Love it or hate it, every American recognizes the Star-Spangled Banner. The lyrics come from a poem written by a lawyer Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814, based on his experience watching an attack of Baltimore's Fort McHenry. The story itself is pretty inspiring -- but as Ben, Noel and Max learn in today's episode... Francis Scott Key was actually kind of a jerk.

Love it or hate it, every American recognizes the Star-Spangled Banner. The lyrics come from a poem written by a lawyer Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814, based on his experience watching an attack of Baltimore's Fort McHenry. The story itself is pretty inspiring -- but as Ben, Noel and Max learn in today's episode... Francis Scott Key was actually kind of a jerk.

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;

Podcasts from iHeartRadio

Francis Scott Key was Kind of a Jerk

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/fa7ce8c6-2bae-4bcf-a95c-b4aa00ef9fdc/transcript

Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm was fascinated by all things military, but the crown jewel of his army was a group known as the Potsdam Giants -- men recruited on the basis of their height alone. If these tall boys, teens and men didn't want to sign up for the Giants, the King had no problem kidnapping them. Listen in to learn more about the strange story of the Potsdam Giants.

Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm was fascinated by all things military, but the crown jewel of his army was a group known as the Potsdam Giants -- men recruited on the basis of their height alone. If these tall boys, teens and men didn't want to sign up for the Giants, the King had no problem kidnapping them. Listen in to learn more about the strange story of the Potsdam Giants.

CLASSIC: The Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm I Tried To Make An Army of Super Tall Soldiers

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/908079f5-d5af-44ca-9d58-b4bf01364abb/transcript

In this episode, Wayne Federman joins the guys to explore the rise of legendary comedian Dick Gregory, who began life as a boundary-breaking stand-up comic. Tune in as the gang explore's Gregory's evolution, his association with Hugh Hefner, and his later calling as a full-time civil rights activist.

In this episode, Wayne Federman joins the guys to explore the rise of legendary comedian Dick Gregory, who began life as a boundary-breaking stand-up comic. Tune in as the gang explore's Gregory's evolution, his association with Hugh Hefner, and his later calling as a full-time civil rights activist.

CLASSIC: Playboy, Progressive Politics and Stand-up: The Dick Gregory Story, with Wayne Federman

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a6af8838-e029-4dbb-865d-b4ba010bfbd3/transcript

While tipping is widely accepted (and expected) in the United States today, this wasn't always the case. In the second part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel, and Max learn how scheming corporations used tipping as a way to exploit newly-freed employees... and how the anti-tipping movement became prevalent enough to end up as part of Presidential campaigns.

While tipping is widely accepted (and expected) in the United States today, this wasn't always the case. In the second part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel, and Max learn how scheming corporations used tipping as a way to exploit newly-freed employees... and how the anti-tipping movement became prevalent enough to end up as part of Presidential campaigns.

The Ridiculous Racist Origin of Tipping, Part Two: The Great Debate and Anti-tipping Crusades

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/bf8957a0-3b2a-408d-83c5-b4b900e3b923/transcript

Francis Scott Key was Kind of a Jerk

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