Ridiculous History

Episodes

• CLASSIC: Meet Albert Cashier, the Trans Man Who Fought for the Union in the Civil WarBorn as Jennie Hodgers with a female sex assignment on December 25th, 1843, Albert Cashier emigrated to the United States lived as a man from his early teens on through the rest of his life. Despite the massive prejudices of the time, he managed to find support in his local communities, his friends and his fellow soldiers from the 95th Illinois Infantry both during and after the war, when the US government temporarily tried to revoke his pension. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  1081|45M
• Ridiculous Stuff We Didn't Get To in 2026, Part Two: Apple Trees, Ice Cream Wars and Weird Nuclear GadgetsHow much do you know about the inner chaos of Carvel or Ben Cohen's quest to free Ben and Jerry's? Why are apple trees so different from one seed to the next? In the second part this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore more of the Ridiculous History they didn't get to in this year's previous episodes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  1080|44M
• Ridiculous Stuff We Didn't Get To in 2026, Part Two: Apple Trees, Ice Cream Wars and Weird Nuclear GadgetsHow much do you know about the inner chaos of Carvel or Ben Cohen's quest to free Ben and Jerry's? Why are apple trees so different from one seed to the next? In the second part this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore more of the Ridiculous History they didn't get to in this year's previous episodes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  1079|50M
• Ridiculous Stuff We Didn't Get To in 2026, Part One: 60 Minutes and Other Natural WondersDid the creators of the groundbreaking 60 Minutes show have any idea how popular they would become? What other wonders of the world need to be on that list of ancient spectacles? In the first part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel, and Max gear up for a field trip to Bermuda and explore all the Ridiculous History they wished they'd mentioned in this year's previous episodes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  1078|51M
• "CLASSIC: Operation Northwoods: How the US Planned to Attack Itself and Start a War with Cuba"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 Northwoods, a secret plan to wage false flag attacks on US citizens, soldiers, planes and ships, all with the goal of blaming these attacks on Cuba. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  1077|58M
• Death by Honey: The Legend of the Mellified ManHave 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 entirely), and for centuries people believed some holy men would voluntarily consume honey until they died, at which point they would be interred in coffins full of honey. Let a century pass, then -- boom! -- you open the coffin and the gunk inside has become a miraculous healing agent, capable of curing everything that ails you. Join Ben, Noel, and Max as they dive deep into the bizarre legend of the "Mellified Man". See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  1076|41M
• Let's Cook on Perpetual StewAs 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 dish with no set recipe, never emptied, and capable of cooking for years or decades at a time. This is the story of perpetual stew. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  1075|57M
• CLASSIC: That Time Irish Separatists Invaded CanadaIt’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 capable of defending itself) in today's Classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  1074|46M
• Getting High with Ridiculous Crime: Reindeer Trips and Soothing SyrupDid you know reindeer love tripping? Or that, once upon a time, otherwise responsible parents would dose their children with high-test opioids? In the second chapter of their ongoing series, Ben, Noel, and Max welcome returning guest Zaron Burnett, co-creator of Ridiculous Crime, to learn more about bizarre drugs of yesteryear. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  1073|52M
• Getting High with Ridiculous Crime: Betel Nut and 'Asthma Cigarettes'Have you ever gone full red-mouth off betel nut? Did you ever buy cigarettes to cure your asthma? When Ben, Noel, and Max first began exploring bizarre drugs of yesteryear, they had no idea that they'd stumbled across a continuing series. Luckily, the guys aren't returning to this Ridiculous History alone -- they're joined by special returning guest Zaron Burnett, co-creator of Ridiculous Crime, to learn even more about history's strangest drugs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  1072|57M