Best Murderball Podcasts (2024)

51
The World's Weirdest Sports, Part Two: Literal Murderball 42:35

11d ago42:35

42:35

OK, imagine this: you've been captured by a neighboring civilization, hauled off to an unfamiliar city, and your captors tell you: "Hold up, we're not going to kill you yet. In fact, if you can win this game in front of our audience, we will let you live." In part two of our continuing series the world's weirdest sports, Ben, Noel and Max explore t…

1
CLASSIC: Napoleon Bonaparte Was Attacked by Bunnies -- And Lost 36:21

2d ago36:21

36:21

Born in Corsica, Napoleon Bonaparte rose from obscurity during the French Revolution, crowning himself Emperor of France in 1804. This brilliant, ruthless tactician changed the course of French history. Despite his meteoric rise and bloodied fall, Bonaparte still needed to grab lunch once in a while. That's when the rabbits got him. See omnystudio.…

1
The Most Ridiculous Weather of Baseball 41:08

2d ago41:08

41:08

We've been going through a bit of a sports phase here on Ridiculous History, and of course we can't talk sports without talking baseball. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into some of the strangest weather events to ever grace -- or curse -- an otherwise ordinary game of ball. Note - we don't talk about just how many people got struck by …

1
Bhutan Grades Itself On Happiness 45:19

2d ago45:19

45:19

Most people never get the chance to travel to Bhutan. Nestled high in the Himalayan mountains, this ancient kingdom is unique on multiple levels. It's the only Vajrayana Buddhist nation on the planet -- and it's also the only nation that measures its success in terms of happiness rather than money. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the …

1
CLASSIC: California Was Named for a Fictional Island Ruled by a Black Amazon Queen 32:09

9d ago32:09

32:09

California was admitted to the United States as the 31st state in 1850, but it acquired its unique name much, much earlier. Join Ben and Noel as they trace the strange story behind California's name, from the fiction that inspired it to the loss and rediscovery of the story and, of course, adventures on a legendary Amazonian island. Tune in to lear…

1
The World's Weirdest Sports, Part One: Buzkashī is Where You Fight Over A Dead Goat 52:04

13d ago52:04

52:04

Regardless of everyone's differences in this wide, wide world, it's safe to say every culture loves some kind of sport. Often these sports can seem strange to outsiders -- but before we cast proverbial stones, let's remember almost every sport looks bizarre to people who don't know the rules! In the first episode of this continuing series, Ben, Noe…

1
CLASSIC: Ancient Mayan Ritual Alcohol Enemas 50:06

17d ago50:06

50:06

Like many ancient cultures, the civilizations of Mesoamerica had a vast and rich history of unique cultural practices, spiritual beliefs and ceremonies, some of which may seem bizarre to people in the modern day. In this episode, the guys examine a common practice from ancient Mayan culture: the ritual alcohol enema. See omnystudio.com/listener for…

1
One Guy Was So Good At Violin That People Thought He Worshipped Satan 53:54

18d ago53:54

53:54

There's no denying Niccolò Paganini was a virtuoso -- in his heyday, this violinist was an international rock star, wowing crowds across Europe with his rollicking, frenetic performances. He was, in fact, so good that people were at a loss to explain exactly how he got so talented. As the years went on, people started claiming his musical gifts wer…

1
Credit Scores are Absolutely Ridiculous 48:36

16d ago48:36

48:36

In theory, the concept of credit scores is simple, and makes a lot of sense: lenders need to know they can trust someone to pay back their debts, and debtors need a way to prove they're trustworthy. In practice, however, credit scores are intensely confusing, often ridiculous, and a heck of a pain in the keister for pretty much everyone involved. S…

1
CLASSIC: That Time Vermont Was an Independent Republic 44:34

24d ago44:34

44:34

Today Vermont is known for its progressive politics, beautiful forestry, Bernie Sanders and Ben and Jerry's. It's not a state you'll hear much about outside of the US and, for many Vermont natives, that's just fine. But once upon a time, Vermont was a very different place -- in fact, for a number of years, it was an independent Republic. How did th…

1
Spontaneous Generation, Part Two: "Broth Science" 35:08

25d ago35:08

35:08

Who could have guessed a series of broth experiments revolutionized humanity's understanding of life? Spoiler, not us. In part two of this week's two part episode, Ben, Noel and Max continue their exploration of the once widely-accepted concept of spontaneous generation: the idea that certain nonliving objects could, for one reason or another, sudd…

1
Spontaneous Generation, Part One: Mice and Grain 40:25

27d ago40:25

40:25

Today the idea sounds silly. Why would anyone think nonliving substances can suddenly generate living things? Yet for much of human history, the concept of spontaneous generation was widely accepted. In the first part of this week's two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the ridiculous theory of spontaneous generation. See omnystudio.com/lis…

1
CLASSIC: The Capture of Guam Was Bloodless and Quick, All Due to a Misunderstanding 39:17

1M ago39:17

39:17

Located about 1500 miles to the east of the Phillipines in Micronesia, Guam is a small US territory with a tiny population, beautiful beaches and an incredibly complicated history. For almost four centuries it was a colonial possession of Spain -- but that all changed in 1898, when Guam, in a strange series of misunderstandings, became a possession…

1
Ridiculous Royal Deaths, Part 5: A Blind and Bloody Finale (For Now) 39:08

1M ago39:08

39:08

Whether we're talking mysterious nosebleeds, drowning in full armor, or charging literally blind into battle, history is chock-full of ridiculous royal deaths. In the fifth -- and for now, final -- installment of this series, Ben, Max and Noel dive deep into more morbid tales of rulers who met with untimely ends. See omnystudio.com/listener for pri…

1
Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart was Darn Near Unkillable 38:01

1M ago38:01

38:01

Born to an aristocratic Belgian family, Adrian Carton de Wiart could have lived the easy life, with a plum job in government or law. Instead, however, he embarked on a bloody, hyperviolent career across multiple wars and decades. He was shot repeatedly, lost an eye, survived wounds that would kill an orindary man and, when doctor refused to remove …

1
CLASSIC: Are All US Presidents Actually Related? 32:03

1M ago32:03

32:03

In 2012 a student in Salinas, California, startled genealogists when she claimed that all Presidents save one were actually related. Could it be true? Join Ben and Noel in today's classic episode as they dive into this strange claim, separating fact from fiction while tackling what it means, exactly, to be related to someone. (It's all relative.) S…

1
Post-Presidential Careers, Part Two: Adams, Taft, And More 42:58

1M ago42:58

42:58

George W. Bush is super into painting. Barak Obama loves making playlists. Taft decided to join the Supreme Court. In the part two of this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the astonishing post-Presidential careers of numerous former US Presidents. Spoiler: some are weirder than others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info…

1
Post-Presidential Careers, Part One: Happy Birthday, Jimmy! 37:16

1M ago37:16

37:16

Over here in the US, there's one dream job so exclusive that only 45 people have held it so far: President of the United States of America, not to be confused with the band bearing a similar name. In the first part of this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the astonishing post-Presidential career of Georgia's own James Carter, oft…

1
CLASSIC: What's the deal with two-dollar bills? 58:33

1M ago58:33

58:33

Despite being pretty rare in comparison to other denominations, the U.S. two-dollar bill is one of the most storied notes in American folklore. So why do some people think it's lucky? Why do others think it's bad luck? Join Ben and Noel as they explore the bizarre evolution of the two-dollar bill in this week's Classic episode. See omnystudio.com/l…

1
Mark Twain Was a Terrible Investor, Part Two: Typesetters, Steam Pulleys and Tesla 43:15

2M ago43:15

43:15

Well, Ridiculous Historians, as our pal Mark Twain settled into a life of literary fame, he still couldn't help himself from making huge investments in terrible ideas -- sometimes, at an enormous emotional cost to his family. In the second part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore some of Twain's most infamous bad investments,…

1
Mark Twain Was a Terrible Investor, Part One: The Legend of "Josh" 43:24

2M ago43:24

43:24

Today, Mark Twain is widely thought of as one of America's greatest authors -- but he was also, get this, a terrible investor. Inspired by his father's unfailing (and unsuccessful) efforts to become a business tycoon, Twain spent loads of time and money backing inventions that either didn't work... or were outright scams. In part one of this specia…

1
CLASSIC: How James Bond Created a Mexican Dia de los Muertos Tradition 27:28

2M ago27:28

27:28

The Day of the Dead is a longstanding traditional celebration in Mexico, and currently hundreds of thousands of people associate it with a gigantic parade -- you know, like the one they saw in the James Bond film "Spectre". There's just one strange twist about that parade: before the movie, the procession didn't exist. Join Ben and Noel as they tra…

1
What is Karaoke? Part Two: Going Global; Careful What You Sing 34:36

2M ago34:36

34:36

As the karaoke phenomenon became a global pastime, it likewise transformed to adapt to cultures outside of Japan. In the second part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the expansion of karaoke as both technology and culture as well as the troubling ethical nature of AI, arriving their own interpretations along the way. See omnystudi…

1
What is Karaoke? Part One: An Origin Story 34:59

2M ago34:59

34:59

Nowadays most people are at least generally familiar with the concept of karaoke -- technology allows you to sing along with your favorite songs, often to the delight of your friends and fellow amateur vocalists. It's a global phenomenon, and has created countless karaoke-based communities wherein, if only for a moment, anyone can be a star. In the…

1
CLASSIC: Did Richard Nixon Unwittingly Smuggle Drugs for Louis Armstrong? 38:14

2M ago38:14

38:14

It's become one of the strangest anecdotes in modern American history -- numerous sources will swear to you that, in a last-minute panic before reaching customs, legendary musician Louis Armstrong had Richard Nixon's unwitting assistance smuggling a hefty amount of marijuana through US customs. It's bizarre (and pretty hilarious) if true... but how…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Murderball Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

51
Ridiculous History

iHeartPodcasts

1
Behind the Axle

Michael Klonowski, Dave Mengyan, Chris Cook

1
My New Favorite Olympian and My New Favorite Paralympian

NBC Sports

51
The World's Weirdest Sports, Part Two: Literal Murderball 42:35

1
CLASSIC: Napoleon Bonaparte Was Attacked by Bunnies -- And Lost 36:21

1
The Most Ridiculous Weather of Baseball 41:08

1
Bhutan Grades Itself On Happiness 45:19

1
CLASSIC: California Was Named for a Fictional Island Ruled by a Black Amazon Queen 32:09

1
The World's Weirdest Sports, Part One: Buzkashī is Where You Fight Over A Dead Goat 52:04

1
CLASSIC: Ancient Mayan Ritual Alcohol Enemas 50:06

1
One Guy Was So Good At Violin That People Thought He Worshipped Satan 53:54

1
Credit Scores are Absolutely Ridiculous 48:36

1
CLASSIC: That Time Vermont Was an Independent Republic 44:34

1
Spontaneous Generation, Part Two: "Broth Science" 35:08

1
Spontaneous Generation, Part One: Mice and Grain 40:25

1
CLASSIC: The Capture of Guam Was Bloodless and Quick, All Due to a Misunderstanding 39:17

1
Ridiculous Royal Deaths, Part 5: A Blind and Bloody Finale (For Now) 39:08

1
Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart was Darn Near Unkillable 38:01

1
CLASSIC: Are All US Presidents Actually Related? 32:03

1
Post-Presidential Careers, Part Two: Adams, Taft, And More 42:58

1
Post-Presidential Careers, Part One: Happy Birthday, Jimmy! 37:16

1
CLASSIC: What's the deal with two-dollar bills? 58:33

1
Mark Twain Was a Terrible Investor, Part Two: Typesetters, Steam Pulleys and Tesla 43:15

1
Mark Twain Was a Terrible Investor, Part One: The Legend of "Josh" 43:24

1
CLASSIC: How James Bond Created a Mexican Dia de los Muertos Tradition 27:28

1
What is Karaoke? Part Two: Going Global; Careful What You Sing 34:36

1
What is Karaoke? Part One: An Origin Story 34:59

1
CLASSIC: Did Richard Nixon Unwittingly Smuggle Drugs for Louis Armstrong? 38:14

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