The Dollop with Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds
Episode 698 – Bo Gritz – Part Three
Release Date: August 26, 2025

Episode Overview

In the third installment of the Bo Gritz saga, Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds dive into the controversial Vietnam vet’s foray into politics, his pivotal involvement in the Ruby Ridge standoff, his complicated relationships with both fringe right-wing movements and authorities, the collapse of his "Almost Heaven" survivalist community, and his final spiral into outlandish activism. As ever, Dave leads the historical narrative with Gareth’s trademark irreverent asides, poking holes in the absurdities and contradictions of fringe American history.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Bo Gritz Enters Politics and Encounters Ruby Ridge

(03:05 – 12:20)

• Dave and Gareth discuss Bo Gritz's political ambitions, running for president under the Populist Party alongside conspiracy theorists and figures who believed in "lizard people."
• The narrative pivots to the 1992 Ruby Ridge standoff: ATF errors, law enforcement’s deadly missteps, and fringe escalation.
• Dave details how Gritz is brought in by local authorities hoping his credibility with far-right groups would defuse the crisis.

Notable Quote:
Dave (06:17): "They needed someone respected by fringe white supremacists. But one who didn’t completely despise the entire government apparatus, Gareth. They needed Bo Gritz."

2. Bo Gritz as Negotiator at Ruby Ridge

(12:20 – 25:20)

• Gritz insists on direct negotiation and gains Weaver’s trust through empathy, religious language, and appeals to family, achieving what the FBI could not.
• He helps evacuate the wounded, removes Vicki Weaver’s body with compassion, and ultimately convinces Randy Weaver and his daughters to surrender peacefully.
• The FBI is both embarrassed and resentful, as Gritz's mediation highlights their mishandling and lack of effective communication.

Memorable Moment (Vision vs. Dream Bit):
(17:11 – 23:45)
Gareth and Dave riff on Gritz’s claim of having a prophetic "vision" about the standoff’s end, with Gareth mercilessly mocking him:
Gareth: "That’s actually—jump in quick—what we call a dream. Yeah, that is—I wasn’t awake, I wasn’t asleep, but I was seeing stuff. You were asleep?"

3. Public Reaction, Nazi Salute, and Backlash from the Right

(25:20 – 29:47)

• Bo becomes a media hero but undercuts himself by giving a Nazi salute to skinhead supporters—a moment widely photographed.
• He later tries to deny intent:
  Dave (26:08): "Despite clear photographic evidence of him doing a Nazi salute, Bo disputed the charge. Quote: 'If I wanted to give a Nazi salute, I certainly would have known how to give it, and I would have given it in a fashion that any good Nazi would have been proud of.'"
• His base turns on him for “collaborating” with authorities, wanting martyrdom over surrender.
• Both right-wing extremists and media criticize Gritz for preventing a violent showdown.

4. Aftermath: Failed Presidential Campaign and Grifting Accusations

(29:08 – 39:12)

• Gritz’s campaign fizzles due to self-sabotage; he declines major media appearances and is accused of misusing campaign funds.
• Despite post-Ruby Ridge fame, he makes nearly no impact in the presidential race, especially outside fringe circles.

Notable Quote:
Dave (29:58): "He’s out of his mind and he’s not thinking properly because he’s out of his mind."

5. Almost Heaven: The Survivalist Compound

(39:12 – 46:08)

• Gritz shifts to hosting survivalist “Spike” seminars (Specially Prepared Individuals for Key Events) and founds "Almost Heaven," a remote Idaho community for doomsday preppers.
• The compound swells with Y2K fears but quickly devolves into mismanagement scandals, wild conspiracies, and legal trouble.
• Gritz is caught up in a botched kidnapping to "rescue" children based on false satanic ritual abuse claims, only to be acquitted by luck. His personal life unravels; he divorces, is excommunicated from the Mormon Church, and survives a suicide attempt.

6. Late Life and Further Absurdity

(46:08 – end)

• Gritz dabbles in further futile activism, e.g., trying to personally capture the Atlanta Olympic bomber and inserting himself into the Terri Schiavo right-to-die case—with more citizens’ arrest theatrics.
• He feuds with ever-more extreme separatists (calling them “noodles”) and ultimately abandons Almost Heaven.
• Semi-retired, Gritz continues his survivalist outreach, radio lectures, and brief, odd forays into splinter religious groups.

Notable Quotes:

• Dave (53:08): “He wrote bulletins like this: ‘Look to those who are openly Antichrist. Who in the world is promoting abortion, pornography, pedophilia, godless laws, adultery, New Age international banking, entertainment industry, and world publishing.’”
• Dave (63:30): "He’s still with us. He’s 86. When looking back at his life and career, Bo summed it up: 'I’m very glad that things went the way they did. I wouldn’t want to be a general in the Pentagon today with a—no—with no goonads sitting there having been...having been castrated of my initiative or any real talent that I might have.'"

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Dave (09:11): "Well, I’m here talking to you and you’re not talking to Randy Weaver, are you?"
• Gareth (14:29): "Fair? … Yes, completely."
• Dave (25:20): "He sees a group of skinheads, and he gives them a Nazi salute."
• Gareth (26:27): "That is—dude, that’s exactly like Trump with that Epstein drawing…"
• Dave (41:04): "Bo circled [Idaho] and a name called to him immediately... 'Almost Heaven.' Jesus Christ."
• Gareth (52:07): "Boy, you’re really looking back when you add it up…"
• Dave (55:04): "She helped him join the Church of Israel, which is a splinter group off the Mormon Church… it’s basically the same thing Beau believed in before, except they added being anti-vax and sovereign citizens to the whole thing."

Important Timestamps

• 03:05: Bo Gritz enters the 1992 presidential race; Ruby Ridge context
• 07:31: Far-right flock to support Weaver during standoff
• 09:41: Bo’s direct negotiation begins; empathy and religious appeal
• 16:48: FBI gives Bo a deadline: resolve the standoff or they’ll end it by force
• 24:08: Weaver surrenders at Gritz’s urging; peaceful conclusion
• 25:20: Comical/absurd moment: Gritz gives Nazi salute to skinheads
• 29:14: Chairwoman complains about Gritz’s sabotaged campaign/media avoidance
• 39:12: The "Almost Heaven" compound and survival seminars explained
• 43:53: Botched "rescue" and subsequent legal fallout for Gritz
• 47:08: Divorce, excommunication, and suicide attempt
• 56:00: Gritz intervenes in Terri Schiavo case, with citizens’ arrests for public officials
• 63:30: End-of-life summary and Gritz’s self reflection

Tone and Style

Dave and Gareth’s tone remains biting, incredulous, and sardonic throughout. They lampoon Gritz’s frequent delusions of grandeur, conspiracy-laden worldview, and the cyclical futility of fringe American extremism—while also highlighting the tragic consequences of institutional overreach and breakdown.

Summary

This third chapter concludes the Bo Gritz saga by highlighting his repeated steps into chaos, disaster, and spectacle—from peace broker at Ruby Ridge to survivalist grifter, from would-be presidential candidate to an isolated, aging crank. Dave and Gareth underscore the dangers of unchecked paranoia, the shallowness of self-styled "heroes" courting fringe audiences, and the absurd, sometimes tragic, arc of American right-wing subculture. Their banter provides comic relief amid the darkness, making the Dollop’s retelling both informative and wickedly entertaining.