Ridiculous History

Let's say you have a big dream: you're creating a new community, smack-dab in the middle of nowhere. Problem is, not a ton of people want to live in the middle of nowhere. When Robert McCulloch saw his newest venture wasn't going as planned, he came up with a thoroughly American scheme... in a ridiculous display of ambition and extravagance, McCullough purchased the London Bridge -- and shipped the entire thing to Arizona.

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As the toy car industry exploded, new companies entered the market -- but the Matchbox/Hot Wheels rivalry remained front and center for collectors and distributors alike. In the second part of this special two-part episode, we explore what happened to all those old toy car companies... and why you should always (always!) hold on to your old toys.

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Remember toy cars? Ben, Noel and Max investigate the surprisingly weird evolution of old-school, die-cast car models from their origins to the modern day, ultimately asking what happened to the fad. Bonus points for everyone taking a Matchbox or Hot Wheels toy and vrooming-vrooming around as we explore this one.

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Continuing our grand tradition of being a bit late to things, we celebrate Mother's Day with an exploration of the multiple women -- activists, poets, and heroes -- responsible for creating a tradition that continues across the world in the modern day. Bonus points if you call your Mom right after listening.

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For the vast majority of the world, Monaco seems like something out of a billionaire's fever dream -- completely surrounded by France, this tiny country is perhaps best known for the wealth of its residents and its opulent approach to gambling. However, there's much, much more to the story. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the origin story of this unique micronation, from the ancient past to the modern day.

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From serif to san, from kerning to Krueger, it turns out people have some pretty extreme opinions about fonts. In part two of this special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the nature of print. Papyrus, New Times Roman, Wingdings -- if you can name a font, it turns out there's a story behind it.

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While many people outside of graphic design may not think about fonts in a conscious manner, it turns out the way a word is depicted can have a huge impact on how you process the information. In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the origins of some of the world's-least favorite fonts.

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As the old saying goes, it's good to be king -- unfortunately, it can also be pretty dangerous. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore strange royal deaths, from a mysterious accident/assassination to a fatal chair, a drunken boat ride and more.

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In the ridiculous aftermath of their series on music samples, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the scrumptious, weird history of everything from free samples in grocery stores to the bizarre evolution of freebies in general. Strap in, Ridiculous Historians: it's much weirder than you think.

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What happens when your favorite artist uses a sample in their own work? Are they merely inspired, or are they stealing? In the second part of this special two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the -- wait for it -- ridiculously complicated legalities surrounding the science and art of sampling in the modern day.

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