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Ridiculous Crime

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True Crime is more than blood, guts, mayhem, and murder. Zaron Burnett and Elizabeth Dutton share outlandish tales of capers, heists, and cons that shine a light on the absurd and outrageous side of criminality. Always 99% murder-free and 100% ridiculous, this is Ridiculous Crime, a podcast by iHeartRadio.

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39 episodes
Avg 55 min
English

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Thursday · 44 min
The Great Book Theft: Frede Møller-Kristensen
A genius goes to work in the Danish Royal Library. Sounds about right. That genius starts stealing books. That's not right. The genius stops stealing books. That's good! His family starts selling off the stolen books. Okay, we're back to not good again. This Scandinavian caper took some twists and turns until one keen auctioneer and one dedicated security director straight up cracked the case. Godt arbejde! Oh, and Elizabeth apologizes for her LEGO crimes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Tuesday · 57 min
Come Fly With Me, Come Crime With Me: the Ken Jouppi Story
How far would you go to fight the law and keep your stuff? For Alaskan bush pilot Ken Jouppi the answer is: all the way to the Supreme Court. Thanks to Alaska’s strict laws about bringing booze into a dry town, Jouppi was set to lose his seaplane to legal forfeiture. And now the Supreme Court must decide: did Alaska violate Ken's Constitutional rights over some Budweiser tallboys, or nah? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 26 · 34 min
Bonus: Getting High with Ridiculous Crime: Reindeer Trips and Soothing Syrup
Did you know reindeer love tripping? Or that, once upon a time, otherwise responsible parents would dose their children with high-test opioids? In the second chapter of their ongoing series, Ben, Noel, and Max welcome returning guest Zaron Burnett, co-creator of Ridiculous Crime, to learn more about bizarre drugs of yesteryear. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 26 · 40 min
Bonus: Getting High with Ridiculous Crime: Betel Nut and 'Asthma Cigarettes'
Have you ever gone full red-mouth off betel nut? Did you ever buy cigarettes to cure your asthma? When Ben, Noel, and Max first began exploring bizarre drugs of yesteryear, they had no idea that they'd stumbled across a continuing series. Luckily, the guys aren't returning to this Ridiculous History alone -- they're joined by special returning guest Zaron Burnett, co-creator of Ridiculous Crime, to learn even more about history's strangest drugs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 24 · 57 min
Dr. Teeth and the Cocaine Mayhem: Larry Lavin
Larry Lavin started out selling weed and a chill place to consume it to his classmates at Phillips Exeter Academy. He upped his game in dental school, selling cocaine and making sure the students at UPenn were zooted to the gills. He supplied the yuppies of the Eastern Seaboard with mountains of coke in the 80s "greed is good" era. But a funky little tune called “Double Dutch Bus” ultimately brought his empire down. Bip, bop, bam, alakazam! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 22 · 1 hr 9 min
Seth Rogen vs. North Korea: The Great Sony Hack of 2014
In a much different world, Seth Rogen wanted to make a movie about assassinating the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-Un. The film he imagined would be a comedy, one that might lead to positive change, perhaps even a change of leadership in North Korea. Instead, it led to a nuclear showdown with North Korea that dragged President Obama into the chaos unleashed by Rogen's poop and fart joke film. However, the movie did lead to a change of leadership in Hollywood. Someone get Croesus on the line, he'd love this one! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 17 · 54 min
Don't You Know Who I Am?: The Hollywood Con Queen
For good or for bad, Hollywood is the land of promises and illusion. Getting the right phone call at the right time can make a career...or it can drain a bank account. The Hollywood Con Queen convinced aspriring stars that fame and fortune were within their reach, with the payment of some fees. But like most cons, it all came crashing down, this time in an ending full of Tinseltown twists. And it wouldn't be a true Hollywood episode without a celebrity cameo, now would it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 15 · 58 min
All Along the Watchlist: Crimes of the Woodstock Generation
In a star-studded episode of Sixties outrageousness, ride along with Jimi Hendrix and Neil Young, catch flight with the band Canned Heat, party with at least half of the Beach Boys, and hit up Nixon's White House with Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane. It's a fun-filled, LSD-tinged, madcap romp through America's most ridiculous era. "Turn on, tune in, and drop out"... but don't miss this comic chaos that could only happen for the Woodstock Generation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 10 · 57 min
It's a (Crime) Family Affair: Shaun Greenhalgh
Rejected by the art world, Shaun Greenhalgh needed an outlet for his incredible talent. Guess what? Crime was the perfect opportunity for such a thing. A true Renaissance man, Shaun could fake up anything from a treasure from antiquity to a delicate contemporary painting. With help from his parents, he duped even the sharpest minds of the art world. My man! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 8 · 1 hr
Let Me Stand Next to My Fire: Zaron Burns Down a Hillside
Before he was charming the Rude Dudes with tales of silly capers, heists, and cons, Zaron was a house painter. But not just any old house painter. He worked on high end projects with meticulous care. Except for that one time he became an accidental arsonist. Oops. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 3 · 54 min
Hot Rocks: The Green Vault Heist
In Dresden, Germany, an incredible trove of precious gems is on display in Dresden Castle's Green Vault. They've been there for hundreds of years, save a brief moment when a crime family lifted them and made a run for it. Some made it home, others weren't so lucky. Maybe those jewels will return someday. Hope, like crime, springs eternal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 1 · 1 hr 1 min
ZZ Top and the Zombies: A Great American Long Con
Before they grew long beards and a mustache and formed ZZ Top, two of the bandmates, drummer Frank Beard and bassist Dusty Hill, were once in a traveling band that was created as a blatant cash grab. Much like Los Beatles Americanos (remember them?), an impostor band was formed to pull some artistic identity theft and the future members of ZZ Top were only too happy to play along. It's like some folks like to say, "Hey man, it was the '60s!" And all of it was ridiculous! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 29 · 2 min
Introducing: Natural Causes
Natural Causes is a podcast about the politics and practicalities of going outside in a world on fire, hosted by Dr. James Stout. It approaches the outdoors, conservation, agriculture, food sovereignty, and Indigenous land rights as interconnected issues. We want to combine unflinching journalism with unabashed advocacy for the land we all share, and welcome everyone into the outdoors and the fight for our public lands. Our shared wild spaces are under threat like never before, from climate change, the Trump administration, and extractive capitalism. Now, more than ever, we need serious journalism and serious solidarity that engages people with the struggle to protect these spaces for generations to come. New episodes weekly. Listen here and subscribe to Natural Causes on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 27 · 52 min
It's an Honor to Rob a Bank: Lucio Urtubia
He fought for freedom, not just for his native Spain but for oppressed people worldwide. With his strong believe that, "the keystone of existence is doing right by one's neighbor," his subversive tactics used the tools of system against itself: fake passports and counterfeit cash. Oh, and phony traveler's checks, which is how he ran afoul of one of the largest banks in the world. But leave it to Lucio to get the last laugh. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 25 · 1 hr 7 min
Before Cocaine Cartels, There Was The Black Tuna Gang
The name of their crime crew was certainly unfortunate. Like, who would wanna be known as The Black Tuna Gang? But their crimes, however, are legendary. Long before cocaine became synonymous with Colombia and Miami, these quasi-hippie drug smugglers set the mold. They showed all who came after them how to build an international smuggling empire and earn millions off of Colombia's original cash crop, that sticky-icky South American reefer. Their run didn't last terribly long because they seemingly did everything with a ridiculous amount of unearned confidence and a love of rash decisions. But while it lasted, oh what a run they had! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 20 · 54 min
Philately Will Get You Nowhere: The Apollo 15 Postal Cover Scandal
Humans are fascinated by two things and two things only in this life: space and keepsakes. That’s it. The astronauts of the Apollo 15 mission knew this, so they took a LOT of stamped envelopes to the moon. You know, for the sake of both science and commerce. This was, however, against the rules. Who cares! To commemorative stamp sales…and beyond! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 18 · 51 min
The Show Must NOT Go On!: Sometimes Crime is the Only Answer
For these three stories, there is one unifying idea: the show must NOT go on. And in order to ensure the show was indeed stopped, people turned to crimes, sweet, sweet ridiculous crimes. Whether a theater musical director, a bride-to-be, or an Olivia Rodrigo fan, in each instance there was only way to be sure: criminality. Come for the history of the phrase, stay for the modern lesson in summer concert culture. Just be sure not to get any on you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 13 · 59 min
Ridiculous Crime Interviews: Matthew Campbell and The Man Who Stole the Gods, Part 2
For part two of this special edition, Zaron continues his interview with author Matthew Campbell about his book The Man Who Stole the Gods. In the second half of the interview, Matthew Campbell examines the other half of the art crime, the metaphorical detectives and police tasked with investigating and seeking justice for the Cambodian people. There's also discussion of redemption, righting of wrongs, and the role and responsibillities of museums and auction houses in this global tale of art crime. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 11 · 48 min
Ridiculous Crime Interviews: Matthew Campbell and The Man Who Stole the Gods
For part one of this special edition, Zaron interviews author Matthew Campbell about his book The Man Who Stole the Gods. The incredible tale documents a truly global art crime. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and Cambodian Civil War and the rise of the Khmer Rouge, this story explores the theft of statues and bas reliefs from religious sites like Angkor Wat and how through a shadowy network of looters, middlemen, auction houses, museums and art collectors the cultural inheritance of Cambodia becomes must-have items for the ultra-wealthy of the West. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 6 · 52 min
I'll Stop the World and Melt with You: Joe Colombo Jr.
Joe Colombo Jr. was the son of a powerful, ruthless, flashy, publicity-loving mob boss. Joe Sr. was larger than life and as audacious as they come. One would expect his namesake to follow in his criming footsteps, which he did. In his own way. Junior joined in on a half-baked criminal plan, only for the whole thing to go south. The impact of his arrest, though, would go on to change the culture and even one of Hollywood's biggest films. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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