In the century since Russia’s “Mad Monk” was poisoned, we've come to believe a lot of things: he was mystical, he was evil, he was the world’s greatest lover.

This hour: Rasputin — the all-too-human peasant who found his way to friendship with the Romanovs, and the comical, absurd version that just won’t die.

GUESTS:

Douglas Smith: Historian and author of Rasputin: Faith, Power, and the Twilight of the Romanovs
Chris Roberson: Co-writer of the Hellboy comic Rasputin: Voice of the Dragon

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Colin McEnroe, Lily Tyson, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.

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Why we’re still mesmerized by the myth of Rasputin