Shows / Ridiculous History
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.
Episodes
- Ridiculous History
Neckties are Utterly Ridiculous
It's easy to look at history and think one idea or another is ridiculous -- but we also have to remember modern civilization has its own vast collection of…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: How Santa Anna Lost His Leg Twice, and Held a Funeral for It
Often called "The Napoleon of the West", mainly by himself, Santa Anna was a legendary, larger-than-life politician, general and exile. While hundreds of…
- Ridiculous History
The History of the Super Bowl Halftime Show, Part Two: A World-Class Show
What began with marching bands all those decades ago has evolved past all expectations - and even if you don't particularly follow football, you'll probably…
- Ridiculous History
The History of the Super Bowl Halftime Show, Part One: From Marching Bands to Celebrities
Whether or not you consider yourself a die-hard football fan, you've almost certainly watched a halftime show. Over the past few decades, these performances…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: That Time Chewbacca Needed Bodyguards
Inarguably the most well-known Wookie in the Star Wars universe, Chewbacca also bears a strong resemblance to another popular creature in American culture --…
- Ridiculous History
How Emergency Call Lines Became A Thing
In most of the modern world, the average person has an astonishing resource for any disastrous situation: you find a phone, then dial 3 numbers to be…
- Ridiculous History
Are the Vikings to Blame for Cats?
House cats are astonishing, fascinating, and at-times frustrating little creatures -- yet they've made a comfortable home with humans, spreading in step with…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: Napoleon Bonaparte Was Attacked by Bunnies -- And Lost
Born in Corsica, Napoleon Bonaparte rose from obscurity during the French Revolution, crowning himself Emperor of France in 1804. This brilliant, ruthless…
- Ridiculous History
The Most Ridiculous Weather of Baseball
We've been going through a bit of a sports phase here on Ridiculous History, and of course we can't talk sports without talking baseball. In today's episode…
- Ridiculous History
Bhutan Grades Itself On Happiness
Most people never get the chance to travel to Bhutan. Nestled high in the Himalayan mountains, this ancient kingdom is unique on multiple levels. It's the only…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: California Was Named for a Fictional Island Ruled by a Black Amazon Queen
California was admitted to the United States as the 31st state in 1850, but it acquired its unique name much, much earlier. Join Ben and Noel as they trace the…
- Ridiculous History
The World's Weirdest Sports, Part Two: Literal Murderball
OK, imagine this: you've been captured by a neighboring civilization, hauled off to an unfamiliar city, and your captors tell you: "Hold up, we're not going to…
- Ridiculous History
The World's Weirdest Sports, Part One: Buzkashī is Where You Fight Over A Dead Goat
Regardless of everyone's differences in this wide, wide world, it's safe to say every culture loves some kind of sport. Often these sports can seem strange to…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: Ancient Mayan Ritual Alcohol Enemas
Like many ancient cultures, the civilizations of Mesoamerica had a vast and rich history of unique cultural practices, spiritual beliefs and ceremonies, some…
- Ridiculous History
One Guy Was So Good At Violin That People Thought He Worshipped Satan
There's no denying Niccolò Paganini was a virtuoso -- in his heyday, this violinist was an international rock star, wowing crowds across Europe with his…
- Ridiculous History
Credit Scores are Absolutely Ridiculous
In theory, the concept of credit scores is simple, and makes a lot of sense: lenders need to know they can trust someone to pay back their debts, and debtors…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: That Time Vermont Was an Independent Republic
Today Vermont is known for its progressive politics, beautiful forestry, Bernie Sanders and Ben and Jerry's. It's not a state you'll hear much about outside of…
- Ridiculous History
Spontaneous Generation, Part Two: "Broth Science"
Who could have guessed a series of broth experiments revolutionized humanity's understanding of life? Spoiler, not us. In part two of this week's two part…
- Ridiculous History
Spontaneous Generation, Part One: Mice and Grain
Today the idea sounds silly. Why would anyone think nonliving substances can suddenly generate living things? Yet for much of human history, the concept of…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: The Capture of Guam Was Bloodless and Quick, All Due to a Misunderstanding
Located about 1500 miles to the east of the Phillipines in Micronesia, Guam is a small US territory with a tiny population, beautiful beaches and an incredibly…
- Ridiculous History
Ridiculous Royal Deaths, Part 5: A Blind and Bloody Finale (For Now)
Whether we're talking mysterious nosebleeds, drowning in full armor, or charging literally blind into battle, history is chock-full of ridiculous royal deaths…
- Ridiculous History
Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart was Darn Near Unkillable
Born to an aristocratic Belgian family, Adrian Carton de Wiart could have lived the easy life, with a plum job in government or law. Instead, however, he…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: Are All US Presidents Actually Related?
In 2012 a student in Salinas, California, startled genealogists when she claimed that all Presidents save one were actually related. Could it be true? Join Ben…
- Ridiculous History
Post-Presidential Careers, Part Two: Adams, Taft, And More
George W. Bush is super into painting. Barak Obama loves making playlists. Taft decided to join the Supreme Court. In the part two of this week's two-part…
- Ridiculous History
Post-Presidential Careers, Part One: Happy Birthday, Jimmy!
Over here in the US, there's one dream job so exclusive that only 45 people have held it so far: President of the United States of America, not to be confused…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: What's the deal with two-dollar bills?
Despite being pretty rare in comparison to other denominations, the U.S. two-dollar bill is one of the most storied notes in American folklore. So why do some…
- Ridiculous History
Mark Twain Was a Terrible Investor, Part Two: Typesetters, Steam Pulleys and Tesla
Well, Ridiculous Historians, as our pal Mark Twain settled into a life of literary fame, he still couldn't help himself from making huge investments in…
- Ridiculous History
Mark Twain Was a Terrible Investor, Part One: The Legend of "Josh"
Today, Mark Twain is widely thought of as one of America's greatest authors -- but he was also, get this, a terrible investor. Inspired by his father's…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: How James Bond Created a Mexican Dia de los Muertos Tradition
The Day of the Dead is a longstanding traditional celebration in Mexico, and currently hundreds of thousands of people associate it with a gigantic parade --…
- Ridiculous History
What is Karaoke? Part Two: Going Global; Careful What You Sing
As the karaoke phenomenon became a global pastime, it likewise transformed to adapt to cultures outside of Japan. In the second part of this two-part series…
- Ridiculous History
What is Karaoke? Part One: An Origin Story
Nowadays most people are at least generally familiar with the concept of karaoke -- technology allows you to sing along with your favorite songs, often to the…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: Did Richard Nixon Unwittingly Smuggle Drugs for Louis Armstrong?
It's become one of the strangest anecdotes in modern American history -- numerous sources will swear to you that, in a last-minute panic before reaching…
- Ridiculous History
The Nebraska Episode
Let's be honest: when many Americans think of Nebraska, we immediately think of corn. Yet there's much more to the Cornhusker State than a single crop. In…
- Ridiculous History
Occupy Alcatraz!
Alcatraz! For a lot of us, this former island prison occupies an iconic space in the American zeitgeist. It's been home to some of the country's most notorious…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: 3 Times Society Refused to Accept New Books on Science
Progress versus preservation: It's one of the eternal dilemmas found throughout every instance of human civilization. Should we embrace disruptive thoughts and…
- Ridiculous History
The Ridiculous, Murky Origins of Pasta, Part Two: From Myth to the Modern Day
Today pasta is a worldwide phenomena, and the story of pasta's spread is, in a very real way, also a study of global trade and civilization. Tune in to part…
- Ridiculous History
The Ridiculous, Murky Origins of Pasta, Part One: Basic Ingredients, Delicious Results
Pasta is amazing. But where does the concept come from? In part one of this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max delve into the origin of a simple series…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: That Time We Erased a (HUGE) Waterfall
It's often been said that "the art of losing isn't hard to master", and humanity overall seems to have a knack for losing everything from car keys to entire…
- Ridiculous History
Patents Are Absolutely Bonkers: An Origin Story
Have you ever had a good idea -- like, a brilliant idea? If so, you may have immediately started trying to figure out the cartoonishly complicated…
- Ridiculous History
That Time a Swedish Queen Became So Enlightened, She Quit Being the Queen
Christina wasn't your average monarch of her day -- while many rulers sought to subjugate and terrorize their kingdoms, she sought to acquire knowledge, and to…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: The Poetic Justice of Death by Molten Gold
It's a grisly death familiar to many fans of fiction and fantasy -- a hapless, greedy villain meets their end by having molten metal, often lead or gold…
- Ridiculous History
You Auto-go to the Drive-in, Part Two: Driving In and Out of History
What made drive-in theatres so iconic? What led to their demise? In the second part of this week's two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max investigate the rise and…
- Ridiculous History
You Auto-go to the Drive-in, Part One: Cars Meet Cinema
Have you ever visited a drive-in theatre? These fascinating outfits are increasingly rare in 2024, but not too long ago they were all the rage. In the first…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: Japan, Baseball and the Curse of the Colonel
First things first: You may think Kentucky Fried Chicken is popular in the States, but we've got nothing on Japan. Join the guys as they delve into a story…
- Ridiculous History
The Disturbing History of Last Meals, Part Two: Famous Final Snacks
Now that we know the origin of last meals, it's time to dive into the reality of this somewhat disturbing practice. In the second part of this special two-part…
- Ridiculous History
The Disturbing History of Last Meals, Part One: A Creepy Origin Story
It's a classic trope of crime stories and folklore across the planet: a criminal due for execution is granted one last meal as a send-off to the afterlife. But…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: That Time the US Built a Flying Aircraft Carrier
Nowadays airships are seen as historical relics or novelties meant to fly overhead during sports games. However, not so long ago, the US military thought…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: Yes, Those are Corpses in the Diorama
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is one of the most storied institutions of its kind in the United States, and it's chockful of priceless objects from…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: Weird People Who Built Weird Things
Simeon Ellerton spent years building a house out of stones he found and carried home, one by one. Rejected by his one true love, Edward Leeskalnin spent…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: What was the West Point Eggnog Riot?
Today the United States Military Academy at West Point is known as one the country's top-notch training institutions, but back in 1826 it was home to a night…
- Ridiculous History
The Noble -- and Kind of Ridiculous -- History of Butlers
Are you a millionaire, billionaire or aristocrat too busy to manage the day-to-day affairs of palatial estate? If so, you may have already secured the last…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: Lyndon Johnson Chatted on the Phone More than a Teenager
The 36th President of the United States is often recalled as a complex, flawed individual responsible for profoundly important legislation. However, he was…
- Ridiculous History
The Founding of the Smithsonian, Part Two: James Gives America a Fortune -- and a Mission
There's no way around it: James Smithson had a tough life. Yet his unhappiness may, in an indirect way, be the prime reason the Smithsonian Institute exists…
Ridiculous HistoryThe Founding of the Smithsonian, Part One: The Remains of the James
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex -- but how did it get here? Join Ben, Noel and Max as they welcome…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: Arsenic: The Assassin's Dream Weapon
For centuries people from all walks of life sought to eliminate friends, strangers and enemies using the devious, subtle poison known as arsenic. Arsenic…
- Ridiculous History
The Orphan Train: That Time the US Auctioned Children Via Rail
New York was a pretty terrible place in the late 1800s. The population was riddled with disease, crime, and terror -- things were especially bad for the…
- Ridiculous History
20 Questions: A Ridiculous Crossover, Part Two
Long-time listeners will know Ben, Noel and Max are big fans of their peer podcast, Ridiculous Crime -- but what happens when the guys join forces with…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: The Killer Marketing Campaign Behind Guy Fawkes
Nowadays people across the planet are familiar with the story of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. People even celebrate the anniversary of the event, often…
- Ridiculous History
CLASSIC: When Ancient India Beat Machiavelli to the Punch
Commonly regarded as one of humanity's premiere works on the art of pursuing and securing power, Niccolò Machiavelli's book "The Prince" has become so popular…
- Ridiculous History
The Preposterous History of Artificial Flavors, Part Two: Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing
What makes a flavor "artificial," exactly? Why doesn't banana candy taste like bananas in the grocery store? What on Earth is the flavor behind "Juicy Fruit"…