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America The Bizarre

Dive 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.
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Episodes

71 - Roe of Roe v. Wade

We discuss the life story of Norma McCorvey, the woman famously known as Jane Roe in the historic Roe v. Wade case, and her journey of becoming the face of the pro-choice movement and then her switch to becoming a prominent activist for pro-life groups.

Mar 25, 202134 minSeason 1Ep. 71

70 - Rain, Rain, Bombs Away

Congress passes legislation to bomb the sky in an effort to make some rain.

Mar 18, 202138 minSeason 1Ep. 70

69 - Citizen Hirabayashi

Gordon Hirabayashi refused to comply with America's Japanese Relocation order to an internment camp. Instead, he fought all the way to the Supreme Court and when ordered to prison, hitchhiked all the way from Seattle to Tucson because the government didn't have the money to send him.

Mar 11, 202145 minSeason 1Ep. 69

Special Presidential Trivia

America the Bizarre will return with new episodes on March 11th. Until then, answer this week's presidential trivia for a chance to win a free t-shirt. Submit your answer to bizarreusa@gmail.com or through the contact form at americathebizarre.com

Feb 25, 20212 min

68 - A History of Anti-Vaxxers

An enslaved man named Onesimus gave Cotton Mather information to create America's first smallpox inoculation, however, it was immediately met with push back and conspiracy theories.

Feb 18, 202135 minSeason 1Ep. 68

67 - Amistad Rebellion

In 1839, a group of slave captives revolted against the slave ship's crew in an effort to secure their freedom which ultimately led to a fight in the Supreme Court.

Feb 11, 202136 minSeason 1Ep. 67

66 - God Machine

A 19th-century spiritualist believed that he could trap the second-coming of christ in a machine in order to save humanity.

Feb 04, 202144 minSeason 1Ep. 66

65 - The Notorious Willie Dee

The Willie Dee had the worst luck of any battleship during WWII that led to them almost blowing up FDR.

Jan 28, 202133 minSeason 1Ep. 65

64 - Human Guinea Pigs

During World War II, some conscientious objectors chose to serve their country by signing up as human guinea pigs in scientific trials that starved them, infested them with lice, and gave them hepatitis.

Jan 21, 202145 minSeason 1Ep. 64

63 - Fly Into The Hurricane

Colonel Duckworth bet a bunch of British pilots that he could fly his single-engine plane in and out of a hurricane. The loser had to buy the winner a cocktail.

Jan 14, 202156 minSeason 1Ep. 63

62 - Killer Judge With A Bowie Knife

David S. Terry was a judge that had a reputation for having a hot temper and occasionally slashing at witnesses with his bowie knife. His second wife liked to do the same with a loaded pistol and they got into some trouble with US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Fields.

Jan 07, 20211 hr 1 minSeason 1Ep. 62

Holiday Re-Release: Bat Bombs

We 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.

Dec 31, 202036 min

Holiday Re-Release: Moon Nukes

In this episode, we go back to the time that America tried to both bomb the moon and then store nuclear weapons on the moon.

Dec 17, 202048 min

Holiday Re-Release: Colter's Naked Run

John 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.

Dec 10, 202039 min

61 - Lemurs and Quaaludes

Professor Buettner-Janusch was one of the first Americans to study lemurs and was very successful until he started using his research lab to make party drugs.

Dec 03, 202041 minSeason 1Ep. 61

60 - The True Story of Squanto

We discuss the history of Squanto, why he spoke perfect English when the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth, and his continuing relationship with the Pilgrims.

Nov 26, 202038 minSeason 1Ep. 60

59 - Martha The Mouth

Martha "Mouth of the South" Mitchell was taken hostage and drugged in order to keep her quiet about Nixon's involvement with Watergate.

Nov 19, 202029 minSeason 1Ep. 59

58 - Psychic For President

Victoria Woodhull was a clairvoyant and the first woman to run for president in the United States.

Nov 12, 202044 minSeason 1Ep. 58

57 - Freedom Meters

The reason America doesn't use the metric system is a combination of pirates and the French snubbing us.

Nov 05, 202048 minSeason 1Ep. 57

56 - Rathbone Murder

Major Rathbone failed to save Lincoln's life during his assassination. Rathbone carried the guilt with him until it took over with lethal consequences.

Oct 29, 202023 minSeason 1Ep. 56

55 - The Pledge

Join us during our 1 year birthday to discuss how the pledge of allegiance was written by a socialist nationalist in order to sell flags to children.

Oct 22, 202045 minSeason 1Ep. 55

54 - The Year Without A Summer

In April of 1815, the volcano Mount Tambora erupted and caused a massive ash cloud that cooled the entire Earth. Americans dealt with snowstorms that occured all throughout 1816 and struggled to grow crops and keep their animals alive.

Oct 15, 202035 minSeason 1Ep. 54

53 - Government Poisoned Alcohol

During prohibition, people still drank a lot. In order to combat this, the government began to poison industrial alcohol that ended up killing around 50,000 Americans.

Oct 08, 202035 minSeason 1Ep. 53

52 - Surprise Guam, It's America

Guam was never aware that the Spanish-American War was happening until America showed up to take over.

Oct 01, 202038 minSeason 1Ep. 52

51 - Louisiana Hippo Farms

At the turn of the 20th century, America was facing a massive meat shortage. The solution? Hippo farms in Louisiana

Sep 24, 202043 minSeason 1Ep. 51

50 - Wickedest City In America

General Patton once threatened to level Phenix City, Alabama which was once dubbed "The Wickedest City in America"

Sep 17, 202050 minSeason 1Ep. 50

49 - Coney Island Babies

Premature babies had extremely high mortality rates until a showman doctor opened up his incubator baby exhibit on Coney Island, attracting visitors and desperate parents from all over the world to marvel at this new technology.

Sep 10, 202045 minSeason 1Ep. 49

48 - The President's Party Blew Up

President John Tyler threw a huge party on the USS Princeton to celebrate the future annexation of Texas. Then tragedy struck.

Sep 03, 202044 minSeason 1Ep. 48

47 - The Great Taxidermist

Carl Akeley revolutionized taxidermy while also becoming a prolific inventor, hunter, and conservationist. There was also that time he killed a leopard with his bare hands.

Aug 27, 202053 minSeason 1Ep. 47

46 - Ludlow Massacre

In 1914, Rockefeller ordered to have strikers in his mining company shot and their homes burned to the ground.

Aug 20, 202032 minSeason 1Ep. 46
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