About this Episode
In this episode of the lABLEd podcast, hosts Lucy, Alice, and Daisy discuss the history and ethics of Victorian-era freak shows. They explore the lives of notable performers like Jeffrey Hudson, the Queen’s dwarf, and Charles Stratton, also known as Tom Thumb. The conversation delves into the exploitative nature of these shows, the racial and genetic stereotypes used to promote them, and the lack of consent from performers.
Sources
“Strange and Bizarre: The History of Freak Shows”. Things Said and Done Blog
The Rise and Fall of Circus Freakshows, Priceonomics
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (various)
Britannica (various)
The true story of Sir Jeffery Hudson, the real-life Tyrion Lannister, George Dvorsky
The Wonderful and Eccentric Lazarus Colloredo and his Parasitic Twin, Weird Historian, Marc Hartzman
Sir Jeffrey Hudson, Everywhere and Nowhere
Matthias Buchinger, “the greatest German living” by Jay, Ricky
Blind Piano Prodigy Thomas Greene Bethune, The White House Historical Society
The story of Thomas ‘Blind Tom’ Wiggins, a 19th-century piano prodigy born into slavery, Classic FM
Finding Krao Farini, Betsy Golden Kellem
Joice Heth (c.1756 -1836), George Washington’s Mount Vernon
The real Tom Thumb and the birth of celebrity, BBC News
General Tom Thumb, Britannica
The Strange Story Of Prince Randian- P.T. Barnum’s “Snake Man”, Katie Serena, All That’s Interesting
Freaks (1932)
Freaks (1932) IMDB
Freaks, Britannica
Transcript
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Production Team
Hosts: Alice Evans, Daisy Holder, and Lucy Wood
Editor: Adam Hulll
Guest Booker: Emma Purcell
Social Media Manager: Ella McD
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