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Behind the Bastards: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
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.
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- Todayconversational51 min5-min read
Part One: The Fake Bomb Detector Grift That Killed Hundreds
This episode of Behind the Bastards dives into the long, absurd history of human gullibility, tracing how pseudoscientific ideas like dowsing rods and spirit communication evolved into modern-day tech cons—especially in AI—using the idiomotor effect as a through-line. Host Robert and guest Ed Zitron explore how people, even smart ones, are easily fooled by illusions that feel real, culminating in a fake bomb detector based on a golf ball finder that got hundreds killed in Iraq.
- 3 days agoconversational2h 51m7-min read
It Could Happen Here Weekly 236
This compilation episode of 'It Could Happen Here' examines the radicalization of former Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino, the ideological totalism shared by extremist movements like ISIS and Christian Zionism, the geopolitical dynamics of the Gulf States during the Iran war, and the violent racist pogroms in Northern Ireland, all while highlighting the erosion of democratic norms and the normalization of authoritarianism.
- 5 days agoconversational1h 11m6-min read
Part Two: The Rise of the "Activist" Investor
Bill Ackman, the self-styled activist investor and Harvard MBA pirate, goes from corporate raider glory to public humiliation after a series of disastrous bets — most notably the JC Penney fiasco and his billion-dollar crusade against Herbalife — only to later morph into a MAGA-aligned ideologue, losing his business edge and credibility along the way.
- 1 weeks agoconversational1h 4m6-min read
Part One: The Rise of the "Activist" Investor
This episode of Behind the Bastards explores the rise and moral ambiguity of activist investors — wealthy individuals or hedge funds who buy significant stakes in companies to force strategic changes, often for profit. The narrative centers on Bill Ackman, a prime example of this breed, whose career embodies both the celebrated successes and destructive failures of activist investing.
- 1 weeks agoconversational4h 36m6-min read
It Could Happen Here Weekly 235
This compilation episode of It Could Happen Here covers three major topics: the political and ecological debate over grizzly bear management in the U.S., a unionization effort by workers at a Muji store in Portland, and a scathing critique of the Democratic National Committee’s failed 2024 election autopsy. The episode also touches on broader issues like intellectual property, immigration policy, and the erosion of scientific funding under the current administration.
- 1 weeks agoconversational54 min5-min read
Part Two: Mark Fuhrman: The Most Racist Cop, or Merely Normal Racist Cop?
This episode of Behind the Bastards dives into the life and legacy of disgraced LAPD detective Mark Furman, a central figure in the O.J. Simpson trial whose racist and sexist behavior ultimately derailed the prosecution. Known for his role in uncovering key evidence, Furman’s credibility collapsed when tapes revealed him bragging about planting evidence, using racial slurs, and leading a misogynistic cop group called Men Against Women. His downfall wasn’t due to personal failure alone, but to the very system that enabled him — a system that looked the other way while cops like Furman terrorized both communities and fellow officers.
- 2 weeks agoconversational1h 5m6-min read
Part One: Mark Fuhrman: The Most Racist Cop, or Merely Normal Racist Cop?
Mark Furman, a former LAPD detective infamous for his role in the O.J. Simpson trial, is the subject of this episode, which explores his deeply racist views, troubled upbringing, and the systemic corruption within the LAPD that allowed him to thrive. Despite his attempts to reinvent himself as an artist and escape police work, Furman embraced a violent, macho identity rooted in racism and misogyny, ultimately becoming a symbol of institutional failure.
- 2 weeks agonarrative3h 32m9-min read
It Could Happen Here Weekly 234
This compilation episode weaves together three distinct but thematically linked narratives: a personal reckoning with the Palestinian Nakba, a rapid-response strike by trans and queer electrolysis workers facing exploitative contracts, and a legal analysis of state repression against dissent, culminating in a broader meditation on resistance, truth, and intergenerational trauma.
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About Behind the Bastards
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.
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