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Ridiculous History

Author: iHeartPodcasts

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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.
674 Episodes
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What happened to the payphone? Were you also stunned the first time you saw Abe Lincoln without a beard? In the second part of this special two-part series, Mo Rocca explores the strange passage of the past to the present, and what we carry with us along the way. Join Ben, Noel, Max and Mo as they learn more about Mobituaries and the art of storytelling with a soul.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the world of journalism and literature, there's nothing quite like the obituary. Sometimes called the first draft of history, an obituary can function as a love letter, a condemnation -- but, perhaps more than anything, a portrait of a person gone from this mortal plane. In the first part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max join the legendary journalist, author, correspondent and podcaster Mo Rocca, host of Mobituaries, to learn more about this unique genre of literature, from the history of obituaries to the art of crafting them. (Spoiler: Mo extemporaneously composes the definitive obituary of the pager in this one.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Are you a fan of licorice? Have you ever encountered wax lips in the wild? Where do you stand in the great Peeps debate? Join Ben, Noel and Max as they continue to explore some of the world's most divisive candy in the second part of this special two-part series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Whether or not you have a sweet tooth, odds are you probably have some strong opinions about candy. Following up (finally!) on their earlier Halloween conversation, Ben, Noel and Max explore some of the most divisive candies on the planet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Let's be honest: leap year sounds pretty nuts when you explain it. We have the regular 365-day year three times in a row, but every fourth year we add one extra day in February. (With... several other notable caveats.) Join Ben, Noel and Max as they figure out where leap year came from, why it's a thing, and whether it's still genuinely better than nothing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, hot sauce is a global phenomenon, with millions of bottles sold every single year. But where does it come from? What makes it so popular -- and why won't water douse the heat when things get out of hand? Tune in as Ben, Noel and Max explore the spicy origin story of hot sauce.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Odds are you've heard about the Guinness Book of World Records, the famous, often inaccurate compilation of various impressive, important, and ridiculous feats from people across the planet. But how did it come about? How on earth did a brewer become the repository of all this strange knowledge? Tune in for a surprising peek behind the keg -- and into the cups -- of Guinness history and human ambition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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 Elizabeth, Zaron and Dave? Tune in for the first part of this two-part series, as Ridiculous Crime and Ridiculous History seek to stump each other in a lively game of 20 Questions, all based on strange historical flexes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As curses go, Tecumseh's is, according to the legend, ridiculously specific. Every US President elected in a year divisible by twenty is doomed to meet misfortune, ruin and possibly death in office. But how did this curse acquire such purported specificity? In part two of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore how the curse entered popular culture, as well as the examples true believers point to as evidence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Did the legendary Shawnee chief Tecumseh really lay a curse on US Presidents? In the first part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max dive deep into Tecumseh's origin, his mission to unite Native peoples against the ruthless expansion of the new United States -- all to learn why so many people believe every president elected in a year ending with zero dies in office.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
True story: back in the late 70s, US President Jimmy Carter accidentally claimed he'd left the states forever, and wanted to sleep with everyone in Poland. According to legendary marketing lore, Pepsi accidentally told the nation of China that soda would bring their relatives back from the grave. And don't get us started on weird car names! Join Ben, Noel and Max as they explore some of history's most hilarious mistranslations in the first part of this ongoing series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In our continually ridiculous mission to explore the funniest events of yesteryear, Ben, Noel and Max often leave some stones unturned. In today's episode the gang pays their respects to the last shantyman, asks why President Taft adopted not one but two cows, and explores multiple historic hot tubs they are not currently allowed to enter. (We end with a shoutout to our favorite turkey.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
True story: in the heart of the CIA headquarters at Langley, Virginia, there's a puzzle no one has solved. In the second part of this special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max join up with returning guest A.J. Jacobs to learn more about the enigmatic sculpture known as Kryptos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For most people, puzzles are a fun, fascinating diversion. Yet throughout history, they've also played a crucial role in the great game of espionage. Join Ben, Noel and Max as they welcome their returning guest A.J. Jacobs, author and creator of The Puzzler podcast, to learn more about the history of puzzles, codes and spies in part one of this special two-part episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As paranoia increases in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attacks, amateur magician (and storied military official) John Francis Ohmer, Jr. finds Uncle Sam and Hollywood increasingly onboard with his idea of camouflaging entire compounds. In the second part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore how the US constructed a fake town atop Boeing's most important facility, weirdly named "Plant 2." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, paranoia reigned across the western US -- and the country entirely. From California to Washington, civilians and the military alike were terrified that another attack was imminent. The country's aircraft manufacturers were prominent sitting ducks, and too inconvenient to move. With instructions to spin up manufacturing as soon as possible, the clock was ticking and no one was sure what to do. Enter John Francis Ohmer, Jr. -- a veteran, amateur stage magician and man obsessed with camouflage. He traveled across the states, pitching a crazy plan: "What if," he asked, "we keep all the aircraft facilities where they are... and just disguise them?" Tune in as Ben, Noel and Max explore the strange story of Boeing's Wonderland in part one of this two-part series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When President Warren G Harding passed away abruptly while in office, his Vice President Calvin Coolidge assumed in the role of Commander in Chief. Today, he's not as well-known as other US Presidents like Lincoln or Washington -- yet his history remains fascinating and unique. Tune in as the guys explore the strange story of the man sometimes known as "Silent Cal."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nowadays it feels like everyone has a baseball cap at home... even though most of the folks wearing them do not, in fact, play baseball. So how did this one type of hat become so ubiquitous -- not just in the US, but the rest of the world? To answer the question, Ben, Noel and Max travel back to the early (hatless) days of baseball, following its evolution to the modern day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Have you ever looked at a childhood photo of a noted historical dude and thought -- huh, why did his folks put him in a dress? If so, you're seeing evidence of a strange parenting practice of yesteryear... the phenomenon known as breeching. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore how awarding a boy his first pair of pants became a rite of passage in Western society, and why it seems so strange in the modern day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Located in southern Riverside and northern Imperial counties, the Salton Sea is California's largest lake. Although large seas have cyclically formed and dried over historic time due to natural flooding from the Colorado River, the current sea formed as the result of an accident during canal construction. And, ever since that moment, humans have been trying to figure out what to do next.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Comments (324)

Abdul aziz

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Feb 9th
Reply

Samantha Ricker

It's crazy that Irish businesses sell Joyce books everywhere considering his works were banned during his lifetime.

Nov 29th
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Happy⚛️Heretic

The sounds & smells that must have emanated from that bedroom.....

Nov 29th
Reply

Conor

what the fuck is this shit? did someone make a mistake and upload this to the wrong podcast

Oct 12th
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Ari

FYI I'm from the Philippines and peanut butter is commonplace in groceries here and there are a number of both local and foreign brands.

Jun 13th
Reply

Alex Wilson

Having not listened to this episode yet as of me writing this post, I hope they thoroughly delve deep into the "white van random candy stranger danger kidnapping children" issue.

May 7th
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Kat McBeath

Loved the normalization of pronoun inclusion.👍 Anyway, I lived in an apartment back in my college days that I think may have been haunted. *content warning: brief mention of suicide* I moved into this place that was old enough that it still had piping from gas lighting, and a friend told me they thought someone died in my bathroom. Separate friend came over and said she thought a 15 year old girl had killed herself in the bathtub. My boyfriend took a shower there and said he felt watched and then laid down for a nap and dreamt of a girl in the bathroom who just wanted to say 'hi'. I'm pretty sure I didn't tell anyone about anyone else's experience prior to theirs. So I went into the bathroom and I spoke out loud to the potential ghost, saying that I had no issues with it, and if it didn't mess with me, I wouldn't mess with it. I never experienced anything in the bathroom (except for the very odd occurrence of flies coming out of the light fixture), but I had a strange moment o

Mar 12th
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Chak Olate

The food pyramid wasn't the work of politicians lining their pockets, it was the work of the USDA. Agriculture, as in grain. It's no wonder the grain level was huge.

Jan 22nd
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Brenda Mai

I would listen to this podcast if it was like the rest of the Ridiculous podcasts

Jan 21st
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Willis Miller

I want all leaf blowes banned forever!

Jan 15th
Reply

dp

omg what an unlistenable collection of dude praddling this show is

Sep 3rd
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George Burhans

if you're doing a history podcast you should know a marathon is 26.2 miles. Not the first time they don't know basic facts.

Aug 14th
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Shannon Pitts

From where do you get the idea that Calhoun and Jackson were friends? Vice presidents at that time weren't running mates.

Aug 10th
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Happy⚛️Heretic

I'd definitely watch a "Good news show"! I've been on a news blackout for like the past 2 years now because it was affecting my health & psyche.

Jul 30th
Reply

Batty McBelfry

oooh sounds like he might be afraid of antifa super spies as well

Jul 15th
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Cameron Waddel

Go Kiwi!😁

Jun 11th
Reply

Maria Gunn

can you do a show on Father Devine? I came across a video and he seems very interesting. thank you, love this podcast

Jun 7th
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Maria Gunn

can you do an episode on Father Devine? I just came across a video and he seems very interesting thank you, love this podcast

Jun 7th
Reply

Al Fortune

at 7dollars c-

May 27th
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Ryan Persaud

the ads. the never ending ads

May 5th
Reply
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