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.

This episode originally aired on January 13, 2023. 

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 Alexander: Host of the podcast, Simply Live with Hope, where she talks about being a trans woman and her 12 years in the trucking industry. She lives in Georgia

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That was Paula Cox’s experience with delusional infestation, a rare disorder where people are absolutely certain they’re infested with bugs, despite all evidence to the contrary. In this episode, Paula shares her harrowing experience, and experts - a leading entomologist and a psychiatrist-dermatologist - explain what’s really happening in the brain and how healing is possible.

Suggested episodes:

• Body Integrity Dysphoria: When being disabled is a desire
• When every face you see is distorted: Living with PMO

GUESTS: 

• Dr. Gale Ridge: an entomologist and Associate Scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven. She oversees the daily activities of the insect inquiry office. She’s also the editor of The Physician's Guide to Delusional Infestation
• Paula Cox: a woman in Australia who experienced delusional infestation. She started a Facebook support group called “Delusional parasitosis help”
• Dr. John Koo: a Professor of Dermatology at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center and Director of the UCSF Psoriasis Skin and Treatment Center. He is board-certified in both dermatology and psychiatry and co-author of Morgellons Disease: High Yield Principles for Clinical Practice

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Bruce Campbell is a 76-year-old engineer and pilot who has spent more than 25 years living in a retired jetliner in the Oregon woods. 

Angelyn and Richard Burk are a married couple who turned loss, an enthusiasm for minimalism, and a love of travel into an everyday existence at sea. 

They share wisdom about home, routine, freedom, minimalism, and staying put.

Suggested episodes:

• Audacious at sea: Wisdom from strangers on a cruise ship

GUESTS: 

• Bruce Campbell: 76-year-old engineer who has lived in a retired Boeing 727 in the woods of Hillsboro, Oregon, since 1999. He welcomes visitors from around the world into the airplane home he built after deciding a conventional house no longer made sense for him
• Angelyn and Richard Burk: Married couple from the Seattle area who have been living as cruise nomads since 2021. After losing all their belongings in a moving-truck fire in 2013, they embraced minimalism and now spend much of the year making cruise ships their home

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First, Andy Corren, whose funny, biting, tender obituary for his mother captured so much life that it went viral and became a memoir.

Then, Sallie Hammett, whose loving obituary for her dog Charlie rippled across the internet and moved countless strangers.

And finally, we talk with professional obituary writer Jamie Passaro about what makes an obit memorable, honest and worth reading.

Suggested episodes:

• Rethinking funerals with the Coffin Confessor, living eulogies, and designer caskets 

• What death investigators can tell you about life 

GUESTS: 

• Andy Corren: Writer and author of Dirtbag Queen, a memoir that grew out of the viral obituary he wrote for his mother, Renay

• Sallie Hammett: South Carolina writer whose heartfelt obituary for her dog, Charlie, went viral after she shared it online

• Jamie Passaro: Professional obituary writer and founder of Dear Person Obits; she also co-founded Elegy.us, an online obituary platform

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“I could do that!”

Meet three people who said it, and then had to live it.

Christopher Lamar runs Lunar Embassy, a company that sells deeds to plots on the Moon and other celestial bodies. Logan Goodspeed learns what happens when you casually claim you could run a marathon “with 24 hours’ notice,” and your spouse takes that seriously. And Mandle Cheung, a tech CEO and devoted music lover, writes a huge check to fund a Mahler concert, so he can conduct the Toronto Symphony Orchestra himself.

Suggested episodes:

• What Happens When You Act Like You Belong

• GOOD GOURD! A show about pumpkins!

• TOPS: A woman summits Everest, a man considers a body transplant, and world-record hat-wearing 

GUESTS: 

• Christopher Lamar: CEO of Lunar Embassy, a company that sells deeds to plots on the Moon and other celestial bodies. The business was founded by his father, Dennis Hope, in 1980

• Logan Goodspeed: A 32-year-old software engineer from California who ran the Rock ’n’ Roll San Diego Marathon with about 24 hours’ notice and no formal training

• Mandle Cheung: A 78-year-old technology CEO and amateur conductor who founded Mandle Philharmonic in 2018. In June 2025, he personally funded a one-night performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 (“Resurrection”) and conducted the Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Jessica Severin de Martinez, Meg Fitzgerald, and Robyn Doyon-Aitken contributed to this show, with help from Coco Cooley.

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After years of sudden pain and uncertainty, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis - news that could have ended her life in athletics. Instead, adaptive equipment helped her keep skiing, and it reshaped how she carried the diagnosis. 

Through the Gaylord Sports Association, she helped expand a program now offering 17 adaptive sports, and she became a gold medal-winning goalie on Team USA’s women’s sled hockey team. 

At Choate Ice Rink, she and veteran player Anthony Kuntz introduce Chion to sled hockey, and to Karen’s fierce belief in inclusion and the “dignity of risk.”

Suggested episodes:

• A marathon swimmer and ultrarunner: surviving cancer, breaking records 
• Revealing Our Blind Spots About Blindness

GUESTS: 

• Karen Smith: Team manager of the Gaylord Wolfpack sled hockey team and a longtime leader in Connecticut’s adaptive sports community. In her early 60s, she earned the starting goalie position on Team USA’s Women’s Sled Hockey squad at the first IPC Ice Sledge Hockey Women's International Cup in 2014, winning gold alongside teammates decades younger
• Anthony Kuntz: Gaylord Wolfpack sled hockey player from Colchester, Connecticut, who has spina bifida. He has 22 years of experience in the sport, including four on the U.S. Junior National Team, competing internationally in Vancouver during the 2010 Paralympic Games
  

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Scotland One: kilts, haggis, bagpipes, and that irresistible fairground mix of music and muscle at Connecticut’s Scottish Highland Festival & Games! Plus swordplay and the oddly soothing chaos and grunts of Weight Over Bar. 

Scotland Two: centuries of witch trials, powered by rumor, rubber-stamped by law. Meet Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi of Witches of Scotland, a campaign and podcast working to restore names and dignity to the accused from 1563 to 1736. 

Suggested episodes:

• Where We Live - 'Before there was Salem, there was Connecticut': State formally pardons accused witches 
• Where We Live - Are witch hunts truly a thing of the past? 
• Dress to unrepress: Women who dressed like men, broke rules and made history 
• Are you very superstitious or just a little 'stitious'?
• Big E ep? (similar vibe)

GUESTS: 

• Benjamin Elzerman: flute player from East Hartford, CT
• Haley Hewitt: harpist from Manchester, CT
• John Morahn: instructor at Western Swordsmanship Technique and Research (WSTR) from Ashford, CT
• Eric Lewis: weight over bar competitor at The Scottish Highland Festival and Games from Woburn, MA 
• Christopher Annino: weight over bar competitor at The Scottish Highland Festival and Games from Groton, CT
• John H Spencer: the only living founding member of The Scottish Highland Festival and Games
• Reggie Patchell: Co-Chairman and Vice President of Scotland Connecticut Highland Festival Committee
• Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi: founders of Witches of Scotland, a campaign seeking justice for the roughly 4,000 people - mostly women - accused of witchcraft in Scotland between 1563 and 1736, many of whom were executed

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Three forensic experts share how they investigate the dead to bring clarity to the living.

Dr. Cori Breslauer, an associate medical examiner in Connecticut, describes the realities of autopsies, trauma, and truth-telling. Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick, who pioneered forensic genetic genealogy, explains how investigators use DNA and family history to put a name to unidentified remains, and bring long-delayed answers to families.

And retired forensic pathologist Dr. Cindy Hoeflinger shares what it was like to spend a career giving families answers… until she needed answers herself.

Suggested episodes:

• Look For The Helpers: The Anatomy Of A Death 
• Views from the end: David Meyers
• The Quest For A Good Death

GUESTS: 

• Dr. Cori Breslauer: Associate Medical Examiner at Connecticut's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, specializing in forensic pathology
• Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick: Forensic genetic genealogist, founder of Identifinders International; she pioneered the use of genetic genealogy to solve cold cases
• Dr. Cindy Hoeflinger: Retired forensic pathologist who investigated sudden and unexplained deaths; she lost her 18-year-old son Brian in a drunk driving crash in 2013

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Alex and Sue Tatham met each other on the globally televised dating show "Blind Date" in the UK, leading to a wedding watched by millions.

Heather and Tony are Disney enthusiasts who found love across continents thanks to a dating site for fellow fans, MouseMingle.com

And after three years of chatting online, Robbie Romu and Avichai Sofer finally met… Only to have their relationship immediately tested by the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war during their first in-person meeting.

Suggested episodes:

• Audacious Love Playlist

GUESTS: 

• Alex & Sue Tatham: a couple who met on the British dating show Blind Date in 1988. Their wedding in 1991 was watched by 17 million people
• Heather & Tony Lash: Heather from Australia and Tony from Florida met through Mousemingle.com, a dating site for Disney fans, in 2015. They got married at Walt Disney World in 2018
• Robbie Romu & Avichai Sofer: Robbie from Canada and Avichai from Israel met on a dating site in 2020. Robbie traveled to Israel to meet Avichai in person for the first time on October 6, 2023, a day before the Israel-Hamas war began

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That’s daily life for people with ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). It's an eating disorder not driven by weight or body image, but by fear, sensory overwhelm, or low appetite. People with this condition experience real terror and powerful aversions to certain foods - far beyond picky eating. 

Clinical psychologist Dr. Evelyna Kambanis explains ARFID, who it affects, and how treatment helps people reclaim their lives. Andrew Luber (aka “ARFID Andrew”) shares his funny, blunt, and vulnerable attempts at food exposures online. And Danielle Meinert tells the story of carrying ARFID since toddlerhood, and the startling change she says came after a high-dose psilocybin experience. 

Resources:

National Eating Disorders Association - ARFIDAssociation of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated DisordersFamilies Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders

Suggested episodes:

• The hidden hunger of Pica: Stories from people who eat objects 
• Anorexia is complex. Two people talk frankly about their decades-long journeys 

GUESTS: 

• Dr. Evelyna Kambanis: Licensed clinical psychologist in the Eating Disorders Clinical & Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. She is involved in clinical care and research on ARFID
• Andrew Luber, aka ARFID Andrew: Los Angeles filmmaker and social media creator who documents food exposures with humor under the tagline, “Conquering my fear of food one laugh at a time”
• Danielle Meinert: Lived with ARFID for 27 years after a major shift in her relationship with food following ear surgery as a toddler. After years of trying traditional approaches, she described experiencing a dramatic change after a session using psilocybin

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We follow Lola Fraisse from Kidderminster, England, as she leaves home for six months to live with a host family in Lüneburg, Germany. She learns a new language, new rules, and new ways to see herself. Along the way, Lola grows her confidence, builds friendships, and even picks up a slight German accent!

We also hear from Lola’s mom, Jennie, who did a childhood exchange herself and knows exactly what this kind of leap can set in motion for a life. And we meet Sylvie, Lola’s host mom, on welcoming a child into your family, and then saying goodbye. 

After Lola returns to England, the story flips: her exchange sister Hanna comes to stay, and the girls describe what it’s like to become sisters on purpose.

Suggested episodes:

• Francesca Abroad: Following an American high school student’s year in Sarajevo 
• Salaar Stateside! Following a Pakistani high school student’s year in the US 

GUESTS: 

• Lola Fraisse: a girl from Worcestershire, England, who embarked on a student exchange in Germany for six months when she was nine years old through the ALLEF program
• Jennie Fraisse: Lola’s mother, who was an exchange student herself at a young age. Her family hosted Lola’s exchange partner, Hanna
• Hanna Michaelis: a girl from Northern Germany and Lola’s exchange partner. Hanna’s family hosted Lola for six months, and Hanna spent six months in England with Lola’s family 
• Sylvie Michaelis: Hanna’s mother and Lola’s host mom

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Marathon swimmer Sarah Thomas returned to the water following aggressive breast cancer and went on to complete multiple record-setting open-water swims. 

And Jacky Hunt-Broersma lost her leg to bone cancer, then redefined endurance one marathon at a time.

Their stories are about ambition, adaptation, and the audacity to ask the body for more.

Suggested episodes:

• From wingsuit BASE jumping to record-breaking South Pole expeditions with Ellen Brennan Frat and Liv Arnesen
• What a runner’s high feels like when you’re 105 years old
• What it’s like to be allergic to water
• Below the surface: The stories behind underwater world records 

GUESTS: 

• Sarah Thomas: marathon swimmer who holds multiple world records for the longest current-neutral swims ever completed, including a 104.6-mile swim in Lake Champlain. After aggressive breast cancer treatment, she returned to the water and became the first person to complete four consecutive crossings of the English Channel
• Jacky Hunt-Broersma: an ultrarunner and amputee who lost her left leg to bone cancer at age 26. In 2022, she ran 104 marathons in 104 consecutive days on a carbon-fiber running blade, setting a Guinness World Record and raising nearly $200,000 to help other amputees access running prosthetics. Her memoir, Duct Tape and Determination: A True Story of Turning Devastation into Grit, is coming out in August 2026 

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Kevin Hines, one of the few to survive a jump from the Golden Gate Bridge, reflects on the instant regret, the long recovery, and the tools he uses when “brain pain” returns - recorded just days before the 25th anniversary of his attempt. 

Then, Connecticut therapist Steve MacHattie shares what it means to live with chronic suicidal urges, after his first attempt at six years old, and how reaching for connection can change the outcome. 

Resources:

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline  
• Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741
• Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board
• In an emergency, please call or text 911

Suggested episodes:

• 911, What's Your Emergency? Tales From Dispatch
• Finding purpose in life after accidentally killing someone
• What it's like surviving a plane crash
• Equine therapy

GUESTS: 

• Kevin Hines: suicide attempt survivor, author, film producer, and mental health advocate. At 19, he survived a jump from the Golden Gate Bridge. Over the past 25 years, he has dedicated himself to suicide prevention, sharing his story to reduce stigma and help people through moments of crisis. Kevin is the author of Cracked, Not Broken, The Art of Being Broken, and The Art of Wellness, hosts the HINESIGHTS podcast, and was a leading voice in the effort to install safety nets on the Golden Gate Bridge. His latest documentary, Death Bridge, is set to be released in 2027
• Steve MacHattie: a suicide attempt survivor, clinical social worker (LCSW), and founder of the Charter Oak Family Center in Manchester, Connecticut. He first attempted suicide at six years old, and today he supports clients ages 5 to 105 and serves as co-chair of the Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board’s Lived Experience Committee. He also writes poetry used in clinical trainings to help care providers see the humanity and strength in the people they serve

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Meet three entertainment consultants whose real jobs exist far beyond the screen: a former FBI profiler behind Criminal Minds, an ER doctor, who advised on The Pitt, and NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, who worked on the Amazon film Space Cadet. 

They reveal what Hollywood gets right, what it often misses, and the surprising responsibility that comes with shaping what millions of people believe.

Suggested episodes:

• Behind The Screens: Hollywood Hairstyling, Coordinating Intimacy, And Illustrating The Great British Bake Off 
• Becoming fluent in English by watching 3 hours of American and British television every day
• Behind The Screens: Dressing Schitt’s Creek, Special Effects Make-Up, and Casting Queer Eye 
• Stunt performers David Holmes and Jonathan Goodwin on life after paralysis 
• When actors teach: Embodying the lives of an enslaved woman and a medical patient 
• Who decides? Ethicists help doctors and patients answer big, nuanced questions 

GUESTS: 

• Jim Clemente: Former FBI special agent and prosecutor, who spent more than 20 years working in criminal behavioral profiling and became an entertainment consultant, writer, and producer on the Criminal Minds series
• Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah: Emergency medicine physician, EMS medical director, and educator, who also serves as a medical consultant for the Emmy Award-winning HBO series, The Pitt
• Nicole Stott: NASA astronaut, engineer, artist, and author, who spent more than 100 days living and working in space. She also consults on film and television, including the Amazon movie Space Cadet

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Dr. Temple Grandin - a scientist, author, and animal behavior expert - reflects on growing up autistic, thinking in pictures, and building a career by leaning into the way her mind works. 

And Dr. Kerry Magro, an autism advocate, speaker, and consultant on Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum, shares his path from being nonverbal to becoming a public voice for autism, and why accurate representation can change lives.

Suggested episode:

• A conversation with 12 year-old Sophie Rupolo, who has Williams Syndrome, and her mom

GUESTS: 

• Dr. Temple Grandin: Scientist, author, and professor whose work in animal behavior has transformed livestock handling around the world. Her life and thinking were introduced to a global audience through the HBO film Temple Grandin, starring Claire Danes, and through her books, including Thinking in Pictures, which helped change how autism is understood by clinicians, families, and the public
• Dr. Kerry Magro: Autism advocate, professional speaker, and author who was nonverbal until age 2.5 and did not speak in complete sentences until age 7. He is a consultant on Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum and works with schools, companies, and media organizations to challenge stereotypes and promote accurate, human portrayals of autistic lives

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Casper ter Kuile, author of The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices, walks us through how we create all sorts of meaningful, grounding rituals.

And you'll hear clips from past two years of Audacious guests who have shared the rituals that matter most to them, from morning journaling and bedtime affirmations to pre-show sign-slapping.

Whether you've already got your rituals down pat, or are still developing your own special routine, this episode shows you how to honor the sacred in the everyday.

This episode originally aired on May 17, 2025.

Suggested episodes:

• Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us 
• Life advice, one Audacious guest at a time
• Kitchen objects with a story. Listen at your own whisk
• Why you so salty? The anger episode
• Change Of Art: Stories About Tattoo Coverups
• Awe yeah! Exploring the magic of mind-blowing moments

GUESTS: 

• Casper ter Kuile: author of The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices. He holds Master's degrees in Divinity and Public Policy from Harvard University, and is a co-founder of Sacred Design Lab. He also co-hosts the podcast, Harry Potter and the Sacred Text
• Audacious guests who shared their personal rituals (in order of appearance): Dean Edwards, Jessica Jin, Kristen Geez, Anna Holland, Lena Khalal Tuffaha, Chris Crowe, Bruce W Brackett, Moon Ribas, Azie Dungey, Pony Tromper, Mary Elizabeth Kelly, Paul Marcarelli, Brad White, Begoña Gómez Urzaiz, Dr. Gale Ridge, Mehdi Hasan, Stephanie Courtney, Rosanna Ramos, Sonya Horton, Greg Viloria, Ronnie “Woo Woo” Wickers, Zarna Garg, Jada Star, Luis Mojica, RoseMarie Wallace, Mindy Glickman, David Roche, Paul Gladis, and Arwen, Aidan, and Willow Gladis Perez-Sauquillo     

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This episode challenges the assumptions we place on “non-custodial mothers.” Rebekah Spicuglia explains how immigration rules, economic pressure, and unequal power led to her relinquishing custody of her son, Oscar, and how she channels her grief after his murder into research on gun violence and family separation.

And from Cameroon, Marie Abanga shares why escaping abuse meant leaving her three young sons behind.

For a full transcript of this episode, click here.

Suggested episodes:

• Life after Parkland: A victim's dad turns to art and activism
• The weight of family secrets: Finding freedom in the truth
• The reality of 'Forever Parenting' when your child needs lifetime care

GUESTS: 

• Rebekah Spicuglia: bereaved mother, writer, advocate, and PhD student in Health Policy & Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She focuses on gun violence and family separation, drawing on her own lived experience to inform her work
• Marie Abanga: Cameroonian author and mental health advocate whose 2011 decision to give up custody of her children guides her mission to support others facing loss, stigma, and recovery

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We tour the Connecticut factory where more than 12 million tiny candies are pressed each day, guided by archivist Shawn Peterson, whose personal collection helped shape the Visitor Center.

Meet Brian Trauman, the Guinness World Record holder whose thousands of dispensers trace a lifetime of joyful obsession.

Hear Emily Tracy’s tender, funny, heartbreaking story about the PEZ tattoo she got to honor her mother.

And the hosts of PEZamania, the world’s largest PEZ convention, talk about how nostalgia and candy become community.

Suggested episodes:

• Discovering delight - and despair - in dumpster diving

• We have to talk about cuddle parties

• Take a tour of the John Zaffis Museum of the Paranormal

• Pawn queens: Tales and treasures from women pawn shop owners

• Audacious at sea: Wisdom from strangers on a cruise ship

GUESTS: 

• Shawn Peterson: Company archivist and historian at PEZ Candy, Inc. in Orange, CT. He manages the PEZ Visitor Center, where much of the collection on display comes from his own personal archive. He is also the author of PEZ: From Austrian Invention to American Icon and Collector’s Guide to PEZ: Identification and Price Guide

• Brian Trauman: Owns the world's largest Pez collection and holds the Guinness World Record for “largest candy dispenser collection.” He has been collecting since 1999 and owns more than 6,400 dispensers 

• Morgan Rhinehart and Landon Proctor: hosts of PEZamania in Ohio – the longest running collector convention in the world, established in 1991

• Emily Tracy: Manchester resident who memorialized her PEZ-collecting mom with a tattoo of her head on top of a PEZ dispenser

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Chion Wolf boards the MSC Meraviglia expecting a week of small talk and sunscreen. But the farther she gets from land, the more people become willing to hang out in the deep end to talk about love, loss, faith, sobriety and stories they’ve been holding onto for years.

When they speak, the ocean listens. And in this hour, so do you.

Listen to a BONUS track featuring more voices from the ship: Latisha from the Bronx; Vincent Ferrito and Lauren Englemann from Brooklyn, NY; Brittney and Jeana Lockhart from New Bedford, MA; Henry Armbrister, Barbara Williams, Dellie Maycock, and Giovanni Ferguson from Nassau, Bahamas.

Suggested episodes:

• The Big E: What it takes to create 17 days of magic
• Life advice, one Audacious guest at a time
• It's A Brand Nude Day! 
• Discovering delight - and despair - in dumpster diving
• Welcome to the Punderdome! We're entering NYC's punniest pun competition
• SOLD! Audacious Auctioneers

Plus, Advice on Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, a project Chion did interviewing passengers on a 48-hour train ride

GUESTS: 

• A segment: Keith Miller from Long Island, NY; Kevin Luong from New York, NY; Vin Panday from Ontario, Canada; Jessica Struble from Holly, PA; Ruby Selver from Turks and Caicos; and Marty and Mary Pasternak from Buffalo, NY
• B segment: Mike Turner from Levittown, PA; Brian Martignetti from El Paso, TX; Darrell Floyd from New Haven, CT; and Randy Deveaux and Sylvia Wilson from Nassau, Bahamas
• C segment: Joe and Valerie Leone from Blue Bell, PA; Tommy and Cindy Lazarz from Ware, MA; John and Ada Sue Siler from Richmond, VA; and Javier and Angela Mahon from Brooklyn, NY

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Chion spends a blissful vacation week aboard the MSC Meraviglia with about 5,000 fellow humans, sailing from Brooklyn to the Bahamas and back. And because we couldn’t fit everyone she talks with into the on-air version, this bonus gives you even more of their voices and stories.

Somewhere in between sunrise coffees and late-night pizza buffets, Chion asks passengers - and a few locals in Nassau, Bahamas - to share their favorite piece of life advice.

That opens the door to conversations that go way beyond advice, and into the values that people have carried with them much of their lives.  

GUESTS:

• Latisha from the Bronx

• Vincent Ferrito and Lauren Englemann from Brooklyn, NY

• Brittney and Jeana Lockhart from New Bedford, MA

• Henry Armbrister, Barbara Williams, Dellie Maycock, and Giovanni Ferguson from Nassau, Bahamas

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Then, meet a birdkeeper at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute who was chosen by an endangered crane to be her life partner for almost 20 years.

This episode originally aired on September 13, 2024.

Listen to an updated conversation with Chris Crowe, including his experience getting his first tattoo - a giant portrait of Walnut.

Suggested episodes:

• Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals
• Birdwatching legend Peter Kaestner's journey to 10,000 birds
• Audacious kids: Stories of courage, conservation, and compassion

GUESTS: 

• Christina and Michael Reyes: The human parents of Thumbelina, an eight-year-old squirrel who has more than two million followers on social media
• Chris Crowe: Birdkeeper at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s campus in Front Royal, Virginia, and caretaker of Walnut, an endangered white-naped crane from 2004 until her death in January 2024

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Walnut's life expectancy as a bird living in captivity was 15 years. But she died at the age of 42 on January 2, 2024.

In that original episode, just five months after her death, I spoke with Chris about their life together. And from the responses we got, their life together deeply resonated with you. 

Which is why we decided to rebroadcast it! But then something remarkable happened.

A few hours after we decided to publish that rerun, I saw a post from Chris on Facebook: He just got his first tattoo - a giant portrait of Walnut.

When the universe lines things up that precisely, I pay attention. So I reached out to him. I wanted to ask what moved him to get this tattoo now, how it feels to carry her on his arm, and how he’s doing as the two-year anniversary of her death approaches.

Photo and tattoo by Maggie Cho.

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91 year-old comedian, D’yan Forest, commands the stage with her ukulele and sharp wit, spinning the stories of her long life into laughter.

Family law attorney Harriet Newman Cohen, 92, is the kind of lawyer who changed history for LGBTQ+ families and plans on never stopping.

And Charlotte Guttenberg, the 77-year-old Guinness World Record holder for most-tattooed female senior citizen, started inking her body in her fifties and turned herself into a living, breathing work of art.

Suggested episodes:

• Audacious Elders
• Change of art: Stories about tattoo coverups

GUESTS: 

• D’yan Forest: 91-year-old Guinness World Record holder for oldest female comedian, just released her new full-length solo show, A Gefilte Fish Out Of Water
• Harriet Newman Cohen: 92-year-old founding partner of Cohen Stine Kapoor LLP, where she is a negotiator and trial attorney who handles all aspects of matrimonial and family law. She is the author of Passion and Power: A Life in Three Worlds
• Charlotte Guttenberg: 77-year-old Guinness World Record holder for most tattooed female senior citizen

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On this episode of Audacious, meet Jon from Jon Breaks Bad News, who delivers other people’s worst messages for a living. Then, the co-founders of the Golden Raspberry Awards - also known as the Razzies - celebrate Hollywood’s most spectacular cinematic failures. And finally, a few listeners share their stories of terrible dates, followed by a conversation with Rachel Lithgow. She shares her memoir, My Year of Really Bad Dates.

Suggested episodes:

• I snuck my incarcerated boyfriend out of prison in a dog crate 
• Nothing goes as planned: A first-time offender’s prison story from arrest to release 
• How regret teaches us to live 

GUESTS: 

• Jon Breaks Bad News: Creator and host of the Jon Breaks Bad News Show, delivering difficult or awkward messages on behalf of others
• John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy: Creators of the Razzie Awards
• Michelle Horsley, Maria Grove, Lindsay Ewing: Audacious listeners who had really bad dates
• Rachel Lithgow: Author of My Year of Really Bad Dates

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Kerry Kennedy and Joey Shervey tell the story of what it looks like when compassion outvotes everything else. Their transplant crossed party lines and personal beliefs to create an unexpected friendship.

Then, Lindsay Vigue describes how a small flyer on the wall of a diner led her to become a living kidney donor, and then to becoming the executive director of Donate Life Connecticut.

Resources:

• Donate Life Connecticut
• National Kidney Foundation
• National Kidney Registry
• OrganDonor.gov
• Former Middletown mayor Dan Drew's TED Talk about why he donated his kidney 

Suggested episode:

• The Story Of The First African American Face Transplant 

GUESTS: 

• Joey Shervey: Kidney transplant recipient from Moneta, Virginia
• Kerry Kennedy: Living kidney donor from Brooklyn, New York
• Lindsay Vigue: Living kidney donor and the executive director of Donate Life Connecticut 

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Artist and poet Zulynette talks about her new book, Becoming a Soft Woman with a Machete. It's equal parts gospel, therapy session, and roast.

From laughter to liberation, explore how art can be both sanctuary and sword.

Suggested episodes:

• Poet Zulynette on “Seeing in the Dark” 
• The playfulness of poetry with Andrew Dean Wright
• A fireside conversation with Hartford’s “Love Poet”, Olusanya Bey
• Words over weapons: When anti-war poems go viral 
• An extended conversation about forgiveness with poet David Whyte

GUEST: 

• Zulynette: Poet, artist, facilitator, and author of Becoming a Soft Woman with a Machete. She is also the creator and director of the annual storytelling event, A Little Bit of Death, and the author of two other books of poetry, Seeing in the Dark, and Building a Powerhouse

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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They’re these hyper-realistic-looking dolls that are collected for their extraordinary artistic accuracy… And they’re also used therapeutically for people who suffer from anxiety and depression.

Hear from a woman who uses them for just that reason. Plus, meet a painter who makes them look so real, a researcher on the Reborn community and culture, and a photographer who made these dolls a major part of her work.

This episode originally aired on September 24, 2021. 

GUESTS:

• Emilie St-Hilaire is a multidisciplinary artist and doctoral candidate in the Humanities PhD program at Concordia. She studies lifelike dolls and the motivations of their collectors, rethinking non-human companionship
• Irene Golden is a Reborn artist from Spain, and the owner of Latidos Reborn
• Jamie Diamond of New York City features Reborn Babies in her series of photographs, "I Promise To Be A Good Mother" and "Mother Love", and is a collector herself
• Patrizia Bartolomei of Perth, Australia, runs the Facebook group, "My Therapy Reborn Group". She's used Reborn Babies as therapy babies since 2016

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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What goes through your mind in a moment like that?

Meet two people who received that life-altering call. Discover not only the incredible doors it opened for them, but the unexpected challenges that came with such a prestigious honor.

This episode originally aired on October 18, 2024.

Suggested episodes:

• Laugh and then think: What it's like to win the Ig Nobel Prize
• What it’s like winning a little or a lot on The Price Is Right, Wheel Of Fortune, and Jeopardy!

GUESTS: 

• Andrea Ghez: Along with Reinhard Genzel, she was awarded half of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics “for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the center of our galaxy”. She is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and the Lauren B. Leichtman & Arthur E. Levine chair in Astrophysics, at the University of California, Los Angeles 
• Martin Chalfie: Along with Osamu Shimomura and Roger Tsien, he was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and development of green fluorescent protein (GFP). He is a University Professor and former chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University. Prof. Chalfie is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a foreign member of the Royal Society

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Crash headfirst into the world of singing telegrams: bizarre, moving, and absolutely unforgettable. 

You’ll meet Joy Brooker, whose TikTok serenades bring millions to tears and laughter; Jay Bragg, who blends hospice care and honky-tonk into acoustic telegrams; and Paul Mordoff, a children’s entertainer who joins us on a bench by a lake in a tutu-clad gorilla costume. 

At the end, Chion puts it all into practice with her boldest assignment yet: surprising Connecticut Public’s very own president and CEO, Mark Contreras, with a song (while wearing an inflatable axolotl costume).

Suggested episodes:

• Meet Prince & Elvis tribute artists who are finding fame, fans, and their own voice 
• Inside the Mascot: The Phillie Phanatic, a Yard Goat, and a mascot maker 

GUESTS: 

• Joy Brooker: singing telegram performer from Missouri, known for her creative characters and wide social media following
• Jay Bragg: Nashville-based singer-songwriter, who offers acoustic singing telegrams with vintage charm
• Paul Mordoff: party entertainer and singing telegram performer based in Monroe, CT, who has been in this business since 1996

Mark Contreras: President & CEO of Connecticut Public

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Wander with the Audacious crew through 175 acres of wonder and delight to meet the people who bring it to life! From a Lost & Found sage, to a fairy from the Florence Griswold Museum, to a hot tub ace, to Amber, the bathroom attendant/joy DJ.

President & CEO Gene Cassidy shares the soul of the Exposition, then we follow our heads, hearts, and (especially) stomachs through cream puffs, Pepe’s pizza, cookie dough-on-a-stick, and dangerously good oddities.

Suggested episodes:

• Scenes from the Big E: A fair filled with food, animals, music – and heart

GUESTS: 

• Mary Naughton and Cyndy Penner: mother and daughter duo behind Cyndy’s Bears, selling embroidered teddy bears and other personalized items
• Andrea Anderson and Sabrina Gagnon: at The Big E with their Clydesdale horses from Hobby Knoll Stable in Duxbury, MA
• Susan Rotondo and Bill Motyl: longtime fair regulars from Southwick, MA
• Tammi Flynn: Director of Communications at The Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, CT
• Rita Rivera: a fairy for the day, advertising the Wee Faerie Village at The Florence Griswold Museum
• Amber Stone: bathroom attendant at The Big E and recovery coach from Springfield, MA
• Ed Ame: a Chicago native, who spends most of the year traveling and works at the Lost & Found booth at The Big E
• James Tackett: a man from Madison, IN, who runs the mini ball booth at The Big E
• Darryl Wilson: sales representative for MAAX Swim Spas and Hot Tubs
• Melissa Russell: fife player from Bristol, CT, who performs with a fife and drum corps, and spent Connecticut Day with her family at The Big E
• John Barrows: printer at Eastern States Exposition
• Eugene Cassidy: President and CEO at Eastern States Exposition
• Greg: a Faribault, MN, native, who sells blooming onions at The Big E
• Kevin Gagliard: Operations Manager at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana 
• Lynn Lischke: Newburyport, MA, resident, who sells cream puffs at The Big E
• Josh Virkler: owner of Luann’s Bakery in Ellington, Stafford, and soon Hartford, CT 
• Jackson Panek-Henderson: nine-year-old fairgoer from Newington, CT
• Joseph Haag: owner of Kora and Mila’s Cookie Dough from Plymouth, WI, serving cookie dough on a stick at The Big E
• Josh, John, and Henry Pupa: repeat fairgoers from Griswold, CT

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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In this third live installment, recorded at Willimantic Brewing Company, names are drawn from a vase and strangers step up with objects that carry big stories: a couch cushion, a WWII code talker radio, a NeXT computer by Steve Jobs, a ravioli cutter, a shofar, even a hand grenade.

The results are hilarious, heartfelt, and unforgettable, proving once again that the things we carry tell the stories of who we are.

Suggested episodes:

• Audacious Live! Show & Tell in Stamford 
• Audacious Live! Show & Tell birthday bash in Hartford 

GUESTS: 

• Candace Arey: South Windsor resident, who brought a couch cushion 
• Tim Dwyer: Coventry resident, who brought a piece of radio equipment manufactured in 1941 and used by the code talkers
• Debby Page: Andover resident, who brought a 100-drachma coin 
• Charles L. Perkins: New Haven resident, who brought a NeXT Computer by Steve Jobs 
• Sarah Eyre: Willimantic resident and textile artist, who brought the very first thing she ever knit, a scarf
• Elizabeth Thomas: Lebanon resident, who brought her mom’s ravioli dough cutter
• Sarah Santora: Salem resident, who brought a coin, the Widow’s Mite, gifted to her by her brother.
• Laura Rosas: Mansfield resident, who brought a pair of hiking poles she used on the Camino de Santiago
• Shofar Shoshanna: Storrs resident, who brought a shofar, a ram’s horn 
• Coco Cooley: Middletown resident, Wesleyan University Student, and CT Public summer intern, who brought her worry dolls 
• Gabrielle Zane: Windham resident, who brought an (inactive) WWII hand grenade 

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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In this episode, explore awe in its many forms, from a total solar eclipse to the psychology of wonder.

Psychologist Dacher Keltner breaks down the science of awe, cellist Yumi Kendall shares how music transports us, and Audacious listeners share their most treasured moments of awe.

This episode originally aired on March 14, 2025.

GUESTS: 

• Mara Suttmann-Lea, Joseph Dickerson, and Stefan Keller: Awestruck with Chion in Vermont during the April 8, 2024 total eclipse. Click here to watch a video of the experience
• Dacher Keltner: Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley and faculty director of the Greater Good Science Center. He hosts The Science of Happiness podcast, and he’s the author of many scientific articles and several books, including Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life 
• Yumi Kendall: Assistant Principal Cellist at the Philadelphia Orchestra. She founded and co-hosts the Tacet No More podcast  
• Awestruck Audacious listeners who sent in voice memos (in order of appearance): Brenton Graveley, Carissa Teff, Levi Lomasky, Vinny Camire, Khaleel Rahman, Anne Mercer, Michelle Horsley, Erin Shapland, Pamela Morrison-Wolf, Maria Raviele, Carl Delmolino, Paul Gladis, Jane Carroll, Nell Codner, Catherine Shen, Maggie Downie, Brian Foley, Allison Durham, Jennifer LaRue, Lisa Sanchez Gonzalez

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Dive into the delicious world of food-based fortune telling with Jennifer Billock, a cheese oracle; Sarah Napoli, a witch who lets onions predict your romantic future; and Rebecca Zaretzky, a tea-leaf reader who sees more than just caffeine in your cup.

Suggested episodes:

• I predict that you will listen to a public radio show about psychics

• Animal psychics reveal what our pets really think

• What near-death and shared-death experiences tell us about living 

GUESTS: 

• Jennifer Billock: writer, editor, and professional cheese fortuneteller 

• Sarah Napoli: known as The Woodland Witch on social media, Sarah shares insights into modern witchcraft, including onion divination

• Rebecca Zaretzky: tea leaf reader, animal communicator, spiritual mentor, and practitioner at Tea & Tarot Boutique in Clinton, CT

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Dr. John Elefteriades, one of the world’s leading aortic surgeons, explains how new AI tools could revolutionize diagnosis. British engineer Tal Golesworthy recalls how he designed the device that saved his own heart. And comedian Liam Nelson shares how his height, surgeries, and community shaped both his life and his stand-up.

For more information, visit the Marfan Foundation. 

Suggested episodes:

• Why the world needs comedians with disabilities

GUESTS: 

• Dr. John Elefteriades: Cardiothoracic surgeon, researcher, and educator. He is a Professor of Surgery at Yale School of Medicine, and a founding director (Emeritus) of the Aortic Institute at Yale-New Haven
• Tal Golesworthy: British engineer with Marfan syndrome, who persuaded surgeons to implant a device that he developed in his heart in 2004. It's called the ExoVasc Personalised External Aortic Root Support, or PEARS
• Liam Nelson: Atlanta, Georgia-based comedian and advocate who has Marfan syndrome

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Tom Burgoyne shares what it’s been like to embody the Phillie Phanatic for over three decades. 

Mikaela Higgins reveals how her company became a giant in the world of mascot-makers, designing icons from Ronald McDonald to the Energizer Bunny. 

And hear how one “yes“ changed the life of Conor Geary, whose turn as a mascot led to a dream sports gig he never saw coming.

Suggested episode:

• Banjo Man, 'Woo Woo' Wickers and UConn Huskies superfans share their love of the game

GUESTS: 

• Tom Burgoyne: “Best friend” of the Phillie Phanatic, who has been bringing the Phanatic to life for 37 years. He’s also the author of Pheel The Love! How the Most Powerful Force in the Universe Builds Great Companies - Phillie Phanatic Style!
• Mikaela Higgins: Manager of Mascot Sales at Olympus Mascots in Milwaukee, WI
• Conor Geary: Known as “GameDay Conor“, he's been the high-energy host at every major venue in Connecticut, starting out with the Hartford Yard Goats in 2018. This season, he became the stadium host for the New England Patriots
  
  

Jessica Severin de Martinez, Meg Fitzgerald, and Robyn Doyon-Aitken contributed to this show, with help from our interns, Coco Cooley and Isaac Moss. 

Audacious with Chion Wolf is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tune In, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and email.

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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For me, “Audacious” was the perfect fit for a show about bold conversations, but I’m not the only one drawn to it. Meet three creators who also built their work around that powerful word. 

Dr. Jody Jahn hosts The Audacious Year, helping high-achieving women rebuild their self-image from the inside out. Audley Stephenson’s The Audacious Living Podcast shares lessons on resilience from over 500 guests. And Emmy-winner Reece Robinson co-created The Audacious Report, a docuseries on extreme endurance feats. 

Together, we explore what it really means to live and create audaciously.

Suggested episodes:

• Behind the mic: Gayle King, Ziwe, and Mehdi Hasan on the art of the interview
• The birth of Snap Judgment: How the end of the world became the beginning of Glynn Washington’s story
• A conversation with Humans of New York creator Brandon Stanton
• Life advice, one Audacious guest at a time
• The one where all the guests are named Pat Smith

GUESTS: 

• Jody Jahn: Host of The Audacious Year, a deeply reflective, power-packed podcast for high-achieving women rebuilding their self-image from the inside out
• Audley Stephenson: Host of The Audacious Living Podcast, bringing bold wisdom from over 500 guests and counting, including CEOs, artists, and everyday disruptors
• Reece Robinson: Co-creator of The Audacious Report, a YouTube docuseries capturing ultra-athletes as they push the limits of what the human body, mind, and heart can endure

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this deeply personal follow-up, Jeffrey opens up about self-trust, forgiveness, the spiritual stakes of being visibly nonbinary in America, and why vulnerability is the real magic. Plus, how to keep your heart intact in a time of backlash and burnout. 

Whether you’re healing, hiding, or just barely holding on, Jeffrey’s voice is a balm and a wake-up call.

Suggested episodes:

• Jeffrey Marsh Loves You
• Five years of Audacious: Where are they now?

GUEST: 

Jeffrey Marsh: author of How to Be You: Stop Trying to Be Someone Else and Start Living Your Life, Take Your Own Advice: Learn to Trust Your Inner Voice and Start Helping Yourself, and creator and host of the self-help podcast, Inner Voice with Jeffrey Marsh; also a coach and digital creator known for advocating nonbinary and LGBTQ+ visibility and promoting radical self-acceptance

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Hear from a man known as The Lottery Lawyer, who shares the most common mistakes people make when trying to claim their winnings.

Plus, a man who scored a $28 million Powerball jackpot at just 21 years old reveals what life was like after the win—the highs, the surprises, and some challenges you might not expect.

This episode originally aired on October 26, 2024.

Suggested episodes:

• Aftershocks: Life after getting struck by lightning 

• Welcome to the Punderdome! We're entering NYC's punniest pun competition

• The Guts & Glory Of Getting Into The Guinness Book Of World Records

• What it's like to win a Nobel Prize with Andrea Ghez and Martin Chalfie

GUESTS: 

• Kurt Panouses: ‘The Lottery Lawyer & CPA’, specializing in helping lottery winners claim their prizes and manage their money

• Timothy Schultz: Winner of a $28 million Powerball jackpot in 1999. Filmmaker, and host of the podcast, “Lottery, Dreams and Fortune”

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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For Bill Edgar, it’s about crashing someone else’s - with their permission - to reveal secrets they didn’t dare share while alive.

For Dr. Matt Morgan, it meant holding his own living funeral in the mountains with his closest friends.

And for Ghanaian artist Jacob Ashong, it’s about crafting fantasy coffins shaped like cars, animals, and anything else that captures a life.

In this episode, three men take us deep into what it means to rethink death, legacy, and the rituals we create to say goodbye.

Suggested episodes:

• The quest for a good death
• Views from the end: David Meyers
• Jayson Greene reflects on grief and parenthood nine years after his daughter's death

GUESTS: 

• Bill Edgar: “The Coffin Confessor,” based in Australia, who carries out the wishes of the deceased. He’s also the author of The Coffin Confessor and The Afterlife Confessional 
• Dr. Matt Morgan: intensive care doctor from Wales and author of A Second Act: What Nearly Dying Teaches Us About Really Living 
• Jacob Ashong (better known as Paa Joe): a coffin artist from Ghana, who carries on a family tradition by creating elaborate fantasy coffins sought after around the world 

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Meet four everyday people who stepped into crisis and saved a life.

A 9-year-old girl calls 911 when her father collapses. A teen athlete performs CPR on a rival player. A librarian administers Narcan to a woman outside the library. A teacher stops the bleeding, and later wrestles with his need to be called a hero.

Resources:

• Stop the Bleed by The American College of Surgeons: training resources, including online classes

• The American Red Cross: training options, including CPR, first aid, AED, and water safety classes

• The American Heart Association: training resources, including CPR, first aid, and AED classes

Suggested episodes:

• 911, What’s Your Emergency? Tales From Dispatch

• More than a bodyguard: Will Geddes on the art of protection

GUESTS: 

• Analia and Alex Sinanis: a 9-year-old daughter and her father from New Haven, CT. When Alex, a police officer in North Haven, experienced a medical emergency, Analia called 911 and helped save his life

• Magnus Miller: an 18-year-old recent high school graduate, who stepped in to help after a fellow athlete went into cardiac arrest during a basketball game in Oklahoma

• Caroline Mandaro: a Youth Services Librarian in Centereach, NY. She administered Narcan to a woman who had overdosed

• Patrick O’Connor: a teacher and writer from Massachusetts. He used his Stop the Bleed training after a neighbor's artery was severed by glass

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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In this episode, Glynn opens up about what that did to his worldview, and how walking away from it all eventually led him to storytelling.

It’s a conversation about survival, identity, and the magic of stories that refuse to offer any easy endings.

Suggested episode:

• Behind the mic: Gayle King, Ziwe, and Mehdi Hasan on the art of the interview 

GUEST: 

• Glynn Washington: creator and host of Snap Judgment, known for blending storytelling with cinematic sound. He grew up in a white supremacist, apocalyptic cult. He also hosts the podcast, Heaven's Gate, and Spooked

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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We’re talking about the quiet, low-key moments of bravery that people carry with them for years: saying yes, saying no, starting over, or simply showing up.

Listeners and past guests share their stories of everyday courage, from snapping turtles to stolen cars to personal reinvention.

Poet and philosopher David Whyte reflects on the true nature of courage - not as grand action, but as deep presence.

And Herman Jagpal, creator of Daily Rejection, explains why he’s spending all of 2025 being told “no,” and being OK with that. Plus, Chion takes one of Herman’s challenges into real life... and attempts to deliver a message to shoppers over a grocery store intercom.

Suggested episodes:

• Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us
• How regret teaches us to live
• Awe yeah! Exploring the magic of mind-blowing moments 
• Life advice, one Audacious guest at a time 
• Are you very superstitious or just a little 'stitious'? 
• Kitchen objects with a story. Listen at your own whisk 
• What smells remind you of childhood? Hear eighteen answers
• Why you so salty? The anger episode 
• The surprising ways we ritual

GUESTS: 

• Maggie Downie: a Wethersfield, CT resident and owner of a fitness company, whose email to us inspired this show
• David Whyte: Poet, philosopher, and author of Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words. His most recent collection, Consolations II, continues to explore the human experience through poetry and prose 
• Herman Jagpal: a New Zealand resident, who challenges himself to get rejected by strangers every day of 2025 and documents his quest on social media @dailyrejection
• Listeners and past guests (in order of appearance): Nathan Markee, Levi Lomasky, Deanna Birdsong, Cat Thomson, Kelly Papa, David Eric Zakur, Ellen Amalia Force, Michael Leung, Casper ter Kuile, Caroline Teti, LeRoy Mcsmith, Joy Brooker, John Dankosky  

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Diana Mendoza has spent nearly 20 years collecting bread clips and helps moderate a global research community dedicated to their study. Tim Zhang, a recent high school grad, has over 400 fire alarms and a booming YouTube channel. And on a small island in Maine, Nancy 3. Hoffman runs the world’s only Umbrella Cover Museum, complete with a disco ball and an adults-only section.

These collectors are filled with joy, meaning, and a deep love for the overlooked.

Suggested episode:

• The joy of collecting barf bags, miniature chairs, and bricks 

GUESTS: 

• Diana Mendoza: A longtime bread clip (occlupanid) collector and moderator of a global community dedicated to their study and appreciation
• Tim Zhang: Fire alarm collector and YouTuber who educates and entertains with videos that inspire curiosity, technical skills, and hands-on learning
• Nancy 3. Hoffman: Founder and curator of The Umbrella Cover Museum on Peaks Island, Maine, home to over 2,000 covers from 75+ countries since 1996

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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There's an adult out there who has full-sleeve tattoos of Disney characters, another who’s spent tens of thousands of dollars on merch, and one guy even set a world record for visiting Disneyland for almost 3,000 days in a row!

Those are just some of the Disney adults you’ll meet on today’s show.

This episode originally aired on May 4, 2023.

GUESTS: 

• Eric Aasen: Executive editor at Connecticut Public
• Abby Brone: Statewide housing reporter for Connecticut Public
• Jeff Reitz: Set a Guinness World Record for "Most Consecutive Visits To Disneyland", which was between January 1, 2012 to March 13, 2020, totaling 2,995 days
• Erin Dugan & Zach Bakken: Erin Dugan is the President of the Opera House Players in Enfield, where she and Zach met during an audition for Beauty and the Beast. Zach is a voice over actor who voiced characters for Disney World attractions
• Rozy Ambler: A collector of all things Disney, including ears, mugs, and bags. She is followed by 1.2 million people on TikTok where she shares her love of Disney, and advocates for better mental health
• AJ Wolfe: Operates the Disney Food Blog, followed by over three million people on social media
• Katie Charter: Social worker in Leicester, UK, who has a sleeve of Disney characters on her left arm. Her tattoo artist is Clairy Floofs Tattoo

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Takina Pollack Shafer brings pop-up skating events to her hometown of Bridgeport, CT, where she creates space for people of all stripes to forget their worries and experience the joy of roller skating. It’s a pop-up with a purpose.

You'll also meet the 2024 Men’s National Jam Skating Champion, LeRoy Mcsmith, and the designer known as “Rollerman.” He invented a full-body suit covered in wheels: hands, elbows, chest, back, even his butt. He puts the suit on, lays down and bombs down mountains at speeds around 70 miles an hour.

Suggested episodes:

• Extreme ironing, cheese rolling, and shin kicking: The world of weird sports 
• From wingsuit BASE jumping to record-breaking South Pole expeditions with Ellen Brennan Frat and Liv Arnesen  

GUESTS: 

• Takina Pollock Shafer:  Owner of Skateport in Bridgeport, CT, a pop-up designed to spread and support the culture of roller skating in Connecticut
• LeRoy Mcsmith: Athletic skater and the Men’s National Jam Skating Champion 2024 
• Jean-Yves Blondeau aka Rollerman: Inventor of the Buggy Rollin wheel suit, a full-body armored jumpsuit outfitted with dozens of small inline-style wheels placed on the major joints, the torso, and the back

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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We threw a live Show & Tell at Dead Language Beer Project in Hartford, and invited public radio fans to bring an object they love, and the story that makes it matter.

From a PEZ dispenser with family ties, to a holy (literally) beer mug, to walnut shell art that has mesmerized a family for generations, the night was full of big laughs, tiny treasures, and extraordinary moments.

Suggested episodes:

• Audacious Live! Show & Tell in Stamford
• Five years of Audacious: Where are they now?

GUESTS: 

• Chion Wolf: host of Audacious with Chion Wolf, who brought a Gracie Award
• Emily Tracy: Manchester resident, who brought one of many PEZ dispensers collected by her mother, Caryn
• Dr. David Shapiro: West Hartford resident, who brought a copy of a Hasbro comic book with a depiction of himself, in recognition of his work with Stop The Bleed
• Meg Fitzgerald: Senior Manager of Projects and Radio Programming at Connecticut Public, who brought a walnut that folds open and holds tiny art inside 
• Larry Klein: Meriden resident, who brought a puzzle mug made by a potter named Guy Wolff
• Pamela Morrison-Wolf: Farmington resident (and Chion's mother!), who brought a framed greeting card from her late husband, Guy Wolf
• Christy Kovel: Middletown resident and Director of Public Policy for the Alzheimer’s Association's Connecticut Chapter, who brought her cell phone containing two memorable images from the previous day
• Dave Mourad: Windsor resident, who brought a metal newspaper stand
• Robyn Doyon-Aitken: Deputy Director of Audio Storytelling and Talk Shows at Connecticut Public, who brought the cast her late mother had on her wrist
• Ashley Cook: Hartford resident, who brought a shadowbox of her hand x-ray and pins that the surgeons removed
• Michelle Horsley: Hartford resident, who brought her conductor's baton

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Ari Cobb, now 13, reflects on how his relationship with stuttering has evolved since we first met him at age 8. Toby Dorr shares how the death of her former partner, whom she once broke out of prison, reshaped her purpose.

Jeffrey Marsh returns with powerful insights on self-acceptance. And we meet Hannah Joyner, wife of Dr. David Meyers, who joined us before his death from glioblastoma.

It’s a heartfelt look back at stories that changed us and the people who continue to inspire us.

Suggested episodes:

• People with speech disfluencies have a lot to say
• Why'd You Do It: I snuck my incarcerated boyfriend out of prison in a dog crate
• Jeffrey Marsh loves you
• After the fire: Stories of what the flames couldn’t destroy
• Views from the end: David Meyers

GUESTS: 

• Ari Cobb: a New Haven resident, who was eight when he first spoke with Chion on the third episode of Audacious in 2020, “People with speech disfluencies have a lot to say.” He is joined by his parents, Michelle and Kei 
• Toby Dorr: a guest on our 2023 episode titled “Why'd You Do It: I snuck my incarcerated boyfriend out of prison in a dog crate.” Toby is the author of several books, among them a forthcoming memoir titled Beyond Conviction: A Love Story 
• Jeffrey Marsh: an author, coach, and digital creator known for their advocacy of nonbinary and LGBTQ+ visibility, as well as for promoting radical self-acceptance. They first connected with Chion for the “Jeffrey Marsh loves you” episode in 2021. They're the author of How to Be You: Stop Trying to Be Someone Else and Start Living Your Life and Take Your Own Advice: Learn to Trust Your Inner Voice and Start Helping Yourself
• Hannah Joyner: a historian, author, and book critic, and the wife of Dr. David Meyers. David, a physician diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2018, appeared on the episode titled “Views from the end: David Meyers.” He died on July 2, 2023

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Happens all the time.

Now imagine what your life would be like if you traveled the world as part of a lifelong quest to become the first person to see 10,000 bird species.

Get to know Peter Kaestner. He shares the surprising story of how he came excruciatingly close to missing that once-in-a-lifetime shot. And find out why he believes there are a million ways to be a birder.

This episode originally aired August 23, 2024.

Resources:

• eBird online database of bird observations, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• IOC World Bird List, an open-access resource maintained by the International Ornithological Committee
• Merlin bird ID app by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a free global bird guide with photos, sounds, and maps

Suggested episodes:

• Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals
• We, The Dog

GUEST: 

• Peter Kaestner: First person to catalog 10,000 bird species, discoverer of the Cundinamarca antpitta, is an ambassador for the American Bird Conservancy, and leads tours with Rockjumper Birding Adventures

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In this episode, you’ll meet people who donate small amounts to hundreds of places, hand out cash on city streets, and send money directly to people in poverty, no strings attached.

Explore the power of small, consistent giving, and how even modest acts of generosity can spark massive ripple effects.

Suggested episodes:

• GOOD NEWS! That’s how we celebrate 100 episodes of Audacious
• Social media, the algorithm, and the state of our hearts
• "Negativity be gone!": Artists igniting joy on social media

GUESTS: 

• Rabbi Jeff & Mindy Glickman: creators of the “Giving Locally Everywhere” (GLeE) initiative, through which they donated to every NPR station and United Way branch in the country, as well as other organizations they value. Jeff serves as rabbi at Temple Beth Hillel in South Windsor, CT, and Mindy is a community leader and Hebrew instructor
• Peter Bond: a social media creator best known for his TikTok and Instagram accounts, @bondgives, where he documents acts of kindness and helps people in need across New York City. Since 2021, he has been using his platforms to inspire others to give back and make a positive impact in their communities
• Caroline Teti: a Vice President at GiveDirectly with decades of experience in almost all areas of the development sector, including the world’s largest and longest study on universal basic income. Her belief in direct cash as the most effective tool to end extreme poverty is also rooted in her upbringing in rural Kenya

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Casper ter Kuile, author of The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices, walks us through how we create all sorts of meaningful, grounding rituals.

And you'll hear clips from past two years of Audacious guests who have shared the rituals that matter most to them, from morning journaling and bedtime affirmations to pre-show sign-slapping.

Whether you've already got your rituals down pat, or are still developing your own special routine, this episode shows you how to honor the sacred in the everyday.

Suggested episodes:

• Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us 
• Life advice, one Audacious guest at a time
• Kitchen objects with a story. Listen at your own whisk
• Why you so salty? The anger episode
• Change Of Art: Stories About Tattoo Coverups
• Awe yeah! Exploring the magic of mind-blowing moments

GUESTS: 

• Casper ter Kuile: author of The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices. He holds Master's degrees in Divinity and Public Policy from Harvard University, and is a co-founder of Sacred Design Lab. He also co-hosts the podcast, Harry Potter and the Sacred Text
• Audacious guests who shared their personal rituals (in order of appearance): Dean Edwards, Jessica Jin, Kristen Geez, Anna Holland, Lena Khalal Tuffaha, Chris Crowe, Bruce W Brackett, Moon Ribas, Azie Dungey, Pony Tromper, Mary Elizabeth Kelly, Paul Marcarelli, Brad White, Begoña Gómez Urzaiz, Dr. Gale Ridge, Mehdi Hasan, Stephanie Courtney, Rosanna Ramos, Sonya Horton, Greg Viloria, Ronnie “Woo Woo” Wickers, Zarna Garg, Jada Star, Luis Mojica, RoseMarie Wallace, Mindy Glickman, David Roche, Paul Gladis, and Arwen, Aidan, and Willow Gladis Perez-Sauquillo     

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Meet Bettina, a romantic comedy author who avoids lawns at all costs; Marcos, who dreads reflections and shaves in the shower to escape the mirror; and Mark, who hasn’t worn a shirt with buttons since he was a kid.

Connecticut psychologist Dr. David Tolin helps us understand how these fears develop, how they affect daily life, and why some people choose to confront their fears, while others simply adapt.

Suggested episodes:

• Full house: The line between collecting, clutter, and hoarding disorder
• Are you very superstitious or just a little 'stitious'?
• Snakes in their mouths and venom in their veins: Why two snake pioneers do what they do

GUESTS: 

• Dr. David Tolin: Founder and Director of the Anxiety Disorders Center at The Institute of Living in Hartford, CT. He is also Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine
• Bettina Hunt: a romantic comedy author based in the UK, who has a phobia of grass
• Marcos: a 24-year-old man from the Chicago area, who has a phobia of reflections
• Mark Cardia: a man based in Portugal, who has a phobia of buttons

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From the recent Los Angeles fires, we hear from Casey Colvin, who searched for days to find his beloved dog, Oreo, and 10-year-old Grayson Roberts, who lost his home, his Braille materials, and his drum kits - but not his spirit.

We also talk to RoseMarie Wallace, who reflects on how losing everything made her stronger, and Leslie Wharton, who shares what 13 years of rebuilding and reflection have taught her after losing her Colorado home to a wildfire.

Resources:

American Red Cross: Recovering After a Fire

Suggested episodes:

• We, The Dog
• Aftershocks: Life after getting struck by lightning
• The story of the first African-American face transplant

GUESTS: 

• RoseMarie Wallace: a Massachusetts woman who had a major house fire in 2014. She is also a Director of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging at Tabor Academy, and a storyteller who honors identity, motherhood, and the quiet power of resilience 
• Casey Colvin: a Pacific Palisades resident whose dogs, Oreo and Teeka Teeka, went missing after the fires in January 2025. He was ultimately reunited with both, and the emotional moment of Casey finding Oreo after a five-day search captured global attention 
• Grayson and Terica Roberts: a mother and son from Altadena who lost their home in the fires in January 2025. Grayson is a 10 year-old drummer who has been blind since birth
• Leslie Wharton: author of Phoenix Rising: Stories of Remarkable Women Walking Through Fire, and a forthcoming memoir, Home Fires Burning.  Leslie lost her home during the High Park Fire in Colorado in 2012, and is now based in Washington State

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Meet Mark Sweet, who’s spent nearly 40 years getting audiences hyped for shows like Cheers, Roseanne, and The Big Bang Theory.

And Joyelle Nicole Johnson shares how warming up the crowd for Patriot Act was a part of what led her to a huge stand-up career.

It’s part comedy, part crowd control, part emotional thermostat, and it might just be the most invisible job in showbiz. Until now.

Suggested episodes:

• Why the world needs comedians with disabilities
• The meteoric rise of comedian Zarna Garg
• Actors Mary Elizabeth Kelly and Dean Edwards on the art of impressions

GUESTS: 

• Mark Sweet: a veteran warm-up comedian for scripted shows including The Big Bang Theory, Full House, and Two and a Half Men. He currently does warm-up for Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage and Leanne 
• Joyelle Nicole Johnson: a stand-up comedian, writer, and actress, who was a warm-up comic for Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj. She appeared on The Tonight Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and has a Peacock special called Love Joy

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"The Gracie Awards recognize exemplary programming created by women, for women and about women in all facets of media and entertainment. They also acknowledge the individuals who have made inspirational contributions to the industry." 

Growing up, Pidgeon Pagonis was told a lot about their medical history: They were born with cancerous ovaries, so the doctors removed them to save their life.

Except that wasn't true. In reality, they were born intersex. And those were not cancerous ovaries, they were undescended testes. And that was just the beginning of many truths coming out.

Hear their story of discovery, and how they played a massive role in getting the hospital where they were born to reverse their policies on how they treat intersex children.

Resources:

• interACT Advocates for Intersex Youth

• Intersex resource list by Pidgeon Pagonis

• Statements on Intersex Care at Lurie Children’s Hospital

Recommended episodes:

• Conception deception: The fight for transparency in the fertility industry

• Jeffrey Marsh Loves You

• Being a trans woman in the trucking industry

GUEST: 

• Pidgeon Pagonis: Intersex speaker, filmmaker, and consultant; Author of the memoir, Nobody Needs to Know

Jessica Severin de Martinez, Khaleel Rahman, Meg Fitzgerald, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Meg Dalton, Catie Talarski, and Reinett Chefu contributed to this show.

Audacious with Chion Wolf is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tune In, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and email.

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Explore the human experience of looking back with Daniel H. Pink, author of The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward.

Poet David Whyte offers his take on regret, drawing from Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words.

We’ll also reconnect with “Tracy” from Maryland and Stormi Huhn (“Anna” from Iowa), four years after sharing their stories of parental regret.

Plus, Audacious listeners reflect on their own regrets - big, small, serious, and silly.

Suggested episodes:

• I Regret Becoming A Parent
• Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us
• Look For The Helpers: The Anatomy Of A Death
• Change Of Art: Stories About Tattoo Coverups
• Nothing goes as planned: A first-time offender’s prison story from arrest to release

GUESTS: 

• Daniel H. Pink: Author of The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward 
• Audacious listeners who contributed their regrets: Mary Ailes, Jennifer Crookes Carpenter, AmyLaBossiere, Susan Tilly, Steph MacGillivary, Brenda Kestenbaum, Theresa Cannavo, Wendy Gravely, Jonathan Graham, Ann Levie
• David Whyte: Poet, philosopher, and author of Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words. Consolations II came out in early 2025
• “Tracy”: Maryland woman who joined us for our show about parental regret in 2021
• Stormi Huhn: Iowa woman who joined us for our show about parental regret in 2021

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Alex and Sue Tatham met each other on the globally televised dating show "Blind Date" in the UK, leading to a wedding watched by millions. 

Heather and Tony are Disney enthusiasts who found love across continents thanks to a dating site for fellow fans, MouseMingle.com

And after three years of chatting online, Robbie Romu and Avichai Sofer finally met… Only to have their relationship immediately tested by the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war during their first in-person meeting.

Suggested episodes:

• Audacious Love Playlist

GUESTS: 

• Alex & Sue Tatham: a couple who met on the British dating show Blind Date in 1988. Their wedding in 1991 was watched by 17 million people
• Heather & Tony Lash: Heather from Australia and Tony from Florida met through Mousemingle.com, a dating site for Disney fans, in 2015. They got married at Walt Disney World in 2018
• Robbie Romu & Avichai Sofer: Robbie from Canada and Avichai from Israel met on a dating site in 2020. Robbie traveled to Israel to meet Avichai in person for the first time on October 6, 2023, a day before the Israel-Hamas war began

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Suggested episodes:

• We The Dog
• Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals
• Animal psychics reveal what our pets really think
• Snakes in their mouths and venom in their veins: Why two snake pioneers do what they do

GUESTS: 

• Pony Tromper: founding member of the Rocky Mountain Pony Herd, a community dedicated to Pony Play, where people embody the spirit of a horse, emphasizing connection, identity, and freedom
• Alisa Aarniomäki: Finnish hobby horse athlete and coach, notable as a dressage champion in Finland in both 2022 and 2023. Hobby-horsing is an activity where competitors perform dressage and show jumping on handmade stick horses
• Dr. David Eagleman: Neuroscientist at Stanford University and author of Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives, which features an essay about humans, horses, the afterlife, and beyond
• Nicole Welch, Emily Eschner, and Tonka: Staff at Shepard Meadows Equestrian Center in Bristol, Connecticut 

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Explore how cutting-edge assistive technologies are breaking barriers, restoring independence, and revolutionizing the way people navigate the world.

Sam Seavey, creator of “The Blind Life” YouTube channel, shares how AI-powered tools are game-changers for people with vision impairments. And former stuntman Jonathan Goodwin introduces Kim-e, a self-balancing mobility robot redefining independence for wheelchair users.

Suggested episodes:

• Revealing Our Blind Spots About Blindness
• MasterChef winner Christine Ha and poet Edward Hirsch on turning blindness into brilliance
• Hearing every color, feeling every earthquake: Life as a cyborg
• Stunt performers David Holmes and Jonathan Goodwin on life after paralysis

GUESTS: 

• Sam Seavey: founder of “The Blind Life” YouTube channel, where he provides tips, reviews of assistive devices, and interviews with visually impaired community members. Diagnosed with Stargardt disease at the age of 11, Sam has dedicated 30 years to researching and understanding assistive devices. Among the inventions Sam mentions during this conversation are Ray Ban Meta AI glasses, the Be My Eyes app, the WeWalk smart cane, and braille tablets 

Jonathan Goodwin: a retired stunt performer, screenwriter, keynote speaker, and hypnotherapist. In 2021, he was paralyzed while rehearsing a stunt for America's Got Talent: Extreme. He has been exploring a new piece of assistive technology called Kim-e, a self-balancing personal mobility robot

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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In this episode, explore awe in its many forms, from a total solar eclipse to the psychology of wonder. 

Psychologist Dacher Keltner breaks down the science of awe, cellist Yumi Kendall shares how music transports us, and Audacious listeners share their most treasured moments of awe. 

GUESTS: 

• Mara Suttmann-Lea, Joseph Dickerson, and Stefan Keller: Awestruck with Chion in Vermont during the April 8, 2024 total eclipse

Dacher Keltner: Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley and faculty director of the Greater Good Science Center. He hosts The Science of Happiness podcast, and he’s the author of many scientific articles and several books, including Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life Yumi Kendall: Assistant Principal Cellist at the Philadelphia Orchestra. She founded and co-hosts the Tacet No More podcast  

• Awestruck Audacious listeners who sent in voice memos (in order of appearance): Brenton Graveley, Carissa Teff, Levi Lomasky, Vinny Camire, Khaleel Rahman, Anne Mercer, Michelle Horsley, Erin Shapland, Pamela Morrison-Wolf, Maria Raviele, Carl Delmolino, Paul Gladis, Jane Carroll, Nell Codner, Catherine Shen, Maggie Downie, Brian Foley, Allison Durham, Jennifer LaRue, Lisa Sanchez Gonzalez 

Jessica Severin de Martinez, Meg Fitzgerald, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, and Meg Dalton contributed to this show, with help from our interns, Kathy Wang and Angelica Gajewski.

Audacious with Chion Wolf is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tune In, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and email.

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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That was Paula Cox’s experience with delusional infestation, a rare disorder where people are absolutely certain they’re infested with bugs, despite all evidence to the contrary. In this episode, Paula shares her harrowing experience, and experts - a leading entomologist and a psychiatrist-dermatologist - explain what’s really happening in the brain and how healing is possible.

Suggested episodes:

• Body Integrity Dysphoria: When being disabled is a desire
• When every face you see is distorted: Living with PMO

GUESTS: 

• Dr. Gale Ridge: an entomologist and Associate Scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven. She oversees the daily activities of the insect inquiry office. She’s also the editor of The Physician's Guide to Delusional Infestation
• Paula Cox: a woman in Australia who experienced delusional infestation. She started a Facebook support group called “Delusional parasitosis help”
• Dr. John Koo: a Professor of Dermatology at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center and Director of the UCSF Psoriasis Skin and Treatment Center. He is board-certified in both dermatology and psychiatry and co-author of Morgellons Disease: High Yield Principles for Clinical Practice

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Meet Marshall Charloff, a Prince tribute artist with a personal connection to the artist himself. And Rick Torres, an Elvis impersonator whose two decades as the King has brought him to some surprising places.

From the joy and empowerment of embodying their heroes to navigating the challenges of the work, they discuss the artistry behind keeping music royalty alive.

Suggested episodes:

• Actors Mary Elizabeth Kelly and Dean Edwards on the art of impressions
• You Should Talk: Voices At Work
• What Happens When You Act Like You Belong

GUESTS: 

• Marshall Charloff: a singer, songwriter, and producer based in Minneapolis. Besides his solo career, he has been impersonating Prince as the co-founder of “The Purple xPeRIeNCE” since 2011 
• Rick Torres: a tribute artist and prominent Elvis impersonator based in the San Francisco Bay Area 

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On this episode, meet one of those soup-throwers, and hear from two other people who have been part of creative protests: a spokesperson from an anti-circumcision group that wears all white with giant, red splotches on the groin area; and a woman who organized a college campus protest featuring thousands of sex toys to rally against Texas gun laws.

GUESTS: 

• Anna Holland: Member of Just Stop Oil, a nonviolent civil resistance group demanding that the UK Government stop licensing all new oil, gas and coal projects. In 2022, alongside Phoebe Plummer, they threw tomato soup onto Vincent van Gogh's "Sunflowers" painting in London's National Gallery
• Harry Guiremand: Spokesperson for the anti-circumcision group, Bloodstained Men and Their Friends. They protest wearing all white with red splotches of paint over their groin
• Jessica Jin: Organizer of Cocks Not Glocks, protesting Texas laws that allow concealed handguns on college campuses, while openly carrying sex toys is a Class C misdemeanor

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Meet Liv Arnesen, the first woman to ski alone and unsupported to the South Pole, and Ellen Brennan Frat, the ‘Fastest Flying Woman in the World.’  

From battling -30°F winds to soaring at 100 mph, these women share their extraordinary journeys of courage, resilience, and pushing boundaries. 

Suggested episodes:

• Below the surface: The stories behind underwater world records
• What solitude does to you in the wilderness and in prison
• Extreme ironing, cheese rolling, and shin kicking: The world of weird sports

GUESTS: 

• Ellen Brennan Frat: a wingsuit BASE jumper and extreme sports athlete based in France. She has become known as the ‘Fastest Flying Woman in the World’ due to her exceptional performances in wingsuit competitions 
• Liv Arnesen: a Norwegian polar explorer, educator, and lecturer. In 1994, she became the first woman to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole. In 2001, she and American polar explorer Ann Bancroft became the first women in history to sail and ski across Antarctica’s landmass 

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Ever had someone finish your sentence before you even opened your mouth? Now imagine they knew what you were going to say before you did. That’s what it’s like to experience Dr. Kruti Parekh in action.

Through a mix of psychology, intuition, and age-old wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita and Vedic traditions, Dr. Parekh believes we all have the potential to tap into this power. No magic wands, no crystal balls, just a deeper connection to the intuition you already have.

Ready to see what your mind is really capable of?

Suggested episodes:

•  Animal psychics reveal what our pets really think
• Reincarnation, past life regressions, and you (whoever you are)

GUEST: 

• Dr. Kruti Parekh: Mentalist, motivational speaker, mind trainer, and entertainer based in India. She uses psychology, intuition, and creativity to explore the power of the human mind in front of audiences worldwide. Some of her work can be found on YouTube and Instagram

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Christine Ha was in her early 20s when she began losing her sight. Instead of giving up on her dreams, she taught herself how to cook - so well, in fact, that she became the first and only person who is blind to win MasterChef. Now, she’s a celebrated chef and author who’s proving that great cooking is about taste, texture, and trust - not sight.

And Edward Hirsch, a poet who began losing his sight later in life, discovered something unexpected - exhilaration. He says that blindness has made him more alive, more curious, and more connected to the world in ways he never expected.

Listen to this bonus excerpt from Chion's conversation with Christine Ha where she answers one-of-a-kind questions from a fan —and Chion's friend— Ashley Cook!

Resources:

• List of resources for people with low vision by the American Council of the Blind
• Lighthouse Guild (as mentioned by Edward Hirsch)

Suggested episodes:

• Revealing Our Blind Spots About Blindness

GUESTS: 

• Christine Ha: Winner of MasterChef Season 3. She has neuromyelitis optica (NMO), in which a person's own immune system attacks the optic nerves and spinal cord 
• Edward Hirsch: Poet and president of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Wrote a guest essay in the NYT: “I am Going Blind, and I Now Find It Strangely Exhilarating.” He has retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic disease that causes progressive vision loss 

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If you're a fan of Gordon Ramsay's cooking competition show, MasterChef, then you know exactly who Christine Ha is. 

But if you don't, she's the first - and only - person with blindness to win it!

Now you'll hear so much more of our conversation in our podcast feed, but there was this one little bonus section that we wanted to share with you. It features one-of-a-kind questions from Chion's friend, Ashley Cook.

Check out our entire Audacious interview - plus a conversation with poet Edward Hirsch, who got a LOT of responses to his New York Times opinion piece, entitled, “I am Going Blind, and I Now Find It Strangely Exhilarating.

You can hear it right next to this post your podcast app!

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He invited us to chronicle his life before, during, and after incarceration, pulling back the curtain on a world most of us only glimpse in movies or headlines.

Discover how his expectations clashed with reality in ways he never anticipated, and how his experience offers an unflinching look into the unexpected truths of life.

Suggested episodes:

• Why'd You Do It: I snuck my incarcerated boyfriend out of prison in a dog crate
• Why’d You Do It?: I Committed Nine Armed Robberies
• Love without the possibility of parole

GUEST: 

• Mike West: An Uncasville, CT resident who was incarcerated from June 2023 until June 2024 for a gun-related felony

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Jackie Bibby, a record-setting daredevil, set multiple world records, including the astonishing feat of holding 13 live rattlesnakes in his mouth.

And Tim Friede has spent nearly two decades intentionally subjecting himself to hundreds of bites from some of the planet's most lethal snakes, all in the pursuit of creating a universal antivenom.

Suggested episodes:

• Scars To Prove It: Living Through Animal Attacks
• (Almost) Everybody Hurts: An Exploration of Pain
• Animal psychics reveal what our pets really think

GUESTS: 

• Jackie Bibby: Also known as the Texas Snake Man. His memoir is called, “The Texas Snake Man: A Very Nice and Kind... Gentleman“
• Tim Friede: A self-taught herpetologist and venom expert from Wisconsin. His goal is to develop the world’s first universal antivenom

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We took dozens of our favorite clips and brought them together in this very special episode. And we also hear from Connecticut Public employees!

Email your favorite piece of advice: Audacious@ctpublic.org

For a full transcript of this episode, click here.

Suggested episode:

• Views from the end: David Meyers

GUESTS (in order of appearance): 

• First segment: Paul Gladis, AJ Wolfe, Christine Hazel Decker, Cynthia Zhou, Danielle Weisberg, Jonathan Goodwin, Kitao Sakurai, Mary Elizabeth Kelly, Stephanie Courtney aka Flo from Progressive, The Lim Family, William Harder, Lior Ofir, Martha Underwood, David Vance, Greg Viloria, Kristen Geez, Jessica Jin
• Second segment: Bianca L McGraw, Dean Edwards, Adriana Piltz, Dani Rabaiotti, Danielle Perez, Dr. Richard Gibson, Eve Wiley, Jayson Greene, Dr. Marc Feldman, Florence Early, LaNia Roberts, Luis Mojica, Robbie Romu, Anna Holland, Arianna Preuss, Carrie Cariello, Dawn Shaw, Katie Charter, Natasha Fischer, Rozy, Zarna Garg, Arwen, Aidan, and Willow Gladis Perez-Sauquillo, Cash Daniels, Gus Mcafoos, Samirah Horton, aka DJ Annie Red
• Third segment: Caryn Toriaga, Chris Massimine, Dr. Mary Ann Cooper, Guy and Yaruh First, Julie Millsap, Megan Peabody, Mehdi Hasan, Azie Dungey, Colin Nissan, Paul Marcarelli, Stacy Samuels aka Banjo Man, Tabitha Farrar, Neil Harbisson, Jada Star, Athena Walker, Timothy Schultz, Tony Cicoria, Kenley Byrd, John Graham, Jenn Carson, David Meyers, Blyss, Bruce W Brackett, Moon Ribas, Paperboy Love Prince, Jessica Severin de Martinez, Meg Fitzgerald, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Meg Dalton, Vanessa de la Torre, Mark Contreras

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Listen to our past Audacious Love episodes:

• Married Over 50 Years: “Love Each Other Even When You Don’t”
• It’s not just a sex doll! What it’s like to be in a relationship with a synthetic partner
• Falling in love with objects: The experience of being an Objectum Sexual

GUESTS: 

• Dr. Megan Rose: An initiated ceremonial magician, a Shakta Tantric practitioner, and the author of Spirit Marriage: Intimate Relationships with Otherworldly Beings. She serves as an ordained interfaith minister and psycho-spiritual counselor and is the executive director of the Entheosis Institute
• Caroline Kenner: A professional Witch and Tarotiste, a teacher of visionary healing methods, and a spiritual healer also known as the Washington Witchdoctor. Caroline is a founder of The Fool's Dog, a Tarot app publishing company.  She is married to multiple spirits
• Dr. Monica Mody: A transdisciplinary poet, writer, educator and spiritual practitioner whose border-crossing praxis lives at the intersections of earth-based wisdom, whole person philosophy, and embodied regenerative consciousness
• Orion Foxwood: A traditional witch, conjure-man, "Eco-Magical Activist", faery seer; author of The Faery Teachings, The Tree of Enchantment, Mountain Conjure and Southern Rootwork and The Flame in the Cauldron. He is the founder of the House of Brigh Faery Seership Institute, a co-founder of Conjure-Craft, and Witches in the Woods gatherings in California

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Meet two artists who started off on social media by showing their artwork… But once they revealed the hope and kindness and positivity in their hearts? The views, shares and likes piled up in ways they never expected.

Hear how they both are grappling with the newfound pressure of inspiring hundreds of thousands of fans, and find out what Chion's favorite clips from their channels reveal about her.

Listen to the first installment of this series, featuring Joel Cross, Scott Tatum, and Daníel Colón.

GUESTS: 

• LaNia Roberts: Internationally renowned artist, speaker, and positive social media influencer
• Bruce W Brackett: Artist and the author of How to Breathe While Suffocating: A Story Of Overcoming Addiction, Recovering From Trauma, and Healing My Soul

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When Michael Hainey’s father died, the explanation he was given never quite added up. Decades later, uncovering the real story changed his life, and inspired him to write a memoir.

Melissa Daniels faced a different kind of revelation: the man she thought was her father wasn’t her biological dad. Her determination to uncover the truth became unstoppable.

Hear their powerful stories of discovery, and what unfolded after the secrets came to light.

Suggested episodes:

• Conception deception: The fight for transparency in the fertility industry
• Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us

GUESTS: 

• Michael Hainey: A journalist and author of the memoir, After Visiting Friends: A Son’s Story". It details how he uncovered the circumstances surrounding his father’s death decades later
• Melissa Daniels: Her father passed away when she was seven. As a teenager, she learned that she was conceived by a donor and set out to connect with her biological father

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Meet two people living with this rare and perplexing condition, prosopometamorphopsia (PMO), and a researcher dedicated to understanding it. Hear their stories and learn about a simple, surprising treatment for this mysterious disorder.

Suggested episodes:

• Revealing Our Blind Spots About Blindness
• What it’s like to be able to smell illnesses
• What is foreign accent syndrome? After a stroke, one man’s southern drawl turned British

GUESTS: 

• Brad Duchaine: Researcher at Dartmouth who studies face blindness and is a leading researcher on PMO
• Victor Sharrah: Clarkesville, Tennessee resident who discovered in 2020 that he has prosopometamorphopsia (AKA demon face syndrome or PMO). He found help on the
• Veronica Smith: PMO patient who sees facial features moving. They have been experiencing this since they were four years old, and the distortions appear mostly on themself rather than on other people

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Just as you’re getting ready to leave, a public radio show in Connecticut asks to document your journey!

This is the story of Salaar Muhammad - before, during, and after his transformative year in the United States. We explore how this experience changed his perspective, shaped his future, and touched the lives of those around him.

Suggested episodes:

• Francesca Abroad: Following an American high school student’s year in Sarajevo

GUESTS: 

• Salaar Muhammad: a student from Lahore, Pakistan, who spent the 2023/2024 academic year in Rockville, MD through the U.S. Department of State’s Kennedy Lugar YES program. He lived with a host family and went to a local high school
• Sarah Clapp: Sarah’s family hosted Salaar during his stay in the US

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Listeners to Audacious (and staff members of Connecticut Public!) gathered at Third Place by Half Full Brewery on March 13th, 2024, for an opportunity to share their story!

Special thanks to PJ Kennedy of HeyStamford.com for sharing our event, and for keeping residents and visitors of Stamford in the loop!

For a full transcript of this show, click here.

This episode originally aired on March 22, 2024.

GUESTS: 

• Elaine Braithwaite: Electric violinist and City Librarian of Bridgeport
• Faisal Saleh: Founder of Palestine Museum US in Woodbridge, CT
• Paul Bluestein: Husband of Lynda Shannon Bluestein, advocate for LyndasPhones.org
• Chion Wolf: Host of Audacious
• Jessica Severin de Martinez: Producer of Audacious
• Khaleel Rahman: Producer of Audacious
• Lucy Nalpathanchil: Vice President of Community Engagement at Connecticut Public 
• Jennifer Reilly and Stephanie Convey: Wethersfield residents who brought a brass sculpture
• Cjet Raymond: West Haven resident who brought a jar of cat whiskers
• Cynthia Bowser: Stamford resident who brought her mother's hat
• Kristen Cusato: Director of Communications for the Alzheimer's Association of Connecticut, and host of the podcast, Speaking of Alzheimer's

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Meet three people whose lives brighten the moment they put their hands on a Trader Joe’s or Costco grocery cart.

For a transcription of this episode, which originally aired on December 14, 2023, click here.

GUESTS: 

• David and Susan Schwartz: Authors of The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z. They have traveled over 220,000 miles visiting over 250 Costco warehouses in 13 countries
• Natasha Fischer: Runs the social media account TraderJoesList, where she offers product reviews and recipes to over two million followers. She also sells spatulas

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Ethical conundrums abound, like navigating boundaries, bias in treatment, managing power dynamics… And that's just the tip of the iceberg!

So who's in charge of figuring out the ethics behind all of this? Meet the Chief of Ethics for the American Psychological Association, Lindsay Childress-Beatty. And hear stories from the hospital from Andy Kondrat. He's the one that doctors call when they or the patients they serve are experiencing ethical medical questions.
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Suggested episodes:

• Body Integrity Dysphoria: When being disabled is a desire
• I downloaded my soulmate: Stories of love and AI
• TOPS: A woman summits Everest, a man considers a body transplant, and world-record hat-wearing
• Faking it: Munchausen syndrome and the compulsion to be ill

GUESTS: 

• Andy Kondrat: Ethics consultant and Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Cedars‑Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. He's a member of the Bioethics Committee, and co-director of CSMC’s Responsible Conduct of Research training course
• Lindsay Childress-Beatty: Chief of Ethics for the American Psychological Association

Khaleel Rahman, Jessica Severin de Martinez, Meg Fitzgerald, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, and Meg Dalton contributed to this show.

Audacious with Chion Wolf is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tune In, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Join the conversation on Facebook,Instagram, TikTok, and email.

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But what if you could actually read your pet’s mind? Would you treat them differently… or would you just confirm that dogs think every meal is their last, and that cats really are secretly plotting world domination?

Today, meet two people who make a living as animal communicators. They’ll share wild stories from their sessions, explain why they believe your pets keep hanging around even after they’re gone, and give you tips on how to connect more deeply with your own beloved companions.

Suggested episodes:

• We The Dog
• Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals
• When wild animals become family: Thumbelina the squirrel and Walnut the crane

GUESTS: 

• Nikki Vasconez: Animal communicator, teacher, and former litigation attorney based in Florida
• Laura Stinchfield: Animal communicator known as “The Pet Psychic” based in New York. Author of Voices of the Animals and Stormy's Words of Wisdom: An enlightened dog’s profound insights on life

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Meet Steve Edsel, who always knew he was adopted. But when he set out to uncover the identities of his birth parents, he stumbled upon painful truths. Now, he and his wife work with an organization dedicated to supporting others with similar backgrounds.

Then, hear from Jerri Harrell, whose discovery of her biological parents happened almost by accident. She shares how she transformed feelings of shame and rejection into a profound source of love and resilience.

Resources:

• Genetic Genealogist CeCe Moore and The DNA Detectives
• GEDMatch.com 
• IncestAware
• Survivors of Incest Anonymous
• Time To Tell

Suggested episodes:

• Think Before You Spit: The Pandora’s Box of DNA Testing
• Conception deception: The fight for transparency in the fertility industry

GUESTS: 

• Steve Edsel: Found out that his father is his mother’s brother. He is joined by his wife, Michelle, who works with CeCe Moore to help inform people of their family history
• Jerri Harrell: Found out that the woman she thought was her sister was actually her mother, and the man who she thought was her step-grandfather is her father. She is currently working on a poetry chapbook titled Across the Bridge - Out of the Shadows and into the Light: The Journey to Healing

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Hear from a man known as The Lottery Lawyer, who shares the most common mistakes people make when trying to claim their winnings.

Plus, a man who scored a $28 million Powerball jackpot at just 21 years old reveals what life was like after the win—the highs, the surprises, and some challenges you might not expect.

Suggested episodes:

• Aftershocks: Life after getting struck by lightning 
• Welcome to the Punderdome! We're entering NYC's punniest pun competition
• The Guts & Glory Of Getting Into The Guinness Book Of World Records
• What it's like to win a Nobel Prize with Andrea Ghez and Martin Chalfie

GUESTS: 

• Kurt Panouses: ‘The Lottery Lawyer & CPA’, specializing in helping lottery winners claim their prizes and manage their money
• Timothy Schultz: Winner of a $28 million Powerball jackpot in 1999. Filmmaker, and host of the podcast, “Lottery, Dreams and Fortune”

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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What goes through your mind in a moment like that ?

Meet two people who received that life-altering call. Discover not only the incredible doors it opened for them, but the unexpected challenges that came with such a prestigious honor.

Suggested episodes:

• Laugh and then think: What it's like to win the Ig Nobel Prize
• What it’s like winning a little or a lot on The Price Is Right, Wheel Of Fortune, and Jeopardy!

GUESTS: 

• Andrea Ghez: Along with Reinhard Genzel, she was awarded half of   the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics “for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the center of our galaxy”. She is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and the Lauren B. Leichtman & Arthur E. Levine chair in Astrophysics, at the University of California, Los Angeles 
• Martin Chalfie: Along with Osamu Shimomura and Roger Tsien, he was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and development of green fluorescent protein (GFP). He is a University Professor and former chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University. Prof. Chalfie is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a foreign member of the Royal Society

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And hold your breath as you hear from two women who won an underwater pumpkin carving contest!

And since it’s officially decorative gourd season, meet the author of that McSweeney's essay whose enthusiastic profanity somehow brings us all together every single autumn.

This episode originally aired on October 21, 2023.

GUESTS: 

• Duane Hansen: Set a world record for traveling the longest distance in a pumpkin boat in August 2022. His pumpkin, Berta, was 846 pounds and together they sailed for 37.5 miles down the Missouri River. It took 12 hours
• Josephine Walker & Stephanie McClary: Mother/daughter duo who won the Underwater Pumpkin Carving contest at the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in October of 2019. Their design was of moray eels embracing a heart
• Colin Nissan: Author of It's Decorative Gourd Season, Mother*@&!s, originally published in McSweeney’s in 2009

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But what happens when you look much older than you actually are?

Cécile Gueye is one of only 500 people in the world known to have Cutis Laxa. That's a condition where her skin lacks elasticity. Although she's in her early 30s, she looks like she's in her 50s or 60s. She talks about how this has challenged her personal growth, and how she sometimes uses it to her advantage.

And Michiel Vadeweert has Progeria, which is also known as Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome. It's a rare, fatal genetic condition of “rapid-aging” in children. According to the progeria research foundation, only 210 people in the world have been identified with the condition.

Resources:

• The Progeria Research Foundation
• Cutis Laxa International

Suggested episodes:

• (Almost) Everybody Hurts: An Exploration of Pain
• Total Recall: What It's Like To Remember Every Day Like It Was Yesterday
• Body Integrity Dysphoria: When being disabled is a desire

GUESTS: 

• Michiel Vandeweert: A 26-year-old man from Belgium. He has progeria, a rare condition that causes accelerated aging
• Cécile Gueye: A 32-year-old woman who lives near Geneva, Switzerland. She has cutis laxa, a rare connective tissue disorder

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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In this episode, we introduce you to two candidates running for president in truly unconventional ways.

First, there's Literally Anybody Else (or Mr. Else, if you prefer), formerly known as Dustin Ebey. He legally changed his name to make a statement with his campaign.

Then, there's Paperboy Love Prince - a candidate on a mission to become the first openly queer, non-binary president of the United States. Their platform is built entirely around the power of love.

Resources:

• https://www.isidewith.com/ - a website offering a 2024 Presidential Quiz as mentioned by Literally Anybody Else during the interview

Suggested episodes:

• A coffee-fueled celebration of passion, purpose, and pursuing an impossible goal
• The One Where All The Guests Are Named Pat Smith
• A conversation with Humans of New York creator Brandon Stanton

GUESTS: 

• Literally Anybody Else: Formerly known as Dustin Ebey, he legally changed his name to run for President of the United States
• Paperboy Love Prince: Previously ran for Congress and Mayor in New York, decided to run for President of the United States as the first openly queer, non-binary candidate whose policies are centered around love

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Actor Adam Pearson has neurofibromatosis, which causes tumors to grow on his face and upper body. His latest movie is called A Different Man and it’s centered around the power of his condition.

Crystal Marshall has loved acting since she was a little kid. But when she developed cancer in her face at 18 years old, requiring multiple surgeries to rebuild her face, teeth, and upper jaw, that didn't stop her from applying to and graduating from the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art with a degree in Professional Acting.

Hear how both of them have become powerful advocates for expanding representation of all kinds of faces in the entertainment industry.

Resources:

• myFace - US-based non-profit support organization for people with craniofacial differences
• Changing Faces - UK-based charity advocating for individuals with a visible difference to the face, hands, or body

Suggested episodes:

• Facing the world with visible facial differences
• Actors with facial differences discuss what it means to be seen
• The Story Of The First African American Face Transplant

GUESTS: 

• Adam Pearson: actor, speaker, and disability rights campaigner. His latest film, A Different Man, was released on September 20, 2024. Besides his roles in movies, he made many documentaries, among them The Ugly Face of Disability Hate Crimes and Freak Show. His TEDx talks have covered topics like fear and the stigma of disability
• Crystal Marshall: an actress and facial equality advocate who graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 2024

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Then, meet a birdkeeper at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute who was chosen by an endangered crane to be her life partner for almost 20 years.

Suggested episodes:

• Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals
• Birdwatching legend Peter Kaestner's journey to 10,000 birds
• Audacious kids: Stories of courage, conservation, and compassion

GUESTS: 

• Christina and Michael Reyes: The human parents of Thumbelina, an eight-year-old squirrel who has more than two million followers on social media
• Chris Crowe: Birdkeeper at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s campus in Front Royal, Virginia, and caretaker of Walnut, an endangered white-naped crane from 2004 until her death in January 2024

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Meet a Yale psychiatry professor specializing in impulse control disorders like kleptomania. We'll also hear from a therapist and a coach who were once addicted to stealing themselves and are now dedicated to helping others overcome this compulsion.

Resources:

• If you're struggling with any mental health issues, you can always call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Their free, confidential helpline is open 24/7 in English and Spanish at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
• CASA (Cleptomaniacs and Shoplifters Anonymous, LLC) - a self-help group founded by Terrence Shulman

Suggested episodes:

• Anorexia is complex. Two people talk frankly about their decades-long journeys
• Full house: The line between collecting, clutter, and hoarding disorder
• Fighting for truth: The struggle to overcome pathological lying
• Faking it: Munchausen syndrome and the compulsion to be ill

GUESTS: 

• Dr. Marc Potenza: Steven M. Southwick Professor of Psychiatry and Professor in the Child Study Center and of Neuroscience. His research has focused on the neurobiology and treatment of addictions and other disorders characterized by impaired impulse control
• Tabitha Farrar: Developed anorexia nervosa and kleptomania as a teenager. She is the author of many books, including, Rehabilitate, Rewire, Recover!: Anorexia recovery for the determined adult
• Terrence Shulman: Author, lawyer, licensed clinician, and founder of The Shulman Center for Compulsive Theft, Spending & Hoarding. He is the founder of the support group, Cleptomaniacs And Shoplifters Anonymous, and CEO of unsteal.org, a website that helps people send money back to stores they've stolen from 

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Will shares surprising stories from the field, and reflections on what it's like when your one job is to make sure your client gets in and out - unharmed. Plus, get practical tips for staying safe!

Suggested episodes:

• Stolen cars and abandoned grocery carts: Taking matters into your own hands

GUEST: 

Will Geddes: A security specialist with over 30 years of experience, advising clients worldwide on various risk and threat-related matters. He leads the firm, International Corporate Securities. He is also a public speaker, media commentator on international security, and the author of the book, “Parent Alert: How to Keep Your Kids Safe Online“

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Happens all the time.

Now imagine what your life would be like if you traveled the world as part of a lifelong quest to become the first person to see 10,000 bird species.

Get to know Peter Kaestner. He shares the surprising story of how he came excruciatingly close to missing that once-in-a-lifetime shot. And find out why he believes there are a million ways to be a birder.

Resources:

• eBird online database of bird observations, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

• IOC World Bird List, an open-access resource maintained by the International Ornithological Committee

• Merlin bird ID app by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a free global bird guide with photos, sounds, and maps

Suggested episodes:

• Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals

• We, The Dog

GUEST: 

• Peter Kaestner: First person to catalog 10,000 bird species, discoverer of the Cundinamarca antpitta, is an ambassador for the American Bird Conservancy, and leads tours with Rockjumper Birding Adventures

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Well, listen to our show about weird sports!

Including extreme ironing, where people press their clothes at the top of volcanoes, in caves, even while hanging upside down in trees!

And there's cheese rolling, where people chase a cheese wheel which is barrelling down a steep hill.

And then there's the oh, so British sport of shin kicking! This is a centuries-old wrestling sport where opponents grab each other by the shoulders and kick the shin out of each other.

This episode originally aired on September 27, 2023.

GUESTS: 

• Florence Early: Four-time women’s cheese rolling champion, and star of the Netflix Documentary, "We Are The Champions: Episode 1"
• Pete "Buzzsaw" Holland: Shin Kicking referee or “stickler”. Shin kicking is a 400 year-old British wrestling sport in which players try to get each other to fall down by kicking each other in the shin
• Matthew Battley: New Zealand astrophysicist and extreme ironer. He has ironed on places such as mountains, active volcanoes and in lakes and caves

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Hear how he helps people unlock their pain, and how his life as an intersex person informs his understanding of all the ways a body can communicate.

GUESTS: 

• Luis Mojica: Musician, somatic educator, and life coach based in New York State. He is the founder of Holistic Life Navigation where he teaches people to relate to themselves in new ways through whole food nutrition, somatic experiences, and self-connecting

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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Meet a woman who has written a book about her journey to overcome Munchausen Syndrome, also known as Factitious Disorder. And a doctor specializing in this condition sheds light on its complexities, misconceptions, and pathways to recovery.

Suggested episodes:

• Body Integrity Dysphoria: When being disabled is a desire
• Fighting for truth: The struggle to overcome pathological lying

GUESTS: 

• Dr. Marc Feldman: Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He is an international expert in factitious disorder, Munchausen syndrome, Munchausen by proxy, and malingering, and the author of many books, including Dying to Be Ill: True Stories of Medical Deception
• Cindy Buckshon: Author of Liar, Liar, Gown on Fire, a memoir of a lifelong struggle with mental illnesses, specifically bipolar disorder and factitious disorder, more commonly known as Munchausen syndrome. She is also a graphic designer, illustrator, and painter

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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