Don Simpson rises to the top of Hollywood by co-opting gay culture and doing every drug imaginable. But then things take a turn on the set of a doomed Tom Cruise movie.

Don Simpson rises to the top of Hollywood by co-opting gay culture and doing every drug imaginable. But then things take a turn on the set of a doomed Tom Cruise movie.

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.

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.

Everything you don't know about History's greatest monsters

Behind the Bastards

Part Two: Don Simpson: The Producer of Top Gun Also Ruined Hollywood

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0561bc45-f581-435a-8215-b4ff0171e9c0/transcript

In this week's harrowing episode, Robert and Soren Bowie explore the life and times of Don Simpson: the man who produced Top Gun and most of the other big hits of the 1980s while being a coked-up devil behind the scenes.

In this week's harrowing episode, Robert and Soren Bowie explore the life and times of Don Simpson: the man who produced Top Gun and most of the other big hits of the 1980s while being a coked-up devil behind the scenes.

Part One: Don Simpson: The Producer of Top Gun Also Ruined Hollywood

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2bd81600-cd28-4fca-9582-b4fd016e07ab/transcript

In part 2, Dennis Hastert lucks his way into becoming Speaker of the House and helps Congress redefine corruption for the 21st century. And then, after his retirement, it all comes crashing down.

In part 2, Dennis Hastert lucks his way into becoming Speaker of the House and helps Congress redefine corruption for the 21st century. And then, after his retirement, it all comes crashing down.

Part Two: Dennis Hastert: The Longest-Serving Republican Speaker of the House

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b232779c-fa59-4669-b4f6-b4f801834b2e/transcript

Robert tells Miles Gray the tangled story of Dennis Hastert, the longest-serving Republican Speaker of the House, pioneer of congressional corruption, and pedophile.

Sources:

Prosecutors detail sex abuse allegations against Dennis Hastert | PBS News Weekend

Dennis Hastert Dies at 84: Timeline of Scandals, Controversies and Criminal Conviction - Newsweek

Uncovering the Dennis Hastert cover-up | Bloom Fudali

Former Speaker Dennis Hastert indicted - POLITICO

Hastert returns to his humble beginnings after historic career -- Daily Herald

Washingtonpost.com: Plain-Talking Hastert Poised to Be Speaker

House Speaker Dennis Hastert Can Win Friends, But Can He Influence People? - Page 9 - tribunedigital-chicagotribune

Biography of Speaker J. Dennis Hastert | Dickstein Shapiro

Ex-Yorkville school chief recalls no misconduct complaints against Hastert - Chicago Tribune

Payments by Hastert Linked to Report of Sexual Abuse - NYTimes.com

Dennis Hastert has a history of keeping secrets - Vox

Robert tells Miles Gray the tangled story of Dennis Hastert, the longest-serving Republican Speaker of the House, pioneer of congressional corruption, and pedophile.
Sources:
<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/prosecutors-detail-sex-abuse-allegations-against-dennis-hastert" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/prosecutors-detail-sex-abuse-allegations-against-dennis-hastert&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1793748165188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0lM1_XtSMoUMKoIXv7f7XK">Prosecutors detail sex abuse allegations against Dennis Hastert | PBS News Weekend</a>
<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/dennis-hastert-dead-speaker-controversy-scancal-wife-party-12525272" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.newsweek.com/dennis-hastert-dead-speaker-controversy-scancal-wife-party-12525272&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1793748165188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2s5ouSz4Pr0Yu9CYnTaplg">Dennis Hastert Dies at 84: Timeline of Scandals, Controversies and Criminal Conviction - Newsweek</a>
<a href="https://thebloomfirm.com/uncovering-the-dennis-hastert-cover-up/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thebloomfirm.com/uncovering-the-dennis-hastert-cover-up/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1793748165188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0nWHVaNB6xHBjRy9buKzOE">Uncovering the Dennis Hastert cover-up | Bloom Fudali</a>
<a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/former-speaker-dennis-hastert-indicted-in-payment-scheme-118387" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/former-speaker-dennis-hastert-indicted-in-payment-scheme-118387&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1793748165188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1gInZaR_dJF3P6M7n1eqfz">Former Speaker Dennis Hastert indicted - POLITICO</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150529074836/http:/prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=139531" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529074836/http:/prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id%3D139531&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1793748165188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ryA7924JXmo6hN1eFPL3D">Hastert returns to his humble beginnings after historic career -- Daily Herald</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201012001008/https:/www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/govt/leadership/stories/hastert122198.htm" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://web.archive.org/web/20201012001008/https:/www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/govt/leadership/stories/hastert122198.htm&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1793748165188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Q59X2BBedzQL-zBsntdZb">Washingtonpost.com: Plain-Talking Hastert Poised to Be Speaker</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150610065908/http:/articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-04-11/features/9904110405_1_denny-yorkville-high-school-eyes/9" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610065908/http:/articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-04-11/features/9904110405_1_denny-yorkville-high-school-eyes/9&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1793748165188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1bLMGtJrk2HPBV1gBeFteL">House Speaker Dennis Hastert Can Win Friends, But Can He Influence People? - Page 9 - tribunedigital-chicagotribune</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150325174432/http:/www.dicksteinshapiro.com/people/speaker-j-dennis-hastert" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325174432/http:/www.dicksteinshapiro.com/people/speaker-j-dennis-hastert&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1793748165188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1U3iKHeWHXql-7K67n5U6x">Biography of Speaker J. Dennis Hastert | Dickstein Shapiro</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190420135857/https:/www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dennis-hastert-reaction-0530-20150529-story.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420135857/https:/www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dennis-hastert-reaction-0530-20150529-story.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1793748165188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0HRj5i1HWw1WTgamvihA-U">Ex-Yorkville school chief recalls no misconduct complaints against Hastert - Chicago Tribune</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150529214426/http:/www.nytimes.com/2015/05/30/us/politics/hastert-indictment.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529214426/http:/www.nytimes.com/2015/05/30/us/politics/hastert-indictment.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1793748165188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0bHddbVpspAhChWF7jxeo9">Payments by Hastert Linked to Report of Sexual Abuse - NYTimes.com</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222226/http:/www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2015/5/29/8685775/dennis-hastert-secrets" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222226/http:/www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2015/5/29/8685775/dennis-hastert-secrets&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1793748165188000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3YI2YSFYagA9HX2GT2XaoD">Dennis Hastert has a history of keeping secrets - Vox</a>

Part One: Dennis Hastert: The Longest-Serving Republican Speaker of the House

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6fd46b37-50c8-4588-b0eb-b4f60179ae9f/transcript

Part Two: Don Simpson: The Producer of Top Gun Also Ruined Hollywood

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