Ridiculous History

Written by: iHeartPodcasts
  • Summary

  • 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.
    2025 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
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Episodes
  • CLASSIC: The FBI's Quest to Understand "Louie, Louie"
    Feb 18 2025

    The Kingsmen's cover of "Louie, Louie" is one of the world's most famously unintelligible songs -- and this haunted the FBI. In this episode, Ben and Noel recount the evolution of "Louie, Louie", as well as Uncle Sam's insanely thorough (and hilariously unsuccessful) attempt to figure out the song's lyrics. The guys also rack up some extra credit with their special guest Christopher Hassiotis, who introduces them to the wide, wide world of "Louie, Louie" cover songs across multiple musical genres.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    47 mins
  • CLASSIC: The Time a Soviet Premier Was Banned From Disneyland
    Feb 15 2025

    At the height of the Cold War a series of debates in a model kitchen in Moscow (true story!) led Nikita Khrushchev to visit the US on a whirlwind publicity tour. The Soviet leader hobnobbed with politicians, celebrities and business tycoons, soaking up all that America had to offer, often with a few choice remarks along the way. However, there was one place he wasn't allowed to enter: Disneyland. Join Ben and Noel as they take a closer look at Khrushchev's doomed quest to meet America's most famous mouse.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    44 mins
  • That Time Japan Absolutely Rinsed Russia, Part Two: The Togo Turn
    Feb 13 2025

    As Japan corners Russian forces in Port Arthur, the Tsar sends a new fleet of ships on a 7-month journey to break the barricade. In a stunning battle that alters the course of history, Japanese Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō executes a brilliant series of manuevers that remain some of the most thoroughly-studied maritime tactics in the entirety of naval history. In the second part of this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore how Japan absolutely waxed the great Russian Empire in a conflict that, despite its short lifespan, fundamentally altered the course of the world overall.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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    38 mins

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