Grim & Mild Presents

By iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild

What's Grim & Mild Presents about?

An ongoing exploration of history’s most unusual and the macabre themes. Each 13-episode season unpacks a new topic in fresh format and style. Presented and executive produced by Aaron Mahnke.

Season 1: "Sideshow", is all about the history behind one of America's most bizarre institutions, the traveling sideshow.

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Grim & Mild Presents episodes:

12.22.2023
The Wild West 13: Hollywood
We didn’t become fascinated with the Wild West until Hollywood gave us gunfights at high noon and heroic outlaws. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12.08.2023
The Wild West 12: Outlaws
When we think of the Wild West, we conjure up certain characters in our imaginations. But none are more iconic than the outlaw. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11.24.2023
The Wild West 11: Gender in the West
Hollywood portrays the Wild West as a tough man’s world. Yet, there were some who refused to be labeled. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11.10.2023
The Wild West 10: Women’s Work
The post office has a saying about mail delivery in all kinds of weather. Meet Mary, a mail carrier in the West whose story is nothing short of a Western novel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10.27.2023
The Wild West 9: Doomtowns
Gold. New lives. Second chances. The West provided many opportunities. But conquering the land often came at a high cost. Here’s the story of one of the most well-known families on the frontier: the Ingalls. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10.13.2023
The Wild West 8: Transit
Getting from East to West was difficult, especially for those who chose the Oregon Trail. Survival meant timing their passage and path just right. Those who didn’t served as a dire warning to others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
09.29.2023
The Wild West 7: Uprising
With westward expansion came the Homestead Act. What followed was nothing short of horrific for the people already occupying the land. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
09.15.2023
The Wild West 6: Tales of the West
From Stetson hats to barbed wire, this episode sheds some light on little-known Wild West icons and how they came to be. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
09.01.2023
The Wild West 5: Mountain Meadows Massacre
The French, Spanish, and the Americans believed that heading west was a divine calling. This is the story of when beliefs cross the line into territory more dangerous than the land itself. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
08.18.2023
The Wild West 4: East Meets West
The Gold Rush became a beacon of hope for many. They headed West to seek their fortunes. But Americans weren’t the only ones looking for a better life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
08.04.2023
The Wild West 3: Trail of Tears
One of the most horrific times in history came when treaties and deals with Native Americans were broken. In 1836, US troops rounded up Cherokee tribes with acts of extreme violence and forced them across the country. See omnystudio.com/listener for...
07.21.2023
The Wild West 2: Go West
From the Spanish to the French, to the British — everyone had their eye on the vast expanse of America’s western frontier. Then, in the early 1800s, Thomas Jefferson saw an opportunity and made a deal no one expected. See...
07.07.2023
The Wild West 1: Legends
When it comes to tales of the Wild West, there’s one tale that surfaces again and again — and for good reason. Join us for the story of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
06.30.2023
Grim & Mild Presents: Season 4 Trailer
From the early explorers and the indigenous peoples they encountered, to the gunslingers of legend, and everything in between, this is your chance to learn just how complicated our move into western North America really was—and why so many of...
06.23.2023
Bedside Manners 13: The End?
The one guarantee in life is that it will end—we can anticipate that, and we have tried to cope with that truth forever. But when the suffering overextends itself, we’ve always tried to find ways to adapt. See omnystudio.com/listener for...
06.09.2023
Bedside Manners 12: The Beginning
Humans have been mothering and midwifing since the beginning of humanity. Why, then, did something so natural become so fiercely under fire? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
05.26.2023
Bedside Manners 11: Back to Health
Florence Nightingale set out to change the course of nursing as the world knew it… and ended up getting more than she ever bargained for. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
05.12.2023
Bedside Manners 10: Dark Matter
Everyone poops. And for thousands of years, as civilizations have risen and fallen, humans have been trying to figure out exactly what to do with it all. The story of waste is one of ingenuity and class, of innovation and...
04.28.2023
Bedside Manners 9: Mind Games
A doctor might dismiss your concerns by saying that something is all in your head…as if the brain doesn’t play host to many kinds of illness. Some of our oldest corpses bear physical evidence that directly cutting into the brain...
04.14.2023
Bedside Manners 8: Heartwrench
Poets have been writing about the madness of love for thousands of years. We love to be in it; we hate to be without it. But what if this wasn’t just hyperbole, and there is something indeed bigger happening to...
03.31.2023
Bedside Manners 7: The Making of a Man
In the world of healing, there have always been folks willing to make money off of the suffering of others. And it was often seen that the more shameful the secret, the more profitable these problems would be for cunning...
03.17.2023
Bedside Manners 6: Hungry for a Cure
The human body has long been a battleground for morality. And one of the places that these ideas have shown up might be surprising to you: the dinner table. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
03.03.2023
Bedside Manners 5: Slice ‘n Dice
For centuries, cutting into the human body was strictly forbidden. In fact, for a long time, medical schools taught aspiring physcians not to touch their patients. You can imagine how helpful this was. But then, a turn in the story:...
02.17.2023
Bedside Manners 4: Give and Take
In the not-too distant past, many European communities had their own local executioner. It was a paid government trade just like any other, but it came with a damning social stigma. But this role was a crucial one: though they...
02.03.2023
Bedside Manners 3: A Chemical Romance
Staying alive is a tough task, and medicine’s function is to help us do just that. Often, we turn to pharmaceuticals. But we can trace a moment, very early in our construction of the healing arts, that the first chemists...
01.20.2023
Bedside Manners 2: Bleed ‘em Dry
Our language is ripe with turns of phrase that invoke the idea of blood. These idioms seem to illustrate some of our most intense human experiences – it’s the thing that we can’t live with, after all. So tell me...
01.06.2023
Bedside Manners 1: Body of Knowledge
For much of human history, the interal geography of our bodies has been a mystery. We’ve walked a long, dark road as we’ve sought its secrets – taking many wrong turns, and leaving a trail of casualties in our wake. ...
12.30.2022
Grim & Mild Presents: Season 3 Trailer
From the blood in our veins to the search for eternal life, and everything in between, this is your chance to learn just how miraculous it is that we understand so much about the human body—and why many of those...
12.23.2022
Pirates 13: Dead Men’s Tales
Hollywood adores the loveable rogue. Pirates are often depicted as wisecracking, kind-hearted individuals who set out for treasure but inevitably do the right thing. In the end, he usually gets the girl and the treasure. Pirates. The word itself hints at...
12.09.2022
Pirates 12: Cutlasses & Cutthroats
Cutthroat. According to dictionary entries, it’s someone so ruthless they cut the throat of another. A murderer is a person of vicious and Machiavellian nature. And in the world of piracy, there were cutthroats so cruel that they went over...
11.25.2022
Pirates 11: Still Waters
Pirates created their own republic and formed a democracy. They made allegiances with each other and governments. The Golden Age of Piracy even sounds somewhat...romantic. But all good things come to an end. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11.11.2022
Pirates 10: Brethren
Pirates. The lone wolves of the sea. Yet, not only did they know each other, but they also created a community referred to as the Pirate Republic. It’s not really surprising then that some joined forces. After all, most wolves...
10.28.2022
Pirates 9: Blood Family
We often envision pirates as ruthless rogues who turned their back on family and love for treasures and a life at sea. In this episode of Pirates, we have stories of romance and friendship deeper and stronger than the briny...
10.14.2022
Pirates 8: Rules of the Rogues
Insurrections, rebellions, and mutiny! Oh, my! Though we think of pirates as lawless, they were anything but. In this episode, we explore the systems and codes that kept civility among pirate crews. No guidelines about it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...
09.30.2022
Pirates 7: Pirates For Hire
From protection from the Spanish to bringing in much-needed funds and provisions, early colonies in the Caribbean often turned to pirates and buccaneers for a little assistance. In this episode of Pirates, we’re on an adventure with a couple of...
09.19.2022
Pirates Bonus: Talk Like A Pirate Day
Every year on September 19, people worldwide join together to talk like pirates. Parents, children, co-workers. If you’ve ever wondered how International Talk Like A Pirate Day started or how to speak like a swashbuckler, then this episode is for...
09.16.2022
Pirates 6: Rebels With A Cause
Pirates appear to be the ultimate rebel. Their legendary greed for treasure and cutthroat nature made them non-conformist mavericks of the sea. And yet, not all is what we’ve been told. Pirates played an important part in politics and the...
09.02.2022
Pirates 5: The Red Fleet
Many pirates viewed women aboard ships as bad luck. One woman proved they were only bad luck for the ships they targeted. Meet Ching Shih, who went from flower boat girl to the leader of the Red Fleet, one of...
08.19.2022
Pirates 4: River Pirates
Ah! Pirates! We envision them in the Caribbean, raiding sea-faring merchant vessels, flying black flags, and burying treasure on a remote sandy beach. However, as we are about to learn, some of the most fascinating characters took to the lakes...
08.05.2022
Pirates 3: Black Caesar
In the Golden Age of Piracy, pirate crews often came from different countries and walks of life. They shared equal pay and voting rights aboard the ship. Captains often chose their crew based on fierce loyalty rather than nationality or...
07.22.2022
Pirates 2: Cheers, Mate!
Yo-ho-ho, matey. In this episode of Pirates, we’re talking about rum. Just how did alcohol, especially rum, become many a pirate’s choice of drink? And what does grog have to do with the British Navy and…fabric? Join us for another...
07.08.2022
Pirates 1: A Pirate’s Life
From sailing the high seas and buried treasure to swilling rum, pirates represent a lot about the human spirit. Through the centuries, we’ve fallen in love with adventure, danger, and exploration. In season 2 of Grim & Mild Presents, we...
07.01.2022
Grim & Mild Presents: Season 2 Trailer
This summer, Grim & Mild Presents continues its journey into the strange, the unusual, and the fascinating. For our newest season, we’ll be taking to the high seas to explore one of history’s most notorious types of criminal: pirates. From naval battles and...
06.24.2022
Sideshow 13: The Legacy of Looking
Centuries of history have led us to this point. The show continues to go on. But even though the sideshow looks a bit different these days… we still see its signature everywhere. We haven’t looked away. Want to hear more even though...
06.10.2022
Sideshow 12: Murder in Gibtown
Behind the glitz and glamour of the stage, darkness lurked. And sometimes, that darkness was inescapable – and lived right in our own homes. If you or someone you know is in danger, there’s help available. Please reach out to the...
05.27.2022
Sideshow 11: Inseparable
Families are curious entities. Blood, they tell us, is thicker than water. But what happens if there’s something stronger than blood that keeps you together… for better or for worse? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
05.13.2022
Sideshow 10: Monster Medicine
When he was born, they called Frank Lentini a monster… but what did that even mean? We’ll follow his story as we learn folklore, magic, medicine, and one man’s quest for the American Dream. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
04.29.2022
Sideshow 9: Born This Way
From the Bronx to the silver screen, Schlitzie charmed all who knew him. And for those who loved him, they’d stop at nothing to keep him safe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
04.15.2022
Sideshow 8: Lion & Lamb
Humans are animals. But at some point throughout the course of evolution, our species got the upperhand. Today, a short history of our co-existence with the animal kingdom… and what happened when we decided that these animals would join us on...
04.01.2022
Sideshow 7: Collision Course
Circus trains: they were cities on wheels, integral to the sideshow circuit and home to all performers. Today, they’re a relic of a bygone time…but there’s one train that has solidified its place in the history books due to unthinkable...

What's Grim & Mild Presents about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Grim & Mild Presents episodes:

The Wild West 13: Hollywood

The Wild West 12: Outlaws

The Wild West 11: Gender in the West

The Wild West 10: Women’s Work

The Wild West 9: Doomtowns

The Wild West 8: Transit

The Wild West 7: Uprising

The Wild West 6: Tales of the West

The Wild West 5: Mountain Meadows Massacre

The Wild West 4: East Meets West

The Wild West 3: Trail of Tears

The Wild West 2: Go West

The Wild West 1: Legends

Grim & Mild Presents: Season 4 Trailer

Bedside Manners 13: The End?

Bedside Manners 12: The Beginning

Bedside Manners 11: Back to Health

Bedside Manners 10: Dark Matter

Bedside Manners 9: Mind Games

Bedside Manners 8: Heartwrench

Bedside Manners 7: The Making of a Man

Bedside Manners 6: Hungry for a Cure

Bedside Manners 5: Slice ‘n Dice

Bedside Manners 4: Give and Take

Bedside Manners 3: A Chemical Romance

Bedside Manners 2: Bleed ‘em Dry

Bedside Manners 1: Body of Knowledge

Grim & Mild Presents: Season 3 Trailer

Pirates 13: Dead Men’s Tales

Pirates 12: Cutlasses & Cutthroats

Pirates 11: Still Waters

Pirates 10: Brethren

Pirates 9: Blood Family

Pirates 8: Rules of the Rogues

Pirates 7: Pirates For Hire

Pirates Bonus: Talk Like A Pirate Day

Pirates 6: Rebels With A Cause

Pirates 5: The Red Fleet

Pirates 4: River Pirates

Pirates 3: Black Caesar

Pirates 2: Cheers, Mate!

Pirates 1: A Pirate’s Life

Grim & Mild Presents: Season 2 Trailer

Sideshow 13: The Legacy of Looking

Sideshow 12: Murder in Gibtown

Sideshow 11: Inseparable

Sideshow 10: Monster Medicine

Sideshow 9: Born This Way

Sideshow 8: Lion & Lamb

Sideshow 7: Collision Course

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