American Loser Podcast
215 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 154 ratingsIn a culture obsessed with winning, "American Loser" is the podcast that puts the spotlight firmly on second place. Comedian KP Burke and his handsome Father dive head first into the true stories of the biggest losers in American History. Our theme song is "American Loser" by the supremely talented Robert Rolfe Feddersen. All episodes recorded at A Shared Universe Podcast Studio in Eatontown, New Jersey
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Episodes
Otto Skorzeny: The Incredible Life of a Despicable Man
April 13, 2022 20:43 - 1 hour - 210 MBLate due to a slight error but it's April and that's INTERNATIONAL LOSER month. LP joins from South Beach via Streamyard to help us do a "redo" of the lost episode about Otto Skorzeny, Hitler's wild commando whose post war activities are downright unsettling...enjoy and apologies to comedian Doug Uram of "No Offense" Podcast for the lost audio....enjoy!
Ayn Rand and Objectivism (with Jack Steiger and Angelo Gingerelli
April 06, 2022 20:09 - 1 hour - 109 MBJoined this week by returning guests Jack Steiger (NSA Watchlist) and Angelo Gingerelli (Handsome Author) me and the Kahuna let them run wild with the bizarre legacy of Ayn Rand, a female author that's been dead for decades but still brought up on the regular. We have a fun conversation about her flaws, her appeal and why the mere mention of her name brings up such varied responses.
Preston Tucker vs The Automotive World
March 24, 2022 21:48 - 1 hour - 133 MBKahuna's dream has come true and we are finally doing an episode on a hero of his...not that one...the other one...Preston Tucker. Tucker was a PIONEER of the auto industry and got the ire of the US Government and the Automotive elites. Enjoy!
Richard "Two Gun" Hart: Cowboy, Lawman, Murderer?
March 16, 2022 01:42 - 1 hour - 58.4 MBA grizzled, old West lawman with a history of gunfights has a bizarre past. How did a nice boy from Italy wind up hunting down bootleggers in the Black Hills? Don't listen while operating heavy machinery...his story takes more odds turns than we care to admit. Enjoy.
Robert Ripley: Believe it or Not!
March 08, 2022 22:47 - 1 hour - 186 MBRobert Ripley started off drawing cartoons for newspapers and soon developed a following that allowed him to explore most of the known world and report back on the weirdest and oddest things Earth had to offer. We talk about early "Freak" shows, the disturbing "Geek" shows and how Ripley's legacy still impacts people today.
The Curse Of Tippecanoe
February 28, 2022 02:02 - 1 hour - 60.7 MBHow could a battle that took place in 1811 possibly effect the Presidency in 2022? Listen and find out the bizarre legend that a Shawnee Holy Man may have cursed the several Presidents as revenge...enjoy.
The Harlem Hellfighters
February 17, 2022 02:37 - 1 hour - 94.1 MBDespite the bigotry of the time, the Harlem Hellfighters, a majority Black American Army unit fought with honor and distinction in The "Great War". Despite their heroism, the Unit experienced racism in the US, earned the nickname "Men of Bronze" from the French, saw more combat and suffered more losses than any American unit in the war....oh yeah, they also introduced the French to Jazz...wild stuff!
The Lafayette Trail with Julien Icher and Kat Smith
February 08, 2022 01:28 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBWe are joined via Streamyard by the wonderful folks responsible for the "Lafayette Trail", Julien Icher and Kat Marsh. Kat is a Daughter of the American Revolution and Julien is a French Born history enthusiast and they take some time to talk to us about a very cool project underway commemorating LaFayette's Grand Tour of America. There are more historical markers coming in the near future and we hope you'll support this very cool project.
Claudius Smith "Cowboy of the Ramapos"
January 26, 2022 20:27 - 1 hour - 149 MBCowboys of the old west! Wait, what? New York? You can't be serious....enjoy the wild and bizarre tale.
Marquis De Lafayette Part 2 of 2... France's Batman
January 18, 2022 04:04 - 1 hour - 98.9 MBWe left off with the Marquis trying to hunt down the traitorous Benedict Arnold....but the Revolution in America is coming to a close and Lafayette's home country of France seems to have a revolution brewing of it's own. So he returns to help lead the cause of change and well....shit goes bad in a hurry...Jacobins, Bastilles, beheadings and a reign of terror await this American War Hero....enjoy the conclusion to a wild and bizarre "American Loser"....Marquis De Lafayette.
Marquis De Lafayette: France's Batman (Part 1)
January 14, 2022 01:49 - 55 minutes - 76.7 MBWe're back and Covid free baybay....and here is part one of a wild story about the life of the French version of Terminator meets Batman...the Marquis De Lafayette...born to a name synonymous with war he will become a fugitive from his own country, an American hero and more...enjoy and stay tuned for part 2.
Ughh...Covid
January 11, 2022 04:03 - 1 minute - 1.18 MBBack in action later this week, we're all recovering from Covid so to avoid coughing into the microphones AND rustling papers....we're gonna hit you with a double episode this THURSDAY night baybay.
Stanford White: Architect and Sex Trafficker?
January 03, 2022 23:49 - 57 minutes - 79.3 MBThis one almost doesn't seem real....Stanford White designed some of the most iconic structures in New York City. He was well respected and admired up until his murder...as the dust settled and all the details came pouring out in the "Trial of the Century"...the world learned a little too much about Stanford White's "Hobbies"...it's gross, it's wild, it's true...it's American Loser baybay
Stanford White: Architect and Pedophile
January 03, 2022 23:43 - 57 minutes - 79.3 MBThis one almost doesn't seem real....Stanford White designed some of the most iconic structures in New York City. He was well respected and admired up until his murder...as the dust settled and all the details came pouring out in the "Trial of the Century"...the world learned a little too much about Stanford White's "Hobbies"...it's gross, it's wild, it's true...it's American Loser baybay
"Rum Runners and the Real McCoy"
December 21, 2021 01:46 - 1 hour - 101 MBWe're talking the ill fated 18th Amendment aka Prohibition and just how hard to enforce it truly was. America is a strange and bizarre place and this just proves it more! Enjoy!
Why you so "Mad" Anthony Wayne?
December 14, 2021 03:34 - 1 hour - 115 MBWe are joined by the Great Chuck Staton of TESD fame. Chuck joins us to promote his upcoming comedy show and we tell the intense story of "Mad" Anthony Wayne, an American Revolutionary hero with a wild past, a strange end and a TON of LOSERCEPTIONS. Find out how much ass you gotta kick to get a town named after you.
Anton LaVey: American Satan
December 09, 2021 03:13 - 1 hour - 102 MBWe go OFF THE RAILS here. Returning guests Jack Steiger and Max Antonucci don't disappoint as they fill in for LP and we can discuss the chaotic life of Anton LaVey, the founder of the American Church of Satan. It get's weird and fast. Enjoy.
Horace Greeley and his Neckbeard (2 of 2)
November 23, 2021 00:40 - 47 minutes - 64.9 MBPart 2 of 2...Horace Greeley is a media magnate that can influence politics with a single article...why not run for President? It doesn't go so well. Enjoy!
Horace Greeley: A most hated man Part 1
November 18, 2021 02:08 - 1 hour - 96.4 MBHorace Greeley is a fascinating man. We had it all written up for one solid episode but due to the studio being hit with jackhammers...yeah, not kidding, we gotta make it a two parter. Thanks to the Kahuna for editing on the fly and see ya next week!
The Mad Doctor Joseph Nash McDowell
November 10, 2021 02:07 - 1 hour - 97.7 MBThe "Mad" Doctor will see you now....we are robbing graves and cutting people open this episode. Nothing can stop us, not even an uprising riot with cannons and pitchforks...or can it? Enjoy.
Confederate Pirates?!?!
November 02, 2021 03:28 - 1 hour - 102 MBWhen did the American Civil War end...I thought I knew but apparently there is a wild story that involves pirates, Australia and espionage. It's a pretty dam good one as we cover the final shots fired of the Civil War onboard the "Pirate" ship the CSS Shenandoah. Enjoy!
Halloween Special Bay-Bay!
October 19, 2021 23:07 - 1 hour - 99.8 MBWe've collected a few of the best ghost stories in American history for this one. Some lesser known Ghosts and creeps! Enjoy
Albert Fish: The real life boogeyman
October 11, 2021 21:49 - 1 hour - 82.8 MBAlbert Fish is the most despicable man in the history of humankind. He is known as the "Gray man", the "Brooklyn Vampire" or the "boogeyman"....this story truly terrified all of us while we were researching him.
The John Minturn Storm of 1846 (Halloween Kickoff)
October 06, 2021 21:47 - 1 hour - 95.9 MBHALLOWEEN kickoff baybay! We got a spooky story of doom and gloom during the brutal storm of 1846 that wrecked a total of nine ships along the coast of New Jersey. What happened? Who was to blame? Do the ghosts of the wreckage still haunt us?
The Infamous "Pig War"
September 20, 2021 23:33 - 57 minutes - 79.3 MBWe've got a banger for ya, the seldom heard of and completely unexaggerated true story of the "PIG WAR". The US and Britain have had some great fights in the past...but this time it's personal and petty as hell. Enjoy
American Loser 3 Year Anniversary Show!
September 15, 2021 03:41 - 1 hour - 68.8 MB3 years of losing in style celebrating live with myself, the Kahuna, Lawrence Patrick and the boss Ming Chen himself. We recap the year, tell some of the chaos from this past weekend with the album recording and more. Back to regular format next week folks! Thank you for all the love an support of these three years.
Melvin Purvis: FBI Legend or Loser?
August 30, 2021 02:29 - 1 hour - 95.4 MBWe're back! Melvin Purvis is the FBI legend that you've probably never heard of. You have probably heard of the people he hunted down for the FBI though. Names like "Babyface Nelson", "Prettyboy Floyd" and of course...the original Public Enemy Number 1, John Dillinger. Enjoy and stand by for an announcement we've been waiting to unveil for quite a bit of time.
Sorry for the delay...We explain!
August 30, 2021 02:24 - 3 minutes - 2.27 MBWe tried to record on time this week and it kind of all just went hell in a hand basket. We explain and rest assured, the episodes we owe you are up and ready now! Enjoy!
The Odd Tale of Machine Gun Kelly
August 18, 2021 20:38 - 1 hour - 53.7 MBWe're Back! Returning guest Chris Covert stops by and we're telling the story of MACHINE GUN KELLY (No, not that one!) The old school Public Enemy Era gangster! He was a total badass or was he just the product of his wife's hype machine? J. Edgar Hoover gets involved so you know it's a good one! MACHINE GUN KELLY!
The Murder of Narciso Gonzales
August 09, 2021 23:38 - 1 hour - 47.6 MBKahuna saves the day and we manage to find a quiet part of the studio to record this bad boy of an episode. LP guts it out for this performance while we tell the story of Narciso Gonzales, a journalist murdered in broad daylight by the Lt. Governor of South Carolina....it's true and bizarre. Enjoy!
"Wrong Way" Corrigan
August 02, 2021 03:55 - 1 hour - 49.8 MBFeeling bad? Podcast with your Dad, we'll do anything we can...the wrong way....as in "Wrong Way" Corrigan the most famous aviator in America...on accident. His story makes no sense but dam is it fun. ENJOY!
Hetty Green: The Witch of Wall Street
July 26, 2021 22:59 - 1 hour - 119 MBHear all about how a nice little girl from Massachusetts became the richest woman in America BUT also earned the nickname the "Witch of Wall Street" . Enjoy her wild but of course true, story.
Sonny Liston: The Champion nobody wanted
July 13, 2021 11:16 - 1 hour - 82.1 MBThe story of Sonny Liston would take three Hollywood movies to tell accurately. We don't have that kind of budget so we just made a dam good podcast instead. Enjoy the out of this world true story of Sonny Liston...Heavyweight Champion of the World.
Vietnam and the Tet Offensive
July 04, 2021 21:23 - 1 hour - 70.3 MBWe are born on the fourth of July and ready to roll through this chaos with you that is the Vietnam War and more specifically, the infamous "Tet" Offensive. Tet is considered to be one of the biggest holidays in Vietnamese Culture so much so that it was usually accompanied by ceasefire of the hostilities during the war....but 1968 was gonna be different....very, very different.
John Lennon, Mark David Chapman and the Magic of Reading
June 29, 2021 04:20 - 1 hour - 116 MBCrossover time baybay! Ken Krantz of "I love Rock n Roll" pod joins us in studio as we talk about the chaos that ended John Lennon's life at the hands of Mark David Chapman. We talk about how "Catcher in the Rye" played a role, the theory of MK Ultra being involved, Mark's own account of the murder and the unbelievable fallout. Enjoy!
Sir Francis Drake's Brass Plate Hoax
June 14, 2021 17:28 - 45 minutes - 31 MBThe historical find of the century turned out to be a prank gone wildly wrong. Jon Beecroft and Joe Weber (Comics, Cartoons, Craft Beer), join KP and the Kahuna as we tell the story of how some drunk guys in the woods played a joke that wound up legit going down in the history books.
Patty Hearst is the WORST (but not really)
June 07, 2021 23:43 - 1 hour - 54.8 MBPatty Hearst is a little bit of everything and nothing all at once. Her story is bizarre and perfect LOSER fodder. Was the granddaughter of William Randolph Hearst the victim of brainwashing by her kidnappers? How did a nice heiress from Cali wind up robbing banks and shooting assault rifles with domestic terrorists? Well...it takes awhile, so let me, LP, Kahuna and our pal Angelo Gingerelli (Stand up and Laugh) tell ya.
Wanna Escape from Alcatraz?
May 31, 2021 22:42 - 1 hour - 112 MBAlcatraz aka The Rock aka the prison that nobody escapes from...except for these three guys maybe.... did Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers pull it off? Are they living in South America now or did they drown in the San Fran Bay? Max Antonucci returns to talk all things Alcatraz!
Dorie Miller: American Hero with a Terrible Movie
May 18, 2021 00:53 - 1 hour - 99.2 MBDorie Miller is a legit American hero and his story needs to be told! World War 2, Pearl Harbor, Cuba Gooding Jr and more! Enjoy!
Soapy Smith: The Conman King of the Frontier
May 11, 2021 01:53 - 1 hour - 57.2 MBSoapy Smith is the kind of con artist you can't help but admire. He's a scumbag but dam is he clever. His "cons" included rigged poker games, sleight of hand tricks and eventually politics. Soapy will build three empires over the course of his life and it's nothing short of incredible!
Howard Unruh and the "Walk of Death"
May 04, 2021 22:01 - 1 hour - 46.4 MBHoward Unruh etched his names in the history books by going from decorated WW2 veteran to one of America's First Mass Shooters....his story is brutal but important and we find a few ways to make fun of him in the mean time. Big Rich From Jersey joins us to discuss this "Loser" who ruined Camden, New Jersey's Good Name!
Admiral Byrd: Explorer or Hoax Perpetuator?
April 27, 2021 04:39 - 1 hour - 76.3 MBRichard Byrd lived an amazing life, but how much of it is true? Find out about the man, the legend and the conspiracy theories surrounding him to this day.
The "Quasi War"
April 20, 2021 23:18 - 1 hour - 51.7 MBThe most forgotten "War" in American history is also one of its first. Tensions boil over with France after the US starts getting buddy-buddy with England again with the Jay Treaty. A war most people don't know we ever really had is a large factor why we have the modern territory of the United States. Enjoy.
Woodward, Bernstein, Nixon and a guy named "Deep Throat"
April 13, 2021 00:27 - 1 hour - 97.1 MBThis week, LP is in South Beach still so we called up old Uncle Paulie to talk about the wild but true story of Mark Felt aka DEEP THROAT the man who essentially took down the Nixon Whitehouse. His legacy is controversial and highly enjoyable. Thank you to Criss Madd for producing this episode.
Elbridge Gerry: Father of Gerrymandering
April 06, 2021 04:27 - 1 hour - 62.2 MBElbridge Gerry should be a household name. He was a Founding Father and had the respect of many big names including John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Elbridge is responsible for many vital freedoms and protections we enjoy today. However, he's also the guy that Gerrymandering (zoning voting districts to give one party an advantage) is named after. Enjoy!
Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill Cody
March 31, 2021 03:54 - 1 hour - 76.6 MB"Annie, get your gun"...we're telling the legendary TRUE stories of Annie Oakley aka "Little Miss Sure Shot" who became the first female star in America with her unmatched mastery as a sharpshooter in Buffalo Bill's Wild West theater troupe. We tell Annie's tale as well as her main rival Lillian Smith's sad story....and of course where would they all be without Buffalo Bill himself. All three are larger than life...only two of them are household names. Enjoy!
Belle Gunness: World's Worst Tinder Date
March 24, 2021 03:04 - 1 hour - 70 MBWe are back after a brief hiatus (I explain) and we tackle the story of Belle Gunness aka the "Black Widow". Sorry Patriarchy, Belle is here to break the glass ceiling of Serial Killing! We tell her origin story, break down the myths vs the facts and somehow bring up William Randolph Hearst in the process. Enjoy!
Phillip "The Chicken Man" Testa and the Philly Mob War
March 02, 2021 14:53 - 1 hour - 83.2 MBKicking off March with some extra Madness...here is the story behind the opening lyric of "Atlantic City". Phillip Testa, better known as "The Chicken Man" was an integral part of the Philadelphia mafia. This story starts in Sicily and winds up in the heart of a bloody Mob war. Names like "Little Nicky" and "Angelo Bruno" are included. Also, a little town called "Atlantic City"...enjoy
The Kansas City Massacre (0f 1933)
February 23, 2021 16:11 - 1 hour - 61.3 MB1933, Frank "Jelly" Nash was being escorted to Kansas City after being arrested. He was flanked by local police officers, an Oklahoma Police Chief and Government agents.....what took place leading up to, during and following this is the topic of today's episode. Grab some cover and enjoy.
American Loser -Ma Barker
February 15, 2021 05:12 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBWas "Ma Barker just simple midwestern Mother trying to take care of her boys? OR was she a gun toting leader of the Barker-Karpis gang that terrorized the midwest during the Public Enemy Era? ....well here's your chance to find and more. Kerri Burke, upcoming bride to be and recently acquitted joins us on the show to keep Kahuna and me honest. LP joins via phone call at the end