Ridiculous History

Well, Ridiculous Historians, as our pal Mark Twain settled into a life of literary fame, he still couldn't help himself from making huge investments in terrible ideas -- sometimes, at an enormous emotional cost to his family. In the second part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore some of Twain's most infamous bad investments, from a bizarre nutritional powder to his own boar...

Today, Mark Twain is widely thought of as one of America's greatest authors -- but he was also, get this, a terrible investor. Inspired by his father's unfailing (and unsuccessful) efforts to become a business tycoon, Twain spent loads of time and money backing inventions that either didn't work... or were outright scams. In part one of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore how T...

The Day of the Dead is a longstanding traditional celebration in Mexico, and currently hundreds of thousands of people associate it with a gigantic parade -- you know, like the one they saw in the James Bond film "Spectre". There's just one strange twist about that parade: before the movie, the procession didn't exist. Join Ben and Noel as they trace the weird evolution of this event from fiction...

As the karaoke phenomenon became a global pastime, it likewise transformed to adapt to cultures outside of Japan. In the second part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the expansion of karaoke as both technology and culture as well as the troubling ethical nature of AI, arriving their own interpretations along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nowadays most people are at least generally familiar with the concept of karaoke -- technology allows you to sing along with your favorite songs, often to the delight of your friends and fellow amateur vocalists. It's a global phenomenon, and has created countless karaoke-based communities wherein, if only for a moment, anyone can be a star. In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and...

It's become one of the strangest anecdotes in modern American history -- numerous sources will swear to you that, in a last-minute panic before reaching customs, legendary musician Louis Armstrong had Richard Nixon's unwitting assistance smuggling a hefty amount of marijuana through US customs. It's bizarre (and pretty hilarious) if true... but how true is it? Tune in as the guys get to the bottom...

Let's be honest: when many Americans think of Nebraska, we immediately think of corn. Yet there's much more to the Cornhusker State than a single crop. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into several ridiculous bits of Nebraska history, from an epic barn move to the surprising, silly origin story of how Lincoln, Nebraska ended up with its name. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

Alcatraz! For a lot of us, this former island prison occupies an iconic space in the American zeitgeist. It's been home to some of the country's most notorious criminals, and has been the inspiration for tons of top-notch works of fiction and cinema. Yet in today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max learn this supposedly-impenetrable place was not once, but multiple times invaded and occupied by Native Am...

Progress versus preservation: It's one of the eternal dilemmas found throughout every instance of human civilization. Should we embrace disruptive thoughts and science that challenges our beliefs, or should we cling to the comfort of the status quo? Join Ben and Noel in this week's Classic episode as they explore the tragic and inspiring stories of books that were banned not for racy, fictional sc...

Today pasta is a worldwide phenomena, and the story of pasta's spread is, in a very real way, also a study of global trade and civilization. Tune in to part two of this week's two-part series as Ben, Noel and Max explore the continuing evolution of pasta. (Spoiler: people are still inventing new shapes!) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pasta is amazing. But where does the concept come from? In part one of this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max delve into the origin of a simple series of ingredients -- and discover there's a lot more to the story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's often been said that "the art of losing isn't hard to master", and humanity overall seems to have a knack for losing everything from car keys to entire civilizations. Join Ben and Noel as they travel (vicariously) to South America and delve into the story of two nations who, eventually, lost an entire waterfall in this week's Classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

Have you ever had a good idea -- like, a brilliant idea? If so, you may have immediately started trying to figure out the cartoonishly complicated, labyrinthine world of patents. In today's episode, the guys dive into the strange history of the concept and process of patents. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christina wasn't your average monarch of her day -- while many rulers sought to subjugate and terrorize their kingdoms, she sought to acquire knowledge, and to empower the public with information. Often called the "Minerva of the North," this ruler skillfully navigated treacherous geopolitical waters while also seeking to establish Stockholm as an international center of intellectual and philosoph...

It's a grisly death familiar to many fans of fiction and fantasy -- a hapless, greedy villain meets their end by having molten metal, often lead or gold, poured upon them or down their throats. But was this morbid means of execution ever used in real life? Join the guys as they dive into the deadly science of real-life murder by molten gold in this week's Classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listen...

What made drive-in theatres so iconic? What led to their demise? In the second part of this week's two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max investigate the rise and fall of the old-school drive-in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever visited a drive-in theatre? These fascinating outfits are increasingly rare in 2024, but not too long ago they were all the rage. In the first part of this week's two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the origin story of the iconic drive-in cinema. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First things first: You may think Kentucky Fried Chicken is popular in the States, but we've got nothing on Japan. Join the guys as they delve into a story involving baseball, fried chicken, superstition, curses and drunken revelry in today's episode on the Hanshin Tigers and the infamous Curse of the Colonel in today's Classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now that we know the origin of last meals, it's time to dive into the reality of this somewhat disturbing practice. In the second part of this special two-part episode, Ben and Noel don't just walk explore the final suppers of criminals, presidents, and celebrities -- they also give you the inside scoop on some of your favorite podcasters' last meals. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

It's a classic trope of crime stories and folklore across the planet: a criminal due for execution is granted one last meal as a send-off to the afterlife. But where exactly does this strange practice come from? The Biblical Last Supper is by far the most famous example of a last meal in the Western world -- but, as Ben and Noel learn in this special two-part episode, this is far from the first ex...

Nowadays airships are seen as historical relics or novelties meant to fly overhead during sports games. However, not so long ago, the US military thought airships might be the future of warfare. Today the guys delve into the strange history of the USS Akron, an airship designed not just to carry human beings -- but to carry planes as well. Learn more about the construction of the Akron -- and why...

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is one of the most storied institutions of its kind in the United States, and it's chockful of priceless objects from across the span of history and the globe. However... investigators recently discovered a grisly secret hidden within one of the dioramas. Join Ben and Noel as they explore the macabre secret of the Carnegie Museum in today's Classic episode. S...

Simeon Ellerton spent years building a house out of stones he found and carried home, one by one. Rejected by his one true love, Edward Leeskalnin spent decades erecting a bizarre monument for her, built of giant coral stones in Florida. But what exactly motivated these guys? How did they stick with their strange obsessions, and what mysteries surround them in the modern day? Tune in to learn more...

Today the United States Military Academy at West Point is known as one the country's top-notch training institutions, but back in 1826 it was home to a night of pure egg-nog-fueled pandemonium. Join Ben and Noel as they retrace the drunken, crazed steps of cooped-up cadets who decided to fight the power one Christmas in today's Classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you a millionaire, billionaire or aristocrat too busy to manage the day-to-day affairs of palatial estate? If so, you may have already secured the last word in personal service: the butler. In today's episode, inspired by strange memories of the sitcom Mr. Belvedere, Ben, Noel and Max explore the real history of butlerdom, from supervising jugs of booze all the way to the bespoke managerial se...