Welcome to Seemingly Unrelated!
Ever wonder why we do what we do every day? Seemingly Unrelated researches the overlooked corners of life and uncovers the surprising historical events that reveal how meaningful the mundane truly is.
Join Dr. Andrew Johnstone and his co-host provide expert analysis as they dive into the research behind the ordinary, uncovering the critical historical, social, and cultural events that shaped them. Along the way, they keep things lively, exploring the unexpected—and sometimes delightfully silly—connections that prove history isn't just serious business. Together, they tackle the profound implications of these links, asking whether our small actions hold real weight and if we possess the power to steer our collective impact.
Along the way we'll also ask:
How did Sperm Whales help re-elect Margaret Thatcher?
Is the guy who invented CAPTCHA secretly Batman?
Did Hello Kitty save people's lives?
Did the NHS get its start from a whiskey distributor?
These questions and more are answered in Seemingly Unrelated.
Subscribe to both Free and Premium Bonus at seeminglyunrelatedpod.com!
Seemingly Unrelated Podcast is owned and produced by Life's Little Murder Boards Ltd. Company number: SC852204
What if your favourite team mascot has roots in tragedy, racism, and a whole lot of anxiety?
In this episode of Seemingly Unrelated, I'm joined by co-host Alicia Britt (www.aliciabrittpuppetry.co.uk (https://www.aliciabrittpuppetry.co.uk)) and returning guest Dr. Rianna Walcott (www.riannawalcott.com (https://www.riannawalcott.com)) as we pull back the curtain on the surprisingly murky history of sports mascots. We're talking expert analysis delivered with the irreverence and curiosity our listeners expect—and yes, there's plenty of laughter amidst the darkness.
We trace the origins of collegiate athletics through the late 19th-century United States, unpacking how "Muscular Christianity" became a vehicle for management to channel student political protest energy into team sports. But here's where it gets complicated: we examine how anxieties around Black and Brown urbanization intersected with white supremacist ideology, and how "race suicide" fears shaped the very institutions that produce our beloved college teams today.
🎧 Want the full story? This is just a taste. Subscribe to our Patreon for the complete episode—including the stories you won't hear anywhere else about baseball's first mascots, the Michelin Man connection, and our infamous half-elephant/half-cactus debate. 👉 patreon.com/seeminglyunrelated (https://patreon.com/seeminglyunrelated)
Timecodes
00:00:45:19 - Introducing special co-hosts
00:01:40:01 - Mascots chat begins 00:03:37:11 - The term enters the English language via French opera 'La Mascotte'
00:05:00:00 - Official Mascot definition
00:05:26:23 - Muscular Christianity and taming college students
00:09:14:22 - Sports and 'race suicide'
00:14:46:05 - Why the West Indies National Cricket Team is so great
00:19:00:00 - Disabled Mascots and 'Philly Elmo'
00:22:53:07 - Outro
00:25:34:17 - AI Nuke
#SportsMascots #HiddenHistory #SeeminglyUnrelated #PatreonExclusive #MuscularChristianity #CollegeAthletics #CulturalHistory #RaceSuicide #DrRiannaWalcott #AliciaBritt
31 Aug 2026
Are There Really Native English Speakers?
A crossover with Dr. Chris Haswell on World Englishes, colonial legacies, and who owns the English language.
🔗 Find Lost in Citations at https://www.lostincitations.com/ (https://www.lostincitations.com/)
What makes someone a "native" English speaker? According to Dr. Chris Haswell of Kyushu University and co-host of Lost in Citations, the answer is: nothing; the distinction doesn't hold up to scrutiny.
In this crossover episode, Andrew sits down with Chris to unpack the field of World Englishes. They cover why a person from Rotherham and a person from New Orleans might be mutually unintelligible despite sharing a "first language," how Japan built an entire writing system just for foreign loanwords, and why the Thatcher-era codified a native/non-native dichotomy that linguists now reject as late-stage imperial thinking.
Along the way: frog-giggin in Louisiana, the return diaspora of "anime" back into English, Scandinavian people who speak better English than the English, and why HTML5 might be a better metaphor for language evolution than any prescriptivist academy.
This is a free preview of the conversation.
The full episode including Chris's research on decolonializing English, language death, and YouTube as a living laboratory for World Englishes is available to Patreon supporters.
🎧 Subscribe to Seemingly Unrelated on your preferred podcast player 💸 Full episodes + 100+ hours of bonus content at patreon.com/seeminglyunrelated (https://patreon.com/seeminglyunrelated)
4 Aug 2026
Beyond Binaries: Our Messy Journey Through Gender as a Social Construct Season 3 ReCap
In this season finale, Andrew, Alicia, and Naomi sit down to unpack everything Season 3 taught them—and where they stumbled along the way. From questioning whether school uniforms are sexist (spoiler: the Facebook comments section was wild) to admitting mistakes about Abrahamic faiths and gender assumptions, this is a rare podcast moment where the hosts reflect on their own blind spots.
What did they actually learn about gender as a socially constructed concept? Why do binaries feel comfortable but fail us? And how does an Anglo-American lens limit even the most well-intentioned analysis of other cultures' gender norms?
The conversation covers:
The most surprising guest insights from across the season
Where the hosts' own assumptions failed them (especially on religion)
Reactions ranging from supportive listeners to angry Facebook commenters
Why this season should be a jumping-off point, not a final word
Hints at Season 4—and how listeners can help make it happen
If you joined this season thinking you understood gender constructs, this episode challenges you to dig deeper. And if you're new to the show, consider this your invitation to listen with an open mind. Full interviews and bonus content available if you sign up here at Patreon.
Who has been a guest on Seemingly Unrelated
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Alice Fraser
Alicia Britt
Amy Weldon
Chris Mancini
Michael Johnstone
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
65,681
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 69 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
73
Social presence
91
YouTube
85
Engagement
32
Contact Seemingly Unrelated
Guest appearances
Books guests
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