#182 Blast from the past.
A couple of days back, I stumbled upon a subreddit asking the question on everyone’s mind – “What happened to Oversimplified?” My curiosity was piqued, so I set out on a mission to learn everything I possibly could.
I discovered that “OverSimplified” is a YouTube channel that’s been around since the days of dial-up internet (2006), back when it was known as “Webzwithaz” (which sounds like a username only a 90s hacker would use). Despite their infrequent upload schedule (once every six months, give or take), they’ve managed to gather a following of 7.2 million subscribers – proof that quality trumps quantity.
So, what’s their secret to success? Simple: they’ve mastered the art of turning history into hilarious entertainment. Their formula?
Start with an animated intro,
Toss in some jokes that range in historical accuracy,
Sprinkle in some hand-drawn characters,
Add a dash of the narrator’s impressive impressions and musical references,
And boom, you’ve got yourself a hit channel!
These videos are perfect for entertaining kids while introducing them to complex topics like the civil war and the cold war. Even a 5-year-old could understand. Well, sort of. The seamless flow of episodes makes it a perfect choice for binge-watching (guilty as charged).
Plus, the narrator always manages to sneak in a lesson about the consequences of our actions, big and small, and poses the age-old question, “Can one person really make a difference?” Spoiler alert: the jury’s still out on that one.
So, give it a watch and see if you become a fan too. And if you have any other similar channels in mind, I’m always on the lookout for my next binge-watch fix.
Yours,
Other than his iconic catchphrase, “underidoderidoderiododeriodoo,” Mr Evil Churchill also had a witty take on history: “Those who fail to learn from it are doomed to repeat it.” So, do yourself a favour and spread the word by forwarding this JOT to anyone and everyone who you think might have an appreciation for history – unless, of course, you want to keep repeating it… forever.