Oddball History

This week on a very special Oddball History, it's the Year of Five Emperors, a wild, bloody, chaotic time even by the standards of the Roman Empire--from Commodus being strangled by his personal trainer on New Year's Eve 192, setting the whole sordid saga in motion, to the great and brutal general Septimius Severus emerging from the pack of would-be emperors as the last emperor standing. PLUS: Fun with 1940s slang, the Greek Myth of the week and of course, Varsity Blues.

This week on a very special Oddball History we're lowering ourselves down into the sewer to learn all about the Great Hanoi Rat Massacre, a grisly and all too true comedy of errors set in 1902 French Indochina, as well as Mao's tragically misguided (but super popular) war on sparrows and the species of toad brought to Australia as a pest control measure in the 1930s, which has been spreading across the country and terrorizing the native wildlife ever since. ALSO: Today in history, dung beetles, and the first ever Greek Myth of the Week!

What's beef? Beef is when you hate someone so much for so long that your hate goes down as a matter of public record, as we learn this week on a very special Oddball History Podcast. From Hollywood icon Joan Crawford claiming her "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane" co-star Bette Davis smelled to Roald Amundsen's "Haha f--k you" letter to fellow polar explorer Robert F. Scott to Queen Elizabeth I grilling a Scottish emissary about whether she or her cousin Mary Queen of Scots was hotter, history has never been saltier.

This week on a very special Oddball History we're going back to the well of weird history that is the Turn of the 20th Century, to a time when Martians were real (or seemed to be anyway). PLUS: Top Comments is back, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives CONTROVERSY, and upwards of two Simpsons references!

This week on a very special Oddball History, Jimmy has retired from history podcasting, leaving Scott to ramble about hippopotamuses--specifically the brief period in 1910 when Congress considered importing hippos to solve a meat shortage. 

Come on in, the water's warm. Part 2 of the Oddball History Holiday Classic Chapters: (00:00) Intro (00:57) The Last Castrato (09:20) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (15:31) Scott Goes Ghost Hunting (23:19) Margaret Howe Does Hand Stuff with Dolphins (31:12) Tusko: The Elephant That Took Too Much Acid (41:24) Robert Cornish - Boy Genius (50:40) Gladiator Blood and Encino Man (54:35) John C. Woods - The Worst (Best?) Executioner (01:03:20) Cadaver Synod - A Pope Skeleton is put on trial  

Check out our favorite segments from the past 2 years. Happy Holidays to you and yours. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:58) Jacques Ferron and the RIghteous Donkey (08:46) Ken Allen the escAPE artist...get it? escAPE? (17:13) The First Ever Diss Track - Sumerian Dog Poem (21:41) Scott Gets Mad at Us - Texas Rangers (28:25) Gary Suitor gets cut by the Cleveland Cavaliers (34:47) A Night out with Rube Waddell (39:32) Georgia Tech Devastates a non-football team (42:31) Roy Sullivan gets struck by lightning a lot (47:46) Akitu - Sumerian New Years - All Hail Marduk!

The early 2000s were a different time. A better time? Depends who you ask. We'll be covering Boy Meets Boy, Kid Nation, and My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (02:20) Top Comments (08:32) Boy Meets Boy (Bravo 2003) (16:06) Kid Nation (CBS 2007) (28:42) My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance (Fox 2004) (35:35) Podcastin'

The HMS Wager did everything wrong. Here is the story of the shipwreck, mutiny, and return home to merry old England.    Chapters  (00:00) Intro (08:40) Top Comments (21:55) The HMS Wager (45:49) Podcastin'

We'll cover Gregor MacGregor, George C. Parker, and Natwarlal. Also butts and stuff. Chapters (00:00) Intro (02:58) Top Comments (20:37) Gregor MacGregor Makes Up a Country (28:15) George C. Parker has a bridge to sell you (33:53) Natwarlal, India's legendary conman (39:34) Honorable Mention: Alan Conway and Stanley Kubrick (42:45) Stand Up Shows and Dumb Thoughts

The conman so nice, he sold the Eiffel Tower twice! And more such stories. Enjoy. Chapters (00:00) Intro (02:14) Top Comments (22:24) Victor Lustig: King of the Con (55:42) Show Dates and Chit Chat

Georgia Tech and Cumberland faced off in 1916. The Yellow Jackets won 222-0. This is that story.   Chapters: (00:00) Intro (05:05) Top Comments + Some Meandering (26:06) 1916 Georgia Tech vs. Cumberland Beatdown (45:58) Idle chit chat and stand up comedy dates

Two comedians/poorly researched historians dive into American folk heroes and the very real people behind the tall tales. Chapters (00:00) Intro (03:05) Top Comments (18:55) Johnny Appleseed/John Chapman (27:31) Paul Bunyan/Fabian "Joe" Fournier (38:43) John Henry/Much smaller John Henry (45:07) Comedy shows and chit chat

We check out some of history's strangest performers. Enjoy!   Chapters:  (00:00) Intro (03:25) Top Comments (21:54) Le Petomane - the French Farter (31:02) Alessandro Moreschi - The Last Castrato  (38:44) Matthias Buchinger - No hands, lotta magic (44:11) Hadji Ali - The Greatest Regurgitator (49:44) Charles Lauri Jr - The First Furry (55:15) Hot Goss and Comedy Shows

This week, we take you down memory lane of some of the strangest riots on recent history Chapters: (00:00) Intro (02:58) Top Comments (18:08) The Straw Hat Riot of 1922 (24:30) Astor Place Shakespeare Riot of 1849 (32:43) Toronto Clown vs Firefighter Riot (42:02) Honorable Mention: English Bread Riots (43:40) Hot pod! Get your hot pod!

The title really does a good job at saying what this one is about. Chapters (00:00) Intro (04:34) Top Comments (13:43) Bernarr MacFadden (47:25) Straight Up Podcast Chat - Also come see us live.

Smedley Butler - author of "War is a Racket" - did a whole lot of war himself.   Chapters:  (00:00) Intro (06:05) Top Comments  (12:15) Smedley Butler, the history part of the podcast (49:29) Podcastin'

John R. Brinkley was an all-time quack doctor, famous for transplanting goat testicles into humans to cure pretty much anything...he also was a pioneer in country music, it's a long story.   Chapters (00:00) Intro (05:31) Top Comments (17:00) John R. Brinkley (49:40) Chittin' and Chattin'

This one is about whales. The title really says what you need to know. Chapters (00:00) Intro (02:30) Top Comments (15:08) Whales! Whales! Whales! (17:30) Porphyrios - An Old Fashioned Sea Monster (22:30) Old Tom the Helpful Orca (28:15) The Original Shamu (31:05) Orca Serial Killers, Port and Starboard (36:02) The Exploding Whale of Oregon (48:00) Chittin' and Chattin'

Rube Waddell, one of the craziest figures in baseball history. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (05:41) Top Comments (18:43) Rube Waddell (01:03:23) Comedy Shows and Idle Chit Chat

This week we dive into the streetgangs of yesteryear. There's goofy french fighting, the real gangs of new york, and everyone has a silly name. Enjoy. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 03:04 Top Comments 12:55 Streetgangs of Yesteryear 14:09 Les Apaches: French street subculture 24:52 The Dead Rabbits Riot of 1857: The Real Gangs of New York 34:42 The Gopher Gang and other such silly names 39:56 40 Elephants: The Original Girl Bosses 46:33 Chit chat and stand up dates

The gang goes grave robbing. Enjoy.   Chapters (00:00) Intro (04:28) Top Comments (14:32) Stealing Lincoln's Corpse (22:51) King Richard II...not I (27:16) Galileo Gives God the Bird (31:12) Charlie Chaplin's Wife not Impressed (35:57) Elvis Grave Conspiracy (39:50) Black Market Composer Skulls (47:24) Doctor Riots (55:23) Idle Chit Chat

On this episode of Oddball History we go through popular medical remedies through history. The ancient greeks, romans, egyptians, random British people - you know, history.    Chapters: (00:00) Intro (04:45) Top Comments (24:21) Ok, we're starting the topic (24:24) Ancient Egypt: The Ebers Papyrus (31:10) Ancient Greece: The Wandering Womb (34:39) Ancient Rome: Gladiator Blood (41:00) Dung-related Medicine (44:52) Milk Transfusions (49:56) Dead Whae Hotel  (54:38) Chit Chat/Comedy Stuff

Capital FUNishment: The Lighter Side of capital punishment. Join us this week as we go through some of the more colorful executioners in history.   Chapters (00:00) Intro (05:04) Top Comments (17:42) Capital FUNishment (18:18) Lady Betty: Irish Hanglady (24:54) William Marwood: Teaching an old dog new tricks...murder tricks (28:59) John C. Woods: American Hero/Liar (37:23) Jack Ketch: The Babe Ruth of Unskilled Executioners (42:43) John Thrift: The Tower of London Crier (50:11) Strangulation Fun Facts (55:02) Chit chat, stand up, fire stories

This week we dive into historic hell gigs. As comedians, we've all died on stage, but this group did it literally.   Chapters (00:00) Intro (05:49) Top Comments (17:47) French Shakespeare Moliere (26:56) Lions eat a band (29:20) Lions also eat a Reverend (40:38) World's smallest harmonica (43:18) Nick Parkyakarkus aka Harry Einstein (53:53) Honorable Mention: Siegfried and Roy (55:21) Honorable Mention: Sam Patch the Yankee Leaper (59:33) Chit chat and show dates

Today's Oddball History. We give a salute to the dogs of history. Chapters (00:00) Intro (06:29) Top Comments (20:40) Bummer and Lazarus (39:54) Spuds Mackenzie and Remember the Titans (45:02) Ancient Dog Epitaphs (52:48) Balto's Stolen Valor (01:08:11) Sgt. Stubby (01:15:30) Chit chat

This week we cover the many mascots that have brought joy to our lives. They also seem to get sued a lot and do crime! Chapters: (00:00) Intro (03:47) Top Comments (15:25) Phillie Phanatic gets sued a lot (27:45) San Diego Chicken: A story of humility (37:26) New Jersey Devils Mascot gets handsy (39:44) Chicago Cubs' Fat Boy (43:52) Jumbo the Elephant (47:18) Peruna didn't attack that ram (52:57) Comedy and Stuff

The gang goes deep on some of the unluckiest people in history. The Japanese guy in both atomic bombs, a lady on many famous sinking ships, and who knew Abraham Lincoln's son was a harbinger of doom for 3 U.S. Presidents. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (05:06) Top Comments (11:42) Tsutomu Yamaguchi - Double A-Bomb Guy (18:35) Violet Jessop Sinks Ships (25:04) Robert Todd Lincoln - Harbinger of Doom (30:00) Roy Sullivan Gets Struck by Lighting...a lot (35:02) Honorable Mentions (43:00) Comedy Shows and Dumb Thoughts

Charles VI, King of France, went from "the Beloved" to "the Mad" in a very short time frame. Here is that story. We also discuss Luka, gay-aliens, and there's 4 or 5 Stone Cold Steve Austin impersonations. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:38) Top Comments (11:42) Charles VI Starts (15:21) First brush with crazy (22:23) The Ball des Ardents (Ball of the burning men) (31:54) Full Blown Crazy Time (45:43) Traitors, Book Reviews, Comedy, Luka...

Edward Cope and OC Marsh were late 19th century paleontologists that were married to the game...until it quit loving them back.   Chapters: (00:00) Intro (03:54) Top Comments (14:41) Meet the Characters (23:58) The Bone Wars Start (34:28) The Bone Wars get real (49:20) Comedy and Stuff

This week on Oddball History: The strange stories of animal researchers gone wild. Dolphins get satisfied, earth worms have bassoons blown on them, and a Russian guy tries to make an Ape-Man chimera. We got it all.   Chapters: (00:00) Intro (02:58) Top Comments (12:09) Cool Rats Like Jazz (18:03) Elephants on Acid (27:09) When a Woman Loves a Dolphin (35:35) Men and Women are Different (41:26) Russian Ape-Man Chimeras (44:55) Charles Darwin Bonus! (46:36) Comedy + Fire Talk 

We look into New Years traditions throughout history. Per usual, Gilmore Girls and other stuff comes up. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (02:56) Top Comments (09:37) Akitu, Ancient New Years (18:16) Romanian Dancing Bears (24:23) Touching Peacocks (29:30) Bible Dipping (31:38) NYC Ball Drop (34:20) Black Eyed Peas (37:02) The Moment of Truth, TV Show (42:15) The Plugging of Dates (43:38) The Beach Boys (46:38) Gilmore Girls & Simpsons (51:26) Cow Commercials & Christmas Gifts

This week on Oddball History, we break down some of the strangest saints and martyrs the Catholics have to offer. We also go through last shows top comments, fire department physicals and break down the secret Rock of Love/Below Deck murder connection. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (02:11) Top Comments (11:36) Drogo: Saint of Ugly People (13:32) Barbara: Saint of Explosions (14:40) Fiacre: Saint of Hemorrhoids (17:03) Simeon the Stylite: Saint of Puppeteers (18:32) Bibiana: Saint of Hangovers (19:54) Lawrence: Saint of Comedians (21:01) Gummarus: Saint of Difficult Marriages (25:03) Saint Denis: Saint of Headaches (28:22) Erasmus: Saint of Tummy Aches (30:44) Agatha: Saint of Breast Ailments (31:44) Giles: Saint of Breastfeeding (34:31) Smithin: Saint of Eggs (36:11) Rita: Saint of Impossible Causes (38:43) Nicholas: You know the one (41:09) Fire Department Physicals (45:55) Old Timey Radio Shows (49:00) Family Game Night (52:35) Taco Bell Inflation (53:51) Rock of Love and Live Dates

Episode 62: "Painless" Parker, the story of a dentist.   Chapters:  (00:00) Intro  (07:27) Painless Parker (11:54) The Parker Dental Circus (17:11) Painless Parker = Legal Scholar (20:26) Remembering Painless Parker (25:33) Thanksgiving (27:56) A Wedding (29:12) Nick Lachey Makes A Joke (30:37) Fire Station Pranks and Comedy (38:56) Comedy + Fights

Episode 61 of Oddball History   Chapters: (00:00) Intro (02:11) Top Comments (07:11) Mario Tonelli (22:06) Rommel, the Nicest Nazi (26:28) Would you rather? (31:31) Scott finds Jesus (33:19) Questionable Reddit discovery (37:55) Cowboys Update (40:49) Stand Up Comedy

This week on an utterly macabre Oddball History, Jimmy and Scott talk Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Toaster Strudel and Real Life Dr. Frankensteins--from the alchemist who may have been the inspiration for the book to the Russian transplantation pioneer who became obsessed with creating a two-headed dog for some reason.   Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:14) Top Comments (06:04) Johann Dippel boils bodies (14:01) Giovanni Aldini shocks some dogs (20:12) Andrew Ure was a pretty good guy (22:53) Robert Cornish boy genius (34:38) Vladmir Demikhov loves 2-headed dogs (42:45) Crowd Work Goes wrong and fatherhood (47:50) Movie: Rover Dangerfield (50:39) Jerry Jones is messy (53:48) Closing Remarks: Tom and Jerry

This week on Oddball History   Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:55) Top Comments (09:01) Ken Allen "Hairy Houdini" (20:10) Ham the Space Chimp (27:04) Koko the Gorilla (39:15) Politics! (42:51) Scott Has an Old Man Complaint (43:32) Wieners and Relationship Advice (49:35) Closing Remarks

This week on Oddball History, Jimmy and Scott talk all things Tarrare—the foul-smelling, ever-hungry 18th century French sideshow act & soldier who once ate a toddler probably. ALSO: Elementary school assemblies, grilled cheese sandwiches and making friends online.    Chapters: (00:00) Intro (00:56) Top Comments (05:08) Tarrare's Background (11:31) Tarrare The Traveling Showman (16:19) Tarrare The Failed Spy (20:57) Tarrare Goes Full Goblin Mode (28:55) The End of Tarrare (31:21) Facebook and Comedy Scene Drama (36:47) Final Thoughts on Chimp Crazy (38:37) Comedy and Shows (45:38) Scott Meets a Blind Man

This week on a heavily redacted Oddball History, Jimmy & Scott talk DB Cooper's whereabouts, "The Devil's Advocate" and a few of the CIA's wildest moments, including a Cold War era plan to turn cats into listening devices and that time the group tried to scare a Filipino rebel army into surrendering by faking a series of vampire attacks.   (00:00) Intro (01:44) Top Comments (04:00) Best Football Movies (09:40) Failed CIA Blackmail (15:48) CIA Spy Cats (19:22) CIA Vampires (25:50) CIA Condoms (28:39) Chimp Crazy + First 48 (33:13) Jimmy Runs a 40 + The Highwayman (36:44) Baby Decisions: To snip or not to snip (40:39) Unsolved Mysteries (43:23) Standup Comedy

This week on Oddball History, Jimmy has a baby, Scott watches some TV and the both of them get to know the scrappy weirdo that is the real Rudy Ruettiger, the inspiration for the 1993 film "Rudy." ALSO: HBO's Chimp Crazy, Wallace Shawn and OJ Simpson's best friend.   Chapters: (00:00) Intro (02:20) Top Comments (04:37) Rudy! Rudy! Rudy! (33:53) Goofin' and Gabbin'

This week on Oddball History, Jimmy and Scott discuss the life and times of famed imposter Fred (Ferdinand) Demara. Who famously saved 13 lives during the Korean War while posing as a doctor on a Canadian warship. ALSO: Past lives, Taco Bell, and that French Olympic pole vaulter everyone keeps talking about.     Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:30) Top Comments (05:24) "The Great Imposter" Fred Demara (33:39) Goofin' and Gabbin'

This week on Oddball History, Jimmy and Scott explore the weirdly dark history of the most important meal of the day, from the 1920s ad campaign that made bacon a breakfast food to the cultish origins of the cereal industry. Also: Calvin Coolidge, Below Deck, and the Planet of the Apes. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (02:46) Darkside of Breakfast (25:43) Goofin' and Gabbin'

This week on Oddball History, Jimmy and Scott discuss Hawk Tua Lady Fever, Robert Durst and the wildest things to ever happen at the Olympics—from the most ill-conceived bike race of all time to the first and only time live birds were used as shooting targets and all the grisly weirdness in between. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (03:53) Olympic Shenanigans (35:44) Hawk Tua & Goofin'

This week on Oddball History, Jimmy and Scott discuss robots, invisible men and the history of animals being put on trial—from  the seafaring monkey-spy to the medieval rats who beat the barley-eating allegations to the killer pigs who terrorized the babies of France throughout the late Middle Ages. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (00:43) Animals on Trial (35:37) Goofin' & Gabbin' - Vapes and Movies

This week on Oddball History, Jimmy and Scott pontificate on the scarf's place in men's fashion, Mary Poppins and the Lake Worth Monster, a "fishy man-goat" or possible "drunken teenager in a gorilla suit" who terrorized the Lake Worth area just outside Fort Worth, Texas in the summer of 1969.   Chapters (00:00) Intro/Recap (06:38) The Lake Worth Monster (31:02) New Bit Goofin' (41:50) Comedy Talk

This week on Oddball History, Jimmy and Scott discuss Great Moments in Pettiness, including the King of Persia physically attacking an ocean, the King of Korea falling off his horse and then desperately trying to cover it up, and the Pope putting the corpse of the former pope on trial.   Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:31) Petty Moments in History (04:22) Petty Ancient Koreans (09:34) Petty Persians vs. Ocean (22:25) Petty Popes (30:15) Comedy Shows & Dallas News (34:41) New Bit Goofin'

  (00:00) Intro (02:14) Our Guest Pete Jung (03:58) Jack Parsons (17:04) Alistair Crowley Enters (21:48) L. Ron Hubbard Enters (27:31) Engineering with Pete (30:24) Jack Parsons Career (34:19) Jack's late life (45:23) Comedy Shows and Chit Chat

This week on Oddball History the boys talk offensive nicknames of yesteryear, the poetry of Walt Whitman and the weirdest and most unintentionally hilarious NBA player of all time, Gary Suiter. Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:57) Salami and Nicknames (07:30) Gary Suiter's College Career (12:41) The 1970-71 Cleveland Cavaliers (14:50) Gary makes the NBA (20:36) Gary's Bad (23:50) Gary Wants Playing Time (26:20) First Start...Gets cut (28:42) Post Firing Craziness (34:30) Gary Post-NBA (39:48) Movies and Stand up

Scott   Chapters (00:00) Intro (03:26) Graceland and Vice TV (11:17) OK, We'll talk about JFK (19:55) Jack Ruby Stuff (25:07) The Parade Route (29:56) LBJ (32:42) The Motorcade and Secret Service (34:26) Parkland Hospital and Autopsies (45:57) We solve it.

This week on a moderately special Oddball History Podcast, Jimmy and Scott talk local zoo crimes, our new monkey butlers (unrelated), and the time the sitting Governor of Louisiana, Earl Long, was hauled off to a state mental institution he himself had dedicated years earlier. Chapters (00:00) Intro (01:00) Earl's Brother Huey Long (07:08) Long Family Drama (09:39) Earl Loves Corruption (14:23) Earl the Governor (21:32) Earl Goes Crazy (30:20) Earl Goes to the Loony Bin (38:45) Fun Facts and Quotes (44:22) Idle Chit Chat and Show Dates