Join host Ed Gomez for an exciting episode featuring the multi-talented Fred Blanco, also known as Wildcat Jackson from Little Big Stage Productions! Fred brings his unique blend of comedy, magic, and storytelling to life through his character Wildcat Jackson, a ghost-busting, ectoplasm-eating con artist, in his project “Talking with the Spirits.”
Fred Blanco is a seasoned performer with extensive experience in improv, stand-up comedy, theater, and theme park entertainment. As the artistic director of Little Big Stage Productions, Fred has captivated audiences with his extraordinary one-man shows, including “The Stories of Cesar Chavez” and “A Christmas Carol.” Wildcat Jackson, his alter ego, is the self-proclaimed monarch of the West, known for his silly yet edgy brand of comedy magic. This bargain-basement Buffalo Bill Cody entertains with a vaudeville-style show that promises a memorable good time.
In this episode, Fred shares his experiences growing up in California’s San Fernando Valley. He delves into his encounters with the paranormal, revealing how they influenced his creative journey. We also explore the making of “Talking with the Spirits” and the inspiration behind Wildcat Jackson’s character. Don’t miss this fascinating conversation filled with humor, history, and a touch of the supernatural!
The PARA/normal Borders Podcast is made possible by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.
Join us for more amazing content from the Mexicali Biennial!
Website: https://mexicalibiennial.org/
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Please visit Little Big Stage Productions for learn more about Fred Blanco:
Website: https://littlebigstageproductions.com/
Instagram: @talkingtospiritsshow
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Photo Credits and Image Sources:
[10:30] The Stories of César Chávez. Show poster images courtesy of Little Big Stage Productions. Images and graphic art by Morgan Ngu.
[11:10] The Stories of César Chávez. Show poster images courtesy of Little Big Stage Productions. Images by Morgan Ngu.
[18:45] Buffalo Bill Cody, full-length portrait, seated, facing left, holding rifle. , 1903. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/94512281/.
[19:14] The Great Wildcat Jackson courtesy of Little Big Stage Productions. Image credit Ryella Zar Photography
[19:25] The Great Wildcat Jackson courtesy of Little Big Stage Productions. Image credit Ryella Zar Photography
[21:50] Courtesy Little Big Stage Productions.
[23:22] Courtesy Little Big Stage Productions
[23:56] Talking to Spirits. Courtesy Little Big Stage Productions
[24:36] N. Currier. Mrs. Fish and the Misses Fox: the original mediums of the mysterious noises at Rochester Western, N.Y. , ca. 1852. New York: Published by N. Currier. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2002710596/.
[25:17] Bain News Service, Publisher. Seance at Baron von Erhardt’s – Table in the air. , 1909. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2014683124/.
[25:35] Harry Houdini with his wife Beatrice and mother Cecilia Steiner Weiss, half-length portrait. , 1907. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/96518798/.
[26:14] Greene, Bryan. 2021. “For Harry Houdini, Séances and Spiritualism Were Just an Illusion.” Smithsonian Magazine, October 28, 2021. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/for-harry-houdini-seances-and-spiritualism-were-just-an-illusion-180978944/.
[26:21] Houdini Exposes Psychic Fraud. New York, 1925. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/96520561/.
[28:49] Talking to Spirits. Courtesy Little Big Stage Productions.
[33:47] H. Clay Kellogg House, Santa Ana, 1903. Photo courtesy of Orange County Archives
[34:07] HMOC Kellogg House with Kellogg Family. Orange County Archives
[34:25] Courtesy Little Big Stage Productions
[43:17] St. Francis Dam in San Francisquito Canyon near Saugus was completed in 1926 and failed in 1928. It was part of the Owens Valley Aqueduct System. This pre-failure photograph shows the dam wall and behind it the water being held in the reservoir. In the foreground is countryside covered with shrubs. Some water stains can be seen on the wall. [Security Pacific National Bank Collection]/Los Angeles Public Library
[43:27] Portrait of William Mulholland, who brought water to Los Angeles from the Owens Valley. Featured in the book, “La Reina,” by Laurance Landreth Hill, published by Security Trust & Savings Bank in 1929, on page 124. [Security Pacific National Bank Collection]/Los Angeles Public Library
[46:15] Founders Memorial Park Whittier. Courtesy Whittier Museum. https://whittiermuseum.org/research/cemeteries/
[46:23] Tombstones and Mount Olive Cemetery images courtesy Ed Gomez. 2015.
[48:44] Bain News Service, Publisher. Ways of Using a Divining Rod. , ca. 1910. [Between and Ca. 1915] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2014695296/.
Selected resources and recommended reading for further research:
Teatro Campesino Official Website: https://elteatrocampesino.com/
Bizarre Magic/geek magic: A type of performance magic that focuses heavily on crafted storytelling. The Essence of Bizarre Magic – Bizarre Magic from Black Artefacts
Flea circus: Contemporary Artist Maria Fernando Cordoso and the Cordoso Flea Circus
Sideshow: Sideshow images in the Library of Congress – Photos, Prints, and Drawings Collection https://www.loc.gov/photos/?q=sideshow
Seances: The psychology of spiritualism: science and seances, Article. The Guardian
spiritualism
Houdini: For Harry Houdini, Séances and Spiritualism Were Just an Illusion, Article. Smithsonian Magazine
Fox sisters: Free digital book download: Davenport, Reuben Briggs, and Harry Houdini Collection. The death-blow to spiritualism: being the true story of the Fox sisters, as revealed by authority of Margaret Fox Kane and Catherine Fox Jencken. New York: G.W. Dillingham, 1888. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/10034905/.