Ridiculous History

Everyone Was Covered in Poop: A Grimy History of Soap

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, soap is ubiquitous. It comes in thousands of forms, brands, and varieties -- but this wasn't always the case. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and...

Behind the Logo: The Story of the Nike Swoosh

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone knows the Nike swoosh — but where did it come from? In today’s episode, the guys dive into the origin story of one of the world’s most ...

The Architecture of Spite, Part Three: The Pie House and a Scorned Argentine

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How far would you go in the name of love? In this installment of The Architecture, Ben, Noel and Max dive into more amazing -- and ridiculous -- tales...

The Architecture of Spite, Part Two: Macy's and The Skinny House

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

At its best, architecture is a kind of poetry made tangible, frozen in time for generations to come. But, as it turns out, architecture can also be a ...

The Ridiculous History of Intellectual Property, Part 2: When Things Get Weird

17 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Who owns an idea? Who should -- or should not -- profit from a concept? In part two of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the mod...

The Ridiculous History of Intellectual Property, Part 1: The Ancient Past

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today the concept of intellectual property, or IP, is pretty well-established. And this notion of ownership over some often intangible concept, brand ...

World War II's Alaskan Front: The Aleutian Island Campaign

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Alaska is known for its stunning beauty, harsh climate, and remoteness -- but it was also the site of an intensely strange series of battles between t...

Micronations: The Amazing Story of Vatican City

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Despite the name, Vatican City is an independent, sovereign nation -- and its history may surprise you. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore ...

The FBI versus Hip-Hop

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays, hip-hop is everywhere -- this genre informs countless aspects of modern music around the world. Shortly after its creation, power structures...

The Inventor of the Saxophone Had Some of the World's Worst Luck

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today the saxophone is a well-known musical instrument, popular across the planet. But, when you learn the story of its inventor Adolphe Sax, you quic...

Animals On Trial, Part 2: Legal Personhood "Goes Wild"

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Given that more and more evidence shows all kinds of non-human animals are capable of experiencing grief, loss, joy and pain, should they not have som...

Animals On Trial, Part 1: Tons of Animals Went to Kangaroo Courts

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While the the concept of a court system is an entirely human invention, it turns out non-human animals have been in some sort of court not once, but c...

Broken Arrows, Part 2: In Which Actions Have Consequence

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In part two of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max dive further into the (objectively disturbing) truth about just how many nuclear weapon...

Broken Arrows, Part 1: Whoops, Where's Our Nuke?

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nuclear weapons are one of the most dangerous things humanity ever invented. So while we might reasonably assume people would keep a close eye on thes...

New Providence: That Time Pirates Had A Government

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The so-called Golden Age of Piracy was a time of lawless, terrifying, at-times amazing and objectively ridiculous history. In today's episode, Ben, No...

Tons of People Married Their First Cousins

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What do Albert Einstein, Jesse James and Saddam Hussein have in common? Like many notable figures throughout history, these men ended up marrying thei...

Lost Media, Part 2: The Magnificent Ambersons

06 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

True story: Orson Welles has a film no one will ever see. In the second part of this continuing series, the guys explore "The Magnificent Ambersons," ...

The Ridiculous History of "Snake Oil"

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays, "snake oil" usually means a fake medicine or treatment that claims -- with no evidence -- to cure any number of medical conditions. But wher...

Badass of the Week, Part 2: Rise of the Kung Fu Werewolf

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone can agree the story of T'ai Djin is amazing -- he was born afflicted with a rare genetic condition that made him look like a werewolf, was ad...

Badass of the Week, Part 1: An Origin Story

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What makes an historical figure larger than life? Since 2004, author and historian Ben Thompson has been writing about the most badass people in histo...

That Time Abe Lincoln Trolled His Way Into a Real-life Duel

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 1842, Abraham Lincoln wrote an article clowning a guy named James Shields. Although the article was satirical, and attributed to a made-up author, ...

The Creation of (and Backlash Against) Father's Day

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With another Father's Day in the books, Ben, Noel and Max hit the new studio for the first time, exploring the history of this paternal partner to the...

Colorado's Ridiculous, Disturbingly Corrupt 1904 Election, Part Two: Everyone Resigns

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when both candidates in a gubernatorial election are cartoonishly corrupt? That's the question Colorado wrestled with back in 1904 -- in ...

Colorado's Ridiculous, Disturbingly Corrupt 1904 Election, Part One: Let's Jump Off The Train

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Elections are somewhere between sports and religions for the United States. It seems that, each and every time, people have problems with the official...

How Horrible Chocolate Helped Win World War II

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A successful military hinges on nutrition, and modern warfare is no different. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive to the strange deal Uncle Sa...

Micronations: How a Guy Got Ran Out of Town and Created San Marino

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While San Marino may not make many international headlines, this micronation has one of the most fascinating origin stories in all of Europe. In today...

The Library of Congress is Full of Super Weird Stuff

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Since 1800, the Library of Congress has functioned as the national library of the United States. Don't let the name fool you -- this institution isn't...

That Time A Guy Literally Bought The London Bridge

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Let's say you have a big dream: you're creating a new community, smack-dab in the middle of nowhere. Problem is, not a ton of people want to live in t...

We Got Super Into Toy Cars, Part Two: Rivalry and Nostalgia

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As the toy car industry exploded, new companies entered the market -- but the Matchbox/Hot Wheels rivalry remained front and center for collectors and...

We Got Super Into Toy Cars, Part One: Matchbox versus Hot Wheels

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Remember toy cars? Ben, Noel and Max investigate the surprisingly weird evolution of old-school, die-cast car models from their origins to the modern ...

Why The Creator of Mother's Day Got So Mad About Mothers' Day

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing our grand tradition of being a bit late to things, we celebrate Mother's Day with an exploration of the multiple women -- activists, poets,...

Micronations: Monaco is More than a Casino!

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For the vast majority of the world, Monaco seems like something out of a billionaire's fever dream -- completely surrounded by France, this tiny count...

Fonts They Love to Hate, Part Two: Papyrus, Times New Roman and Beyond

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From serif to san, from kerning to Krueger, it turns out people have some pretty extreme opinions about fonts. In part two of this special two-part ep...

Fonts They Love to Hate, Part One: Origins of Comic Sans

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While many people outside of graphic design may not think about fonts in a conscious manner, it turns out the way a word is depicted can have a huge i...

Even More Ridiculous Royal Deaths

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As the old saying goes, it's good to be king -- unfortunately, it can also be pretty dangerous. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore strange ...

A (Completely Different) History of Sampling: Free Stuff

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the ridiculous aftermath of their series on music samples, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the scrumptious, weird history of everything from free sampl...

A History of Sampling, Part Two: Creativity in Court

27 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when your favorite artist uses a sample in their own work? Are they merely inspired, or are they stealing? In the second part of this spe...

A History of Sampling, Part One: An Origin Story

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the world of music, sampling is somewhere between an art and a science. In this week's special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the stra...

How Did Monster Trucks Become a Thing?

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Even if you're not a fan of cars or racing, you've heard of monster trucks -- they're the huge, modded vehicles famous for committing acts of wanton d...

The Ridiculous, Scrumptious Desserts of Mardi Gras

18 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From the epic parade to the krewes and flambeaux, Mardi Gras is a celebration chock-full of tradition -- and these traditions include some pretty amaz...

The Amazing History of Japanese Toys, Part Two: The World Takeover

13 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As Matsuzo Kosuge struggled to keep his business afloat amid the chaos of war, he became incredibly inventive, using cast-off beer and soup cans as ra...

The Amazing History of Japanese Toys, Part One: A Serious Business

11 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When most of us think of toys, we fondly recall moments from childhood, or think of toys we gifted to loved ones over the years. Yet toys are a seriou...

The Weird Journey of the $2 Bill

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you've spent your life in the US, you've probably seen a $2 bill every once in a while -- they're much less common than, say, the $1, the $10 or th...

The Fascinating History of Ice Cream Trucks

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The iconic ice cream truck holds a special place in American culture -- but where did they come from? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive deep ...

The Strange Tale of Charles Entertainment Cheese, Part Two: Betrayal and Nostalgia

30 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As Nolan Bushnell's Chuck E. Cheese concept took America by storm, competitors entered the field. In the second part of this two-part episode, Ben, No...

The Strange Tale of Charles Entertainment Cheese, Part One: Atari and Pizza

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For many Americans, Chuck E. Cheese is an immediate hit of pure nostalgia -- the pizza! The birthdays! The games! And, of course, the characters. In t...

CLASSIC: What's the Deal with Smashing Cake at Weddings?

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Weddings are an ancient tradition, and over the millenia the various rituals associated with (theoretically) life-long partnership have evolved and ch...

THE LAST SOVIET - EP 5: Three Hot Days in August

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sergei makes the decision to stay in the space station. But a few weeks later something happens that changes everything. Mikhail Gorbachev disappears....

CLASSIC: Conquest via Bird Poop: One Island at a Time

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you land on a deserted island, you might be tempted to search for the basic stuff first -- food, water, shelter, and so on -- but don't forget to k...

The Architecture of Spite, Part One: Lovers, Loiterers and Murderers

16 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

At its best, architecture is a kind of poetry made tangible, frozen in time for generations to come. But, as it turns out, architecture can also be a ...

Turn, Turn, Turn: A History of Turn Signals

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever been stuck in traffic, you know turn signals are a vital part of safe driving (though not everyone seems to think so). But where did th...

A Legally Haunted House

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

These days, many people associate the idea of a 'haunted house' with horror novels, campfire tales and scary movies. But what happens when someone goe...

The Oddly Dark History of Crash Test Dummies (Not The Band)

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As automobiles took the world by storm, manufacturers quickly realized they needed to make a ton of safety improvements -- and fast. But how could you...

The Deeply Weird Stories of Patron Saints

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know there’s a Patron Saint of (repentant) murderers? And another one for ugly people? In today’s episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore how s...

Svetlana! Svetlana! The Strange Life of Josef Stalin's Daughter, with Dan Kitrosser

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As the daughter of Josef Stalin, it's safe to say Svetlana Iosifovna Alliluyeva was never destined for a normal life. Still, no one could have predict...

Let's Start a Coup! Ep 1 – A Basket Full of Fascists

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays, most people can agree that fascism is, well, a bad thing. But back in the 1930s, life absolutely sucked for most Americans, and fascism stil...

Weird Epidemics, Part One: From Sweating to Pokemon

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What makes people laugh uncontrollably, for hours at a time? Whatever happened to that 'Sweating Sickness,' and why did so many parents in Japan becom...

CLASSIC: When Scientists Hid Under Beds To Spy On Kids

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Let's say you're a scientist -- how far would you go to carry out a study? Back in the 1930s, two intrepid researchers went into full spy mode, stalki...

Surprising Former Careers, Part III: Goldberg, Trudeau and Buscemi

16 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While many celebrities and public figures are known for achievements in just a few specific fields, almost everyone has had more than a few odd jobs o...

Introducing: The Last Soviet

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hey, Ridiculous History listeners! The newest hit docuseries of another star-studded podcast, The Last Soviet is live. Go check out the beginning of t...

It Turns Out Blue Laws Aren't Entirely Terrible

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever tried to buy beer at the wrong time in certain parts of the US, you may have run into the odd proscriptions known as blue laws. Origina...

The Origin of Moby Dick, Part Two: Horrors At Sea

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Captain George Pollard Jr. was just 29 years old when his whaling vessel, the Essex, met with disaster. As the hapless crew struggled (and largely fai...

The Origin of Moby Dick, Part One: Mocha Dick

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, Herman Melville's magnum opus Moby Dick is lauded as a classic of American literature -- but it turns out Melville didn't invent the whole thin...

The (Weirdly Crooked) History of the Food Pyramid

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nutrition is a big deal -- across the United States, tons of kids learned the basics of nutrition through a handy infographic called the 'Food Pyramid...

That Time Europeans Went Nuts For Dancing

31 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever been to a great concert or a banging dance party, then you know sometimes the spirit can overwhelm you -- you might feel compelled to d...

Star Trek Almost Never Happened, Part Two: In Which We Boldly Go

26 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After just three seasons, the original run of Star Trek reached syndication -- which would become key to everything that happened afterward. In the se...

Star Trek Almost Never Happened, Part One: Pilots and Peril

24 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays Star Trek is more than just a show -- it's a global pop culture phenomenon, with measurable impacts on the real world. In part one of this sp...

“It’s Edible!” The Origin of Breakfast Cereal, Part Two

19 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cereal is everywhere these days. While diet trends come and go, those ubiquitous boxes and mascots seem here to stay -- and, in some cases, it seems p...

“It’s Edible!” The Origin of Breakfast Cereal, Part One

17 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cereal is everywhere nowadays, but how did it become a thing? For most of us, this stuff is the ultimate convenient breakfast, and even the most sugar...

Would-be Presidents, Part One: If At First You Don't Succeed...

12 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It takes a lot of skill -- and luck -- to become the President of the United States. We always hear about the folks who won elections... but what abou...

The Leaf Blower Episode

11 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Out of all the weirdly specific inventions for your yard, the leaf blower remains the most controversial (by far). In today's long-overdue episode, Be...

The US Navy Teamed Up With Mobsters, Part Two: The Mob Goes to War

05 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As the Mob clamps down on possible terrorists in the New York docks, the organization looks for new ways to expand their partnership with Uncle Sam --...

The US Navy Teamed Up With Mobsters, Part One: Luciano Gets Lucky

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After the suspicious destruction of the USS Lafayette in Manhattan, the Navy became convinced saboteurs may be at work on American soil. There was ano...

CLASSIC: When People Thought They Were Made of Glass

29 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 1422, King Charles VI died after ruling France for more than 40 years. He was also remembered as Charles the Mad, in part because he was convinced ...

CLASSIC: Nazis, Churchill and Chocolate

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When Lord Victor Rothschild first heard the news, he was incredulous -- surely Nazi Germany wasn't seriously planning to assassinate Winston Churchill...

Ridiculous Royal Deaths, Part Two: Don't Drink Mercury

22 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Throughout history, despite all their occasional arguments to the contrary, members of royal families have been just as human as everyone else. In par...

Ridiculous Royal Deaths, Part One: Revenge of the Buck-Toothed

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that the lives of historical royalty have often been filled with triumph and tragedy -- and, sadly, many royals have met strange, untim...

CLASSIC: When Dentist Sold Dentures Made with Corpse Teeth

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Here in the modern day, most people don’t love going to the dentist — but we still have it much better than the dental patients of yesteryear! In ...

From Mesopotamia to Hot Dogs: A History of Mustard

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mustard! Whether you like it, love it, or hate it, you've almost definitely tried it in one of many varieties. In this installment of their continuing...

Coca-Cola, Dr. King, and the Civil Rights

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. won the Nobel Prize, Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr. spearheaded a interdenominational celebration of King's work -- bu...

William Mitchell Was Basically a Real-life Willy Wonka

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you like Tang? Are you known to gobble Pop Rocks, or find yourself lying awake at night, worried about the world's supply of tapioca substitutes? I...

The Olympics Used to Have an... Extraordinarily Weird Art Competition

01 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone's heard of the Olympics. This global competition brings athletes from around the world together to compete in various sports -- but, not too ...

A Circus, or a Cult? The Strange Story of Shen Yun

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you live near any large city outside of mainland China, you may have seen advertisements for the world-famous Shen Yun Performing Arts Company, a U...

How A Massive Turkey Screw-up Created TV Dinners

24 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hey, it's us, your pals Ben, Noel and Max from Ridiculous History. We figured the holidays can be stressful for everyone, and we're pretty sure you've...

J. Paul Getty, Part Two: A Kidnapping Discount

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For members of the mob, the plot to kidnap J. Paul Getty's grandson was a home run -- after all, what's a few million to a literal billionaire? Yet, a...

J. Paul Getty, Part One: Money Doesn't Make You Happy

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's often said that money doesn't buy happiness -- and, in the tragic case of the Getty family, it seems that saying holds true. In part one of this ...

Have you heard of Andorra?

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While it may be unfamiliar to many folks outside the region, the 6th-smallest country in Europe has a fascinating history all its own. In today's epis...

How Smart Was Alex the Grey Parrot?

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Picked at random from a pet store, a humble grey parrot named Alex went on to fundamentally alter the way humans think about animal cognition. In toda...

Surprising Former Careers, Part 2: Truman Can't Sell Hats

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Years before he became a world-famous actor, Christopher Lee did wetwork with elite special forces during World War II. Before entering public office,...

The Ancient -- and Surprisingly Divisive! -- Story of Ketchup

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ketchup is in almost 97% of US homes today -- and, while this statistic may sound surprising, it turns out there's a long story behind this humble con...

The Bizarrely Xenophobic Origins of Scotch Tape

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There's no two ways about it: tape is a pretty handy, amazing thing -- and one we often take for granted. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive d...

Lost Media, Part Two: We Didn't Start The Fire

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Silent films took the world by storm, but the material they were manufactured from was notoriously -- cartoonishly -- flammable. Soon multiple studio ...

Lost Media, Part One: What Happened to All Those Silent Films?

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For a relatively brief period of time, silent films rocked the world of entertainment. However, these nitrate- and acetate-based films proved both fra...

A Ridiculous History of Hot Tubs

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While hot tubs may not always have the... best reputation in some circles, there's no denying people across the world love a good, hot soak after a lo...

Eugene V Debs, Part Two: A Prisoner Runs For President

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As a known agitator, Eugene V. Debs soon caught the attention of the US power structure -- and his outspoken nature led to him to court. In part two o...

Eugene V Debs, Part One: Railroad Workers Fight The Power

13 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You may not have heard of Eugene V. Debs before this podcast -- but in his day this political activist was one of the most prominent (and at-times con...

The Michelin Man was an Unhinged Lunatic

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Virtually every foodie is aware of the Michelin Guide -- the last word in high-end restaurant ratings -- but originally came about as a way to sell mo...

The Yukio Mishima Story, Part Two: Mishima's End

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In his heyday, Japanese author Yukio Mishima was one of the most well-known writers in the world. But where did he come from -- and what on Earth led ...

The Yukio Mishima Story, Part One: Confessions of a Mask

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In his heyday, Japanese author Yukio Mishima was one of the most well-known writers in the world. But where did he come from -- and what on Earth led ...

Wait, How Do I Know It's Funny? A Rollicking History of Laugh Tracks

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We've all heard them. You're watching or hearing a show, a character says something, and -- boom! -- an invisible choir of audience members loses thei...