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Money Truck
January 14, 2021
Six people, six different times and places, but they all find themselves in the same predicament, asking the same question, should they stop or should they go?
BIG thanks to Tyler Estep, who first reported Philip Dean’s story for the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. Thanks also to Cole Richards and Randy Scott Carroll for recording assistance.
Thank you to everyone interviewed for this story: Troy Stokes, Philip Dean, Betsy Richards, Delrish Moss, Carol Steele, and the Lucky Guy.
Big love and thanks to Shannon Cason, who narrated this piece. Check out Shannon's podcast 'Homemade Stories' to hear more from him.
Produced by Anna Sussman, John Fecile & Nancy López, original score by Renzo Gorrio
Artwork by Teo Ducot
Season 12 - Episode 1
A Person Who Has Never Even Been Married... - Appearances Spotlight
January 8, 2021
An Iranian American examines herself and her life in a one-woman audio show that straddles the line between fiction and truth. Snap Judgment presents, “A Person Who Has Never Even Been Married...” a special spotlight on the Appearances podcast.
This episode contains strong language, scenes of domestic turmoil, and mentions sex. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.
From Mermaid Palace and Radiotopia, Sharon Mashihi brings you Appearances. This podcast brings to life an Iranian American family and community through the real and fantastical mental machinations of Melanie Barzadeh. Melanie is in her mid 30’s and desires nothing more than to become a mother. The difficulty of finding the right partner seems to be directly connected to the struggles witnessed in her home throughout her entire childhood. As Sharon Mashihi voice-acts all the characters in one family, the depth of the love, pain, and struggle is felt with visceral, profound compassion at every turn.
This is episode 2 of a 9 episode audio mind trip. Go on… go listen to all the episodes and subscribe to this amazing podcast!
The roles of Melanie, her family members, and all the wedding guests were performed by Sharon Mashihi. The role of Ponch was performed by Thatcher Keats. This episode also featured clips from an interview with Rabbi Tarlan Rabizadeh. The story consultant was Sunita Prasad. The associate producer of pre-production was Monique Laborde. The associate producer was Ariel Mejia. The mix engineer was Harry Knazen. Kaitlin Prest is the executive producer and editor of Appearances.
The show was made with support from New York State Council on the Arts, Madowell, the Ragdale Foundation, Union Docs, and IFP.
Snap Season 11 - Episode 42
Monaea, a 2020 Diary - Snap Spotlights "VICE News Reports"
December 31, 2020
2020 has been a YEAR, and Monaea Upton has a lot to say about it. This week we bring you an episode from the podcast Vice News Reports. Vice sent 17-year-old Monaea Upton a recorder and she’s been keeping an audio diary of her senior year of high school in North Minneapolis — during online school, the aftermath of the George Floyd protests, and a spike in neighborhood gun violence. We take you inside her world.
This story does contain strong language, sensitive listeners please be advised.
BIG BIG love and special thanks to Monaea Upton, for letting us into her world! Thanks to her Mother, Rochelle Upton, as well.
This episode was produced by Vice News Reports, a new weekly podcast hosted by Arielle Duhaime Ross. Go on… check it out! This incredible podcast brings you to the news so you can hear it for yourself. VICE News reporters and producers take you along as they travel across the globe to where life is happening, right up to the frontline as a story is unfolding. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!
You can also check out VICE News on their website, Twitter, or Instagram.
VICE News Reports is produced by Jesse Alejandro Cottrell, Jen Kinney, Janice Llamoca, and Julia Nutter.
Senior producers are Ashley Cleek and Adizah Eghan. Associate producers are Adreanna Rodriguez, Sam Egan, and Sophie Kazis. Sound Design and music composition by Steve Bone and Kyle Murdock.
The executive producer and VP of Vice Audio is Kate Osborn. Janet Lee is Senior Production Manager for VICE Audio. Production coordination by Steph Brown. Fact-Checking by Samir Ferdowsi.
Special thanks to Mauri Milander Friestleben, Charles Adams, Sam Wilbur, Courtland Pickens, Azhae’la Hanson, Samir Ferdowsi, and Alex Baumhardt.
Photograph by Foluso Famuyide Jr, illustration by Teo Ducot
Season 11 - Episode 41
Upended - The 2020 Look Back Special
December 24, 2020
What if after the craziest year on record somebody asked you… “what happened?” The Snap team spoke to some of the people that changed our world in 2020 to see if their stories have a part II.
BIG thanks to all of the storytellers who let us take a little peek back into their lives for this special episode:
Patti Ragan from “Zoo Nebraska”
Naandar from “Letters from Lockdown - Gaza, Myanmar, and at Sea”
Jacoby Cochran from “Time Traveler”
Gregory from “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to America”
Dr. Ayaz Virji & Doug Peterson from “The Country Doctor”
Chanthon Bun from “Outbreak at San Quentin”
Mary Gidley from “Raft of Passion”
After an insane year, there is still so much to be thankful for. We are exceptionally grateful for you Snap Nation! The best people in all the world listen to this show. Happy Holidays from our family to yours… and cheers to the new year ahead.
Produced by Anna Sussman, Nancy Lopez, John Fecile, Shaina Shealy, Regina Bediako, & Pat Mesiti-Miller
Original score by Pat Mesiti-Miller
Artwork by Teo Ducot
Season 11 - Episode 40
The Crossroad
December 17, 2020
A good samaritan pulls over to the side of the road to help a family in distress. A few weeks later, he realizes something is wrong.
This episode contains some graphic imagery and strong language, sensitive listeners please be advised.
BIG love and thanks so much to Dr. Ray Christian for sharing his story with us. If you loved his story he’s got plenty more on his podcast “What’s Ray Saying.”
Produced by Nikka Singh, original score by Lauryn Newson
Artwork by Teo Ducot
Season 11 - Episode 39
The Lamb, the Lion, and the Fox - Snap Classic
December 15, 2020
Amaryllis was fast on track to become an established journalist when her mentor was kidnapped and killed by a terrorist group. She decided she had to give up the transparency of journalism if she wanted to truly help curb terror, and instead joined the shadow world of the CIA. But the shadow world had its own cost.
A big thanks to Amaryllis Fox for sharing her story with us. You can buy her book on Knopf, Amazon, or anywhere books are sold.
Produced by Nikka Singh, original score by Leon Morimoto
Artwork by Teo Ducot
Snap Classic - Season 10, Episode 31
No One Calls Me Shooter - Snap Classic
December 10, 2020
School shootings and their tragic aftermath have become an all too common story. But here’s one side of it that you probably haven’t heard. This story takes place at a high school in Portland, Oregon, where officials fear the next school shooter might be a teenage boy in their midst.
This story does contain strong language, sensitive listeners please be advised.
Bethany Barnes originally reported this story for The Oregonian - Targeted: A Family and the Quest to Stop the Next School Shooter. She is now an investigative reporter for the Tampa Bay Times.
Produced by Nancy López, original score by Renzo Gorrio
Artwork by Teo Ducot
Snap Classic - Season 10 Episode 12
Beautiful
December 3, 2020
Lawrence “Binkey” Tolefree gets a phone call about a huge opportunity. But it’s the next call from his mom that leads to the most surprising performance of his career. And Nygel Turner shares what it's like to live with Gynecomastia (aka Man Boobs).
This episode contains adult language & a scene with graphic imagery. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.
STORIES
The Looking Glass
Glynn looks at an old picture of himself and reflects...
Produced by Pat Mesiti-Miller
Have You Seen Her
Lawrence “Binkey” Tolefree Jr. was born with a mic in his hands. He never met a stage he wouldn’t try to grace with his presence. And at 33, he thinks he’s finally gotten his big break. But when he calls his mom to tell her the good news, he sets into motion a journey that ushers in the most unexpected performance of his career.
Go on and get more Binkey Tolefree in your life! Check out his show every Friday on South Side Radio.
The piece featured “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye, and “Have You Seen Her” by The Chi-Lites, which was written in part by Binky’s grandmother the great Barbara Acklin.
Produced by Regina Bediako, original score by Pat Mesiti-Miller
The Amazing T*tty Man
How far will you hurt yourself before you start loving yourself? Nygel Turner shares what it's like to live with Gynecomastia (aka Man Boobs).
This story was produced by YR Media's Adult ISH podcast. Adult ISH is a culture, advice, and storytelling show about #adulting, that is produced entirely by folks who are "almost adults". The show is distributed by PRX’s Radiotopia. Be sure to subscribe and listen here!
Produced by Nygel Turner and Davey Kim, sound design by Oluwafemi and Davey Kim
Artwork by Teo Ducot
Season 11 - Episode 38
Brass Ring - Snap Classic
November 26, 2020
A fortune hunter searches for buried treasure in an Arizona silver mine but finds something he never expected. And a young boy learns how to hustle and survive in Brooklyn during a time when the mob ran the streets.
STORIES
Silver Mine
W.C. Jameson has searched for a recovered buried treasure across the world. But on a search in Arizona, he found something he never expected.
Find out more about W.C. Jameson’s work and adventures at his website.
Produced by Anna Sussman, original score by Leon Morimoto
Number One Boy
In Brooklyn, before it was hip, back in the days when Williamsburg was still rough and the mob ran Red Hook, this is where Lou Diaz learned how to hustle as a young boy. It was on these same streets that this hustle would be particularly handy in a totally different way than he ever expected.
Check out Lou’s book, Dancing with the Devil: Confessions of an Undercover Agent.
Produced by Julia Dewitt, original score by Renzo Gorrio
Artwork by Teo Ducot
The 2020 Gratitude Special
November 20, 2020
Glynn gets a new friend. A wolf in Yellowstone becomes a legend in her own time. And a woman’s life changes forever when a hurricane heads towards her house full of birds. Snap Judgment presents, “The 2020 Gratitude Special.”
We are grateful to lift voices up, to tell stories, and we are so SO thankful for you Snap Nation! We appreciate each and every one of you Snappas… for all of the love and support you’ve shown us, thank you.
STORIES
Bardot
Everyone needs a scratch behind the ears sometimes.
Produced by Pat Mesiti-Miller
06 Female
In 2006, a wolf was born in Yellowstone who would become a legend in her own time. For more about the 06 Female and the debate surrounding wolves in Yellowstone, be sure to check out Jeff Hull's article in Outside Magazine and Nate Rott's special report for NPR.
Produced by Joe Rosenberg, original score by Renzo Gorrio
The Birds
With a houseful of her favorite birds and a hurricane on the way, Nikki's whole life is about to be upturned.
Find out more about Nikki's life story on her website, and in her book, "The Bird Market of Paris."
Produced by Anna Sussman, original score by Renzo Gorrio
Artwork by Teo Ducot