Welcome back to the home of the oxymoron. Evil genius. He asked the newspaper to print his obituary early so he'd enjoy it. That's like hiding at your own funeral. Yeah, it's a big, great gig. I'm Russell Kane. Join me to weigh in on whether the biggest players in history are more evil or genius. Becoming that rich, I'd say that is some level of genius. It also helps

that it's a long time ago, right? It's like the podcast version of telling your kids the ice cream

van plays music when it's out of ice cream. Listen to evil genius on BBC sounds.

This is a download from the BBC. For more information and our terms of use, go to BBC.co.uk slash radio three.

On tonight's programme, we can sign the idea of progress to the dustbin of history.

The political philosopher John Gray is the man with the dustpan and brush.

We also find out how you deal with someone who wants to destroy your peace of mind and your reputation.

Write a memoir, apparently.

We produce all their threatening emails and analyze them like poetry.

She was a very good user of words.

I mean, that's part of it.

I had encouraged her as a writer because she was, I thought, very gifted.

And when she turned to hatred, she was a very gifted hater.

She was a tremendously sort of energized dynamic user of language.

And I felt that I should, you know, I could look at her words and get something out of it.

The poet and critic James Lazzden, the object of obsession. First, though, we consider the legitimate destruction of him. The poet and critic James Lazden, the object of obsession. First, though, we consider the

legitimate destruction of reputations, those of corrupt counsellors, bent copper's dodgy business people.

This evening at Bafda in London, the Paul Foot Awards were handed out, named after the admirable

journalistic troublemaker, who for decades filled the back pages of

private eye with the best sort of stories, the ones that someone somewhere didn't want to see in print.

The awards recognised the best in investigative journalism, but this year's ceremony takes place in a new

and less sympathetic atmosphere. Thanks to the Leveson inquiry and the BBC's recent crises,

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