Funny Peculiar Podcast

Jeff Downs
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Performing Arts
  • Updated Semiweekly

This is a podcast with a difference where all the guests are from the world of alternative performance; burlesque dancers, illusionists, fetish acts, drag queens, character acts, circus clowns, sword swallowers & special FX make up artists. I'm your host Jeff Downs, character comic and budding drag artist and want you to join me on a journey through the world of the 'funny peculiar!'.

  1. Episode 52: Big Sam - The Beast of Bodmin / Professional UK Wrestler

    May 9

    Episode 52: Big Sam - The Beast of Bodmin / Professional UK Wrestler

    Thanks to Big Sam for coming on the show - my first wrestler and what a treat. A brilliant episode. Here is more info on Sam with links below: Growing up in Cornwall, he developed a love for wrestling at the age of seven. Wrestling became an escape from a difficult home life, which included caring responsibilities after his father left when he was seven years old. During school, he experienced severe bullying, including having his nose broken by older students while in primary school. After becoming homeschooled, he grew increasingly reclusive. At 16, a family friend introduced him to weightlifting at the gym, helping him build both confidence and physical strength. By 19, he was trying out for American football, but at 23 he suffered a major injury, completely tearing three ligaments. The recovery process required two surgeries and lasted two years and two months. Following his recovery, he decided to pursue wrestling as a "now or never" opportunity. He travelled an hour and a half to attend his first training session, ultimately spending five hours training on that very first day and immediately falling in love with the sport. Thanks to his size and presence, he had his first wrestling match just three months into training. However, after only two matches, he was forced to step away from wrestling for five years. During that time, he met Jason King at one of the wrestling shows he had appeared on, and later met him again outside a WWE event in Plymouth. It was there that Jason King recognised both his size and his potential as a major attraction in wrestling. On May 3rd, 2023, he stepped into Reach Wrestling to begin training once again. Since returning to active competition around two years ago, he has competed in 105 matches, including international appearances in France. During that time, he has held two tag team championships for different companies and is currently the CPW Cornish Heavyweight Champion. If you would like to see Big Sam or more wrestlers please visit: Reach Wrestling Socials Instagram and Tiktok are both:  @thebeast.big.sam

    1h 13m

  2. Apr 22

    Episode 51: Adam Conroy / DJ, Music Producer, Record Label Owner and Artist Development

    Welcome back! In this episode I chat to Adam Conroy a dynamic DJ, music producer, and record label owner known for his roots in the North East of England. Beginning his career in Middlesbrough and Newcastle, he built a reputation for energetic, crowd-focused sets before expanding into music production and artist development. His passion for sound led him into university studies, refining his craft and business acumen while evolving into a forward-thinking figure in the wider music industry. A great guest and champion for the younger artists emerging into today's competitive music industry.

    54 min

  3. 05/08/2019

    Episode 50: Lucy Lush / Drag Queen and Radio Presenter

    This week and I chat to the amazingly talented Lucy Lush, drag queen extraordinaire. Lucy Lush is a drag artiste actress/actor plus one of the campcooks touring UK wide festivals also a Broadcast Journalist for gaydio Lucy boasts a flamboyant career spanning 20 years working with drag legends, such as Lily Savage. But, while the name may not be instantly recognisable, his alter ego may well raise a few eyebrows. She travels all over the UK as drag queen Lucy Lush, performing shows under other guises including Hilda Crabtree, Lucy's 70-year-old grandmother. Lucy Lush is not an everyday drag act and uses comedy put together from recent topical news stories to constantly update his acts. "When Lucy Lush is on stage Lucy Lush is real." "From a performance aspect I can be as outrageous as possible and it's all purely for fun." A massive thank you to Lucy for being my final guest on the podcast. It's truly a great interview. https://twitter.com/therealLucyLush https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009111483198 https://www.instagram.com/lucylushuk/?hl=en

    1h 13m

  4. 05/05/2019

    Episode 49: Vivien Ella Walden / Madam and Author

    This week I speak to Vivien Ella Walden author of Eating from the Cherry Tree. Vivien Ella Walden who is still alive and kicking, born in Salford Manchester. Raised in a loving working class Jewish family she ran from her heritage, bared her perfectly formed derriere and partied with the elite and famous while taking on many guises and titles. With the death of her first husband she took on his mantle and grew to become one of the UK's most successful 'madams' within a world of scandal and naughtiness, corruption and suffering, sadness and exhilarating happiness. 'After all these years, I am still involved in the process of self-discovery. It's better to explore life and make mistakes than to play it safe. Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life'. EATING FROM THE CHERRY TREE: You had me gripped from the very beginning and captivated me on every single page. A life filled with trauma, tragedy humour and sexiness. Opening your world through beautiful use of language that evaporates any concept of taboo.#5STAR #reviewMyBook.to/CherryTree Thanks to Vivien for coming on the show. Social media: https://www.facebook.com/viv.walden.71 https://twitter.com/vivienwalden

    43 min

  5. 05/01/2019

    Episode 48: Bard Company / Poetry and music performance combo

    This week I chat with Tony Kinsella, Jeff Dawson (Jeffarama), Gordon Zola and Ian Whiteley, collectively known as Bard Company. Poetry with a difference! Four alternative poets performing a rock n' roll fuelled selection of their work with humour and no doubt a bit of controversy. Each member brings his own unique style to the group getting to know each other on the poetry and performance circuit for the last 5 years. They include poetry with musical backing tracks and songs with acoustic backing, also comedy and brilliant one-liners to give the edge on any socialist event, anti-war gig or comedy fundraiser. As they say themselves, "We want to perform some old/new stuff as a group with a different edge to it, have a few laughs, cause a bit of controversy and mayhem on the way, all for one & one for all!!" They have so far played in Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Wigan, Leeds, Wakefield and grow from strength to strength.   A big thank you again to Tony, Ian, Gordon and Jeff for coming on the show.   Social media contact: https://www.facebook.com/tony.kinsella.73 https://www.facebook.com/ian.c.whiteley https://www.facebook.com/gordon.zola.1 https://www.facebook.com/jeff.dawson.792 Jeffarama Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/jeffinbolton/?hl=en

    37 min

  6. 04/27/2019

    Episode 47: Aunty Ginger / Drag Queen

    This week I chat to a wonderful lady, a marvellous performer Aunty Ginger aka Thomas Henderson-Griffiths. Ginger has been on the drag circuit for four years and has made a huge impact, she won the Miss Drag UK 2019 competition and is part of The Three Ladies drag musical trio. She organises, produces and performs in her charity nights for the Albert Kennedy Trust and also performs in a variety of drag shows and events around the UK. Plus she is a grade 8 cello player! A multi talented lady indeed! Come meet everyone's favourite Aunty, she believes in justice for cougars and combines old school and new school with campy lip sync comedy, badly sung tunes and Dad jokes. She can always be relied on for whipping her baps out at a family gathering and her trademark crusty makeup will give you life, trust! It's a great interview and a pleasure to have Aunty Ginger on the show! Thank you darling! Check out Aunty's instagram it's filled with great pics and info! Social media for Aunty: https://www.instagram.com/aunty_ginger https://twitter.com/tdgriffiths1 https://www.facebook.com/auntyginger87/ auntygingeruk@gmail.com https://www.akt.org.uk/

    37 min

  7. 04/16/2019

    Episode 46: Christian Reilly / Musical Comedian

    This week I chat to the wonderfully talented Christian Reilly. A stalwart on the UK comedy circuit for many years Christian never fails to deliver outstanding comedy. I've always been a massive fan of his comedy and musical parodies, a range of bands, check out his Artic Monkey's parody! The best!!  Christian's first comedy gig was in the Perrier Award-winning show, 'Rich Hall is Otis Lee Crenshaw'. He is a global comedy circuit headliner and has appeared at numerous international comedy festivals, on BBC radio and TV, and in four series of the Chortle Award-winning stand-up and sketch show 'Richard Herring: As It Occurs To Me'. In 2015, BBC Radio 4 followed Christian on the road to the Edinburgh Fringe for 'Lives In a Landscape'. 2016 saw Christian taking his comedy to Australia as part of Perth's Fringeworld festival. Catch him soon at a comedy club near you! Check out Christian on social media: https://christreilly.com/ https://twitter.com/christreilly https://www.youtube.com/user/christianosfandango1/videos https://www.facebook.com/christianreillycomedy christreilly@outlook.com

    58 min

  8. 04/09/2019

    Episode 45: Dave Morgan / Poet and writer

    This week I chat to the multi-talented Dave Morgan, a Bolton poet who has been gigging and writing in and around the North West for the last 20 years. He has worked in all sectors of education, and in a range of community and voluntary organisations plus involvement in teaching Chinese cooking, performance poetry, community action, and a host of other interests. Dave says, "Younger people seem to think that those of us growing up in the 1960s were somehow charmed. Maybe we were.  I have no idea what it is like to be young today, any more than my parents had any idea what it was like to be young in the 1960s. I don't envy the young, the odds are heavily stacked against them. Almost as much as they are stacked against the poor." For further information about Dave please see links below: https://www.davemorgan.info https://www.writeoutloud.net/ https://www.facebook.com/dave.morgan.31945

    1h 4m
See All (52)

About

This is a podcast with a difference where all the guests are from the world of alternative performance; burlesque dancers, illusionists, fetish acts, drag queens, character acts, circus clowns, sword swallowers & special FX make up artists. I'm your host Jeff Downs, character comic and budding drag artist and want you to join me on a journey through the world of the 'funny peculiar!'.

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Downs
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Jeff Downs 2026
  • Show Website
    Funny Peculiar Podcast