We're all going to die

The legacy of transmitting History through Humour

Abstract

When humorous language deals with historical topics that are traditionally treated with an extra dose of seriousness, it can be a key element in the process of awakening the reader's curiosity about history. This article seeks to establish a dialogue between the concepts of history and humour, based on the Portuguese radio programme Vamos todos morrer (We’re all going to die) by Hugo van der Ding, which was broadcast between April 2019 and December 2024. Several editions of the radio programme were analysed, as well as the texts published in two different books (2021 and 2023). This analysis was later complemented by a written interview with the author of the radio programme in October 2024. Vamos todos morrer, as a simple radio programme, has managed to challenge its reach and create an audience that seeks out the written record of the programme in book form and feeds a two-year tour of live shows. A community that is increasingly attentive, taking a more active role throughout the life of the programme and developing new access points to knowledge. This has created, albeit unconsciously, a particular phenomenon of community construction of history.