Ridiculous History
Ridiculous History
Playlist by Ridiculous HistoryHistory 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 p…Follow the podcast:
1,020 clip(s) in playlist
Germans, Sausages and Dachshunds: Oh, My!
From baseball games to picnics, from street vendors to haute cuisine, the humble hot dog is an American icon. But where did it come from, and how did it get so popular? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the origins of the infamous dog, how it got its name -- and why so many people have …
51:13
The Ridiculous History of Atlanta's Street Names
OK, folks: yes, Ben, Noel and Max are well aware of Atlanta's bizarre habit of naming every other street 'Peachtree' something-or-other. But did you know this city also has multiple streets with completely different names depending on the neighborhood? The boys discover the answer, which is both ri…
43:54
CLASSIC: Susanna Caroline Matilda: The Colonial Grifter Princess
In this week's Classic episode: Have you ever dreamed about shedding your old identity, casting aside your obligations and becoming an entirely different person? Susanna Caroline Matilda, narrowly escaping death after stealing from the Queen, did just that upon arriving at the American colonies. Jo…
54:50
A Samurai Walks Into The White House
History is often taught as a series of discrete, unrelated events -- and that could not be further from the truth. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore a fascinating Venn diagram of historical events... and learn that, technically, yes! A samurai could have sent something like a fax to Pre…
35:43
What is SantaCon -- and Why Do So Many People Hate it?
One thing about the United States -- we'll throw a party for anything. As a result, it's no surprise that back in 1994, a group of well-meaning pranksters in San Francisco decided to don Santa Claus costumes in a whimsical protest against capitalism. Although it was originally meant to be a one-off…
36:25
CLASSIC: History's Weirdest Flexes, Part Two
While the phrase 'weird flex' may be relatively recent, it turns out that this phenomenon is as old as human civilization. Join the guys with special guests Miles and Jack from The Daily Zeitgeist as they explore some of the strangest (and most petty) flexes in human history in the conclusion of th…
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CLASSIC: History's Weirdest Flexes, Part One
Do you know anyone who decided to show off in a weird way? While the phrase 'weird flex' may be relatively recent, it turns out that this phenomenon is as old as human civilization. Join the guys with special guests Miles and Jack from The Daily Zeitgeist as they explore some of the strangest (and …
31:02
The Bizarre Parable of New Coke, Chapter Two: A Rise. A Fall. A Conspiracy?
Back in the 1980s, Coca-Cola -- for reasons the public still can't agree on -- rolled out a controversial new formulation of their legendary, still-secret cola recipe. Public backlash in the south (and, weirdly enough, Monaco of all places) prompted a quick retraction, and a load of conspiracy theo…
44:39
CLASSIC: How Robert "The Fastest Knife In The West End" Liston Conducted A Surgery With A 300% Mortality Rate
In this week's Classic episode: It's no secret that hospitals can be intimidating, scary places -- but the medical operations of the modern day can't hold a candle to the grisly procedures of the 1800s. Back then, even some of the best surgeons still had about a one in ten chance of their patients …
29:27
The Bizarre Parable of New Coke, Chapter One: Sweeter, Stranger, Strange
Heads-up! We are extremely biased on this one. Back in the 1980s, Coca-Cola was terrified of losing the Great Soda War to Pepsi. In the depths of desperation, they futzed with the golden goose — the secret formula for one of the most popular sodas on the planet. In the first spicy sip of this two-l…
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