Podcast
HILF: History I'd Like to F**k
Catalog
Episodes
- HILF 107 - The Rise and Fall of Richard Nixon with Kelly Vrooman [RECORDED LIVE]Jun 3, 2026 · 34 minJoin Dawn and a live audience to relive the dramatic rise and fall of Richard Nixon. From his extraordinary re-election victory, to his resigning in disgrace you'll meet some of the most colorful characters, hear some of the most insane stories, and all with a drink in your hand!
- HILF 106 - Book Masters, Part Two with Stacey HovhannisyanMay 20, 2026 · 43 minCrawl back between the pages with Dawn and her fellow History Major, Stacey, as they DISH on the semester's reading list. Hear which books they liked, which ones they hated, and which ones they think are so good - even non-nerds might like them!
- HILF 105 - Book Masters with Stacey HovhannisyanMay 16, 2026 · 58 minGet nerdy with Dawn as she marks the conclusion of her first semester of grad school! She sits down with her new buddy, and fellow masters student, Stacey Hovhannisyan, to dish on the best and worst of the thick-ass books they read.
- HILF 104 - Pirate Queens: Mary Read and Anne Bonny [RECORDED LIVE]Apr 29, 2026 · 1 hr 11 minMary Read and Anne Bonny are among the most famous women pirates in history. Dawn tells their story from cross-dressing youth to swash-buckling legacy... with a drink in her hand!
- HILF 103 - Pearl Harbor Day with Sam Hale [RECORDED LIVE]Apr 15, 2026 · 54 minThe day that will live in infamy, December 7th, 1941 - when the Japanese pulled a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. But a few decades later, December 7th started to look up... at least to Dawn's mom. Hear the best stories surrounding Dawn's birthday, and birth year along with a live audience and self-proclaimed "horror nerd", Sam Hale.
- HILF 102 - Captain Woodes Rogers, Pirate Hunter with Patrick DayApr 1, 2026 · 1 hr 24 minGet to know Captain Woodes Rogers, a leading character from the Golden Age of Piracy! To Circumnavigate this panty-dropper, Dawn is joined by actor (and buddy) Patrick Day.
- HILF 101 - The Sex Trial of Mae West with John HeimbuchMar 18, 2026 · 1 hr 4 minShe was one of America's first sex symbols and in 1927 she went on trial for being too sexy... Hear the whole story form Dawn's guest, playwright and Mae West expert, John Heimbuch.
- HILF 100 - The Iranian Revolution with Zari Faripour [ RE-RELEASE ]Mar 4, 2026 · 1 hr 36 minAs bombs fly over Iran, Dawn revisits a conversation from 2022 with a friend who fled Iran at the outbreak of the revolution in 1978. Get a little perspective on the uncertain future, with a journey to the not-so-distant past.
- HILF 99 - Lilith with Rhiannon Fiskradatz and Shanan CusterFeb 18, 2026 · 1 hr 8 minGo up the annals of historic bad-ass, Lilith! For thousands of years she has epitomized the best and worst of what women are - and are perceived to be. Love her or hate her - you're going to ADORE Dawn's guests - two besties from Minneapolis visiting in January, 2026.
- HILF 98 - The 1961 Freedom Rides with Dave Reinitz [ RE-RELEASE ]Feb 4, 2026 · 1 hr 41 minThe Freedom Rides were a series of interstate bus trips, taken by de-segregation activists in the summer of 1961. Hear the harrowing and inspiring journey of a group of people who dared to sit where they please. Joining Dawn is comedian, Dave Reinitz, whose mother was not only one of Freedom Riders, but she has the mug-shot to prove it.
- HILF 97 - Socrates with Nat BaimelJan 21, 2026 · 1 hr 4 minWhether you were a Philosophy major, or only know him as Bill and Ted’s buddy So-Crates - crawl up the toga of the Father of Philosophy with Dawn and guest, comedian, Nat Baimel.
- HILF 96 - Spartacus with JB BallJan 7, 2026 · 1 hr 27 minThe gladiator turned rebel leader with a HISTORIC six-pack, Spartacus! Dawn is joined by JB Ball, comedian, and the biggest Spartacus nerd there is... try him.
- HILF 95 - The Tragedy of the USS Indianapolis with Mark Decarlo [RECORDED LIVE]Dec 22, 2025 · 49 minJaws taught us to fear the water, but history gave us the original lesson with the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. On the 50th anniversary of the movie, Dawn returns us to the doomed ship with guest, Mark Declarlo and a live audience. Get ready to take a bite out of history.
- HILF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTDec 3, 2025 · 4 minDawn has a special announcement for what's coming in 2026! Hear the news and sharpen your pencils...
- HILF 94 - The Rosetta Stone with Maggie MelbyNov 26, 2025 · 1 hr 8 minThe Rosetta Stone is basically history’s greatest cheat code—a giant 2,200-year-old message that cracked the mystery of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Dawn takes you from it's carving over 2,000 years ago, to it's rediscovery by Napoleon, to the controversy that surrounds it to this day.
- HILF 93 - Catherine the Great, Part Two with Kelly VroomanNov 12, 2025 · 1 hr 25 minYou started with Catherine the Great as a mid-nobility nobody, followed her to Russia, and then met her shitty husband. Now, Dawn and guest Kelly Vrooman, take you all the way to her thrown and 'The Great' part.
- HILF 92 - Catherine the Great with Kelly VroomanOct 29, 2025 · 1 hr 14 minShe was Russia’s last empress—a bad bitch so powerful that when she died of a stroke at 67, Europe collectively said, “No way that killed her” Instead, the rumor mill decided she must’ve been fucked to death by a horse. No shit. Dawn is joined by the actress and improviser, Kelly Vrooman in an episode fit for an Queen.
- HILF 91 - Frankenstein with Helen Shephard [ RE-RELEASE ]Oct 15, 2025 · 1 hr 24 minDawn re-visits her very first episode ever - Frankenstein, with guest, Helen Shephard. Hear Dawn's detailed telling of the original story as written by teen-age run-away Mary Shelley, as well as her favorite theories about what inspired it.
- HILF 90 - The Black Dahlia Murder with Kaycee ConleeOct 1, 2025 · 1 hr 23 minIt's the tragic tale of The Black Dahlia (1947), among the longest unsolved murder cases in Los Angeles history. Hear the story and meet the suspects along with comedian, Kaycee Conlee.
- HILF 89 - George Washington with Ryan Keeley [HILF Public School - RECORDED LIVE]Sep 17, 2025 · 1 hr 26 minHILF Public School is in session! Meet comedian Lauren Harding for a quick undressing of King George III; and then go Full Frontal on George Washington with everyone’s favorite Step Mom, Adult Film Star, Ryan Keeley.
- HILF 88 - Karl Marx VS Adam Smith with Mary GallagherSep 3, 2025 · 1 hr 3 minAdam Smith invented Capitalism and Karl Marx invented Communism, two political and economic concepts which people have been fighting about for almost two centuries. Dawn goes to the horses mouths to find out what the 'daddies' of the movement had to say, and why they're both right... until they're not.
- HILF 87 - Billy the Kid with Kerstin PorterAug 20, 2025 · 1 hr 28 minBilly the Kid was a teenage gunslinger, a jail-breaking outlaw, and a wild-west vigilante gunned down when he was only 21! Join Dawn and her guest, comedian Kerstin Porter, as they saddle up with one of the most infamous figures of the American West.
- BONE-US EP86 - Religion in America with Ryan RippleAug 6, 2025 · 36 minDawn and bestie, Ryan Ripple, continue the conversation on the history of Religion in America. Hear wild new stories, and candid confessions.
- HILF 86 - Religion in America with Ryan RippleAug 6, 2025 · 1 hr 42 minGet missionary with Dawn and her bestie, Ryan Ripple, as they walk the twisted path of the Church, writ large, in The United States. What’s the difference between the Quakers and the Shakers? Ever wondered what separates Methodists, from Presbyterians, from Baptists? Hear the history from Puritans to Joel Osteen's Megachurch... can I get an Amen?
- HILF PUBLIC SCHOOL - Alcatraz and Lizzie Borden [RECORDED LIVE]Jul 9, 2025 · 1 hr 12 minJoin Dawn and a LIVE audience at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank, California for HILF Public School! Comedian/historian Jason Horton gets a lesson on Alcatraz; and Radio/TV Personality Chuey Martinez jumps in for a KILLER HILF on Lizzie Borden.
- HILF 85 - The Manson Family Murders, Part Two with Lisa and Ellie DehnerJun 11, 2025 · 1 hr 16 minFollow Dawn further down the Manson Family rabbit hole and learn where-are-they-now! Who stayed loyal to Charlie the longest? Who gets conjugal visits and has FOUR KIDS while incarcerated? What do the Beach Boys have to do with all this?!? And wait until you hear the theory that Manson was ultimately an unknowing, deep-psychological operative, created by the CIA used as a lab rat to see if mind-control was truly possible…
- HILF 84 - The Manson Family Murders with Lisa and Ellie DehnerMay 28, 2025 · 57 minThe Manson Family, a group of hippies living communally outside of Los Angeles, committed a gruesome series of murders in the summer of 1969. The brutality of the crimes, the fame of the victims, and the oddity of the perpetrators touched all of media’s erogenous zones.
- HILF 83 - Rosemary Kennedy with Molly McAleerMay 14, 2025 · 1 hr 25 minThe Kennedys are as close to a Royal Family as America has ever had; and like all royals, they are mired in scandals and tragedies. Hear the story of Rosemary Kennedy, the oldest sister who was tall, and pretty, and the the victim of a botched lobotomy when she was only 23.
- HILF 82 - The Lewis & Clark Expedition, Part 2 with Alex MaltApr 30, 2025 · 55 minIt's the thrilling conclusion of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Rejoin Dawn and guest, comedian Alex Malt, for ‘Back Again’ in which we follow our intrepid crew back from the edge of the wild and unmapped American West, to a place some-how suddenly even stranger to them: Home.
- HILF 81 - The Lewis & Clark Expedition with Alex MaltApr 16, 2025 · 1 hr 14 minThe Lewis & Clark Expedition is an edge-of-your-seat drama featuring Thomas Jefferson, a top-secret mission into the unknown, and a kidnapped, teen-age mother who saves the day! Join Dawn and her guest, comedian, Alex Malt, on this historic journey into the wild west.
- HILF 80 - The King of Spies with Blaine HardenApr 2, 2025 · 1 hr 28 minHow does America’s spy-master in Korea find himself dragged to Florida in a straight jacket? You’re about to find out, and from none-other than the world’s leading historian on the subject, Blaine Harden.
- HILF 79 - Waterloo with Jackie KashianMar 19, 2025 · 1 hr 8 minEvery battle has a winner and a loser, but when it comes to Waterloo, it’s only the loser that matters, Napoleon Bonaparte. Join Dawn and guest - comedian Jackie Kashian - for the story of Napoleon’s famous, final defeat and why it left more than just ABBA exclaiming, “my-my!”
- BONE-US EP79 - Waterloo with Jackie KashianMar 19, 2025 · 9 minDawn saved a couple tasty nuggets from the HILF of Waterloo: Hear the story of how - among the many thousands of bodies left on the battlefield after Waterloo - one in particular still has historians baffled; AND about the birth of an unfortunate baby with a radicle name.
- HILF 78 - The Morale Corps with Robert B. O'ConnorMar 5, 2025 · 1 hr 4 minGet 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. They went where the USO could not!
- BONE-US EP78 - The Morale Corps with Robert B O'ConnorMar 5, 2025 · 17 minRe-join Dawn and author, Robert B. O'Connor as they go down the rabbit hole to discuss which character from his book was his favorite; and why Dawn thinks real Jeep Shows should be revived... in a trailer park in Van Nuys?
- HILF 77 - The Grand Canyon with Andrew MelbyFeb 13, 2025 · 1 hr 17 minHost, Dawn Brodey, is joined by her real-life husband, Andrew, to tell the most HILF-able stories from the long history of The Grand Canyon. Hear how it was formed, how the native tribes out-smarted Coronado, and why some people think there are Egyptian mummies somewhere deep inside.
- HILF 76 - Jack Parsons with Cristina Van EppsFeb 5, 2025 · 1 hr 22 minStrap in for the HILF-ing of Jack Parsons, the rocket-scientist, devil-worshipping, sex-addict who got America into outer space. Dawn’s guest is a current engineer at The Jet Propulsion Laboratory who does NOT speak for the organization, but has a lot to say about magic!
- HILF 75 - How to Steal a Fighter Jet with Andy RiderJan 22, 2025 · 1 hr 27 minIt's the incredible story of North Korean defector and fighter pilot, No Kum Sok, who stole his MiG-15 in 1953 and flew it to an American Air Base. Hear how he did it without being shot down, and the secret fortune that awaited him when he landed. Dawn is joined by comedian Andy Rider for a jaw-dropping story of courage and luck.
- The Donner Party, Part One with Andy Kraft [RE-RELEASE]Dec 25, 2024 · 1 hr 4 minOriginally released Christmas 2022, this is the tragic true story of The Donner Party, a group of unfortunate wagon train migrants who find themselves trapped for the winter in the unforgiving Sierra Nevadas. Join Dawn and guest, Andy Kraft, as they retrace the steps of the famously doomed.
- The Donner Party, Part Two with Andy Kraft [RE-RELEASE]Dec 25, 2024 · 1 hr 15 minWelcome back for the conclusion of the tragic story of The Donner Party. Dawn and her guest, Andy Kraft, climbed aboard with The Donner Party wagon-train as they begin their ill-fated journey West and now we're getting down to the bones... literally.
- HILF 74 - The Christmas Miracle of WWI (Recorded LIVE)Dec 15, 2024 · 42 minJoin Dawn and a live audience at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank, California for the HILF-ing of a real-life Christmas miracle. From the assassination of Franz Ferdinand to the handshake felt around the world, it's a roller-coaster ride of true history that proves there is a recipe for peace - and it's simpler than we think.
- HILF 73 - The Toast with Jules and Uncle BradNov 27, 2024 · 1 hr 15 minJoin Dawn and her guests, Jules and Uncle Brad, as they make (and drink) two giant cocktails while learning the history of The Toast. You'll walk away fully loaded with amusing toasts that’ll really blow their hair back around the punch bowl this year.
- HILF 72 - The Black Death, Part 2 with Mary RamosNov 13, 2024 · 1 hr 8 minRe-join Dawn and guest, Mary Ramos, for the best (and worst) plague stories including medieval methods of medical treatment and prevention. You'll also learn some origin theories for Yarsina Pestis, the bacterium behind the plague, including asteroids and earthquakes.
- HILF 71 - The Black Death with Mary RamosOct 30, 2024 · 59 minIt is known among historians as the greatest horror show in human history. The Black Death, aka: "The Plague", aka: "The Great Pestilence." This highly-deadly, bacterial infection first appeared in the Middle Ages then quickly spread across the entire known-world from China to Sweden, killing half of the population. Join Dawn and celebrated Hollywood music producer, Mary Ramos, as we follow the rats and their fleas all the way down the rabbit hole.
- HILF 70 - Vampires with Macy IssacsOct 16, 2024 · 1 hr 10 minVampires are sexy. From Nosferatu, to Bela Lugosi, to those sparkly adolescent heart-throb ones from Twilight (yes, I’m team Edward). But they have not always been so F-able. Join Dawn and guest - comedian, Macy Issacs - as they whistle through the graveyard and around the world with all of the creatures of the night.
- Horror Movies with Jose Barrientos [RE-RELEASE]Oct 10, 2024 · 1 hr 20 minJust in time for Scary Movie season, Dawn revisits an episode devoted to the history of Horror Movies! Join Dawn and guest, comedian and professional hacker, Jose Barrientos as they snuggle up under a weighted blanket and talk about the movies that have scared them the most and where all these wonderful plots and monsters came from.
- HILF 69 - Benjamin Franklin with Bryan AustinOct 1, 2024 · 1 hr 4 minHe's a Founding Daddy and America’s first rock star. Before he was on our hundred dollar bill, Benjamin Franklin was famous around the world for his cutting-edge science experiments, his satirical writing, and being a particularly good kisser. Hear some of the stories they DIDN'T teach you in school from the man himself... kinda.
- HILF 68 - Mozart's Sister with LAZOUSep 17, 2024 · 1 hr 14 minWolfgang Amadeus Mozart is the Beatles of Classical music - internationally and historically famous. Nannerl was his sister and she was NOT famous although some said she was as talented, if not more talented, than he was. Hear her incredible story along with Dawn’s guest, composer and podcast host, LAZOU.
- HILF 67 - The Lost Island of Lemuria with Justin McHenrySep 3, 2024 · 1 hr 8 minDawn and her guest, author Justin McHenry, go on journey to the lost island of Lemuria! It is a mythic place, akin to the Garden of Eden, the source of all humankind... and also Pizzagate, healing crystals, and even the Lizard People who sometimes pose as celebrities and live in tunnels under LA.
- HILF 66 - Mount Rushmore with Christine BlackburnAug 20, 2024 · 1 hr 12 minMount Rushmore is an iconic American monument, nestled in the Black Hills of South Dakota and featuring the faces of four (mostly) beloved presidents. Dawn is joined by friend and podcaster, Christine Blackburn, with stories of the sculptor, the presidents, and native people who got totally screwed over.
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