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CLASSIC: What was the West Point Eggnog Riot?
Today the United States Military Academy at West Point is known as one the country's top-notch training institutions, but back in 1826 it was home to a night of pure egg-nog-fueled pandemonium. Join …
Published on 1 year, 4 months ago
The Noble -- and Kind of Ridiculous -- History of Butlers
Are you a millionaire, billionaire or aristocrat too busy to manage the day-to-day affairs of palatial estate? If so, you may have already secured the last word in personal service: the butler. In to…
Published on 1 year, 4 months ago
CLASSIC: Lyndon Johnson Chatted on the Phone More than a Teenager
The 36th President of the United States is often recalled as a complex, flawed individual responsible for profoundly important legislation. However, he was also a notorious telephone fanatic, install…
Published on 1 year, 4 months ago
The Founding of the Smithsonian, Part Two: James Gives America a Fortune -- and a Mission
There's no way around it: James Smithson had a tough life. Yet his unhappiness may, in an indirect way, be the prime reason the Smithsonian Institute exists today. In part two of this special two-par…
Published on 1 year, 4 months ago
The Founding of the Smithsonian, Part One: The Remains of the James
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex -- but how did it get here? Join Ben, Noel and Max as they welcome Lizzie Peabody, host of Sidedoor, the Smi…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
CLASSIC: Arsenic: The Assassin's Dream Weapon
For centuries people from all walks of life sought to eliminate friends, strangers and enemies using the devious, subtle poison known as arsenic. Arsenic poisoning became such a well-known method of …
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
The Orphan Train: That Time the US Auctioned Children Via Rail
New York was a pretty terrible place in the late 1800s. The population was riddled with disease, crime, and terror -- things were especially bad for the virtual army of street urchins. In today's epi…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
20 Questions: A Ridiculous Crossover, Part Two
Long-time listeners will know Ben, Noel and Max are big fans of their peer podcast, Ridiculous Crime -- but what happens when the guys join forces with Elizabeth, Zaron and Dave? Tune in for the long…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
CLASSIC: The Killer Marketing Campaign Behind Guy Fawkes
Nowadays people across the planet are familiar with the story of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. People even celebrate the anniversary of the event, often interpreting it as a protest againt overa…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago
CLASSIC: When Ancient India Beat Machiavelli to the Punch
Commonly regarded as one of humanity's premiere works on the art of pursuing and securing power, Niccolò Machiavelli's book "The Prince" has become so popular that the name of its author is synonymou…
Published on 1 year, 5 months ago