Ridiculous Romance

Lu Buwei was a merchant in Ancient China who managed to manipulate the system to wind up the prime minister of the Qin state. But to distance himself from a scandalous affair with the queen, he had to find her a nice, big, girthy distraction. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We got together with Lianna and Siena, the hilarious hosts of Tossed Popcorn, to talk about the movie "50 First Dates" along with a few true stories of couples dealing with amnesia. Will we make lasting memories with our new friends? Or do these two make us laugh so hard that we forget what we were even talking about?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oskar Kokoschka was an Austrian painter, poet, and playwright who channeled his romantic experiences into his unconventional art. First an extremely NSFW "children's poem", then his riot-causing experimental play about gender warfare, and finally a nightmarish sex doll replica of his evil ex-girlfriend, Alma Mahler! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles Vance Millar, a Canadian man with more dollars than sense, put in his will that 10 years after his death, the person who had birthed the most children would receive an outrageous fortune. Surprise! Somebody who had too much money played games with people who needed it. Ah well... On your marks, get set, PUSH!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Eugenia Kuyda created the A.I. Chatbot program Replika, she just wanted to give people a nice robot friend to confide in. But of course, so many users wanted to feel a different kind of algo-rhythm in their robot romances. Now people all over are putting 1's in their 0's and may be changing the future of dating, sex, and human connection!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1863, America's biggest celebrities were three dwarfs, locked in a love triangle that had America more captivated than Brangelina and Bennifer combined! But it was General Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren's "Fairy Wedding" that brought a massive fortune to them and their super-producer, P.T. Barnum. So how did Commodore Nutt take it? Listen to find out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Noyes thought he was God's chosen disciple on Earth and that it was his job to bring about Christ's Millennial Kingdom. And he knew there was only one way to do it: a two-decade free love orgy in upstate New York! Find out how it made its way to your plate in this kinda sexy, kinda scary episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roberta was barely interested in Ken's computer coding. But after playing the text-based game "Adventure" she started to wonder if there was more to these machines. Soon, the couple was running Sierra On-Line, and they brought us the dragon-slaying, wizard-dueling, skeleton-xylophoning adventure series that changed gaming forever: King's Quest!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The actress Harriet Smithson had no idea who Hector Berlioz was. That didn't stop him from moving in next door and writing an opera for her! After another failed marriage, an abandoned murder-suicide plan, and a French maid disguise, he finally caught her eye. But that wasn't the end of this composer's outrageous search for love!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Avast ye scalliwags and be wary when ye travel at sea. For the notorious pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read may plunder yer ship and send ye to Davy Jones's locker! Captain Calico Jack was clever enough to bring these women aboard, and the three of them terrorized the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This total farce between William, his wife, their maid, and the tanner is full of stolen spoons and dumb decisions. Only a story this outrageous could have led to the birth of the notorious pirate Anne Bonny. Yes, pirates have parents too!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frederick Douglass is one of America's most admirable figures. In his fight for emancipation, he caught the attention of the nation... especially the ladies! His incredible wife Anna never got the credit she deserved, but it turns out many women were behind Frederick and his amazing work. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victor Noir was an unassuming journalist whose newspaper challenged Napoleon III's imperial rule in France. His death made him an unlikely martyr for the French Republic. But the statue at his grave made him an unexpected (and literal) sex object to this day!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We couldn't leave a Bawdy Poem like this unread! This Fabliau by Guèrin in the 13th century tells the tale of a cowardly knight who can't recognize his wife when he sees her, face to...nethers. We'll also discuss the tale of the knight who could magically make your favorite orifices talk! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of people had exciting plans to tie the knot with a big huge party in 2020. But turns out it wasn't a great year for parties! Our friends Cherry and Jason join us to talk about how they watched all their wedding plans fall apart during Covid, and the creative ways they compensated. Then we talk about a couple trading pears for wedding rings in Animal Crossing, and a Harry Potter themed, NFT laden, Metaverse marriage!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As if dating someone overseas during a global pandemic isn't tough enough on its own, these couples had to deal with some truly ridiculous bureaucracy in trying to make their weddings work. Some faced down divorce just so they could get married again, others were married over video and haven't ever met in person! Unprecedented times, indeed!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ridiculous History hosts Ben and Noel join us again for another long hard look at the history of pleasure objects. Where did sex dolls come from? What's the deal with chastity belts? Lock into this episode and throw away the key, cause we won't stop until you say safeword!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ridiculous History hosts Ben and Noel join us for a deeply penetrating episode about the history of dildos, special "performance rings", and things you'd insert in locations both obvious and unpredictable. Come join our fearless foursome and get educated and maybe a little stimulated?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pauli joined a law firm where she inspired a young Ruth Bader Ginsburg to change the country. But there she also met her "closest friend" Irene Barlow, widely accepted to be the love of her life. Continuing to kick down doors and fight for intersectional civil rights, Dr. Murray also added Poet and Reverend to her many titles! And her work continues to impact legislation even today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pauli Murray nearly got laughed out of the classroom at Howard University in 1944 for betting that Plessy v. Ferguson would be overturned within 25 years. But who would get the last laugh when it actually happened only 10 years later - using arguments Pauli had written! Pauli fought hard for the rights of all citizens while privately struggling with gender identity and sexuality at a time when there was little support or information available. Basically, Pauli was a badass. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This infamous Astronaut Love Triangle rocked the news in 2007! But of course headlines sensationalized dumb diaper discourse over the complicated truth beneath it all. So we blasted into orbit to get an astronomical view of this 900 mile story of love, heartbreak, and danger! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lizzy Borden (not the axe murderer) met Rob Black when she worked for his porn production company. But after getting into professional wrestling, an alleged affair with wrestler The Messiah had violent repercussions. When the feds cracked down on their shocking and disturbing pornography, not even Larry Flynt wanted to back them up!CW: Explicit language (more than usual) and references to gross-out porn and simulated sexual violence. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude got wrapped in each other and created some of the most recognizable art in the 21st century. Despite the monumental scale of their projects, their biggest challenge was getting Jeanne-Claude equal recognition as a woman in the art world. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bill Wyman was in The Rolling Stones, but unlike his bandmates Jagger and Richards, he was invisible to the tabloids. That is until he was 52 and married an 18 year old whom he'd been dating for 5 years! And we wish that was the most ridiculous part of this truly outrageous story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We ruined our search history forever to look into these four-legged love affairs! Some people married their pets for a laugh, others for symbolic tradition, and some did it for a political statement - but of course a few people were quite literally just chasing tail. We’ve got ‘em all right here! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

George Lucas had finished Star Wars, and could finally enjoy the lighter side of life with his wife Marcia! But the seductive power of the film empire he was building was too strong to resist! And Padmé-- whoops, we mean Marcia, couldn't save him from the dark side of his passions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

George Lucas always wanted to be a Star director. But he struggled to emotionally engage his audiences. Fortunately he found A New Hope when he fell in love with the incredible film editor Marcia Griffin. They married, and together created one of the most iconic films of all time! (spoiler alert it's Star Wars) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Napoleon III exploited Mexico's civil war to install Max and Carlota as Emperor and Empress in a puppet regime. Duped into believing the country had voted for their leadership, they tried to bring progressive reform to the war torn country. But their kindness couldn't protect them from heavy political crossfire, and France had no interest in helping. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max and Charlotte (later Carlota) were two royal nobodies who kept stumbling into extremely powerful and volatile positions! Their attempt to liberalize Austrian-controlled Italy led to a revolution, which somehow resulted in them being crowned Emperor and Empress of Mexico?? You've got to hear it to believe it! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 16th century, Amina was a queen of Zazzau in present-day Nigeria, and she expanded her kingdom more than any ruler before or after her! She never took a husband, but satisfied her needs with more... disposable lovers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Joyce is famous for having written some of western literature's most challenging novels. But he also wrote some of the filthiest, raunchiest love notes in history for his partner, Nora Barnacle. And we found that reading them is a real gas! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Laura learned her family was being deported to concentration camps in Poland, she wrote to the Gestapo asking permission to go with them to protect them. This began a terrible journey that would place her in seven camps over three years. But amidst the horrors, she also found the love of her life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonus minisode! This five-letter love story is perfect for our first RealQuickulous Romance! The little green squares of Wordle may be dominating your timeline, but did you know the game is a labor of love? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ramesses II wasn't just one of Ancient Egypt's greatest pharaohs, he was also one of its greatest husbands! Nefertari was a brilliant queen who he saw as an equal ruler. And the temple he built in her honor is the considered the height of Ancient Egyptian art! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oscar Wilde, one of England's wittiest wordsmiths, loved the pompous Lord Alfred Douglas. But homosexuality was illegal in London at the time, and Alfred's jerk father set out to destroy Oscar's reputation and life! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In India 1959, Dashrath Manjhi lost his wife Falguni to an accident on the treacherous mountain path out of their village. So he grabbed a chisel and hammer, and vowed to carve a road through the mountain himself! This is the kind of energy we all need in the new year. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The young queen Olga of Kiev missed out on romance after husband was brutally murdered by the Drevlians. But the revenge she enacted against his killers and their people was so outrageously diabolical, their brief marriage changed the course of ancient Russia forever! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The brilliant prodigy Heloise had a red hot love affair with her teacher, Medieval France's most influential philosopher, Peter Abelard. But when rumors of their fling circulated, a violent attack ripped them apart, forcing them both to take the cloth. Their surviving letters tell an amazing story of a passionate, forbidden love. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of Hollywood's most enduring and endearing couples, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell attribute their passionate longevity to skipping the whole marriage thing. These sweet and sexy stars (who happen to play Santa and Mrs. Claus) are the warm cozy story you're looking for this Christmas and holiday season! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sammy Davis Jr and Kim Novak were two of the world's hottest stars. But Hollywood bigshots knew the public would freak out about their interracial relationship, so they called in the mafia to bring them down! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Inuit couple traveled far and wide to explore unknown wastelands like the Arctic and Connecticut. After a doomed polar expedition went terribly wrong, they saved their crewmates from certain death atop a runaway chunk of floating ice! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Juan and Blanche were each born with functioning double genitalia, and together brought new meaning to the addage "There's someone for everyone." These lovers put two and two together and found the perfect fit! Sure this episode may be full of our most childish jokes to date, but that doesn't mean you won't learn something! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frank Butler and Annie Oakley were two of America's best sharpshooters who found themselves aiming for each other's hearts... but in a sweet way, not a murdery way. They clicked (and definitely banged) over their mutual love of guns and puppies, and were soon partners in both love and performance. In the face of scandal and constant danger, their sharpshooting act blew audiences away across the world! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Susan and Michael's blissful marriage turned sour when his behavior took a nose dive into anger and depression. When she kicked him out and asked for a divorce, he hired a hitman to take her out. But the would-be killer didn't realize he was messing with a badass ER nurse who knew how to fight for her life! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After Pocahontas married the entrepreneur John Rolfe, she got to take a little trip across the pond to meet the fancy English king that these white guys were sooo obsessed with. But she was constantly being exploited for her image and what she represented between the two nations; an enduring problem that still clouds her story today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pocahontas was just a young girl when she met John Smith, and despite some more animated accounts, the two never actually had a romance! But their relationship did represent an uneasy truce between England and the Powhatan tribe. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to stop the English from, well, you know... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conservationist Chris Crowe was just trying to save the white-naped crane. He didn't expect a crane was saving herself for him! Walnut refused to flock around with other cranes, so it was up to her caretaker Chris to shake his tail feather and win her over! Now she's bonded with him for life, and he has no intention of flying off. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From small, sickly girl to teenage beauty queen, Sophia Loren finally found comfort in film producer Carlo Ponti. With his help she rose to stardom and won an Oscar for Best Actress. But the Vatican wouldn't allow Carlo to divorce his estranged wife, and he and Sophia were exiled from the home they loved so dearly. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part 2 of this story, Lili Elbe finally found a doctor who could give her some good answers! But despite the support of her wife Gerda, her doctor, and her friends, Lili faced an uncertain future, going to extremes to leave her old life behind. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early 1900's, When Lili Elbe first dressed in women's clothing and modeled for her wife Gerda's paintings, both women thought she was playing a character. But they soon realized that her true identity was struggling to break through. With Gerda's support, they finally found a doctor in Germany who offered them hope: an experimental gender confirmation surgery. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.