Ridiculous History

The Rise (and Crash) of the Concorde Jet

What if you could hop from France to New York in less than four hours? Traveling twice the speed of sound, with caviar, lobster, champagne and cigars? This was the pitch of the Concorde jet -- a revolutionary, utterly ridiculous and brilliant craft that promised to fundamentally change air travel. Spoiler: it's not around anymore. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max figure out why. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

CLASSIC: English Men Used to Sell Their Wives

In late 17th-century England, it was almost impossible for anyone outside of the upper class to successfully get a divorce -- the process was expensive and required approval from both the church and the government. As a result, some couples agreed to end their unhappy marriages through a bizarre practice known as 'wife selling'. And, unfortunately, it's exactly what it sounds like. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

A Ridiculous History of "Fad Diets," Part Two: Beverly Hills, Scarsdale and More

As the Western world embarks on 2026, Ben, Max and Noel welcome everyone's New Year's resolutions. (Here's hoping that gym schedule continues through February!) In celebration of a "New Year, New Me" mentality, the boys return to the Ridiculous History of Fad Diets. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

CLASSIC: How Louisiana Almost Became a Hippo Ranching Hub

Nowadays beef, chicken and pork are the most common meats in the US -- but, not so long ago, that could have all changed. Join the guys as they travel back to the early 1900s, when Louisiana congressman Robert Broussard proposed an unorthodox solution to the nation's crippling meat shortage: the introduction of African Hippopotamuses to Gulf Coast swamplands. What convinced Broussard that the world's deadliest land mammal could become America's next culinary craze? Tune in to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

CLASSIC: Who was the highest paid athlete in history?

Today, most people probably don't remember the career of once-famous charioteer Gaius Appuleius Diocles -- however, in his day we was a cultural icon, one of the most famous athletes in Rome. Join the guys as they explore the story Diocles and trace one professor's quest to figure out exactly how much cash Diocles made in modern terms. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.