Fear is an inescapable part of the human condition, and few places are more driven by fear than a supermax prison. In this episode Randy examines what fear is, how it affects us, and the choice we have: face it or run from it. And what is Randy's innovative approach to this paralyzing emotion? "Slap it with positivity!" Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. Directed and produced by Michael Ga...
Jun 10, 2021•16 min•Ep. 51
In prison, everyone needs to believe in something, whether it's religion, an idea, a dream, or a sense of self. Randy explains what religious faith means for him, taking us on his long journey from cynicism to belief. He sure gets strength from his faith -- and his sense of who he is. As Randy says, "I won't give up. I might fail but I will fail swinging." Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder...
Jun 03, 2021•22 min•Ep. 50
Prisoners at Red Onion come up with some ingenious ways to pass the time, including gambling with some unusual stakes. Randy also introduces us to his all-time favorite game: Dungeons and Dragons. But Randy's version of D&D is not exactly the same as the one most people know! You'll be impressed by the passion and creativity of D&D Red Onion-style.Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder....
May 27, 2021•18 min•Ep. 49
Abused and neglected at home, made to feel an outsider at school, Randy rejected the education system that appeared to reject him. Between truancy and juvenile detention Randy never got much of a formal education but he did manage to pass his GED (General Education Development), a set of academic tests equivalent to a high-school diploma. Randy always had a love of reading, and by the time he found himself in adult prison he had developed an enduring love of learning. Despite the lack of resourc...
May 20, 2021•18 min•Ep. 48
In this powerful episode Randy describes what it feels like to be sentenced at the age of 20 to life in prison without the possibility of parole. It's been a long journey through numbness and depression to find the hope he constantly fights to keep alive. Twenty-three years after he was sentenced, Randy still faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for...
May 13, 2021•18 min•Ep. 47
When he was an angry, abused adolescent, Randy discovered that crime was like a drug. Soon, he was hooked on it, yearning for the intense high that he believed only crime could give him. When crime led to him being sent to a juvenile correctional center, his one desire was to get out and commit more crimes. Only later did he come to realize that like other addictions, crime can destroy the addict's life -- and the lives of those around them.Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall ...
May 06, 2021•21 min•Ep. 46
It’s illegal for inmates to produce or consume alcohol in prison, but that doesn’t stop them from trying. In this episode, Randy describes some popular recipes for the hard stuff. He tells the story of what happened when one prisoner drank way too much mash, and ends with a cautionary tale of the risks involved for the innocent when the mash is discovered in a cell. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capi...
Apr 29, 2021•24 min•Ep. 45
In the 23 years since Randy has been incarcerated at Red Onion, he's never received a single visitor. It's not because family and friends aren't prepared to make the journey to the remote mountain location, it's because he chooses not to have visitors. Why? In this episode, Randy explains the impossible dilemma he faces, and gives a vivid account of the range of different visitation experiences at Red Onion.Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,21...
Apr 22, 2021•17 min•Ep. 44
Back when Randy was still in "seg", he worked alongside other prisoners, folding paper napkins around sporks. It offered a rare opportunity to socialize and have some fun. One day, his buddy Frank proposed a dare. If Randy could consume an entire bag of coffee at one go -- and keep it down for an hour -- Frank wolud give him $20. Would Randy accept the dare? Of course, he would!
Apr 15, 2021•20 min•Ep. 43
Friendships presuppose trust, but in prison you can't trust anyone. In this episode, Randy explores the contradictory nature of prisoners' interactions with one another. Should you trust or not trust? Should you guard against opening up or should you allow others to come close enough to form friendships? "We need to be human," says Randy, explaining how it's possible to "have friendships without being friends." We might ask ourselves a question:. "Are they really my friend? Do I trust them? Woul...
Apr 08, 2021•24 min•Ep. 42
Slinky, Ghost, LA, Murder, Headbuster ... Names matter in prison, and almost everyone has some kind of nickname. In this episode "Red Onion" Randy explains why it's sometimes safer to hide your real name in prison and better to have a handle. Over the years, Randy has had a few himself, as he recounts. Need a catchy nickname? Just ask Randy.Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. Directed and p...
Apr 01, 2021•22 min•Ep. 41
Regular listener Kevin emailed Randy to ask Randy if he had have any special recipes he could share? He certainly did. Here are Randy's all-time favorites, including one recipe for a lot more than just a good meal.Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. Directed and produced by Michael Garbutt. Website and podcast design by Nishant Pandav. Sound editing and music by Julia Jooyeon Park. Title mu...
Mar 25, 2021•16 min•Ep. 40
If you or a loved one face the prospect of incarceration, this is a must-listen episode!. Randy answers a question from a listener who wants to know what advice he would give her boyfriend who is about to start serving a long sentence in a Federal prison. Randy's useful tips include ingenious strategy on how to avoid the gangs and how to get a sentence reduction for good behavior. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State ...
Mar 18, 2021•18 min•Ep. 39
Randy finds himself in a situation where there seems no way to avoid a fight. "I'm actually proud of myself", says Randy, "because I remained calm, collected and controlling my emotions." He leaves us with an impressive appeal: "If you ever find yourself in this situation, do your best to de-escalate it."Winning a fight, whether it's physical, verbal, intellectual or emotional may give you a sense of victory, but Randy shows that the true triumph comes from overcoming your own impulses, emotions...
Mar 11, 2021•16 min•Ep. 38
As a child, Randy's ambition was to learn martial arts so no one would be able to hurt him again. In this episode, Randy describes the intoxicating feeling he used to feel in using skill and speed to dominate an opponent. But from a street fighter with low self-esteem and an urge to fight for its own sake, Randy became a man of peace who came to appreciate martial arts as source of discipline and self-control. As Randy says, "There are times you should fight to defend yourself and your family, b...
Mar 04, 2021•17 min•Ep. 37
At a very early age Randy knew that if he was going to survive, he'd have to fight, and fight hard. Exposed to a world of childhood violence, he drew on natural skill and fearlessness to give as good as he got-- and sometimes a lot more. By the time he was a teen in juvenile detention, Randy was ready to hone his fighting skills in "Gladiator School", where the only rule was that there were no rules. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years...
Feb 25, 2021•15 min•Ep. 36
Randy almost lost his virginity back when he was a teenager, after absconding from a co-ed juvenile detention facility with two teenage girls. Almost, but not quite, thanks to the sudden arrival of an unexpected party. Randy's account of his teenage escapade is full of humor and wit. It's a counterpoint to the loneliness and longing for intimacy he describes as a 42-year-old who has now lived without the company of women for more than half his life. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of...
Feb 18, 2021•17 min•Ep. 35
Randy recalls the time in his childhood when he lived in a boys' camp in the woods. One day, while walking in the hills, he encountered a herd of wild horses. It was to become the favorite memory of his childhood, a memory that continues to sustain him in the long, hard years of life in prison. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. Directed and produced by Michael Garbutt. Website and podcast...
Feb 11, 2021•11 min•Ep. 34
Why is the color of inmates' shoes at Red Onion always white? What does it mean when one guy tells another to "Lace 'em up"? Find out in Randy's comprehensive guide to the forms, fashions, and functions of .... footwear at Red Onion. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. Directed and produced by Michael Garbutt. Website and podcast design by Nishant Pandav. Sound editing and music by Julia Jo...
Feb 04, 2021•16 min•Ep. 33
The Keefe Supply Company is the leading provider of clothing and shoes (and food, personal care items and electronics) to American prisons. Despite the expense, prisoners who can afford to buy clothing from "Keefe commissary" much prefer it to standard prison issue. After you hear Randy explain what can happen when prisoners receive prison-issue clothing, you will understand the reason why.Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Oni...
Jan 28, 2021•13 min•Ep. 32
In a wide-ranging, impassioned monologue, Randy shares his thoughts on police violence, systemic racism, the negative influence of TV cop shows, and the ways we can all make a positive difference by listening to our hearts and advocating peacefully for justice. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. Directed and produced by Michael Garbutt. Website and podcast design by Nishant Pandav. Sound e...
Jan 21, 2021•18 min•Ep. 31
This episode presents a unique personal account of the enduring challenge of systemic racism in American society. Randy describes his experience of discrimination as a child and his first encounters with racial prejudice in juvenile detention and subsequently in prison. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. Directed and produced by Michael Garbutt. Website and podcast design by Nishant Pandav...
Jan 14, 2021•16 min•Ep. 30
Randy describes his friendship -- and subsequent falling out -- with Lee Boyd Malvo, one of the two notorious "Beltway Snipers" who terrorized Washington DC for three weeks in 2002. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. Directed and produced by Michael Garbutt. Website and podcast design by Nishant Pandav. Sound editing and music by Julia Jooyeon Park. Title music by Joni Park and Julia Jooye...
Jan 07, 2021•13 min•Ep. 29
Randy introduces an interview with Gay Gardner from IAHR -- Interfaith Action for Human Rights -- a Washington DC-based organisation that advocates and educates to minimise the use of solitary confinement and other unnecessarily harsh practices. https://www.interfaithactionhr.orgWhen Randy faced a major health challenge, Gay helped get him treated. But even while undergoing medical assessment, Randy found himself subjected to more harsh and unnecessary punishment.Red Onion Randy features the lif...
Dec 31, 2020•11 min•Ep. 28
Randy reflects on Christmases, past and present in prison. When he was a child he never really had a chance to celebrate much, and now he chooses not. Just like Thanksgiving and birthdays, Christmas is just another day. But there was one magical Christmas, Randy remembers from his childhood. He was seven years old and he and his brothers received a special present -- a Dr Pepper bike. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion St...
Dec 24, 2020•11 min•Ep. 27
Randy answers your questions about his responsibility for the crimes he committed; his favorite film and TV shows; his relationships with the prison warden. He also describes an incident in which he flooded his cell - and the rest of the tier - as a protest. Randy is always happy to answer any questions you have. Please write to him at redonionrandy.com.Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. D...
Dec 17, 2020•23 min•Ep. 26
What kinds of jobs are open for inmates in Red Onion? What's the rate of pay? And what's the absolute worst job in prison? Find out the answers from Red Onion Randy, the man who's worked them all. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. Directed and produced by Michael Garbutt. Website and podcast design by Nishant Pandav. Sound editing and music by Julia Jooyeon Park. Title music by Joni Park ...
Dec 10, 2020•16 min•Ep. 25
Randy tells a story of a showdown between Headbuster, a 6'2" gangbanger, and the rookie CO serving dinner trays on the tier. The ensuing standoff is resolved in the most unusual way. As Randy says, it's one of the funniest he's ever seen in prison. The episode features the hip hop music of Dutch Nelsar. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. Directed and produced by Michael Garbutt. Website an...
Dec 03, 2020•9 min•Ep. 24
Twenty-two years into his sentence of life without the possibility of parole, Randy feels the walls of his cell closing in around him, his resilience at breaking point, his sense of hope fading. In this powerful confession of mental torment, Randy's spirit finally shines through -- he cannot give up, he will not -- but he sure comes close as he faces a situation that is truly ... a damn nightmare. Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in...
Nov 26, 2020•13 min•Ep. 23
Randy describes the many difficulties that Red Onion inmates face in getting a good night's sleep. A mix of noise, excessive light, physical discomfort and anxiety all conspire to make night at ROSP an uncomfortable and lonely time. At the end of the episode, Randy introduces a haunting melody composed by pianist Jooyeon Park -- the Red Onion Lullaby.Red Onion Randy features the life and times of Randall Via, who is currently serving 1,214 years in Red Onion State Prison for capital murder. Dire...
Nov 19, 2020•13 min•Ep. 22
