The Dollop with Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds 160 - The Past Times with Beth Stelling
Feb 6, 2026
Beth Stelling, a sharp stand-up comedian and writer, joins to riff on bizarre 1903 newspaper oddities. They unpack gendered costume licenses, a teacher’s lime attack, a stolen wig scheme, tragic animal tales, and quirky legal rulings. Fast banter and surprising historical headlines keep the laughs coming.
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Licensed Gendered Dress In Paris
- Paris in 1903 required police-issued certificates for some women to wear masculine clothing, including artists and a bearded woman.
- The hosts mocked the bureaucracy and odd examples like a potato merchant allowed to wear female garments.
Lax Justice For Harmful Acts
- A schoolteacher, Jasper Abel, was fined $25 after throwing lime in a child's eyes and claiming ignorance of harm.
- The hosts highlight past lenient punishments and shock at the injury-causing substance.
The Hindu Sleeper Robbed During Exhibition
- A performer called the "Hindu sleeper" staged long sleeping exhibitions in saloons and was robbed while unconscious in a coffin-like box.
- Thieves stole $12 and the performer vowed never to do another saloon spell.