? Taking in Geoff's hatred of dressing gowns, how it's a difficult time to be an ugly Ryan, and who the panel would allow to tap cigarette ash into their palm.Producer Sally Heaven Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Kerry Godliman, Darren Harriott and Helen Bauer spill the tea on the Chanel fashion guru. He might have been the greatest designer of his generation but was he the greatest human? Producer: Beth O’Dea Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Grainne Maguire, Athena Kugblenu and Robin Morgan decide, Reagan? Or wrong 'un? Plus, could we replace a leader with an actual puppet, like Ed the Duck? And other important questions.Producer Sally Heaven Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Rachel Parris, Daliso Chaponda and Catherine Bohart on the original drama queen. Was the Last Queen of France just a spoiled child with huge hair who didn't know any better? Producer: Beth O’Dea Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Sophie Duker, Felicity Ward and Geoff Norcott decide whether the yellow patriarch is Duff Beer or just duff. Also, what do Geoff Norcott and Homer have in common, and what would a Gen Z Homer sound like?Producer Sally Heaven Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Desiree Burch, Josh Jones and Sara Barron - will their final thought on the chat show host be evil? Or genius? Plus, why does Desiree have Jerry Springer dolls? And what did Jeremy Kyle say about Josh's shirt?Producer Sally Heaven.Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Stevie Martin, Johnny Cochrane and Maisie Adam deconstruct the Swedish furniture king and his eccentric billionaire lifestyle. Producer: Beth O’Dea Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Helen Bauer, Darren Harriott and Kerry Godliman take on the infamous gangster double act. Ronnie and Reggie ruled the East End of London in the 1960s and became genuine criminal celebrities. Producer Beth O'Dea Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Robin Morgan, Gráinne Maguire and Athena Kugblenu ask: you OK, hun? Was Attila all that bad? Is a spike up the bum really the worst way to go, which is the best Hun gadget, and why is Gráinne such a fangirl?Producer Sally Heaven Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Desiree Burch, Sara Barron and Josh Jones provide more laughs than Liz had husbands. That's seven, by the way. Or eight if you count Richard Burton twice.Producer Sally Heaven.Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Maisie Adam, Stevie Martin and Johnny Cochrane prise open the coffin to assess the undead legend in the cold light of day. Superhero powers, seductive charm and also looks great in a cape. Genius, surely? Producer: Beth O’Dea Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Kerry Godliman, Esther Manito and Rhys James decide – Starman or laughing gnome?Producer Sally Heaven

Maisie Adam, Ania Magliano and Marlon Davis wonder what was goin' on with the soul singer.

Kerry Godliman, Esther Manito and Rhys James debate - was the Egyptian a pain in the asp?

Sara Barron, Helen Bauer and Darren Harriott on the man who's credited with finding North America. But never actually got there. And firmly believed the world to be breast-shaped. Producer: Beth O’Dea Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Thanyia Moore, Pierre Novellie and Lauren Pattison ask if the country star did in fact walk the line. Producer Beth O'Dea Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Felicity Ward, Ria Lina and Peter Rethinasamy decide: is the campaigner prophet or prude?

Darren Harriott, Helen Bauer and Sara Barron on the weird and wonderful founder of pop art. And for the first time, one of the panellists falls violently in love with the subject during the recording and won't hear a word against him. Producer: Beth O’Dea Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Maisie Adam, Marlon Davis and Ania Magliano's decision will be an offer he can't refuse.

Rachel Fairburn, Johnny Cochrane and Stevie Martin slice up the Bat Out Of Hell singer. Was he right in saying "no superstar will ever look like me again"? Producer: Beth O’Dea Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Felicity Ward, Ria Lina and Peter Rethinasamy decide if Lee deserves a one-inch punch

Thanyia Moore, Lauren Pattison and Pierre Novellie are on a quest for the man who created the Ring. Is he more Sauron or Gandalf? Producer Beth O'Dea. Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Stevie Martin, Rachel Fairburn and Johnny Cochrane ask how super the superhero really is. Is the caped crusader the sexiest superhero of all? Or a weirdo in a cave who makes it all worse, actually? Producer: Beth O’Dea Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Sikisa, Sarah Callaghan and Ivo Graham dig the dirt on Tomb Raider, Lara Croft

Athena Kugblenu, Lou Sanders and Nathan Caton decide: Evilgate or Geniusgate?

Gráinne Maguire, Harriet Braine and Hal Cruttenden paint a not-so-pretty picture of the Mexican artist.This episode was recorded before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Sophie Duker, Rhys James and Evelyn Mok analyse the father of psychoanalysis

Gráinne Maguire, Harriet Braine and Hal Cruttenden beat up beat poet Allen Ginsberg.

Esther Manito, Robin Morgan and Sarah Mills discuss whether the warrior was actually woke

Lou Sanders, Nathan Caton and Athena Kugblenu decide whether they're hypnotized by Biggie

Sikisa, Sarah Callaghan and Ivo Graham take a look at the man behind the Apollo missions.

Sophie Duker, Rhys James and Evelyn Mok decide if Virginia is more Woolf or puppy dog.

Johnny Cochrane, Thanyia Moore and Olga Koch knock down the man behind the big statues controversy - should statues of evil geniuses from history stay up? Producer Beth O'Dea

Robin Morgan, Esther Manito & Sarah Mills on the Virgin Queen. Pure evil or pure genius?

Olga Koch, Thanyia Moore and Johnny Cochrane uncover some truths about The Purple One. Producer Beth O'Dea

Russell and panel are back, kicking off with The Purple One himself...music icon, Prince.

Rob Beckett, Athena Kugblenu & Heidi Regan decide whether to use the ejector seat on Bond

Will Jon Richardson, Johnny Cochrane and Susie McCabe give Maradona the red card?

Comrades Ria Lina, Esther Manito and Michael Odewale dissect the Argentine revolutionary.

The controversial children's author.How will Josh Jones, Ola Labib & Joanne McNally vote?

Sophie Duker, Daliso Chaponda and Kemah Bob riff over jazz singer Billie Holiday, who sang Strange Fruit. Producer Beth O'Dea

Fern Brady, Alison Spittle and Alex Edelman on John Harvey Kellogg, man of cornflakes. Producer Beth O'Dea

Grainne Maguire Athena Kugblenu and Tony Law assess the Queen of East Anglia AKA Boudicca

Jayde Adams, Angela Barnes and Neil Delamere on the scientist who came up with evolution and explained how life works. No biggie. Producer Beth O'Dea

Catherine Bohart, Tom Parry & Heidi Regan keep you in suspense. Hitchcock:evil or genius?

Grainne Maguire, Felicity Ward and Alex Kealy decide, was Henry more monarch or murderer?

Darren Harriott, Sikisa and Johnny Cochrane examine the civil rights leader. Producer Beth O'Dea

Sara Barron, Ivo Graham & Jenny Bede on the American Founding Father, the real man behind the hit musical Hamilton. Producer Beth O'Dea

Russell and panel take on US Founding Father Alexander Hamilton - of the musical fame..

Olga Koch, Eshaan Akbar and Geoff Norcott give the political thinker Marx out of ten. Producer Beth O'Dea

Jon Richardson, Catherine Bohart & Shappi Khorsandi look at the film star in close-up. Producer Beth O'Dea

a message from Russell Kane

Tom Allen, Evelyn Mok and Isma Almas share what Queen's singing superstar means to them. Producer Beth O'Dea

Will Sarah Keyworth, Athena Kugblenu and Luisa Omielan use their votes wisely?

Will Colin Murray,Johnny Cochrane and Neil Delamere have suspicious minds about The King?

Tom Allen, Suzi Ruffell and Harriet Braine paint a wonky picture of the great artist. Producer Beth O'Dea

Are Athena Kugblenu, Njambi McGrath and Harriet Dyer feeling good about Nina Simone?

Ivo Graham and Aatif Nawaz bowl over non-cricket fans Russell Kane and Joanne McNally. Producer Beth O'Dea

Darren Harriott, Nathan Caton and Joanne McNally put the boot in to the sportswear giant.

Colin Murray, Chloe Petts and Neil Delamere give the greatest footballer a good kicking.

Starting with three sport episodes - two sports megastars and one king of sportswear

Jen Brister, Larry Dean & Esther Manito consign Oscar Wilde to the gutter or the stars.

Sophie Duker, Laura Lexx & Neil Delamere take a walk on the wild side with the rock star. Recorded at the Edinburgh Fringe. Producer Beth O'Dea

Dane Baptiste, Jodie Mitchell and Athena Kugblenu decide, will they always love Whitney?

Jessica Fostekew, Marlon Davis and Leo Kearse ask if the popular comedian is still funny. Recorded at the Edinburgh Fringe. Producer Beth O'Dea

Jen Brister, Esther Manito and Larry Dean wax their moustaches ready to talk Salvador Dali

Daliso Chaponda, Ivo Graham & Jessica Fostekew discuss the man voted the Greatest Briton. Recorded at the Edinburgh Fringe. Producer Beth O'Dea

Comrades Heidi Regan, Konstantin Kisin and Eleanor Morton consider Fidel Castro.

Darren Harriott, Laura Davis, Christopher Macarthur-Boyd on the boxer called The Greatest. Recorded at the Edinburgh Fringe. Producer Beth O'Dea

Dane Baptiste, Jodie Mitchell and Athena Kugblenu weigh up Queen Victoria.

Suzi Ruffell Joanne McNally and Maisie Adam take on Amy at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Producer Beth O'Dea

Evil Genius is good, bad, ugly and funny. And it's returning to your lucky earholes.

Lou Sanders, Johnny Cochrane and Tom Lucy find out how James Brown Got On Up to no good.

Fern Brady, Tiff Stevenson and Kae Kurd have an animated chat, about animator Walt Disney

Danielle Ward, Rachel Fairburn & Danny McLoughlin have a jolly old time with Enid Blyton

Amy Annette, Marcus Bronzy and Inel Tomlinson find the upsides in having an arch-nemesis

Tiff Stevenson, Fern Brady and Kae Kurd weigh up the comedian Bill Hicks

Elf Lyons, Ken Cheng and Sadie Harrison debate Coco Chanel and lying about your age.

Lou Sanders, Johnny Cochrane and Tom Lucy bandy words about singing and civil rights. Producer Beth O'Dea

Desiree Burch, Catherine Bohart and Alan Carr chat being outrageous and having no limits. Producer Beth O'Dea

Sindhu Vee, Grainne Maguire and Dane Baptiste mull over the magic of Santa himself.

Amy Annette, Marcus Bronzy and Inel Tomlinson read up on author Charles Dickens

James Acaster, Jayde Adams and Romesh Ranganathan ask if he's just misunderstood. Producer Beth O'Dea

Danielle Ward, Rachel Fairburn and Danny McLoughlin weigh up drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Grainne Maguire, Jen Brister and Shappi Khorsandi talk about what comedy owes to punk. Producer Beth O'Dea

Elf Lyons, Ken Cheng and Sadie Harrison poke around JFK: John F. Kennedy, US President.

Romesh Ranganathan, James Acaster and Jayde Adams judge hip hop artist Tupac Shakur. Producer Beth O'Dea

Alan Carr, Desiree Burch and Catherine Bohart talk about goodness, badness and bin babies. Producer Beth O'Dea

A new series of Evil Genius is on its way..

Russell and his panellists Grainne Maguire, Sindhu Vee and Omar Hamdi weigh up the Iron Lady. It's a hard hitting political debate involving hairspray, Judi Dench and ninjas.

Russell and his panelists Simon Evans, Bec Hill and Stephen Bailey try and decide whether Steve Jobs is evil or a genius. Without him this podcast may not have existed. Will that affect their decision?

Russell Kane gets into his dressing gown to talk about Hugh Hefner while his panel Stephen Bailey, Bec Hill and Simon Evans look the other way.

Surely not Gandhi? Russell Kane reveals there might be an evil side to the father of modern India. With panelists Grainne Maguire, Sindhu Vee and Omar Hamdi.

Will Russell Kane’s revelations about Roald Dahl stop you from reading The BFG ever again? Panellists Judi Love, Kelly Convey and Imran Yusuf have their childhood memories tainted forever.

Kindly favourite-uncle genius with comedy hair, or controlling egomanic? Russell Kane attempts to explain the theory of relativity to Caz Frear, Sean McLoughlin and Rachel Parris.

Richard Pryor may be the comedian’s comedian, but there is plenty in his life story that isn’t so funny. Russell Kane discusses whether his genius outweighs his evil, with panellists Judi Love, Kelly Convey and Imran Yusuf.

Writing Brideshead Revisited? Genius. Naming his son Auberon? Evil. And it gets worse... Russell weighs it all up with Jolyon Rubinstein, Ellie White and Sadie Harrison.

Russell Kane asks whether birth control pioneer Marie Stopes had a more sinister motive.. with Dane Baptiste, Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Iszi Lawrence.

Peace, love and an intolerance of laughter. Was the music worth it all? Depends who you ask. With Rachel Parris, Caz Frear and Sean McLoughlin.

The show where we ask: Where do you draw the line?