History Lessons for Misanthropes

97 - Hedy Lamarr

In this episode we discuss the 1940s Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr. Born in Austria, she got her start in Germany cinema before fleeing ro the US during the war to escape her marriage. As well as an extensive filmography, Hedy was an inventor who designed military grade weapons solutions.

96 - Mary Anne Shadd

In this episode we discuss the life of Mary Ann Shadd, a teacher, activist, and journalist in the mid-1800s. She was a freeborn black woman who was exposed to the abolitionist movement from a young age, which inspired her to spend her life fighting for the rights of black people in Canada and the United States. While one would think the abolitionist community would welcome any support, Mary Ann's tenacity and drive rubbed many abolitionst leaders the wrong way. She was a woman who never let the circumstance of race or gender stop her from establishing schools, a newspaper, and touring lecture circuits to earn support for the movement.    music by V►LH►LL vlhll.bandcamp.com [https://historyformisanthropes.libsyn.com/vlhll.bandcamp.com]

95 - Joseph Pujol (le Petomane)

The last episode of 2022! In this bawdy and often silly episode, we discuss the life of 19th century entertainer, Joseph Pujol, better known as le Petomane. Joseph's skill was that he had a masterful contron of his GI system, and could pass gas in myriad and entertaining ways. We're ending the year with an absurd and happy story. music by V►LH►LL vlhll.bandcamp.com [https://historyformisanthropes.libsyn.com/vlhll.bandcamp.com]

94 - Maila Nurmi aka: Vampira

In this episode, we look at the life and troubled career of Maila Nurmi, who created the Vampira character in 1954. Before creating her iconic glamour ghoul, Maila had a hard time breaking into show business both in Hollywood and Broadway. She struggled with a strict upbringing while not fitting into the expected life for young women. We discuss the relationships she had with elite members of Hollywood, and the later exploitation by the system she so desperatly wanted approval from.  music by V►LH►LL vlhll.bandcamp.com [https://historyformisanthropes.libsyn.com/vlhll.bandcamp.com]

93 - Possession in New France

In this episode we discuss a possession in New France, when a young women named Barbe Hallay was tormented by demons. This is a story of colonization in the 17th century, a land that is trying to keep it's colonial population Catholic in the face of hardships, and a nun who desperately wants sainthood. Was Barbe really possessed? Was it her way of maintining bodily autonomy in a way that was fixable by the church? Are any of these questions actually answered? You'll have to listen to find out! Check out "The Possession of Barbe Hally" by Mairi Cowan. Music by Valhall.