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Artwork for Ridiculous History

Ridiculous History

iHeartPodcasts
World War II
Fantasy Sports
Kentucky Meat Shower
Ice Cream Sundae
Tree That Owns Itself
Morse Code
Samuel Morse
Gambling
Zombies
Elvis Presley
Atari
Dr. Seuss
Pac Man
Radium
Doc Holliday
Athens, Georgia
George Washington
Telegraph
George Romero
D-Day

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.

PublishesDailyEpisodes1096Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistorySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Ridiculous History

Latest Episodes

In this week's Classic episode: When George S. Patton decided to found a tank training school in the tiny French village of Bourg, the mayor approached him in tears. "An American soldier has died here," said the mayor, "and I would like to lead you t... more

While history often relegates Martha Gellhorn to a single role -- one of Ernest Hemingway's four wives -- this lauded journalist, fiction writer, and war correspondent was an absolute badass. She was on the ground during D-Day, reported during the Vi... more

Located in the southeastern US just off the coast of Georgia, Cumberland Island is a hidden treasure with deep -- and, at times, disturbing -- lore. In today's episode, Ben, Noel, and Max explore some of the more ridiculous stories from the island's ... more

When we think of the mob today, most Americans think of New York City -- and why not? After all, films, books and TV shows often depict New York as the heart of mob country. Yet, as the guys discover in today's episode, the story of the Italian-Ameri... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Zaron Burnett
Guest, writer and host on Ridiculous Crime/Very Special Episodes
Ridiculous History / Ridiculous Crime
Episode: Getting High with Ridiculous Crime: Reindeer Trips and Soothing Syrup
Zaron Burnett III
Award-winning journalist, author, activist, and podcaster
Various (as introduced)
Episode: Getting High with Ridiculous Crime: Betel Nut and 'Asthma Cigarettes'
Max Williams
Super producer for Ridiculous History
iHeartRadio
Episode: That Time We Made Backpack Nukes
Wayne Federman
Legendary comedian and historian known for the History of Stand-Up podcast
The History of Stand-Up
Episode: CLASSIC: Playboy, Progressive Politics and Stand-up: The Dick Gregory Story, with Wayne Federman
Dr. Rachel Big Spinach-Lance
Academic/Commentator
Episode: The Ridiculous Racist Origin of Tipping, Part Two: The Great Debate and Anti-tipping Crusades
Jonathan Strickland
The Quister, noted author and educator
Episode: The Ridiculous Racist Origin of Tipping, Part Two: The Great Debate and Anti-tipping Crusades
AJ Bahamas Jacobs
The Puzzler
Episode: The Ridiculous Racist Origin of Tipping, Part Two: The Great Debate and Anti-tipping Crusades
Ames Doyle
Research associate providing the episode brief and context
Episode: Who Took William Lilly’s Fish?
Lauren Vogelbaum
Special guest, returning guest of the show
Brain Stuff (as of discussion)
Episode: Mastodons and 'Murica, with Lauren Vogelbaum, Part Two: A Grudge Match with the French

Hosts

Ben Bowlin
Host of Ridiculous History
Noel Brown
Co-host of Ridiculous History

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 7.2k ratings
  • History

    This is great-side convos make me feel like this is chill, so I can feel relaxed enough to feel comfortable to sleep.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Will (the best) Cunningham
    United Statesa month ago
  • Fkn Shameless

    90% commercials

    Don’t bother, hoping for content here. If they ever get around to talking about what they act like the subject is it’s after 50 minutes of goddamn commercials. Pathetic listen

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Hamy75
    United Statesa month ago
  • Tipping

    Started with an inappropriate joke and went downhill from there

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Sickofnicknamesthataretaken
    Australiaa month ago
  • Buena

    Le doy 10

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Alak555
    United States2 months ago
  • I want to like this but. . .

    The concept for this podcast is creative and I like many of the topics they choose. But it is really hard to listen to a full episode. The off topic back and forth discussion, untimely puns and jokes, and random comments thrown in are a big turnoff. I actually want to hear the topic but it takes forever for them to actually start talking about the meat of the content. You could cut out at least a third of the unnecessary commentary and have an enjoyable and interesting show.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    IWBIthe19thC
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Critics note occasional drift into opinion and desire for tighter historical grounding.
Listeners praise entertaining history storytelling and banter, though some critique ad loads and perceived bias.
Fans appreciate guest variety and accessible explanations of complex topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#65
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#83
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#230
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#68
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#38
Saudi Arabia/History
Apple Podcasts
#48
Philippines/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Mastodons and 'Murica, with Lauren Vogelbaum, Part One: American Degeneracy
Q: What role did Ben Franklin play in early mastodon studies?
Franklin received mastodon fossils and used them to compare dental structures with those of elephants, illustrating how new evidence could challenge prevailing beliefs about animal form and origin.
Mastodons and 'Murica, with Lauren Vogelbaum, Part One: American Degeneracy
Q: Why did early naturalists think American animals were degenerate?
They blamed climate and biome differences, extrapolating from limited observations to claim that the Americas produced smaller, lesser life forms, a narrative Buffon popularized that later faced pushback from American scientists.
Mastodons and 'Murica, with Lauren Vogelbaum, Part Two: A Grudge Match with the French
Q: What ultimately happened to the famous moose that Jefferson sent to Buffon?
The moose was a dead, ex-antlered carcass sent to Paris, not a living animal, and Jefferson apologized for its condition while Buffon reportedly intended to publish a correction before his death.
Mastodons and 'Murica, with Lauren Vogelbaum, Part Two: A Grudge Match with the French
Q: Did they have a trunk on the Mastodon model Jefferson discussed?
The model was a fossil reconstruction, not a flesh-and-blood specimen, and there was no trunk represented in the earlier mounted display.
The Secret World Of Roald Dahl, with Aaron Tracy, Part Two: the Man Behind the Author
Q: What do we hope our listeners take away from The Secret World of Roald Dahl?
I hope people gain insight into Dahl's interesting life and understand the tragedies and contradictions of his character, inspiring sympathy despite his flaws.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Ridiculous History

What is Ridiculous History about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A storytelling-focused history show that explores strange, surprising, and often humorous episodes from across civilizations. Listeners can expect playful banter, deep-dive context, and a mix of archival detail with pop culture nods as hosts connect curious historical events to modern ideas. Notable strengths include accessible storytelling, strong guest involvement, and a knack for turning obscure anecdotes into engaging narratives. The format and tone likely appeal to history buffs who enjoy lighthearted humor and broad cultural references, as well as listeners seeking quick, entertaining history bites paired with thoughtful analysis.

Where can I find podcast stats for Ridiculous History?

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How many listeners does Ridiculous History get?

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What are the audience demographics for Ridiculous History?

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How many subscribers and views does Ridiculous History have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Ridiculous History has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Ridiculous History?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Ridiculous History:

1. Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
2. Stuff You Should Know
3. Stuff To Blow Your Mind
4. Stuff You Missed in History Class
5. Useless Information Podcast

How many episodes of Ridiculous History are there?

Ridiculous History launched 9 years ago and published 1096 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Ridiculous History?

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for Ridiculous History?

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What guests have appeared on Ridiculous History?

Recent guests on Ridiculous History include:

1. Zaron Burnett
2. Zaron Burnett III
3. Max Williams
4. Wayne Federman
5. Dr. Rachel Big Spinach-Lance
6. Jonathan Strickland
7. AJ Bahamas Jacobs
8. Ames Doyle

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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