Behind the Theme Music with
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LIZZIE PEABODY YOUR STORY HERE NORA MCINERNY PURMORT TERRIBLE, THANKS FOR ASKING
APRIL 2017
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INN IIN T TTRRR O OO I
’m writing this note the day before the sixth and final episode of the podcast Missing Richard Simmons is scheduled to drop. And I have to say I’ll be, well, missing it. Richard Simmons had been, in my memory, merely a caricature— that jumpy Eighties fitness guru with the tooshort shorts and the crazy hair. In listening to this excellent podcast (hosted by Dan Taberski, whom I hope to interview in a future issue), my perspective on Simmons has changed and broadened. I’ve learned that he developed Sweatin’ to the Oldies from a fad into an empire, making millions upon millions of dollars. He befriended and counseled countless strangers over the years, often people struggling with severe depression. And for whatever the reason, three years ago he abruptly dropped out of public sight and ceased communicating with his friends and acquaintances. Thanks to the podcast, I see him now as a real human being—complex, complicated, and worthy of empathy. I’ve also been listening with great joy to the new podcast Diane Rehm: On My Mind. An NPR icon
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for nearly four decades, Diane brings to the podcast her signature intelligent, insightful discussions of the topics of the day. We talk to her in this issue about the podcast, creating civil discourse, and right-to-die issues. Finally, I’m proud to announce that Podster’s “Behind the Theme Music” department has been named a 2017 Maggie Award Finalist for Best Digital Magazine Feature. Thanks to all of the composers and musicians who have given us interviews; in this issue we talk to Peter Doran, whose song “Every Little Thing” is the theme of the Minimalists podcast. Enjoy the issue. MARGARET BROWN PUBLISHER/EDITOR 5
interview nterview interview
Diane Rehm: On My Mind dianerehm.org
An NPR icon for nearly four decades, Diane Rehm is back with a new podcast, leading intelligent, insightful discussions of the issues of the day.
LISTEN
what do you want to achieve with the podcast and how will the podcast differ from the radio show?
:
After 37 years of hosting The Diane Rehm Show on NPR, you aired your last show in December and with barely a break launched the weekly Diane Rehm: On My Mind podcast in January. You’ve had an extraordinarily acclaimed career already— 6
APRIL 2017
DIANE REHM: First, because I wanted greater freedom from the constraints of a daily two-hour program. Second, because I wanted to try something new. So many people are using podcasts as a primary form of listening these days, so I decided it was time to find out all about the approach and why it is so appealing to so many. I confess I am a total amateur but hope to bring my interviewing skills to the table. I shall also be more free to insert my own opinions more clearly into the podcast. PODSTER: I’m a voracious consumer of news and have never seen the balanced,
respectful, thoughtful discussions of various topics anywhere other than on The Diane Rehm Show or now on the Diane Rehm: On My Mind podcast. In your podcast on The Women’s March on Washington, for instance, you brought in a variety of voices that caused me to open up my thinking about some of the issues discussed (I marched in Austin). How do you achieve this kind of discourse? DIANE: I’m so glad you felt that way as you listened. Let’s face it: There are so many views and so many subtleties of thought out there. If we open our ears and listen a bit more closely rather than trying to get our own voices out there I think we’d have a better chance of truly understanding views other than our own. You ask how? Bring together multiple voices, encourage them to engage with one another, interject when you believe you can add something, and then listen. PODSTER: You mentioned in your second episode that you would be devoting an upcoming episode to right-to-die issues, which I know are close to your
heart and mind after your husband’s death in 2014. What message do you want to spread about the right to die, and what changes in both laws and attitudes are you hoping to see? DIANE: Here is my message, and you will hear it at the end of this week’s podcast, when we do take up the right to die with dignity: If you believe that God should be the only decision-maker as to when you die, I support you 1000%. If you feel you want to have every possible treatment that modern medicine can offer to extend your life, I support you 1000%. And if you believe you should have the right to end your life with dignity, with the aid of a physician, I support you 1000%. In other words, I believe in choice, both at the beginning as well as at the end of life. And each of us as individuals should be allowed that freedom of choice. I do not condemn anyone who wants a different choice from my own. But I want my own choice. PODSTER: What other topics are you interested in covering in the podcast? DIANE: Anything and everything. That’s the beauty of a podcast. We’ll cover politics, science, art, and medicine, and we have the freedom to change course at the last moment and the freedom to make each podcast as long or short as the subject itself warrants.
PODSTER: Now that you’re doing one show a week (instead of eight or so), what do you have time to do that you didn’t previously? DIANE: Actually, it was ten hours a week on the air. So what do I have time to do now? First, I can sleep until 7:00 a.m. instead of rising at 5:00 a.m. weekdays, as I did for more than 37 years. That’s a big deal for me, because if I went out in the evening and didn’t get to bed until 11:00 p.m. or so, I really was tired. Second, not only am I at work on the podcast but am also working with the development office at WAMU helping with fundraising. I’m also traveling more freely to visit good friends and to speak on my book, On My Own, which has just been published in paperback. So, all in all, the simple answer is freedom, for which I am very grateful. PODSTER: If you have a handful of podcasts that you listen to regularly and would like to recommend, please do so. DIANE: This part will make you laugh. Until I began this project, I had never in my life listened to a podcast! It’s all new! My listening is basically on radio, not on my iPhone (except when I’m out of town and streaming WAMU on my iPhone). So sadly, I cannot recommend any at this point. Maybe a year from now I’ll be able to answer that question. 7
interview nterview interview
LISTEN
Tracy Pattin: Hollywood & Crime wondery.com
You’ll want to binge listen to this new murder mystery podcast that explores the intersection of Hollywood and Crime.
TRACY PATTIN: My co-producers
:
Season 1 centers on the 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short, aka the Black Dahlia, which 70 years later remains unsolved. You look at other similar murders that occurred in Los Angeles in the same era. How did you choose the Black Dahlia as your starting point? 8
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Rebecca Reynolds, Jon Ponder, and Jim Carpenter and I chose the murder of Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, because it is certainly one of the most sensational true crime stories set in Los Angeles and because it’s one of the most infamous unsolved murders in history. People around the world have heard about the Dahlia case. Even if they don’t know the particulars, they know that the name is synonymous with “unsolved murders.” We were also intrigued by the fact that Beth Short was just one of more than a dozen women who were murdered or disappeared in Los Angeles in the 1940s. The fact that there were so many similar murders within the same six-year period, and that none of them
were ever solved, makes the Dahlia case even more mysterious. That’s why we gave the first two seasons the title, “The Black Dahlia Serial Killers.” The overarching question we’re exploring is, Were these murders the work of a serial killer, or were these crimes committed by lone wolves or copycats? Today, 70 years later, the public is still fascinated with the case for two main reasons: one, the gruesomeness of the murder and the fact that she was placed in a vacant lot near a suburban housing development and two, the victim, Elizabeth Short. Just as her murder is a mystery, so is the Black Dahlia. As the case unfolds, there are many more questions than answers. How did this young woman survive in Hollywood without working? What drove her to live this “hardscrabble” life when she had a loving family back home in Massachusetts? PODSTER: What kind of research have
you been doing to uncover new details and evidence in these other cases? TRACY: The Black Dahlia is legendary today in large part because James Ellroy wrote a highly fictionalized account of the murder in a novel, The Black Dahlia, published in 1987. The success of the novel revitalized interest
in the case, which was 40 years old at that point. It was followed by a series of nonfiction books: John Gilmore’s Severed, first published 1994, and two books published about 12 years later— Black Dahlia Avenger by Steve Hodel and The Black Dahlia Files by Don Wolf. There were other books, but these are ones that most people have read. For our research, we read these books and then set them aside. Our interest was in tracking the investigation as it unfolded and presenting the facts as they were known at the time. We relied on newspaper accounts from four of the daily newspapers published in Los Angeles then, as well as court documents, genealogical records and any other primary sources we could find. We also checked our facts against two highly reliable online sources, the websites lmharnisch.com, which is edited by Larry Harnisch, and derangedlacrimes.com, edited by Joan Renner. Joan is a consultant and subjectmatter expert for the show, as is Tere Tereba, who’s written a terrific history of Hollywood and the mob in her biography of Mickey Cohen, Mickey Cohen, The Life and Times of L.A.’s Notorious Mobster (mickeycohenbook.com). PODSTER: With Serial and Criminal
and other true-crime podcasts topping the charts, what do you make of our fascination with crime, specifically murder? TRACY: Maybe it’s because murder is thankfully so unfamiliar for the majority of us. It’s also because it’s human nature to try and solve situations. We’re endlessly fascinated with other people’s 9
also intrigued by the way that crimes and scandals involving movie stars resonated with the public. These sorts of incidents tended to be front-page news. So we created Hollywood & Crime to explore the darker side of celebrity. Back in Hollywood’s studio era the moguls were masters at creating stories. Especially if a gruesome murder mythologies around their stars. This is involved. Unsolved cases are like mythologizing was a business enterprise puzzles, and it’s human nature to want to for them—the stars were their biggest solve the puzzle—and as unsolved cases corporate assets. When the stars got go, there are few that are more puzzling in trouble, the mythmakers often went than the 12 or so we’re covering. into overtime. Studio fixers created spin and sometimes even tampered PODSTER: Hollywood & Crime with evidence to cover up the scandals. combines narrative with actors voicing We set out to research these stories, to the perspectives of detectives, reporters, cut through the spin and expose the family members, and witnesses. Why coverups by separating fact from fiction. did you decide on this format? The series serves as the nexus of TRACY: Yes, Hollywood & Crime is two distinct audiences—fans of classic dramatized but not fictionalized. Hollywood and fans of true crime. We stay very close to the facts. By combining re-created scenes with the PODSTER: What can we expect from narration in our storytelling, we give Season 2? the listener an immersive experience TRACY: In Season 2, which will drop in as we take them back in time. It’s as if the fall of 2017 on Wondery, we’ll cover they are a fly on the wall hearing—and the murders or disappearances in Los imagining—events as the investigation Angeles of eight more women, from unfolds. 1947 to ’49. We’ll also bring to light the sensational arrest of Leslie Dillon, PODSTER: The perceived glamour of a prime suspect in the Dahlia case, as 1940s’ Hollywood is the background well the grand jury investigation into of these stories. What drew you to the LAPD—an investigation that brings exploring Hollywood? to light many new facts about Elizabeth TRACY: My co-creators and I are big Short and the final weeks and months fans of Hollywood’s classic era—the before she was killed. We’re also bringing studio era, the period that ended in in Joan Renner, Tere Tereba, and other the 1950s. This period also coincides experts to examine the various suspects with the rise of film noir. We were and theories of the case. 10
APRIL 2017
WWW.UNDISCLOSED-PODCAST.COM
The Undisclosed Podcast is a listening experience that reframes, enhances, or otherwise shifts everything you’ve come to know about the State of Maryland’s case against Adnan Syed, especially as you’ve come to know it through listening to Serial.
Season 1
(available now) The State vs. Adnan Syed
Season 2
Coming in 2016
HOSTED BY
RABIA CHAUDRY, COLIN MILLER, AND SUSAN SIMPSON. 11
interview nterview interview
Lizzie Peabody: Your Story Here goatrodeodc.com
Lizzie Peabody has intimate conversations with strangers, friends, and family, creating lovely portraits of humanity.
LISTEN
looking for creative ways to tell stories through the audio medium. PODSTER: How do you go up to
:
I’m beginning with the question you start with in your interviews, which is, Who are you?
LIZZIE PEABODY: Wow! Okay. A taste
of my own medicine. You’re the first person to have done that. Who am I? Well, let’s see. I’m a 28-year-old woman who lives in Washington DC. I have this great curiosity about people and I’m 12
APRIL 2017
someone on the street and initiate a conversation? LIZZIE: Usually I begin with a gateway interaction of some kind. If you’re standing at the busstop I’ll ask about the book you’re reading, or the conversation might start with just, “Hey, how’s it going?” After we’ve exchanged a few pleasantries, I have a pretty good gauge of whether the person will be amenable to talk a little more. Then I ask if I can interview them about who they are and what’s going on with them. PODSTER: How long are your
conversations?
hours.
So I spent the fall in DC, volunteering, teaching myself audio editing and building up that skill set. I woke up on the morning of January 1 in Brooklyn, NY, where I was visiting a friend. I had this sinking feeling of like, is this how I am going to begin this year, by failing to do the things that I’ve said I’m going to do? So I decided to start interviewing.
PODSTER: To have somebody put their
PODSTER: Did you interview someone
LIZZIE: Anywhere from 10 minutes to 2
spotlight on you for 10 minutes or more is kind of a rare thing. LIZZIE: The most surprising thing for me since beginning is how many people at the end thank me, as though I’ve done them some favor when really I feel like I’m indebted to them for taking the time and for opening up. It’s one of these rare interactions where it feels truly symbiotic. It feels like each person walks away with more than they came with. PODSTER: How did the idea for this
podcast come about? LIZZIE: The show actually grew out of my New Year’s resolution last January to do an interview a day. I had arrived at a point in my life when I had jettisoned most of the stability and most of what I had known. I had worked as a classroom teacher since graduating from college and was in this stable relationship with my boyfriend of eight years, and then in one dramatic heave I let go of all of the stability at the same time. I asked myself what I would do if I turned off all the cants and ideas of not being good enough. And I decided I would try to make radio or tell stories in audio.
on New Year’s Day? LIZZIE: I did. After going out to dinner with a group of friends, I did an interview with the friend I was walking with on the way to the Metro. It was very short but it was a launching off point. PODSTER: What have been some
of your favorite moments in your interviews? LIZZIE: My favorite moments are when somebody says something that immediately makes me think of something that someone else has said. It sparks this little light and then I see this whole trail of lights behind me. The most exciting part is seeing these connections between people who don’t know each other, but because I’ve had the opportunity to talk to so many people, I feel like I have a finger on that slight pulse of what we’re all grappling with and the things we all share. PODSTER: People really open up to
you and share their personal stories and feelings. How do you create that trust with them? LIZZIE: The biggest thing is letting 13
LIZZIE LISTENS TO
PODSTER: Do you see telling
“I have podcasts that I go to for different things and different moods as we all do. The ones that I listen to the most regularly are probably, Ted Radio Hour because I love learning new stuff. The Moth. Lexicon Valley, which is about grammar and usage, and how words and expressions have evolved. It’s fantastic. I grew up with a militant grammarian for a mother so it completely appeals to me. I also love 99% Invisible. And I really love The Heart, a show for Radiotopia by Kaitlin Prest. And another favorite is Note to Self. 14
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people know you are interested. And if you’re genuinely interested in them, they feel inclined to be honest with you. You can’t really feign interest and there are ways you can indicate it. A lot of it is eye contact and just sort of being respectful of their space. I have found that mirroring a person’s approach is a way to show them that you’re not going to overstep. If a person angles slightly away from you with their arms crossed, then you need to angle yourself slightly away as well. I was talking to this guy one time who would not look at me. And I didn’t know what to do because that was one of my biggest ways to draw people out and connect with them. He was just like looking at the spot on the floor so I started looking at the same spot on the floor and somehow that made it easier.
people’s stories as having a larger purpose than just being entertaining? LIZZIE: Absolutely. In fact I think the primary thing that keeps the energy for this alive for me is that I feel it is really essential. I think that fear is the single greatest dividing emotion, in human society but in our country for sure right now. People are afraid and I think that we become afraid when we set ourselves apart. Especially with this election, or this time, we feel that we don’t know what we don’t understand. I think working to know and understand people who we might not otherwise have the chance to is one of the greatest anecdotes to that to fear. I think it’s absolutely essential. Anybody you talk to, you can find something in common with. We have these broad ways of classifying and categorizing people and setting ourselves into groups, which is part of human nature—it’s an evolutionary trait. But to the degree possible, we should absolutely try to see every single person as an individual who acts for reasons we might not understand. The more we try to understand, the less people fear and hopefully the more we can bridge divides. That sound horribly Pollyanna-ish but I really do believe that.
Now Available on
In the first Shelf Media Podcast, publisher Margaret Brown talks to author Matt Bell about his three books and about writing, teaching the craft of writing, and his forthcoming novel. She also talks to book reviewers David Rice and Michele Filgate about Bell’s most recent novel, In the House Upon the Dirt Between the Lake and the Woods.
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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015
interview nterview interview
Nora McInerny Purmort: Terrible, Thanks for Asking apmpodcasts.org/ttfa
Nora talks loss, life, and love with candor, encouraging us to get comfortable with uncomfortable subjects.
LISTEN
of asking a question about how it felt/feels to endure so much loss. You’ve put it all out there in Episode 0 so I will just direct readers there and begin here on a happy note: You and your first husband named your son Ralph. How did you arrive at that name? : NORA MCINERNY PURMORT: I would You begin Episode 0 by sharing love a hug! Hugging is my favorite thing that in 2014 in the span of about in the world besides crying, probably. two months you miscarried your Our Ralph, also known as Ralphie, is second child, your dad died, and named for my uncle, Ralph McInerny. then your husband died. And then The original Ralph was a brilliant writer how you fell in love again and and philosopher, and a really kind and had another baby and all of the sweet man. complicated emotions you’ve had around all of that. I feel so tenderly PODSTER: You end that episode by toward you for sharing this that I saying, “So enough about me; let’s talk really just want to hug you instead about you. All of you, and how you’re 16
APRIL 2017
PODSTER: Episode 2 features a young
woman who got a big break by getting an assignment from the New York Times early in her career but blew it by making a
PODSTER: What are some other stories/
topics you’ll be covering in TTFA? NORA: Every day (I’m not exaggerating), we get new topics sent to us through email (ttfa@americanpublicmedia.org) or Twitter (@ttfpodcast) or Facebook (Terrible, Thanks for Asking). We have stories about all kinds of human hardships, and we will never run out of topics. PODSTER: How are you doing at this very moment? NORA: Right this second, I am typing with one hand while my 3-month-old son drools on my shoulder, his four-year-old brother is snarfing down a peanut butter sandwich, his ten-year-old sister is cross-stitching, and his 15-year-old brother is kicking a soccer ball around the living room. I’m as good as I can possibly be.
NORA LISTENS TO
feeling.” How do you get people to talk about how they are really feeling when we’re trained to answer that question with “fine”? NORA: The podcast idea started with my inbox, which is and has been filled with people’s stories. I think people want to talk about things, they are just looking for an opportunity, whether that’s among friends or on a podcast. We’re afraid to make other people uncomfortable— either by bringing up their problems or our own—and that discomfort perpetuates silence around these issues that we all face. Having uncomfortable conversations is something people need. That’s how we connect. PODSTER: In Episode 1 you talk to your friend Moe, whose husband committed suicide when their son was three. Is it ever hard to talk about such personal subjects when you are recording them to be shared publicly? NORA: The conversations we record for the podcast are just conversations: it’s me and another person (and our producer, Hans). We don’t sit down and say, “hey! Don’t forget, you’re talking to THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE!” so the interactions still feel intimate, because they are.
careless error. How did you find her and her story and what interested you about it? NORA: Eva reached out to us via email. She said she had a professional issue she wanted to talk about, something she had never discussed publicly before. It was a story that was unique, but with elements that anyone can relate to: a careless moment that haunts you for years, that you obsess over at night, that gets worse every time you think about it.
Ah! So many… In The Dark, Brains On! (amazing podcast for kids, and reminds me how much in the world I don’t know), Pod Save America, The Moth Radio Hour, Reply All, Women of the Hour. 17
behind the
PETER DORAN
theme music theme music theme music
:
Composer of the Minimalists Podcast theme peterdoran.com
had written about turning 30. How did your song “Every From there, I dove further into their writings and philosophy. Little Thing” become I liked what they had to say. the theme song for the I was reading one of Joshua’s Minimalists Podcast? PETER DORAN: A few years back, pieces one morning on a train and it struck me that my song I discovered the Minimalists’ “Every Little Thing” had the blog, it was an article they 18
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same message that these guys were putting out. I remember thinking that Joshua might enjoy the song, so I sent him a little Twitter note and link to the tune. I wasn’t sure if he’d ever hear the song, but to my surprise he responded pretty soon saying that he loved it. From there, he asked if they could use it for a promo-video they were producing for an upcoming tour. I was happy that the song was a good fit for what they were doing and was more than happy for them to use it. It was maybe a year or more later when they started with the podcast and Joshua again reached out and asked if they could use ELT for the theme song. Again, I was more than happy for them to do so.
PODSTER: What inspired
the song? PETER: I think I had found myself in some kind of desire loop. I don’t know what it was for exactly. I think I had worked myself into a kind of almost
panic-stricken state of want. I don’t remember if it was for anything in particular, just a feeling of something missing; it’s an unhealthy, almost obsessive state to be in and it’s no good. The song was written to counteract that feeling.
PODSTER: Are you a
minimalist? PETER: Yes, I think for the most part I am, with the only exception possibly being guitars. If I had the space and the money I’d be only too happy to build up a huge collection!!! Right now I have a collection PODSTER: Who are your of three very beautiful musical influences? acoustics, each one with its PETER: I have quite a lot right own story. across the board. I started However I’ve just sold listening to heavier music two electric guitars that had and lots of instrumental a huge sentimental value guitar players, then shifted but weren’t being played towards the songwriter genre. anymore, so I guess that fits There are some amazing Irish into the minimalist ethos. songwriters that floored me They weren’t adding value early on: Damien Rice, Fionn to my life. They did once, Regan, Glen Hansard, and of they served their time, and course the giants: Dylan, it was time to find new Neil Young, Leonard Cohen. homes for them. I do plan Recently I’ve been enjoying to get another acoustic Father John Misty, Andrew with the funds raised from Bird, My Morning Jacket. the sale of these guitars. I love Radiohead. This very But you can be sure I will moment I’m listening to make a considered choice Chris Thile & Brad Mehldau’s when picking out the new new record. instrument.
PETER
LISTENS TO
“My favourites are: The Tim Ferriss Show, The Moment with Brian Koppelman, RadioLab, WTF podcast with Marc Maron, Krista Tippett’s On Being and of course Josh & Ryan’s The Minimalists.”
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theme Eighties
Because I want my mTV and a six-pack of Bartles and Jaymes The Awesome 80s Podcast “Welcome to The Awesome 80s Podcast: The Elizabeth Shue Project. This is what happens when you set a microphone in front of two guys who’ve watched way too many 80s movies and spent way too many hours in front of the television. Enjoy the magic.” Stuck in the ‘80s “Do you believe in John Hughes, day-glo colors, Han shot first, new wave music, Reaganomics, lip syncing on American Bandstand, standing in line for concert ticket wristbands, Alex P. Keaton, American Top 40 long distance dedications, and the existence of music videos on MTV? Then this podcast is for you.”
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NEED FOR FEED
Chips, Dips, and Dorks “We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice many hours in front of the television to screen movies great and awful for you. But we did it because we are passionate about movies from one of the best decades ever.” Back to the ‘80s “Hosted by Glenn, Sam, Becca, Paula and Phil, this podcast is a virtual trip back in time to the halcyon days of our childhood - the 1980s (and early 1990s). Every week we explore at least one facet of 80’s pop culture, discuss questions from our listeners, and report the news from at least 4 of the main franchises of the 80’s that are still around today!” Branded in the 80s Podcast “The Branded in the 80s Podcast is a show that remembers what it was like to be a kid growing up in the 1980s. Cartoons, movies, music, toys, and junk food.”
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5 LISTEN
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THE PODSTER FIVE
THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB CLUB babysittersclubclub.com
he Baby-Sitters Club Club is two 30-somethings who review the series The Baby-Sitters Club. Jack and Tanner spend an hour discussing the work of “Princess” Ann M. Martin. The story of each book is retold and reccurring themes are discussed. The hosts particularly dislike fan favorite Stacey McGill, the cool girl from New York, and enjoy putting their own twists on the series. Much of the podcast involves the hosts loftily discussing minute details of the book they have read and how those relate to classic literature, religion, or particular theories they have created. The author’s decision to keep the characters stuck at age 13 for the duration of the series is decided to be “Amber Theory,” and the main characters are often suggested to be fighting the patriarchy, which contradicts the feminist element of the series entirely. The hosts’ attempts to make a popular children’s series into high-brow literature is a lot of fun. The Baby-Sitters Club fandom takes itself far too seriously at times, but Jack and Tanner inject something different into BSC land that makes fans everywhere step back and laugh at themselves. The hosts don’t mind being corrected —they notoriously pronounce names wrong and aren’t too on top of the canon—and they so earnestly try and sell their spin that you can’t help but laugh at lines like “the sitters become the sat” in reference to an 11-year-old sitter suddenly requiring supervision at home. It’s almost like eavesdropping on a Literature 101 lecture gone horribly wrong, and yet, somehow all right at the same time. —Gemma King
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LISTEN
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his Retro Life is an Australian podcast dedicated to listeners who are interested in knowing more about life gone by. Host Kia Handley developed the podcast due to her love of all things vintage, coupled with a journalistic desire to help other people share their retro life stories. Most of the episodes feature people living their life in the past, be it styled retro, vintage, or kitsch. Often the interviewees have made a career of their fondness for all things from the past, and they share how they have taken their interest and turned it into a business. Although it is a niche topic, cars, music and clothing are all discussed, and it feels a little bit like American Pickers without the retail element driving the show. In one episode, Laila Shalimar shares her story of embracing 1950s’ clothing and culture, while also becoming involved as an administrator for Pinups of Colour. In another, Kat Creasey explains how she started selling fashion accessories at school (notably, school-aged Iggy Azalea was one of her customers) and then created a profitable business which focuses solely on her interests and also adapts to meet the needs of the rockabilly community. If you dabble in kitschy fashion or you have a hankering to get a cool custom car on the road, this podcast is well worth a listen. From a business and self-marketing perspective there is also a lot to gain from hearing the stories of others and hearing about their collections. —Gemma King
THE PODSTER FIVE THIS RETRO LIFE thisretrolife.com
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THE WORST BESTSELLERS frowl.org/worstbestsellers
he Worst Bestsellers is a podcast for anyone who has read a bestselling novel. Featuring anything from kid lit to Christian romance novels and everything in between, The Worst Bestsellers has your back. They poke fun at story lines, laugh at your favorite bits and, best of all, offer a remedy for the discerning reader who would like to try something the same but different. The show is hosted by Kait, a writer, and Renata, a librarian. They are often joined by guests who have also read the book in question. After rehashing the plot, the hosts compare the book to different texts and share their reflections on the characters. Further information about the author, or perhaps the bestseller itself, is shared. The podcast concludes with the Readers Advisory, which is made up of alternative book titles which may be of interest to the listener. One of the best things about this podcast is that clickable links are featured in the show notes (at least this is the case on iTunes). The hosts have added various links to things referred to in the show— everything from lists to blogs and the Readers Advisory page. For a podcast about books, it is a lot of fun—they even each list a candy pairing to the books they read for the episode. Chances are you have probably read a few of the bestsellers on the list (I certainly had), and those I had not read I knew something about. The Worst Bestsellers is very enjoyable and helpful for those looking to build a summer reading list. —Gemma King
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Frugal Dudes is a new weekly podcast by Kevin Griffin and Sean Merron. They claim they are not financial experts; they just really like money and know some smart ways to keep it. Both are software developers, but to change things up a little, Kevin owns his own business, while Sean works for a large corporation. What is great about this setup is that that they both have something to offer for people who want to start their own business (or already have one), as well as giving a perspective of someone who works within a company. The weekly episodes also give some insight into their lives as they discuss renting versus buying a home, how to start a business, getting rid of stuff and succession planning. Each of the hosts speaks candidly about money matters without all the tricky jargon that comes with your typical wealth article. The podcast feels a little like listening to your dad’s financial advice, but instead of hearing “blah blah, save money, blah blah,” you are just eavesdropping on two guys who could be in a similar situation to you, discussing how they have made positive changes to their lives. It is quite a light and breezy show and the concepts discussed should be easily retained—no notepad will be necessary. Forget passive income and the need to hustle—Sean and Kevin make living frugally sound reasonably easy, without jumping through hoops and looking for side gigs to enhance your financial situation. Less bossy, more about keeping your hard-earned money. —Gemma King
THE PODSTER FIVE 2 FRUGAL DUDES 2frugaldudes.com
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THE BLAZE WITH LIZZIE AND KAT! 90210blaze.tumblr.com
he Blaze is a Beverly Hills 90210 podcast hosted by Kat and Lizzie, who both watched the original series as it went to air. Named for the West Beverly High School newspaper, The Blaze takes an indepth look at each episode, calling on the help of special guests and regulars from the show. Before tuning in you should know that spoilers run rampant—it is assumed that the listener is well aware of the plot lines. This means that an episode from Season 3 may also include reflection on story lines to appear in Season 4 or 5. This podcast is a little unique. The sound quality isn’t particularly outstanding, although it has improved over time, and feels a little bit like a tape recording of a radio show. What is incredible about the podcast is that often Kat and Lizzie have guests from the show who help them host. Jason Priestley, perhaps known better as Brandon Walsh in the 90210 fandom, shares his insights from directing his first episode of the show, executive producer Charles Rosen also hosts season wrap-ups, and some of Brandon’s girlfriends - notably Emily Valentine (Christine Elise) and Nikki Witt (Dana Barron) make an appearance. What is great about The Blaze is that Lizzie and Kat are loyal fans of the show and really know how to discuss the story lines and character development thoroughly without making too much fun of the plot holes along the way. Nineties nostalgia can bring a lot of snarky overtones, but these girls don’t throw any shade at the gang. —Gemma King lesmuseesdeparis.com
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THE FEED
Shelf Media Podcast Hosted by Margaret Brown
Hey, It’s a Poem Hosted by Margaret Brown
In the Shelf Media Podcast, publisher Margaret Brown interviews emerging and established authors about their books, careers, writing, and lives.
Hey, It’s a Poem is a bi-weekly podcast featuring interviews and poetry readings with well-known and emerging poets. Hosted by Shelf Unbound publisher Margaret Brown, this podcast examines how to access poetry and find its meanings.
Shelf Media Podcast No.1 & 2 www.shelfmediagroup.com/pages/podcast
Hey, It’s a Poem Podcast No.1 www.heyitsapoem.com
PROMOTE
YOUR PODCAST Foreground Podcast Hosted by Barbara Pflaumer Foreground editor in chief Barbara Pflaumer talks to fine artists about their work, lives, and careers.
Foreground Podcast No.1 www.shelfmediagroup.com/pages/foreground
Promote your podcast in Podster’s The Feed. Our initial issues are being distributed to the 125,000 readers of Shelf Media’s Shelf Unbound book review magazine. Our introductory rate for this section is $300/quarter page as seen here. A limited number of full pages are also available. Contact publisher Margaret Brown to reserve your space. MARGARET@SHELFMEDIAGROUP.COM 214.704.4182
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audiovisuals audiovisuals audiovisuals MODERN ART MUSEUM OF FORT WORTH PODCAST “DAVID BATES GALLERY TALK” “Artist David Bates and Modern Curator of Education Terri Thornton discuss Bates’s bold, visceral paintings and track the artist’s developments, shifts, and repeated motifs throughout his 40-year career.”
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the case the case the case CLEAN SLATE by Colin Miller
Colin Miller is Associate Dean and Professor, University of South Carolina School of Law; co-host, Undisclosed Podcast; and blog editor, EvidenceProf Blog.
In Podster’s The Case, Colin picks up where Serial Podcast left off.
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n December 28, 2016, Judge Martin Welch denied Adnan Syed’s Motion for Release pending appeal. In other words, although Judge Welch had previously granted Adnan a new trial six months earlier, he was now ordering that Adnan remain incarcerated while the State appeals that prior ruling. It might take two or more years before that appeal is finally resolved. But while this December ruling was in part a loss for the defense, in another sense, it was a victory, and that’s because it wiped the slate clean of all of the court proceedings in Adnan’s case back in 1999 and 2000. Adnan’s first trial for the murder of Hae Min Lee ended in a mistrial in December 1999. That mistrial came as a result of the same exhibit that led to Judge Welch granting Adnan a new trial in 2016: Exhibit #31. That
exhibit contained a list of the cell towers pinged by calls to and from Adnan’s cell phone on January 13, 1999. While Adnan’s trial attorney, Cristina Gutierrez, agreed to the admission of this document at Adnan’s first trial, she later told the judge that she had never seen this exhibit. In response, the judge called Gutierrez a liar. Gutierrez responded that she was not lying; she simply hadn’t cared to look at the exhibit in preparing for trial. A juror heard this exchange, resulting in the judge needing to declare a mistrial. Polling of the jury after this mistrial indicated that the jurors were strongly leaning toward a “not guilty” verdict. At Adnan’s second trial, in early 2000, Exhibit #31 became a major part of the State’s case, what Judge Welch would later declare “the crux” of that case. That exhibit indicated that incoming calls to Adnan’s cell phone at 7:09 and 7:16 P.M. on January 13th pinged the cell tower which covered Leakin Park and surrounding areas. Because these pings corroborated Jay Wilds’ (now recanted) claim that Adnan and he were burying Hae Min Lee in Leakin Park during the 7:00 hour, they were part
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of the most important cluster of evidence against Adnan. As a result, Gutierrez’s failure to use an AT&T disclaimer indicating that incoming pings were not reliable for determining location status was not only unreasonable but also undermined Judge Welch’s confidence in the jury’s verdict. This is why he granted Adnan a new trial. Therefore, both of Adnan’s original trials have been rendered nullities: the first, because Gutierrez either didn’t read the State’s cell tower exhibit or lied about it, and the second, because Gutierrez failed to attack that same exhibit. And now, after Judge Welch’s recent ruling, the same can be said about both of Adnan’s bail hearings. Adnan’s first bail hearing was held on March 1, 1999. At that hearing, the State claimed that Adnan was an adult and therefore eligible for the death penalty, making him ineligible for bail. The State was wrong. Adnan was in fact a seventeen year-old minor at the time of the murder. This led to a second bail hearing on March 31, 1999. At this hearing, prosecutor Vicki Wash claimed that there was a pattern of jilted
Pakistani males killing their exgirlfriends and fleeing to Pakistan to avoid extradition and that the same thing would happen if Adnan were released. In a letter to the court dated April 21, 1999, Wash had to apologize for these comments, admitting that they were misrepresentations. But it was those misrepresentations that likely led to Adnan being detained, and they remained on the record for over a decade and a behalf. But no more. In his recent opinion, Judge Welch concluded that Adnan’s second bail hearing was fundamentally flawed by the State’s argument which was xenophobic and a gendered, cultural stereotype of Pakistani men. That such an argument was made without any basis in fact, and potentially considered by the judicial officer in determining flight risk is egregious in that it negates the circuit court giving that bail decision any weight in this matter though there may have been other compelling evidence as to risk of flight. And with that, we really are back to square one, assuming that the State’s appeal is unsuccessful. On that front, Adnan might have to wait another few years before receiving resolution. 31
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17 SWITCHBACKS: OUR YEAR IN THE NATIONAL PARKS switchbackkids.com LISTEN 32
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Hosts: Twenty-something husband and wife Cole and Elizabeth. Site: switchbackkids.com. About: Switchbacks is a “travel podcast where we reflect on our year visiting all 59 National Parks across the U.S. We discuss our impressions and secrets for each National Park, our top ten lists, interviews with other Park Nuts and general travel tips. So whether you’re a lifelong park lover or planning a visit for your next family road trip, we’re here to give you the scoop on America’s Best Idea.” Episode 17: “Our Top Ten National Park Animal Encounters” Description: “From Alaska to Virgin Islands, American Samoa to Shenandoah, our most memorable encounters with the national parks’ finest.” That Moment When: Elizabeth and Cole describe watching the salmon run at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and seeing an old, fat brown bear (who they call
Otis) sitting in the falls all day waiting for a salmon to come up next to him. Soundbite: “We were in Shenandoah National Park doing the little Skyline Drive, and we had not seen any bears on our trip yet. I was in the passenger seat and I looked up and I screamed something to the effect of, “stop, pull over!” So we got out of the car and there were three bears, a mom and two cubs, up really high in the tree right next to the road. Listen Because: The couple’s enthusiasm for the National Parks is infectious, and sharing their travels vicariously will make you want to pull out your backpack and boots and hit the trails.
EA EAR RBBU UD D PODSTER’S AARON WATSON RECOMMENDS:
THE KNOWLEDGE PROJECT farnamstreetblog.com
Shane Parrish rose to digital fame through
producing one of the best, and most popular, newsletters on the internet. His blog, Farnam Street, has tens of thousands of daily visitors in search of better mental models for understanding the world and new book recommendations. His podcast, The Knowledge Project, is an extension of this endeavor where he can discuss mental models with other experts on the topic. In wide-ranging hour-long conversations, Shane mixes well-researched questions with insights from his personal reservoir of historical references and big ideas. Shane’s well-established brand has opened doors for guests that you won’t necessarily find on other interview shows. Guests have included a tour guide for the city of Athens, the chief conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, and one of the world’s most respected sommeliers. Two of my favorite interviews are with Naval Ravikant (AngelList founder and two-time Tim Ferriss guest) and Venkatesh Rao (creator of Ribbonfarm and Breaking Smart). Go listen.
Aaron Watson is the host of the Going Deep with Aaron Watson podcast, a forum for meaningful, deep conversations about the passions, fears and problems of people from all walks of life. Guests talk about entrepreneurship, sports, finance, comedy, and lifestyle design. goingdeepwithaaron.com 34
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STO RY H A P P E N S H E R E
10.875" W N YC ST UD I OS is leading the new golden age of audio with personal narratives, deep journalism, revealing interviews and smart entertainment as varied and intimate as the human voice itself.
Radiolab Where science and culture collide
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The New Yorker Radio Hour Hosted by editor David Remnick
On the Media Essential guide to surviving your media
Death, Sex & Money What gets left out of polite conversation
Snap Judgment Storytelling with a beat
Here’s the Thing Interviews by Alec Baldwin
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Subscribe on iTunes or listen on the free WNYC app. ® 2016 New York Public Radio
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@JTIMBERLAKE Pioneer. Innovator. Legend. All-around BADASS. RIP #ChuckBerry.
@TMORELLO Was an honor to play with the immortal #ChuckBerry on his final album. Our track “Big Boys” released today.
@REALALICECOOPER RIP #ChuckBerry, the genesis behind the great sound of rock n roll. All of us in rock have now lost our father.
@BETTEMIDLER The great #ChuckBerry is gone. A true musical pioneer, and what a life he led. Goodbye and thank you for the rocking good times.
@BOBSEGER
#CHUCKBERRY THE BLUES KITCHEN RADIO: CHUCK BERRY SPECIAL 36
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A true pioneer, Chuck had tremendous influence on my work and could not have been a nicer guy. 1 of the all time greats. RIP #ChuckBerry.
@MICKJAGGER He lit up our teenage years, and blew life into our dreams of being musicians and performers. 2/3 #ChuckBerry
OUTRO OUTRO OUTRO “Fast internet; stay connected in a jet; Wifi, podcasts, blasting out an SMS.”
| from “Now Generation” by The Black Eyed Peas |
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