Feb 17, 202649 minS1
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...
arts
To The Hilt
Hosted by Marc Hartzman and Dan Meyer · arts · EN
About this Podcast:
Welcome to To the Hilt! The podcast version of To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing—a book that explores the mysterious and dangerous world of sword swallowing, charting its history from ancient rituals to mod¬ern-day performances. This show features its co-authors, world-renowned sword swallower Dan Meyer and sideshow historian Marc Hartzman, cutting up jackpots with modern-day sword swallowers. In other words, hear their wild stories and experiences as they travel the world gulping steel blades for your entertainment and keeping this most unusual art alive.
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Contact path
Verified email
Booking probability
19%
Guest openness
Selective
80/100
Required Score
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What is To The Hilt about?
Welcome to To the Hilt! The podcast version of To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, a book that explores the mysterious and dangerous world of sword swallowing, charting its history from ancient rituals to mod¬ern-day performances.
Who hosts To The Hilt?
To The Hilt is hosted by Marc Hartzman and Dan Meyer. The show has published 14 episodes to date.
What has To The Hilt covered recently?
Recent episodes include "Stan Marye: Memoirs of a 1950s Sword Swallower" (17 February 2026, 49 minutes), "Jellyboy: Clown of Danger and Science" (7 August 2025, 39 minutes), and "Keith Nelson: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Sword Swallower" (17 July 2025, 23 minutes).
How often does To The Hilt publish?
To The Hilt publishes roughly weekly, with episodes averaging 45 minutes across 14 episodes.
How hard is it to get booked on To The Hilt?
Booking probability for To The Hilt is 19%, and the host is rated Selective on guests. To The Hilt requires a Pod Score of 80 or higher. To The Hilt's contact route on record: verified email.
Who should pitch To The Hilt?
The strongest fits for To The Hilt are Artists, Writers & Performers. To The Hilt has an arts audience.
About the host
Marc Hartzman and Dan Meyer hosts To The Hilt, an arts podcast with 14 episodes published.
Verified host email: ████████@████.comSign in to unlock →
Recent episodes
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Episode #14
Jellyboy: Clown of Danger and Science
Aug 7, 202539 minS1<p>You may have seen Jellyboy the Clown on America’s Got Talent Season 19, where he amazed and shocked audiences and the judges. Or perhaps you've read his recent book: Memoirs of a Coney Island Clown (Outside Talker...
- Jul 17, 202523 minS0
<p>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...
- Jun 26, 20251h 2mS1
<p>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...
Episode #11
Bill Berry: Juggling Sword Swallower
Jun 19, 20251h 3mS1<p>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...
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Episode #10
The Amazing Zilla: Feral Showgirl
Jun 12, 202553 minS1<p>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...
Episode #9
Red Stuart: The Living Legend
Jun 5, 202546 minS1<p>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...
Episode #8
The Lizardman: Modified Marvel
May 29, 20251h 11mS1<p>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...
Episode #7
Franz Huber: Bavarian Daredevil
May 22, 202529 minS1<p>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...
- May 15, 202535 minS1
<p>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...
Episode #5
Brad Byers: Sword Swallower with a Twist
May 8, 202544 minS1<p>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...
- May 1, 202532 minS1
<p>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...
- Apr 24, 202537 minS1
<p>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...
Episode #2
Brianna Belladonna: Mistress of Mayhem
Apr 17, 202539 minS1<p>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...
- Apr 10, 202550 minS1
<p>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...
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