UnFictional - podcast cover

UnFictional

In this season of Unfictional, Stories of Transformation, and the ways in which the world — and all of us — have fundamentally changed since the pandemic began. One man watched his children suddenly turn into grown-ups, while another upended every part of his life. Someone else had to learn to live with hardship and found their true identity along the way, all while living in two worlds. Meanwhile, a subculture ascends, one reporter explores Olvera Street, and another finds an old notebook filled with memories from his time in a cabin. It’s UnFictional, hosted by Bob Carlson.

Episodes

What Jacob Heard

When Jacob was a kid, he was a devoted member of his local Pentecostal congregation. But as he got older, he realized that the church he loved so much might not love him back.

Dec 17, 201630 min

Grace of the Sea

A story containing love, violence and a magic potato. Warning: This program contains explicit language and addresses adult topics and themes - including sex and drug use.

Dec 10, 201630 min

The Bar Girls of Angeles

On November 8, 2013, the Philippines was ravaged by the strongest typhoon to make landfall in recorded history. This week, we're partnering with WGBH's GroundTruth to tell the story of the aftermath, from the place where climate change and sex trafficking meet: at a bar, in a town called Angeles.

Dec 03, 201630 min

The Animal Inside

We live with them. We feed them. Sometimes, we even clothe them. And sometimes, it all comes back to bite us. This week, trying to care for the animals in our lives – and inside ourselves.

Nov 26, 201630 min

No Such Thing As Luck

Those with experience know that things happen for a reason -- or they don't happen at all. (Repeat)

Nov 19, 201630 min

Bilal's Calling

There's a fine line between taking a principled stand and being stubborn. Follow Tyreek Bilal as he struggles with his mosque and with his own attempts to live a godly life in a harsh world.

Nov 12, 201630 min

Graffiti Paint and Protest

They do it under the cover of darkness, on buildings and storefronts and the walls of alleyways. Can breaking one law help change another? This week, we hear from street artists about graffiti as political protest, as art, and as an addictive, inimitable high.

Oct 22, 201630 min

Terri and Clifford

Clifford Clinton lived a very public life in Los Angeles. He opened high-profile cafeterias – Clifton's among them – and launched a campaign to rid the city of corruption and other vices. BUT, he also lived a private life as a sexual pioneer who may have kick-started the swinging 60s.

Oct 15, 201630 min

The Missileers

Go down into the silo with the "missileers." Their hands are on the nuclear keys, and they practice the end of the world over and over. (Repeat)

Oct 08, 201630 min

Looping Swans

In Soviet Russia, when the TV started playing Swan Lake , it meant something had hit the fan.

Oct 01, 201630 min

A Shock to the System

Sometimes, all we need is a good, hard push over the edge. This week, four stories of people who got a shock to the system – sometimes, literally.

Sep 24, 201630 min

Joe Frank: Thief

Another story from broadcasting legend Joe Frank. (Repeat)

Sep 17, 201630 min

Love Me

The messiness of human connection.

Sep 03, 201630 min

Faster and Faster

"If everything seems under control…. you’re not going fast enough." - Mario Andretti

Aug 20, 201630 min

We Are Not Alone

There's a place in the desert where people gather. They have different beliefs. But when they look into the night sky, they all share one idea.

Aug 13, 201630 min

Possession

I once saw a woman possessed right in front of me. Her eyes glazed over, she shook, and she wasn't there anymore… someone else was. (Repeat)

Jul 30, 201630 min

Stockholm Syndrome

What happens in a bank vault doesn't always stay in a bank vault.

Jul 23, 201630 min

Wake Up Baby

Do you know who's watching your baby?

Jul 16, 201630 min

You’re a Mind Reader

With enough practice, you can know what anybody’s thinking – or can you?

Jul 09, 201630 min

Cut Your Losses

Three stories about falling short, and having to move on anyway.

Jul 02, 201630 min

Homeless

One man's life is split between homeless shelters, rental apartments, and a home – his home – in the woods.

Jun 25, 201630 min

Fathers' Day 2016

Sometimes fathers lift you up, sometimes they need a hand, but a lot of the time they just want to rock.

Jun 18, 201630 min

Crack Up

All the best stories live on the brink of a breakdown.

Jun 11, 201630 min

What Keeps Us Apart

Between meet-cute and final embrace, every love story has an obstacle keeping our lovers from a shared destiny. (Repeat)

Jun 04, 201630 min

A Dancer Dies Twice

You leap in the air, but any landing might be the end of your career.

May 28, 201630 min

Misdirection

The greatest magicians keep their best and most finely tuned skills... a secret.

May 21, 201630 min
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