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Ridiculous History

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

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.

PublishesDailyEpisodes1086Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistorySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Ridiculous History

Latest Episodes

It's no secret that the US and Cuba have a long history of tense relations, often teetering on the brink of war. But just how far would Uncle Sam go to begin a genuine war with Cuba? The answer can be found in the declassified proposals for Operation... more

Have you ever heard of a 'human mummy confection'? While it may sound like a Halloween treat, the legend of the Mellified Man was once taken quite seriously. Humans and honey have a deep relationship that predates known history (and Homo sapiens enti... more

As summer finally mellows into Autumn, Ben, Noel, and Max could not be more excited about "soup weather". In today's episode, the guys explore the history of one of the most ingenious -- and, arguably, laziest -- inventions in culinary history. A dis... more

It’s true! Once upon a time, Irish separatists based in the United States thought invading Canada was the best way to reunify Ireland. Join the Ben, Noel, and Max as they explore the rise of the Fenians (and, along the way, why Canada is more than ca... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

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
Dr. Rachel Big Spinach-Lance
Academic/Commentator
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
Science communicator (Brain Stuff)
Brain Stuff / Ridiculous History
Episode: Mastodons and 'Murica, with Lauren Vogelbaum, Part One: American Degeneracy
Paul Mission Control Decken t
Guest super producer, previously on Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
iHeartRadio
Episode: CLASSIC: The Duke of Edinburgh is Literally a God in Vanuatu
Paul Mission Control Decker
Guest producer
Ridiculous History
Episode: CLASSIC: The Honorary Citizens of the United States
AJ Bahamas Jacobs
The puzzler
Episode: Who was the real John Henry?
Alex Williams
Creator of Ephemeral, podcaster
Ephemeral
Episode: CLASSIC: The Nature of Ephemera, with Alex Williams

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 States9 days 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 States17 days ago
  • Tipping

    Started with an inappropriate joke and went downhill from there

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Sickofnicknamesthataretaken
    Australia17 days ago
  • Buena

    Le doy 10

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Alak555
    United States25 days 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 Statesa month 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
#66
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#73
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#165
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#77
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#7
Philippines/History
Apple Podcasts
#74
Indonesia/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.

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How many listeners does Ridiculous History get?

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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 1086 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 III
2. Max Williams
3. Dr. Rachel Big Spinach-Lance
4. Ames Doyle
5. Lauren Vogelbaum
6. Paul Mission Control Decken t
7. Paul Mission Control Decker
8. AJ Bahamas Jacobs

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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