App Store

Google Play

DK - Details page - Device banner - 894x1036

Nyd den ubegrænsede adgang til tusindvis af spændende e- og lydbøger - helt gratis

Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst 

iHeartPodcasts

Ridiculous History

While the legendary Japanese raccoon dog -- or tanuki -- may look like a raccoon, it's a very different beast. However, these days Japan is home to actual raccoons: they're considered an invasive species, wreaking havoc across the country as they destroy temples, consume crops, and threaten indigenous wildlife. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max discover how these dastardly raccoons made it all the way over the Pacific to become an absolute menace to Japan. Spoiler: it all started with a cartoon about a boy and his furry sidekick, Rascal. Tune in to learn how a single show inspired thousands of Japanese families to acquire a raccoon of their own... only to meet with some serioulsy ridiculous consequences.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japan is Overrun By Raccoons Entirely Due to a Single Cartoon

With 600,000 words and 3 million quotations, the Oxford English Dictionary is a massive tome. Work began on the dictionary in 1857, but the first edition wasn't published until 1884. Compiling the dictionary was a Herculean task, and James Murray, the editor of the dictionary, put out a call for assistance. This early crowdsourcing strategy worked surprisingly well. Murray was particularly impressed by his most prolific and consistent contributor, an enigmatic fellow named Dr. W.C. Minor. So impressed, in fact, that Murray decided he had to meet the man in person. It's safe to say the meeting didn't go as expected.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CLASSIC: The Bizarre Origin of the Oxford English Dictionary

Did you know England's first newspaper was fake? Or that King Arthur is more or less completely made up? The deeper we look into human history, the more we see that civilization is utterly riddled with bizarre hoaxes -- some of which are laughable, and some of which are downright dangerous. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max welcome the legendary Dana Schwartz and Lizzie Logan to learn more about some of history's greatest hoaxes, which they explore in-depth in their newest podcast, Hoax!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hoax! With Dana Schwartz and Lizzie Logan

Imagine you are beyond wealthy. You no longer dream of the average "rich people" flexes -- you've got all the diamonds, all the mansions, all the ordinary baubles of the elite. How can you distinguish yourself? What can you buy when you can buy literally anything? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the astonishing, ridiculous origin story of Czarist Russia's peak luxury item; an egg you can't eat, nor wear -- a toy and a flex to end all flexes: the Fabergé Egg.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fabergé Eggs Are Ridiculous (And Fascinating)

Human civilization is far from perfect. Still, it's pretty cool humanity overall agreed on how to measure time (for now). In today's follow-up to an earlier exploration of the Gregorian calendar, Ben, Noel and Max admire the many alternative, non-Gregorian calendars with their own ancient provenance, all of which exist in the modern day. Or modern night? Spoiler, a ton of these are based on the passage of the moon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The World of Non-Gregorian Calendars: What Day Is It, Really?

The calendar is... ridiculous. Since the earliest days of civilization, humanity has tried to measure the passage of time on Earth through any number of systems. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max discover how millennia of trial and error led to the modern Gregorian calendar, which we all still just pretend is a normal thing in the modern day.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ridiculous Origin of the Modern Calendar

In the second part of this two-part series, special guest Wayne Federman explores the strange, curse-word-riddled stand-up bit that resulted in George Carlin setting a legal precedent with the Supreme Court. Listen in to learn how curse words changed the world and sparked a debate that continues today.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CLASSIC: George Carlin Gets Quoted in the Supreme Court: Ridiculous Stand-up Stories with Wayne Federman

As local fantasy sports initiatives grew into larger, more organized pursuits, technology improved as well. Access to online statistics made it much easier for casual sports fans to enter the realm of fantasy playing -- and also, arguably, made it easier to gamble on sports as well. In the second part of this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the modern age of fantasy sports (and whether or not Ben will finally make it to a sumo exhibition.)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ridiculous History of Fantasy Sports, Part Two

To outsiders, fantasy sports and fantasy leagues may sound like a bizarre proposition: you get together with a bunch of friends and leverage statistics to predict outcomes in your favorite sports, but it's not... gambling? In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the origins of fantasy leagues, and how they grew into a billion-dollar industry.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ridiculous History of Fantasy Sports, Part One

Lenny Bruce is a legend in the history of stand-up comedy, and while his use of explicit language thrilled audience members, it didn't win him any friends in law enforcement. In fact, Bruce was arrested multiple times for his use of 'obscenities', sparking a larger, continuing debate about the nature of free speech. Join the guys as they learn more about the early days of stand-up and the Lenny Bruce controversy with this week's special guest: Comedian, actor, writer and historian Wayne Federman.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CLASSIC: The People vs. Lenny Bruce: Ridiculous Stand-up Stories with Wayne Federman

Japanese Daimyo Oda Nobunaga was fascinated by the mysterious, towering slave of a visiting Jesuit missionary, and soon this man, Yasuke, joined Nobunaga's court, eventually becoming a full-on samurai. Join the guys as they explore the strange life of the African-born samurai, Yasuke.

 
 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yasuke, the African Samurai

Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst

Other podcasts you might like ...