Snap Judgment

A mild-mannered theater professor attempts to stage a controversial play in a small East Texas town. This episode discusses drug use, sex, homophobia, and contains explicit language. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. Thank you to Joseph Magee, Justin Adams, Jennifer Ann Handy, and the rest of the cast and crew of Angels in America Kilgore College, 1999. BIG love and thanks to Raymond Caldwell, who retired after 54 years of teaching theater. This story was based on the Texas Monthly magazine article “When ‘Angels in America’ Came to East Texas” by Wes Ferguson. Special thanks also to the Texas Shakespeare Festival, Matthew Simpson, Helena de Groot, Kyle Henry, Katie Song and Colin Hyer. Produced by John Fecile, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot Snap Classic - Season 13 - Episode 27

A man washes up on shore in Sitka, Alaska and finds himself in the middle of an underground boxing show. It’s a place where you might duke it out with the bartender, the locals, or your own troubled past. This episode contains violence and strong language. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. Thank you, Jaed “The Stone” Coffin, for sharing your story with us! For more about Jaed’s story, check out his memoir Roughhouse Friday. Produced by Bo Walsh, original score by Doug Stuart, artwork by Teo Ducot Season 13 - Episode 26

Richard Hatch is overseas on a top-secret mission… to win over Jill, the most elusive, electrifying student in his 7th-grade class. He isn’t suave or sophisticated, so he’s gonna need help from The Beatles, the Russians, and even the CIA to pull it off. Thank you, Richard Hatch aka Danger 9b, for sharing your story with us! Rick is back in the US and is putting the finishing touches on a kid-friendly memoir about his travels abroad. Produced by Regina Bediako, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, artwork by Teo Ducot Season 13 - Episode 25

Two crazy cats and one hard-nosed reporter land in Syria right as it is thrown into turmoil. Rasha Elass navigates her way through Damascus amidst government crackdowns and whistling missiles in search of the country she loves. This story contains graphic imagery and descriptions of wartime violence, sensitive listeners please be advised. Thank you, Rasha, for sharing your story with us! Rasha Elass is currently the editorial director at New Lines Magazine, where she first shared this story. She’s also working on a memoir about her childhood and reporting days in Syria. Follow what she’s up to on her website. Produced by David Exumé, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot Season 13 - Episode 24

When Julie Lindahl discovered that her grandfather had been an active member of the German SS, she decided to return to the scene of his crimes. But her grandmother made things difficult. This story contains brief descriptions of graphic imagery and torture. Please take care while listening. Thanks, Julie, for sharing your story with us! Julie Lindahl has written a book about her experience: The Pendulum: A Granddaughter's Search for Her Family's Forbidden Nazi Past. A version of this story was originally produced for the podcast Kind World, which tells stories about the effect a single act can have on our lives. You can find Kind World in any podcast app. Produced by Erika Lantz with production assistance from Liz Mak Original Score and Sound Design by Leon Morimoto Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 13 - Episode 23 - Snap Classic

When no one can hear you and nobody sees you anymore, how do you tell the world you are still there? One man's impossible journey back to the world that forgot him. This story contains descriptions of drug use, medical situations, and adult language. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. Thank you, Jake, so very much, for sharing your story with Snap. Jacob Haendel is writing a book about his experiences and documents his recovery on his YouTube channel and website. He recently started Access, an app to help people with disabilities more confidently get around. Producer: James Reddick Editorial & production support: John Fecile Original Score: Renzo Gorrio Special thanks: Nikka Singh Artwork: Teo Ducot Season 13 - Episode 22

Gina gives snark like she’s paid for it—because she is. She’s a popular podcast producer with fans, followers, and frenemies. Until her life gets interrupted by a very loud roar. This week, Snap spotlights, A Hit Dog Will Holler from Radiotopia Presents featuring a bonus interview with Glynn & writer, Inda Craig-Galván. This episode contains explicit language. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. This is episode one of A Hit Dog Will Holler. Listen, subscribe, and go listen to the other episodes right now! Want even more? Go to radiotopiapresents.fm. Written by Inda Craig-Galván, produced and directed by Gisele Regatao. Mixing and sound design by Sandra Lopez-Monsalve, with help from Isabel Hibbard. The music theme is by Cristina Gaillard. Show art by Yee Eun Nam. This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA Collective Bargaining Agreement. It features Cynthia K. McWilliams as Gina and Ronnie. J. Nicole Brooks as Dru. Jacqueline Guillen as Constance and the receptionist. Thank you to WNYC News for t

For 110 days Peter Hammarstedt and his group of ocean vigilantes hunted the most notorious poacher of sea bass on the high seas, known as the Thunder. Their journey turns into an epic chase across 10,000 miles, two seas, and three oceans, through massive ice floors, violent clashes, and storms-tossed seas, where only one ship makes it home. This story contains explicit language, sensitive listeners please be advised. Thank you so much to Peter Hammarstedt for sharing your story with us! Thanks as well to Ian Urbina. We first heard about this story thanks to his reporting. You can find his book, The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier, on Knopf, Amazon, or anywhere books are sold. Ian has a great collection of stories and books about the lawless ocean. Also, BIG thanks to Brick City TV & Mark Benjamin for sharing the audio from their documentary, Ocean Warriors: Chasing the Thunder. You can see a trailer of the film here. Produced by Nikka Singh, original score by Renzo Gorrio, art

A young woman wakes up in her Beijing dorm room to a call. A strange voice, a man she barely remembers, is asking her a question that will change her destiny. And a doctor hears one of her classical music idols play one of the greatest serenades of all time. STORIES Ping A young woman wakes up in her Beijing dorm room to a call. A strange voice,  a man she barely remembers, is asking her a question that will change her destiny. Thank you, Wang Ping, for sharing your story with us! Wang Ping is a poet, writer, photographer, performance and multimedia artist. Want to learn more about her? Check out her website. Produced by Annie Nguyen, original score by Daniel Riera, artwork by Teo Ducot “Dying to Tchaikovsky” Family medicine physician Catherine Sonquist Forest listens to one of her classical music idols serenade a dying loved one in the hospital. This story came to us from The Nocturnists podcast, it was told by Catherine Forest, MD. The Nocturnists are a vibrant community of healthcare workers who ar

The story of a chimpanzee and a man whose dream brought disaster to a small American town. This story details violence against animals. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. Thank you, Carson Vaughan, for sharing your story with Snap! Read more about Zoo Nebraska in Carson’s book, Zoo Nebraska: The Dismantling of an American Dream. Additional thanks to Patti Ragan from the Center for Great Apes. Produced by John Fecile and Carson Vaughan, original score by Renzo Gorrio Additional production by Jesse Dukes and Pat Mesiti-Miller Artwork by Teo Ducot Interested in protecting Great Apes? Learn more at the Center for Great Apes Season 13 – Episode 18 - Snap Classic

Two women, Bates and Stokes, were LPCs at Pontiac Correctional Center outside Chicago. They were popular with their clients. They always had each other’s back. And that... was just the start of their problems. Plus, the story of two men who come face to face one night in the canyonlands of southern Utah. STORIES Bates & Stokes Two women, Bates and Stokes, were LPCs at Pontiac Correctional Center outside Chicago. They were popular with their clients. They always had each other’s back. And that... was just the start of their problems. This story contains graphic elements and mentions suicide and racism. Please take care while listening. This story comes to us from WBEZ’s new season of the Motive podcast. This season investigates the hidden world of big prisons in small towns. Places where everyone knows each other and difficult truths get buried. Listen and subscribe to Motive now! Reported by Shannon Heffernan Produced by Jesse Dukes, Marie Mendoza, and Joe Deceault with story editing from John Feci

A plane crash, a mysterious man in a white suit, and a crazy idea to just go with the flow on a journey to the Amazon River. All aboard "The Pink Palace." Your honeymoon starts... now. Thank you, Holly Fitzgerald, for sharing your story with us! Read more about Holly’s epic romance in her memoir, Ruthless River. Produced by Nikka Singh, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot Season 13 - Episode 16 - Snap Classic

The story behind the story of Glynn Washington… on life growing up in an apocalyptic cult like you’ve never heard before. Snap Judgment presents, “The World Tomorrow," from Love & Radio with Nick van der Kolk. Love & Radio features in-depth, otherworldly-produced interviews with an eclectic range of subjects, from the seedy to the sublime. It’s hosted by Nick van der Kolk who is a Snap Alum! Listen & subscribe to Love & Radio on your favorite podcast player… you won’t regret it. If you haven't already, be sure to also check out The Secrets Hotline podcast from Love & Radio. Share your secret and read others on Instagram. Produced by Nick van der Kolk, Andrew Gill, Nicki Stein & Phil Dmochowski. Contributing Editor: Steven Jackson Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 13 - Episode 15

It's the roar of the crowd, on the edge of your seat, in that pivotal moment in history. Is it the Iran Hostage Crisis in Tehran or the 1955 World Series in Brooklyn? For one man, Press Attaché Barry Rosen, it's both. And a Houma man can't be bothered by anyone… except for his best friend, Brown the dog. STORIES Field of Dreams It's the roar of the crowd, on the edge of your seat, in that pivotal moment in history. Is it the Iran Hostage Crisis in Tehran or the 1955 World Series in Brooklyn? For one man, Press Attaché Barry Rosen, it's both. This story recounts experiences of violence and torture. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff with additional music by Bo Walsh, produced by Bo Walsh Sherlock Hound Kirby Verret’s grandpa was a Houma Indian who just wanted to hunt and be free on the Louisiana bayou. He couldn’t be bothered by anyone...except for his best friend, Brown the dog. Produced by Stephanie Foo Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 13 - Episode 14

There’s something special about the small town of Montrose, surrounded by the majestic mountains and quiet mesas of western Colorado. One night, an explosion in the night sky brings townspeople out to search for something more. Something bigger. Something out of this world. Special thanks to Brendan Borrell for his original reporting in Montrose and Delta, Colorado. You can read more about the continuing fallout between Steve Curry and Blaine Reed in his article in The Verge.  Additional thanks to Blaine and his brother Blake Reed, Ryan Brown, Zillamay at Mountain of the West, Paul Paladino, Dave Lehman, and Duane Renfrow. Produced by Shaina Shealy & Jazmi­n Aguilera, original score by Renzo Gorrio Artwork by Teo Ducot

Narcocorrido superstar Chalino Sánchez sings to a sold-out crowd for the first time in Sinaloa. It's the best night of his career until someone hands him a note. His face turns pale and his smile slowly disappears. That night, after the show, Chalino will be executed. But who killed him and why? We begin a journey to understand Chalino's life and impact on him, and the theories behind his unsolved murder on him. This incredible story comes to us from our friends at Sonoro Media and Futuro Studios. This episode contains graphic language, scenes of violence, and drug use that are not suitable for all audiences, discretion is advised. “Ídolo: The Ballad of Chalino Sánchez,” is an 8-episode podcast that examines the extraordinary life of the Mexican singer-songwriter and attempts to unravel the mystery of his unsolved murder. Hosted by Erick Galindo in English and Alejandro Mendoza in Spanish. You can listen in English or Spanish on any podcast platform! Season 13 - Episode 12 - Spotlight

When record store owner Jeff Bubeck buys an old record collection out of an abandoned storage unit, he has no idea what he’s stumbled across. Jeff learns the collection once belonged to the late great J Dilla, one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time. Along with the thousands of LPs from Dilla’s personal collection, there is something else that is uncovered, something huge. Producer Pat Mesiti-Miller talks with Jeff Bubeck and Dilla’s mother, Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey. Learn more about the J Dilla Foundation. Want to hear some of the music from the recovered tapes? Go listen to: The Lost Scrolls, Vol. 1 - EP J Dilla. Produced by Pat Mesiti-Miller, artwork by Teo Ducot Season 13 - Episode 11 - Snap Classic

Have you ever wanted something so badly you’d do anything to make it happen? Sixteen-year-old Mohamed decides to dig deep in his religion to take the next step with his crush. There’s no love like young love… especially when it’s a secret. This week on Snap, we proudly present, “The Loophole.” This story contains strong language, discusses sexuality, and mentions corporal punishment. Please take care while listening. BIG thanks to Mohamed Ali for sharing his story with us! Mohamed is an artist and comedian, he just got back to Canada after spending the last few years working and performing in Southeast Asia. Check out his Instagram! Special thanks to Zahra Noorbakhsh. Big thanks as well to Zaiba Hasan & her crew from the podcast Mommying While Muslim. Produced by Regina Bediako, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot Snap Music Spotlight: “Honest” by Jada Imani (produced by Dakim) Jada Imani is an East St. Louis-born, Bay Area-raised Hip-Hop R&B artist and organizer. In addition to

Mimi Nguyen’s mother, Thanh, has always been super anxious. She obsessively calls Mimi at all hours and is always worried they’re in danger. This paranoia really put a strain on their relationship, until Mimi heard Thanh talking in her sleep one night. And Mimi realized… maybe there were long-hidden family secrets that might explain Thanh’s behavior. This story contains strong language, graphic depictions of war, and mention of suicide. Please take care while listening. Thank you, Mimi & Thanh, for sharing your story with us! Stephanie Foo produced this story – she also wrote a memoir about intergenerational immigrant trauma and her own complex PTSD… in it, she tears down her own walls and shares her and her family’s story. Check out her incredible new book, “What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma.” Produced by Stephanie Foo, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot Season 13 - Episode 9

Some of the best stories are told when the show’s over… Join us Backstage where we bring together incredible storytellers from all over the country for a roundtable of stories about second-rate first-class tickets, a racist dog, and baggy pants. This episode does contain strong language and the mention of drug use, sensitive listeners please be advised. BIG thanks to Dino Archie, Shannon Cason, Dr. Ray Christian, Joyce Lee, and Don Reed for spending some time with us Backstage! Special thanks to Snap’s Flo Wiley for her help with this episode. Produced by Nikka Singh, original score by Pat Mesiti-Miller Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 13 - Episode 8 - Snap Classic