logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2022
1m 26s

Introducing: This Job is History

Wondery
About this episode

Where the oddest jobs from the past meet a comedian from the present… and it’s awkward! On this weekly show, Chris Parnell (SNL, Rick and Morty) welcomes guests who have held some of human history’s most unexpected and downright bizarre jobs: funeral clowns, garden hermits, VHS clerks, and everything in between. With the help of his tireless producer, Chris hears from the essential workers from decades and centuries past. Because before there were actual medical doctors, there were barber surgeons. And before there was Instacart, there were milkmen. Wondery’s This Job Is History is a funny, absurd, and informative look into how time can change the way we live and work.


You can binge all episodes of This Job Is History exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+. Find Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Nov 2022
Funeral Clown: “To Die Laughing” | 1
What is it like to tell jokes at a Roman emperor’s funeral? Chris Parnell interviews a real Funeral Clown from 82 CE, a job that sometimes captured the hearts of funeral goers… and sometimes ended in certain death. And Chris wonders if this is a job tailor-made for his talents. Y ... Show More
34m 5s
Nov 2022
VHS Clerk: “VH-YES!” | 2
Before algorithms told us what movies to watch, the local video store clerk served as our 80s and 90s cinema sommelier. Chris interviews a favorite icon of the Spice World Age. They’ll talk about everything from Speed to Speed 2: Cruise Control, and revisit the lost art of recomm ... Show More
32m 40s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2019
Why do we love our jobs?
This is the first episode that features a guest! Paul Tern, a Cambridge-grad junior doctor who works in London, joins the discussion about why we love our jobs. We start off with some meandering around the history of the 'I want to enjoy my job' mentality, and then share our pers ... Show More
40m 59s