What's the strangest Christmas tradition you practice? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max ring in the end of the year with an exploration of Christmas celebrations across the world -- and speculate on inventing a few of their own.

What's the strangest Christmas tradition you practice? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max ring in the end of the year with an exploration of Christmas celebrations across the world -- and speculate on inventing a few of their own.

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.

Ridiculous History

Listen to this collection of top episodes from iHeartRadio and iHeartPodcasts. 

Listen to this collection of top episodes from iHeartRadio and iHeartPodcasts.&nbsp;

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Christmas Traditions Are So Incredibly Weird!

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/104303ef-8e77-4e5f-a723-b3b5015b3cd0/transcript

While the career of rhythm-and-blues vocalist Johnny Ace was short, he left a huge mark on the music world. Up until Christmas Day of 1954, Ace seemed set to reach genuine crossover success in pop music -- until, that is, he met his untimely end during an ill-fated game of Russian Roulette. At least, that's the legend. Yet as special guest Jake Brennan, the creator of the hit podcast Disgraceland, reveals: there's much more to the story. Tune in as Jake and the gang explore a strange, disturbing Christmas mystery.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disgraceland/id1275172907
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HeA7PGBai6TQrZLOLzcEi?si=6362c868e1da4ad6

While the career of rhythm-and-blues vocalist Johnny Ace was short, he left a huge mark on the music world. Up until Christmas Day of 1954, Ace seemed set to reach genuine crossover success in pop music -- until, that is, he met his untimely end during an ill-fated game of Russian Roulette. At least, that's the legend. Yet as special guest Jake Brennan, the creator of the hit podcast Disgraceland, reveals: there's much more to the story. Tune in as Jake and the gang explore a strange, disturbing Christmas mystery.
Apple: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disgraceland/id1275172907">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disgraceland/id1275172907</a> Spotify: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2HeA7PGBai6TQrZLOLzcEi?si=6362c868e1da4ad6">https://open.spotify.com/show/2HeA7PGBai6TQrZLOLzcEi?si=6362c868e1da4ad6</a>

The Grim Christmas Folklore of Johnny Ace, with Jake Brennan

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/92b56caf-1b6a-487d-9fd3-b3b1011309b3/transcript

Ben, Noel and Max return with this week's Classic episode! Monopoly is a pretty divisive game, and people tend to either love it or hate it. However, for hundreds of Allied POWs captured during World War II, Monopoly became more than a mere diversion -- it became, instead, their ticket to freedom. Join the guys as they explore the strange sequence of events that led the UK to turn Monopoly into a real-life escape kit.

Ben, Noel and Max return with this week's Classic episode! Monopoly is a pretty divisive game, and people tend to either love it or hate it. However, for hundreds of Allied POWs captured during World War II, Monopoly became more than a mere diversion -- it became, instead, their ticket to freedom. Join the guys as they explore the strange sequence of events that led the UK to turn Monopoly into a real-life escape kit.

CLASSIC: How the Monopoly Board Game Became a World War II Escape Kit

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b25a3935-74b1-458e-9d3a-b3b100ea8884/transcript

Let's be honest. If you live in the United States, you probably think fruitcake is ridiculous. It's like the MRE of Christmas, passed around from one family to the next. But what makes it so resilient? How, out of all the cakes in the world,did fruitcake become a thing -- and why does it remain with us today?

Let's be honest. If you live in the United States, you probably think fruitcake is ridiculous. It's like the MRE of Christmas, passed around from one family to the next. But what makes it so resilient? How, out of all the cakes in the world,did fruitcake become a thing -- and why does it remain with us today?

The Deliciously Ridiculous History of Fruitcakes

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/87fba14f-5a87-4758-93ec-b38c00ee1468/transcript

Christmas Traditions Are So Incredibly Weird!

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