Behind the Bastards
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
172 snips
Mar 12, 2026 • 1h 4min
Part Two: From Elliott Rodger to Clavicular: The Story of Incel Evolution
Kat Abugazela, journalist and Illinois congressional candidate, digs into incel history, online radicalization, and gendered violence. They map early attacks and manifesto-driven copycats. Conversations cover how incel language spread into mainstream platforms, looks-maxing trends, TikTok grifters like Clavicular, and how online isolation and platform shifts fuel dangerous communities.
80 snips
Mar 10, 2026 • 1h 5min
Part One: From Elliott Rodger to Clavicular: The Story of Incel Evolution
Kat Abu Ghazaleh, former researcher and journalist now running for Congress in Illinois, walks through the rise of incel culture and its migration into influencer spaces. She and Robert trace Elliot Rodger’s impact, the spread of opaque jargon, lookism and race science, and how looksmaxing morphed into viral figures like Clavicular. Short, sharp takes on dangerous online subcultures and their mainstreaming.
Mar 7, 2026 • 3h 19min
It Could Happen Here Weekly 222
Gordayin, a Kurdistan-based journalist in Germany, discusses bombings in Iran, regional dynamics, Kurdish forces, and humanitarian fallout. Vicky Osterweil, author and media critic, explores Hollywood consolidation, IP power, and cultural effects. Danielle Cantor, mutual aid organizer with Culture of Solidarity, talks about grassroots aid in Israel/Palestine, leftist organizing, and protective community work.
29 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 1h 24min
Part Two: Dr. Sleep: The Australian Psychiatrist Who Made People Sleep Themselves To Death
Gabe Dunn, writer, comedian, and podcaster, joins to react and provide sharp commentary. They unpack Dr. Harry Bailey’s charisma and coercive power. They discuss horrific deep sleep therapy practices, coverups, and the tragic patient outcomes. They also cover whistleblowers, legal fallout, and the reforms that followed.
36 snips
Mar 3, 2026 • 1h 12min
Part One: Dr. Sleep: The Australian Psychiatrist Who Made People Sleep Themselves To Death
Gabe Dunne, writer and activist from Los Angeles known for anti-ICE work and podcasts, joins to unpack the story of Australia’s ‘Dr. Sleep.’ He and Robert trace Harry Bailey’s rise, the emergence of deep sleep therapy, and the shocking medical and ethical risks involved. Short, tense segments explore how treatment, profit, and power collided.
Feb 28, 2026 • 3h 18min
It Could Happen Here Weekly 221
Tara Raghavir, director of the Tenant Union Federation and Twin Cities organizer, shares frontline organizing experiences. She describes rapid federation-building, coordinated rent-strike strategy, and labor partnerships. Short scenes cover strike demands like ICE removal and eviction moratoriums, crisis-driven mutual aid limits, and concrete ways listeners can support phone banks and trainings.
70 snips
Feb 26, 2026 • 1h 10min
Part Four: How Jeffrey Epstein Helped Build the Modern World
A deep dive into how the Ferguson protests shifted elite thinking and pushed a wealthy network toward race science and reactionary politics. Explores dinners, networks and media ties that normalized provocative ideas. Tracks funding streams aimed at seeding anti-trans and pseudoscientific research into policy and newsrooms.
103 snips
Feb 24, 2026 • 1h 6min
Part Three: How Jeffrey Epstein Helped Build the Modern World
Andrew T., a recurring conversational contributor, joins the discussion with sharp banter and contextual knowledge. They explore Epstein's fascination with crypto and his push to remold finance. The conversation traces his ties to tech and academia, his pivot into right-wing media, and his funding of race science and extremist networks.
Feb 21, 2026 • 3h 8min
It Could Happen Here Weekly 220
Giorgio Con, Bosnian genocide researcher and founder of Voices from Ladrina, discusses wartime testimony and the Sarajevo Safari documentary. He walks through Western reactions, prosecutions, survivor skepticism, and who traveled to fight. The conversation highlights how attention, justice, and grassroots solidarity intersect with complex local memories.
94 snips
Feb 19, 2026 • 1h 2min
Part Two: How Jeffrey Epstein Helped Build the Modern World
Andrew T, a comedian and podcaster known for Yo Is This Racist and Starter Trek, joins the conversation. They trace Jeffrey Epstein's ties to gaming and crypto, from pushing microtransactions and edu-games to influencing Blizzard and early stablecoin plans. The dialogue covers emails, industry responses, and how social leverage and donations reached tech and finance figures.
