The Bizarre Parable of New Coke, Chapter One: Sweeter, Stranger, Strange

The Bizarre Parable of New Coke, Chapter One: Sweeter, Stranger, Strange

Author: iHeartPodcasts May 21, 2026 Duration: 36:15

Heads-up! We are extremely biased on this one. Back in the 1980s, Coca-Cola was terrified of losing the Great Soda War to Pepsi. In the depths of desperation, they futzed with the golden goose — the secret formula for one of the most popular sodas on the planet. In the first spicy sip of this two-liter series, Ben, Noel, and Max discover a grand conspiracy to boost sales… and a genuine culture war looming on the horizon.

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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: 50

Ridiculous History
Podcast Episodes
Who Took William Lilly’s Fish? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:10
Back in seventeenth century England, William Lilly was a big deal. As the preeminent astrologer of his day, pretty much everyone followed his research, predictions, and writing. Yet as Ben, Noel and Max discover in today…
Francis Scott Key was Kind of a Jerk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:17
Love it or hate it, every American recognizes the Star-Spangled Banner. The lyrics come from a poem written by a lawyer Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814, based on his experience watching an attack of Baltimore's F…
CLASSIC: Fort Blunder: The US Fort Mistakenly Built in Canada [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:36
After the War of 1812, the US decided to shore up security at Lake Champlain by constructing a fort on Island Point. However, due to a surveying error, the US ended up building this fort in Canada, rather than the states…
CLASSIC: The Duke of Edinburgh is Literally a God in Vanuatu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:32
Compared to most people, the UK's Prince Phillip has a pretty swell life -- he's literally royalty, has never gone hungry, and has traveled the world meeting some of Earth's most important people. And, to some residents…
Oof! A Lot of Baby Gear was Absolutely Ridiculous [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:33
In today's episode, Ben, Noel, and Max want to begin by shouting out all new parents in the crowd (we hope you get some sleep)! These days, every expecting or new parent is endlessly inundated with advertisments for prod…
A Ridiculous History of 'Soft Serve' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:34
Nowadays, ice cream is a pretty popular treat across the planet. In this episode -- at the height of a blistering Atlanta summer -- Ben, Noel and Max learn more ice cream's kissing cousin: the 'soft serve'. Where did it…
CLASSIC: The Honorary Citizens of the United States [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:15
Did you know you can become an honorary citizen of the United States? It's true -- but it isn't easy. Join the guys as they explore the life and times of the rare few who managed to become honorary citizens in the United…
Who was the real John Henry? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:13
For well over a century, schoolchildren across the United States learned the story of John Henry. According to the legend, John was a formerly enslaved man who found work with a railroad after the Civil War. Widely known…