Ridiculous History

As Grigori Rasputin manipulated his way into the upper reaches of the aristocracy, he gained great influence over the Emperor's family, who were convinced that only Rasputin could save their hemophiliac son. Yet even Rasputin's powerful patrons could not shield him from a growing conspiracy of enemies in Saint Petersburg. In the second part of this special two-part anniversary episode, Ben, Noel, and Max explore the many rumors surrounding Rasputin's death -- the fact, the fiction, and, most importantly, the mysteries that remain.
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While Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin would later become one of the most infamous figures in modern Russian history, he came from incredibly humble origins -- which he would later embellish in his quest for more prominence and power. In the first part of this special two-part anniversay episode, Ben, Noel, and Max celebrate nine years of Ridiculous History by finally exploring the story of the utter villain on their show's logo.
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In this week's Classic episode: When George S. Patton decided to found a tank training school in the tiny French village of Bourg, the mayor approached him in tears. "An American soldier has died here," said the mayor, "and I would like to lead you to his grave." Patton followed the lachrymose politician to the grave site... but he wasn't prepared for what he would find.
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While history often relegates Martha Gellhorn to a single role -- one of Ernest Hemingway's four wives -- this lauded journalist, fiction writer, and war correspondent was an absolute badass. She was on the ground during D-Day, reported during the Vietnam War, and traveled to Panama after the U.S. invasion. In today's episode, Ben, Noel, and Max explore the oft-ignored bravery of Marth Gellhorn... and the ridiculous ways in which Hemingway tried to sabotage her career. Which, for the record, is only one of the reasons Ben finds ol' Ernest overrated.
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Located in the southeastern US just off the coast of Georgia, Cumberland Island is a hidden treasure with deep -- and, at times, disturbing -- lore. In today's episode, Ben, Noel, and Max explore some of the more ridiculous stories from the island's past, from Thomas Carnegie's plans to take over the whole joint to the strange reason that wild non-native horses still roam there in the modern day.
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