708 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.

    Malta: Tiny and Amazing, Just Like The Dog

    Malta: Tiny and Amazing, Just Like The Dog

    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, ridiculous -- history of Malta in the guys' continuing exploration of microstates.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 39 min
    The Ridiculous History of Credit Cards

    The Ridiculous History of Credit Cards

    When you think about it, credit cards are a pretty fascinating idea -- they're convenient, ubiquitous and, often, predatory. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the strange origin story of the credit card.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 57 min
    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

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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