Hear the story of Rosemary Kennedy, sister to John F Kennedy, who goes from being the media-darling of a royal ball, to the the victim of a botched lobotomy at the age of 23. To thank for this sad and fascinating HILF is Molly McAleer who is a comedy writer, and behind the mic of a few hit podcasts including Trend Lightly, and Mother May I Sleep Wi…

Welcome back! When last we met Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and their Corps of Discovery, our heroes had navigated over 2,000 miles. Up and down rivers, across the Continental Divide, and all way to the Northern Pacific Coast. They saw a dead whale, it was nuts. In the conclusion, learn why those who first saw present-day Yellowstone Park thoug…

Lewis & Clark were more than just two white guys in buckskins! Join Dawn and the “Corps of Discovery” as they venture into the wildest of the wild West. Meet Sacegawea, fight a grizzly, and find out what it takes to cross the Rocky Mountains in 1805. Along with Dawn on this historic journey, is comedian Alex Malt, whose first comedy album debuts th…

It’s the wild, true story of Donald Nichols, a seventh-grade drop-out who rises from Army Mechanic to Black Ops Phenomenon during the Korean War. Hear the whole twisted tale - from his unlikely rise, to his fall, to the weeks of electroshock therapy - and from Blaine Harden, the world’s leading expert on the subject. —- SILF's (Sources I'd Like to …

Joining Napoleon on his journey to his now-famous defeat at Waterloo, is comedian, Jackie Kashian. She has several comedy albums, performs across the country, and on all your screens: Netflix, late show, Conan and so much more. You can also hear her on two great podcasts, The Dork Forest, which invites folks from a variety of backgrounds to come an…

Re-join Dawn and her guest, comedian, Jackie Kashian (Netflix, late show, Comedy Central) for a few more tasty morsels from the history of Napoleon's doomed last stand. Listen to Jackie's two great podcasts: The Dork Forest, which invites folks from a variety of backgrounds to come and share the stuff on which they are “dorks”, and the comedy podca…

“Entertainment Specialist” was the technical designation of what would later be known as The Morale Corps. This intrepid group of enlisted soldiers were responsible for finding joy in life’s darkest and most dangerous corners. To tell the story, Dawn is joined by author Robert B. O’Connor who wrote Jeep Show: A Trouper at the Battle of the Bulge. H…

In HILF EP78, you got to know the Jeep Show, a real-life WW2 unit of enlisted soldiers (including Mickey Rooney) who were on the front lines with nothing but an accordion, a Jeep full of wigs, and ORDERS to boost morale. Continue the conversation with Dawn and author Robert B. O’Connor who wrote Jeep Show: A Trouper at the Battle of the Bulge. See …

It’s a family affair as Dawn is joined by her husband, director Andrew Melby, to HILF this awe-inspiring natural wonder of the world. On a recent road-trip to Los Angeles from Minnesota, Dawn and Andrew stopped in the Grand Canyon. The beauty, wonder and mystery of the place inspired Dawn to take a deep dive into the history. …and who better to go …

Join Dawn and guest, Cristina Van Epps, as they follow the dark and fascinating path of Jack Parsons - the rocket-loving occultist who helped man get to the moon. Cristina works as an engineer at The Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is also a self-professed ‘sci-fi nerd’. Hear the incredible story of Jack Parsons whose fascination with science and out…

Dawn's guest is comedian, Andy Rider, whose hit comedy album The Get Together has topped itunes and earned him increasing acclaim. Together they discuss the history of North Korea, the incredible story of No Kum Sok, and so much more! Learn more about HILF's new podcast family, The Big Comedy Network. Find Andy's podcast Fingering the Page SILF's (…

This was no party... They were the group who got hopelessly stranded over a particularly harsh winter in the Sierra Nevadas - many of them starve to death and several of those who don’t starve to death, survived by resorting to cannibalism. Dawn's guest is actor and writer, Andy Kraft. He is a longtime friend and colleague - together they've done e…

When last we met, Dawn and guest Andy Kraft were taking a shot of whiskey to prepare for the dark path ahead. Hear how it all ends up in the dark pages of history and why your high school teachers probably never told you the whole story. --- SILF's (Sources I'd Like to F*ck) See the map of the journey. Read the book - The History of The Donner Part…

Dawn has the benefit of a live audience and visual aides as she tells the story of the remarkable Christmas Truce of 1914. From the streets of Sarajevo to the trenches of France, it's a story of humanity and joy in the darkest of times. Recorded LIVE in Burbank, California - December 11th, 2024 at Flappers Comedy Club. Watch the full video of the s…

Dawn's guests are two connoisseurs of drinking, Juliana McIntosh and Brad Sutton - the neice-and-uncle-team behind the hit podcast, The Art of Drinking. Jules is an influencer in the craft cocktail space (what?); and her real-life uncle Brad serves up classic cocktail recipes and history. Swoon! GET JULE'S BOOK - Pretty Simple Cocktails **During th…

Hear about the places that managed to avoid the plague, at least for a little while, and what a medieval haz-mat suit looked like. Also, continue to roll the 'Death Dice' along with celebrated music supervisor, Mary Ramos, to see if any of the characters we meet along the way manage to avoid the sickness and death that overcame half of the global p…

Dawn is joined by celebrated Music Supervisor, Mary Ramos, who has worked on some of the most incredible film scores in movie history! A close collaborator with Quentin Tarantino, she’s had a hand in everything from Pulp Fiction to Django Unchained - and a slew of other favorites in-between. Join us as we discuss the very beginning of The Black Dea…

Dawn is joined by comedian, Macy Issacs, to talk about the origin of Vampire folklore and what - from the many stories about them - is actually real! We’ll go around the world and see how vampires in Japan and Alaska differ from the ones in Transylvania. Take notes, because we also discuss the most effective ways to fight them off… unless you chose…

Originally released in October of 2022, revisit Dawn and her guest, Jose Barrientos, for a rundown of the history of horror movies! From silent dancing skeletons, to The Wolfman, and all the way past The Walking Dead - we're here to tell you what has scared us collectively the most... and why! Find Jose on Youtube! Find Jose on Instagram! --- SILF'…

To help tell the story of the man behind our 100-dollar bill, Dawn is joined by Benjamin Franklin expert, Bryan Austin. He portrays James Madison and Ben Franklin in Colonial Williamsburg and has walked much more than a mile in their shoes... Pull up a chair and hear the stories of Benjamin Franklin’s wild childhood, his multitude of lovers, and th…

Nannerl Mozart, Wolfgang Amadaeus's intriguing older sister, is the HILF of Dawn's guest, LAZOU. She is an award-winning podcast host and composer with work featured in film, television and a gazillion other places! Hear about her childhood growing up on the tiny island of Mauritius (the only place the Dodo bird ever lived) and how moving to Canada…

Dawn's guest literally wrote the book on this mysterious and mythic place known by some as 'the Atlantis of the Pacific Ocean'. Historian and writer Justin McHenry joins her from his office in West Virginia to help tell this absolutely bananas tale of Lemuria: A True Story of a Fake Place. --- SILF’s (Sources I’d Like to F*ck) Justin's Book: Lemuri…

While many of us can easily picture Mount Rushmore in our heads, few of us know much about it beyond the heads. Even if you CAN name all four presidents featured (and only 30% of Americans can) the story of how and why this enormous feat of engineering - and total fuck-job on the Native Americans - came to pass. Guest, Christine Blackburn, is a com…

AJ Jacobs is a writer and humorist known for his immersive dedication to a variety of subjects. He spent a year attempting to follow EVERY rule in the Bible and wrote a NY TIMES best-seller, The Year of Living Biblically; and his latest book The Year of Living Constitutionally follows his journey through the lens of the 18th century. Join Dawn and …

Originally recorded recorded in April, 2022 - over 50 episodes ago - Dawn revisits The Whiskey Rebellion with bartender, Rashid Green. Learn how to make some of the best 18th Century cocktails AND get a dose of some founding daddy realness. --- Get Rashid's recipe for THE SHERRY FLIP Get Rashid's recipe for CLARET'S PUNCH --- LILF's (Link's I'd Lik…

Dawn is joined by actor and writer, Brandon Gibson (Black-ish, Fresh Off the Boat, Spilled Paint) who has long been fascinated by the the consumptive, former-dentist, with a southern drawl and a propensity for prostitutes… who isn't? SILF’s (Sources I’d Like to F*ck) Doc Holiday The Life and Legend by Gary L Roberts - Biography (2019) Tombstone, Th…

Join Dawn as she strips down YOUR HILF's in the first-ever audience-request show. [00:01:13] The Great Emu War of 1932 which pitted a bunch of WWI veterans against a mob of flightless birds. [00:08:37] The Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory. Was she the first documented serial killer AND an inspiration for Dracula? [00:19:42] Hedy Lamarr who went fr…

Maybe you think WW2 started when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor... but that was just when America got involved. Maybe you think WW2 started when Germany invaded Poland... but that was just when England and France had finally had enough. To really understand how WW2 started, historian Michael Trapani has written and produced an audio-book - HOW TO…

Dawn's guest is adult-film actress, Ryan Keely who takes no offense to the term 'porn star'. Ryan is also a book-worm and one of the cast of the sensational new Dungeons and Dragons podcast, I Seduce The Dragon. @ISTD Join Dawn and Ryan as two professional 'fuckers' in hot pursuit of history's hottest outlaw. Dawn's Sources Book - SHOT ALL TO HELL …

Climbing into the cockpit with Amelia and Dawn is guest, Fallon Morey of That's So Fucked Up. Fallon's knowledge of history and love of bad-ass women makes her a perfect navigator for this incredible story. Dawn's Sources Book - Amelia Earhart A Biography by Doris L. Rich. (1989) Article - Read more about her surprise landing in Derry. BBC Maps - M…

Dawn is joined by guest, Katy Hearne-Church one of the hosts of The Queens Podcast. Katy is not only a big fan of Josephine Baker, but she is whip-smart and enjoys a cocktail in the afternoon. Dawn's Sources Book - AGENT JOSEPHINE by Damien Lewis Podcast - YOU'RE DEAD TO ME Video - See her dance in 1927, some of the faces that made her famous Hear …

Dawn's Guest, Dave Reinitz is a stand-up comedian and stain-glass artist whose personal connection to this slice of History brings it alive for all of us. Hear about how his mother, Janet Braun-Reinitz, joined with the Freedom Riders in 1961 and endured and enlightened one of the darkest chapters of American History. --- Dawn's Sources Book - The F…

Joining Dawn for the HILF-ing of the Conch Republic is Florida native, comedian, and former Marine Biologist, Forrest Shaw. He currently performs stand-up around the world, and is the co-host of the podcast, I don’t Know About That with Jim Jeffries. You can also catch him on The Mermen Podcast with Dave Williamson. --- Dawn's Sources Book - The Tw…

Welcome back aboard the ill-fated Bounty with Dawn and guest, Scott Edwin Williams, school-teacher and author of the fantastic book series, LIGHTBULB MOMENTS IN HUMAN HISTORY. Part one left the mutineers singing and dancing as they pushed Captain Bligh into the horizon. Rejoin them as they go in search of a new future among hostile territory, and w…

Come aboard the ill-fated Bounty with Dawn and guest, Scott Edwin Williams. Scott is a school-teacher and author of the fantastic book series, LIGHTBULB MOMENTS IN HUMAN HISTORY which looks at history with a nod to both humor, and a hope for the future. Together they trace the origins and outcomes of not only the infamous Captain Bligh, but the mut…

Aleister Crowley is a sado-machoistic cult leader that Dawn frankly hates... but since when has hate ever made anyone less fuckable? Joining her on this journey into the darker pages of history, is celebrated chef, Hilah Johnson. She has hosted several cooking shows on Youtube and The Travel Channel and is also the author of several cookbooks. Dawn…

Dawn's guests are sports podcasters (and native Bostonians) Sarah Retalic and Dave Houghton of IN A PICKLE RADIO. Find out how much they know regarding one of their city's defining events, and keep score along with Dawn all the way to the surprise ending. Dawn's Sources Book - THE BOSTON MASSACRE, A Family History by Serena Zabin Book - REPORTING T…

Dawn's guests are Jimmy G and Mike Wehmann who love the world of wrestling - and the world of rock bands, and whiskey, and podcasting, and bacon. They are the co-hosts of the hit podcast ‘Bacon is my Podcast’ and that makes this episode a three-way, baby. Hear Dawn on BIMP - Part 1 and Part 2 are available now! Dawn's Sources The Comic Book Story o…

Love 'em or hate 'em, rom coms have been an established genre for centuries and Holiday Rom-Coms are their modern-day beating heart. Dawn is something of a convert, having spent most of her life considering them thin, uninteresting trash... which they are sometimes. BUT THAT'S WHY THEY'RE GREAT! Leah Bonnema is not only a longtime fan of the genre,…

In December 2021 - almost 50 episodes ago - Dawn sat down with her husband, director, Andrew Melby. Together they discussed the origin and history of the dark, Yuletide figure of Krampus... and debate whether he may be a welcome addition to their family. The Krampus and the old Dark Christmas by Al Ridenour The Old Magic of Christmas by Linda Raedi…

On March 29th, 2023 I released EP#34 - The Vibrator, with my mom and two older sisters as my guests. It went bananas - broke the podcast's download record and yielded a slew of comments from listers telling me they felt like they knew us. And those who actually do know us, said they felt like we were all back around the Thanksgiving table just like…

Dawn's guest is stand-up comedian (and former award-winning journalist) Kiki Andersen. Kiki aces Dawn's spontaneous quiz on the last Queen of Egypt as the two traverse the second chapter of her little black book. Dawn's Sources Book - CLEOPATRA - A Captivating Guide to the Last Queen of Egypt and her Relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony…

Dawn's guest is stand-up comedian (and former award-winning journalist) Kiki Andersen. Kiki aces Dawn's spontaneous quiz on the last Queen of Egypt as the two traverse the first chapter of her little black book. Dawn's Sources Book - CLEOPATRA - A Captivating Guide to the Last Queen of Egypt and her Relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.…

Dawn's guest is the hilarious author of the book, Your Child is Not Broken - How to Parent Your Neurodivergent Child Without Losing Your Marbles. Find her and the organization she runs in the UK for other parents of neurodivergent children who struggle in school, EOTAS Matters. Dawn's Sources Book - Alan Turing, ENIGMA by Anna Revell (2017) Doc - A…

Just in time for Halloween, but good for any time you're feeling like you need a spooky kick in the literary brainpan. The Raven was first published in January, 1845 by the dark and troubled poet, Edgar Allan Poe. He would die, a mysterious death, four short years later and leave generations of to wonder about him. Makes you kinda' want a whole HIL…

Join Dawn and guest, actor Peter Breitmayer, as they discuss this little known story from American History. Meet heroes like Sid Hatfield and Mother Jones, and villains like Albert Felts and that murderous cunt, CE Lively. It's a tragic story of labor unions and the powerful monopolists who dropped literal bombs on them - in a page that was missing…

From the aftermath of the Challenger Disaster, to the rollercoaster investigation, get ready for the Ride of your life. Dawn is rejoined by her guest Adam Andreasen, an artist in central Wisconsin and her friend since childhood, indeed he was sitting next to her the day the disaster unfolded on TV. --- LISTEN TO EP46 - CHALLENGER DISASTER, PART 1 -…

When Challenger broke apart shortly after launch over Cape Canaveral, seven people died. The most well-known to the American public was Christa McAuliffe, a school teacher. She had won a well-publicized national search, making her something of an American Celebrity - especially among school children, many of whom watched the tragic launch from thei…

If you lived through this event from 25 years ago, you'll find it's a complicated walk down memory lane: The blue dress, The Cigar, and that back-stabbing bitch, Linda Tripp. If you're new to this one, come learn how talk of pink thongs and blow jobs were suddenly brought into America’s living-rooms NOT by the demon MTV or Playboy… but by the night…

Dawn's guest, Clarione, is an artist who has been something of a secret admirer of Oscar Wilde since his days visiting the OW Bar in NYC. Together he and Dawn start with Wilde's birth and follow his story through the extraordinary peaks and valleys of his remarkable life. LILFS: (Links I'd Like to Follow) Get the children's book Clarione illustrate…