Myths, Tall Tales, and Two Strong Women: Barbara McBride-Smith's It's Not Easy Being a Goddess and Sheila Starks Phillips' The Lies of Texas Are Upon You!

Abstract

Barbara McBride-Smith and Sheila Starks Phillips are two successful contemporary performers of myths and tall tales. Their performances reflect the feminist messages and use of coding identified by Jo Radner and Susan Lanser in Feminist Messages: Coding in Women's Folk Culture. Through their feminine appearance, their adoption of direct delivery styles, and their use of the coding practices of appropriation, juxtaposition, distraction, trivialization, and intentionality, the two storytellers demonstrate alternative strategies for the performance of traditional myths and tall tales.