HILF 16: Great Mistakes with Brian Kiley

Dawn and guest, Brian Kiley, were backstage at a comedy show when they first realized their shared love for History. In this episode, the two get to really let their nerd-flag fly and take turns sharing their favorite LOL moments from a wide variety of people, places and timelines. Prepare to feel (comparatively) less stupid in this episode devoted to History's Great Mistakes:

00:04:40 - Before we dig deep in annals of history, we learn about Brian Kiley. How he first came to comedy, his Emmy nominations and wins for Conan O'Brien and Ellen - and how one prepares to make a 'last minute' appearance on Letterman. 

00:10:43 - In addition to being a comedy writer, Brian Kiley is also a fiction-writer with two novels: The Astounding Misadventures of Rory Collins and Maybe Kevin.

00:16:11 - Dawn finds herself in "nerd Paradise" as they prepare to jump in and swim around in the HILF of Great Mistakes.

00:18:17 - Brian kicks things off with a hilarious and are-you-kidding-me nugget from our friends, the Pilgrims, and a certain 7' Native American. 

00:20:54 - Dawn tells the story of The Children's Crusade - a tragically face-palming blip in the holy wars of Middle Ages in which a 12 year-old boy led over 30,000 children, on foot, across Europe to reclaim Jerusalem by slaying the enemy with their innocence... I know, right? 

00:25:38 - It's Brian's turn and he brings us a moment featured in the movie THE RIGHT STUFF, in which astronaut John Glenn is temporarily mesmerized by brilliant otherworld particles in space... that turned out to be anything but. 

00:27:33 - Dawn illustrates the ridiculous story of TULIP MANIA, when the Netherlands found themselves in the midst of the first economic bubble... but it was so pretty!

BREAK

00:33:22 - Before we jump back in, Dawn asks Brian if there is a comedian he can trace back to the origin of his interest in comedy, and he can:  Dick Gregory. 

00:35:13 - Brian delivers the next LOL-HILF on his list, the hilarious story of the first hot-air ballon in France and the bizarre and yet totally predictable way that the people who see it react. 

00:38:27 - In a one-two punch, Brian then tells the story of bright, yet unfortunate President Jimmy Carter and why his 2nd term seemed doomed to failure from the launch. 

00:43:13 - It's Dawn's turn with a HILF of the worst building in London 'The Fryscraper' - and good/bad news - you can visit it to this day... and if you do, PLEASE SEND VIDEO. 

00:48:57 - Brian was with his son in DC when he saw a misprinted headline from 1976 that suggested that two of the oldest, whitest, straightest guys in American politics just made-out in New Hampshire.

00:52:00 - Wait til you hear what attempted presidential assassin, Squeaky Fromme, said as Gerald Ford's security took her down. 

00:55:50 - Before I let him go, Brian delivers one more nugget about a presidential pet that would have been a welcome guest on HILF... if not a host. 

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LIVE RECORDING - May 26th, 2022 at The Glendale Reading Room in Glendale, California

NEXT EPISODE - EP17: Joan of Arc with Lauren Prichard.