Ridiculous History

iHeartPodcasts

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.

  • 45 minutes 44 seconds
    CLASSIC: Philadelphia's Transylvanian Doomsday Cult: The Cave of Kelpius

    There's a nifty bit of hidden history tucked away in Philadelphia's Wissahickon Valley Park -- a cave that, legend has it, was home to a doomsday cult. In today's episode, the guys follow the strange journey of Johannes Kelpius and his followers from Europe to North America as they prepared for the end of days (first in 1694, then in 1700). Tune in to learn what motivated the group, how they influenced American history, and what happened to them after the world kept spinning in today's Classic episode.

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    22 February 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 44 minutes 44 seconds
    CLASSIC: Weird Wars Fought For Dumb Reasons

    What do a camel, a bucket and an ear all have in common? Each was, at some point, responsible for starting a war. In today's Classic episode, join Ben and Noel as they dive into true stories of weird wars fought over cartoonishly dumb things.

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    20 February 2025, 7:03 pm
  • 47 minutes 12 seconds
    CLASSIC: The FBI's Quest to Understand "Louie, Louie"

    The Kingsmen's cover of "Louie, Louie" is one of the world's most famously unintelligible songs -- and this haunted the FBI. In this episode, Ben and Noel recount the evolution of "Louie, Louie", as well as Uncle Sam's insanely thorough (and hilariously unsuccessful) attempt to figure out the song's lyrics. The guys also rack up some extra credit with their special guest Christopher Hassiotis, who introduces them to the wide, wide world of "Louie, Louie" cover songs across multiple musical genres.

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    18 February 2025, 5:35 pm
  • 43 minutes 54 seconds
    CLASSIC: The Time a Soviet Premier Was Banned From Disneyland

    At the height of the Cold War a series of debates in a model kitchen in Moscow (true story!) led Nikita Khrushchev to visit the US on a whirlwind publicity tour. The Soviet leader hobnobbed with politicians, celebrities and business tycoons, soaking up all that America had to offer, often with a few choice remarks along the way. However, there was one place he wasn't allowed to enter: Disneyland. Join Ben and Noel as they take a closer look at Khrushchev's doomed quest to meet America's most famous mouse.

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    15 February 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 38 minutes 1 second
    That Time Japan Absolutely Rinsed Russia, Part Two: The Togo Turn

    As Japan corners Russian forces in Port Arthur, the Tsar sends a new fleet of ships on a 7-month journey to break the barricade. In a stunning battle that alters the course of history, Japanese Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō executes a brilliant series of manuevers that remain some of the most thoroughly-studied maritime tactics in the entirety of naval history. In the second part of this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore how Japan absolutely waxed the great Russian Empire in a conflict that, despite its short lifespan, fundamentally altered the course of the world overall.

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    13 February 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 35 minutes 24 seconds
    That Time Japan Absolutely Rinsed Russia, Part One: The Race For Manchuria

    Two Empires. One region, in tenuous balance. While often forgotten in the modern day, the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 was a pivotal turning point in early 20th century geopolitics. On one side, the vast Russian Empire: having established control over Siberia, Nicholas II seeks to secure outlets to the Pacific. On the other side of the conflict, an expansionist Japan rushes headlong toward modernity and empire. Something has to give. In the first part of this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the massive consequences of the Russo-Japanese war, and how the consequences of this conflict resonate in the modern day. (Spoiler, neither empire bothered to ask the actual people of Manchuria for their opinion.)

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    11 February 2025, 5:40 pm
  • 33 minutes 59 seconds
    CLASSIC: Kidnapping, Binge Drinking and Costumes: Voter Fraud in the 1800s

    Allegations of U.S. voter fraud have made the rounds in recent years -- but, once upon a time, these were much more than allegations. Join the guys as they explore the massive voting fraud operations that riddled U.S. politics throughout the 19th century in this week's Classic episode.

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    8 February 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 37 minutes 10 seconds
    Victorians Got Super Weird With Flirting, Part Two: Courtship and Calling Cards

    Cast your mind back to the Victorian Era, when countless singles and would-be paramours struggled to circumvent strict social mores in the search for true love. In the second part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max continue their exploration of Victorian Era, conspiratorial methods -- especially the infamous 'acquaintance card.'

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    6 February 2025, 3:47 pm
  • 41 minutes 26 seconds
    Victorians Got Super Weird With Flirting, Part One: "Fan Fiction"

    The Victorian Era was, on the surface, a time of almost cartoonish sexual repression. Courtship was governed by rigid sets of rules and heirarchy, and even meeting a prospective partner outside of these codified steps could be considered a breach of cultural mores. So, what's a lover to do? In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the conspiratorial, ridiculous ways people flirted in the Victorian Era.

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    4 February 2025, 5:12 pm
  • 31 minutes 30 seconds
    Why did people hate the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge?

    Nowadays most people are fans of national parks, but this wasn't always the case. Join the guys as they delve into the strange "birds vs. babies" conflict over Lake Malheur.

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    1 February 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 40 minutes 38 seconds
    First Ladies Who Weren't Wives, Part One: The Niece Will Have To Do

    For more than two hundred years, the American public has elected not just a president, but a family. While the position of First Lady of the United States is not outlined in the Constitution, you literally cannot be the President without someone at your side. As a result, the position of FLOTUS wields immense, subtle power -- often in ways the public does not understand. In the first part of this continuing series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the intricate, bizarre -- dare we say, ridiculous -- stories of people who quietly saved the world while a president took credit.

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    30 January 2025, 9:40 pm
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