Let Them Fight: A Comedy History Podcast
507 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 days ago - ★★★★★ - 136 ratingsJoin comedians Jacob Trimmer and Tim Groeschel in a mashup of true crime, history, and comedy as they swap stories and make jokes about people throughout time who have lived interesting and violent lives. Get your dose of grindhouse history every Tuesday, because everyone likes violence as long as it's happening to someone else.
Feel free to reach out to us with any feedback or comments at [email protected], https://www.facebook.com/LTFpodcast, or https://twitter.com/PodcastLTF.
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Episodes
Ep. 455 The Phantom of Texarkana
October 31, 2023 08:25 - 1 hour - 60.3 MBHappy Halloween, beloved scumpanions! We've got another mystery for you today, as we're taking on The Phantom of Texarkana. This masked weirdo, after an absurd initial attempt, ran around towns nobody really cares about to shoot up some people just trying to live their lives. Who was he? Why did he do it? What happened to those pants? All these questions, and more, go mostly unanswered in this episode. Enjoy!
Ep. 454 Edmund Kemper
October 26, 2023 14:28 - 56 minutes - 41.6 MBAnother round of, "You requested him, now you can have him," today with big, dumb ghoul, Edmund Kemper. Yea yea, I know technically he was smart or whatever, but that's just potential book smarts. The dude's actions show that this Magilla Gorilla was a big dumb shit. Admittedly he did get one of the dopest nicknames for a serial killer ever. But still, fuck him and his glasses. Anyway, enjoy!
Ep. 453 Frank Dux
October 24, 2023 09:08 - 1 hour - 62.5 MBWell, dear listeners, you wanted this charlatan, and now you got him. Frank Dux was a man of many stories. Many, many fanciful stories. Each somehow more ridiculous than the last. But at least he had all the evidence to support his claims, right? Not a goddamn chance. This dude was an absolute master in the art of bullshido, but that's really about it. Maybe he had some martial arts skill, but it was all surpassed by his talent in lying without his nose growing. So we trash the fuck outta hi...
Ep. 452 Adolfo Constanzo
October 19, 2023 10:10 - 1 hour - 54.5 MBFor those of you that can see the picture for today's episode, that pretty boy is Adolfo Constanzo, El Padrino, a man who had a totally normal and natural childhood. Nothing weird at all. And as a result of this totally normal childhood, he grew up to do some real sketchy, weird shit in Mexico. And boy did he have a lot of friends. Friends that were very, very loyal to him. What a great guy right? I won't spoil anything, but remember that this is the spooky month. Enjoy!
Ep. 451 Ernst Rohm
October 17, 2023 09:36 - 1 hour - 54 MBWell, dear listeners, it's that time again. Tim has delivered unto us yet another shitdick Nazi. This one comes with a bit of a twist though, so enjoy that. But until then, Ernst Rohm, I'm not giving him the respect of spelling it with that stupid umlaut thing, is just like every other Nazi, except like an original one. Dude got in on the ground floor, pre-Beer Hall Putsch even. And he ran the SA, which was basically the SS but full of poor people and no snazzy uniforms. Anyway, let's all sh...
Ep. 450 Joe Ball
October 12, 2023 10:23 - 53 minutes - 38 MBGreetings, dear listeners. We have got an interesting bit of scumnuttery for you today. Joe Ball's life didn't quite go in the direction I expected, but The Alligator Man certainly made a name for himself. And once again, we are confronted by police incompetence. Boy, what a fun trend to notice. Also, this episode has my new favorite phrase ever in it. Just ignore all the horrific bits of history attached to it, and it's a lot of fun. Enjoy!
Ep. 449 John Christie
October 10, 2023 09:54 - 1 hour - 49.8 MBToday we're talking about another guy who does exactly the kind of stuff you'd assume when you see what his face looks like. John Christie had a real shitty childhood, with plenty of weirdness to go along with the awful. So of course he does the natural thing, takes it out on a bunch of women. Post mortem too. I'm sure you can figure out what that means, and if not, it'll get explained, don't worry. Enjoy!
Ep. 448 Robert Bales
October 05, 2023 07:28 - 1 hour - 49.5 MBThe week of darkness continues, dear listeners. You've been asking for scum, so we're bringing you the scum. We're talking about Robert Bales today, and if you can see the picture for this episode, you can tell from those haunted, dead eyes that he's gonna do something horrible by the end of the story. Some familiar names even pop up along the way too. Get ready for some tragedy, and enjoy!
Ep. 447 Caligula
October 03, 2023 08:20 - 1 hour - 53.2 MBWelcome, dear listeners! We're gonna get weird today. You've been requesting him for a minute now, so we're headed back to ye olde Roman times to talk about one of the bonkersest emperors they ever had, Caligula. To say that he was a colossal piece of shit is to undersell both the words "colossal" and "shit." But man, he did some hilarious stuff while setting the bar for garbage leaders throughout history. Enjoy!
Ep. 446 Vernon C. "Verne" Miller
September 28, 2023 08:10 - 53 minutes - 39.5 MBToday we're headed to America's heartland, the midwest. AKA, the fattest and most boring part. But while Verne Miller, the man we'll be talking about, managed to do a metric shit ton of different things in his life, he was neither fat nor boring. He treated real life like a Fallout game, just jumped from side quest to side quest, occasionally did a main quest, then murdered whoever he felt like. And along the way he connected with some real famous, and equally dangerous, people. He lived fas...
Ep. 445 Amy Archer-Gilligan and Harold Shipman
September 26, 2023 10:16 - 1 hour - 48.5 MBOn this episode we'll be talking about why you should never trust anyone in the medical field. Amy Archer-Gilligan and Harold Shipman took on different kind of patients, but they both came to the same conclusion, "these bodies don't have enough poison in them." Which is pretty shoddy medical work if I'm being honest. It doesn't take a whole PHD to figure that out. And if you've been disappointed by the competent police work recently, don't worry, that gets corrected in this episode. Enjoy!
Ep. 444 Richard "The Iceman" Kuklinski
September 21, 2023 14:39 - 1 hour - 67 MBWe got another Polack for you today, dear listeners, Richard Kuklinski. This one may be familiar to you though. While most of the Polish people in history have been the victims of evil, this one decided instead to lean into the evil and become a big ol' piece of shit. In so very, many ways. And we're gonna talk about 'em. So strap yourself in for the ride, and enjoy!
Ep. 443 Mathew Charles Lamb
September 19, 2023 11:04 - 59 minutes - 43.2 MBWe got another interesting one for you today, dear listeners. Mathew Charles Lamb is one confusing ass dude. His life starts off going pretty crazy in one direction, then outta nowhere it goes bonkers in a completely unexpected new direction. It's like somebody writing their first novel and they have no clue what they want their protagonist to do, or what they want the setting or theme to be. But boy does he deliver on the violence. So enjoy!
Ep. 442 George Welch and Kenneth Taylor
September 14, 2023 14:43 - 51 minutes - 37.8 MBToday we have two young men that just wanted one thing in life, to shoot down the Japanese. George Welch and Kenneth Taylor definitely got their wish, and were even dressed up for the occasion. They're also proof that not everyone can be as good as we are at telling badass stories about real life pipe hitting motherfuckers. Sometimes people will take that story, millions of dollars, and two OK actors and make a movie so bad that even The New Guy makes fun of it. Oh well, enjoy!
Ep. 441 Nestor Ivanovich Makhno
September 12, 2023 09:17 - 1 hour - 72.8 MBToday we're talking about a man who believed the future was in anarchy. But rather than just buy some overpriced wristbands at a Hot Topic and blog about how nobody understands him like all these modern day "anarchists," this dude went all over Russia and Ukraine dick punching any Tsarists or Bolsheviks that got in his way. And he made damn sure they were in his way, because this man loved dick punching almost as much as anarchy. Enjoy!
Ep. 440 Herbert Blitzstein
September 07, 2023 07:56 - 42 minutes - 30.9 MBWe're keeping the "guys who have been in movies" theme going this week and talking about Herbert Blitzstein. A different kind of nightmare than we usually cover, this Chicago Outfit goon was a Jew that acted more guinea than most Italians. A truly horrifying monster. But it definitely led to an interesting life. And it's been a while since we covered a goomba so here ya go, scumlings. Enjoy!
Ep. 439 Desmond Doss
September 05, 2023 09:33 - 1 hour - 46.7 MBWe have a first for you today, dear listeners. A story that starts with "god told me to do it," that doesn't end with a bunch of innocent people weeping. Desmond Doss was about as badass as a person can be without ever actually fighting. Credit where it's due, the guy stuck to his code and is responsible for saving a lot of people that would have otherwise died. And for getting Mel Gibson another solid movie that will justify his next antisemitic or blowjob jacuzzi rant. But I can live with ...
Ep. 438 William Tecumseh Sherman
August 31, 2023 14:30 - 1 hour - 51.1 MBToday it's time for another hardcore pipe hitting motherfucker from the Civil War, William Tecumseh Sherman. He may have gotten off to a slower start than some of the other military badasses we've talked about, but he did go on to become Grant's number 2, and Georgia's daddy. This man made the whole state his bitch and they've never forgotten. Hell, it's still flaming in Atlanta to this day. Anyways, this episode was a lot of fun, so enjoy!
Ep. 437 Craig Price
August 29, 2023 08:08 - 1 hour - 50.1 MBWe have an interesting bit of scumnuttery for you today, dear listeners. Sure there are the usual parts of murder and mayhem and all that, but then everything else about this guy is pretty unique from his, well, let's call them peers. Also we may have finally found the one place in the world where the cops are actually competent. Who'd have thought it'd be fucking Rhode Island? Anyways, enjoy!
Ep. 436 Owen Roe O'Neill
August 24, 2023 07:33 - 1 hour - 44.4 MBIt's time to take a trip to the fairy tale land of hearts, stars and horseshoes, clovers and blue moons. And also an endless parade of broken rebellions. Nobody has failed to throw off the shackles of their oppression more than Ireland. Today we're gonna talk about an Irish dude that gave it his all to whip the English back in the 1600s, and had to fight a massive uphill battle against increasingly frustrating hurdles while doing so. Join us in chanting, "fuck the king," and enjoy!
Ep. 435 Mithridates the Great
August 22, 2023 08:26 - 1 hour - 49.7 MBIt's been a minute since we went to the times before that Jesus fellow, so we decided today was the day. We're talking about Mithridates, sixth of his name, and apparently "the great." Why are we talking about him, you ask? Well this half-Greek, half-Persian bastard really pissed off the Romans, and we will always celebrate anybody who makes those dumb proto-guineas angry. Also there's plenty of badass and goofy moments. So enjoy!
Ep. 434 Nidal Hasan
August 17, 2023 08:29 - 45 minutes - 33.3 MBWell, dear listeners, we have an interesting one for you today. We're talking about Nidal Hasan, and if that name didn't give away his Palestinian roots then his eyebrows should. Now I'm sure some of you will recognize that name, but the rest of you are gonna remember it after this for sure. Ol' Nidal decided to join up with the US Army, but his story branches off in a very different direction than the soldiers we've talked about up til now. Find out what that means by listening in, and enjoy!
Ep. 433 Israel Putnam
August 15, 2023 08:25 - 56 minutes - 40.3 MBIn shocking news, we have another fun ass dude from the Revolutionary War that got skipped over by all my history teachers. Fuckin' public school. Israel Putnam went from uneducated farmer to one of the highest ranks of the Continental Army, and dude had nuts the size of cannonballs. How did he not get even a mention? Also he had a huge impact on the cigar industry almost by happenstance. Basically he's a goddamn hero. Anyway, enjoy!
Ep. 432 Cassius Marcellus Clay
August 10, 2023 14:44 - 59 minutes - 41.2 MBToday we're talking about a true American badass, Cassius Marcellus Clay. No, not that one, just look at the picture. But if you want a guy that took no shit from anyone and oved knocking people out, then you have found the right man. Admittedly, there's some weirdness at the end...but everything before that was dope, so enjoy!
Ep. 431 Sir Fitzroy Maclean, 1st Baronet
August 08, 2023 08:25 - 55 minutes - 39.1 MBWe're kicking this week off with a bang talking about one badass soldier named Fitzroy Maclean. Now, the British army is full of some of the worst names for just about everything. I mean, c'mon, knights of the garter? But they more than make up for it by bringing in all the baddest Irish and Scottish shitkickers they can find to shore up that inherent English weakness. Some of the things Fitzroy accomplished were truly remarkable. And the ways he did them even more so. This was a fun one, so...
Ep. 430 Anne Bonny (Guest: Matt Cole)
August 03, 2023 09:13 - 46 minutes - 32.3 MBWe're closing out our last episode with Matt Cole before his desert departure with a fun, badass pirate for y'all, dear listeners. Anne Bonny had a pretty privileged upbringing, and could have had a real solid, but boring, regular life. She said, "fuck that, I want to hang out with scumbags and rob people." We approve. This made for one hell of a more interesting story as she pirated around doing whatever she wanted. Live fast, die fast, leave a beautiful corpse, baby. Enjoy!
Ep. 429 Dan Bogan (Guest: Matt Cole)
August 01, 2023 09:57 - 1 hour - 44.3 MBAs our Patreon listeners already know, this week we're joined by Matt Cole one last time before he goes off to build himself a chrysalis in the desert, so that he may emerge a beautiful, fat, drunken butterfly. And we've already inflicted enough nightmares on him on this show so today we're telling him a good old fashioned cowboy story. Dan Bogan started off kind of a bitch, but eventually became pretty handy with a gun and learned to hold his own. He never got a handle on his temper though,...
Ep. 428 Ben Kuroki
July 27, 2023 10:12 - 50 minutes - 35 MBToday we're talking about another badass in the sky, but not a pilot. Ben Kuroki overcame a shit ton of prejudice to get into the US military during World War 2 right after Pearl Harbor, AKA the peak of Japanese hate. But just joining wasn't enough for ol' Ben, he wanted to shoot the fuck outta some sky Nazis so he became a tail gunner. But even that wasn't enough, because he wanted to go fight the Japs too. After taking a short break to go on a Captain America tour because he was a goddamn ...
Ep. 427 Rollo of Normandy
July 25, 2023 07:17 - 51 minutes - 36.4 MBToday we're heading way back in time to one of the Norse countries. Everybody is kinda split on which one this dude is from, and really if they wanted it to be easy to tell them apart they wouldn't all look the same. Anyways, Rollo was one real deal ass kicker, and he made the French hate his guts for years and years. But there really wasn't much they could do about it, dude went on to become one of the most successful Norse raiders ever. Minnesota may never win a Super Bowl, but this viking...
Ep. 426 Elizabeth Bathory
July 20, 2023 07:48 - 44 minutes - 30.8 MBIt's time to talk about the only Hungarian anybody has ever heard of, Elizabeth Bathory. And don't worry, this broad is just as awful and heinous as we were all told in the various stories we heard growing up. Of course, there might be some exaggeration or what not going on, but she was still a piece of shit. Though on this podcast, especially after the start to the week, she's like a breath of fresh air. So get ready for some old timey Eastern European shenanigans, and enjoy!
Ep. 425 Luis Garavito
July 18, 2023 07:47 - 1 hour - 53.9 MBIt's time to take a trip down to Colombia, the country known for cocaine and murder. Not to be confused with Columbia the school known for law students, which are way worse because they become lawyers. But well, I gotta be honest, even they aren't as bad as our person today. I don't wanna spoil anything by saying what kind of crimes Luis Garavito committed but, if he hit the main line in a US prison he wouldn't last 5 minutes before being stabbed and set on fire. Damn I wish he went to a US...
Ep. 424 Robin Gecht and the Chicago Rippers
July 13, 2023 08:25 - 1 hour - 43.9 MBAfter Tuesday's crimes against humanity episode, we thought it'd be best to do a nice lighthearted episode. Just kidding, it's more nightmares! We're talking about Robin Gecht and his Ripper Crew, named such in homage to Jack the Ripper, so you can probably guess what they did. The murders are just the start though, plenty of twists and surprises to be had when it comes to these half-smart psychopaths. And all the disgusting facts you can shake a barf bag at. Enjoy!
Ep. 423 Lavrentiy Beria
July 11, 2023 08:40 - 50 minutes - 35.9 MBWelcome back, dear listeners! It's time for another trip to Russia, and guess what we found? That's right, crimes against humanity, how could you possibly guess that? Lavrentiy Beria was an especially heinous pile of shit that is responsible for the deaths of a mind bogglingly high number of people. He also single handedly propped up the flower industry in the Soviet Union in the worst possible way. So strap in while we make fun of this lumpy faced garbage monster, and enjoy!
Ep. 422 Francisco Macias Nguema
July 06, 2023 08:33 - 53 minutes - 37.8 MBWell, dear listeners, to those of you that have demanded more scum, this episode is for you. Francisco Macias Nguema single handedly did more damage to Equatorial Guinea than any natural disaster has done to any country ever. This dude is more fucked up than mother nature at her most furious. And boy was he crazier than a shithouse rat. He even created a new political stance that is the most paradoxical, contradictory bullshit I've ever heard, and I've watched the presidential debates before...
Ep. 421 "Roaring" Dan Seavey
July 04, 2023 08:56 - 51 minutes - 35.2 MBToday's episode is a fun episode for you, dear listeners. We're headed to the frozen north of the US to talk about "Roaring" Dan Seavey. This man has committed crimes on land, sea, and ice. He's also knocked people out on land, sea, and ice. He was a bad motherfucker and he made Lake Michigan his own personal playground. So kick back and relax, there's no awful shit that's gonna drop in this episode, just good clean piratey fun. Enjoy!
Ep. 420 GG Allin (Guest: AJ Santos)
June 29, 2023 07:38 - 1 hour - 52.3 MBWe're back, dear listeners, excited to be joined again by AJ Santos for a very special episode. We're talking about the rock and roll terrorist, GG Allin. Now some of you may think you know about this man, and let me tell you, you don't know shit. Insane quotes, insane lyrics, insane song names, surprising name drops, this episode has it all. Oh yea, and plenty of violence. There's something here for everybody. Make sure your headphones are connected, and enjoy!
Ep. 419 Paul Schafer (Guest: AJ Santos)
June 27, 2023 08:06 - 53 minutes - 36.8 MBToday we're joined by a great comic and the only Filipino that isn't a nurse or in the Navy, AJ Santos. And Tim brought out some real upsetting shit to inflict on him for today's episode. Apparently some of y'all have been clamoring for Paul Schafer, and after hearing about this dude's life I gotta say, y'all are fucked up. If you're wondering how bad well, his being a nazi isn't even top 5 of his worst qualities. So, enjoy!
Ep. 418 Barney Ross
June 22, 2023 12:55 - 54 minutes - 37.6 MBToday we're talking about one badass, scrappy little Jew. Barney Ross wasn't the name he was born with, but he made damn sure it was a name that was remembered. Dude overcame a lot of shit in his early life to become the warrior he did. And he's for sure going on the Jewish Mount Rushmore, right next to the guy that invented the space lasers. This story didn't go where I thought it would, several times, but it's a lot of fun. Enjoy!
Ep. 417 Peter Niers and Peter Stumpp
June 20, 2023 08:20 - 55 minutes - 37.1 MBBoy do we have a fun episode for you today, dear listeners. We're off to old timey Germany to talk about a pair of Peters, Niers and Stumpp, respectively. One of these guys was a for-sure real murderer, the only things in question are how many people he killed, and one other thing that I'm not going to spoil. The other person however, his story is a bit trickier. But just as bonkers, if not more so. There's a lot of craziness to be had in this episode, so enjoy!
Ep. 416 Marcus Wesson
June 15, 2023 13:16 - 58 minutes - 38.8 MBWell, dear listeners, we have a doozy for you today. This episode is kind of like shitting your pants in public. It's sad, gross, and you're gonna think about it for a while. Marcus Wesson is definitely a giant piece of shit, literally and figuratively. And he was crazy to boot, not a good combination. While he may not have the body count that some of the other people we've covered have, he makes up for it in sheer deviancy. Enjoy!
Ep. 415 Gerard John Schaefer
June 13, 2023 10:29 - 1 hour - 42.2 MBYou're reading that right, dear listeners, three names. And you know what that means. Something scumnut this way comes. I'm not even going to pretend this episode goes in a positive direction, Gerard John Schaefer was a huge piece of shit, and I'll never look at rope the same way again. Also, dude should win the award for worst excuse anyone has ever said, you'll know it when you hear it. So strap in for the ride and enjoy!
Ep. 414 Akku Yadav (Guest: Tom Goss)
June 08, 2023 08:46 - 54 minutes - 36.7 MBWe're closing out our week with Tom Goss strong for you, dear listeners. Specifically those listeners that have been missing the garbage people. Because well, Akku Yadav was a gigantic piece of shit. Dude basically ran his own little fiefdom, and what did he do with all that power? Well, it rhymes with cape and it turns out Indian authorities don't really care about it. Here's hoping the soothing dulcet tones of Tom's stuttering and stammering help get you through it. Enjoy!
Ep. 413 Sir Henry Morton Stanley (Guest: Tom Goss)
June 06, 2023 14:04 - 1 hour - 79 MBHello, dear listeners! We are joined again by friend of the show and always a delight, Tom Goss, to talk about famed adventurer and somewhat controversial figure, Sir Henry Morton Stanley. Turns out, he was great at helping to explore and map out big chunks in Africa. And also at helping the various European countries with their colonization efforts. Oops. Modern people don't exactly look on that with positive thoughts. Still a dope story with some memorable quotes. Enjoy!
Ep. 412 Tommy Prince
June 01, 2023 07:12 - 52 minutes - 35.3 MBToday we're bringing you badass Native Canadian Tommy Prince, a dude that spent his free time terrifying Nazis when he wasn't shooting them in the face. And occasionally doing things that had his officers completely baffled. It's like they say though, if it's stupid and it works then it ain't stupid. But all his badassery is only half the story. After all, he was Native and a soldier, so you know there's plenty of racism and PTSD on the way too. Enjoy!
Ep. 411 Robin Olds
May 30, 2023 09:18 - 1 hour - 49.3 MBToday we're bringing you a real fun story, dear listeners, Robin Olds, one of America's most badass pilots. The guy was basically born to fly, he might as well have gone straight from the womb to the cockpit. And once he decided he wanted to see combat, nothing was gonna stop him. Not surprisingly, once he got the opportunity he proved he should have been up in the sky way earlier. But flying in one war wasn't enough for him, oh no. He came back for another war, and yet again just dunked his...
Ep. 410 Basil the Bulgar Slayer
May 25, 2023 07:30 - 49 minutes - 34.8 MBToday we're going way back in time to the Byzantine empire to talk about a man who hated the Bulgarians to a level that most people would still consider normal. Sure, Basil did other badass shit, like basically lead the army for decades straight in near constant battle, but what he did to the Bulgarians earned him his nickname. Though you will enjoy his full story, dude was dope. Enjoy!
Ep. 409 Levi Boone Helm
May 23, 2023 11:06 - 53 minutes - 35.7 MBNow I don't want to spoil anything about how bad of a scumbag Boone Helm was, but you don't get nicknamed The Kentucky Cannibal by being a swell guy. He was really less of a person and more of a plague upon everyone who happened to be in his vicinity. This dude loved killing, and he did it in what was essentially the wilderness so we don't even have an accurate scoreboard. We just know that every time he did anything or went anywhere, killing was involved. Enjoy!
Ep. 408 Nanny of the Maroons
May 18, 2023 08:48 - 52 minutes - 36.2 MBToday we'll be taking a little trip to Jamaica to talk to about a woman so badass she's literally money. Nanny of the Maroons left Africa and showed up on the island during the time it was occupied by the British, and boy was she not happy with how they were running the show. So she decided to fuck with everything they did. And she was great at it. Between her skill as a leader and maybe some magic powers to help out, the Brits just couldn't stop her. Enjoy!
Ep. 407 Robert Berdella
May 16, 2023 09:06 - 1 hour - 43.5 MBAs our longtime listeners are probably aware, sometimes one of us will cover a person the other has on their list, and said person will be very upset. Today is not one of those times. Robert Berdella was on both of our lists, but boy am I glad Tim had to do the research on this guy. The Collector, as he liked to call himself was one sick pile of shit, which is why the media decided to call him the Kansas City Butcher instead. You know how much you have to suck for people in Kansas City to be...
Ep. 406 Leopold and Loeb
May 11, 2023 07:30 - 44 minutes - 30.7 MBUgh, these two fucking guys. Look we get it, you're book smart, you fucking nerds. Nathan Freudenthal Leopold Jr. and Richard Albert Loeb planned the perfect crime. Perfect because clearly these two were going to be successful at anything they tried since they know math and shit. That's right, the perfect crime. Well I don't want to spoil how the plan goes, but suffice it to say that perfect crime, it was not, and we're going to make fun of them for it. Enjoy!