Before he became a Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin almost abandoned America altogether to teach Londoners how to swim. On No Such Thing As A Fish, host James Harkin revealed that "instead of being one of the founders of the USA, Benjamin Franklin almost stayed in Britain to found a swimming school on the Thames."
This near-miss of history stands in stark contrast to the massive colonial influence detailed on American History Tellers. Host Lindsay Graham tracks Franklin's early devotion to the crown, noting that in 1760, he wrote, "I have long been of the opinion that the foundations of the future grandeur and stability of the British Empire lie in America." But as tensions escalated, Franklin transitioned from British loyalist to the "world's most famous American," ultimately testifying before Parliament as an expert witness against the Stamp Act.
While history podcasts revere his political genius, the comedy world is busy confusing his face with modern-day SNL stars. On a recent episode of SmartLess, co-host Jason Bateman spotted a 3D scan of guest Bowen Yang's face and confidently declared, "No, that's a bust of Ben Franklin."
Whether Benjamin Franklin is being remembered as a colonial mastermind, an almost-swimming instructor, or a mistaken identity gag for late-night comedians, his cultural footprint remains absurdly versatile. As podcasters continue to unearth his eccentricities, expect the line between his historical gravity and his meme-ability to keep blurring.