Ridiculous History
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Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.
Episodis Recents
1022 episodis
CLASSIC: How the Black Death Came To Norway On A Ghost Ship
In the 1300s, the Black Death sprang up in central Asia and swept across continents, killing millions. Quarantines became common as various nations so...
Germans, Sausages and Dachshunds: Oh, My!
From baseball games to picnics, from street vendors to haute cuisine, the humble hot dog is an American icon. But where did it come from, and how did...
The Ridiculous History of Atlanta's Street Names
OK, folks: yes, Ben, Noel and Max are well aware of Atlanta's bizarre habit of naming every other street 'Peachtree' something-or-other. But did you k...
CLASSIC: Susanna Caroline Matilda: The Colonial Grifter Princess
In this week's Classic episode: Have you ever dreamed about shedding your old identity, casting aside your obligations and becoming an entirely differ...
A Samurai Walks Into The White House
History is often taught as a series of discrete, unrelated events -- and that could not be further from the truth. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and M...
What is SantaCon -- and Why Do So Many People Hate it?
One thing about the United States -- we'll throw a party for anything. As a result, it's no surprise that back in 1994, a group of well-meaning pranks...
CLASSIC: History's Weirdest Flexes, Part Two
While the phrase 'weird flex' may be relatively recent, it turns out that this phenomenon is as old as human civilization. Join the guys with special...
CLASSIC: History's Weirdest Flexes, Part One
Do you know anyone who decided to show off in a weird way? While the phrase 'weird flex' may be relatively recent, it turns out that this phenomenon i...
The Bizarre Parable of New Coke, Chapter Two: A Rise. A Fall. A Conspiracy?
Back in the 1980s, Coca-Cola -- for reasons the public still can't agree on -- rolled out a controversial new formulation of their legendary, still-se...
CLASSIC: How Robert "The Fastest Knife In The West End" Liston Conducted A Surgery With A 300% Mortality Rate
In this week's Classic episode: It's no secret that hospitals can be intimidating, scary places -- but the medical operations of the modern day can't...
The Bizarre Parable of New Coke, Chapter One: Sweeter, Stranger, Strange
Heads-up! We are extremely biased on this one. Back in the 1980s, Coca-Cola was terrified of losing the Great Soda War to Pepsi. In the depths of desp...
"Resting Bicycle Face": Bikes and Women's Rights
Nowadays bicycles are a common sight across the world -- they're efficient, convenient, and a great way to get in some exercise. Yet in the late 1800s...
CLASSIC: How Oliver Cromwell Got Executed Several Years After His Death
In this week's Classic episode: today, Oliver Cromwell is known as one of the most famous figures in English history -- he was a Puritan with no milit...
The Bizarre Life of Elvis, Part Two: Public Fame, Private Chaos
Have you ever assaulted your hamburger guy? How do you handle your problematic pet chimpanzee? For a lot of us in the crowd, these questions sound rid...
The Bizarre Life of Elvis, Part One: From Poverty to Pop Stardom
How far would you fly for a sandwich? Decades after his death at just 42, Elvis Presley remains a global pop phenomenon. His short life was full of st...
CLASSIC:Hong Xiuquan: The Younger Brother of Jesus Christ Who Led a Bloody Rebellion in China
In this week's Classic episode: when the schoolteacher who would come to be called Hong Xiuquan first heard of the Christian religion, he wasn't parti...
The Bizarre Saga of the Red Solo Cup
If you're from the United States, you'll instantly recognize the iconic red Solo cup. It's ubquitous at picnics, parties, sports events -- and often s...
The Day a Dalí Escaped From Prison
For decades, the infamous Rikers Island prison was home to a surprising artifact -- a drawing by none other than the world-renowned surrealist artist...
CLASSIC: How Big Bill Speakman Fought Off North Korea With Beer Bottles
In this week's Classic episode: Bill Speakman, better known as the “Beer Bottle VC”, single-handedly took on a brigade of Chinese People’s Army Infant...
A Ridiculous History of Potatoes, Part One: the Origin Story
Potatoes are amazing. While these sturdy little tubers may not seem immediately impressive, they're one of agricultural's biggest success stories. So,...
When Did We All Start Saying "Bulls*t"?
Heads-up, fellow Ridiculous Historians: this is an explicit episode, and maynot be appropriate for all audiences. It's no secret that Ben, Noel and Ma...
CLASSIC: New Providence: That Time Pirates Had A Government
Fellow Ridiculous Historians, we just returned from the beautiful Baha Mar resort, and we're going through a pirate phase. So, naturally, we have to s...
The Ridiculous Truth About Pirates, Chapter Two: History's Most Successful Pirate Was A Woman
Live from the beautiful Baha Mar resort, Ben, Noel, Max and returning guest Matt dive into popular misconceptions about pirates. First, piracy was by...
The Ridiculous Truth About Pirates, Chapter One: The Caribbean
Fellow Ridiculous Historians, Ben, Noel and Max are back on their pirate obsession. In this special two-part series live from the legendary Baha Mar,...
CLASSIC: Teddy Roosevelt May Just Have Saved Modern (American) Football
In recent years the public has become increasingly aware of the long-term dangers posed by sports injuries -- but at the turn of the 20th century this...
Eurovision, Chapter Two: Pop Music as Problematic Diplomacy
Now, we know this is going to sound weird, but... it turns out one of the world's most popular pop music contests is also one of the world's best exam...
Eurovision, Chapter One: A Ridiculous Origin Story -- and A Smash Success
The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the most popular talent shows on the planet, with multiple countries showcasing their culture through pop music...
CLASSIC: Prohibition, Prescriptions and the Rise of 'Medicinal' Booze
From 1920 to 1933, the United States was, technically speaking, a dry country. The National Prohibition Act made the manufacture, transport and sale o...
Fort Sauerkraut: North Dakota’s Strange, Ill-Planned Origin Story
As the gang gets ever closer to finally completing their mission to do an episode on every state in the United States, they arrive at North Dakota. Wh...
The Bizarre Tale of the 1909 Catnip Riot
Here's one for the cat lovers: Does your feline friend absolutely love catnip? If you have a cat with the right sensitivities, this stuff completely r...
CLASSIC: Did Robert E. Lee hate Confederate Memorials?
In this week's Classic episode, the guys return to a strange, oft-overlooked aspect of the Civil War. From 1861 to 1865, the United States of America...
IQ Tests are (Kind of) Dumb
Have you ever taken an IQ test? Originally envisioned as a way to determine which French children should be locked in asylums, Alfred Binet's attempt...
Did Lead Lead to the Fall of the Roman Empire?
Don't do lead, kids! Nowadays everyone knows the dangers this substance poses to humans -- especially children in their formative years -- but back in...
CLASSIC: California Schoolchildren and the Great Squirrel War
In this week's Classic episode: In 1918, as the planet was consumed by World War I, the government of California found itself combating an unexpected...
Don’t Be a Schmo Yo, Try a Yoyo!
Most people think of yo-yos as a fun, old-school toy for kids: a pretty simple, clever device leveraging physics with a string and a weight. Yet as Be...
The Ridiculous Secret of "Supreme" Pizza
The results are in: pretty much everyone loves pizza... but what doth a pizza make varies from place to place. Obsessed with a game-changing message f...
CLASSIC: When West Virginia Begged the USSR for Foreign Aid
In this week's Classic episode: Were it not for the coal mine, the town of Vulcan, West Virginia may well have never existed. As a rural and geographi...
Knitting as Espionage, Part Two: Legendary Spies -- and One Traitor
Espionage takes many forms. As Ben, Noel and Max learned in the first part of this two-part series, one of those forms was knitting. In today's episod...
Knitting as Espionage, Part One: Secrets in the Stitch
For a lot of folks in the modern day, knitting is more a relaxing hobby than a household necessity. However, not too long ago, this needlecraft was a...
CLASSIC: Idiomatic for the People II, Part II
Language is beautiful and, in many cases, continually evolving. As a result, we end up with hundreds of strange idioms and figures of speech that we u...