Tall Tales & True

Dec 06 2022 71 ep. 11 mins 983
Tall Tales & True Podcast artwork

Tall Tales & True brings together the very best of live storytelling from across Australia. Courageous storytellers front up to the microphone to bare their soul and share their life-changing moments in front of a live audience. Captivating, jaw-dropping and thought provoking, these pure Australian stories will make you laugh, cry or gasp, or maybe all three at once.

  Society & Culture  Arts
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Mahmood Fazal — 'When death comes you wake up'

Dec 06 2022 11 mins  
Before Mahmood Fazal was a writer and journalist, he was part of an outlaw motorcycle club, abusing drugs and running wild. He saw plenty of destruction and death, but when his best mate was killed everything changed. Mahmood shared this story for Better Off Said: Eulogies for the Living and Dead. Better Off Said is a spoken-word event celebrating stories and human experiences. P

Jen Cloher — John

Dec 06 2022 15 mins  
Adelaide in the 1980s was not the easiest place for a kid to figure out their gender. Jen Cloher's stint as "John" the Galaga-playing champ at the local takeaway was short-lived and ended ingloriously. Jen first told this story for the national LGBTQI+ storytelling project Queerstories, curated by Maeve Marsden. Subscribe to the podcast or check out the Queerstories book.

Cadance Bell — Small talk

Dec 06 2022 17 mins  
Three years before she transitioned genders, Cadance was a fat, depressed guy buying weed from bikie gangs and nursing a near-killer blood clot. Then came a surprising chat in the most unlikely place. Cadance first told this story for the national LGBTQI+ storytelling project Queerstories, curated by Maeve Marsden. Subscribe to the podcast or check out the Queerstories book. Conte

Rebecca Day – The good, the dad, and the angsty

Dec 06 2022 15 mins  
Growing up can be pretty hard work and there's not a lot of room to think about anyone else, especially your parents. Rebecca Day has some fond memories from her days as an angsty, rebellious teen, but she does regret the trouble she caused for her poor old dad. This story was first told for SPUN Stories, a live storytelling podcast created in Darwin by StoryProjects. For more sto

INTRODUCING – Tall Tales & True Season 13 | Rebellion  

Nov 29 2022 2 mins  
From a rebelling teen who lands her dad in a world of hot water, to a kid named Jennifer, with a secret identity, this season host and curator Mahmood Fazal brings you five frank, funny and fearless stories of rebellion. You’ll hear from people finding themselves through their rebellion and another who found himself in the wrong place during a rebellion. Tall Tales and True finds

Leah Potter – Surviving the dungeon

Sep 06 2022 14 mins  
When Leah Potter was at uni, her topless-barmaid girlfriend asked her to join her for a private gig. All she had to do was wear a corset and g-string and whip a few blokes. So began her career as a dominatrix. This story was first told for SPUN Stories, a live storytelling podcast created in Darwin by StoryProjects. For more stories like this go to SPUN Stories. Content warning: T

Gala Vanting – Stumbling through step-motherhood

Sep 06 2022 16 mins  
Gala Vanting is a sex worker. But that's not something she can tell her stepdaughter. This story is a touching collection of moments as Gala navigates her role as stepmother in her blended family. This story was first told as part of the national LGBTQI+ storytelling project Queerstories, curated by Maeve Marsden. Subscribe to the podcast or check out the Queerstories book.

Chantell Martin – Becoming herself

Sep 06 2022 11 mins  
As a trans woman in a small town 30 years ago, Chantell Martin saw the desperation to be "genetically born female" lead others to self-harm, even suicide. So, she made a choice to be proud to be trans. That choice changed everything for her. This story was first told as part of national LGBTQI+ storytelling project Queerstories, curated by Maeve Marsden. Subscribe to the podcast or

Jane Whatshername – The Raid

Sep 06 2022 11 mins  
What risks do sex workers face when their profession is criminalised? And what measures do they take to avoid being busted? "Jane Whatshername" tells a story about working in a South Australian brothel and what happened when the police inevitably turned up. This story was first published on The Intro Room, an online sex worker storytelling night organised during the pandemic by Deb

Formerly Betty – Finding a name

Sep 06 2022 11 mins  
When you're new to sex work there's a lot to learn and there are choices to make. What will your boundaries be, and will you be prepared to cross them? And what name will you use? This storyteller chose the name Betty. These days she works in alternative trauma therapy, but she looks back fondly on her days as a sex worker. This story was first published on The Intro Room, an onlin