The life of the gangster Al Capone could be understood as a violent expression of the American Dream. A poor kid from Brooklyn, born to immigrant parents, used his wits, fists, and a certain ruthless determination to build an empire. The underworld figure has been the fodder for countless, books and biopics, not to mention inspiring a rogues gallery of ficti ... Show More
Jun 17
Episode #230- Why President McKinley? (Part I)
The 25th President of the United States, William McKinley, has recently been in the news. In the 2025 inaugural address it was announced that Alaska's highest peak would once again be known as Mt. McKinley to honour the former President, who was apparently a "great businessman" w ... Show More
1h 27m
Jun 10
Bonus Episode- Selkies, Spectacles, and Satire
In this Bonus Episode Sebastian takes questions about his recent exploration of mermaid mythology. He gets into the difference between Selkies and Mermaids, and wades into the murky waters of Scottish oral tradition. There is also some discussion of the 2012 hoax documentary Merm ... Show More
34m 40s
Apr 8
Meet The Chicago Outfit's Most Infamous Hitman
Kurt Calabrese grew up in the Chicago mafia known as The Outfit. His father, Frank Calabrese Sr, was the premier hitman, known for strangling his victims with his bare hands. But Frank didn't just leave the violence at work. He trained his sons Kurt and Frank Jr in the mob enforc ... Show More
46m 8s
Apr 22
£200 MILLION to MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON - THE INSANE STORY OF RIORDAN MAYNARD
This episode is a little bit different: it’s with someone whose name I doubt you’ll know, but it’s a story which, as soon as I heard, I knew I wanted to share with you all on Great Company.Riordan Maynard was a high flying business man until one day it all came crashing down - he ... Show More
1h 16m
Jan 2025
Hollywood's Celebrity Gangster and the Battle for Los Angeles: Mickey Cohen
Mickey once said of himself, quote, “I was a pretty fair replica of the devil.” He also killed a bunch of people, and got away with it. A street hustler since he was 6, Cohen gained a rep as a hard-fighting professional boxer despite his short stature, and a rep as a wild-haired ... Show More
1h 1m
Sep 2024
The Real Red Dead Redemption
October 5th, 1871. In what some call the wildest town in the Wild West, bad blood has been building for a long time. Wild Bill Hickok, the sheriff of Abilene, Kansas, is facing down Phil Coe, a saloon owner with a history of antagonizing the law. Then, the guns come out. This kin ... Show More
31m 26s
Jun 2021
S4 Ep6: Jimmy Fratianno (Part 1)
In 1946, a young man by the name of Jimmy Fratianno moved from Cleveland, Ohio to Los Angeles, California. Fratianno had spent most of his life immersed in crime, crossing paths with several well known mobsters. Fratianno would soon become a made man in the Los Angeles crime fami ... Show More
27m 15s
May 2024
District Attorney George Gascón - The Full Story - Strangest Fruit Podcast
In this very special season two premiere of Strangest Fruit Podcast, Didontae Farmer sits down with Los Angeles County District Attorney, George Gascón. We get straight to the truth. This is the real story of his decorated career as a police officer, public safety veteran and Dis ... Show More
41m 33s