EP. 14| EARL K. LONG: THE THUNDER AFTER THE STORM

IF YOU THOUGHT HUEY P. LONG WAS A LOT, BABY, HIS LITTLE BROTHER EARL SAID, “HOLD MY CIGARETTE.”

IN THIS EPISODE OF BAYOU AND BULLSHYT, WE’RE GETTING INTO EARL KEMP LONG, ALSO KNOWN AS UNCLE EARL — THREE-TIME GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA, HUEY LONG’S YOUNGER BROTHER, A POLITICAL GENIUS, A HUMAN TORNADO, AND ONE OF THE MESSIEST, LOUDEST, MOST UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS IN LOUISIANA POLITICAL HISTORY.

EARL SERVED AS GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA THREE DIFFERENT TIMES: 1939–1940, 1948–1952, AND 1956–1960. BUT HE WAS NOT JUST “HUEY’S BROTHER.” EARL HAD HIS OWN FLAVOR OF CHAOS.

WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HIS CHILDHOOD IN WINNFIELD, HIS LIFE IN THE LONG FAMILY SHADOW, HIS MARRIAGE TO BLANCHE REVERE LONG, HIS RISE THROUGH LOUISIANA POLITICS, HIS FOLKSY “UNCLE EARL” IMAGE, HIS PUBLIC MELTDOWNS, HIS 1959 HOSPITALIZATION, HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH BLAZE STARR, AND HOW THIS MAN STILL KEPT TRYING TO WIN ELECTIONS EVEN WHEN HIS WHOLE LIFE LOOKED LIKE A POLITICAL SEASON FINALE.

AND YES — WE’RE TELLING IT THE BAYOU AND BULLSHYT WAY: RAW, REAL, DRAMATIC, FUNNY, AND RESEARCHED.

BECAUSE AROUND HERE, WE DON’T JUST DO GOSSIP.
WE DO HISTORY WITH RECEIPTS.

FOLLOW ME FOR MORE LOUISIANA STORIES, HISTORY, CULTURE, CRIME, FOLKLORE, AND A LITTLE RATCHET WITH THE RESEARCH:

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THREADS: @SHIKAFROMTHEBAYOU
LINKTREE: LINKTR.EE/SHIKADENISE

ALL SOURCES USED FOR THIS EPISODE ARE LISTED BELOW SO YOU CAN READ BEHIND ME, FACT-CHECK ME, OR GO BE NOSY WITH PURPOSE.

SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE INCLUDE:

64 PARISHES — “EARL LONG”
USED FOR EARL LONG’S POLITICAL CAREER, THREE GOVERNOR TERMS, “UNCLE EARL” IMAGE, RELATIONSHIP TO HUEY LONG, 1959 HOSPITALIZATION, BLAZE STARR CONTROVERSY, AND OVERALL LOUISIANA HISTORICAL CONTEXT.

NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION — “GOV. EARL KEMP LONG”
USED TO CONFIRM EARL LONG’S BIRTHPLACE, EDUCATION, EARLY PUBLIC SERVICE, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ROLE, AND GOVERNORSHIP TIMELINE.

LOUISIANA SECRETARY OF STATE — “EARL KEMP LONG 1939–1940, 1948–1952, 1956–1960”
USED TO VERIFY EARL LONG’S TERMS AS GOVERNOR, BIRTH DATE, POLITICAL AFFILIATION, RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION, EDUCATION, CAREER BEFORE AND AFTER OFFICE, AND DEATH DATE.

LOUISIANA SECRETARY OF STATE — FORMER GOVERNOR RECORDS
USED TO CROSS-CHECK EARL LONG’S GOVERNORSHIP TERMS AND PLACE HIM WITHIN THE LINE OF LOUISIANA GOVERNORS.

LOS ANGELES TIMES — “BLAZE STARR DIES AT 83; STRIPPER KNOWN FOR AFFAIR WITH GOV. EARL LONG”
USED FOR ADDITIONAL CONTEXT ON BLAZE STARR’S PUBLIC IMAGE, HER BURLESQUE CAREER, AND HER CONNECTION TO EARL LONG.

AMERICAN HERITAGE — “THE LONG, LONG TRAIL”
USED FOR ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL CONTEXT ON THE LONG FAMILY POLITICAL DYNASTY AND EARL LONG’S PLACE INSIDE THAT LEGACY.

JSTOR — “EARL KEMP LONG: THE MAN FROM PEA PATCH FARM”
USED FOR SCHOLARLY CONTEXT ON EARL LONG’S 1959 POLITICAL AND HEALTH CRISIS.

BAYOU AND BULLSHYT IS A STORYTELLING PODCAST, BUT THE RESEARCH IS REAL. SOURCES ARE INCLUDED SO LISTENERS CAN READ MORE, VERIFY DETAILS, AND FOLLOW THE RECEIPTS FOR THEMSELVES.