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PODCAST

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.

history

All Episodes

44:53

The Ridiculously Ambitious History of the World's...

Ridiculous History ·

2025/01/16

On paper -- and, often, in practice -- the world's fair is an astonishing global showcase of groundbreaking innovations. However, as Ben, Noel and Max discover in the second part of this two-part series, not every world's fair has been a success. Tune in as the guys explore several ill-fated examples of expositions gone wrong in California and Louisiana.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

47:17

The Ridiculously Ambitious History of the World's...

Ridiculous History ·

2025/01/14

Have you ever dreamed of going to a science fair as an adult? If so, the world's fair is for you -- these massive international exhibitions occur around the world, usually running for three to six months. And each world's fair include exhibits from a significant number of countries, inventors, and companies with new (potential) breakthroughs for society. In part one of this special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore world's fair success stories -- along with a mysterious fire.See

en-US

40:44

CLASSIC: Why British Soccer Players Saluted the Nazis

Ridiculous History ·

2025/01/11

As global tensions grew to a breaking point in the lead-up to World War II, European nations used every available avenue to pursue their goals, including the propagandistic power of sporting events. Join Ben and Noel as they explore the strange geopolitical policy of appeasement -- and how it led British soccer players to salute Nazi officials -- in this week's Classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

51:22

How Dogs Went Domestic, Part Two: Yes, Dogs Know What...

Ridiculous History ·

2025/01/09

Imagine: at multiple points in history, despite their ecological rivalry, a few humans and a few wolves teamed up for a greater good. Fast forward thousands of years, and boom: dogs. Also, modern humans. Yet: Who domesticated whom? In part two of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the ridiculously inspiring story of humanity's best friend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

52:31

How Dogs Went Domestic, Part One: Classic Rom-Com

Ridiculous History ·

2025/01/07

Most folks agree: dogs are awesome. So, how did ancient humans and wolves end up hanging out in the first place? In the first part of this two-part episode, the guys explore the ridiculous, inspiring origin of the human's best friend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

32:56

CLASSIC: Why don't Americans use bidets?

Ridiculous History ·

2025/01/04

Whether you're royalty or a roaming vagrant, a President or a pauper, one thing's for sure: At some point, you'll have to use the restroom. While sanitation isn't often brought up in polite conversation, it plays a vital role in human health, and over the centuries various civilizations have come up with some pretty innovative ways of staying clean. Globally speaking, the bidet is one of humanity's most popular sanitation technologies -- it's spread across Europe to Asia and beyond. So why don't

en-US

37:26

CLASSIC: The Earliest Recorded Mooning Killed Thousands

Ridiculous History ·

2025/01/02

You've heard of mooning -- the practice of bearing one's butt as an insult -- but where did it come from? Join Ben and Noel as they dive into the deadly story of the world's first recorded mooning, along with some other notable moments in keister history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

40:56

The Story of Claudette Colvin, with Nimene Wureh

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/31

While most people today already know the inspiring story of Rosa Parks and her pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Riots, a lot of folks still don't know the story of Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old arrested nine months before Rosa Parks for the exact same reason: refusing to give up her seat on the bus in segregated Alabama. In today's special interview, Ben, Noel and Max explore this story with the one and only Nimene Wureh, the host of Historical Records, an family friendly, explosive blend of

en-US

39:15

CLASSIC: How did Fido become the default name for dogs?

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/28

If you're like most English speakers, the first thing you think of when you hear the name "Fido" is, of course, a dog. But why? Join Ben and Noel as they delve into the story of Abraham Lincoln's favorite pooch, and how this little yellow pup became one of the first dog memes. (Also, please send us photos of your pooches. We're super into it.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

47:00

Whatever Happened to Mac Tonight?

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/26

In the great pantheon of fast food mascots, one iconic figure stands separate from the rest: a crooning, crescent moon-faced musician named Mac Tonight. Originally part of an ambitious campaign to advertise McDonald's as a place for adults as well as kids, Mac experienced skyrocketing -- yet short-lived -- viral fame. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into Mac's origin story to discover exactly what happened to this once-beloved, world famous Moon Man.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

en-US

36:09

The First Recorded Christmas Was The Latest Birthday...

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/24

Whether or not you yourself celebrate Christmas, there's no denying it's one of the world's most well'known holidays -- in fact, this commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ may be the most famous birthday in the Western world. Yet, as Ben, Noel and Max discover in this holiday episode, experts still don't know when Jesus was actually born. Humans didn't really celebrate Christ's birthday as December 25th until centuries after his death... which means one of the world's most famous birthdays was

en-US

37:12

CLASSIC: Dock Ellis and the Legend of the LSD No-hitter

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/21

Almost 48 years ago, Pirates pitcher and notorious party animal Dock Ellis pitched a no-hitter while under the influence of LSD. How did this man accomplish one of the rarest feats in baseball history while, by his own admission, tripping balls? Join the Ben and Noel as they dive into the story of that legendary afternoon -- along with the parts of Dock's legacy that are too often forgotten in the modern day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

42:38

Whoops! All Quizster, Part Two: A Ridiculous History...

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/19

Still reeling from a tragic loss in the greatest of games, Ben, Noel and Max square off with Jonathan Strickland AKA The Quizster in one last battle of wits before wiping the slate clean in 2025. Jonathan shares several important announcements, and the guys provide reminisce about the Ridiculous History of their (surprisingly long) careers in podcasting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

40:23

Whoops! All Quizster, Part One: The Gang Reunites

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/17

After going off the grid for the better part of a year, Jonathan Strickland AKA The Quizster returns at the end of 2024, with several bones to pick. As he regales -- and/or tortures -- Ben, Noel and Max with a new quiz and an (apparently) in-depth exploration of vikings, the guys do their best to solve his devious puzzles. Spoiler: this one ends on a cliffhanger.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

39:45

CLASSIC: Maryland’s State Song was a Diss Track

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/14

On the first listen, Maryland's old state song sounds pretty innocuous. There's the usual lauding of the state, a refrain based on "O Tannenbaum" and so on. Yet the lyrics of this song refer to "Northern scum" and call for out and out war with various oppressors. So what gives? Join Ben and Noel as they dive into the strange origin story of "Maryland, My Maryland" in this week's Classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

48:13

How The (English) Alphabet Became A Thing, Part Two:...

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/12

How did the English alphabet -- a strange agglomeration of curved and straight-lined symbols -- become a thing? In the second part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the messy evolution of modern English, with a special shoutout to each letter of the current alphabet and a more than a little speculation about the future of written communication. ProTip: this is going to be hilarious a century or so from when we record it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

en-US

32:35

How The (English) Alphabet Became A Thing, Part One:...

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/10

Let's be honest: the concept of writing stuff down is both brilliant and insane. Right now, all around the world, countless people are scrawling or typing messages that may last long after the writer has passed from this mortal plane - in a way, reading your favorite dead authors can be like communication from beyond the grave! Add to this, language itself is pretty ridiculous. In the first part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max crack each other up with an exploration of how writing

en-US

52:15

CLASSIC: The Story of Max, South Africa's Famous,...

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/07

When confronted with a home invasion, Max the gorilla brought international fame to the Johannesburg Zoo and briefly became the city's most famous crime fighter. He received numerous endorsements, and a statue was erected in his honor. But what brought Max to this level of celebrity? In this week's Classic episode, Ben and Super Producer Max -- not the ape -- explore the story of a crime-fighting gorilla that became a symbol of justice in an intensely troubled South Africa.See

en-US

36:27

History's Famous Mistranslations, Part Two: Life on...

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/05

Did a mistranslation lead to theories of life on Mars? What exactly was Khrsuschev trying to say at that big U.N. meeting? Language is amazing -- and it's also pretty complicated. As a result, translation is often more an art than an exact science, and over the course of human history mistranslations have led to some astonishing, at-times dangerous, and often ridiculous results. In the second episode of this continuing series, Ben, Noel and Max dive into more bizarre historical mistranslations, from

en-US

41:21

Neckties are Utterly Ridiculous

Ridiculous History ·

2024/12/03

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 cartoonish concepts. You know, the sort of stuff we all agreed was "normal" until we really started to think about it. In today's episode, the guys explore a fashion staple that's baffled Ben for more than a decade: Why on Earth do we have neckties? Where did they come from, and why are they considered a stamp of professionalism in the modern

en-US

1,004 results

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