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.
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...
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...
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, leavi...
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 bui...
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 ha...
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...
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 mobste...
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.
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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.
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Human history is absolutely riddled with ridiculous inventions. Some are cartoonishly specific. Others, like the disco ball, serve no purpose other than amusement -- and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the dazzling (get it?) history of the 'myriad reflector.'
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As summer turns and fall begins, Ridiculous History officially enters the most wonderful time of the year. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the legend of a specific kind of 'living dead' -- the zombie. According to the stories, a zombie is a cadaver reanimated through evil magic, and cursed to obey the commands of a powerful bokor (sorceror). Yet is this only a tall tale? Or, just maybe... is there a grain of truth t...
During Europe's period of witchcraft hysteria, one enterprising (and failed) witch hunter sought to bolster his reputation by creating an authoritative text on the existence, discovery and persecution of witches. While it may seem silly now, the Malleus Maleficarum was a runaway success, with thousands of copies inundating European society even while various officials warned against treating it as a reliable source. Join Ben, Noel ...
We’ve all been there, right? You wake up one day, and you say: “You know what? Forget work! It’s so nice outside. I want to put on a fancy hat, watch a bunch of horses run around in a circle, and gamble. Like they do in Europe.” In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max learn how the volatile, ambitious Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. created a little something called the Kentucky Derby.
The 1990s were a time of chaos, aspiration, and, above all, ridiculous things. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max welcome returning guest Ross Benes, the author of 1999, for an in-depth exploration of talk shows, crime, transformative media and pop culture forensics. (Ben here: of course we get to films, video games and Juggalos.)
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In 1814, a poor neighborhood in London fell victim to a strange, tragic and boozy disaster -- this calamity would eventually leave eight people dead. So what exactly happened? How could an entire neighborhood flood with a deadly deluge of beer? Join Ben, Noel and Max for a bizarre bit of boozy history in this week's Classic episode.
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As one of the most iconic games in all of arcade history, Pac Man is recognized across the planet. But how did it get here -- and why are there so many in-depth fan theories about what it means? Is Pac Man a Sisyphean immortal cursed with endless toil? Is he underwater, stealing errant Pong balls? Is he himself a ghost, or on drugs? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max unravel the bizarre, inspiring origin story of one of history'...
With nearly one thousand episodes out in the world over the years, Ben, Noel and Max realized they've never asked about the origin of the word "ridiculous." In this rollicking, cartoonishly meta episode, the gang learns the history of this specific word -- and why, since before the dawn of recorded history, humans have always been all about a good joke. (And, of course, terrible jokes as well.)
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What are your favorite children's books? In this Classic episode, Ben and the gang acknowledge Dr. Seuss is one of the most well-known writers on the planet. "Green Eggs and Ham", one of his most successful books, sold over 8 million copies by 2016 -- but would you believe he wrote it based entirely on a bet?
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As Axis powers swarm across Europe in the lead-up to D-Day, a small group of scientists refuse to leave their lab, throwing a fair amount of modern ethics out the window (or the sub, if you like) as they race to complete vital experiments in hyperbaric chambers -- the results of which may just change the course of the war. Tune in for part two of this special two-part series, featuring returning guest Dr. Rachel "Big Spinach" Lance...
Years after their initial conversation with the world's foremost expert on underwater explosions, Ben still sings the praises of Dr. Rachel "Big Spinach" Lance. In the first part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max welcome Dr. Lance back to learn more about the phenomenal -- and, frankly, inspiring -- story of a ragtag crew of rogue scientists who saved submarines ... and, in doing so, saved the Allies during D-Day.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.