Ridiculous History

The Story of Claudette Colvin, with Nimene Wureh

31 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While most people today already know the inspiring story of Rosa Parks and her pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Riots, a lot of folks still don't kn...

CLASSIC: How did Fido become the default name for dogs?

28 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you're like most English speakers, the first thing you think of when you hear the name "Fido" is, of course, a dog. But why? Join Ben and Noel as t...

Whatever Happened to Mac Tonight?

26 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the great pantheon of fast food mascots, one iconic figure stands separate from the rest: a crooning, crescent moon-faced musician named Mac Tonigh...

The First Recorded Christmas Was The Latest Birthday Party Ever

24 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whether or not you yourself celebrate Christmas, there's no denying it's one of the world's most well'known holidays -- in fact, this commemoration of...

CLASSIC: Dock Ellis and the Legend of the LSD No-hitter

21 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Almost 48 years ago, Pirates pitcher and notorious party animal Dock Ellis pitched a no-hitter while under the influence of LSD. How did this man acco...

Whoops! All Quizster, Part Two: A Ridiculous History of HowStuffWorks

19 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Still reeling from a tragic loss in the greatest of games, Ben, Noel and Max square off with Jonathan Strickland AKA The Quizster in one last battle o...

Whoops! All Quizster, Part One: The Gang Reunites

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After going off the grid for the better part of a year, Jonathan Strickland AKA The Quizster returns at the end of 2024, with several bones to pick. A...

CLASSIC: Maryland’s State Song was a Diss Track

14 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On the first listen, Maryland's old state song sounds pretty innocuous. There's the usual lauding of the state, a refrain based on "O Tannenbaum" and ...

How The (English) Alphabet Became A Thing, Part Two: Each Letter Has A Story

12 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How did the English alphabet -- a strange agglomeration of curved and straight-lined symbols -- become a thing? In the second part of this special two...

Big Parma

11 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Stuffed crust pizza. Grilled cheese burritos. How did so much cheese get into so many things? On today's episode, we peel back the curtain on the Dair...

How The (English) Alphabet Became A Thing, Part One: Writing Stuff Down Is A Bonkers Idea

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Let's be honest: the concept of writing stuff down is both brilliant and insane. Right now, all around the world, countless people are scrawling or ty...

CLASSIC: The Story of Max, South Africa's Famous, Crime-fighting Gorilla

07 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When confronted with a home invasion, Max the gorilla brought international fame to the Johannesburg Zoo and briefly became the city's most famous cri...

History's Famous Mistranslations, Part Two: Life on Mars, the Cold War, and FARTFULL

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Did a mistranslation lead to theories of life on Mars? What exactly was Khrsuschev trying to say at that big U.N. meeting? Language is amazing -- and ...

Neckties are Utterly Ridiculous

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's easy to look at history and think one idea or another is ridiculous -- but we also have to remember modern civilization has its own vast collecti...

CLASSIC: How Santa Anna Lost His Leg Twice, and Held a Funeral for It

30 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Often called "The Napoleon of the West", mainly by himself, Santa Anna was a legendary, larger-than-life politician, general and exile. While hundreds...

The History of the Super Bowl Halftime Show, Part Two: A World-Class Show

28 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What began with marching bands all those decades ago has evolved past all expectations - and even if you don't particularly follow football, you'll pr...

The History of the Super Bowl Halftime Show, Part One: From Marching Bands to Celebrities

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whether or not you consider yourself a die-hard football fan, you've almost certainly watched a halftime show. Over the past few decades, these perfor...

CLASSIC: That Time Chewbacca Needed Bodyguards

23 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Inarguably the most well-known Wookie in the Star Wars universe, Chewbacca also bears a strong resemblance to another popular creature in American cul...

How Emergency Call Lines Became A Thing

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In most of the modern world, the average person has an astonishing resource for any disastrous situation: you find a phone, then dial 3 numbers to be ...

Are the Vikings to Blame for Cats?

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

House cats are astonishing, fascinating, and at-times frustrating little creatures -- yet they've made a comfortable home with humans, spreading in st...

CLASSIC: Napoleon Bonaparte Was Attacked by Bunnies -- And Lost

16 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Born in Corsica, Napoleon Bonaparte rose from obscurity during the French Revolution, crowning himself Emperor of France in 1804. This brilliant, ruth...

The Most Ridiculous Weather of Baseball

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We've been going through a bit of a sports phase here on Ridiculous History, and of course we can't talk sports without talking baseball. In today's e...

Bhutan Grades Itself On Happiness

12 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Most people never get the chance to travel to Bhutan. Nestled high in the Himalayan mountains, this ancient kingdom is unique on multiple levels. It's...

CLASSIC: California Was Named for a Fictional Island Ruled by a Black Amazon Queen

09 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

California was admitted to the United States as the 31st state in 1850, but it acquired its unique name much, much earlier. Join Ben and Noel as they ...

The World's Weirdest Sports, Part Two: Literal Murderball

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

OK, imagine this: you've been captured by a neighboring civilization, hauled off to an unfamiliar city, and your captors tell you: "Hold up, we're not...

The World's Weirdest Sports, Part One: Buzkashī is Where You Fight Over A Dead Goat

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Regardless of everyone's differences in this wide, wide world, it's safe to say every culture loves some kind of sport. Often these sports can seem st...

CLASSIC: Ancient Mayan Ritual Alcohol Enemas

02 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Like many ancient cultures, the civilizations of Mesoamerica had a vast and rich history of unique cultural practices, spiritual beliefs and ceremonie...

One Guy Was So Good At Violin That People Thought He Worshipped Satan

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There's no denying Niccolò Paganini was a virtuoso -- in his heyday, this violinist was an international rock star, wowing crowds across Europe with ...

Credit Scores are Absolutely Ridiculous

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In theory, the concept of credit scores is simple, and makes a lot of sense: lenders need to know they can trust someone to pay back their debts, and ...

CLASSIC: That Time Vermont Was an Independent Republic

26 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today Vermont is known for its progressive politics, beautiful forestry, Bernie Sanders and Ben and Jerry's. It's not a state you'll hear much about o...

Spontaneous Generation, Part Two: "Broth Science"

24 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who could have guessed a series of broth experiments revolutionized humanity's understanding of life? Spoiler, not us. In part two of this week's two ...

Spontaneous Generation, Part One: Mice and Grain

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today the idea sounds silly. Why would anyone think nonliving substances can suddenly generate living things? Yet for much of human history, the conce...

CLASSIC: The Capture of Guam Was Bloodless and Quick, All Due to a Misunderstanding

19 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Located about 1500 miles to the east of the Phillipines in Micronesia, Guam is a small US territory with a tiny population, beautiful beaches and an i...

Ridiculous Royal Deaths, Part 5: A Blind and Bloody Finale (For Now)

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whether we're talking mysterious nosebleeds, drowning in full armor, or charging literally blind into battle, history is chock-full of ridiculous roya...

Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart was Darn Near Unkillable

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Born to an aristocratic Belgian family, Adrian Carton de Wiart could have lived the easy life, with a plum job in government or law. Instead, however,...

CLASSIC: Are All US Presidents Actually Related?

12 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In 2012 a student in Salinas, California, startled genealogists when she claimed that all Presidents save one were actually related. Could it be true?...

Post-Presidential Careers, Part Two: Adams, Taft, And More

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

George W. Bush is super into painting. Barak Obama loves making playlists. Taft decided to join the Supreme Court. In the part two of this week's two-...

Post-Presidential Careers, Part One: Happy Birthday, Jimmy!

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Over here in the US, there's one dream job so exclusive that only 45 people have held it so far: President of the United States of America, not to be ...

CLASSIC: What's the deal with two-dollar bills?

05 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Despite being pretty rare in comparison to other denominations, the U.S. two-dollar bill is one of the most storied notes in American folklore. So why...

Mark Twain Was a Terrible Investor, Part Two: Typesetters, Steam Pulleys and Tesla

03 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 i...

Mark Twain Was a Terrible Investor, Part One: The Legend of "Josh"

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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'...

CLASSIC: How James Bond Created a Mexican Dia de los Muertos Tradition

28 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Day of the Dead is a longstanding traditional celebration in Mexico, and currently hundreds of thousands of people associate it with a gigantic pa...

What is Karaoke? Part Two: Going Global; Careful What You Sing

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

What is Karaoke? Part One: An Origin Story

24 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays most people are at least generally familiar with the concept of karaoke -- technology allows you to sing along with your favorite songs, ofte...

CLASSIC: Did Richard Nixon Unwittingly Smuggle Drugs for Louis Armstrong?

21 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 reachi...

The Nebraska Episode

19 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Occupy Alcatraz!

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

CLASSIC: 3 Times Society Refused to Accept New Books on Science

14 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Progress versus preservation: It's one of the eternal dilemmas found throughout every instance of human civilization. Should we embrace disruptive tho...

The Ridiculous, Murky Origins of Pasta, Part Two: From Myth to the Modern Day

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

The Ridiculous, Murky Origins of Pasta, Part One: Basic Ingredients, Delicious Results

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 simpl...

CLASSIC: That Time We Erased a (HUGE) Waterfall

07 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Patents Are Absolutely Bonkers: An Origin Story

05 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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, la...

That Time a Swedish Queen Became So Enlightened, She Quit Being the Queen

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Christina wasn't your average monarch of her day -- while many rulers sought to subjugate and terrorize their kingdoms, she sought to acquire knowledg...

CLASSIC: The Poetic Justice of Death by Molten Gold

31 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 go...

You Auto-go to the Drive-in, Part Two: Driving In and Out of History

29 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

You Auto-go to the Drive-in, Part One: Cars Meet Cinema

27 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

CLASSIC: Japan, Baseball and the Curse of the Colonel

24 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The Disturbing History of Last Meals, Part Two: Famous Final Snacks

22 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The Disturbing History of Last Meals, Part One: A Creepy Origin Story

20 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 after...

CLASSIC: That Time the US Built a Flying Aircraft Carrier

17 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays airships are seen as historical relics or novelties meant to fly overhead during sports games. However, not so long ago, the US military thou...

CLASSIC: Yes, Those are Corpses in the Diorama

15 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 object...

CLASSIC: Weird People Who Built Weird Things

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 spe...

CLASSIC: What was the West Point Eggnog Riot?

10 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The Noble -- and Kind of Ridiculous -- History of Butlers

08 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

CLASSIC: Lyndon Johnson Chatted on the Phone More than a Teenager

06 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The 36th President of the United States is often recalled as a complex, flawed individual responsible for profoundly important legislation. However, h...

The Founding of the Smithsonian, Part Two: James Gives America a Fortune -- and a Mission

01 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There's no way around it: James Smithson had a tough life. Yet his unhappiness may, in an indirect way, be the prime reason the Smithsonian Institute ...

The Founding of the Smithsonian, Part One: The Remains of the James

30 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex -- but how did it get here? Join Ben, Noel and Max as they ...

CLASSIC: Arsenic: The Assassin's Dream Weapon

27 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For centuries people from all walks of life sought to eliminate friends, strangers and enemies using the devious, subtle poison known as arsenic. Arse...

The Orphan Train: That Time the US Auctioned Children Via Rail

25 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New York was a pretty terrible place in the late 1800s. The population was riddled with disease, crime, and terror -- things were especially bad for t...

20 Questions: A Ridiculous Crossover, Part Two

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Long-time listeners will know Ben, Noel and Max are big fans of their peer podcast, Ridiculous Crime -- but what happens when the guys join forces wit...

CLASSIC: The Killer Marketing Campaign Behind Guy Fawkes

20 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays people across the planet are familiar with the story of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. People even celebrate the anniversary of the event...

CLASSIC: When Ancient India Beat Machiavelli to the Punch

18 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Commonly regarded as one of humanity's premiere works on the art of pursuing and securing power, Niccolò Machiavelli's book "The Prince" has become s...

The Preposterous History of Artificial Flavors, Part Two: Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing

16 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What makes a flavor "artificial," exactly? Why doesn't banana candy taste like bananas in the grocery store? What on Earth is the flavor behind "Juicy...

CLASSIC: The Rise of Harvey Wiley's Poison Squad

13 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays U.S. grocery shoppers can be reasonably certain that the foods they purchase are safe (if not healthy). Yet this wasn't always the case. In t...

The Preposterous History of Artificial Flavors, Part One: The Vanilla Problem

11 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For most of human history, people were locked in a continual struggle to find food and avoid starvation. Eating for pleasure wasn't really a thing the...

"Right on," Said the Pope: How the Swiss Guard became the Elite Protectors of the Vatican

09 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

At first glance, the Vatican's security service makes no sense. The Swiss Guard is an elite force from, well, Switzerland. So what the heck are these ...

CLASSIC: Step Aside, James Bond: The Strange Stories of Espionage Animals

06 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that espionage and spycraft are common tools in the murky realm of geopolitics -- but not every spy is some sort of James Bond type cha...

Ottoman Harems Were Disturbing and Ridiculous, Part Two: A Real-life Game of Thrones

04 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Behind the heavily-guarded walls of the palace, the Ottoman Empire's harem was a world all its own. In the second part of this special two-part episod...

Ottoman Harems Were Disturbing and Ridiculous, Part One: Busting Myths

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For centuries, westerners devoured lurid, embellished stories about the mysteries of Near Eastern culture -- and, chief amid their fascinations, the i...

CLASSIC: How Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Influenced Star Trek

29 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Star Trek is one of the world's most well-known sci-fi franchises, spanning decades in film, TV, books, games and more. While it's had its fair share ...

Popeye Changed America, Part Two: Popeye Ain't Perfect

27 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As Popeye's popularity continued to skyrocket through the Great Depression and the second World War, his pantheon of related characters only grew. And...

Popeye Changed America, Part One: A Breakout Star

25 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays Popeye the Sailor Man is a world-famous icon, represented in almost any form of media you can imagine. Yet this wasn't always the case. In pa...

CLASSIC: What was the 'Great Stink' of London?

23 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Every city has its drawbacks -- parking, for example, or crime, or the price of a decent pizza slice -- but in the 1800s London faced a particularly u...

The Constitution is Amazing (and Ridiculous), Part Two: The Game of Amendments

20 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The founders of the United States knew the Constitution wasn't perfect, and so they baked in a process for revising their original document. Today, th...

The Constitution is Amazing (and Ridiculous), Part One: A Troubled, Ambitious Origin Story

18 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Something like 60% of Americans have never fully read the US Constitution. How did such a short document become one of the most important pieces of wr...

CLASSIC: How Farmers Built A Barbed Wire Phone Network

15 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays smartphones are an ubiquitous part of many civilizations, but not so long ago telephones of any sort were a rare commodity -- and the infrast...

Ridiculous Video Game Tie-ins, Part Two: The Olympics and the Great Game of Chex Quest

13 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine grabbing a box of (at best) mid cereal, only to discover the greatest game, free withing the box. Imagine making an entire game based on an of...

Ridiculous Video Game Tie-ins, Part One: The Rise of Cool Spot -- and Fall of the Noid

11 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cast your memories back to the strange days of the 1980s and 1990s -- boy howdy, things were weird. At some point, marketing executives the world roun...

CLASSIC: The Strange Story of Canadian Margarine Bootleggers

08 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

True story: once upon a time, both Canada and the United States once had bizarre laws banning the production or importation of margarine -- and prohib...

Malta: Tiny and Amazing, Just Like The Dog

06 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How did this tiny, strategically crucial archipelago change the course of World War II? Join Ben, Noel and Max as they explore the deep -- at times, r...

The Ridiculous History of Credit Cards

04 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When you think about it, credit cards are a pretty fascinating idea -- they're convenient, ubiquitous and, often, predatory. In today's episode, Ben, ...

CLASSIC: San Francisco's Egg War

01 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How much would you pay for an egg? Would you kill for one? In today's classic episode, join the guys as they explore the strange story of the Gold Rus...

Introducing: Sixteenth Minute (of Fame)

01 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hi Ridiculous History Fans! Take a listen to the trailer of our newest show Sixteenth Minute (of Fame) About the show: Sixteenth Minute (of Fame) is a...

Skyscrapers, Part Two: An Arms Race to the Sky

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Once society became convinced that you could build skyscrapers without them immediately collapsing, cities across the United States -- and, soon the w...

Skyscrapers, Part One: A Guy and a Birdcage

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Skyscrapers are beautiful -- and utterly ridiculous. In the first part of this two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max learn how modern skyscrapers were l...

CLASSIC: The Wild West Was Actually Pretty Chill

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you're like most people, the phrase "Wild West" conjures images of brutal gunfights in dusty, tumbleweed-ridden streets, visions of criminals slink...

On Theme, Part Two: The Cyclical Evolution of Music

23 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As Ernest Hogan reaches new heights of success, critics turn against ragtime and "coon songs," prompting a larger conversation about the cyclical natu...

On Theme, Part One: Ernest Hogan's Success and Regret

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today the world agrees minstrel shows were horrific, weaponized stereotypes meant to dehumanize people. But not too long ago, minstrel shows and the r...

CLASSIC: How A Grudge Match Launched the Ford GT40

18 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today the Ford GT40 is one of the world's most iconic vehicles -- but this award winning automotive beast is, it turns out, the result of a serious gr...

The QWERTY Keyboard is Purposely Bad

16 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you're like most folks in the West, your laptop and phone use something called the QWERTY keyboard, named for the six letters at the upper left of ...