Ridiculous History

When President Warren G Harding passed away abruptly while in office, his Vice President Calvin Coolidge assumed in the role of Commander in Chief. Today, he's not as well-known as other US Presidents like Lincoln or Washington -- yet his history remains fascinating and unique. Tune in as the guys explore the strange story of the man sometimes known as "Silent Cal." See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Nowadays it feels like everyone has a baseball cap at home... even though most of the folks wearing them do not, in fact, play baseball. So how did this one type of hat become so ubiquitous -- not just in the US, but the rest of the world? To answer the question, Ben, Noel and Max travel back to the early (hatless) days of baseball, following its evolution to the modern day. See omnystudio.com/lis...

Have you ever looked at a childhood photo of a noted historical dude and thought -- huh, why did his folks put him in a dress? If so, you're seeing evidence of a strange parenting practice of yesteryear... the phenomenon known as breeching. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore how awarding a boy his first pair of pants became a rite of passage in Western society, and why it seems so stran...

Located in southern Riverside and northern Imperial counties, the Salton Sea is California's largest lake. Although large seas have cyclically formed and dried over historic time due to natural flooding from the Colorado River, the current sea formed as the result of an accident during canal construction. And, ever since that moment, humans have been trying to figure out what to do next. See omnys...

The average American may not hear much about James K Polk in school today, but during his time in office the 11th U.S. President was responsible for a number of tremendously significant policy movements. Today he and his wife are interred in the Tennessee State Capitol... but this was neither their first resting place nor, if certain lawmakers succeed, their last. So: Why do people keep digging up...

During the height of the Cold War, both the US and the USSR constantly ran drills in anticipation of a possible nuclear conflict. While the Gregg family of Mars Bluff, South Carolina knew the Cold War was in full swing, they had no idea that they would become the first American family bombed -- accidentally -- by the US Air Force. Ben and Noel explore one of the most bizarre atomic slip-ups in Ame...

Once humans nailed down the spicy art of carbonation, they went absolutely bonkers with flavors and gimmicks. While Coca-Cola and Pepsi may be the world's most famous sodas, hundreds of other drinks came and went -- some with a bang of success, and others falling as flat as a day-old Josta. In part two of this series, Ben, Noel and Max continue their exploration of soda pop history along with shou...

There's nothing quite like the fizzy kick of soda -- since ancient times, cabonation beverages have always delighted and fascinated humanity... even though soda certainly isn't the healthies drink. In the first part of this two-part episode, Ben kicks soda as he, Noel and Max dive into the history of these amazing drinks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the Rubik's Cube become a global phenomenon? Where exactly is Waldo? In part one of this series, legendary author and podcaster AJ Jacobs regales the gang with the wide world of Puzzlers, from early human history to the modern day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Ben, Noel and Max welcome special guest, the legendary author AJ Jacobs, to explore the world's strangest historical puzzle crazes. In part one of this two-part series, AJ regales the gang with the moral panic surrounding early crosswords, armchair treasure hunts and much more. Spoiler: you can hear Ben and Noel on AJ's own show, The Puzzler. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

As the western world gears up for its biggest holiday, the guys dive into the strange story of Krampus: a pre-Christian, pagan entity that somehow not only survived the arrival of Christianity -- but thrived, first as a side character in Central European holiday celebrations, then went global as more and more people enjoyed exploring 'the dark side' of Christmas. Spoiler: capitalism loves a franch...

Media pundits love to say America is 'divided as never before' -- but how true is that? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into multiple Congressional debacles, from that time a civil war almost happened (before the actual civil war) to that time one guy literally assaulted another dude with a cane, and much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human history is absolutely riddled with cases of one person making a magnificent discovery -- only to be punished by the society in which they reside. In part two of this sadly continual series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the story of the legendary Alan Turing, who turned the tide of WWII... and was subsequently targeted, persecuted and betrayed by the United Kingdom. See omnystudio.com/listener f...

History is riddled with oddly-named diseases -- rickets, scurvy, brain fever and more. But where do these names come from? In the second part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the etymology of these strange and dangerous maladies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

History is riddled with oddly-named diseases -- rickets, scurvy, brain fever and more. But where do these names come from? In the first part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the etymology of these strange and dangerous maladies... starting with dropsy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Joyce is, without question, one of the most famous authors in the English language. Millions of readers have enjoyed (and sometimes struggled with) his groundbreaking novels and short stories. However... that's not all Joyce wrote. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore some of Joyce's personal correspondence, which reaches levels of depravity that make the racy scenes of Ulysses pale...

It's Thanksgiving in the United States -- and Thanksgiving is weird! In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore some of the big questions about Thanksgiving: How did the parade become a thing? Why do the Cowboys and the Lions always play? How on Earth did turkey become the traditional main dish? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's no secret that politics can often have a dark side -- smoky backrooms, corruption and graft have always had their place in American history. And, amid all the corruption, few institutions are as infamous as Tammany Hall. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the origin, growth, and ultimate collapse of this thoroughly American, thoroughly corrupt, and thoroughly ridiculous political...

As the railroads tried and failed to control flooding in the Salton Sink, state and federal leaders realized America needed a bigger solution. With the Great Depression in full swing, workers from across the country traveled to Vegas in hopes of working on the Hoover Dam. In the second part of this week's two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the construction of this modern marvel -- and bus...

The next time you're in Vegas, rent a car and spend a day at the Hoover Dam. This towering, larger-than-life marvel of human engineering has fundamentally shaped the United States. But building it was far from easy. In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max recount the guys' adventure exploring the Dam in person... and the sheer, ridiculous audacity of the thing. See omnystudio....

Honey is popular around the world, and for good reason. This addictively sweet substance is a common ingredient in hundreds of recipes, and people historically believe it has medicinal properties in addition to, well, being delicious! But in certain areas of the world honey is much more than a sweet ingredient -- it's a disturbingly effective weapon of war. In today's classic episode, the gang rev...

"For such a popular, well-known language, English is full of strange, seemingly arbitrary rules. Most people just accept these various idiosyncrasies... but Benjamin Franklin was not most people. In today's classic, listen as Ben and Noel explore Franklin's strange quest to revise the English language by cutting out old letters (and inventing new ones)." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

Nowadays Christmas is a globally-recognized holiday celebrated by millions of people, but in the past this wasn't the case. In fact, some groups of Christians detested the holiday, going so far as to ban it completely. So what led Puritans to ban one of the most prominent celebrations in the Christian faith? In today's classic episode, the gang revisits the breakaway Christians that genuinely foun...

Every year at the end of October, countless children (and adults) don costumes and head into the night, going door to door with the same ritual cry: Trick or Treat! But where did this odd practice come from? In today's special Halloween episode, the guys explore the ancient predecessors of this tradition... as well as the more extreme versions, where there's way more emphasis on tricks than on tre...

Ben, Noel and super producer Casey Pegram dive back into the weeds of the surprisingly ancient (and ridiculous) art of trimming flora into bizarre and elaborate shapes. It’s a practice that had a habit of falling in and out of fashion depending on the whims of whoever was in power. Were topiaries simply an elaborate flex for the super rich or something that could be appreciated by everyone? Or may...