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A dear friend of Transom and all creative audio producers passed way last month -- Larry Massett. This episode of Sound School joins the chorus of voices on Transom marking Larry's passing. Rob presents "A Trip to the Dentist," a legendary story Larry made in 1977 for NPR. Easily one of the most hallucinogenic stories aired on the network. You'll want your headphones on for this episode.
Hour 2 of A&G features... Elon & Peter Navarro throw down Violent rhetoric on the left is becoming normal Bringing back the dire wolf! Threats to civilization See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hour 2 of A&G features... Elon & Peter Navarro throw down Violent rhetoric on the left is becoming normal Bringing back the dire wolf! Threats to civilization See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of the Ducks Unlimited podcast, host Matt Harrison sits down with longtime friend Jim Ronquest to share their favorite hunting stories. They reflect on the busy months following duck season and discuss the upcoming turkey season. As they reminisce about past adventures, listeners can expect a blend of entertaining anecdotes and insights into the world of hunting. Tune in for a lively conversation filled with camaraderie and anticipation for the spring season ahead!Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcastSend feedback: DUPodcast@ducks.org
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This week on All The Best, stories about fighting violence against women. Content Warning: These stories contain references to gendered violence, including those of a domestic, family or sexual nature. Please listen with care. The Park (4.35) In our first story, Jasmyn, on a wet rainy night, investigates after hearing someone in distress at a local park. Produced by Jasmyn as part of an audio walking tour collaboration between Outloud Arts Bankstown and All The Best. You can complete the audio walking tour at: https://outloud.org.au/projects/stories-from-here-an-audio-tour-of-bankstown/ We Stand Surviving (7.40) In our second story, Sarah shares a suite of poems about patriarchy and sisterhood. Content Warning: This work includes references to sexual assault. This story was written and read by Sarah Dee with production support from Phoebe Adler-Ryan and sound design by Tala Issaoui. Find more of Sarah's writing on instagram where she's @detailednoodle. And more of Tala's sounds, she can be found at @tala.the.creative on instagram. Helen, and the Spirit of Woman (11.33) In our third story, Helen Oxenham, speaks about her experience fighting against violence since she was a child. Produced by Tiarne Cook with the support of Transom and the Community Media Training Organisation. To learn more about the trailblazing life and work of Helen Oxenham, visit spiritofwoman.com.au/. If these stories raise any concerns or distress, support is available to you: 1800 RESPECT - that's 1800 737 732. Men's Referral Service - 1300 766 491 Kids Helpline - 1800 55 1800 Lifeline - 131 114 13 YARN - 13 92 76 (First Nations 24/7 helpline) Qlife - 1800 184 527 (LGBTQIA+ 24/7 phone line) All The Best Credits Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell Host: Madhuraa Prakash Image Credit: Sarah DeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Meet Carlos Adame, owner of Transom Remodeling based in Richardson, Texas. Carlos shares the difficulties he's faced in growing his business and the lessons he's learned along the way. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration and learning from others. With a goal of reaching the $10 million mark, Carlos remains optimistic and committed, welcoming any opportunity to collaborate and strategize for future success. Here are some key takeaways from our discussion with Carlos: Learning from challenges Setting ambitious goals Collaborating with others in the industry Learn more about Transom Remodeling here: https://transomremodeling.com/ Own a construction company and want to share your story? Apply to be on an upcoming episode of Builder Stories at https://www.builderstories.com
Deadlines, production meetings, staff management, show scheduling... in any given day, there's rarely time to pause and consider the craft of audio storytelling. Of course, PRX and Transom hope Sound School provides an easy opportunity to do that. On this episode, we'd like to introduce you to another podcast with the same mission: Sound Judgment hosted by Elaine Appleton Grant and featuring an interview with Jonathan Menjivar about his podcast Classy.
It's a brave thing to share the outtakes from a tracking session. All the blemishes are right there. But Martine Powers and Rennie Svirnovsky from the audio team at The Washington Post have graciously done just that. They invited Sound School's Rob Rosenthal into their studio to witness Martine at work voicing an episode of The Empty Grave of Comrade Bishop, with assistance from Rennie. Hearing how they work as tracking partners is a real gift for anyone who wants to perform better in the mic booth.Today on Sound Judgment, we're excited to share this instructive, hilarious episode of Sound School. If you've spent much time behind a mic yourself, you know that tracking an episode – that is, narrating it – takes time, coaching, practice, a good ear, humility, a good sense of humor— and a great producer.*Update! Martine Powers won the 2024 Ambie Award for Best Host at the fourth annual Awards for Excellence in AudioYou will be a better narrator and a better in-studio producer after listening to this episode. Sound School is produced by Rob Rosenthal for PRX and Transom.Join Us for New Sound Judgment Workshops!Improve your storytelling, interviewing, writing, producing, hosting and guesting skills! Sign up for new Sound Judgment workshops today at www.podcastallies.com/workshops. April 5, 2024: Mastering the Art of the Interview. Interviews are the foundation of all good storytelling, but we don't get much instruction on the art and science of them. In this workshop, you'll get ten proven, transformative strategies that you can apply to your own work right away. April 11,2024: Success in Guesting: Be a Great Guest, Get a Great GuestLearn how to curate great guests and what it takes to be a phenomenal guest yourself. Learn how NPR producers curate and book guests – and how you can set yourself up for success no matter whether you're making a show — or seeking to be a guest yourself. ***Sound School (formerly HowSound) is a bi-weekly podcast on audio storytelling produced by Rob Rosenthal for PRX and Transom. Listen to more episodes and follow the show at https://transom.org/topics/soundschool/The episode featured on Sound Judgment: https://transom.org/2024/tracking-partners/About Rob RosenthalRob Rosenthal is a freelance story editor, podcast producer/reporter, and a teacher. Longform, documentary podcasts are his sweet spot. He offers workshops for podcast companies and public radio stations. He hosts the Sound School Podcast, a joint project of PRX and Transom, on audio storytelling. Rob has been interviewing reporters, producers, editors and artists about the craft of audio storytelling since he began making his show in 2008 under the name How Sound. Rob says he still learns something every time he interviews someone. Improve your storytelling Check out our popular workshops on interviewing, story editing, story structure, longform narrative, audience engagement, scriptwriting and more. Hire Elaine to speak at your conference or company. Subjects include: Communicating for Leaders; Communicating about Change; Mastering the Art of the Interview; Storytelling Skills; How to Build Relationships through Storytelling, and more. Discover our strategic communication services and coaching for thought leaders using storytelling tools to make the world a better place. Serving writers, podcasters, public speakers, and others in journalism & public media, climate change, health care, policy, and higher education. Visit us at www.podcastallies.com. Subscribe to Sound Judgment, the Newsletter, our twice-monthly newsletter about creative choices in audio storytelling. Connect:Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram✉️ Email Elaine at allies@podcastallies.com
In the tsunami of serialized documentary making over the last decade, what happened to the short story? Where are the one-off curious and creative sound portraits or essays or found sound or audio postcards or.... ? Last year Transom commissioned a dozen short stories as part of "Small, Random, and Meaningful." Rob features his three favorites.
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While there were many great podcasts released in 2023, no one will remember the year as a good one for the people who make podcasts. There were far too many layoffs and cancellations including a show dear to our radio hearts at Transom, Heavyweight, hosted by Jonathan Goldstein. In honor of the show and Jonathan's remarkable writing, Rob revisits his chat with Jonathan where they talked about process, fonts, and a writing maneuver they jokingly dubbed "The Goldstein."
Instead of the usual "each week we choose a theme, and bring you 3 or 4 stories on that theme" business, we throw all that away and bring you 20 stories—yes, 20—in 60 minutes. Ira Glass introduces the idea of doing 20 stories in one hour.Act One: Contributor Starlee Kine talks to actor Tate Donovan about the day he felt he was being exactly the kind of celebrity he'd wanted to be: when suddenly, he was approached by a kid with a camera.Act Two: Writer and producer Scott Carrier recognizes a woman he sees in a restaurant.Act Three: Susan Drury talks about "Swap and Shop," a local radio classifieds show that has become a low-tech, personable sort of Ebay.Act Four: From Patty Martin: a one minute, four second vacation on Nantucket Island, involving a lot of waving.Act Five: From Vicki Merrick, Eric Kipp, and Jay Allison at Transom: scallops on Martha's Vineyard.Act Six: From Blunt Youth Radio: a story of a possibly bad "food situation" at the cafeteria in juvenile detention.Act Seven: Jonathan Goldstein, host of Wiretap, brings us this story about The Penguin as a young man.Act Eight: Two brothers, ages 12 and 13, have very different ideas for their dog's name.Act Nine: Elaine Boehm overhears a couple in her pet shop, trying to choose a dog collar.Act Ten: A two minute play called “Title,” written and performed by Greg Allen and Heather Riordan of the Chicago group, The Neo-Futurists. It's part of their long-running show "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind: 30 Plays in 60 Minutes."Act Eleven: Author David Sedaris on cell phone usage in restrooms.Act Twelve: Brent Runyon reports from the kids' section at the public library.Act Thirteen: Catherine and John, two college undergrads, do a babysitting gig together. After the kids are asleep and the two of them get hungry, John doesn't think they should eat any of the food in the house; they settle on a compromise.Act Fourteen: Mystery and missing flavor at the hot dog plant.Act Fifteen: Author David Rakoff worked at an advertising agency, and could see exactly where its technology was going.Act Sixteen: Someone sits next to the printer. You see him forty times a day. What's his name? What does he do?Act Seventeen: Richard Kerry has an impressive ability: he can recreate the sound of a whole swamp.Act Eighteen: Author Chuck Klosterman and his friends make a party game out of comparing television shows to rock bands. They call it "Monkees Equals Monkees."Act Nineteen: Every year 1,200 new army cadets arrive at West Point. Once they say a single sentence correctly, they can go to their barracks. But not until then. David Lipsky reports. He's the author of Absolutely American.Act Twenty: Teenage girls from a detention center perform a song for their parents.Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org
Rob takes himself to task on this episode. He felt the beginning of the last episode of Sound School was so boring, he rewrote it. Compare the old version with the new version be sure to tell us at Transom which is the better open.
The episode discussed on today's Sound Judgment is Classy with Jonathan Menjivar, Episode 1: Are Rich People Bad?Jonathan Menjivar is a senior producer at Pineapple Street Studios and the creator and host of Classy with Jonathan Menjivar. He also made the hit shows Project Unabom and The Clearing. Prior to Pineapple, he was a longtime producer at the public radio show This American Life and also served as the show's music supervisor. He's also worked as a producer at Fresh Air with Terry Gross and contributed to numerous public radio outlets, including Marketplace and Transom.org. Classy with Jonathan Menjivar: CreditsHost Jonathan Menjivar also serves as senior producer on Classy. Additional credits: Kristen Torres, producer; Marina Henke, associate producer; Asha Saluja, senior managing producer; Haley Howle, editor; Joel Lovell, executive editor; Marina Paiz, senior engineer; Max Linsky and Jenna Weiss-Berman, executive producers.You can follow Jonathan on X/Twitter; Instagram; and Threads or Pineapple Street Studios on X/Twitter and Instagram.If you liked my conversation with Jonathan Menjivar, you'll love: Sound Judgment Episode 16: How to Pitch an Audio Documentary and the Unusual Origin of a This American Life Story, with Katie Colaneri, senior podcast editor at New Hampshire Public RadioIf you love Sound Judgment, help us grow our show by giving us a five-star rating and a review. Visit soundjudgmentpodcast.com and click on Reviews – you can give us a five-star rating that'll go to Apple or Spotify instantly. We're grateful.The Sound Judgment team is: Host & Producer: Elaine Appleton GrantProduction Assistant: Audrey NelsonAudio engineer/sound designer: Kevin KlinePodcast manager: Tina BassirCover art by Sarah EdgellSound Judgment is a production of Podcast Allies, LLCContact UsTo contact us with questions, comments, partnership and guesting requests, media interviews or speaking engagements, write to us at allies@podcastallies.com. We also welcome your voice memos; click the microphone icon at soundjudgmentpodcast.com. To follow Elaine Appleton Grant and the show: Subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter, about creative choices in audio storytellingSound Judgment websiteElaine's LinkedInElaine's FacebookSound Judgment Instagramhttp://podcastallies.com Podcast Allies is a boutique production and consulting company making magical podcasts for NGOs and nonprofits, higher ed, and media organizations. Jonathan's takeawaysThese are the takeaways from the end of the episode. For more takeaways from all of our guests, subscribe to the Sound Judgment newsletter and visit our blog. Tough topics don't have to sound dreary or earnest. Right from the very beginning, Jonathan sets a scene that evokes joy. It makes you want to dance. In this way, he's letting listeners know that he's talking about class, but it's not a lesson. You're going to be entertained. It may be even more helpful to use humor when you're tackling difficult topics than it is with anything else. When we add some jokes, people listen more. We can deal with hard stuff better. Make sure you point the jokes at yourself, though, not someone else. Jonathan says Classy listeners “should feel comfortable knowing that if I'm going to criticize anyone…it's going to be me first.” Classy is very revealing. We learn a lot about Jonathan's feelings. So when you write your own scripts, think about what's personal versus what's private? Set boundaries. Know what you're willing to share and what you're not. Finding your own style of delivery is important, and it can be deceptively hard. It's OK to start out copying someone else's style, Jonathan says. Eventually, you'll find what Jonathan found – his Hulk energy – the true voice that's yours and nobody else's.
The 2024 Republican presidential primary is officially underway, and Donald Trump is dominating the field. But this is a very different contest than it was in 2016. Back then, the Republican Party was the party of foreign policy interventionism, free trade and cutting entitlements, and Trump was the insurgent outsider unafraid to buck the consensus. Today, Trump and his views have become the consensus.The primary, then, raises some important questions: How has Donald Trump changed the Republican Party over the past eight years? Is Trumpism an actual set of policy views or just a political aesthetic? And if Trump does become the nominee again, where does the party go from here?Ben Domenech is a longtime conservative writer who served as a speechwriter in George W. Bush's administration and co-founded several right-leaning outlets, including RedState and The Federalist. He's currently a Fox News contributor, an editor at large at The Spectator and the author of the newsletter The Transom. From these different perches, he has closely traced the various ways the Republican Party has and, crucially, has not changed over the past decade.This conversation explores whether Donald Trump really did break open a G.O.P. policy consensus in 2016, the legacy of what Domenech calls “boomer Republicanism,” how to reconcile Trump's continued dominance with his surprisingly poor electoral record, the rise of “Barstool conservatism” and other new cultural strands on the right, whether conservatives actually want “National Review conservatism policy” with a “Breitbart conservatism attitude,” what Domenech thinks a G.O.P. candidate would need to do to outperform Trump and more.This episode contains strong language.This episode was hosted by Jane Coaston, a staff writer for Times Opinion. Previously, she hosted “The Argument,” a New York Times Opinion podcast. Before that she was the senior politics reporter at Vox, with a focus on conservatism and the G.O.P.Mentioned:The Revolution with Steve KornackiBook Recommendations:The War on the West by Douglas MurrayThe Mandibles by Lionel ShriverRunning the Light by Sam TallentThoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Emefa Agawu. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld. Our senior editor is Rogé Karma. The show's production team also includes Rollin Hu and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to Sonia Herrero.
Ben Domenech is a commentator, writer, and editor. He is currently with The Spectator, covering American culture and politics for the British publication. He is a contributor on Fox News Channel and writes a daily email called the Transom. He was the co-founder of The Federalist. His assessment of culture and politics is almost always spot on and unafraid. He calls it like he sees it, consequences be damned! Follow Light Beer Dark Money on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LightBeerDarkMoney/ Follow Light Beer Dark Money on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightbeerdarkmoney/ Follow Light Beer Dark Money on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LBDMshow Follow Light Beer Dark Money on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/light-beer-dark-money/ Link to the Light Beer Dark Money Blog: https://lightbeerdarkmoney.com/hypocrisy-and-the-aoc-oh-sandy/
Vince Coglianese speaks with Ben Domenech, Editor at large at The Spectator, Author of The Transom, and Fox News Contributor about Ron DeSantis' six week abortion ban and how the legislation may affect his presidential hopes. For more coverage on the issues that matter to you visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 from 3-6pm. To join the conversation, check us out on social media: @WMAL @VinceCoglianese See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the second hour of The Vince Coglianese Show, Vince speaks with Ben Domenech, Editor at large at The Spectator, Author of The Transom, and Fox News Contributor about Ron DeSantis' six week abortion ban and how the legislation may affect his presidential hopes. Vince speaks with Chris Bedford, Executive Editor of the Common Sense Society Magazine about his column in The Federalist “There is Zero Reason for Republicans to Cooperate with Diane Feinstein's Request.” For more coverage on the issues that matter to you visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 from 3-6pm. To join the conversation, check us out on social media: @WMAL @VinceCoglianese See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's the Easter break, and we've come to our beloved studio B2.16, plagued as it is with the noise of building work and passing students, with a pile of thought-provoking material from books, podcasts and the news.How can we reduce inequities for pupils in poverty? How do we effectively challenge deficit perspectives in student teachers? What's going on with pupil behaviour policies which insist on 'standard English'? Why did that man just give me a bunch of flowers and run away?All of these questions, and more, will be chewed over and flogged half to death in an episode that includes some upsetting content and strong language.You can find the content that inspired us here:Enser, Z. and Enser, M (2020) Fiorella and Mayer's Generative Learning in Action. Woodbridge: John Catt.'More darts and laurels' - Transom.org (Sound School podcast)John Humphrys - Radio Moments: ConversationsThompson, I (2017) Tackling social disadvantage through teacher education. St Albans: Critical Publishing.Cushing, I. (2021), 'Language, discipline and "teaching like a champion"'. British Educational Research Journal, 47(1), pp.23-41.Quigley, A (2018), Closing the Vocabulary Gap. Abingdon: Routledge‘They filmed me without my consent': the ugly side of #kindness videos - The Guardian---------------------------------------------------------Recorded in studio B2.16 at Cardiff Metropolitan University's Cyncoed Campus on 27th February 2023
Today, Lori is interviewing Danielle Mitchell. They'll be talking about the methodology of writing and reading poetry. Danielle Mitchell (she/her) is an intersectional feminist, poet, and teaching artist. She is the Founding Director of The Poetry Lab, an online learning platform that rallies in service of working-class writers around the globe. Danielle is the author of Makes the Daughter-in-Law Cry, winner of the Clockwise Chapbook Prize (Tebot Bach, 2017). Her poems have appeared in Hayden's Ferry Review, Vinyl, Four Way Review, Transom, New Orleans Review, Nailed Magazine and others. Danielle has received scholarships to travel to Patmos Island, Greece to study poetry, as well as grants from Poets & Writers and the Ashaki M. Jackson No Barriers Grant from the Women Who Submit. She is the inaugural winner of the Editor's Prize from Mary Magazine and the Editor's Choice Award from The Mas Tequila Review. She has performed on stages all over Southern California including the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Danielle holds bachelor's degrees in Women's and Gender Studies and Creative Writing from the University of Redlands and is an alumna of the Community of Writers. She is currently working on a manuscript of poems about misogyny and the Internet. You can find her on her website or follow her on Instagram, Tiktok, and LinkedIn. Also, check out The Poetry Lab website or follow The Poetry Lab Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Goodreads. In this episode Danielle Mitchell and Lori discuss: Adding emotional stakes to poems to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. The magic of tapping into things you don't understand. Her annotative document process. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/456
Rob takes a hard listen to three podcasts -- You Didn't See Nothin', Lights Out, and Noble Champions. He then tosses out darts for work that caused him to ask "Why'd you do that?!" and laurels for work that's just plain crushing it. Rob opens this episode with a note about Transom.org. Transom is dreaming up a new project and could really use your input. If you have a minute, head on over to the Transom homepage and click the link to take a short survey.
Transom Bio: Jay Allison has been an independent public radio producer, journalist, and teacher since the 1970s. He is the founder of Transom. His work has won most of the major broadcasting awards, including six Peabodys. He produces The Moth Radio Hour and was the curator of This I Believe on NPR. He has also worked in print for the New York Times Magazine and as a solo-crew reporter for ABC News Nightline, and is a longtime proponent of building community through story. Through his non-profit organization, Atlantic Public Media, he is a founder of The Public Radio Exchange, PRX.org, and WCAI, the public radio service for Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. More about Jay, more than you'd reasonably need to know, is available at www.jayallison.org.b.
In the second hour of The Vince Coglianese Show, Vince speaks with David Strom, Associate Editor at HotAir about California's new sanctuary transgender laws going into effect. Vince speaks with Ben Domenech, Editor at large at The Spectator, Author of The Transom, and Fox News Contributor about the latest in the Speaker race and Donald Trump's decision to attack pro-lifers for a failed midterm cycle. For more coverage on the issues that matter to you visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 from 3-6pm. To join the conversation, check us out on social media: @WMAL @VinceCoglianese See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Vince Coglianese speaks with Ben Domenech, Editor at large at The Spectator, Author of The Transom, and Fox News Contributor about the latest in the House Speaker race and Donald Trump's decision to attack pro-lifers for a failed midterm cycle. For more coverage on the issues that matter to you visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 from 3-6pm. To join the conversation, check us out on social media: @WMAL @VinceCoglianese See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the third hour of The Vince Coglianese Show, Vince speaks with Ben Domenech, Editor at Large at The Spectator, Author of The Transom, and Fox News Contributor. Vince speaks with Chad Wolf, Former Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary. For more coverage on the issues that matter to you visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 from 3-6pm. To join the conversation, check us out on social media: @WMAL @VinceCoglianese See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Co-Winner in the Graduate Category of the Excellence in Podcasting CompetitionAt the outset of the COVID pandemic, we all became acutely aware of the vulnerability of our own ability to breathe. In this episode of the Ministry of Arts podcast, Sebastian Spivey and their team produce a vivid story of a nurse's relationship with the relentless rhythm of the breath. This is an episode you don't want to miss.What was your process for structuring this episode? “All of our episodes followed a format of host intro → produced story/interview → host outro. We chose this because of its familiarity to most audiences. The structure of the stories themselves was organic in response to what developed from the interview.”Did you plan out the entire episode first or did you just experiment with audio until you found something that you liked? “Our production team kicked around ideas for stories based on the theme of 'breathe'. There are two segments in this episode, the first of which I produced from start to finish. I knew what I wanted to be able to get at in the interview, but I wasn't sure what my interviewee's actual experience as a COVID nurse was or how she felt about it, so the sound design was decided on after editing for content. The second segment (the person with asthma) was scripted by that person, so I can't speak to their creative decisions in terms of structure. I did the sound design for it though and I was just trying to convey the experience a little bit more viscerally without being too literal about it.”Which did you conceptualize first: the stories you were telling or the audio you wanted to use? The stories.How long did it take for you to produce this episode? “Oof, this is really reaching into my memory archive of a very hectic time. I'd say ten hours?”What advice would you have for students that are interested in producing something with a similar complexity in sound design? “Experiment. Listen to people who are making the kind of work you want to make -- the podcast field is saturated with lots of trite design and canned scripting, but there is still excellent work out there. I recommend Love + Radio and most of the stuff coming out of Radiotopia and Mermaid Palace. Gimlet's scripted shows are also usually well done in terms of design. I have a pantheon of producers that live in my head and when I am making work I imagine that they are part of my audience even when they aren't. Very practical resources: Free Music Archive has lots of CC0 (and other CC) music. Freedsound.org has tons of high quality rando sounds (also CC, and you can filter by license). You can also filter YouTube vids for their license and extract the audio. Transom and AIR Media are good resources. Start with low stakes stuff and set challenges for yourself -- record your friends rambling about whatever and then edit it into something with a lot of layers. Use good headphones.”Is there anything else we should know about your episode? “It's so peculiar to reflect on the circumstances of production. It was late 2020, pre-vaccine, and we were all trying to process this reality that the things that had heretofore brought life and thriving -- the act of breathing in, the presence of people we loved -- were now the things that were capable of bringing anxiety, sickness, death. And yet we still craved them. This episode was an attempt to get at that reality and also to create the connection and the space for deep restful breathe which we so deeply desired.”
Neal Stephenson discusses his new book, Transom, with Lexman Artificial.
Producer, Ruby Schwartz, pitched us a story. We said yes. But then Ruby had a new problem: how do you turn a 320-page memoir into a radio story? This feature pulls back the curtain on how this week's Snap episode, “The Wedding Guest” was made. Thank you, Rob Rosenthal and Ruby Schwartz, for sharing this process! This piece came to us from our friends at the Sound School Podcast. Listen to the original version here. Looking for ways to learn about storytelling and how to podcast? Subscribe to the Sound School Podcast (formerly known as HowSound). It's still from PRX. It's still from Transom. Just a new name. Find it all places you subscribe to podcasts! Interested in reading the memoir featured in this episode? Check out The Lost Boy: Tales of a Child Soldier by Ayik Chut Deng. Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 13 - Episode 42
This is the first episode of the Sound School Podcast (formerly HowSound). It's still from PRX and Transom. Rob's still the host. And the show is still committed to digging deep on the backstory to great audio storytelling. Our first episode features NPR's education reporter Elissa Nadworny dissecting how she kept everything straight -- all the files, the notes, the story -- while reporting a two-part series about education in prison. Her insight is super helpful regardless of topic and length of time reporting.
Hello friends, this is a guest episode from Sound School Podcast, a bi-weekly podcast on the backstory to great audio storytelling. The wp.earth.fm curator-in-chief, field recordist Melissa Pons brings us into the forest of Sweden, the jungle of Brazil, and to the wolves in Portugal. Re-published with the kind permission of Rob Rosenthal, PRX and Transom. Please let us know in the comments if you have any feedback. Enjoy!
Ken Firtel is a Co-founder and Managing Partner of Transom Capital Group. Prior to Transom, Mr. Firtelwas an investment professional at Platinum Equity and was responsible for evaluating, structuring, and negotiating transactions and transitioning and overseeing operations of portfolio companies. Before joining Platinum, Mr. Firtel was an associate in the Transactions Department of O'Melveny & Myers, where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions, investor and company-side private equity, venture capital and debt financing, joint ventures, and general representation of middle-market companies. Mr. Firtel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Yale University; a Master of Science, Industrial Relations-Diploma in Business Studies from the London School of Economics; and a Juris Doctor from the USC Gould School of Law. He played Varsity soccer at Yale and published an article in the Southern California Law Review. He serves on the board of Angel City Sports, an organization focused on providing athletic and other opportunities for children and adults with physical disabilities, and on the board of LA Breakers FC, a youth soccer club located in West Los Angeles. When he's not at work, Mr. Firtel enjoys spending time with his wife and three children (one boy and two girls) and is an avid fly fisherman, especially in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Set the GPS to 5 miles backaways. We're making progress on the nonbinary front, even if the entire route is detours. We talk to comedian Abby Wambaugh about what it means to be nonbinary while your kids call you "Mommy." Plus, Biz celebrates!Check out Abby Wambaugh's outstanding audio piece "Mombinary" at Transom.org. Find out more about Abby and her standup comedy at her website, www.abbywambaugh.com. Follow Abby on Twitter @AbbyWambaugh and on Instagram @abbywambaugh.Check out Theresa's book! It Feels Good To Be Yourself is available now wherever books are sold. Our book You're Doing A Great Job!: 100 Ways You're Winning at Parenting! is available wherever books are sold.Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of MaximumFun.org. This week, we're sponsored by BetterHelp and Green Chef. Go to BetterHelp.com/BADMOTHER to get 10% off your first month. Go to GreenChef.com/BADMOTHER135 and use code BADMOTHER135 to get $135 off across five boxes, plus your first box ships free.Be sure to tell us at the top of your message whether you're leaving a genius moment, a fail, or a rant! Thanks!!Share a personal or commercial message on the show! Details at MaximumFun.org/Jumbotron.Subscribe to One Bad Mother in Apple PodcastsJoin our mailing listJoin the amazing community that is our private One Bad Mother Facebook groupFollow One Bad Mother on TwitterFollow Biz on TwitterLike us on Facebook!Get a OBM tee, tank, baby onesie, magnet or bumper sticker from the MaxFunStoreYou can suggest a topic or a guest for an upcoming show by sending an email to onebadmother@maximumfun.org.Show MusicSummon the Rawk, Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)Ones and Zeros, Awesome, Beehive SessionsMom Song, Adira Amram, Hot Jams For TeensTelephone, Awesome, Beehive SessionsMama Blues, Cornbread Ted and the ButterbeansMental Health Resources:Therapy for Black Girls – Therapyforblackgirls.comDr. Jessica Clemmens – https://www.askdrjess.comBLH Foundation – borislhensonfoundation.orgThe Postpartum Support International Warmline - 1-800-944-4773 (1-800-944-4PPD)The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline - 1-800-662-4357 (1-800-662-HELP)Suicide Prevention Hotline: Call or chat. They are here to help anyone in crisis. https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org and number 1-800-273-8255 and there is a chat option on the website.Crisis Text Line: Text from anywhere in the USA (also Canada and the UK) to text with a trained counselor. A real human being.USA text 741741Canada text 686868UK text 85258Website: https://www.crisistextline.orgNational Sexual Assault: Call 800.656.HOPE (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.https://www.rainn.orgNational Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/help/Our advocates are available 24/7 at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) in more than 200 languages. All calls are free and confidential.They suggest that if you are a victim and cannot seek help, ask a friend or family member to call for you.Teletherapy Search: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/online-counseling
Follow us (and like us!) at Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts, and on Twitter. Also please subscribe at TheAnkler.com for more podcasts and stories like these about the entertainment industry.Today's Ankler Hot Seat podcast welcomes guest Tiffany Hsu, a New York Times reporter who covers media for the business desk, focusing on advertising and marketing. On today's episode, Hsu joins hosts Janice Min, Tatiana Siegel and Ankler contributing editor Peter Kiefer to discuss her story about a slew of A-list stars from Matt Damon to Reese Witherspoon to LeBron James who were hyping crypto and now have gone very very silent. In the weeks since crypto has taken a nosedive and laypeople have lost their life savings, Hsu began reaching out to all those influential celebrities who appeared in Super Bowl commercials and took to social media to hawk the risky investment to see if they had any regrets. Hsu was met with a lot of squirmy publicists or deafening silence. Crickets. “I either got no response or I got responses that were along the lines of, ‘Oh, sorry, my client's busy and can't talk about this.' Or I would get a response like, ‘Oh, my client was just in it to make a commercial. My client isn't an expert in this field.”She breaks down why celebrities posing as investment gurus created a dangerous paradigm. “If you're someone sitting at home and you've seen Matt Damon's movies, you're like, ‘Oh my God, it's Jason Bourne! Like this guy is so cool,'” Hsu says. “Ergo, if he's cool, then everything he does must be cool. So if he's, if he's doing the crypto thing, crypto must also be cool. So there's this fallacy that happens with all celebrity marketing, but really, especially with crypto marketing, where people think celebrities have a lot of money, they must know what to do with that money. So if they're giving me financial advice, it must be good financial advice.”Kiefer, who also recently tackled the adjacent subject of NFTs and the race to remake Hollywood, noted that on some of the crypto Reddit chat boards he has perused in the wake of the crash, “there was all sorts of sort of people threatening to commit suicide or harm themselves.”There are real people out there hurting, indeed.Meanwhile, Siegel, who joined the podcast from Cannes, discusses the definitely-not-cheap happenings at the Top Gun: Maverick premiere (think fighter jets whizzing over the Mediterranean to welcome Tom Cruise) as well as the latest video appearance from embattled Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky at an A-list event. “We will win this war,” he told the cinephile crowd.She also reveals why Zelensky didn't give those fighting words at the Oscars, as had been rumored to happen. Siegel learned that Zelensky wanted to appear, but the Academy nixed the idea. “They said, no. They wanted to remain apolitical,” Siegel notes.Listen and subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app, and remember to subscribe to The Ankler.New on The Ankler.Great reads:ESG takes a hard look at what's driving Formula 1 ratings (hint: it's more than just a Netflix series).Nicole LaPorte on Disney's Mysterious Kareem Daniel.Richard Rushfield's ‘What If' moments that could have changed the trajectory of entertainment.The Transom breaks news of a very Ari wedding.Great listens:Martini Shot - ‘You're Fired, No, Wait': host Rob Long on the perils of showrunning.The Moviegoers Never Coming Back: Audience expert Kevin Goetz on summer blockbuster season.Brand New on The OptionistThis week, Crypto Crash, World's Best Athlete + 5 PicksLast week, The Original ‘It' Girl', Texas Mob D.A. + 6 Picks This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theankler.com/subscribe
The Martini Shot podcast is now part of The Ankler podcasts. Follow us (and like us!) at Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts, and follow us on Twitter. Also please subscribe to The Ankler at TheAnkler.com for more podcasts and stories like these about the entertainment industry.As the entertainment business slowly becomes more and more like television in all its forms (movies on streaming, limited series on streaming, “event series” on streaming, etc.) and everyone begins to realize that the television business depends on the management skills and personal discipline of…oh my god…writers, some showrunners are finding themselves replaced at alarming rates. Rob — who has run a few shows in his time — has some words of encouragement and yes, advice for those people who find themselves in precarious employment situations. And in the process, talks himself out of a job. Oops. The Ankler is a cult-favorite newsletter for entertainment insiders. We invite you to receive all the same podcasts and stories as our paid subscribers.New on The Ankler.Great reads:Richard Rushfield contemplates the ‘What If' moments that could have changed the trajectory of entertainment.The Transom breaks news of a very Ari wedding, J.J. Abrams' star-studded fundraiser and more Hollywood happenings.Worst-Case Scenario: Amazon: Entertainment Strategy Guy's latest.Fashion's Very Senior Moment goes far beyond TikTok's Coastal Grandmother.Great listens:The Moviegoers Never Coming Back: Audience expert Kevin Goetz on summer blockbuster season.In last week's episode of Martini Shot: The perils of perfectionism, whether coffee-stained pants or poor quarterly earnings.Subscribe to The OptionistThis week, The Original ‘It' Girl', Texas Mob D.A. + 6 PicksLast week, A Disco Queen, a TikTok Cult + 5 Other Picks This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theankler.com/subscribe
Follow us (and like us!) at Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts, and follow us on Twitter. Also please subscribe to The Ankler at TheAnkler.com for more podcasts and stories like these about the entertainment industry.Today's Ankler Hot Seat podcast welcomes back guest Howard Bragman, a crisis publicist and contributor to GMA who has handled the likes of Sharon Osbourne and Brett Ratner. On today's episode, Bragman joins hosts Janice Min, Richard Rushfield and Tatiana Siegel to discuss the looming tension Hollywood is facing over the likely dismantling of Roe v. Wade and the prospect of abortion being made illegal, or rights being drastically diminished in almost half of the country's states. In the days since a Supreme Court draft opinion leaked revealing a likely Roe rollback, everyone from Mark Ruffalo to Cher to Phoebe Bridgers has voiced their disgust. But in an age where Disney just went through the ringer over first inaction, then action, over Florida's Don't Say Gay bill, resulting in the swift exit of their top comms exec, a sense of fear among executives about how to approach this new political minefield is looming. Will the opprobrium of a town's talent, producers and executives amount to anything? Even though production and business is vast throughout entertainment in states likely to roll back rights — Louisiana, Texas, Florida, Arizona and more — Bragman predicts that the industry will likely stay quiet rather than boycott. “Hollywood has done a lot of saber-rattling in these states about gay rights issues and abortion issues and women's issues. Hollywood has done a lot of threatening, but very little action, to be honest. There's been very little actual punishment,” he notes. “So the question becomes: What happens when it's thrown back to the states and virtually half the states or half the population in the country decides that they don't want abortion… in all these states where they have huge investments and the people are gonna say, ‘Screw you. We voted. And it's our choice.' And I think the studios are gonna be forced to acquiesce to the power of the voters in those states.”The veteran Hollywood PR fixer also weighs in on the best advice he would give corporate clients on how to address the hot-button issue with staff, many of whom might be vocal and protest inaction by their C-suite. “I would empower them. I would have as much engagement with the women's groups, the LGBTQ groups as possible. Let 'em know what's going on,” he says. “Let 'em know the challenges you have as a corporation, let 'em know the responsibility you have that's financial, but also to your employees. And let 'em know the balancing act you have because I think there's a lot of wisdom in those groups, and there may be ways they can work together and come up with new ideas and new ways that can help both [employee and corporation], frankly.” Still, it's a difficult needle to thread. After all, even California isn't united. While the state is majority pro-choice, the state's populace has become increasingly in favor of greater abortion restrictions, according to a recent survey conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California. The study found that 52% of Latinos would like to see greater restrictions, for example. And Bragman foresees deeper divisions on the topic, which will make Hollywood's push for transgender bathroom rights in North Carolina and the Don't Say Gay brouhaha in Florida seem like “quaint times compared to the devastation that's coming down the road.”And if the abortion issue wasn't polarizing enough, the hosts also discuss the latest on the scorched-earth defamation trial that pits Johnny Depp against ex-wife Amber Heard. The testimony has been explosive (his and hers physical abuse allegations as well as the actress publicly accusing her ex of sexual assault for the first time). But will either party emerge from the slugfest with their careers intact? Notes Bragman, who calls their fight “mutual destruction”, “Somebody's gonna figure out a way to be in the Johnny Depp business. And as f** up as it sounds, I've seen so many times where crises like this will help a person like this.”Listen and subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app, and remember to subscribe to The Ankler.If you aren't already a paying subscriber, we invite you to join our community of entertainment insiders and never miss another story or podcast.New on The AnklerGreat reads:Entertainment Strategy Guy explains why Hulu has a not-so-funny problem with comedy.The Dumpster Fire of the Vanities: The Met Gala was mere metaphor for all out-of-touch entertainment/media.A Star is Born heads to Broadway and Jurassic to China. Plus much more in this week's issue of The Transom.Nasty, Brutish, Short: The End of a Disney PR Man's TenureGreat listens:Pod: Martini Shot with Rob Long dives into how to handle the badly behaved person in your Hollywood life.Pod: The Case for Broadcast TV. Long joined The Ankler Hot Seat to discuss Hollywood's struggle to find the right business model.Subscribe to The OptionistThis week, Heidi Fleiss, the Lindbergh Baby + 7 More Ready for the ScreenLast week, Korean Cannbials, Lady Assassins + 6 More Great Tales This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theankler.com/subscribe
The Martini Shot podcast is now part of The Ankler podcasts. Follow us (and like us!) at Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts, and follow us on Twitter. Also please subscribe to The Ankler at TheAnkler.com for more podcasts and stories like these about the entertainment industry.When you're filming a movie or a television show, when it's the last shot of the day, the First Assistant Director will call out, This is the Martini Shot!Meaning: after this shot is done, we're calling it a day. After this shot, you get your martini. Since 2004, veteran TV scribe Rob Long has been recording short commentaries on the foibles and fortunes of working in Hollywood on his Martini Shot podcast. For a decade and a half, the segments aired on KCRW and today we're delighted to have Martini Shot join The Ankler family and bring it to our subscribers.In this first Ankler installment, Rob explains why managing “the talent” — a term applicable to anyone in senior studio management, show-running, agencies or production — sometimes calls for techniques that are more commonly associated with calming infants. Or 19th century schizophrenics. Rob also reveals the strategy to winning any exchange involving talent, notes, deals, or even controversies that play out in the media. He guarantees it. Are you listening, Mr. Chapek? And don't miss his example of Netflix vs. Apple, which somehow managed to miss subscriber targets and bury “disappointing” viewership for season 2 of The Morning Show…and then went on to win the Oscar for CODA. More about Rob: he's been a television writer and producer for a long time. Longer, frankly, than anyone could have predicted. He's a co-founder of the conversation and podcast network, Ricochet, a regular contributor to Commentary magazine and the Washington Examiner, and a contributing editor at National Review. Early career milestones include being writer and co-executive producer of television comedy Cheers, and you can hear him discuss that experience in The Case For Broadcast TV in last week's Ankler Hot Seat podcast.Later career milestones include “a string of canceled television shows,” two books, a weekly commentary on public radio, a column for the English-language Abu Dhabi-based newspaper, The National and occasional writing for Time and (what was then) Newsweek. His first book, Conversations with My Agent, chronicled his early career in television. It was published in the U.K. by Faber & Faber, in the U.S. by Dutton, and in France by Actes Sud. His second book, Set Up, Joke, Set Up, Joke, was published in November 2005 by Bloomsbury.Rob's Martini Shot will be back every Wednesday. Listen and subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app, and remember to subscribe to The Ankler.If this was forwarded, we invite you to subscribe and join the entertainment insiders already addicted to The Ankler's analysis, stories and podcasts.New on The AnklerGreat reads:The Dumpster Fire of the Vanities: The Met Gala was mere metaphor for all out-of-touch entertainment/media.A Star is Born heads to Broadway and Jurassic to China. Plus much more in this week's issue of The Transom.Nasty, Brutish, Short: The End of a Disney PR Man's TenureThe Entertainment Strategy Guy weighs Amazon's Judge Judy bet and the verdict is in.CinemaCon: Disney, Uni and the Tale of Two Slates, Rothman's Revenge and Warners' slate.Great listen:Pod: The Case for Broadcast TV. Rob Long joined The Ankler Hot Seat last week to discuss Hollywood's struggle to find the right business model.Subscribe to The OptionistThis week, Heidi Fleiss, the Lindbergh Baby + 7 More Ready for the ScreenLast week, Korean Cannbials, Lady Assassins + 6 More Great Tales This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theankler.com/subscribe
MSNBC's Mika tells us that it's the media's job to tell us what to think Documents release show more than $5,000 in purchases expensed by Chuck Huckelberry after his retirement. For what? Jewelry? The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum sent a survey to members about social and environmental justice.
Follow us (and like us!) at Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts, and follow us on Twitter. Also please subscribe to The Ankler at TheAnkler.com for more podcasts and stories like these about the entertainment industry. Today's Ankler Hot Seat podcast is hosted by Janice Min, Richard Rushfield and Tatiana Siegel, and welcomes guest Peter Kafka, senior correspondent at Recode. Kafka, who conducted one of the final interviews with outgoing WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar, weighs in on what to expect as the new Warner Bros. Discovery regime takes shape (and also speculates as to why Kilar has done so much press around his departure): “[Zaslav] has promised to cut $3 billion out of the budget somehow. So everyone who complained about the last three years of cuts under AT&T and Kilar should be ready for more, and I think they know that's coming,” says Kafka, host of the podcast Recode Media. “He has not been forthright about what he intends to do with programming. You know, if you ask him how are you going to compete with Netflix spending $20 billion, he'll say, ‘We're already spending that,'” adds Kafka. “But that's not a real number because that includes what he's spending on his linear programming.”The veteran chronicler of the high-stakes worlds of media and technology also explains that the vest-wearing mogul has “played it fairly close to the vest up until now,” but now that the deal is closed and Zaslav can explain his plans, Hollywood is hanging with bated breath. “But we don't know [what Zaslav plans to do] is the short answer.”Rushfield juxtaposed the legacy culture of Warner Bros. past and the frugal unscripted-driven Discovery and how the two may mesh (or not): “Private jets for all, unlimited expense accounts, everybody gets six assistants” versus the “company largely populated by [low-cost] reality.”As for what went wrong with AT&T ownership of WarnerMedia, Kafka shares an interesting theory. “There is an anecdote that James Andrew Miller has reported [and] I've heard as well about an AT&T executive being surprised to learn that all of HBO or TNT…that their content didn't come from Warner Bros. (but is instead bought from outside suppliers). And they had to learn that once they bought the company. And that person I've heard that's John Stankey. Again, anyone who listens to this podcast understands that it's really mind-boggling to think that the people being paid tens of millions of dollars to spend $110 billion on this stuff didn't really understand at all what they were getting into.”In other subjects, the hosts discuss looming headaches for Warner Bros. via its profitable but scandal-plagued DC universe. Siegel has been covering the fallout following a series of troubling incidents involving The Flash star Ezra Miller. Also on the docket: ESG appraises Shonda Rhimes vs. Ryan Murphy and their respective nine-figure deals at Netflix and declares a winner. (Hint: If you watch Bridgerton, you probably know the answer.) Please just us next week for more episodes of Ankler Hot Seat, and remember to follow us (and like us!) at Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts. And please remember to subscribe to The Ankler at TheAnkler.com. If you aren't already a paid subscriber to The Ankler, we invite you to join our growing community of entertainment's most powerful and never miss another story or podcast.New on The Ankler:Ryan vs. Shonda: Entertainment Strategy Guy crunches the numbers and declares a winer. A View to a Kilar: surveying the final gasp of the AT&T era at Warners.Is anyone in charge here? Thoughts on the leadership vacuum revealed by the Will Smith fiasco.The Transom's got Jason Momoa going to Apple project, Kerry Washington to Hulu, and the Ted Lasso team's next move.The Glossy says RIP to the male's gaze's reign on the red carpet10 Truths About Will Smith's Resignation: Richard Rushfield spares no words, nor any entity.Pod: Bruce Willis and ‘Years of Concern': One of the reporters of the LAT's recent article on Bruce Willis's struggles with aphasia talks about the actor's troubling path.Subscribe to The OptionistQ&A: Cons are In, Bleak is Out: With projects all over town, Truly Adventurous is changing the journalism x Hollywood playbookThis week's picks: A Jan. 6 Family Tragedy + 7 More Finds This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theankler.com/subscribe
Follow us at Apple Podcasts, on Twitter, and subscribe to The Ankler at TheAnkler.com for more podcasts and stories like these.Bruce Vilanch is a legendary Emmy-winning comedy writer, songwriter and actor in Hollywood. He was also a writer for 24 years on the Academy Awards broadcast, spending 14 of those years (2000-2014) as the show's head writer. Vilanch collaborated with hosts including Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, David Letterman, Steve Martin and, of course, James Franco and Anne Hathaway. In this episode of the Ankler Hot Seat podcast, a special bonus edition for Oscar week, Vilanch, who will be watching the Oscars with friends in New York City, joins hosts Janice Min and Richard Rushfield and reveals some of the secrets behind past broadcasts and his thoughts on the challenges of this year's 94th Academy Awards. Some highlights: On the overall vibe this year: “The basic landscape is a minefield…comedy generally is where you come out and you don't know who you're going to piss off with anything that you say…the second nervousness will be about proving to the membership, the Academy proving to the membership that this idea (of removing eight below the line awards from the broadcast) works.”On what went wrong last year: “It had no famous people in the first half-hour. They had Regina King, who came on and immediately went political. So right away people began tuning out because their worst fear had been realized. It was a bunch of political Hollywood types telling you things you know. Her first joke was a BLM joke, and that was it. In the first half-hour, they have, I think, Laura Dern and maybe one other famous person, rather than opening with one of the supporting actor categories, which is what we've always done, because it puts a personality on camera…Soderbergh's idea was to have Aaron Sorkin talk about what it was like to sell popcorn in the theater in Evanston, Illinois. No one gives a s**t about I mean, this is a rookie mistake.”On making Putin jokes: “A lot of people are dead. So I don't know that you can really joke about Putin. I mean, there might be some oblique jokes.”On COVID jokes: “There's a tension in the air because of all these super-spreader events…like BAFTA…I wrote the PGA Award show, and we started out with Ciarán Haines, Jamie Dornan and Kenneth Branagh and the kid and everybody wound up sick. Jamie Dornan ended up doing the presentation.”On the disastrous James Franco-Anne Hathaway year: “Franco was kind of off the wall and he was out of his comfort zone. He was scared. He didn't trust the writers. He asked Judd Apatow to come in and do it, and Judd sent four of his young intern writers and the week before the show, everything was tossed out because nothing was very good….we assumed that two songs from Burlesque would be nominated and that Cher would do one song and Christina Aguilera would do the other. But and as a result, Franco really wanted to do Cher. He does a Cher impression, and he just wanted to get into the whole Cher drag and do it. But then they weren't nominated, the songs were not performed, but he was caught up in the idea of drag. So we finally had him come out as Marilyn Monroe after what was one of the biggest laughs of that particular show.”The “dirty secret” of why the show is so long: “The dirty little secret is [ABC] doesn't really mind that because it gives them more commercial time to sell. And that's where the money is. And by the way, that's where the licensing fee goes up for the Academy. So the Academy doesn't really mind that the show is as long as it is this year. [But] because of last year they were read a riot act about it's got to come in short, and also I think because they were getting some sponsor…pushback.”Being Oscar producer: “You cannot win.” On “woke: culture: “The latest wrinkle is the woke madness…they're so crazed and they're eating their own, you know, they're just eating their young and nuts. It's just nuts.”Why no one wants to host the Oscars: “If you're big enough to be considered to host, you don't need it” Ratings prediction: “I mean, it certainly will be the the second-lowest broadcast ever.” Related: Jay-Z's Oscar Afterparty DebacleSee you tomorrow with our regular Ankler Hot Seat podcast. Follow us at Apple Podcasts and on Twitter. Please subscribe to The Ankler for more podcasts and stories like these every single day. New on The Ankler:In this week's Transom: the first look at Avatar 2 gets a date with Marvel; COVID stalks the awards circuit.Executives on the red carpet! 15 photos of Hollywood on the town.What will be the new accessory on the Oscars red carpet? Supporting Ukraine.The story that's got the whole town talking! Read our exclusive scoop on Elisabeth Finch,the Grey's Anatomy writers' room and an investigation. Then listen to the new Hot Seat podcast as writer Peter Keifer reveals the details on how he broke the story shaking Shondaland and what happens next.ESG on Netflix's Drip Drip Decline.Richard Rushfield asks the 14 Big Questions for Now.We just wrapped Anxiety Week! Check out an unemployed TV writer sharing her Hollywood Unemployment Agony, and ESG's hard look at The Content Bubble's Sum of All Fears, and why“It Feels Like the Last Days of Rome” from new contributing editor Nicole LaPorte. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theankler.com/subscribe
Helloooooo and welcome to part two of my groovy INDIE AF chattarama to
The Best Advice Show presented a session at On Air Fest in late February. In it, Zak shares some of his favorite advice from the realms of art and creativity featuring... -- Hanif Abdurraqib - author, journalist, poet and host, Object of Sound -- Sharon Mashihi - artist and host, Appearances -- Jay Acunzo - writer and host, Unthinkable -- Sara Brooke Curtis - radio artist and writer -- Jay Alison - host, The Moth Radio Hour and founder of Transom.org -- Sarah Geis - producer, editor, teacher, Chicagoan, keeper of audio playground -- Beth Pickens - therapist and author of Make Your Art No Matter What: Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles -- Kidada Williams - history professor and host, Seizing Freedom -- Caveh Zahedi - filmmaker and host, 365 Stories I Want To Tell You Before We Both Die Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Follow us at Apple Podcasts if you like what you are hearing. And please subscribe to The Ankler at TheAnkler.com for more interviews and stories like these.Though the world's eyes are on Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, few have spent time with the charismatic leader in recent weeks. Among the exceptions: Sean Penn and co-director/producer Aaron Kaufman, who were on the ground in Kyiv when Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The pair had been filming a documentary for Vice centered on the comedian-voice actor-turned-politician. In the early days of the war, Zelensky shared with Kaufman one of Zelensky's plans for resisting the Russian onslaught, which Kaufman then passed on to Ankler Editor at Large and Ankler Hot Seat podcast host Tatiana Siegel in the hopes it would be shared. The campaign, conceived by Zelensky and his leadership, is called “Your Business Smells Russian” and its objective is to limit the activities of international businesses in Russia and thus financially choke and pressure Russian leader Vladimir Putin.On the podcast, Siegel talks about her text exchanges last week with Kaufman, who told her that “Zelensky was hoping to get [a series of talking points] out to the world.”Here's the memo Kaufman says Zelensky asked him to share. Kaufman delivered the memo through a series of texts:The “Your Business Smells Russian” campaignInsight: At a time when states are banding together and making significant efforts to create sanctions for Putin's Russia, most Western companies continue to do business in Russia, following business as usual policies. They continue to bring in significant revenues to the budget, perform an important public function of "universal approval" in society, while declaring the importance of values for modern life.There is a policy of double standards, instead of support by actions, they close activities in Ukraine, (Coca Cola, Uber, McDonalds) motivated by military actions, they close in Ukraine, but not in Russia.Task:1) To show that this policy, just business, does not work in the modern business, in which values should be above all.2) To show global consumers that money earned in Russia is “bloody and toxic money”.Objective:To limit the activities of businesses in Russia, the outflow of finance/capital.Campaign:Your Business Smells RussianActions:1) Use well-known celebrities (e.g. Richard Branson) who could denounce double standards. Generate a large number (assault) of inquiries to companies in different countries about the ethics of doing business in Russia;2) Consumer reactions/boycotts to goods/services in their countries.3) Requesting ethic[al behavior] through national company forums.Examples of the depth of the problem:McDo - made $2.5 billion in Ru(ssia) last year;Coke - made $2.6 billion in profits for the quarterWhile it is unclear if Hollywood power brokers also received the memo, it appears that they got the message. A number of studios announced that they are “pausing” films scheduled for release in Russia including The Batman, Lost City and the Michael Bay action pic Ambulance. Similarly, Netflix put the kibosh on four series scheduled to shoot in Russia. “We're not talking China numbers, but you can have sizable box office performances in Russia,” Siegel noted during the podcast. “For example, Joker made $37.2 million in Russia, and something like The Batman, which has been paused, would likely be comparable.”In this episode, Siegel talks with co-hosts Janice Min and Richard Rushfield about Hollywood's big reaction to the ongoing crisis and contrasts that with its continued silence on Russia's ally, China, in addition to other entertainment headlines of the day. Thanks for reading and listening. The Ankler is subscriber-supported. To receive new posts and support our work, we invite you to join our community.Also on The Ankler:On the departure of Netflix's flamboyant marketing chief, Bozoma Saint John, what it says about Netflix and Hollywood today.Entertainment Strategy Guy explains the MGM/Amazon/FTC death spiral and what it all means for the rest of entertainment.Richard Rushfield's annual State of Showbiz address.CAMERA ROLL: 20 pictures of who's where in Hollywood this week.The fight is on for the role of the decade. The Transom has the details on the battle to play Madonna in the Material Girl's self-directed biopic.Adult animation was supposed to be the streamers' secret weapon during the pandemic. But things didn't go quite as planned. Entertainment Strategy Guy breaks down the bitter numbers.On The Optionist:Q&A: What A.I. Tells Us About Debut AuthorsA highly curated list of current and backlist books, new journalism, and podcasts ready for option. This week: a real-life biopic about the greatest Wall Street manipulator, a time travel murder mystery, A Civil Action-esque courtroom drama, a fun romcom podcast, and a superhero adventure on the backlist that, incredibly, has not been spoken for yet.Subscribe during the free beta period here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theankler.com/subscribe
Andrew Means is the Creative Director and Owner of Transom, an agency that helps businesses create new, meaningful connections with customers through branding and digital work. Transom's design philosophy uses anthropology, story theory, and modern brand science to uncover the emotional resonance between companies and their clients. Andrew has a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Whitworth College. Outside of work, you can find Andrew sailing, cycling, or DJing. In this episode: It takes more than just quality wine to succeed in today's industry—especially as the number of competitors grow. You have to implement strategies to set your business apart from the rest. So, what are the steps to make your winery stand out from competitors? And how do you cultivate innovation within your company? For Creative Director Andrew Means, your success is in your story. He says that businesses often rely on customers to tell their story; however, it won't make your company memorable. So how do you fix this? Andrew recommends focusing on the emotional connection between your company and your customers. In this episode of Legends Behind the Craft, Drew Hendricks talks with Andrew Means, Creative Director and Owner of Transom, about shaping your narrative to create a strong connection with your customers. Andrew shares advice on branding, redefining your virtual experience, and focusing on the why in your company's narrative. He also offers tips on designing a story that is unique, memorable, and scalable. Stay tuned!
Scot and Jeff discuss the second part of The Who's career (from 1970 to 1982 and afterwards, thereabouts) with Ben Domenech. Introducing the Band: Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Ben Domenech. Ben is the publisher of The Federalist and also writes a daily newsletter, The Transom, which you can subscribe to at thetransom.com. Follow Ben on Twitter at @bdomenech. Ben's Music Pick: The Who Today the gang resumes its discussion of the greatness of The Who with . . . well, all the stuff that you've probably heard on classic rock radio since you were wearing diapers! Yes, Who's Next is a mainstay of radio (and television ads, and shows starring David Caruso . . .) and while nobody here is really going to say a bad thing about it, what would you think if someone told you it wasn't even The Who's best album from this era, or even in the top two? Yes, there will be a person who makes this hot take on the show, because this is the adulthood of The Who's career, when Pete Townshend turns his writing and conceptual talents towards far more serious matters than deaf dumb & blind boys, Roger Daltrey graduates from a cub to a lion in the vocal department, John Entwistle doubles down on his incredible bass-playing with an awful lot of horn charts, and Keith Moon remains the best “Keith Moon-style drummer” for as long as he possibly can. The Who released what at least one member of this show (okay, it's Jeff) considers to be the single greatest rock album of all time during this period, and unless you've been following him for years on Twitter it's probably not the one you're thinking of. And they didn't really fall off that much afterwards. We give a brief mention to Pete Townshend's solo career (but alas, there just wasn't time to delve too deeply), but as for the rest, well . . . rest assured: This is not a group of people just taking The Who by numbers.
Scot and Jeff discuss the first part of The Who's career (from 1964 to 1970) with Ben Domenech. Introducing the Band: Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Ben Domenech. Ben is the publisher of The Federalist and also writes a daily newsletter, The Transom, which you can subscribe to at thetransom.com. Follow Ben on Twitter at @bdomenech. Ben's Music Pick: The Who Today the gang is talkin' 'bout its generation as they cover the first part of the career of one of the greatest and most important bands in the history of rock music, The Who! Yes, the ‘orrible ‘Oo, more or less the definitive power trio (despite the fact that they had four members), innovated in so many different ways — instrumentally, lyrically, vocally, conceptually, and also in terms of writing songs about masturbation and dog-racing — that it takes us a little over three hours to cover the explosively imaginative first six years of their career, up through Live At Leeds. Sit back, relax and let your mind roll on over all your problems as Political Beats brings you Emergency Quarantine Relief by revisiting the glory of a band that you might have known, during their early years, mostly for anthemic proto-punk singles, but which was also by equal turns inspiring and charmingly goofy. We promise we will not put a car in your swimming pool.
TODAY, Democrats move the chains on impeachment but the big play downfield could be coming soon, should BORDERS be more than dotted lines? A caller FLIPS OUT on the Flip Phone, and Kim Kardashian-West puts some clothes on. Articles cited:Impeachment:https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/26/us/politics/trump-whistle-blower-complaint-ukraine.html?auth=login-google&login=google https://judiciary.house.gov/legislation/hearings/impeachment-inquiry-president-donald-j-trump-constitutional-grounds Border Crisis: https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-announces-montgomery-county-prince-georges-county-criminal-offenders-shieldedhttps://thefederalist.com/2019/11/27/how-a-mexican-drug-cartel-nearly-triggered-war-between-the-u-s-and-iran/?utm_source=The+Federalist+List&utm_campaign=f031985111-RSS_The_Federalist_Daily_Updates_w_Transom&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cfcb868ceb-f031985111-83994413 Ultra-Woke Feminists:https://jacobinmag.com/2019/11/all-women-msnbc-debate-panel-feminism-democratic-primary Kim K's Wardrobe Decisions:https://www.teenvogue.com/story/kim-kardashian-kanye-west-dress-less-sexy https://www.buzzfeed.com/elliewoodward/kim-kardashian-kanye-west-argument-met-gala-dress-too-sexy Also mentioned - check out Episode 15 Tossing the TV an impossible 180? https://soundcloud.com/kmcradio/180-cast-ep-15-tossing-the-tv-an-impossible-180 Follow @180cast and @georgi_boorman. Got thoughts to share on the 180 Cast? Something to get off your chest? Voicemail or text the Flip Phone 323.999.1802 and I'll respond on the podcast! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After the death of Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Franz Wright in 2015, his wife Beth gave producer Bianca Giaever 546 audio tapes that he made as he was dying. Unable to type because of pain in his wrists, Franz used an audio recorder to dictate his poetry, but it picked up much more: Franz talked with his wife, made phone calls, cursed at his cat, and fantasized about the first human to ever speak. Franz was known in the poetry world as a genius and a lunatic. His father was James Wright, who won the Pulitzer Prize in poetry in 1972. Franz was plagued by mental illness and addiction, and he attempted suicide many times. When Bianca visited his apartment in Waltham, Massachusetts, she was amazed by what she saw. Writing covered the apartment. Franz wrote poetry directly on the fridge, painted poetry on the walls, and even scribbled on coffee filters. All over the house Bianca found love notes they had written to each other. Franz had been given a terminal cancer diagnosis, but the tapes record an incredible vitality in the face of death. His wife's decision to give her these tapes changed Bianca's life. You can find photos of the apartment Franz and Beth shared, including the poetry Franz wrote on a styrofoam Dunkin' Donuts cup just after he awoke from surgery, at mcsweeneys.net. This story was produced by Bianca and Jay Allison, and originally aired on the public radio website Transom.org. You can find the original story and read about their process here. Support for this project came from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Julie Shapiro, Executive Producer from Radiotopia, is my guest this week! We cover Julie's history in audio storytelling and production from her college days to Australia and from Third Coast International Audio Festival to Radiotopia! We cover adding new shows to the network, day to day operations, bringing a large team together, live shows and changes in advertising in the podcast industry. It's a very interesting and wide ranging conversation that I think you'll love! If you enjoyed this conversation, please consider supporting TPD on Patreon! And don't forget if you want great hosting for your podcast, check out the show sponsor - Podbean - Get your first month free by going to podbean.com/tpd Links Julie Shapiro (Twitter) Radiotopia (Website) (Twitter) Third Coast International Audio Festival (Website) Julia's article for Transom on Radio Art / Sound Art (Website) Criminal Live Tour (Website)