706 episodes

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.

Ridiculous History iHeartPodcasts

    • History
    • 4.2 • 4.2K Ratings

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.

    CLASSIC: San Francisco's Egg War

    CLASSIC: San Francisco's Egg War

    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 Rush, the Common Murre and Farallon Island -- the site of California's Egg War
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 40 min
    Introducing: Sixteenth Minute (of Fame)

    Introducing: Sixteenth Minute (of Fame)

    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 weekly show from Jamie Loftus that takes a closer look at the internet’s main characters – one part reported, one part interviews, and one part Jamie collapsing her permanently internet-damaged brain. Whether it’s an enduring meme or a dreaded Character of the Day distinction, it’s the kind of notoriety that often results in little money, unwarranted attention, and a confusing blurred line of consent. What do you do when you get more attention and judgement than any one person is built to handle? The Sixteenth Minute of Fame is the place where we figure that out, putting people in the context of the moment they've been frozen inside of.

    Listen here and subscribe to Sixteenth Minute (of Fame) on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 3 min
    Skyscrapers, Part Two: An Arms Race to the Sky

    Skyscrapers, Part Two: An Arms Race to the Sky

    Once society became convinced that you could build skyscrapers without them immediately collapsing, cities across the United States -- and, soon the world -- scrambled to build their own structures. In part two of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the continuing race to build the tallest, the strongest, and the most iconic skyscrapers.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 36 min
    Skyscrapers, Part One: A Guy and a Birdcage

    Skyscrapers, Part One: A Guy and a Birdcage

    Skyscrapers are beautiful -- and utterly ridiculous. In the first part of this two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max learn how modern skyscrapers were largely inspired by one guy who, no kidding, saw a heavy book resting on a birdcage and thought "yes, that. But bigger!"
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 36 min
    CLASSIC: The Wild West Was Actually Pretty Chill

    CLASSIC: The Wild West Was Actually Pretty Chill

    If you're like most people, the phrase "Wild West" conjures images of brutal gunfights in dusty, tumbleweed-ridden streets, visions of criminals slinking into the shadows of dimly-lit saloons and the vast stretch of lawless, unforgiving frontier. But how much of that image is actually true? Join Ben and Noel as they delve into the myth of the American frontier to discover how wild -- or mild -- it actually was in this week's Classic episode.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 33 min
    On Theme, Part Two: The Cyclical Evolution of Music

    On Theme, Part Two: The Cyclical Evolution of Music

    As Ernest Hogan reaches new heights of success, critics turn against ragtime and "coon songs," prompting a larger conversation about the cyclical nature of music and society. In the second installment of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max join Katie Mitchell and Yves Jeffcoat, the creators of the On Theme podcast, to learn more about the complex relationship of creativity, capitalism, entertainment and race -- all found in the story of one brilliant composer: Ernest Hogan.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 47 min

Customer Reviews

4.2 out of 5
4.2K Ratings

4.2K Ratings

Rolth ,

Too many ads and off-topic rants

Just as it says. 11 minutes of ads for less than 30 minutes of content is the worst. I’m still in the 2019 episodes so this might get better, but for not I spend way too much time skipping ads. Also, Ben needs to learn to breath quieter and less often. He one word between his very loud intakes just makes me cringe.

LadyWood007 ,

One of the greats

Great podcast filled with interesting, and a lot of little known stories of history. The hosts are charismatic and provide great tangents. After listening to a couple of episodes you catch on to their vibe and settle in to listen like a “silent” friend on the couch. I came over from Stuff You Should Know and happily added this podcast to my weekly listening schedule.

Mr.J.Beauregard ,

Too many tangents…..

…. and going down rabbit holes.

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