by The Center for Mad Culture
For too long, mad voices have been silenced, dismissed, or medicalized—it's time to change that. Mad Tea explores the histories, stories, and creative expressions of madness, amplifying its insights, resilience, and brilliance. We challenge stereotypes and reframe madness as a way of understanding culture, art, and activism. This podcast is an extension of The Center for Mad Culture, a space dedicated to mad voices. Subscribe, share, and join the conversation. You can support this podcast by finding us on Patreon, where you'll have access to exclusive content!
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
3/16/2025
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April 19, 2025
<p>Mad Tea remains ad free, to help us in this effort please consider becoming a supporter for as little as $1 on Patreon, your support helps us continue what we do and will expand our vision. <a href="https://patreon.com/mad_tea?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink">SUPPORT US HERE</a></p><p><br></p><p>A man walks into a hospital seeking care. Days later, he’s dead—his body broken, his ribs shattered. The official response? “These things happen.”</p><p>In this episode, Matt Bodett and Megan Sterling uncover two of Dunning’s final and most chilling scandals. The first is the brutal death of George Pucik, an immigrant wrongfully institutionalized, beaten to death, and discarded. The second? A macabre tale of stolen bodies, smuggled from the asylum morgue under cover of night, with whispers of a secret “killer ward” where the unclaimed simply… disappeared.</p><p>As political cover-ups tighten their grip and officials silence whistleblowers, one thing becomes clear: the corruption at Dunning wasn’t just about greed—it was about power, and who society deemed disposable.</p><p>This is the final chapter in the Dunning series, but its echoes remain. Some histories refuse to stay buried.</p><p><br></p>
April 11, 2025
<p>Politicians had a saying: "To the victor go the spoils." But what happens when the spoils are the lives of asylum inmates?</p><p>In this episode, Matt and Megan unravel the Boodlers’ Scandal—a web of corruption so deep it bled Cook County dry while inmates at Dunning starved, shivered, and suffered. From rotten meat and stolen funds to secret backroom deals in smoke-filled saloons, this was a system designed to profit off neglect.</p><p>Meet Clem Periolat, the "Bean Man" whose spoiled groceries lined the pockets of officials. King Mike McDonald, the gambling kingpin who pulled the strings. And Dr. John Spray, the asylum superintendent who ruled with a pistol on his hip.</p><p>As reformers tried to expose the truth, they were met with threats, bullets, and powerful men who always seemed to slip away untouched. But when a doctor refused to stay silent, the scheme began to unravel—leading to trials, resignations, and one dramatic escape to Canada.</p><p>This is the story of how greed devoured the asylum system. And how, despite it all, the ones who suffered most were never the ones on trial.</p>
April 4, 2025
<p>Chicago’s politicians had a saying: "To the victor go the spoils." But what happens when the spoils are the lives of asylum inmates?</p><p>In this episode, Matt and Megan unravel the Boodlers’ Scandal—a web of corruption so deep it bled Cook County dry while inmates at Dunning starved, shivered, and suffered. From rotten meat and stolen funds to secret backroom deals in smoke-filled saloons, this was a system designed to profit off neglect.</p><p>Meet Clem Periolat, the "Bean Man" whose spoiled groceries lined the pockets of officials. King Mike McDonald, the gambling kingpin who pulled the strings. And Dr. John Spray, the asylum superintendent who ruled with a pistol on his hip.</p><p>As reformers tried to expose the truth, they were met with threats, bullets, and powerful men who always seemed to slip away untouched. But when a doctor refused to stay silent, the scheme began to unravel—leading to trials, resignations, and one dramatic escape to Canada.</p><p>This is the story of how greed devoured the asylum system. And how, despite it all, the ones who suffered most were never the ones on trial.</p>
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