Podcasts · Society & Culture · History

Behind the Bastards

Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts

300 episodes · Explicit

There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of their lives. Listeners will learn about the young adult novels that helped Hitler form his monstrous ideology, the founder of Blackwater’s insane quest to build his own Air Force, the bizarre lives of the sons and daughters of dictators and Saddam Hussein’s side career as a trashy romance novelist.

Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. Part One: Peter Rachman: King of the Slumlords

    · 56 min

    Peter Rachman was a London landlord so bad, his last name became an internationally recognized synonym for "shitty slumlord". In these episodes, Robert explains how he went from fleeing the Nazis, to fleecing the…

  2. It Could Happen Here Weekly 255

    · 4 h 17 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file: • Anti-Palestinian Racism • How Trump Will Try To Make Voting Restrictions Even Worse • The Save Europe Act and the Bad Faith Nazis…

  3. Part Two: How Nuisance Streamers and Rage-Baiting Ate the Internet

    · 1 h 16 min

    Robert explains how live streamers went from pranks, to acts of insane violence and public cruelty, and eventually turned them into a lucrative industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  4. Part One: How Nuisance Streamers and Rage-Baiting Ate the Internet

    · 1 h 08 min

    How did nuisance streaming and rage-baiting rise to dominate the internet? Robert traces the unsettling devolution and its consequences for guest Jason Pargin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  5. It Could Happen Here Weekly 254

    · 3 h 54 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file: • 2026 Midterms Polling Update • The French Student Uprising • Breadfruit! • Fear of a Nuclear January 6th • Executive Disorder: ICE…

  6. Part Two: Peter Attia and the Cult of Longevity

    · 1 h 17 min

    In Part Two, Robert is again joined by Dr. Kaveh Hoda to discuss the rise and fall of the doctor at the center of the wellness podcast circuit: Dr. Peter Attia. From his stent as a McKinsey consult consultant to his…

  7. Part One: Peter Attia and the Cult of Longevity

    · 1 h 04 min

    Dr. Peter Attia is not the worst doctor we've covered, but he may be one of the most influential. This week, Robert is joined by Dr. Kaveh Hoda to learn about the rise of a longevity medicine superstar who would…

  8. It Could Happen Here Weekly 253

    · 3 h 52 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file: • The Decline and Fall of the International Workers Movement • How To Print Your Own Money: The Case for Local Currencies • How the…

  9. Part Two: Heinrich Schliemann: The Archaeologist Who Destroyed Troy

    · 45 min

    Robert concludes the thrilling story of how Heinrich Schlieman destroyed a crucial piece of our shared human heritage after purchasing a child bride. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  10. Part One: Heinrich Schliemann: The Archaeologist Who Destroyed Troy

    · 55 min

    This week Robert delves into the background of the most destructive archaeologist in history: Heinrich Schlieman, who destroyed the city of Troy looking for the city of Troy. Sources:…

  11. It Could Happen Here Weekly 252

    · 3 h 22 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file: • US Military Boat Strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific • After Ceuta • Were Macklemore’s First Amendment Rights Violated? • What…

  12. Part Two: Martin Niemöller, the author of 'First They Came', was a murderous fascist

    · 1 h 05 min

    Robert discusses Martin's activities after the war, which included executing unarmed socialists. Then he became a pro-Nazi pastor and was shocked when the Nazis took power and did Nazi stuff. Sources:…

  13. Part One: Martin Niemöller, the author of 'First They Came', was a murderous fascist

    · 1 h 00 min

    You've heard Martin Niemoller's famous poem about Nazi Germany: "First they came..." In these episodes, Robert exposes Martin's true past as a war criminal and Nazi supporter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…

  14. It Could Happen Here Weekly 251

    · 3 h 05 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file: • West Bank Takeover • The AI Regulation Debate • Diversity With Andrew • Gas Prices and Oil Wars • Executive Disorder: Trump Bans…

  15. Part Two: Radovan Karadžić: The Genocidal Dictator Who Became a New-Age Guru

    · 1 h 18 min

    We conclude the harrowing story of Radovan Karadžić with his war crimes and third act as an energy healer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  16. Part One: Radovan Karadžić: The Genocidal Dictator Who Became a New-Age Guru

    · 1 h 13 min

    Robert sits down with Jamie Loftus to discuss a bastard who really did it all: started his own country and became dictator, carried out a genocide, and matured to quack energy healer using magic to improve men's sperm…

  17. It Could Happen Here Weekly 250

    · 3 h 30 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file: • Sanctions, Terror, and the Internet • Should AOC talk to MAHA? • Debating the American Role in the Middle East • A History Built of…

  18. Part Four: Francis Galton: Inventor of Eugenics

    · 53 min

    We conclude the story of Francis Galton and explore all the hideous ways his ideas helped inspire eugenic laws around the world, and ultimately the Holocaust. Sources:…

  19. Part Three: Francis Galton: Inventor of Eugenics

    · 1 h 17 min

    Robert explains how Francis Galton helped invent modern forensic science while looking for ways to be more racist, as well as continuing his weird fetish of 'measuring' attractive women. Sources:…

  20. It Could Happen Here Weekly 249

    · 3 h 00 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file: • Counterrevolution in Egypt • What Happened with Milo Yiannopoulos? • The Death of American Hegemony • Executive Disorder:…

  21. Part Two: Francis Galton: Inventor of Eugenics

    · 1 h 11 min

    In part 2, we follow Galton during his youthful rampage through the middle east and then Africa, and how his 'gap years' created the racism we all live with today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  22. Part One: Francis Galton: Inventor of Eugenics

    · 1 h 05 min

    This week Robert begins our exploration of Francis Galton, a groundbreaking explorer and statistician who also invented modern racism as we know it by creating Eugenics. (4 Part Series) See omnystudio.com/listener…

  23. It Could Happen Here Weekly 248

    · 3 h 07 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. • Disarming Hamas • Anarchists and the Great War with Andrew • The Hunt for Jason Arday • Civilization with Andrew • Executive…

  24. Part Two: The Websites Behind An International Rapist Network

    · 1 h 11 min

    Robert sketches out the international network of websites where sex criminals ply their trade and advertise, and concludes the story of Dominique Pelicot. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  25. Part One: The Websites Behind An International Rapist Network

    · 1 h 09 min

    There exists online a community of websites and users who encourage, pay and teach each other in how to drug and sexually abuse women. Robert explores the case of one particular website, Coco, in France, along with in…

  26. It Could Happen Here Weekly 247

    · 4 h 12 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. • How to Rob a City: NBA Billionaire Edition • How the United States Built its Colonial Empire, Pt. 2 • Sophie Cunningham's…

  27. Part Two: Percy Fawcett: Real-Life Indiana Jones, or Deluded Psychic Racist?

    · 1 h 15 min

    Robert concludes the tale of Percy Fawcett by discussing how he came to believe a hidden jungle portal would turn his son into a god (spoiler: they died horribly). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  28. Part One: Percy Fawcett: Real-Life Indiana Jones, or Deluded Psychic Racist?

    · 59 min

    There are a few candidates for the title "the real Indiana Jones" but Percy Fawcett is the man whose reputation most inspired our favorite fictional archaeologist. Unfortunately, he was a racist, a murderer and a…

  29. It Could Happen Here Weekly 246

    · 4 h 03 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. • How the United States Built its Colonial Empire, Pt. 1 • The Dangers of Silica ft. Kim Kelly • How AI Companies are Monetizing…

  30. Part Two: Francisco Solano Lopez: The Worst Military Leader In Human History

    · 1 h 05 min

    Robert continues telling James Stout about the story of the worst military leader in human history: Francisco Solano Lopez. Also known as 'El supremo', he nearly annihilated his own country through sheer incompetence.…

  31. Part One: Francisco Solano Lopez: The Worst Military Leader In Human History

    · 58 min

    This week Robert sits down with James Stout to weave the story of the worst military leader in human history: Francisco Solano Lopez. Also known as 'El supremo', he nearly annihilated his own country through sheer…

  32. It Could Happen Here Weekly 245

    · 4 h 07 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. • The Gen Z Protests that Shook India's Fascist Government • GlobeCon: The New Liberals Take on DSA • GlobeCon: Can Technocratic…

  33. Part Two: Alex Karp: How Palantir's CEO Went From Marxist To Anti-Woke Crusader

    · 54 min

    With Palantir now off the ground, Alex Karp turns himself into the spokesman and salesman for Palantir, a company that threatens to destroy everything he pretends to believe in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…

  34. Part One: Alex Karp: How Palantir's CEO Went From Marxist To Anti-Woke Crusader

    · 51 min

    Robert begins his exploration of the early life of Alex Karp, current CEO of Palantir and best friend to Peter Thiel. He traces Alex's journey from left-wing academic to overlord of an "Anti-Woke" defense contractor.…

  35. It Could Happen Here Weekly 244

    · 3 h 26 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. • A Second Electrolysis Union Appears • Morocco's US-Backed Occupation of Western Sahara • The Rise of Organized Retail Crime…

  36. Part Two: The Origins of Terror in Palestine

    · 1 h 08 min

    After World War One, the British Mandate takes over in Palestine- and shit really starts to hit the fan, leading to a series of riots, pogroms, assassinations and the dissolution of the communities that has existed in…

  37. Part One: The Origins of Terror in Palestine

    · 1 h 05 min

    Robert sits down with Dr. Dana al-Kurd to discuss how things started going wrong in Palestine, and how terror first came to the Holy Land. Sources:…

  38. It Could Happen Here Weekly 243

    · 3 h 10 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. • Lebanon's Agreement with Israel • Ukraine Update: Political Chaos, Drone War, Crimes & More (ft. Romeo Kokriataski) • Why is DHS…

  39. Part Two: Rebecca Felton: The First Female Senator (was also a pro-lynching activist)

    · 43 min

    After the Civil War takes everything from her, Rebecca blames her woes on rich white planters, which weirdly causes her to become a pro-lynching activist. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  40. Part One: Rebecca Felton: The First Female Senator (was also a pro-lynching activist)

    · 55 min

    Rebecca Felton was a major suffragette and the first female senator. She was also, at different points, a slave owner and professional racist who became America's #1 pro-lynching advocate. (2 Part Series) Sources:…

  41. It Could Happen Here Weekly 242

    · 4 h 26 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. • CZM Rewind: Safe Gun Ownership • CZM Rewind: Oops All Gambling, Political Betting Joins the News • CZM Rewind: Shadow Banking: The…

  42. Part Four: How The Navy SEALs Lost Their Mind

    · 52 min

    Robert takes us into the modern day history of SEAL malfeasance, from kinda robbing Captain Phillips to the comedy of errors that was the raid on Bin Laden. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  43. Part Three: How The Navy SEALs Lost Their Mind

    · 1 h 03 min

    In this episode Robert Chronicles how Richard Marcinko's elite red cell suffered two casualties trying to beat up an unarmed man. Also: the Navy SEALs make a series of questionable decisions overseas. See…

  44. It Could Happen Here Weekly 241

    · 2 h 54 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. • How the Supreme Court Changed Digital Privacy Rights • Free Football from FIFA • How to Fire Your Boss • The DSA Red Scare •…

  45. Part Two: Richard Marcinko: The Founder of SEAL Team 6

    · 1 h 09 min

    We continue the life and times of Richard Marcinko as he enters the Vietnam War and immediately commits numerous war crimes for the CIA. Then he gets to invent SEAL Team 6! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…

  46. Part One: Richard Marcinko: The Founder of SEAL Team 6

    · 54 min

    This week Robert tells Andrew Ti the story of Richard Marcinko, the founder of SEAL Team 6 and patient zero of tacticool "operator" culture. (4 Part Series) Sources:…

  47. It Could Happen Here Weekly 240

    · 2 h 32 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. • Palestine in the World Cup • What's Wrong with Human Rights • What's Wrong with Human Rights, Pt. 2 • A Report from the Great…

  48. Part Two: The Worst Team Owner in FIFA History: Uday Hussein

    · 1 h 01 min

    Robert concludes the story of Uday Hussein, football team owner with guest Molly Conger, host of Weird Little Guys. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  49. Part One: The Worst Team Owner in FIFA History: Uday Hussein

    · 56 min

    In honor of the World Cup, Robert tells our guest, Molly Conger the wild story of the worst team owner in FIFA History, who also happened to be Saddam Hussein's oldest son. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…

  50. It Could Happen Here Weekly 239

    · 2 h 56 min

    All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. • The Media Context for the Belfast Pogrom • The Fakest Economy of All Time • The London Dockworkers Strike • Executive Disorder:…

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