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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

24:53

CLASSIC: What does "Idaho" actually mean?

Ridiculous History ·

2025/11/14

Idaho was the 43rd state admitted to the Union, and today it's well-known for potatoes, mining, and stunning forests -- but, even in the modern day, Idaho is home to a surprising mystery: What does its name actually mean? Join the guys as they explore the ridiculous origin story of Idaho's name in this week's Classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

36:09

Doc Holliday Was, In Fact, A Deadly Dentist

Ridiculous History ·

2025/11/13

Longtime listeners are well-aware that the history of the 'Wild West' is more than a bit... embellished. Yet a grain of truth exists at the heart of almost every legend, and the story of Doc Holliday is no different. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max learn more about Tombstone's breakout star -- and how, if things were just a little different, he may have lived a happy, peaceful life as a dentist.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

31:26

Bir Tawil: The Ridiculous Tale of "Earth's Worst Real...

Ridiculous History ·

2025/11/11

Land! Historically speaking, it's a pretty popular thing. In fact, a great deal of human conflict is based upon fighting over real estate -- yet, as Ben, Noel and Max discover in today's episode, in at least one case there's a piece of the world no nation wants. For well over a century, Egypt and Sudan have both been fighting over who controls Bir Tawil... and both of them want the other country to own it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

38:12

CLASSIC: Uncle Sam Tried to End World War II With Bat...

Ridiculous History ·

2025/11/08

Folks, we are phenomenally excited about this week's Classic episode. It sounds like something straight out of the cave beneath Bruce Wayne's Manor, but thanks to the passion of a part-time inventor named Lytle Adams, the United States military really did spend millions attempting to arm bats with incendiary devices and launch them -- real-life bat bombs -- across Japanese cities. Here's the weird thing: It could have actually worked.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

35:19

The Ridiculous History of the "Ice Cream Sundae"

Ridiculous History ·

2025/11/06

For fans of sweet, frozen sweets, there's nothing as perfect as ice cream. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max scoop into a bizarrely niche controversy: Who actually invented the 'Ice Cream Sundae,' and why on Earth is it spelled 'Sundae,' rather than 'Sunday'? Ben here: we do figure it out, and history is super weird. Thanks for tuning in!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

2:21

Introducing: Health Stuff

Ridiculous History ·

2025/11/05

Hi, Ridiculous History listeners! We're excited to share with you a sneak peek at iHeartPodcasts' latest release, Health Stuff! Health Stuff: On Health Stuff, hosts Dr. Priyanka Wali and comedian Hari Kondabolu tackle all the health questions that keep you up at night with hilarity and humanity. Together, they demystify the flashy trends, and keep you informed on the latest research. You can rely on Health Stuff to bring you real, uninhibited, and thoughtful health talk of the highest caliber, and a

en-US

53:08

Zombies, Part Two: The Movies!

Ridiculous History ·

2025/11/04

On the shambling heels of their recent episode exploring the bizarre legendary origins of zombies, Ben, Noel and Max dive headfirst into the cinematic side of the undead: zombie movies. As they discover in today's episode, the film version of zombies or the walking dead has become increasingly distinct from the original folklore version -- and this may have been more a result of social commentary than of any single director's vision.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

36:33

CLASSIC: The American Soldiers Who Defected to North...

Ridiculous History ·

2025/11/01

In this weekend's Classic episode, Ben quizzes Max on his dreams of being a director, ultimately asking: What would the average person do to become famous? Often described as one of the most isolated countries in the world, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been ruled by the Kim dynasty since 1948. And while most reports of defectors focus on harrowing stories of North Koreans escaping to freedom in China or South Korea, a handful of people actually traveled in the other direction,

en-US

32:11

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: The Temple of...

Ridiculous History ·

2025/10/30

It's no secret that the Wonders of the Ancient World were pretty... wonderful -- yet also pretty mischaracterized. In today's episode, Ben, Noel, and Super Producer Max explore the phenonemal Temple of Artemis, which was built not once, not twice, but three separate times before it ultimately disappeared.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

50:45

That Time Everyone Loved Radium: What Could Go Wrong?

Ridiculous History ·

2025/10/28

Fellow Ridiculous Historians, we all know the inspiring and tragic story of Marie Curie -- however, not everyone is familiar with the absolute boom in radium-associated merchandise, which took the world by storm before the public understood the dangers of radiation. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into a bizarre tale of capitalism, marketing, and consequence: let's call this parable 'The Radium Era.'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

25:48

CLASSIC: How a Broken Toilet Foiled a German Sub

Ridiculous History ·

2025/10/25

Toward the end of World War II, the German Type VIIC submarine was acknowledged to be one of the most advanced -- and deadliest -- predators on the seas. Yet, in at least one case, some of the same technological breakthroughs that made these subs astonishing also led to their demise. Join the guys as they dive (get it?) into the strange story of U-1206 and the high-tech toilet that led to its doom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

63:46

CLASSIC: Creature Feature: The Dark Tetrad

Ridiculous History ·

2025/10/23

It's the weekend! Time to get outdoors, enjoy nature... and, honestly, watch out for crazy animals. Join the guys in this Classic episode as they make an appearance on Creature Feature, the podcast that takes a critter’s eye view to explore how animal behavior parallels the behavior of humans. In this episode, Katie Goldin and the guys explore the dark tetrad in the animal world, ultimately answering the age old question: Who's the most prolific serial meow-derer?See omnystudio.com/listener

en-US

38:59

CLASSIC: Gustaf Broman Tried to Cross the Atlantic in...

Ridiculous History ·

2025/10/21

Ben here: Noel and I are sailing the seas this week -- wish us luck! Luckily, our Super Producer Max is holding it down with some of our favorite Classic episodes. Here's one I especially enjoyed from 2019, all about strange ocean travels: "In 1895, Gustaf Broman announced he would sail across the Atlantic in a 13-foot-long sailboat crafted from a cedar log. His route had an odd beginning -- he planned to start at Oregon, sail down to California, then put the boat on rails and ride it up to New York

en-US

27:29

CLASSIC: The Weird, Surprisingly Recent Origin of the...

Ridiculous History ·

2025/10/18

Ben here: Noel and I are sailing the seas this week -- wish us luck! Luckily, our Super Producer Max is holding it down with some of our favorite Classic episodes. Here's one for all the kids scared of dentists: "For millions of kids in the West, the story is as mysterious as it is profitable: Once your baby teeth begin falling out, hide them beneath your pillow. Sometime in the night, the Tooth Fairy will retrieve the tooth, leaving you some cash -- perhaps spare change, perhaps as much as twenty

en-US

39:01

CLASSIC: When Vikings Loot The Wrong Town

Ridiculous History ·

2025/10/16

Ben here: we're out on the high seas this week -- true story! While we're away, we're sharing some of our favorite Classic episode. Here's one we absolutely loved, and travel-related: "Like many Viking leaders, Halfdan and Bjorn wanted to be known for their fearlessness in battle and their ability to locate the finest spoils -- they wanted the community to tell stories of their valor for generations to come. Their father Ragnar built a name for himself raiding Paris, so they wanted to kick things up

en-US

30:21

CLASSIC: Were Tulips Really The Bitcoin of the 1600s?

Ridiculous History ·

2025/10/14

In the 1600s, residents of the Dutch Republic were -- according to the story -- absolutely bonkers for tulips. A market sprang up around the tulip trade, and people began paying in advance for tulip bulbs, negotiating increasingly extravagant financial agreements and, in some cases, even using tulips as currency. This Tulipmania is often presented as the first economic boom and bust... but how accurate is that claim? What really happened? Join Ben and Noel as they separate the fact from fiction.See

en-US

55:49

CLASSIC: (Some of) History's Dumbest Military Prototypes

Ridiculous History ·

2025/10/11

As Ben and Noel hit the high seas, they're celebrating with a special week of their favorite Classics. It's true that the world's militaries often pioneer technological innovation -- but don't let all those great successes fool you! The world's militaries have at least as many failures as they do breakthroughs. Join Ben, Noel and special guest Christopher Hassiotis as they explore some of humanity's most hilarious military missteps, from round ships to rocket bullets and ball tanks.See

en-US

40:23

The Dumbest Mobster Ever Tried To Steal Ruby Slippers

Ridiculous History ·

2025/10/09

There are few pieces of film history more iconic than Dorothy's magic ruby slippers from 1939's The Wizard of Oz. Yet, at first, the studio had no idea how valuable these would become. The multiple pairs of slippers languished in obscurity until costume department worker named Kent Warner launched a mission to save them. Yet the story doesn't stop there: as Ben, Noel and Max learn in today's episode, one of history's dumbest mobsters actually stole the shoes... because he mistakenly believed they

en-US

48:25

The Ridiculously Disturbing History of North Korea

Ridiculous History ·

2025/10/07

As one of the most isolated countries on the planet, it's no surprise the Democratic People's Republic of Korea remains mysterious in the modern day. So, how did it become a thing? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the bizarre origin story of the "Hermit Kingdom," a totalitarian regime that is somehow both Communist and an absolute theocracy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

42:07

CLASSIC: The Forty Elephants: London’s All-Female...

Ridiculous History ·

2025/10/04

For at least 200 years, part of London’s criminal underground was ruled by a gang of brilliant, all-female jewel thieves. In this week's classic episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the rise and fall of the notorious Forty Elephants.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

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