Episodes
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When Japan invaded Korea in 1592, one man stood defiantly against impossible odds: Admiral Yi Sun-sin. Outnumbered, betrayed by jealous rivals, and stripped of command, Yi clawed his way back from ruin, inventing the legendary âTurtle Shipsâ to wreak havoc on enemy fleets. Using unmatched tactics and sheer audacity, Yi crushed Japanâs armada again and again, earning victory even when it seemed hopeless. Join Ben and Andrew as they dive into the life of historyâs most badass naval commanderâa warrior whose courage, cunning, and stubborn refusal to quit turned certain defeat into eternal glory.
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He broke the sound barrier with two broken ribs and a broom handle jammed into the cockpit of an experimental jet. Chuck Yeager wasnât just the first man to fly faster than Mach 1âhe was the embodiment of American grit, guts, and go-for-broke test pilot bravado. In today's episode, Ben and guest Brandon Fibbs dive into the wild life of a World War II ace who dogfought Nazis, cheated death more times than he could count, and then strapped himself into rocket-powered death traps just to see what they could do. Before astronauts were heroes, Chuck Yeager was already a legend.
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Continuing the epic story of Handsome Mingyan, the loyal warrior of King Jengar as heâs tasked with the impossible: Capture the King of the Western lands, Mighty Kerman Kahn . Mingyan must travel vast distances, face three crazy trials, and somehow, someway, sneak into King Kermanâs castle, avoiding 16,000 soldiers, and a bear and leopard duo ready to throw him down into the depths of hell. With his trusted and brilliant steed Golden Sharga by his side, how can he fail?
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When the English army came knocking at the gates of Dunbar Castle in 1338, they expected an easy victory. What they got instead was Black Agnes â a Scottish noblewoman with a sharp tongue, a fearless spirit, and absolutely zero patience for invaders. With a handful of loyal soldiers, Agnes of Dunbar held off siege engines, taunted her enemies, and turned one of the most embarrassing failures in English military history into her personal highlight reel. In today's episode Ben and special guest bestselling author Rebecca Cantrel tell the story of how one woman, armed with grit, wit, and a heavy dose of sarcasm, made the mighty tremble.
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The tuberculosis-stricken dentist is about to become a legend. In Part 2 of our Doc Holliday saga, Ben and Andrew ride into Tombstoneâwhere Doc teams up with the Earp brothers, drinks like a dying man, and walks into the most famous 30 seconds in the history of the Wild West. Weâll break down the myth and the mayhem of the O.K. Corral, trace Docâs final years on the run, and separate fact from frontier fiction.
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Before he was the sharp-tongued, quick-drawing legend of Tombstone, John Henry âDocâ Holliday was a Southern aristocrat, a brilliant dentist, and a man marked by tragedy. In today's episode Ben and Producer Andrew trace the surprising early life of the Westâs most infamous gambler-gunslingerâfrom his genteel Georgia upbringing to a tuberculosis diagnosis that sent him spiraling into saloons, showdowns, and the seedier corners of the American frontier. Along the way, we unpack how Val Kilmerâs unforgettable performance in Tombstone helped turn Holliday into a pop culture iconâand why the real man was even more complicated, charming, and dangerous than the movie made him out to be.
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The surface of Venus is a nightmare: 900 degrees Fahrenheit, 90 times Earthâs atmospheric pressure, and rain made of acid. Itâs the most hostile place in the solar systemâand the Soviet Union was insane enough to send probes there. Again. And again. And again. In this episode, Ben and guest Erik Slader (Epik Fails of History) dive into the Soviet Venera Program: a two-decade war against a planet that melts metal, crushes steel, and kills spacecraft in minutes. Most of these missions failed. A few didnât. And the ones that made it didnât just surviveâthey made history.
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AUDIO FIXED! As Europe increasingly freaks out about the expansion of the Ottoman Empire, a ragtag crew of guys who ordinarily hate each other band together for common cause and GUESS WHAT -- it goes cartoonishly wrong. In the second part of this two-part series, Ben hangs with the Ridiculous History guys and breaks down the most ridiculous friendly-fire incident in all of human history. (Also, side note: Ben recorded this on his birthday, and he's still younger than Joseph II.)
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It's April Fools day which means we want to talk about one of the dumbest battles in World History...
War has always been a chaotic, messy endeavor -- and, sometimes, it's downright ridiculous. In this week's special two-part series Ben joins the badass dudes from Ridiculous History to talk about the bizarre turn of events that led to the Battle of KarĂĄnsebes. In part one, Ben introduces the gang to the legendary 'enlightened despot,' Joseph II, a guy who, diplomatically put, took self-confidence to a whole new (and possibly undeserved) level.
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Some soldiers fight wars. Leo Major won themâsingle-handedlyâwhile rocking a Canadian flag.
This one-eyed, French-Canadian unstoppable force of nature took on the Nazis solo, liberated an entire Dutch city by himself, and casually shrugged off wounds that wouldâve ended lesser men. Whether it was sneaking through occupied territory like a moose in stealth mode, capturing dozens of enemy soldiers alone, or just deciding that war wasnât over until he said so, Leo Major was a walking Canadian legend. And just in case WWII wasnât enough, he came back for another war just to flex on history one more time.
Strap as Ben and producer Andrew discuss Canadaâs hardest-hitting, war-winning, maple syrup-fueled madman.
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100 episodes. Hundreds of badass stories. Countless questionable pronunciation attempts.
This week, weâre celebrating 100 episodes of Badass of the Week with a look back at the wildest, craziest, and most ridiculous moments from our journey so far. From legendary warriors to historical madmen, unsung heroes to absolute lunatics, weâve covered it allâand weâre not stopping anytime soon. Join us for a victory lap filled with favorite episodes, behind-the-scenes chaos, and a heartfelt (but not too heartfelt) thank-you to everyone whoâs been along for the ride.This episode is published as part of Podcasthon, an incredible and fast-growing non-profit initiative that unites over a thousand podcasters globally, once a year to support charitable causes. We've chosen to support Building Homes for Heroes (www.buildinghomesforheroes.org) a great charity that helps build and modify mortgage-free homes for veterans.
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You know Mickey Rooney as a Hollywood legend, but did you know he also served in World War II? At the height of his fame, Rooney traded red carpets for the Army, entertaining the troops and boosting morale across war zones. While he wasnât storming beaches, he was on the front lines of entertainment, giving performances to soldiers who needed a reason to laugh in the middle of chaos. In this episode Ben is joined by writer Robert O'Connor, we look at how one of Hollywoodâs biggest stars used his talent to serve his country and keep the troopsâ spirits high when they needed it most.
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Step into the smoke-filled temple of Apollo and meet the Oracle of Delphi, the most mysterious and feared fortune-teller in the ancient world. Kings, generals, and philosophers all climbed Mount Parnassus to hear her cryptic propheciesâsome of which shaped the course of history. But was the Oracle really channeling the gods, or just really high on volcanic fumes? In today's episode Ben and Pat unravel the truth behind ancient Greeceâs most powerful mystic, the riddles that baffled empires, and the wildest predictions that actually came true.
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Robert Smalls wasnât just a manâhe was a one-man revolution. Smalls was slave who stole a Confederate warship, sailed his way to freedom, and then went back to kick the Confederacyâs ass. Born into slavery, Smalls pulled off one of the greatest heists in American history, disguising himself as a Confederate captain and delivering a stolen ship to the Union. But he didnât stop thereâhe went on to become a Union naval officer, a U.S. Congressman, and a major force in Reconstruction. In this episode Ben and Producer Andrew Jacobs tell the story of a man who refused to be anyoneâs prisoner and made history on his own terms.
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Before the Vikings had maps, they had Erik the Redâa hot-tempered, ax-swinging explorer who turned exile into empire. In this episode, Ben and Pat follow the fiery outlaw who got kicked out of Norway, then Iceland, and instead of learning his lesson, discovered Greenland and made it his own. With a reputation for both brutality and brilliance, Erik carved his way into history as the ultimate Viking troublemaker. Get ready for a tale of blood feuds, icy frontiers, and the man who made Greenland sound way better than it actually was.
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In this episode Ben and Brandon set sail for a high-seas adventure with Zheng Yi Sao, the most powerful pirate you've never heard of. This legendary Chinese pirate queen commanded a fleet of over 70,000 ruthless outlaws, outmaneuvered imperial navies, and built a criminal empire that made the British and Portuguese think twice before messing with her. We'll dive into how she rose from a life in the shadows to ruling the South China Sea with an iron fistâand then pulled off one of historyâs greatest retirement plans. Forget BlackbeardâZheng Yi Sao was the real queen of piracy
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Get ready for the thunder of hooves and the clash of steel as Ben and Pat charge into the epic saga of the Winged Hussars, the cavalry that didnât just ride into battleâthey exploded onto the scene. In this episode, weâll uncover how these armored juggernauts, with wings strapped to their backs and lances aimed for glory, shattered enemy lines and rewrote the rules of warfare. From the Siege of Vienna to battles where they turned the tide against impossible odds, the Winged Hussars werenât just warriorsâthey were a freaking force of nature. Saddle up for a story of speed, power, and wings that brought empires to their knees.
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Meet Nancy Wake, the WWII spy, saboteur, and all-around badass who became one of the Alliesâ most decorated agents. In this episode, Ben and Pat dive into her fearless exploits: smuggling resistance fighters, outsmarting the Gestapo, and leading guerrilla raids deep behind enemy lines. Known as "The White Mouse" for her uncanny ability to evade capture, Nancy Wake didnât just fight Nazisâshe made it look stylish. Get ready for a wild ride through the life of a woman who redefined courage and left a trail of chaos in her wake (pun intended!)
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Step into the arena with Milo of Croton, the ancient Greek strongman whose feats of strength turned him into a living legend. In this episode, Ben and Pat explore how Milo went from an Olympic champion to a battlefield hero, carrying entire armies on his backâliterally. From wrestling lions to tearing trees apart with his bare hands, Miloâs life was a nonstop display of raw power and unmatched swagger. Join us as we uncover the epic tale of historyâs ultimate flex and the man who redefined what it meant to be strong.
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Meet Saladin, the crusader-crushing legend who outsmarted Europeâs toughest knights while keeping his cool. In this episode, Ben and Mike break down how this unstoppable tactician reclaimed Jerusalem, united rival factions, and earned respect from both allies and enemies. With brains, brawn, and a surprising dose of chivalry, Saladin proved that being a badass doesnât mean you canât also be a class act. Get ready for the epic tale of the warrior who fought with honor and ruled with heart!
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