Podcast Summary: Bawdy Storytelling, Episode 66: "Amazon (Janice in the City)"
Host: Dixie De La Tour
Air Date: March 22, 2019
Main Storyteller: Janice
Theme: Size Queen
Episode Overview
This episode centers on the experience of Janice—an exceptionally tall woman—navigating love, fetishization, and self-acceptance as she shares the story of her adolescent relationship with Manuel, a man with a “giantess” fetish. Through humor and vulnerability, Janice recounts how this unusual dynamic impacted her understanding of intimacy and identity. The episode also follows the ripple effects of her public storytelling, sparking important discussions on fetish, empathy, and agency within online and live storytelling communities.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. The Unique Appeal of Bawdy Storytelling
- Host Dixie introduces Bawdy Storytelling as the “Moth for pervs,” explaining the live storytelling and sex-positivity that characterizes the show.
- Dixie highlights the power of storytelling to create connection and transformation, sharing anecdotes from recent shows and workshops ([01:41]).
2. Janice’s Story: Growing Up Tall and Feeling Like an Outsider
- Janice describes being 6’4” from age 13 and feeling out of place in her small Missouri town:
“I've been taller than everyone else all of my life. I've been 6’4’’ since I was 13 years old.” ([05:27])
- Recounts bullying and alienation, with local kids calling her “Sasquatch” and “Bigfoot.”
- Expresses her yearning to be seen as “a pretty girl,” not just “one of the guys.”
3. Internet Adventures and Meeting Manuel
- Janice dives into AOL chat rooms, seeking connection in “20-something singles” and especially “tall people” spaces.
- She connects with Manuel, a 6’3” Elvis impersonator from Richmond, VA—“the first male ever to tell me I was beautiful.”
- Despite initial chemistry, Janice is candid about her inexperience and the “rom com” style early romance ([06:45-09:30]).
4. The Big Reveal: Giantess Fetish and Roleplay
- Manuel confides that he cannot climax without indulging his “giantess” fetish, specifically “mega giantess” scenarios involving women of gigantic size, power, and sometimes city-destroying strength ([11:15]):
“He tells me his fetish is something called a giantess fetish... a true fetish is when somebody can't actually come unless they're participating in or thinking about the object of their fetish.”
- Janice is introduced to the online story “Janice in the City,” in which a giantess wreaks sexy, destructive havoc ([12:10-13:25]).
- Manual’s requests: Janice reads giantess stories in six-inch heels; elaborate LEGO cities and Hot Wheels are constructed for IRL roleplay.
- Janice participates, both amused and a bit bewildered:
“At first I'm kind of shy...but I'm pretty klutzy myself, so I step on something and get kind of into it... I’m watching him and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I'm getting my man off finally!’” ([15:05])
5. Emotional Distance and Disillusionment
- Janice notes the disconnect: “I realized that Manuel was watching my shoes and he was watching the Legos and he was watching my muscles, but he wasn’t ever watching me.” ([16:53])
- The relationship ends after a particularly hollow Christmas filled with gifts that emphasize her size rather than her personhood—six-inch heels, a WNBA Barbie, and weightlifting gloves ([17:10-18:35]).
- Janice’s concluding realization:
“I am not beautiful to him. I am the closest thing he'll ever get to a giantess...it's been 15 years...and all of my best orgasms have come from men shorter than me who didn't give a damn how tall I was.” ([18:30])
6. Community Impact and Conversations about Fetishization
- Dixie returns to explain the aftermath:
- Janice’s story was recorded without consent and shared on a giantess fetish forum, prompting backlash and discussion ([23:38-24:40]).
- The forum saw rare, open conversation about empathy, objectification, and considering the feelings of women who are fetishized ([24:45-25:20]):
“One man admitting that he felt uncomfortable about how his fetish objectifies women... other people thinking about the feelings of the characters they'd been fetishizing for a long time.”
- The author of "Janice in the City" reaches out, expressing awe at hearing his story featured in someone’s real life:
"First off, she's a fine storyteller in her own right and it was a lot of fun listening to her. She also wins an award for being my most surreal experience to date...I applaud her courage for speaking publicly about it..." (Host reading email from Grill Drake, [25:36])
7. The Power and Ethics of Storytelling
- Dixie discusses the importance of consent when telling and sharing stories, especially vulnerable ones ([23:38]):
“I believe strongly that people get to control their story and where it goes...your story doesn’t leave my building unless you have given me permission.”
- Janice ultimately chooses to make her story public, hoping to foster more open, respectful discussion.
Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
-
On feeling watched, not seen:
“I realized that Manuel was watching my shoes and he was watching the Legos and he was watching my muscles, but he wasn’t ever watching me.” (Janice, [16:53]) -
On giantess fantasy play:
“He asks me to tell him my own version of the story...I pick up this skyscraper [LEGO], tell him what I’m gonna do with it, and he’s totally into it.” (Janice, [15:05]) -
On ultimate liberation:
“For the record, it’s been 15 years since Manuel, and all of my best orgasms have come from men shorter than me who didn’t give a damn how tall I was.” (Janice, [18:30]) -
From the author of ‘Janice in the City’:
“I know my works have been an introduction to the fantasy for a number of people over the years, but that’s never hit home quite as hard as it did while listening to her...I hope she always feels as big as her heart obviously is.” (read by Dixie, [25:36]) -
On storytelling agency:
“I believe strongly that people get to control their story and where it goes...your story does not leave my building unless you have given me permission.” (Dixie, [23:38])
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Podcast intro and context: [00:00–05:12]
- Janice’s Story
- Growing up tall and isolated: [05:27–07:45]
- Meeting Manuel and early romance: [07:45–10:30]
- First reveal of giantess fetish and roleplay: [11:15–15:05]
- LEGO city and sexual dynamics: [15:05–16:53]
- Breakup and Janice’s realization: [17:10–18:30]
- Musical Interlude ("Giant"): [19:48–23:38]
- Host’s Epilogue & Impact: [23:38–29:12]
- Forum aftermath, author’s email, ethics of sharing stories
- Upcoming events and show notes: [29:12–34:07]
Tone & Language Highlights
- Candid, humorous, and occasionally bittersweet—Janice’s storytelling is deeply personal and self-aware.
- Dixie’s commentary is supportive, celebratory, and emphasizes the importance of safe, consensual sharing in sex-positive spaces.
- The episode is sex-positive, respectfully frank, and manages the intersection of kink and vulnerability with sensitivity.
Useful for Listeners Who Missed the Episode:
- The story is a rare, inside look at the real-life experiences behind online sexual subcultures and fetishes.
- Janice’s narrative affirms the importance of self-worth, beyond the labels others put on us.
- The episode highlights the complexity and consequences of erotic fantasies, especially when one partner is seen only as a fantasy object.
- The show stands as a call for empathy, agency, and healthy boundary setting within both personal relationships and wider communities.
To hear Janice’s remarkable story yourself, find the video on the Bawdy Storytelling YouTube channel, as approved by Janice herself.
