CLASSIC: How Louisiana Almost Became a Hippo Ranching Hub

CLASSIC: How Louisiana Almost Became a Hippo Ranching Hub

Author: iHeartPodcasts January 6, 2026 Duration: 43:22
Ridiculous History
HistoryCultureSocietySociety & Culture

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 for privacy information.


History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Official website RSS
youtubetiktok
Ridiculous History
Podcast Episodes
CLASSIC: Uncle Sam Tried to End World War II With Bat Bombs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:12
Folks, we are phenomenally excited about this week's Classic episode. It sounds like something straight out of the cave beneath Bruce Wayne's Manor, but thanks to the passion of a part-time inventor named Lytle Adams, th…
The Ridiculous History of the "Ice Cream Sundae" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:19
For fans of sweet, frozen sweets, there's nothing as perfect as ice cream. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max scoop into a bizarrely niche controversy: Who actually invented the 'Ice Cream Sundae,' and why on Earth is…
Zombies, Part Two: The Movies! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:08
On the shambling heels of their recent episode exploring the bizarre legendary origins of zombies, Ben, Noel and Max dive headfirst into the cinematic side of the undead: zombie movies. As they discover in today's episod…
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: The Temple of Artemis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:11
It's no secret that the Wonders of the Ancient World were pretty... wonderful -- yet also pretty mischaracterized. In today's episode, Ben, Noel, and Super Producer Max explore the phenonemal Temple of Artemis, which was…
That Time Everyone Loved Radium: What Could Go Wrong? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:45
Fellow Ridiculous Historians, we all know the inspiring and tragic story of Marie Curie -- however, not everyone is familiar with the absolute boom in radium-associated merchandise, which took the world by storm before t…
CLASSIC: How a Broken Toilet Foiled a German Sub [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:48
Toward the end of World War II, the German Type VIIC submarine was acknowledged to be one of the most advanced -- and deadliest -- predators on the seas. Yet, in at least one case, some of the same technological breakthr…
CLASSIC: Creature Feature: The Dark Tetrad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:46
It's the weekend! Time to get outdoors, enjoy nature... and, honestly, watch out for crazy animals. Join the guys in this Classic episode as they make an appearance on Creature Feature, the podcast that takes a critter’s…
CLASSIC: The Weird, Surprisingly Recent Origin of the Tooth Fairy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:29
Ben here: Noel and I are sailing the seas this week -- wish us luck! Luckily, our Super Producer Max is holding it down with some of our favorite Classic episodes. Here's one for all the kids scared of dentists: "For mil…

«1...45678910»