Ridiculous History

While San Marino may not make many international headlines, this micronation has one of the most fascinating origin stories in all of Europe. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore how a formerly rural area just about 6 miles from Rimini became a home for a stonemason hoping to get away from it all.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the toy car industry exploded, new companies entered the market -- but the Matchbox/Hot Wheels rivalry remained front and center for collectors and distributors alike. In the second part of this special two-part episode, we explore what happened to all those old toy car companies... and why you should always (always!) hold on to your old toys.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Remember toy cars? Ben, Noel and Max investigate the surprisingly weird evolution of old-school, die-cast car models from their origins to the modern day, ultimately asking what happened to the fad. Bonus points for everyone taking a Matchbox or Hot Wheels toy and vrooming-vrooming around as we explore this one.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Continuing our grand tradition of being a bit late to things, we celebrate Mother's Day with an exploration of the multiple women -- activists, poets, and heroes -- responsible for creating a tradition that continues across the world in the modern day. Bonus points if you call your Mom right after listening.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From serif to san, from kerning to Krueger, it turns out people have some pretty extreme opinions about fonts. In part two of this special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the nature of print. Papyrus, New Times Roman, Wingdings -- if you can name a font, it turns out there's a story behind it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While many people outside of graphic design may not think about fonts in a conscious manner, it turns out the way a word is depicted can have a huge impact on how you process the information. In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the origins of some of the world's-least favorite fonts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the old saying goes, it's good to be king -- unfortunately, it can also be pretty dangerous. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore strange royal deaths, from a mysterious accident/assassination to a fatal chair, a drunken boat ride and more.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the ridiculous aftermath of their series on music samples, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the scrumptious, weird history of everything from free samples in grocery stores to the bizarre evolution of freebies in general. Strap in, Ridiculous Historians: it's much weirder than you think.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when your favorite artist uses a sample in their own work? Are they merely inspired, or are they stealing? In the second part of this special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the -- wait for it -- ridiculously complicated legalities surrounding the science and art of sampling in the modern day.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the world of music, sampling is somewhere between an art and a science. In this week's special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the strange, fascinating evolution of sampling, from the early days of cutting physical tape to the dawn of hiphop and more. (Spoiler, we also spend some time talking about our recent Monster Jam adventure.)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even if you're not a fan of cars or racing, you've heard of monster trucks -- they're the huge, modded vehicles famous for committing acts of wanton destruction in arenas and stadiums across the United States. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into their strange origin story... along with the rivalries that ensued offstage.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the epic parade to the krewes and flambeaux, Mardi Gras is a celebration chock-full of tradition -- and these traditions include some pretty amazing desserts. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the most ridiculous Mardi Gras desserts (spoiler: it goes way past king cake).

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Matsuzo Kosuge struggled to keep his business afloat amid the chaos of war, he became incredibly inventive, using cast-off beer and soup cans as raw materials and setting up shop in abandoned cattle sheds. In the second part of this two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the rise of Japanese toys.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When most of us think of toys, we fondly recall moments from childhood, or think of toys we gifted to loved ones over the years. Yet toys are a serious, big business -- and, more than once, they played a vital role in Japan's postwar economy. In part one of this week's special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the amazing story of master toymaker Matsuzo Kosuge.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The iconic ice cream truck holds a special place in American culture -- but where did they come from? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive deep into the waffle cone of ice cream history for the scoop on one of the world's most successful street food industries. (We also don't actually get to waffle cones, but that's a story for another day.)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.