Welcome to The Big Smoke Variety Show!

This week, we’re celebrating Pride from every angle—through folklore, resistance, and the hidden treasures history leaves behind.

First, Kevin sits down with Sunday Times bestselling author Sacha Coward to explore Queer as Folklore—a book that traces the hidden queer history in myths, monsters, and stories we’ve told for centuries. From the otherworldly deep sea in The Little Mermaid, to the far away aliens in Star Trek, Sacha reveals how folklore has always been a home for the in-between, the beautiful, and the feared.

In our Parish Notices, we look beyond our borders at the state of LGBTQ+ rights around the world—where Pride is both celebration and defiance. From Malawi to Thailand, East Timor to Washington DC, we spotlight the brave acts of visibility that remind us: connection can outshine ignorance. Kevin also shares a personal reflection on The Laramie Project and the true story of Matthew Shepard—an example of how stories, spoken aloud and repeated, can echo outward to help create a better world.

Then, fan favourite Sean Clark the Mudlark returns with a treasure plucked from the River Thames just in time for Pride: a gleaming copper farthing from the reign of King James I—Britain’s first openly queer monarch. Four hundred years later, his story re-surfaces.

Sign up for our free newsletter at thebigsmokevariety.com.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share the show with a friend, or leave a quick review—it really helps us grow.

Until next time—stay proud, stay curious, and we’ll see you soon in The Big Smoke.

--

Links

Queer as Folklore Book 

Thailand Marriage Equality Article

Budapest Pride Article

Australians Cancel Travel to USA Article

--

Chapters

(00:00 ) Intro

(1:30 ) Sacha Coward Interview

(1:03:15 ) Parish Notices

(1:06:56 ) Reflections on The Laramie Project 

(1:15:52 ) Sean Clark the Mudlark’s Latest Find

(1:20:08 ) Outro

--

Credits

Hosted & Executive Produced by Kevin Bennett

Produced & Edited by Alex Graham

Assistant Produced by Adam Wright

Original music by Giles Terera

Music arranged and played by Joseph Atkins