Ridiculous History

Hey there, Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Ben, Noel and Max here: as we travel to hang with our friends and family, we like to do a little thing at the end of the year where we explore various tangents and trivia we didn't get to in our first run of a show. So, as you're hugging or dodging your own family -- and just maybe having some adventures with your cousins -- join us for a wild ride through the history of hair spray, inventors who accidentally died due to their own inventions, a load of holiday banter, and so much more. (Ben here: by "so much more," I mean, like, two other things.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the end of the year, fellow Ridiculous Historians! As Ben, Noel and Max look back on the events of 2025, they discovered historians do, in fact, have one year singled out as "the worst year in human history." But... why? Join the guys as they explore how DXXXVI absolutely wrecked Europe, the Middle East and Asia -- with consequences that reverberate in the modern day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For centuries most people in Europe thought of rhinos as another form of mythical creature, like unicorns or griffins. However, this all changed when an enterprising sea captain brought a young, orphaned rhino named Clara back to his home country after his travels abroad. It's often said that fame can have a powerful effect on the average human being, but how does it affect rhinos? Join the guys and special guest Katie Goldin, host of the podcast Creature Feature, as they unravel the mystery.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the strangest Christmas tradition you practice? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max ring in the end of the year with an exploration of Christmas celebrations across the world -- and speculate on inventing a few of their own.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While the career of rhythm-and-blues vocalist Johnny Ace was short, he left a huge mark on the music world. Up until Christmas Day of 1954, Ace seemed set to reach genuine crossover success in pop music -- until, that is, he met his untimely end during an ill-fated game of Russian Roulette. At least, that's the legend. Yet as special guest Jake Brennan, the creator of the hit podcast Disgraceland, reveals: there's much more to the story. Tune in as Jake and the gang explore a strange, disturbing Christmas mystery. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disgraceland/id1275172907Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HeA7PGBai6TQrZLOLzcEi?si=6362c868e1da4ad6See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.