SHOW / EPISODE

William Hogarth: The Roast Beef of England ep 34 with Leo Nguyen and Adam Malev

1h 9m | Oct 21, 2026

William Hogarth painted some of the wildest scenes in British art history.


In this episode of We Like Art, Tommy Mavra is joined by guest co-host Adam Malev and comedian Leo W. to explore the paintings of 18th-century British artist William Hogarth. Expect art history, questionable historical knowledge, British slander, and plenty of comedy as the crew breaks down Hogarth’s satirical paintings of everyday life.


We take a closer look at Hogarth’s self-portrait with his pug, examine the famous *The Roast Beef of Old England (The Gate of Calais)*, and dive into *The March of the Guards to Finchley*—a chaotic scene of British soldiers, questionable military strategy, and some very questionable behavior.


Then we explore *Beer Street* and *Gin Lane*, Hogarth’s powerful visual commentary on drinking, poverty, and life in 18th-century London. Can a group of comedians uncover the meaning behind these famous works of art? Or will they get distracted by the meat, the monks, and the absolute chaos?


We Like Art is a comedy podcast about art history where comedians look at famous paintings, ask the tough questions, and try to learn something along the way.


If you enjoy art history, funny podcasts, famous paintings, weird historical facts, and comedians making sense of the art world, you’re in the right place.


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https://www.instagram.com/tommymavra/


https://www.instagram.com/mannymuskets/

guest cohost:

https://www.instagram.com/makevcomedy/

guest:


https://www.instagram.com/leonguyencomedy/


Head Historian:


https://www.instagram.com/sethruddick/


#WilliamHogarth #ArtHistory #ComedyPodcast

chapters:


0:00 William Hogarth: one of the “good Brits”

2:23 Welcome to We Like Art

3:32 Comedian Leo W. joins the show

7:19 William Hogarth’s self-portrait and his pug

11:11 Exploring Hogarth’s painting of British life

22:04 Revealing the painting: The Roast Beef of Old England

22:21 The Gate of Calais and the story behind the painting

27:03 Hogarth’s early life and artistic career

29:02 More British street life and historical chaos

40:45 The March of the Guards to Finchley

42:05 Why King George II rejected Hogarth’s painting

45:34 Art, satire, and making fun of the king

48:41 Beer Street and Gin Lane

51:17 Gin Lane, poverty, and the gin craze

56:27 Beer Street vs. Gin Lane: Hogarth’s social satire

1:01:04 Hogarth’s personal life and legacy

1:04:05 What did we learn about William Hogarth?

1:04:53 Wrapping up and finding the comedians

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