Imagine you’re at the beach, taking in the scenery, breathing in the fresh ocean air, when the sun hits something floating in the water just right… It’s a bottle! With a message inside that looks totally intact!Meet people who’ve found - and gotten back - their messages in bottles, and hear about one that was thrown from the Titanic. GUESTS: Stefanie Marco Lantz , Lana & Tommy Simmons: The Simmons family received a message in a bottle as a donation at their thrift store in Statesville, NC. T...
Apr 14, 2023•52 min
When we talk about people getting struck by lightning, we don’t often think, “wait, what does that really do to a person?” A lightning strike expert talks about the physical and psychological effects of lightning hitting the human body, and tells us exactly what to do when a storm is coming. Then, meet one woman whose personality and body changed forever, and one man who, after his near-death experience getting hit, became obsessed with the piano. GUESTS: Dr. Mary Ann Cooper : Emergency physicia...
Apr 07, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 123
In 2000, Sigrid Wade began writing to people on death row to express her solidarity against that kind of punishment; she never thought she’d end up marrying one of them and having a child. But that’s exactly what happened between her and Alan Wade. Meet a sociologist who studies relationships like theirs, and hear directly from Sigrid and Alan about love, family, worthiness, and trust. GUESTS: Megan Comfort : Senior research sociologist in Research Triangle Institute ’s Transformative Research U...
Mar 31, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 122
When you know you’re months, maybe weeks away from your own death, what do you most want people to know? As the first in a series of conversations with people near the end of their lives, we get to know David Meyers. He’s a physician who was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2018. Hear his reflections on life, love, and what really matters. An extended version of this conversation is available in your podcast feed. GUEST: Dr. David Meyers : A physician living in the Washington, DC area. He is curre...
Mar 24, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 121
This is a special extended version of my conversation with Dr. David Meyers. After five years of living with glioblastoma, a brain tumor, he is nearing the end of his life. He talks about what matters most to him, gives advice for those of us who aren't so willing to ponder death deeply, and shares how he wants to be remembered. Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Mar 24, 2023•59 min
What if, for as long as you can remember, you’ve strongly felt as though one of your healthy limbs just doesn't belong? You’ve always wished it could be amputated. You aren’t the only person with this feeling, but you would be one of fewer than 400 documented cases of body integrity dysphoria (BID) or body integrity identity disorder (BIID) in the world. Meet a man with BID, who, after years of struggling with his bodily identity, traveled to Asia to have his left leg under the knee amputated. H...
Mar 17, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 120
Beatboxing is so cool! Not only do you have portable access to a full drum set, but also to trumpets, guitars, turntables, and whatever else your body can imitate! It’s a fine art that is fully embodied. Meet three beatboxers: One of the first on the scene to develop the craft, another who uses it to connect to herself and the rest of the world, and one 12 year-old who is making waves on beatbox competition stages. GUESTS: Rahzel Manely Brown: Legendary beatboxer, former member of the Roots, and...
Mar 10, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 119
All children are special. All twins are special! And these twins are especially… special! On this episode, meet twins who: -Were conceived 30 years ago and only born last year -Were born on each side of the millennium -Survived separation surgery in 2004 -Are, at six years old, still conjoined at the sternum GUESTS: Rachel and Philip Ridgeway: Parents to twins from embryos frozen 30 years ago. Lydia and Timothy Ridgeway were born on Oct 31, 2022 from embryos frozen on April 22, 1992. They live o...
Mar 03, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 118
Last time, we did an episode about dominants in the world of BDSM and kink , and now? It’s time for the submissives to take center-stage. Learn the difference between “submissive” and “slave”, and four people’s interpretations of what it means to obey, serve, and play. GUESTS: Kate Kinsey : Author of How to be a Healthy and Happy Submissive: A Practical Guide to Making Your Fantasies a Reality , and What Submissives Want to Know: Real Questions, Real Answers Kim Debron : A collared slave and wri...
Feb 24, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 117
Meet a world-renowned expert on kink who will explain exactly what we’re talking about when we talk about dominants. And you’ll meet three very different kinds of dominants in the BDSM world: One who is particularly sensual, one whose power lies in money, and one whose disability is just another component of his power. This is the first of two episodes about kink. Tune in next week, when we meet four submissives, three of which refer to themselves as “slaves”, including a Black woman. GUESTS: Mi...
Feb 17, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 116
When you hear the words, “cuddle party”, what do you picture? Something playful? Something salacious? Something… else? When your culture equates affection with attraction, how does it feel to challenge that connection? And to what degree can affection be healing when it isn't necessarily connected with sex? Join Chion as she ponders all this during her experience one-on-one with a professional cuddlist, and then as she attends a 25-person-strong cuddle party. GUESTS: Amanda Ananda : Professional...
Feb 10, 2023•49 min
Doing stand-up comedy isn’t easy for most human beings… So what’s it like for comedians who have a disability like cerebral palsy, amputations, or Tourette's? GUESTS: Maysoon Zayid : Palestinian-American comedian, actress, and disability activist with cerebral palsy. She is the co-founder and co-executive producer of the New York Arab American Comedy Festival and The Muslim Funny Fest . She’s also the author of Find Another Dream and the graphic novel, Shiny Misfits Danielle Perez : Comedian, wr...
Feb 03, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 115
Hoarding disorder, as defined by the Mayo Clinic, is “a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them.” On this episode of Audacious, an expert on hoarding disorder explains the nuances of the condition. Then, a woman walks Chion through her home as she explores new ways to declutter her house. Plus, another woman talks about how she began making a lot of progress managing hoarding disorder by talking about it on YouTube. For more informati...
Jan 27, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 114
This is an extended conversation about hoarding disorder with Dr. David Tolin. Listen to the original podcast for a conversation with one woman who uses her YouTube channel to make progress coping with her hoarding disorder. Another woman gives Chion a her a tour of her home, and describes her relationship with clutter. For more information, visit NAMI - the National Alliance on Mental Illness . Their helpline is is 800-950-6264. GUEST: Dr. David Tolin: Founder and Director of the Anxiety Disord...
Jan 27, 2023•30 min
A lot can happen in a year, you know? And if you’re anything like these folks, you’ve read over 365 books, you’ve become fluent in English by watching American t.v. shows, and you’ve gotten over a hundred rejections. GUESTS: Kelsey Weekman : Culture reporter for Buzzfeed who read 390 books in a year Mathias Barra : French writer who became fluent in English in a year by watching 3 hours of American and British television every day Emily Winter : Comedy writer who strived to get 100 rejections in...
Jan 20, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 113
Fewer than 10% of truck drivers are women, and in this episode, you’re going to meet three of them. Spend the day with Chion and a tow truck driver, get to know a woman who runs a CDL training school, and hear about life on the road from a truck driver who happens to be a trans woman. GUESTS: Chantel Comerford: A driver for Meagan’s Towing & Recovery out of Danbury, Connecticut. She lives in Sandy Hook Michele Howard: Owner of Affordable CDL Training School in Colchester, Connecticut Hope Al...
Jan 13, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 112
Our social media news feeds curate us as much as we curate our newsfeeds. So what if, instead of subscribing to the same old fear-mongering, belittling, judgmental soundbites… We subscribe to accounts that peddle in love? Today, meet three people who use social media to lift all tides. GUESTS: Joel Cross : Grammy-nominated musician, poet, meditator, and traveler who asks his half-a-million followers to pause and ask, "How's your heart?", on the handle, @asoulcalledjoel Scott Tatum : A hiker and ...
Jan 06, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 111
In the last episode, "Social media, the algorithm, and the state of our hearts", we met social media uplifters, Joel Cross, Scott Tatum, Daníel Colón, and via, Daníel, Abraham Hicks! To prepare for that episode, we gathered a ton of clips from their newsfeeds! Since we couldn't fit them all into the show, treat yourself to this macrodose of love. GUESTS: Joel Cross : Grammy-nominated musician, poet, meditator, and traveler who asks his half-a-million followers to pause and ask, "How's your heart...
Jan 06, 2023•28 min
Sure, you love The Price Is Right, Wheel Of Fortune, and Jeopardy! But what does it take to go through the audition process and get on those shows? On this show, meet three people who did just that and get some life advice from those iconic soundstages. GUESTS: Bob Knych of Pawtuket, RI, was on The Price Is Right in 2006 and 2019 Ash Colwell of Charlotte, NC, appeared on Wheel Of Fortune, which was broadcasted on August 3, 2020 Terry Wolfisch Cole of West Simsbury, CT, was on JEOPARDY. Her appea...
Dec 16, 2022•50 min
Meet a man who has a compelling story as to why he believes he is the reincarnation of civil war General John P. Gordon. Then, a researcher who studies past lives on why reports from children are so compelling. Finally, sit in with Chion during her past life regression in Old Saybrook. If you like this episode, you may also enjoy this one we did in October, 2021: What near-death and shared-death experiences tell us about living GUESTS: Jeffrey Keene : Retired Assistant Fire Chief from Westport, ...
Dec 09, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 110
For some, the hijab is seen as an oppressive symbol – right now Iranian women are burning their headscarves in protest. But for other women around the globe – the hijab is a symbol of empowerment, beauty, and faith. On this episode of Audacious, we hear from two women about their very different experiences with the hijab. GUESTS: Jacqueline Saper : Author of From Miniskirt to Hijab: A Girl in Revolutionary Iran . She was born and raised in Tehran to Iranian and British parents, and lived through...
Dec 02, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 109
Consider all the stuff in your kitchen. There’s at least ONE thing in there with a story behind it, right? Today’s episode features conversations with eleven people about the stories behind their special kitchen utensil or appliance. GUESTS: Susan Jane Bigelow of Enfield, Connecticut, has a very special spoon Emily and Kevin Tracy of Windsor, Connecticut, have a utensil set that Emily borrowed long-term from an airline Joy Braddock from West Hartford loves her spatulas Debra Walsh from West Hart...
Nov 25, 2022•50 min
In previous installments of our Behind the Screens series - where we talk with people who make the entertainment industry work - we met the costume director for Schitt’s Creek, an intimacy coordinator, the food illustrator for the Great British Baking Show, and even the person who is responsible for hiring the most recent Fab 5 for Queer Eye! On this episode, you’ll hear stories from three folks involved with Netflix shows, Too Hot to Handle , Bullshit the Game Show , and The Sandman. GUESTS: Rh...
Nov 18, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 108
There’s really no way to avoid the obvious: Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease is a scary condition. The causes are somewhat mysterious, results of treatments are mixed, and there is no cure. A diagnosis will impact everybody who it touches - logistically, financially, psychologically, and emotionally. Today, you’re going to meet a man living alone with early onset, and a husband and wife team who are doing everything they can to make sure the husband is cared for. And you’ll get some helpful thing...
Nov 11, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 107
The first person in our series featuring poets around a fire in Chion’s backyard was Zulynette . This time, meet Andrew Dean Wright. In addition to being a photographer, digital artist, and elegant roller skater, he is a curious, gentle, and powerful poet. Enjoy this conversation between them, recorded in Hartford on August 24, 2022. Listen to a recent Colin McEnroe Show featuring poets, Margaret Gibson, Yanyi, and Matthew Zapruder. GUEST: Andrew Dean Wright : Hartford-based poet, artist, and ro...
Nov 04, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 106
Imagine you’re at the beach, taking in the scenery, breathing in the fresh ocean air, when the sun hits something floating in the water just right… It’s a bottle! With a message inside that looks totally intact! Meet people who’ve found - and gotten back - their messages in bottles, and hear about one that was thrown from the Titanic. GUESTS: Stefanie Marco Lantz , Lana & Tommy Simmons: The Simmons family received a message in a bottle as a donation at their thrift store in Statesville, NC. ...
Oct 28, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 105
The person who took 17 lives in Parkland, Florida on Valentine’s Day of 2018 was recently spared the death penalty. Hear from Manuel Oliver, the father of Joaquin, who was murdered that day, about how he uses art and media to rally for gun control. You’ll also hear his reaction to the sentencing. GUEST: Manuel Oliver: Father of Joaquin Oliver, who was one of 17 murdered students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in 2018. He is also the co-founder of Change...
Oct 21, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 104
The poet, Atticus, wrote, “Have you ever smelled a smell and it instantly brings you back to a happy moment from your childhood? I always loved that. I hope that's what death is. Just sitting on a cloud, smelling old smells.” That’s the inspiration for today’s episode, featuring 18 people talking about the smells that bring them back to childhood. In addition to the guests below, you’ll hear the voices of Dave Borsvold from Mentor, Ohio, Higuchi Naoki from Osaka, Japan, Levi Lomaski from West Ha...
Oct 14, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 103
Humans of New York is a photo-slash-storytelling-slash-fundraising powerhouse with 30 million followers on social media. You read narratives about overcoming adversity, personal revelations, or just flat-out great stories. Just that combination alone - the photos and their captions - have been enough to launch Humans of New York into worldwide popularity. But its creator, Brandon Stanton, has taken it one step further. When a subject of his tells a story about a specific need, he shares their Go...
Oct 07, 2022•50 min
Nietzsche once said, “It is what one takes into solitude that grows there, the beast within included.” This episode features three people who experienced solitude: by choice and not. There’s a winter caretaker at Yellowstone, a runner-up from the History Channel show, Alone, and hear from a Connecticut man who spent almost 30 years in solitary confinement. GUESTS: Callie Russell : Contestant on Season 7 (aired in 2020) of Alone on the History Channel . She lasted 89 days in the Northwest Territo...
Sep 30, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 102
