America The Bizarre
85 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 21 ratingsDive into the weirdness of American history each week with Jordan & Jeremy Rausch as they explore the crazy stories that shaped America into the beautiful weirdo she is today.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
25 - White Race Riot of Wilmington
March 26, 2020 10:00 - 34 minutes - 40.3 MBWe discuss the white race riot of Wilmington, also known as the Wilmington coup of 1898 and the Wilmington massacre. After the Civil War, Wilmington, North Carolina was a mecca for newly freed slaves who found financial freedom and political power there until white supremacists were tired of seeing them succeed. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
24 - Tigers & Mullets & Murder, Oh My!
March 19, 2020 10:00 - 44 minutes - 45.7 MBJoe Exotic is a bigger-than-life personality that bred tigers, started his own television studio, and has what some would call an eccentric fashion taste. He was living the high life as "The Tiger King" until he was finally taken down. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
23 - Three Strikes, You're Dead
March 12, 2020 10:00 - 34 minutes - 37.4 MBIn 1911, the Wyoming State Penitentiary put together their own baseball team. If the team won, they could get time taken off of their sentence. If they lost, time would be added or worse, they could be executed. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
22 - Beers, BB Guns, & Balloons
March 05, 2020 11:00 - 33 minutes - 35.9 MBIn 1982, Larry Walters attached 42 weather balloons to his lawn chair and took off from his girlfriend's LA home. That's when the adventure really began. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merchandise: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
21 - Colter's Naked Run
February 27, 2020 11:00 - 38 minutes - 39.4 MBJohn Colter was a true American mountain man. One day he found himself caught by 800 Blackfeet warriors and had to run for his life. Oh, and he was completely naked. Support: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merch: https://www.americathebizarre.com/
20 - National Treasure 3: Stealing Lincoln
February 20, 2020 11:00 - 35 minutes - 31.6 MBWe discuss the very real story of the grave robbers that tried to steal Abraham Lincoln's bones and use them for ransom. We also think this story would make a great plot for National Treasure 3 just in case Nicholas Cage is listening. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merch: http://americathebizarre.com/
19 - Champagne Safari
February 13, 2020 11:00 - 40 minutes - 39.5 MBCharles Bedaux became a successful businessman in America and then used his money to go on grand adventures. His most notable expedition was through the Canadian wilderness, where he brought supplies of champagne, caviar, and truffles. There is also speculation that he was a Nazi spy. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources & Merch: http://americathebizarre.com/
18 - Hatchets And Alcohol Don't Mix
February 06, 2020 11:00 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MBCarry A. Nation grew up with a passion for preaching and a hate for alcohol. She joined the temperance movement and began to go on a saloon smashing spree using her hatchet that she believed was a mission given to her by God. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources and Merch: http://americathebizarre.com/
17 - The Incredibly Stupid One
January 30, 2020 11:00 - 33 minutes - 34.4 MBDouglas Hegdahl memorized the names of 256 POWs at the Hanoi Hilton all while making his Viet Cong captors believe that he was incredibly stupid. Listen to this great American hero's story! Project Recover: https://www.projectrecover.org/ Support America the Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources can be found at http://americathebizarre.com/
16 - Siamese Twins
January 23, 2020 06:00 - 44 minutes - 43.8 MBEng and Chang Bunker were the original Siamese twins that were taken from the home in Siam in the 1800's and brought to America to perform as a freak show exhibit. They became rich men, settled down, bought a plantation, owned slaves, and then lost all of their money after the Civil War. Their lives are a real rollercoaster of emotions. Support America The Bizarre at https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources can be found at https://www.americathebizarre.com/shownotes
15 - Mini-Golf Mania
January 16, 2020 11:00 - 40 minutes - 40.6 MBWe discuss how mini-golf started because women weren't allowed to play regular golf, the miniature golf boom during the Great Depression, and how mini-golf got its's bad-boy reputation. Support America The Bizarre: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “How Did Sports Begin? A Look At The Origins Of Man At Play” by Rudolph Brasch “Club History” by St. Andrews Ladies’ Putting Club “The Origin of Miniature Golf and ‘Thistle Dhu’” by Chris Boznos “Birthplace of Miniature G...
14 - Nazis At Madison Square Garden
January 09, 2020 09:35 - 50 minutes - 29.9 MBFritz Kuhn created and led the German American Bund, using Nazi symbology and methods to form his political party in the United States. On February 20, 1939, Kuhn and 22,000 Bund members held a Nazi rally in Madison Square Garden. Night At The Garden: https://anightatthegarden.com/ Support: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “Total Espionage” by Curt Riess “The Pledge of Allegiance” an article on USHistory.org “When Nazis Filled Madison Square Garden” by Gordon F. S...
13 - Bat Bombs
January 02, 2020 11:00 - 36 minutes - 34.6 MBWe discuss Dr. Lytle S. Adams, a dentist and part-time inventor that was inspired by his New Mexico vacation to use bats in his revenge plot against Japan for Pearl Harbor. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “Bat Bomb: World War II’s Other Secret Weapon” by Jack Couffer “Old, Weird Tech: The Bat Bombs of World War II” by Alexis C. Madrigal “’Bat Bombs’: WWII’s Project X-Ray” by Allan T. Duffin “The Bat Bombers” by C.V. Glines “A Batman to the Rescu...
12 - Rattlesnake King
December 26, 2019 11:00 - 38 minutes - 32.9 MBWe discuss the origins of snake oil, how it was brought to America by Chinese Immigrants in the 1800's, and then how snake oil tradesmen created their own concoctions. Support: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “Chinese in the Post-Civil War South: A People Without History” by Lucy M. Cohen “The Chinese-American Heritage” by David M. Brownstone “The Use of Black Powder Nitroglycerine on the Transcontinental Railroad” from the Transcontinental Railroad resources fro...
11- Christmas Mutiny
December 19, 2019 11:00 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBJordan and Jeremy discuss the history of West Point and what happened when the cadets couldn't hold their egg nog. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “When Eggnog Sparked a Riot at West Point” by Christopher Klein “A Brief History of West Point” by the United States Military Academy “Egg Nog: It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Starts a Holiday Riot” by Natasha Geiling “The Eggnog Riot” by Michelle Legro “The Eggnog Riot” by Carol S. Funck “U.S....
Episode 10 - Mayday! The Indians Have Landed!
December 12, 2019 11:00 - 34 minutes - 29.1 MBWe talk about the history of how alcatraz went from just and island, to a military prison, to a federal prison, and then a cultural center for native americans that established an occupation on the island. Support: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “Alcatraz Origins” by the Federal Bureau of Prisons “The Rock” Volume I by the Improvement Fund, Pacific Branch United States Disciplinary Barracks “Alcatraz-World War II in the San Francisco Bay Area: A National Regist...
10 - Mayday! The Indians Have Landed!
December 12, 2019 11:00 - 34 minutes - 29.1 MBWe talk about the history of how alcatraz went from just and island, to a military prison, to a federal prison, and then a cultural center for native americans that established an occupation on the island. Support: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “Alcatraz Origins” by the Federal Bureau of Prisons “The Rock” Volume I by the Improvement Fund, Pacific Branch United States Disciplinary Barracks “Alcatraz-World War II in the San Francisco Bay Area: A National Regist...
Episode 9 - America's Other Civil War
December 05, 2019 11:00 - 36 minutes - 33.9 MBJordan and Jeremy discuss the Honey War, the civil war between the state of Missouri and the territory of Iowa, all because a surveyor got a little sloppy while determining the border between the two. Support: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “The Honey War” by Craig Hill “One Sloppy Land Surveyor Almost Caused a War Between Missouri and Iowa” by Sarah Laskow “What Are The Differences Between True North, Grid North, and Magnetic North?” by John Miaschi “The Hist...
9 - America's Other Civil War
December 05, 2019 11:00 - 36 minutes - 33.9 MBJordan and Jeremy discuss the Honey War, the civil war between the state of Missouri and the territory of Iowa, all because a surveyor got a little sloppy while determining the border between the two. Support: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “The Honey War” by Craig Hill “One Sloppy Land Surveyor Almost Caused a War Between Missouri and Iowa” by Sarah Laskow “What Are The Differences Between True North, Grid North, and Magnetic North?” by John Miaschi “The Hist...
Episode 8 - The Thanksgiving Raccoon
November 28, 2019 11:00 - 28 minutes - 25.5 MBHappy Thanksgiving! Welcome to our first Thanksgiving episode. This week, Jordan and Jeremy talk about the history of the presidential turkey pardon and Rebecca, the raccoon that President Calvin Coolidge pardoned from his Thanksgiving table. Support: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: "Where Pardoned Turkeys Go To Die” by Dan Merica “The Thanksgiving Raccoon That Became A Presidential pet” by Christopher Klein “The Turkey: An American Story” by Andrew F. Smith “Calv...
8 - The Thanksgiving Raccoon
November 28, 2019 11:00 - 28 minutes - 25.5 MBHappy Thanksgiving! Welcome to our first Thanksgiving episode. This week, Jordan and Jeremy talk about the history of the presidential turkey pardon and Rebecca, the raccoon that President Calvin Coolidge pardoned from his Thanksgiving table. Support: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: "Where Pardoned Turkeys Go To Die” by Dan Merica “The Thanksgiving Raccoon That Became A Presidential pet” by Christopher Klein “The Turkey: An American Story” by Andrew F. Smith “Calv...
Episode 7 - Sex, Drugs, & Warren G. Harding
November 21, 2019 11:00 - 42 minutes - 37.8 MBWarren G. Harding is consistently rated as one of America's worst presidents. Why? Jordan and Jeremy discuss Harding's life including presidential scandals and his many, many affairs. Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “A President of the Peephole” by Carl Sferrazza Anthony “The Most Scandalous President” by Carl Sferrazza Anthony “Warren G. Harding” by John W. Dean “The Strange Death of Warren G. Harding” by Dr. Howard Markel “The Ohio Gang” by Tom...
7 - Sex, Drugs, & Warren G. Harding
November 21, 2019 11:00 - 42 minutes - 37.8 MBWarren G. Harding is consistently rated as one of America's worst presidents. Why? Jordan and Jeremy discuss Harding's life including presidential scandals and his many, many affairs. Support us at: https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “A President of the Peephole” by Carl Sferrazza Anthony “The Most Scandalous President” by Carl Sferrazza Anthony “Warren G. Harding” by John W. Dean “The Strange Death of Warren G. Harding” by Dr. Howard Markel “The Ohio Gang” by Tom...
6 - Goodnight Baltimore
November 14, 2019 08:11 - 45 minutes - 36.2 MBJordan and Jeremy Rausch talk about when the Baltimore Colts left Baltimore under the cover of night and became the Indianapolis Colts the next morning. Support the Podcast: Patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: "The Birth of the National Football League" by Christopher Klein "The NFL-AFL Merger and the Birth of the Super Bowl" by Jim Weathersby "Kiss 'em Goodbye: An ESPN Treasury of Failed, Forgotten, and Departed Teams" by Dennis Purdy "A Mad, Mad, Mad Super Bowl" by Bill McG...
Episode 6 - Goodnight Baltimore
November 14, 2019 08:11 - 45 minutes - 36.2 MBJordan and Jeremy Rausch talk about when the Baltimore Colts left Baltimore under the cover of night and became the Indianapolis Colts the next morning. Support the Podcast: Patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: "The Birth of the National Football League" by Christopher Klein "The NFL-AFL Merger and the Birth of the Super Bowl" by Jim Weathersby "Kiss 'em Goodbye: An ESPN Treasury of Failed, Forgotten, and Departed Teams" by Dennis Purdy "A Mad, Mad, Mad Super Bowl" by Bill McG...
Episode 5 - Moon Nukes
November 07, 2019 06:00 - 44 minutes - 39.4 MBJordan Rausch describes the time that America tried to both bomb the moon and then store nuclear weapons on the moon. Support the podcast at https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “This is the Story of How America Once Thought About Nuking the Moon” by Robin Andrews The Unclassified Project Horizon Report by the United States Army HistoryChannel.com article “The Space Race” NASA’s website article “Brief History of Rockets” “Hidden History: Project Horizon, the American...
5 - Moon Nukes
November 07, 2019 06:00 - 44 minutes - 39.4 MBJordan Rausch describes the time that America tried to both bomb the moon and then store nuclear weapons on the moon. Support the podcast at https://www.patreon.com/americathebizarre Sources: “This is the Story of How America Once Thought About Nuking the Moon” by Robin Andrews The Unclassified Project Horizon Report by the United States Army HistoryChannel.com article “The Space Race” NASA’s website article “Brief History of Rockets” “Hidden History: Project Horizon, the American...
Episode 4 - Mike Pence
October 31, 2019 07:02 - 1 hour - 31.3 MBWith an impeachment inquiry ongoing and the length of Trump's presidency in question, we ask ourselves, what would a Mike Pence presidency look like? This week, we dive into Pence's life and imagine what an America under President Pence might be like. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/americathebizarre Sources: “Mike Pence: Everything You Need to Know” by Ines De La Cuetara and Chris Good “Trump’s VP: 11 Things to Know About Mike Pence” by the Indy Star “God’s Plan for Mike Pe...
4 - Mike Pence
October 31, 2019 07:02 - 1 hour - 31.3 MBWith an impeachment inquiry ongoing and the length of Trump's presidency in question, we ask ourselves, what would a Mike Pence presidency look like? This week, we dive into Pence's life and imagine what an America under President Pence might be like. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/americathebizarre Sources: “Mike Pence: Everything You Need to Know” by Ines De La Cuetara and Chris Good “Trump’s VP: 11 Things to Know About Mike Pence” by the Indy Star “God’s Plan for Mike Pe...
3 - 1904 Olympics
October 24, 2019 20:08 - 43 minutes - 20.9 MBThe modern Olympics started in 1896 and St. Louis held the third Olympic games in 1904 concurrently with the World Fair and it was a hot mess. Sources: “Much Wenlock” by Ben Johnson “8 Unusual Facts about the 1904 St. Louis Olympics” by Evan Andrews Britannica “St. Louis 1904 Olympic Games” “Remembering the Anthropology Days at the 1904 Olympics” by Nate Dimeo “The 1904 Olympic Marathon May Have Been the Strangest Ever” by Karen Abbott
Episode 3 - 1904 Olympics
October 24, 2019 20:08 - 43 minutes - 20.9 MBThe modern Olympics started in 1896 and St. Louis held the third Olympic games in 1904 concurrently with the World Fair and it was a hot mess. Sources: “Much Wenlock” by Ben Johnson “8 Unusual Facts about the 1904 St. Louis Olympics” by Evan Andrews Britannica “St. Louis 1904 Olympic Games” “Remembering the Anthropology Days at the 1904 Olympics” by Nate Dimeo “The 1904 Olympic Marathon May Have Been the Strangest Ever” by Karen Abbott
Episode 2 - Gas Bath Riots
October 24, 2019 16:46 - 22 minutes - 11 MBWhat would you say is one of the most polarizing political conversations of today? Climate change?Abortion? The wall? “The Wall” has been a major talking point for President Trump and one of his favorite go-to chants at rallies. Trump most recently made headlines for diverting billions of dollars intended for military construction projects in order to finance this wall. But Americans didn’t always care so much about Mexicans crossing the border. Both sides used to cross willy nilly without m...
2 - Gas Bath Riots
October 24, 2019 16:46 - 22 minutes - 11 MBWhat would you say is one of the most polarizing political conversations of today? Climate change?Abortion? The wall? “The Wall” has been a major talking point for President Trump and one of his favorite go-to chants at rallies. Trump most recently made headlines for diverting billions of dollars intended for military construction projects in order to finance this wall. But Americans didn’t always care so much about Mexicans crossing the border. Both sides used to cross willy nilly without m...
Episode 1 - JFK Gets a Little Methy
September 06, 2019 14:19 - 21 minutes - 13.3 MBJordan Rausch explores the history of JFK and his white house drug dealer Dr. Max Jacobson aka Dr. Feelgood. JFK grew up sickly and in pain. By the time that he was campaigning for president, he could barely manage the fatigue and muscle pain that plagued him daily. Dr. Max Jacobson offers JFK a mysterious drug concoction. The Secret Service and Robert Kennedy are very suspicious of Jacobson, but JFK keeps him close by in case the need of another shot arrives. Sources: The New York Post...
1 - JFK Gets a Little Methy
September 06, 2019 14:19 - 21 minutes - 13.3 MBJordan Rausch explores the history of JFK and his white house drug dealer Dr. Max Jacobson aka Dr. Feelgood. JFK grew up sickly and in pain. By the time that he was campaigning for president, he could barely manage the fatigue and muscle pain that plagued him daily. Dr. Max Jacobson offers JFK a mysterious drug concoction. The Secret Service and Robert Kennedy are very suspicious of Jacobson, but JFK keeps him close by in case the need of another shot arrives. Sources: The New York Post...