Brianna Belladonna is a tattooed sword swallower, fire eater, and all-around daredevil who’s appeared on How I Met Your Mother, AMC’s Freakshow, CSI, Inked, just to name a few shows, and has performed at The Magic Castle, Six Flags Theme Park, the Playboy Mansion, Coney Island, the Jim Rose Circus, various tattoo expos, and many other shows and venues around the world. In this episode, she shares stories of her many amazing adventures in sword swallowing!

Brianna is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

Follow Brianna online:

Instagram: @briannabelladonna 

Facebook: Brianna Belladonna  

Website: https://www.briannabelladonna.com

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf

George “The Giant” McArthur stands 7’ 3” and is known as the world’s tallest sword swallower. He’s been gulping steel since the mid ‘90s. Find out how and why he got started, and about the adventures he’s had since—including being cast in Tim Burton’s 2003 film Big Fish.

George the Giant is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

Follow George online:

Instagram: @therealgeorgethegiant

Facebook: George the Giant’s Strange Museum of Oddities and Wonders

Website: Giantsoddities.com

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf

Erik Sprague, better known as The Lizardman, is a sword swallower, multi-talented performer, and author. As his website says, he’s “The Modified Marvel from the dark heart of Austin, a man with more ink in his skin, than blood in his veins."

In this episode, he discusses his beginnings in sword swallowing, his experiences with other dangerous stunts, his time with the Jim Rose Circus, and much more.

The Lizardman is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

Find The Lizardman online:

Website: TheLizardman.com 

Instagram: @thelizardman23

Facebook: The Lizardman

The Lizardman's Book: Once More Through The Modified Looking Glass

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf

Franz began swallowing swords in 2013, and since then has earned nine world records, including the most bowling pins knocked down while sword swallowing, the most sit-ups while sword swallowing, and swallowing the most curved sword (133 degrees).

In this episode, Dan and I speak to him during his recent visit to America. Hear about his start in sword swallowing, his many remarkable feats, and the time one of them sent him to the hospital for several weeks. 

Franz is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

Find Franz online:

Website: https://www.red-hot-sharp.com

Instagram: @franz_huber_81

YouTube: @redhotsharpentertainment

Facebook: @TheBavarinDaredevil

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf

Adam Rinn, aka, Adam Realman, is the artistic director at Coney Island USA and has been swallowing swords for about 25 years after learning at the Coney Island Sideshow School. Years later he took over as its instructor teaching sideshow arts to students eager to learn.

In this episode, Adam discusses growing up around the Coney Island sideshow in the ‘80s, his experiences learning the art of sword swallowing, his adventures as a performer, and much more. 

Adam is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

Follow Coney Island USA online:

 Instagram: @coney.island.usa 

Facebook: coneyislandusa 

Website: coneyisland.com

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf

Brad Byers has been swallowing swords for more than 45 years and is known for swallowing 12 swords one at a time and then twisting all 12 blades at once in place. Brad also juggles, rides a unicycle and tiny bicycles, balances on the rola bola board, walks on broken glass, yoyos, throws tops, spins suitcases and other large objects on his finger, balances a running lawn mower on his chin, and blows bubbles with a tarantula in his mouth—just to name a few of his stunts. His remarkable skills have earned him 73 world records.

Hear how Brad got started in sword swallowing, his adventures on Letterman, his experiences with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and much more in this episode. 

Brad is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

Follow Brad online:

Facebook: Brad Byers 

The Amazing World of Brad Byers

X: iambradbyers

Website: Bradbyers.com 

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf

Cyrus Pynn is a sword swallower, juggler, equilibrist, and knife thrower known for his amazing shows at Ren Faires. As his website says, “He's a man of skill, a man of danger, and some would say....a complete lunatic.” Hear about his adventures in sword swallowing and more in this episode.

Cyrus is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

Follow Cyrus online:

Instagram: @cytheswordswallower @bladesandbravery

Facebook: Cyrus Pynn

TikTok: Cytheswordswallower

Website: cyruspynn.com

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf

At 89 years old, Jim Ball holds a rare triple distinction in sword swallowing: he’s the world’s oldest living sword swallower; when he learned at age 12, he was the world’s youngest; and having swallowed steel for 77 years, he’s the world’s longest-performing sword swallower. Jim is also unique in that both his parents were sword swallowers: John “Lucky” Ball and Estelline Pike. It was his mother, Estelline, who trained him. 

Jim’s career took him across the U.S. and Canada, working with legendary showmen like Dick Best, Walter Wanous, and Alex Linton. From Hubert’s Museum in New York to Madison Square Garden with Ringling Bros., to What’s My Line? in 1958, and a stint in the army in between it all, Jim has many adventures to share in this episode.

Jim Ball is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf

Meet Stan Marye, an 88-year-old former sword swallower who started after reading an excerpt of Daniel Mannix’s 1951 book, Step Right Up!, in Reader’s Digest. He taught himself fire-eating and then learned to gulp steel. During the 1950s and '60s he worked with numerous sideshows and added various other stunts and skills to his repertoire. Hear about his adventures in sword swallowing and much more in this episode of To The Hilt.

Stan Marye is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf

You may have seen Jellyboy the Clown on America’s Got Talent Season 19, where he amazed audiences and the judges. Or perhaps you've read his recent book: Memoirs of a Coney Island Clown (Outside Talker Press). In this episode, you'll hear about Jellyboy’s beginnings as a clown, his start in sword swallowing and his creative twists on the art, like adding a chainsaw to the blade and experimenting with a Tesla coil. He also tells us about his adventures in retrieving a confiscated rifle sword in Ukraine, and much, much more. 

Jellyboy is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

Find Jellyboy online:

Website

SquidlingBrothers.com

Facebook

Eric Broomfield

Squidling Brothers 

Instagram

@ConeyIceland

And check out his new book, published by Outside Talker Press!

Memoirs of a Coney Island Clown

Outside Talker Press

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon.

Keith Nelson, also known as Mr. Pennygaff, is the co-founder of the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus.  The Bindlestiffs have been performing circus, sideshow, and vaudeville acts for thirty years.  The show has presented nearly 600 of the world’s top artists in the circus and variety fields across New York City and the Hudson Valley, and throughout the United States. Performances have engaged audiences in the hundreds of thousands in theaters, Spiegeltents, big tops, cruise ships, fairs and festivals, and more. 

In this episode, Keith shares his experiences working for Ward Hall, offers tips to aspiring sword swallowers, talks about performing on Late Night with David Letterman, and more.

Follow Keith Nelson and the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus online:

Website

Bindlestiff.org

Instagram

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus

Keith Nelson

Facebook

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus

Keith Nelson

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf

Chris Steele is the sword swallowing half of America’s Favorite Sideshow Couple, Captain & Maybelle. In this episode, you’ll hear about his start in gulping steel, his adventures on America’s Got Talent and Wife Swap, working with Ripley’s, lifting cinder blocks from a swallowed sword, twisting 7 swords 180 degrees, the extra-dangerous lightning bolt sword, nearly dying from a sword swallowing injury, spilling a bag of swords at the airport, and much more. 

Chris Steele is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

Find Chris Steele online:

 Website: CaptainandMaybelle.com 

Instagram: @captain_steele_

Facebook: Captain & Maybelle

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf

Bill Berry has been entertaining, juggling, and sword swallowing for more than 25 years, and is world-renowned as a silver medalist IJA juggler. Along with his performing partner Nerdy Noah Royak, they perform a variety juggling-sword swallowing act as the Distinguished Daredevils.

In this episode, you’ll hear about Bill’s beginnings in sword swallowing, the power of visualization, integrating juggling into his act, dealing with saliva, and Dorothy. Yes, Dorothy—the worst audience volunteer ever. Plus, Bill’s Distinguished Daredevils partner, Noah Royak, joins us as well to discuss some of his new sword swallowing stunts.

Bill Berry is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

Find Bill Berry and the Distinguished Daredevils online:

Website

mrbillberry.com 

Instagram

@mrbillberry

@nerdynoahshow

@DistinguishedDaredevils

Facebook

Bill Berry

Noah Royak

Distinguished Daredevils

YouTube

Distinguished Daredevils

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf

The Amazing Zilla is a sword swallower known for swallowing monster swords, as well as a bearded lady and contortionist. In this episode, she talks about learning to swallow swords from Red Stuart and how to modify her blades properly, swallowing an Excalibur sword at a beard and mustache competition, finding ways to push the limits of her abilities, and much more.

The Amazing Zilla is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing.

Find The Amazing Zilla online on Instagram for photos, videos, tour info, and more: @the_amazing_zilla

For more on To The Hilt, visit ToTheHiltBook.com or purchase a copy on Amazon.

Red Stuart has been swallowing swords since 1967, when he learned from sideshow performer Toni Del Rio. Within two years, his quick mastery of the art led him to become the only sword swallower to swallow broadswords and car axles.

Red has worked with many shows over the years, including Ward Hall and Chris Christs’ World of Wonders. He can currently be seen at Pexcho’s American Dime Museum in Augusta, Georgia.

Red has also taught 61 apprentices over the years, and at the end of this episode, two of his latest students join us—Jax Silvertree, and 11-year-old Billy Excho. 

Red Stuart is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, published by Schiffer Publishing. Purchase the book here on Amazon, or wherever else you buy books.

Find Red Stuart online:

Facebook: Red Stuart

Pexcho's American Dime Museum

Website :Pexcho’s American Dime Museum

Buy Red's Book: Red Stuart: With It, For It, and Proud of It