We’ve been told it’s a tale as old as time, but is it really about love, or just another case of isolation, manipulation, and beastly behavior getting a romantic edit? What happens when “he’s not like other guys” actually means “he’s… not even human”?

A hairy recluse and a woman who really thought she could change him- Beauty and the Beast is either a love story for the ages, or a walking red flag wrapped in fur.

In this episode of Once Upon a Lie, Annabelle Moore (Disney Beauty) and Mark Williamson (Disney Beast), with narration by Kelly Monisse, unpick the tangled moral mane of this fairytale - from its unsettling historical roots to the fine line between devotion and delusion.

Jo Henwood, Ring Maiden of the Australian Fairy Tale Society, is back again as well to provide the insight on where this story actually came from and why it has held up for so long. 

Once Upon a Lie is a comedy, pop-culture podcast produced by AFTRS that unpacks the twisted history of your favorite fairy tales… one dark truth at a time.

This podcast was recorded on Gadigal land. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

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Two starving kids, one unhinged stepmum, and a real estate agent’s nightmare made entirely of carbs.

Sure, Hansel & Gretel sounds like a whimsical bedtime story… until you remember it’s actually about child abandonment, starvation, and arson.

So what was really going on in those woods? Was it hunger, desperation, or something way more sinister? 

In this episode of Once Upon a Lie, Annabelle Moore (Dizney Diva) and Mark Williamson (Fairytale Newbie) and expert guest Jo Henwood (Ring Maiden of the Australian Fairy Tale Society) trace the dark origins of the story to reveal the twisted crumbs of history baked beneath the fairytale.

With narration by Kelly Monisse, Once Upon a Lie is a comedy, pop-culture podcast produced by AFTRS that unpacks the twisted history of your favorite fairy tales… one dark truth at a time.

This podcast was recorded on Gadigal land. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. 

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A century-long snooze, an angry aunt with a massive grudge, and a prince who clearly never heard of boundaries- the real story behind the world’s sleepiest princess isn’t actually as dreamy as you remember.

In this episode of Once Upon a Lie, we peel back the silk sheets of this fairytale favourite to uncover the curse, chaos, and questionable consent lurking beneath all that “happily ever after.”

Why did the aunt get uninvited from the most extra christening party in history? How did a vintage spindle become a death trap? And why does this story still enchant us, even when the moral is basically: “Don’t forget to invite that crazy aunt — she might curse the kid.”

Join hosts Annabelle Moore (Dizney Diva) and Lord Mark Williamson (Token Aussie Bloke), with narration by Kelly Monisse, and expert guest Jo Henwood (Ring Maiden of the Australian Fairy Tale Society) as they tumble down the thorn-covered rabbit hole of beauty sleep, bad manners, and the original nap that went way too long.

Once Upon a Lie is a comedy, pop-culture podcast produced by AFTRS that unpacks the twisted history of your favourite fairy tales… one dark truth at a time.

This podcast was recorded on Gadigal land. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. 

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How did the tale of a girl with "zero survival instincts" evolve through the passage of time and what gritty details did the Brothers Grimm leave on the cutting room floor?

In this episode of Once Upon a Lie, we delve into the deep, dark woods of folklore to uncover the hidden truth behind the girl who made a red velvet cape iconic - centuries before it hit the runway.

Why does this story of disobedience and a cross-dressing wolf still have our collective imagination in a chokehold?

Join Annabelle Moore (Fairy tale fangirl) and Lord Mark Williamson (Fairytale newbie), as they take a deep dive into why taking a wrong turn and talking to a wolf doesn’t always end well. Featuring guest expert Jo Henwood (Ring Maiden of the Australian Fairy Tale Society) with narration by Kelly Monisse.

Once Upon a Lie is a comedy, pop-culture podcast produced by AFTRS, that unpacks the twisted history of your favourite fairy tales… one dark truth at a time.

This podcast was recorded on Gadigal land. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. 

Music credits: Grey Dagger by Blue Dot Sessions and Horror the Gatekeeper by Blue Dot Sessions

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Think you know Cinderella? Think again. 

In this episode of Once Upon a Lie, we sift through the ashes of folklore to uncover the hidden truths behind Cinderella’s “Happily Ever After”. And you won’t believe what we find! 

How did the story of Cinderella morph from gritty cautionary tale of survival into a sugar-coated Disney fever-dream? Why does it still have our collective imagination in a chokehold? And what does a vagina have to do with any of it!? 

Hosts, Annabelle Moore (Disney obsessive) and Mark Williamson (Disney ambivalent), with narration by Kelly Monisse, are joined by expert guest Jo Henwood (Ring Maiden of the Australian Fairy Tale Society) to deconstruct the fairy tale you thought you knew. Spoiler: you didn’t. 

Expect laughter, lore, and a light roasting of the patriarchy, as we re-examine the stories that shaped us. 

Once Upon a Lie is a comedy, pop-culture podcast produced by AFTRS, that unpacks the twisted history of your favourite fairy tales… one dark truth at a time.

This podcast was recorded on Gadigal land. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the fairytales we grew up with weren’t as innocent as they seemed? Once Upon A Lie explores the sinister origins of the your most beloved fairytales.  

Each of the five episodes in the series takes listeners on a voyage across centuries to uncover how these stories evolved, why they still enchant us today and the dark truths that lie beneath ‘happily-ever-after.’ From Cinderella to Beauty and the Beast (and more of your FAVOURITE childhood bedtime stories), the podcast reveals unknown cultural, historical and psychological threads that continue to keep these fairytales alive. 

Your hosts Annabelle Moore and Lord Mark Williamson with narrator Kelly Monisse, will bring the stories to life.

Ring Maiden of The Australian Fairy Tale Society Jo Henwood will help us understand the fairy tale origins and adaptations it has gone through to get to the versions we know today.

Step into the shadows of the stories we thought we knew...

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