The Vietnam myth that gave us all those ‘Rambo’ movies
theoutline.com
For decades, conspiracy theorists have clung to the fiction that thousands of soldiers are being held captive in Asia.

Shatner said he was buying “the rights to Gritz’s life story”. But by paying before the “POW rescue” raid happened, while Gritz was actively & openly fund-raising for the raid, was he basically helping to fund the raid?

Perhaps less surprisingly, Clint Eastwood also chipped in $30,000.

And even less surprisingly, the raid was a complete failure and Gritz was never able to provide any evidence whatsoever of US POWs in South East Asia after the end of the US-Vietnam War.

Gritz was supposedly an inspiration for fictional characters including John Rambo and Hannibal Smith of The A-Team… and later became involved in various far-right activities (including becoming the “unwitting” presidential running mate of KKK leader David Duke), more conspiracy fantasies & setting up his own religious/military commune.

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    • neidu3@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      5·
      2 days ago

      When was it released, roughly? I used to listen to BtB, but kind of got bored with as Robert fails to realize these days that not every person deserves a two-, three- or four-parter.

      I mean, when the childhood of a bastard isn’t funny or noteworthy, it shouldn’t take more than 4 minutes to cover. Something changed in this regard, over the past couple of years. Not sure what happened.

      I still listen to BtB occasionally, but only when it comes to bastards of whom I am already familiar.

      • quediuspayu@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        3·
        2 days ago

        18 and 20 of November 2025 It was a live show.

        I usually skip those that seem too bleak, I don’t like to end the episode more depressed than when I started.

  • goosehorse@lemmy.worldEnglish
    19·
    2 days ago

    Hell yeah, I remember listening to The Dollop about this dude and realizing he was part of the reason for all the POW/MIA flags when I was growing up lol

    Link to the first part on YT: here

  • IWW4@lemmy.zipEnglish
    8·
    2 days ago

    That is the story line of a Gene Hackman movie called Uncommon Valor that was released in 1983.

    I wonder if they bought the rights from Shatner and company?