The Specialist

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A podcast about work we don't think about and the people who do it. Hosted by Casey Miner, project of KALW public radio in San Francisco. Tips? specialistpodcast@gmail.com. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy fo

Casey Miner


    • Dec 29, 2016 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 12m AVG DURATION
    • 23 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Specialist

    14 — Story Sherpa

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2016 19:47


    For our Season 2 finale, we're pulling back the curtain to reveal the specialist behind the podcast and radio show Snap Judgment, and a little about what goes into making our show. Plus: a very special announcement from our team! Make sure you listen through to the end to hear it. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    SPECIALETTE — Fired

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2016 8:55


    Glynn Washington, host and creator of WNYC's Snap Judgment, on a job that was doomed from the start. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Specialette — Culture Ambassador

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2016 6:03


    Listener Samantha Goldstein on being an observant Jew whose job is to preserve and uphold the values of an evangelical Christian battery company. Photo by Flickr user zeevveez. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    BONUS EPISODE — Poll Locators

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2016 15:08


    On the eve of the 2016 election, forget candidates, issues, and vitriol! Instead, spend the day with two women who work for months finding the perfect location for you to vote. Then go vote! Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    13 — Blood Girls

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2016 15:50


    Meet the specialists who craft fake injuries for real first-responder training in a world where the blood you see isn't really blood... but the coffee isn't coffee, either. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Specialette — Cheetahs, Fleas, and Bird's-Eye Berets

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2016 6:40


    You probably know Mary Roach as the author of such Specialist-filled science books as Gulp, Stiff, and Packing for Mars. But like all of us, she had another life before her current one, and it involved fielding accusatory queries about unwell cheetahs. Photo by Jen Siska, jensiska.com. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    12 — Notary Superman

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2016 17:19


    A lot of the people who've met Sunny Jaswal have only spent five minutes with him — but they might have been among the most important five minutes of their lives. Who is this man who swoops in when you most need him, then departs just as quickly? Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Specialette — Digital Missioner

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2016 6:35


    Listener Kyle Oliver on coaching monks who use YouTube. "The joke is that you should never read the comments. You should read the comments on the videos that these monks put together." Read away on our website, specialistpodcast.com. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Special Feature: The Committee No One Wants to Be On

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2016 10:05


    The Specialist is on summer vacation! We'll be back soon. In the meantime, please enjoy this special feature from friend of the show Raja Shah about the people who eagerly take on work almost no one wants to do. Photo used under a Creative Commons license from Flickr user Torbakhopper. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Specialette — Undercover in the Bread Factory

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2016 9:24


    You may know Al Letson as host of the podcasts Reveal, State of the Re:Union, and Errthang. This is the story of the time he went undercover. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    11 — Cane Trainer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2016 18:31


    Traffic surges, tactile clues, and the smell of crispy bacon: meet a specialist who helps blind and low-vision people learn to get around independently. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Specialette — Bone Lady

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2016 2:28


    Listener Amy Strauss describes her time overseeing a colony of flesh-eating beetles. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    10 — Snake Lady & Wildlife One

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2016 14:18


    Bird bombs, decoy coyotes, and wailers: the tricky job of keeping birds away from planes. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    09 — Singing Telegram

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2016 16:26


    Listener Heather Fife got in touch to suggest a Specialist about her parents, who've performed singing telegrams for 34 years — and who had Heather and her four siblings perform them too. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    08 — Sidewalk Canvasser

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2016 15:13


    "This job is as much about self-preservation as anything else... feeling good about yourself as a human being despite a lot of rejection." Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    07 — Mock Attacker

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2016 16:11


    A man who's paid to behave badly towards women — and what happens when he does his job well. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Specialette — Trail Guides, Snap Judgment, & Season 2 Sneak Peek!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2016 18:28


    Snap Judgment's Anna Sussman tells the surprising story of a search & rescue tracker; tales from the trail in Chile, & a special sneak peek at The Specialist Season 2. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    06 — Zoo Chef

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2015 12:41


    Meeting wild animals' needs and wants, and the dietary preferences of a very picky vulture. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    05 — Lice Ladies

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2015 10:43


    Comb, wipe. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    04 — Home Stager

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2015 13:44


    Home stager Cora Sue Anthony on how to turn the place you live into a product you're selling, the difference between house and home, and why you never want to run into the back of a sofa. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    03 — Match Maker

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2015 10:20


    In which Casey accidentally meets one of the last traditional Irish matchmakers. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    02 — Noise Police

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2015 13:32


    How loud is too loud for a person to live with? Sounds like a job for the noise police. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

    01 — Ice Guy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2015 9:24


    Good ice, bad ice, and the person whose job it is to know the difference. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

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