Drew Dennis Dix: Welcome to Hell, I’ll Be Your Tour Guide
In honor of Veterans Day, Ben Thompson and Producer Andrew Jacobs tell the story of Drew Dennis Dix. History is full of stories about impossible odds—but few come close to what Dix pulled off in Vietnam. In the middle of the massive Viet Cong Tet offensive, Dix—an enlisted Green Beret—went in alone to rescue civilians trapped in a city under siege. Over two harrowing days, he led a one-man mission through enemy territory, dodging sniper fire, clearing buildings, saving dozens of hostages, and turning the tide of the battle. This is the story of calm under fire, raw guts, and the first enlisted Special Forces soldier ever awarded the Medal of Honor.
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Guy Fawkes: The Powder, the Plot, and the Punishment
History remembers Guy Fawkes as the man who tried—and failed—to blow up Parliament. But the real story is bigger, bloodier, and far more explosive. In this Bonfire Night episode, Ben Thompson is joined by Samuel Datta to tell the tale of a soldier turned saboteur, a plot fueled by faith and fury, and how one man’s failure became one of the most famous nights in British history.
Remember, remember the 5th of November...
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Ted Williams: The Slugger Who Became a Fighter
It's World Series time! So let's talk some badass baseball. In today's episode, Ben is joined by TimeGhost historian and baseball enthusiast Indy Neidell to tell the story of Ted Williams. Williams wasn’t just one of the greatest hitters in baseball history — he was a fighter pilot, a war hero, and a man who could stare down both a fastball and enemy fire without blinking. He lost five prime years of his career to two wars, came back swinging like he never missed a pitch, and still finished with one of the highest batting averages of all time. This is the story of a man who refused to do anything halfway — whether it was baseball, battle, or telling the world exactly where it could stick a curveball.
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Martha Gellhorn: Bylines and Bombshells
In today's episode Ben Thompson is joined by Shaina Steinberg to tell the story of Martha Gellhorn, the trailblazing war correspondent who smuggled herself into war zones, broke every rule that needed breaking, and filed some of the most powerful eyewitness accounts of the 20th century. From the Spanish Civil War to D-Day to the jungles of Vietnam, Gellhorn refused to stay home, refused to stay silent, and refused to be known for anything other than her own words. This is the story of the woman who saw history being made—and made damn sure the world saw it too.
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The Viking Who Invented Dublin and the Saint Who Invented Petty Violence
This week, Ben and Pat are heading to Ireland for a double dose of destruction, divinity, and a surprisingly violent debate over a book. First up: Turgesius the Devil, a Viking warlord who didn’t just raid Ireland—he built cities, crowned himself king, and let his witch queen turn cathedrals into goat-sacrificing prophecy hubs. Then it’s Saint Colum Cille, the one-man holy army who got so mad about copyright law and a dead hurling player that he started an actual war and maybe (definitely) punched the Loch Ness Monster in the face. It’s the saint and the devil, two chaotic legends, and a whole lot of very Irish badassery.
Throughout the course of human history certain individuals have stood out as being completely f***ing awesome. From ninjas and gunfighters to pirates and Vikings, to explorers, scientists and great leaders, these people - true badasses - completely obliterated anything that stood in their path, routinely overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and ultimately altered the course of history through their actions. Be it glory, conquest, or survival, these hardcore men and women all had one specific goal in life - and they didn’t let anything stand between themselves and their mission. They refused to back down even when the odds seemed hopelessly stacked against them, they came back from the brink of failure to achieve ultimate success, and they beat the hell out of anyone stupid enough to have stood in their way.
Welcome to Badass of the Week hosted by Ben Thompson. The weekly (duh) podcast, that dives into depths history to tell new stories of badasses every week.
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