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...
CLASSIC: Philadelphia's Transylvanian Doomsday Cult: The Cave of Kelpius
There's a nifty bit of hidden history tucked away in Philadelphia's Wissahickon Valley Park -- a cave that, legend has it, was home to a doomsday cult. In today's episode, the guys follow the strange journey of Johannes Kelpius and his followers from Europe to North America as they prepared for the end of days (first in 1694, then in 1700). Tune in to learn what motivated the group, how they influenced American history, and what happened to them after the world kept spinning in today's Classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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CLASSIC: Weird Wars Fought For Dumb Reasons
What do a camel, a bucket and an ear all have in common? Each was, at some point, responsible for starting a war. In today's Classic episode, join Ben and Noel as they dive into true stories of weird wars fought over cartoonishly dumb things.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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CLASSIC: The FBI's Quest to Understand "Louie, Louie"
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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CLASSIC: The Time a Soviet Premier Was Banned From Disneyland
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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That Time Japan Absolutely Rinsed Russia, Part Two: The Togo Turn
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.
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.
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