Shows
Curator 135Bet the Limit: The Benny Binion StorySend a textLas Vegas wasn’t built by saints.It was built by gamblers.In this episode, we dive deep into the life of Benny Binion — the Texas-born gambling boss who fled murder rumors and federal heat, arrived in the Nevada desert, and helped shape modern Las Vegas.Born in rural Pilot Grove, Texas, Binion left school early and learned odds at livestock auctions instead of in classrooms. By the 1930s, he was running powerful illegal gambling operations in Dallas, shadowed by allegations of violence and gangland-style rivalries.In 1...
2026-02-1636 min
The Book of the DeadChapter 130: A Failure of Justice-The Murder of D’Lisa KelleyThe 2014 unsolved murder of D’Lisa Kelley has raised serious questions about investigative decisions and accountability.In this episode, I explore the timeline of her case and the concerns surrounding the law enforcement response. The investigation draws additional scrutiny due to the involvement of a Dallas police sergeant who was later connected to the controversial 2016 death of Tony Timpa, a man who died while restrained by officers during a call for help. The overlap between these cases raises difficult but necessary questions about oversight, responsibility, and how repeated controversies can impact public trust and justice outcomes.If...
2026-02-0427 min
Adidas Wilson MatrixSylvester Stallone & Yellowstone Star Set New Western Crime Series AdaptationA new prestige television series titled Blood Aces is currently in development, focusing on the volatile life of Benny Binion, the Texas gangster who founded the World Series of Poker. Actor Cole Hauser is set to portray the legendary criminal and casino mogul, while Sylvester Stallone will serve as an executive producer for the MGM Television project. The show adapts a 2014 biography by Doug J. Swanson, tracing Binion’s transformation from a Prohibition-era outlaw in Dallas to a pioneering figure in Las Vegas gambling. By highlighting Binion's ruthless ambition and his creation of the Horseshoe Casino, the series aims to ca...
2026-02-0332 min
Hidden RabbitsThe Birth of Las Vegas + The World Series of PokerWhy is Vegas like that? The short answer: A law-breaking OG Dallas gangster named Benny Binion.🍄 I PROMISE THIS IS INTERESTING! 🍄We'll see you next Wednesday :)☕️ WANT TO BUY US A COFFEE?→ a lil way to support the show - https://ko-fi.com/ipromisethisisinter…💡TOPIC SUGGESTIONS→ https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc0MSTraFiysEl-aj_OWcQMgSoc7oRlpPXBWp2WfFPOkHXFQg/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=104246047835712365449💜 FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM→ https://www.instagram.com/hiddenrabbitsmedia/
2025-07-0454 min
MobstercastChroniclesBenny Binion: The Gambler Who Built Las VegasBenny Binion: The Gambler Who Built Las Vegas – Dive into the fascinating story of Benny Binion, the Texas-born gambler who transformed Las Vegas with high-stakes poker and a revolutionary approach to casino culture. From his gritty beginnings in Dallas's underworld to creating the iconic Binion's Horseshoe and founding the World Series of Poker, discover how Binion’s mix of charm, cunning, and controversy left a lasting mark on Sin City.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mobstercastchronicles--6052763/support.
2025-03-1115 min
Native Voice One PodcastWrangler National Finals Rodeo Day 3The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) original National Finals Rodeo was in Dallas, Texas in 1959, it moved to Las Angeles, California for two years, back to Dallas for a couple of years and then found a home in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma until 1984. In 1985, a Cherokee man named Clem McSpadden, the General Manager of the NFR and a contingency of forward thinkers including Benny Binion of Binion’s Horseshoe Casino determined a new home for the NFR would be good in Las Vegas, Nevada. We celebrate that move to the city of light 3...
2024-12-1105 min
Weird History: Unexpected and Untold StoriesBenny Binion: The 'Friendliest' Mobster in VegasExplore the life of Benny Binion, a pioneering figure in Las Vegas gaming and the founder of the World Series of Poker. Discover his journey from a gambler and racketeer in Dallas, TX, to the establishment of his iconic Horseshoe Hotel and Casino on Fremont Street. Learn about the man who reshaped Las Vegas gambling with his unique mix of charisma and ruthlessness.
#BennyBinion #LasVegas #WeirdHistory #WorldSeriesofPoker #HorseshoeHotel #casinohistory #gamblingpioneers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2023-06-0714 min
Tales From A Concert JunkieMoonrunners Chronicles: Poppy Fields of P.s. FeelsI sat down with Poppy fields for a fun conversation. Her music can be found on https://poppyfieldsatx.bandcamp.com/album/eleven-minutes-ten-seconds
2023-05-2519 min
Tales From A Concert JunkieMoonrunners chronicles: Trey OswaldI sat down with the bassist for Call Me Bronco for my first episode for the MoonRunners Chronicles, where I interviewed people throughout the festival Moonrunners in Chicago at Reggies
2023-05-2513 min
The Jeff Does Vegas PodcastThe Cowboy - The Life & Times of the Legendary Benny Binion
The history of Las Vegas is jammed full of so many great stories about the mob and their involvement in the city but for this episode of the podcast, we're going in-depth on one that you might be be very familiar with.
Originally hailing from a small town in Texas that doesn't even exist anymore, Benny Binion rose to become a kingpin of the Las Vegas casino scene, creating a legacy that's lasted well beyond his death in the late 1980's.
Joining me to share Binion's story is Geoff Schumacher, Vice President of Ex...
2023-05-2259 min
Beyond Ordinary Women PodcastRe-Imagining Discipleship: A Church Leader Perspective with Elizabeth WoodsonElizabeth Woodson
Elizabeth Woodson, formerly on staff at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship and The Village in the Dallas Texas area, helps re-imagine discipleship as church staff. You don''t want to miss this episode in our series Re-Imagining Discipleship! Elizabeth shares three areas of focus for making disciples living the way of Jesus. Her wisdom applies to everyone from church staff to parents and mentors! To re-imagine discipleship as church staff is crucial.
If you missed our previous two episodes, please go back and listen to A Theological Perspective with Nika Spaulding, A Spiritual Direction Perspective with Debbie Swindoll and A Mi...
2022-09-2123 minTales From A Concert JunkieJahshie P of Moonrunners Music FestivalIn this episode I sit down with the promoter for Moonrunners Music Festival at Reggies in Chicago.
2022-09-1030 minTales From A Concert JunkieEvan Indiana moonrunners festivalI sat down with Evan Indiana while at moonrunners, he is also in a band called Clear Coat, check them out.
2022-09-0115 minTales From A Concert JunkieMatt Pless MoonrunnersMatt Pless sitting down with me at Moonrunners music festival
2022-09-0116 minTales From A Concert JunkieAlex from LA moonrunnersI got a small conversation with another festival goer named Alex from Los Angeles. This is part of the moonrunners saga
2022-09-0102 min
The Worship Leaders Collective PodcastWP | EP30 DAVID SPOSATO "WRITE BAD SONGS!!!"IF YOU’RE A SONG WRITER OR ASPIRING SONGWRITER YOU’RE GONNA LOVE THIS EPISODE! WE INVITED SPECIAL GUEST DAVID SPOSATO ON THIS EPISODE BECAUSE OF A POST HE WROTE TO OUR COMMUNITY A FEW YEARS AGO ENTITLED “WRITE BAD SONGS!”. YOU’LL HEAR US READ SOME OF THAT POST AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EPISODE WHICH YOU CAN PROBABLY IDENTIFY WITH. IN A DAY AND AGE WHERE EVERYTHING IS “AWESOME”, PERMISSION PERHAPS TO NOT BE “AWESOME” 24/7 AND SO HARD ON YOURSELF. THERE’S A PATH TO FIND YOUR AWESOME AND HONE YOUR GOD-GIVEN TALENTS…STAYING CONSISTENT AND AT TIMES WRITING “...
2022-08-0500 min
KPFA - Letters and PoliticsThe History of the Texas Rangers [Rebroadcast]Guest: Doug J. Swanson is a veteran reporter and editor, he spent much of his carrier at the Dallas Morning News. Currently he is a research assistant professor of English at the University of Pittsburgh. He is the author of several books including Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, The Texas Gangster who Created Vegas Poker. His new book is Cult Of Glory: The Bold And Brutal History Of The Texas Rangers.
The post The History of the Texas Rangers [Rebroadcast] appeared first on KPFA.
2020-12-2836 min
Mayborn Lit ConversationsDoug SwansonWhat started out as a two-year project that would chroncle the history of the much-revered Texas Rangers, turned out to be a five-year journey that exposes "a cult of glory" that reveals horrific truths. Doug J. Swanson's book rips of the veneer of that glory, showing how there history is riddled with vile massacres of Native Americans, murdering Mexicans at random and terrorizing Blacks throughout the state. Swanson is the author most recently of Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, the Texas Gangster Who Created Vegas Poker. He was for many years an investigative reporter and editor at...
2020-10-1359 min
Speaking of WritersDoug J Swanson- CULT OF GLORY- : The Bold and Brutal History of the Texas RangersThe Texas Rangers came to life in 1823, when Texas was still part of Mexico. Nearly 200 years later, the Rangers are still going, one of the most famous of all law enforcement agencies. Countless movies, television shows, and pulp novels have celebrated the Rangers as Wild West supermen. In many cases, they deserve their plaudits. But often the truth has been obliterated.
In CULT OF GLORY: The Bold and Brutal History of the Texas Rangers (Viking) Doug J. Swanson does justice to the Rangers’ heroic moments while also showing how the white and propertied power structures of Texas used...
2020-06-1111 minTales From A Concert JunkieNino Graye interviewA Toledo native who is a powerhouse of an emcee. He has been part of the hip hop collective Prhymal Rage out of Cleveland. A humble man who I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with.
2019-10-3111 minTales From A Concert JunkieImmortal Technique interviewHere is my interview with the legendary New York hip hop artist Immortal Technique. He was generous with his time and helping out with this podcast.
2019-10-3028 minTales From A Concert JunkieTales From A Concert Junkie ep. 3 Sam from Call me BroncoIn this episode, I interview Sam from Call me Bronco. His lyrics gripped me instantly and even though I don't normally buy cd's anymore, I bought this one.
2019-10-1828 minTales From A Concert JunkieTales From a Concert Junkie introductionIn this episode I, J. Dallas Binion, detail what Tales from a concert junkie will be. I talk about my first concert experience being ozzfest 2002 as well as my love of festivals.
2019-10-1804 minTales From A Concert JunkieMy interview with James HunnicuttHere is my interview with James Hunnicutt. He is a soulful solo artist, who after I had seen his performance at Muddy Roots 2018, I delved deep into his catalog. His lyrics are powerful and have helped me through some issues.
2019-10-1828 minTales From A Concert JunkieJason Galaz InterviewMy interview with Jason Galaz, the proprietor of Muddy Roots Records as well as the muddy roots music festival. He spins many plates also such as Southern Gothic festival, spring weekender, country roots festival, nashville boogie, and muddy roots europe. Throughout the spring and fall he does chartered train wine tours with music.
2019-10-1808 min
Mixed MediaEp. 11 - Barak Epstein's 'Prison-A-Go-Go!', Doug Swanson's 'Blood Aces,' the art and artifice of ghost writing - 8/05/15On episode 11 of Mixed Media: Dallas filmmaker Barak Epstein talks about the 10th anniversary release of his campy sexploitation comedy Prison-A-Go-Go! Then, Dallas Morning News investigative journalist Doug Swanson discusses the paperback release of his book, Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, the Texas Gangster Who Created Vegas Poker (including an update on the movie rights). Finally, we debate the art and artifice of the ghostwriter as we discuss Chris Vognar's profile of celebrity ghostwriter David Ritz.
2015-08-0653 min