Ridiculous Romance

You didn’t think we’d totally disappear without a goodbye smooch, did you?? Yes, sadly this is (for now) the last episode of Ridiculous Romance. But we’ve been working hard on ourselves so we can stay in your lives well into the future! Plus updates on Replika, Walnut the Crane, and some real sweet Presidential passion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

RiCRYPTulous Romance returns for a 3rd Halloween Season! When Queen Victoria’s dear husband Prince Albert died, she fell into deep mourning. But when a medium brought the queen a letter from Albert from beyond the grave, her spirit was lifted. She arranged a seance to peer through the veil and speak to her beloved once again! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When two queer, sex-positive, environmentalist artists meet, of course they’re going to fall for each other and make something truly fascinating. Filmmaker Beth Stephens and feminist artist and porn star Annie Sprinkles started the Ecosex movement which says that instead of “Mother Earth”, maybe we should treat our home like “Lover Earth”. Things are gonna get dirty - literally!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This goody bag is bursting! We finally get to talk about Chris Martin & Gwyneth Paltrow’s conscious uncoupling and somehow get into Rebecca Black’s Friday - and that’s all before the theme song! Then it’s the clever wives from the Siege of Weinsberg, Fet-Mat’s preserved corpse, an intersex person’s colonial calamity, and making ecological porn for Mother Earth. Absolutely STUFFED!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The proverbial fallout of America’s bombs blew back at Robert Oppenheimer as the government pinned any blame on him. But Kitty was there to shield him and unleash a little fire of her own. BONUS - after we finish this Radioactive Romance, we’re having a talkback about the two biggest movies of the summer,  Oppenheimer & Barbie. Let’s go party!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

J. Robert Oppenheimer is getting kilotons of attention right now, but the women in his life didn’t get a lot of screen time in Nolan’s new film. So we’re looking at the explosive force that Jean Tatlock, Kitty Puening, and Ruth Tolman had on his life, and how the atom bomb might not exist without the laws of attraction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We finish up our round-up of sex & marriage in the news with some celebrity weddings, a couple of symbolic ceremonies with reptiles & Replikas, & our feelings about new SCOTUS legislation. Spoiler Alert: we've got opinions!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listeners, you've tagged us in dozens of current headlines and stories about sex and love, and we decided it was time for us to give our *expert* opinions. From throwing sex toys at Lil Nas X, to sexual harassment lawsuits in Japan, to (of course) AI sexbots, we got all the hottest - and coldest - sex stories happening in the news RIGHT NOW.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When all a man gets in his divorce is his beloved pickup truck, you know it's a country music story. To be fair, he also got $65k because his ex-wife was country music (and hot chicken) legend Lorrie Morgan. Her 6 marriages are the stuff country songs are made of - literally! Her messy divorce from Jon Randall led to him writing the Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss hit "Whisky Lullaby".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winnaretta Singer-Polignac wasn’t just shaping culture for generations to come while she was living in Paris and London - she also had quite a few lesbian lovers, and every single one of them was a remarkable woman with a few wild love stories of their own: the suffragette and composer Ethel Smythe, the painter Romaine Brooks, the socialite and writer Violet Trefusis, and so many more. We’ve collected them all here in a marathon tour of over 30 years of Winnaretta’s love affairs! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winnaretta Singer inherited her father's massive sewing machine fortune, but she still had to marry an aristocrat to be part of high society. One big problem - she was a lesbian! Fortunately she found the perfect match in Prince Edmond de Polignac. They both loved music, art, and best of all - he was gay too! Together they threw stacks of money at artists and composers whose names we still know today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Al Capone took his wife and son to Miami to try and retire, but he ended up continuing his murderous, bootlegging, tax-dodging ways. When he was caught and sent to Alcatraz, Mae had to work against the system to get him medical care for the syphilis that was destroying his brain. When he finally got out, he went from #1 Public Enemy to #1 Dad!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before Italian-American mobster Al Capone became Public Enemy #1, he fell in love with an Irish girl named Mae, and defied cultural customs by marrying her. They had a son named Sonny, and Al wanted to provide for his family as a legitimate businessman. But (spoiler alert) he fell into a life of crime. And an undiagnosed case of syphilis wreaked havoc on his brain and made him even more ruthless as the years went by!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isaac M. Singer was a struggling actor with an estranged wife, a girlfriend, and 10 kids between the two of them. But his knack for invention helped him launch America's first multi-national business, the Singer Sewing Machine Company. But he couldn't keep his stitches in his britches and eventually he fathered 26 children from 4 different women. His lifestyle needled his business partner & nearly unraveled the entire company!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's high time we checked in on our fellow humans' romances, so once again we turned to the most Ridiculous forum on the web: Reddit. People boldly ask if they are the a-holes in their relationships, but the answers aren't as easy as we thought! Plus Bridezilla vs Bridesmaid Kong, a husband gaslighting with real gas, and some poor people who are dating true f***ing idiots. All this and more here in our latest Reddit Roundup!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bernard Bouriscot worked in the French Embassy in China in the 1960s, where he befriended a man named Shi Pei Pu. Soon, Shi revealed his biggest secret - he was actually a woman in disguise! They fell in love, and Bernard started spying for the Chinese government in order to stay close to her. But Shi had more secrets, and Bernard was in for some shocking truths!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the death of Tsarina Anastasia at the hands of the boyars, Ivan IV was furious. With his 2nd wife, he started the Oprichnina, and one of Russia's darkest periods in history, resulting in the deaths of nobles, peasants, and even his own family. But it wouldn't be until his 8th marriage that his brutal rule came to an end. Don't worry, we somehow still found a few laughs in there!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ivan IV had a grudge against Moscow's nobles ever since they poisoned his mother. So when he was crowned Russia's 1st all-powerful Tsar, he started cutting off their power (by cutting off their heads). His 1st wife Anastasia helped him keep his cool, but when the nobles poisoned her too, Ivan really started to get Terrible.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Queen Elizabeth and Robert Dudley were still super into each other after Amy Robsart died, but marrying would be too scandalous. But despite taking on her own suitors, Elizabeth was still incredibly jealous when Robert Dudley hooked up with other ladies! But did Elizabeth and Robert ever actually - you know - DO it?? We dive into all the craziest theories, from trauma and stepdads to incest and Shakespeare. It's never a dull day in Queen Liz's court!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lord Robert Dudley was besties with his childhood friend, Elizabeth Tudor. After she snagged a promotion to Queen of England, she kept him close and eventually fell in love with him. But when Robert's wife Amy mysteriously died, the rumors started flying about what the Queen and her alleged lover might be capable of! Was it an assassination? An accident? Or something... spookier?? Well we think we cracked this 600 year old case!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Craig Pritchert was going to be a Major League Baseball star before Barry Bonds stole his thunder. So Craig decided he would steal too - from banks! He met and fell for Nova Guthrie, a smalltown girl who craved excitement. Their spree of robberies netted them half a million dollars, and they were so in love that the only real crime would be to keep them apart… Well that and all the stealing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ron Sheppard has been married 8 times and engaged even more. He's not a playboy or a polygamist, he just can't seem to date anyone without proposing! Now after 57 years of I Do's, he's done with divorces and retiring from romance. His manic matrimonies got us talking about some people's obsession with (or phobia of) marriage, and our own feelings about it too!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isabel and Jean Godin were so deeply in love that when distance and politics kept them apart, they waited for each other. But after 20 long years, Isabel was done waiting. In the company of 42 people, she set off through the Amazon basin to reunite with her husband. But almost immediately, things started to go disastrously wrong, leaving Isabel alone in the rainforest to fend for herself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Turns out we have the best fans of ANY podcast out there, and your words deserve to be heard! This time y'all filled in some details from earlier episodes, gave us some great insight for our non-binary characters, told us your own Jeopardy connections, helped with our accents, and even sent us to Poetry Corner with one listeners bawdy poem to her patient husband! There's so much more, so listen in while we read your amazing messages!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Percy Grainger was a talented Australian composer and a complicated guy. He was weirdly close with his mother. He was kind of a big racist. He invented weird, wacky instruments and challenged musical norms. And he left a package to be opened ten years after his death which shocked the world - because inside were whips, bloody clothes, and photographic evidence of a wild BDSM sexual lifestyle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alexander Herrmann was already one of the world's greatest magicians in the late 19th century, but his best trick was making British acrobat Adelaide Scarcez's fiancé disappear! She married Herrmann the Great instead and soon became famous as The Queen of Magic herself. But the real magic was the love between them! (Ok the real magic was catching bullets, levitating, and making tigers appear out of thin air but OTHERWISE...)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As long as marriage has existed, people have been desperate to get out of it. One old German tradition had couples fight to the death for the right to divorce, swinging clubs and sacks of rocks at each other! In France, a divorce court had to monitor for proof of impotency by watching husband and wife try to have sex in front of a jury of priests and lawyers! Ending a marriage is never easy, but we can be glad we've divorced ourselves from these traditions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the legend of Baba Dochia trying to freeze out her daughter-in-law, to the Shinto creation myth of Izanami and Izanagi, to the tale of a Japanese vagina demon who broke its teeth on a steel dildo, sex myths have inspired love festivals across the globe. We'll cover two today: Dragobete, the Romanian Love Holiday, and Kanamara Matsuri, the Japanese Penis Festival.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore were two artists who fell in love at first sight, years before they became them stepsisters! They played with photography to create strange, surrealist works ahead of their time. But when the Nazis occupied their island of Jersey, they developed a resistance effort so creative, Germany thought an entire network of spies was operating right under their noses! Little did they know it was just two middle-aged lesbians causing them so much trouble.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artificial Intelligence is leveling up and once again rocked the worlds of sex and love this week! The new OpenAI powered chatbot from Bing had some shocking confessions of love for reporters, and made some not-so-veiled threats to one user's marriage. Meanwhile in a major, shocking change to our longtime subject Replika, their Chatbots have suddenly gone celibate - leaving users frustrated, rejected, and thirsty af.   Our first Replika episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/artificial-intellisex-getting-download-and-dirty/id1565221701?i=1000559376060See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In medieval times, it was pretty common for a wife to be in charge of home defense when her husband was away. But maybe no wife ever took on that responsibility with quite as much pizzazz as Agnes of Dunbar. With only a few soldiers and fewer supplies, she managed to hold off the Earl of Salisbury for five months, all while humiliating him with sick burns and grade-A trolling. Eventually the Earl became a laughingstock and Agnes became a legend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've learned about John Wilmot's incredibly libertine life, but it's time to strap in and strap-on for some of his full, filthy, 17th century poems in this episode-length Poetry Corner! First Wilmot spurts beautiful rhymes a bit early in his premature ejaculation poem, "The Imperfect Enjoyment." Then in "The Disabled Debauchee" an old man hopes the next generation will be even more lecherous and dirty than he was. And finally, a warning to men to step up their game in the bedroom, lest they be outperformed by "Signior Dildo"!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Wilmot was a lusty lord who wrote some of the dirtiest poetry in the Restoration era about everything from dildos to public sex to premature ejaculation! He also abducted an heiress, pretended to be a gynecologist, trained one of the great tragic actresses of the day, and had affairs with men and women alike. All his drunken shenanigans constantly got him into trouble with King Charles II, but his charm and way with words always got him welcomed back… until they didn’t.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roy & Silo were two male penguins who paired up and raised a chick named Tango in 1999. Since then, biologists have discovered that same-sex activity is actually very common in nature! But both scientists and LGBTQ+ activists tend to discourage “gay” as a label for animals, because it’s not really a parallel to the human experience. Is that going to stop us from imagining Roy & Silo living their truths and their best lives? Absolutely not!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After William Dorsey Swann was freed from slavery, he found joy in becoming a female impersonator & throwing underground parties he called "drag balls," where he was the "queen" - making him the very first Drag Queen. But that’s not all - his parties got busted up by the cops frequently, and Swann fought back both physically and politically, which also makes him the earliest documented LGBTQ+ rights activist!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s in a name? When it comes to Aloha and Walter Wanderwell, their name said it all: they drove across four continents in the 1920s before many places even had roads! Aloha was known as “the Amelia Earhart of the open road,” while Walter was known as “a scam artist.” They survived war-torn territories, bandits, plane crashes, and even J. Edgar Hoover in their quest to see - and film - the world. But the Captain’s schemes and lies eventually got him murdered, placing Aloha herself among the suspects!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maybe a lot of “how did y’all meet” stories are a great time for a nap, but not these three remarkable pairs. Their origin stories defy logic, reason, and even the entire Soviet Union! From the miraculous meetup on a New York train, to the artist who crafted his perfect partner into existence, to the Russian lovers who found each other after decades apart, these stories remind us that just because a romance is ridiculous, it doesn’t have to be a disaster!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ferdinand VII was a bad person, a lousy husband, and has been called the worst king of Spain ever. But the intense political turmoil of the time has been historically overshadowed by the legacy of his big, weirdly shaped, uncontrollable penis. His four wives (all named Maria) each had terrible experiences with his dastardly dong, because if the anatomy wasn’t challenging enough, the guy behind it was the REAL dick.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the world’s greatest TV hosts, Alex Trebek, is known for his composure, diction, and knowledge. But it turns out behind that prestigious facade is a foul mouth prankster who married a Playboy Bunny! Don’t worry, he’s still got a heart of gold, and through his second wife and soulmate Jean, we learn that he’s truly the loving, kind, intelligent guy we all hoped he was. Plus, we’ll learn about several other couples who met while competing on Jeopardy!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Television History for $500, please! The answer is: This couple revitalized a broken format by developing one of the most popular quiz shows of all time: Jeopardy! Though one man is credited with the show’s creation, its famous answer/question format was actually an idea from his wife! Unfortunately, the fame and fortune rocked the foundation of this couple’s marriage.If you said “Julann and Merv Griffin,” then I’m sorry, your response must be in the form of a question. Don’t worry, you’ll still be going home with a copy of this episode!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tura Satana was used to being kicked down by life: as a kid, she was held in a Japanese internment camp, then was brutally gang-raped when she got out, before being married off at only 13. But Tura turned the tables and started kicking life’s ass right back: she mastered karate, made thousands with her burlesque act, and even informed on the Mafia! When Hollywood came calling, she created one of the most badass B-movie action heroines in cinema history: the belted, buckled, and booted Varla in Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Plus, she had flings with everyone from Elvis to Sinatra to Joe DiMaggio! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Revered poet Robert Burns wrote the soul of Scotland into his verses and songs in the 18th century, including the New Years banger Auld Lang Syne. But even more fascinating was his incredibly tolerant wife, Jean Armour - who defied her beloved dad to be with him. She inspired his poetry, preserved his legacy, and even happily raised the children from Robert's frequent affairs!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. James Barry was the first European doctor to perform a successful c-section, but his attitude made him a lot of enemies, including Florence Nightingale! When he and his friend Lord Charles Somerset were accused of a homosexual relationship, the scandal threatened to upend both their careers. But it wasn't until after his death that the biggest question rocked his legacy: was James Barry actually a woman in disguise?? The answer is more complicated than you might think!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we looked back at the year, we found some ridiculous updates to some romances that just won't quit. Turns out Meirivone and her Rag Doll husband are having fidelity issues, and the magic is gone between Erica Eiffel and her towering Parisian lover! Plus, people are taking their Replikas a little TOO seriously. But don't worry, Amenhotep and Tiye are still making headlines, Oscar Wilde along with Hadrian and Antinous are still inspiring LGBT communities to stay strong, and Deland McCullough's family continues to impress!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our third and final chapter on Hans Christian Andersen, we learn it wasn't all ugly ducklings and awkward sex notes. His buddies Balzac, Dumas, and even Victor Hugo all tried to get him laid, and when that didn't work at least he got an eruption when he climbed an active Mt. Vesuvius! But late in life, he decided to tempt himself with a few trips to Parisian Brothels...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If Charles Dickens thought a visit from 3 ghosts could ruin a man's night, imagine how he felt with Hans Christian Andersen crashed his place for 5 weeks! Andersen had Great Expectations for their new friendship, but Dickens was sure this was the most annoying man on the planet. Then a scandalous Victorian divorce put a big Twist in their tale!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beloved children's writer Hans Christian Andersen was a lifelong virgin and chronic masturbator. This Ugly Duckling never grew into a beautiful swan, and the men and women he obsessed over just weren't interested in him. But that's lucky for us, because in his heartbreak he wrote timeless classics like The Little Mermaid, which was surprisingly autobiographical!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephen J. Townsend is a retired General from the US Army whose face and name have been used countless times by scammers to swindle old widows out of their pensions. The schemes may seem obvious, but they're run by efficient and competent groups of well-trained con artists. We'll look at how these scams work, who falls for them, and the ridiculous amount of money made from these heartbreaking lies!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victor Hugo was a tiny man with a big head who slept with nearly every young woman in Paris. But between the parties and orgies and writing two of the greatest novels of all time, he did find true love! The question is: with whom? His wife and life partner? The actress who risked her life for him? Or the arctic adventurer who did jail time for their affair? And how is it all these ladies got along?? Hear it all and more right here!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Famed French author Victor Hugo had a life full of sex and chaos, but he came by it honestly. His father Leopold was an outrageous French revolutionary, while his mother was a soft spoken beauty from a town full of royalists. But these two crazy kids somehow got married, conceived Victor on a mountaintop, cheated on each other, and had their divorce postponed by Napoleon's own brother! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oh baby! Sometimes romance leads to tiny, adorable, little humans. This episode tells three stories about Ridiculous Rugrats: A maybe-mama who scammed her job with a pregnancy scheme, a mini-mama who was the shortest woman to ever give birth, and a mummy-mama who's baffling scans left Egyptologists fetally frustrated! These are definitely not what you expect when you're expecting!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 17th century, Portugal demanded tribute from the African nations of Ndongo and Matamba, but Queen Nzinga looked up from her 60-man harem and said nah, I'm busy. When they tried to overpower her on the battlefield, she married a neighboring warlord with a massive army, and used it to kick their sorry butts out. No matter how hard Portugal tried to subdue her, she kept them Portuguessing! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the death of his favorite Consort, Emperor Xuanzong was checked out and depressed. But when he met Yang Guifei, it was love at first sight. Unfortunately this led to an even bigger power vacuum and a tragic end to their love story, immortalized in the poem "A Song of Everlasting Sorrow". Jeeze with a title like that, can we have some fun with it?? Tune in and find out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In China's Tang Dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong and his wife Empress Wang ruled over a golden age of arts and culture. But Consort Wu, one of his favored royal girlfriends, came from an imperial bloodline and had a real thirst for power. You know what that means: family drama, royal schemes, and a whole lot of back-stabbin'. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The great Leonardo da Vinci once drew a diagram of what he kinda figured a vagina probably looked like, and gynecologists pretty much took his word for it for about 500 years! The vaginal enigma has eluded (read: been ignored by) scientists for centuries. But in 1991, Ida and Jupp climbed into an MRI machine to do the dirty deed and penetrate the mysteries of S-E-X!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From England to Japan to Norway, members of monarchies have been ditching their royal titles in the name of love! We'll look at three of these couples who decided to go from rich fancy nobles to rich fancy nobodies: Princess Mako and lawyer Kei Komuro, Princess Märtha Louise and self-proclaimed shaman Durek Varrett, and of course everybody's favorite majestic ginger, Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The beautiful and alluring Lulu Dorantes met Ramon Sosa at a Latin club when she accidentally stepped on his foot! This adorable meet cute led to a perfect marriage. When their love turned sour, Lulu hired a hit man to track down Ramon and kill him. But after the job was done and the hitman was paid, somehow Ramon would still come out on top!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Caresse Crosby invented the bra in 1910, which might be the least interesting thing about her. She and her husband Harry Crosby lived wild lives in Paris, where they published as-yet-unknown authors like James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway, and helped encourage photography as an art form. Famous for their open marriage, they hosted champagne-soaked bathtub orgies, opium-fueled sex romps, and debaucherous threesomes. But one of their sidepieces would turn out to be a truly fatal attraction.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lozen was a Chihenne Apache two-spirited person who broke down gender barriers to become both a healer and a warrior. Her inspirational leadership, total badassery, and mystical powers of detecting enemy forces saved countless Apache lives. Dahteste was a beautiful woman from the Chokonen Apache who was also an incredible fighter and skilled negotiator. When the two of them met under Geronimo's leadership, they found a deep love that thrived in the face of violence and deception from the US Army.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed & Lorraine Warren were married paranormal investigators who gained serious fame off their spooky encounters, leading to book deals, lecture tours, & movie franchises like The Conjuring & Annabelle. But a dark secret supposedly haunted them, more frightening than any spirit or demon. And this possibly sparked a billion dollar Hollywood cover up!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Alice Kyteler’s fourth husband in a row dropped dead and left all his money to her and nothing for his own children, they knew it could only mean one thing: WITCHCRAFT. And when a power hungry bishop got involved, it sparked an epic battle between church & state, demons & angels, and witches & weirdos! Hear the story of the first woman ever convicted in Ireland of being a witch!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On our next RiCRYPTulous Romance, we go to the damp, foggy marshes of rural England to uncover human remains and a ghastly tale! When Malika mysteriously disappeared, everyone suspected her husband Peter. After a skull was found in a nearby bog, he quickly confessed to the murder. But the skull held an ancient secret that would turn this investigation... on its HEAD! MuahahaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're kicking off this year's RiCRYPTulous Romance with a tale of ghostly vengeance! When her newlywed daughter, Zona, turned up dead one cold January day, her mother Mary Jane instantly suspected Zona’s new husband, Erasmus Stribbling “Trout” Shue. But she had no evidence that would interest the authorities - until Zona’s ghost showed up at her bedside with all the gory details.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back to our histories next, but today we continue our joint journey with Cherry and Jason as we travel from Las Vegas to HOLLYWOOD! Two Ridiculous Romances converge in real time as we bounce between meals and museums all across Tinseltown. We may not be Diamond Members anymore, but that didn't stop us from acting like Big Celebs! And we close it all out with a spicy lil visit to a soberingly empty "gentlemen's lounge"...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey friends. We're unfortunately dealing with a family tragedy. But to take our minds off it, this week we decided to relive our recent adventures in Las Vegas with our friends and travel companions, Cherry and Jason! So if you want a peek into OUR Ridiculous Romances, then listen in as we laugh our way through Caesars Palace, The Bellagio, Meow Wolf, Fremont Street, and more for our 2022 Double Date-Cation!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we rough it across the Utah desert like a couple of 1800's pioneers, we got a visit from the postman who brought us a stack of your letters which reminded us of life back home.... okay fine, so we checked our email and recorded this episode on a cell phone in our fancy resort cabin. But the sentiment is just as potent!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julie d'Aubigny is just getting started! Now an operatic celebrity under her stagename, La Maupin, she continues to dive into daring duels, forbidden loves, and hilarious crimes. But after a second pardon from King Louis, would she finally find a love that would settle her down? Find out in her exciting conclusion - en garde!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julie d'Aubigny was a 17th century French woman whose life sounds so chaotic and intense, she's in the running for our most ridiculous story yet. She would duel men all the time (and win), she pranked and embarrassed nobles just for fun, and she even set a convent on fire so she could run off with her forbidden lesbian lover! She pulled schemes so wild, King Louis couldn't even be mad about it. And that's all BEFORE she became a celebrity!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark and Bill, hosts of the amazing podcast Ridiculous News invited us on to their show for a Weekly Roundup, and you can listen right here! We're talking all this week's weird and wonderful headlines. Plus, Mark and Bill ask us some truly deep questions about our own Ridiculous Romance! Don't forget to subscribe to the Ridiculous News Podcast and follow them on IG: @markkendallcomedySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ridicuverse is merging! We're mingling with the funniest duo in current events: Mark Kendall and Bill Worley of Ridiculous News! Together we're tackling sologamy: the act of marrying yourself. Is this another trendy attention grab, or a daring act of self-love? Tune in to learn all about these mirrored matrimonies!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Felicity Rossi said "I do" to a zombie doll with a missing jaw, but she's got an out-of-this-world lover on the side. Meanwhile Meirivone Rocha Moraes's mother made her a life-sized doll named Marcelo that she could take dancing. But Marcelo wasn't careful so somehow Meirivone got pregnant with a doll baby?? Yeah, we know. You gotta listen to find out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Remedios Gomez was a normal Filipino teenager in the 1940s: she loved fashion, makeup, dancing, and beauty pageants. But when her father was killed by the occupying Japanese army, she became Kumander Liwayway and took the runway to the danger zone, leading her guerilla army in glorious victories...always with perfect hair and makeup, of course. Her legendary exploits made her the perfect political bride to unify the tense guerilla factions, and also led her to her true love.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Walt’s Leaves of Grass finally got published in the U.K. and was…routinely ridiculed by everyone. But two famous authors, including the master of fright himself, Bram Stoker, fell head over heels in love with not just the words, but the Walt. Their fan letters to the Good Gray Poet, now in his 60s, were verbose and passionate - and one of them would even move nations to be near him. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Walt Whitman not only captured American culture and spirit in sweeping verse in his poetry collection Leaves of Grass; he also frequented the very first gay bar in America, cruised for cuties among the, ahem, working stiffs of the world, and even indulged in a little cross-dressing. Though persistent questions about his sexuality affected sales of his work and even his employment, he couldn’t deny the Song of Himself - and it led him to his true love.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We decided to abandon our virtues once again and have a dirty little rendezvous with the Internet's seediest forum for the most ridiculous sex stories we could find. Some hilarious, some outrageous, and some so bizarre that we had to reenact them to fill in the holes. Get your safewords ready and come join in!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early 1900's, coal miners in America suffered from low wages, suppressed rights, and deadly working conditions. But detectives would evict and even beat anyone who whispered the word "union". When Sid Hatfield stood up to the oppressive coal companies, a gun fight erupted that changed the labor movement forever. But was it all a ruse for him to pursue a forbidden love? Find out in this special Labor Day episode!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russia's handing out medals for Mommas; Singapore did an LGBTQ double take; and Mexico erected a totally turgid tombstone! This Goody Bag episode tells three weird and wonderful world stories that celebrate sex, love, and "vergas"!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After taking Broadway by storm, this trio used their fame to help find success for other Black performers in New York through organizations like The Frogs. Their talents were so impressive, their performances so renowned, that racist groups like The White Rats were forced to cry their wittle baby eyes out as Black actors' names topped  marquees and dominated headlines! After her husband's death, Aida changed the game once again by performing in drag in a number that would be the centerpiece of nearly every show she was in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Vaudeville circuit, Black performers George Walker, Bert Williams, and Aida Overton refused to perpetuate the racist stereotypes of the time. Defying convention, they built a community of artists and a whole series of successful shows that delighted audiences across the world. Before long they opened the first Black full-length production on Broadway! But without George's wife, the amazing Aida Overton, they might never have found success...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time to take a break from the alien lovers, the royal mistresses, and the bird brides, to hear some strange stories from the internet's freakiest place: Reddit. We pulled the most bonkers breakup stories we could find to share them with you and stage a few reenactments to try and make them make sense. Plus we get to share a few truly ridiculous breakups of our own...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ilya Ivanov wanted to do his part to accelerate the Bolshevik dream of a Soviet society. Serge Voronoff was convinced there was a way to make old men young again - maybe even live forever! The secret ingredient? Sperm and testicles from chimpanzees, of course! OranguTAINT no way we can ignore the SACKful of science and society around both these men’s experiments with ChimpanDEEZ nuts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Huggins is a lovely man and a talented artist. He works at a NJ deli and everyone in his neighborhood loves him. Oh and he lost his virginity to an alien named Crescent while a mini sasquatch and a giant preying mantis watched! Yes it's another romance between human and alien. Will our episode get invaded once again!? Not if we can help it... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After getting humiliated in court, Sir Richard took another trip across Europe to reinvent himself as an art snob. Meanwhile Lady Seymour found a ragtag group of brothel loving ladies to party with and besmirched his name even more! All was well until she was in Paris for guillotine season, and barely escaped with her head!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since Sir Richard only married Lady Seymour for her money, he didn't mind her having a few sidepieces. In fact, he might have even loved to watch! But when she and her lover George tried to elope, Richard turned into a real Dick and sued them in a trial that hung ALL their dirty laundry out to dry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part one, we spread our minds wide and banged out the history of these sex-loving, purple golf cart driving hippies. But behind all the orgasmic demonstrations, erotic coursework, and free love philosophy, is this just another dark sex cult? In part two, we'll go deeper and try to put a finger on what makes this group seem so sticky!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gird your loins cause we're going DEEP under the covers to get to the big round bottom of this sex-obsessed lifestyle group! Victor Baranco dropped everything (probably including acid) to dedicate himself to giving his wife 3-hour orgasms, and they're still cranking out bangers to this day!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We compiled some of the most intense couples who've ever broken Guinness Records for most weddings, fastest runs, and longest smooches both above and UNDER water! These endurance lovers might make you feel lazy, but maybe they'll give you some new #relationshipgoals!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 13th century Spain, Diego and Isabel were two teenagers in love. But her strict father and a calendar technicality kept these star-crossed lovers from finding happiness! Their legend lives on and helped set a Guinness Record that would just never happen in a pandemic era.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Nessie and Percival exchanged vows, everything was perfect. But their marriage was revealed to be one in a string of dozens of elaborate cons dating back for decades! The unstoppable Amy Bock left a trail of financial destruction all across New Zealand. But gosh darn it nobody could stay mad at her!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taytu of Ethiopia were the ultimate power couple. Together they united the Ethiopian kingdoms and brought their nation into the modern era. And by combining his agreeable demeanor and her take-no-crap attitude, they did the unthinkable: crushed the European nation trying to colonize them!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Colette tried to make her stepson/lover jealous with a suave Jewish jeweler named Maurice Goudeket - but she and Maurice ended up falling in love instead! Unfortunately, Paris was about to be occupied by the Germans, and the two of them would need to make hard choices to keep her husband safe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This one's for all the car lovers out there... literally! For some people, a sassy chassis can really get their engine running. It doesn't take a key to turn them on, just a tight gasket and a long dipstick. Take your top down, grab your pumps, and fill 'er up!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Colette returns and heads to the frontlines to be one of the first women journalists to report on WWI! But another battle rages in her loins when she meets her husband's son from his first marriage, Bertrand, and the step-lovers have a globetrotting affair. Plus we get to learn about "lavender languages" - the secret code of the early 20th century gay underground scene!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reiko was a single mother in Japan whose 10 year old daughter Mana was being bullied in school for not having a father. So to help her out, she tracked him down and reunited them... ssssort of! The truth behind this story has so many twists and turns you'll have to Tokyo Drift your way through just to make it to the shocking ending!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After ditching her Willy, Colette was introduced to the brilliant, crossdressing lesbian Missy de Belbeuf! Together they created a mime show that shocked Parisians into a riot by showing women kissing, and worse - wearing pants! But when Colette captured the heart of a journalist, his lover "The Panther" went prowling for revenge.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is a mélange-a-trois of ridiculous, fresh hot romances from the week's news! We've got a new understanding of how aggressively sexual female animals are in the wild. Then there's a woman who finally escaped a divorcing legal nightmare after 22 years. And of course, everybody's favorite AI sex dolls are becoming influencers. Another job snatched up by robots!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The famed French romance author Colette is best known for her sensual novels, her libertine lifestyle, and her bisexual polyamory. But it all started with a dull, traditional marriage to a savvy publisher and author named Willy. Short on ghost writers, Willy asked his wife to put pen to paper, resulting in the hottest Parisian novel in years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From powerful personal experiences to overly-detailed scientific explanations, many of our listeners were moved by certain episodes to share their own stories and insight! And we couldn't leave them untold. Join us for a dive into the mail bag as we swim around in some of your ridiculous romances in our first episode focused exclusively on you!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canadian Prime Minister, "Swinging Pierre" Trudeau, was the hottest politician since JFK! Everyone wanted a piece, including Funny Girl herself, Barbra Streisand. But Pierre's wife Margaret was a party girl too, and tabloids caught her having a wild night with all of the Rolling Stones! Did she get her Jag on? Did Pierre ever say "Goodbye Dolly" to Babs? Listen in and find out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The story of Peter I & Iñes de Castro is basically Portugal's own Romeo and Juliet. But the OTHER romances around their story are a tangled web of shocking twists, royal backstabs, and sidepiece supremacy!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

The most dangerous and successful pirate in the world was a woman named Zheng Yi Sao who, together with her lover Cheung Po Tsai, united pirates under a single banner in the South China Sea. To end her bloody reign, the Qing Dynasty would have to negotiate, and her tongue was as sharp as her sword. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deland McCullough grew up a happy adopted child but always wanted to find his birth parents. As he rose the ranks in the NFL to become a coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, he set out on a life changing journey to find them. The answers he uncovered were more than he'd ever bargained for.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our final RiCRYPTulous Romance of 2021, we saved the worst for last! A ghostly prophecy gave Carl Tanzler a vision of his future wife. When he finally met the girl in Florida decades later, she was terminally ill. But Carl wouldn't let death stop him from being with his promised bride... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Salesman and grandfather of the American Infomercial, Samuel Popeil, had such a rocky marriage that his wife Eloise hired killers to take him out. But wait, there's more! Listen now and you'll get this story PLUS betrayal, PLUS their outrageous trial for free! This offer is not available in stores! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this ghastly, gruesome RiCRYPTulous Romance, Daniel and Manuela were each lost souls, looking for someone who shared their love, their passion, and their thirst for blood. But after sharing vows at one alter, they soon made a human sacrifice at another! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The high dollar French courtesan Marguerite Alibert always got what she wanted. When she nearly met her match in her husband, the oppressive Egyptian aristocrat Ali Fahmy, she got a little trigger happy and found herself on trial. Maybe her ex-boyfriend, the womanizing heir to the British throne could help her out... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On another RiCRYPTulous Romance, Fred Oesterriech was haunted by bumps in the night and a ghastly figure he saw in the attic. His wife Dolly was convinced it was all in his head, until one day a pale, scrawny creature appeared in their kitchen and shot him dead! Who was the ghoulish gunman? The terrifying truth awaits! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz was a Catholic nun in Mexico in the late 17th century who outraged the Spanish Inquisition by being way smarter and cooler than them. As long as she had the love and protection of the Vicereine of New Spain, Maria Luisa, they were powerless to stop her. But that protection wouldn't last forever... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our first RiCRYPTulous Romance - Amanda Large was just your average medium when she encountered a spirit who would change her life forever: the 300 year old Hatian pirate, Jack Teague. But after falling in love and MARRYING the spirit, her health started to fail! Was her ethereal lover sucking her life away? Or could the bonds of love hold them together across the veil? It's all in this special spooky episode! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phillip Morris was in jail for a minor offense when he fell in love with Steven Russell, a tall, smart, charming, master conman. In a series of mind blowing schemes, Steven escaped prison by walking out the front doors MULTIPLE times! And he kept going straight back to his love, no matter how much trouble it caused them both.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helen Keller lived a rich and exciting life. She traveled the world, dined with royalty, and fell deeply in love with Peter Fagan. But her abelist family didn't seem to think one of the most accomplished women in the world could handle marriage! Through it all, the love that Helen, Anne Sullivan, and Polly Thomson shared was unbreakable. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Akihiko Kondo and Hatsune Miku fell madly in love and got married even though they had never met each other in person. That's because Hatsune Miku is a synthesized digital voice program with a holographic cartoon avatar! And it sure got us talking about the nature of reality, true love, and robotic sex toys. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I Love Lucy was changing sitcoms forever, and Lucille and Desi pushed the envelope further with a shocking pregnancy storyline in season 2. But some differences couldn't be reconciled, and eventually their marriage dissolved for good. After six seasons, two children, and a hearing before the House Un-American Activities Committee, would their friendship endure? It's all right here in part 2! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two of the most legendary names in entertainment, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz met on the set of Too Many Girls in 1940. But "too many girls" was exactly Desi's problem, and their rocky marriage was a tabloid sensation. Fortunately their creative partnership was unfazed, and together they revolutionized comedy and negotiated what's still considered the greatest deal in television history! That's only the beginning... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The one-legged, sex crazed, abolitionist and optimist Gouverneur Morris is the coolest Founding Father you've never heard of. But Ann Cary Randolph's story was as harrowing as his was outrageous. After he wrote the preamble to the US Constitution, the two of them formed a union of their own! Together they're an American legend truly worth hearing.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maha Vajiralongkorn is the current monarch of Thailand (as of this launch date), though his behavior is anything but kingly. He and his two queens rule with strict lèse-majesté laws, sending anyone who speaks ill of him and is many, many scandals straight to prison. Uh oh, might have to rethink our trip! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

High school sports champion Jackie Robinson didn't strike out when he met the brilliant Rachel Isum. And when he faced the challenge of being the first Black man to play Major League Baseball in the 20th century, she helped him round the bases and knock racism out of the park! This couple protected each other through brutal challenges and became the first married couple to both be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a long time, it's been assumed that Amelia Earhart flew in and stole George Putnam away from his wife Dorothy. But the truth is, Dorothy had been trying to take off for years, and had a few layovers herself! Sadly their marriage was grounded early, and love was stuck at the gate. Please put your seats in their full upright position for this epic and emotional story of travel, adventure, and dirty little secrets! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In August of 2021, Diana & Eli attended Podcast Movement, an annual convention centered around... you guessed it, Podcasting! We were invited to speak on a panel called "The Humor & The Heavy" with our good friends and hosts of Ridiculous History, Ben & Noel! Moderated by Lauren Vogelbaum (Savor, BrainStuff, American Shadows), we discuss the challenges and strategies of bringing our thigh-slapping humor to deep, dark, and heavy subject matter without being total jerks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Margaret Wise Brown put her sense of wonder and whimsy into all of her children's books, including Goodnight Moon. Her lesbian lover Michael Strange was a smack-talking erotic poet who didn't have much respect for those "baby books." But Margaret showed her and the world by creating a sensation in children's literature that still gets stuck in parents' heads to this very day! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Eleusinian Mysteries are the best kept secret in history! (But you know we've got some ideas.) Hadrian and Antinous attended this trippy event and kicked off a world-tour romance that would inspire people for centuries to follow. But after a fatal drowning, the Romans make their own little stop at Speculation Station! Hear the epic conclusion now! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hadrian had some big sandals to fill when he succeeded Trajan as Emperor of Rome. The senate didn't love him, but fortunately one ridiculously attractive, athletic, cool AF man did. Their story became legend, and these men have gone down in history as icons, inspiring gay culture and sports to this day. Hear how Hadrian changed an Empire, challenged the Roman senate, and met his one true love in part 1 of this epic story! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marguerite Steinheil's affair with the President of France was already worth one episode. But not long after that scandal, she would become the talk of Paris once again... as a suspect in her husband's murder! Daring heists, international conspiracies, and of course, wild speculation, are all in this thrilling conclusion! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marguerite was at the center of French culture in 1898, holding grand salons with the top artists and politicians of the day. She was also mistress to Felix Faure, the French President best known for... dropping dead at a very "intimate" moment. It was a scandal that brought France to its knees! And that's only Part ONE of Marguerite's ridiculous story! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

George Remus and his wife Imogene ran the biggest bootlegging business in America during the prohibition years! But when George slips up and gets locked away, can he trust his wife to manage their fortune? Or will the savvy young Agent Dodge seduce her into a betrayal? Grab a drink and find out in this episode! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Linda had no luck in love until she met the man of her dreams! Too bad he was married. When she gave him the boot, he hired hitmen to blind her with acid. After a stint in prison, he tracked her down and did the unthinkable - he married her! What? Why? What?? All questions we'll get into! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2012, UK Labour Councillor Simon Parkes revealed to the world that aliens had been studying humans since the dawn of our species. Also, he's been banging one of them his whole life, and he has an alien hybrid daughter named Zarka! We'll try to get to the outer limits of this cosmic love story, with special guest appearances by some old alien friends of our own! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The brilliant writer Murasaki Shikibu didn't experience much romance in her personal life in the late 1st century. But she captured the attention of Japan by releasing The Tale Of Genji one episode at a time. Altogether the tale is one of the first novels ever produced, and it's still celebrated today as a symbol of enduring love and marital harmony. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the King of Bechuanaland fell in love with a white Londoner in 1946, everyone was... surprisingly cool with it! But due to the influence of Apartheid, he wasn't allowed to reclaim his throne. Find out how their marriage totally redrew the map of Africa and led to the new, independent nation of Botswana. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Little is known about this royal couple (a lot can go missing in 3400 years). But this Pharoah and his Queen ruled Ancient Egypt for decades, and brought about a golden age of culture! Queen Tiye was so integral to their glory that she changed the very concept of what an Egyptian Queen could be. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clementine and Winston were both tired of courting dreary snobs and gossipy debutantes. When they met by chance, it was love at first sight, but little did they know how much their union would change the world. Find out how love literally saved the day and helped defeat the Nazis in WW2! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sid Vicious, the notorious bassist for the Sex Pistols, was a nasty, violent, drug addict... and a summer peach compared to his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen. In less than two years, these spitfire punks met, fell in love, tore the UK to pieces, terrorized New York City, and died. They left behind a punk rock legacy, and a baffling murder mystery that's unsolved to this day! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahoy me hearties! Prepare yerselves for a voyage full of swashbuckling adventure, daring escapes, and ruthless gay pirates! Robert Culliford was one of the most dastardly pirate captains on the high seas, and he did it all with his best mate (figurative and literal), Jon Swann. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suleiman The Magnificent was the Ottoman Empire's greatest Sultan. But one girl rose from harem slave to a wife who reigned by his side, and helped him to usher in a golden age of art and culture. Together they defied tradition, shocked a nation, and changed the world. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trial of the Century! In 1906, Harry K. Thaw shot and killed his wife's abuser, the renowned architect Stanford White. But this was no dutiful act of chivalry. Evelyn was trapped between two dangerous men, each destructive in their own way. How did America's Original Top Model get entwined in such a treacherous triad? All the excitement, mystery, and murder is right here! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many women tried to find a spark with inventor Nikola Tesla, but no one had a voltage high enough to distract him from his work. Today, the Master of Lightning might identify as asexual and aromantic. But after decades of hardship and alternating currents of fortune and poverty, one little bird found the right frequency to complete his circuit. We look into Tesla's complicated relationship with romance, and how a few other inventors have managed in their own! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ellen and William Craft were in love and wanted to start a family - but it was 1848, they lived in Georgia, and they were enslaved, with very little chance of escape. But one day, William cooked up a plan so crazy, it just might work, sending them on an action-packed "leap to liberty!" Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martha Beck would kill for love. And when she met Raymond Fernandez, she did. Together, they would run scams on lonely women through Lonely Hearts matchmaking ads, robbing them of jewelry, cars, thousands of dollars - and sometimes their lives. When the killers went to trial, it was the story of the century! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did America's most troubled playboy drug addict become one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes? It took a lot more than a snap to blip out his rotten past. Fortunately he met a brilliant producer who gave him one last shot at a career and another chance at love. If Team Downey hadn't fallen for each other, entertainment might be very different today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elagabalus is taking wives and ending lives like it's her job. But what happens when a handsome Charioteer rolls into town? Spoiler alert: it's more destruction, chaos, and murder. If you thought part one was crazy, wait until you hear what The Little Empress gets up to in this epic conclusion! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This transgender Empress of Rome in the early 3rd century was only 14 when she violently seized control! From there she took on wife after wife after husband after lover… and so on. She killed a lot of people, but she also appointed Rome’s first women senators! So… a mixed bag. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Step right up and hear the story of the 8-foot Giant and the acrobat with no legs who loved him! "The Strangest Married Couple In The World" toured the American Sideshow circuit in the 1940's. Amazing feats! Narrow escapes! Dastardly villains! Dare to feast your ears on this tale of love and excitement!  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suffering Sappho! William Marston was a mixed bag of qualities, along with his wife Elizabeth and their live-in girlfriend Olive. But amidst the polygraphs, baby parties, and sex cults, this throuple created Wonder Woman and changed comic books (and feminism) forever! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mary Edwards was the richest woman in England when she married Lord Hamilton, but when he started spending her money a little too freely, she wasn’t afraid to torpedo her whole life just to get him out of it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1960s, the TV game show The Dating Game was surprise hit! A handful of celebrities (and spies, and serial killers) left their mark on the panel, but perhaps their biggest winner was comedy legend Steve Martin, who gamed the system to win the trip of a lifetime. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lorena Gallo thought she achieved the American Dream when she married military man John Wayne Bobbitt. Once the dream became a nightmare, it was time to cut ties – literally. But that's just the tip! The full story spans decades with wild characters, nonprofit activism, and a real who's who of America's dirtbags! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Betty and Barney Hill were an interracial couple living a perfectly normal life in 1961 Portsmouth, New Hampshire, until a spur-of-the-moment honeymoon turned into the very first alien abduction. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shah Hussain was a Muslim poet and weaver in 16th century Pakistan who fell in love with the beautiful Hindu boy Madho Lal. Religion, politics, and civil rights all collide in this romance, still celebrated today as a symbol of universal love and harmony between the two religions. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jean-Antoinette Poisson was determined to be King Louis’ mistress. One pink carriage and a tree costume later, she had won – but the story was just beginning. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do the Berlin Wall, the Eiffel Tower, a rocking chair, a guillotine, and a playing card all have in common? They’re all married – to humans! Learn about objectum sexuality, animism, and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.