PODCAST · society
Tall Tales & True
by ABC
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.
Episodes
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Mahmood Fazal — 'When death comes you wake up'
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…
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Jen Cloher — John
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…
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Cadance Bell — Small talk
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…
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Rebecca Day – The good, the dad, and the angsty
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...
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INTRODUCING – Tall Tales & True Season 13 | Rebellion
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…
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Leah Potter – Surviving the dungeon
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…
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Gala Vanting – Stumbling through step-motherhood
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...
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Chantell Martin – Becoming herself
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+...
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Jane Whatshername – The Raid
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...
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Formerly Betty – Finding a name
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…
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Pris – A first time for everything
Pris tells the story of the first time a low-key celebrity hired her and her friend for a threesome. It was also the first time a job went horribly – but hilariously – wrong for Pris. This story was first published on The Intro Room, an online sex worker storytelling night organised during the...
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Tilly Lawless – Four bookings and a breakup
Have you ever had to work closely with an ex? Sex worker Tilly Lawless has and it's one of the four bookings she reflects on in this story about processing her personal life through her work. Tilly first told this story for the national LGBTQI+ storytelling project Queerstories, curated by Maeve...
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INTRODUCING – Tall Tales & True Season 12 | Sex Workers
This season, sex worker and author Tilly Lawless (Nothing But My Body) brings you seven stories from sex workers across Australia. You'll hear stories about the job, stories about life, and stories about a community that looks out for its own in the face of stigmatisation. Often funny, sometimes...
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Bobuq Sayed – Stranded in Paradise
No one cares about your perfect holiday. When things go wrong, that's when the stories get interesting. Bobuq Sayed found themselves stranded, and alone with nowhere to stay on an island in Hawaii. What could have ended badly turned into a lesson for us all: you can always rely on the kindness of...
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Angie Farrugia – Always be kind
Sometimes, it's the small off-the-cuff comment that can have a lasting impact. For Angie Farrugia, this moment has happened twice. And both times, these choice few words have changed the course of her life. This story was first told live on stage in Melbourne at a Generation Women storytelling...
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Amy Chittick – For the love of footy
Footy clubs aren't just about the game, they're community too. And, for Amy Chittick, when a shock accident left her needing support, her footy club were there through her darkest days. This story was first aired on SPUN Stories, a live storytelling podcast created in Darwin by StoryProjects. For...
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James Parfitt-Fejo – The night Tracey came to town
Cyclone Tracey changed Darwin forever. Generations have heard about what happened from an adult's perspective, but what was it like for a four-year-old waiting for Santa? Jame Parfitt-Fejo recounts his family's experience of Cyclone Tracey, and how Australians rose up and helped them in their…
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Cobey Bartels – The cure to loneliness: motorcycles
Moving to a new city is hard. Making new friends, in a new city, as a lonely adult can be terrifying. Cobey Bartels tells the story of how motorcycles have saved him from loneliness more than once. This story was first told a GOMA, in conjunction with The Motorcycle Design, Art, Desire'…
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INTRODUCING – Tall Tales & True Season 11 | Community
We're back, with the best of live storytelling from around Australia. This season — hosted by journalist and mental health advocate Cobey Bartels — is a celebration of community. Whether it's at home where you grew, or somewhere new; communities can form when you least expect it. Hear five short...
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Ally and Stevie - My favourite ex
Most people aren’t friends with their ex, but Ally Garrett and Stevie Wilder are the exception. Where many relationships crumble and reach the point of no return, Ally and Stevie’s has lived to tell the tale. From young love, to overseas moves, and a gender transition; Ally and Stevie recount how...
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Jackson Browne - Big weather calling
Landing your dream job is never easy, especially when life keeps blowing you off course. Every time Jackson Browne seemed to be on the right track, life and death would get in the way. Many other people would have given up, but Jackson shows us that grit, determination and love can get you to…
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Gladys Docking – Getting back on the horse
Gladys got the call from the police that every parent dreads: her daughter Quita had been badly injured. Doctors said that she would never recover from her catastrophic brain injury. But what happened next surprised everyone.
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Paul Kidd - Getting laid at my boyfriend's funeral
Hooking up at weddings? We've all heard stories. Hooking up at a funeral? Not so much. At the height of another pandemic, Paul Kidd lost his boyfriend Darren. Paul tells the remarkable story of their relationship, from meeting on an overnight train, to going to Darren's last party together. This…
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Deena Lynch - Size doesn't matter, right?
Musician and activist Deena Lynch, aka Jaguar Jonze, gets knocked down literally and figuratively on her motorcycle all the time. She gets back up every time. Deena shares her experiences of hits and runs, and offensive assumptions about her while she’s on her motorcycle.
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INTRODUCING — Tall Tales & True Series 10: Resilience
Tough times never last, but tough people do. This is the best of Australian live storytelling. True stories, from all around the country. This season we’re showcasing resilience. Aussies from all different walks of life share how they got knocked down, both figuratively and literally, and rose...
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PRESENTS — Days Like These
From the heartbreaking to the hilarious, each episode of Days Like These introduces you to one regular human as they live through something wild. This season, we follow two men, facing off in the Tasmanian wilderness, there’s a shark-hunt through a university campus, and a strange chase down…
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Amal Awad – Doorknock Dating
Growing up as a Muslim in Australia, author Amal Awad had some excruciating dating experiences, most with her parents inviting prospective partners and their parents into the living room for awkward chats. Meanwhile, her dreams of hooking up with a celebrity suffered their own setbacks. Then, she...
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Charlie and Emma King — Live Like a King
Veteran Northern Territory broadcaster Charlie King is the son of two people from very different worlds and a consummate storyteller. After arriving in Darwin by bicycle, Charlie's 19-year-old father, from a well-to-do Victorian family, became ill and ended up in hospital where he met his...
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Juanita Phillips — Ghost Story
Midnight footsteps on a central staircase and a misplaced baby. New South Wales ABC TV newsreader Juanita Phillips was someone who didn't believe in ghosts or haunted houses... until she lived in one. A seriously rattled mother-in-law finally sparked a call for help. Enter ghost whisperer Pat,...
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Dave Pears — Relying on Strangers
Working on a boat off an island in the West Australian Kimberley region, Dave Pears learns a lesson about relying on the care of strangers. Stung by a blue-ringed octopus while making his way to the toilet, he manages to get to a house where the occupants and his crew mates must take action to…
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Sarah Macdonald — Taliban Money Tin
The last day of the school term can be exhausting for parents, kids and teachers alike. For ABC broadcaster Sarah Macdonald, the last day of school was particularly memorable. It started with her leaving a tin full of Afghan money at the school office and ended with police being called amid fears...
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INTRODUCING — Tall Tales & True Series 9 | Strangers
The best of Australian storytelling... true stories, told live, from the mountains to the sea, across the desert and right around Australia. This season we're talking about strangers and how planned or unexpected encounters can turn our lives upside down. You'll hear five stories about those we...
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Jessica Ferrari — Disguises
We all have ways of dealing with grief. As a child, Jessica Ferrari felt so responsible for others feeling sad about the death of her father that she decided to tell them she was "over it". Years later, she discovered it's really okay to feel sad.
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Charles Edwards — Dignity
Recovering from a particularly nasty skiing accident, Charles Edwards takes up a friend's offer to join her on a Pacific island holiday. Little does he know it will lead to naked sailing and letting go of his dignity while hobbling on crutches, in front of guests, at a Vanuatu beach resort.
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Louise Newton-Keogh — I Love You
Hearing the words "I love you" from her mother when she was a child sent a chill of dread through Louise Newton-Keogh. They were a warning sign of trouble ahead ... that her mother, who suffered from bi-polar disorder, was about to sink into another episode of mental illness. Louise and her...
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Kwong Yue Yang — My hero Jackie Chan
As a Chinese-Australian growing up in Canberra, Kwong Yue Yang felt anything but cool. A maths nerd with a bowl haircut, Kwong struck on a plan to become a cool kid. He'd track down Jackie Chan, his movie star idol, at a local restaurant to get a picture and an autograph. But rustling up the...
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Elyse Mcinerney — Off With The Fairy
When nine-year-old Elyse receives a thank you note from a fairy for building a miniature palace, it sparks a pen pal friendship that leads to schoolyard adoration and shared secrets. But then on holidays, the truth is revealed about her new friend, shattering a childhood dream.
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INTRODUCING — Tall Tales & True Series 8: "Letting Go"
The best of Australian storytelling ... true stories, told live, from all around Australia. This season we're talking about the difficult task of "letting go", in all sorts of ways. Of grief, or the fear of hearing the words "I love you". You'll hear five incredible stories about how getting over...
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Elliana Lawford — In my own skin
Elliana Lawford is a Wiradjuri and Anaiwan woman from NSW, but people think she’s white because she has pale skin. On her journey to self acceptance, Elliana finds a creative way to consolidate her identity and bury shame forever. This story was first told at SPUN Stories, a live storytelling...
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Bilha Smith — Transformed
As a child in Palestine, Bilha Smith was shunned. She learned early on what it was like to look and feel different. Years later, when she looked more ‘normal’, she found that, inside, she still felt ‘different’. Bilha realised that being comfortable in your own skin can be a lifelong journey.…
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Sinead Bevan – I'm f*#%ing helpful
Can you ever be too helpful? Yes, you can ... Sinead Bevan has the story to prove it. Sinead agrees to be a beauty salon demonstration model for a new technique called 'sugaring'. It involves hot wax, sugar and a Brazilian. As she lies down in front of a large group of students and dutifully...
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Bali Padda — The Big Snip
Do you remember your first ever haircut? Bali Padda does, but not for the reasons you might expect. The actor and diversity advocate tells us about an unlikely life-changing experience involving scissors and a very big bunch of hair. This story was first told at Queerstories, a national LGBTQI+...
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Cassie Workman — Mermaid
We all experience our bodies differently. We have our favourite bits, our less favourite bits and, sometimes, the bits that don’t feel part of us. Cassie Workman, a multi award-winning comedian and storyteller, shares her story of realisation and the journey to acceptance. *WARNING: This episode...
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INTRODUCING — Tall Tales & True Series 7
The best of Australian storytelling ... true stories, told live, from all around our Great Brown Land. This season we’re talking about skin - feeling comfortable, or not so comfortable, in your own skin. And the things we put on our skin, like fake tan ... or sugar mixed with wax on our nether...
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Leah Purcell — mum’s greatest gift
Leah Purcell's purpose had always been to look after her mum. And while she had dreams of the big city and becoming an actor, being a Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka Murri girl from the bush made that unlikely. Leah had a baby at 17 with an abusive man which made her acting dreams impossible. That was...
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Gus Fitzgerald – how to survive in open water
Gus Fitzgerald was just 10 when he was swept out to sea in rough and wild surf conditions. His father calmly followed, walking down the beach. Then Gus realised, his dad wasn't going to save him. It was up to him. When he lost his father to cancer, Gus had to learn another lesson, how to stay...
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Tim Bishop — a road trip back to country
"I could grow old with you, you know, I could really grow old with you," Tim Bishop's partner said to him. This was in the early days of their relationship, and Tim knew he was in for something. His man was from Cabbage Tree Island and knew his land as the land of his people since time…
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David Marr — his most bizarre day
It was while he was high on LSD on the day of his wedding to Jenny that David Marr had a realisation: he was gay. David knew what he’d done was wrong, marrying was a mistake. Despite this devastating insight, he felt an absolute calm, almost relief. While he was a passionate advocate for the 2017...
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Bridget Judd – finding the words to speak
May 28 was a bit of a blur for Bridget Judd. She remembers her mum's phone call and that she knew when she answered the news wasn't going to be good. She had lost her beloved father. Being a journalist, Bridget is used to finding the language to describe events. But this time she found herself in...
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INTRODUCING — Tall Tales & True Series Six
Losing a lover, losing a father or even losing yourself. What happens when your world gets turned upside down? And how often do we actually talk to each other about loss? In this series of Tall Tales & True, five people share personal stories of the transformation that can come from grief and…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
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.
HOSTED BY
ABC
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Tall Tales & True have?
Tall Tales & True currently has 71 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Tall Tales & True about?
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...
How often does Tall Tales & True release new episodes?
Tall Tales & True has 71 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Tall Tales & True?
You can listen to Tall Tales & True on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Tall Tales & True?
Tall Tales & True is created and hosted by ABC.
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