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The 1904 St. Louis Marathon Was Absolutely Bonkers
It's no secret that the Olympics have evolved over time, and met with their fair share of controversy over the years -- but the 1904 Olympic marathon remains a tale of ridiculousness for the ages. In…
Published on 3 years, 4 months ago
Andrew Jackson Beat the Snot Out of His Would-be Assassin
Known as Old Hickory to his fans, and King Andrew to his critics, Andrew Jackson was an outspoken, deeply divisive figure. When he was attacked by an assassin while leaving a funeral, the killer's gu…
Published on 3 years, 4 months ago
CLASSIC: When (and why) did the US start calling its citizens consumers?
Today, the terms "citizen" and "consumer" are often used interchangeably by authors, journalists and politicians. To some experts, this shift has disturbing implications. But how important is a word?…
Published on 3 years, 4 months ago
A Ridiculous History of Reality TV, Part Two: Reality Goes Global
As reality TV continued to grow across networks and genres, it also spread across the planet. In the second part of this two-part series, special guest Anna Hossnieh joins Ben, Noel and Max to break …
Published on 3 years, 4 months ago
A Ridiculous History of Reality TV, Part One: An Origin Story
However you define it, reality TV is a giant in the world of entertainment. From soap operas to game shows and the hazards of dating, it seems almost any genre can find a home in reality television. …
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
Surprising Former Careers of the Famous
Did you know Abraham Lincoln was an infamous, trash-talking wrestler? Ronald Reagan spent his younger years saving people from drowning (and throwing rocks at them) as a lifeguard. And before Norma J…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
A Humorous History of Genetics
What makes you... well, you? It's a question humanity has wrestled with since the dawn of recorded history all the way to the modern day. In today's special episode in partnership with 23andMe, Ben, …
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
Tsutomu Yamaguchi: The World's Only (Recognized) Double Atomic Bomb Victim
On August 6th, 1945, Mitsubishi engineer Tsutomu Yamaguchi was finally heading home from a three month assignment in Hiroshima... until the United States dropped an atomic bomb over the city. Miracul…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
Gods of Deception, Part II: Art, History, Fiction and War
As Ben and Noel continue their conversation with novelist and art historian David Adams Cleveland, the group finds themselves going far beyond the world of Alger Hiss. In the second part of this two-…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
Gods of Deception, Part I: Alger Hiss in the Halls of Power
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Alger Hiss was a mover and shaker in the political sphere. Highly educated and deeply connected, Hiss worked as a lawyer involved in everything from the Justice Depart…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago