‘History of Swear Words’ Trailer: Nicolas Cage Uncovers the Origins of F*ck, B*tch, and More Curses
Zack Sharf
It won’t take long for 2021 to get a bonkers new television series thanks to the debut of “History of Swear Words” on Netflix at the start of the new year. The six-episode series hosted by Nicolas Cage tells the origin stories of some of the most widely used curse words around the world, from “fuck” and “shit” to “bitch,” “dick,” “pussy,” and “damn.” Produced by Funny or Die, “History of Swear Words” looks like a riff on Comedy Central’s dearly departed “Drunk History” with an added dose of Cage insanity.
The official “History of Swear Words” synopsis from Netflix reads as follows: “An education in expletives: the history lesson you didn’t know you needed. ‘History of Swear Words,’ hosted by Nicolas Cage, is a loud and proudly profane series that explores the origins, pop culture-usage, science, and cultural impact of curse words.”
Joining Cage in the series are experts in etymology and pop culture, plus historians and entertainers, all of whom sit down for interviews to shed a greater light on the use of curse words around the world. As the official trailer below also reveals, the series includes extremely helpful scientific studies to deduce whether or not cursing can help a person endure pain and relieve stress.
Guest stars featured on the first run of “History of Swear Words” episodes include: Joel Kim Booster, DeRay Davis, Open Mike Eagle, Nikki Glaser, Patti Harrison, London Hughes, Jim Jefferies, Zainab Johnson, Nick Offerman, Sarah Silverman, Baron Vaughn, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. Experts include Benjamin Bergen (PhD, Cognitive Scientist, Author of “What The F”), Mireille Miller-Young (PhD, Professor of Feminist Studies), Elvis Mitchell (Film Critic/Host of “The Treatment” on KCRW), Melissa Mohr (PhD, Author of “Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing”), and Kory Stamper (Lexicographer, Author of “Word By Word”).
“History of Swear Words” features showrunner Bellamie Blackstone, who also serves as executive producer with Funny or Die’s Mike Farah, Joe Farrell, and Beth Belew, plus B17 Entertainment’s Brien Meagher and Rhett Bachner. The series debuts globally January 5 on Netflix. Watch the official trailer for the series in the video below.
