Snap Judgment

Two crazy cats and one hard-nosed reporter land in Syria right as it is thrown into turmoil. And a lovesick junior high kid will do anything to win over his crush. Even if that means going “undercover” for the US government. STORIES Wartime Cats 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 Danger 9b 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 Season 14 – Episode 50

This dog has everything: mustard, onions, a scrap with Giuliani, Vietnam Vets, and The Met. Everyone is coming for the Throne of the Hot Dog King of New York… Dan Rossi. And a camp for kids with dermatological issues reveals that some summer romances are more than skin deep. STORIES The Hot Dog King of New York This dog has everything: mustard, onions, a scrap with Giuliani, Vietnam Vets, and The Met. Everyone is coming for the Throne of the Hot Dog King of New York… Dan Rossi. This story contains strong language - sensitive listeners please be advised. A huge thank you to Dan Rossi for sharing his story with Snap! There is so much that we were not able to share with you about Dan’s experience. To find out more check out his new memoir The New York Hot Dog King: From Rags to Riches to Less Than Rags. You can also follow Dan on social media. Additional thanks to our friends at VICE, whose series MUNCHIES featured Dan back in 2019 and was a big inspiration for this story. Listen to the King’s tribute song featured in this episode recorded by The Burner Band. Produced by Bo Walsh, original score by Clay Xavier, artwork by Teo Ducot. Skin Deep It's days before the big dance at Camp Discovery — and there's a problem. A few problems. But the kids at this camp are more used to problems than your average camper. Thanks to everyone in this episode! Learn more about Camp Discovery at aad.org. Produced by Sarah Harris with help from Anna Sussman. Sound design by Renzo Gorrio. Season 14 - Episode 49

A young girl was lost to her family. Torn away from them during their time in the Japanese-American prison camps, she was institutionalized and thought to be gone. But now, somehow she is rumored to be alive. STORIES Seeking Shizuko A young girl was lost to her family. Torn away from them during their time in the Japanese-American prison camps, she was institutionalized and thought to be gone. But now, somehow she is rumored to be alive. A very big thank you to David “Mas” Masumoto for sharing his story. Mas wrote about Shizuko in his book, Secret Harvests. This story is part of Lisa’s podcast California Foodways. It gets support from California Humanities and the Food and Environment Reporting Network. Produced by Lisa Morehouse, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, artwork by Teo Ducot Nellie’s Pond When Peter Aguero got picked on as a kid, but it wasn’t the other kids he had to worry about. Hear more stories, and find where Peter’s performing next on his website, www.peteraguero.com Produced by Ana Adlerstein & Joe Rosenberg, sound design by Leon Morimoto Season 14 - Episode 48

Rooty isn’t like most farm pigs, she’s a city pig. This 300-pound Vietnamese pot-bellied pig is a New Orleans girl. But when Hurricane Katrina hits, everything in Rooty’s world is threatened. BIG thanks to Jim & Connie for sharing their story with us! Thanks as well to Jeffery Tam & Dr. Alison Barca. Produced by Annie Nguyen, original score by Cheflee, artwork by Teo Ducot Season 14 - Episode 47 - Snap Classic

Elmer Gantry gets an offer to join a notoriously unstable rock n’ roll band on a tour of the US. What could possibly go wrong? And the infamous Pine Tar Game of baseball superstar George Brett... told by the bat boy. STORIES The Real Fleetwood Mac Elmer Gantry gets an offer to join a notoriously unstable rock n’ roll band on a tour of the US. What could possibly go wrong? Thanks, Elmer, for sharing your story with us! Learn more about Elmer Gantry’s music in this blog post that producer John Fecile wrote for Aquarium Drunkard. Kirby Gregory still performs with the band Curved Air. Read an extensive history of Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera from the magazine Ugly Things. Listen to a 10-song Spotify playlist that we put together of Elmer’s songs and other tunes from the story. Special thanks to Mike Stax, Anja Stax, and David Prest. Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, produced by John Fecile The Bat Boy And The Pine Tar Bat Every baseball fan has heard of the superstar hitter George Brett and his infamous Pine Tar Game…but have you heard of the bat boy’s version? For more info, check out Daniel Barbarisi’s story in the Wall Street Journal. Sound design by Renzo Gorrio, produced by Davey Kim Season 14 - Episode 46

We’re getting spooky again this week with a quirky haunting from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and a tale from a girl who escapes a ghostly force through astral projection. Be afraid… this Halloween special features supernatural stories from our evil twin podcast, Spooked, told by people who can barely believe it happened themselves. You can listen to Spooked for free on any podcast platform! Episodes drop weekly. STORIES Night at the Aquarium On Kevin’s night shift at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, things get wet, wild, and very very weird. BIG thanks to Kevin Wright and the magical Monterey Bay Aquarium. Thanks also to KAZU Radio in Monterey, California for its assistance. Original score by Yari Bundy & Renzo Gorrio, produced by Anne Ford Out of Body Tiyi just wants to get away from the man in the closet. What happens next changes her life forever. Thank you, Tiyi Schippers, for sharing your story with us! You can find more of her creepy tales on YouTube. Original score by Leon Morimoto, produced by Anne Ford Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 14 - Episode 45

This week on Snap, a BigFoot story from Pawnee Nation and a tale from a traditional-Filipino-tattoo practitioner who rids people of ancestral spirits. Some spirits move on… others don’t want to leave. Be afraid… this Halloween special features supernatural stories from our evil twin podcast, Spooked told by people who can barely believe it happened themselves. You can listen to Spooked for free on any podcast platform! STORIES Big Man When the Big Guy shows up, you keep your mouth shut. Be afraid… Thank you to our storyteller for sharing his experiences. Original score by Yari Bundy, produced by Anne Ford Tattoo Exorcism Traditional-Filipino-tattoo practitioner, Lane Wilcken, is never scared when ancestral spirits visit during tattoo sessions. He knows that those spirits, the ones that are just stopping by, aren’t the ones you have to worry about. Thank you, Lane Wilcken, for sharing your story with us! Lane wrote the book on traditional Filipino tattooing — Filipino Tattoos: Ancient to Modern. Today, Lane is one of only twenty people in the world who practice Filipino tattooing in its traditional form. Original score by Lauryn Newson, produced by Zoë Ferrigno Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 14 - Episode 44

Promises. Some of them are worthless, some have infinite value, and some you will never know how much they are worth… until you have to cash them in. STORIES Birthday Glynn witnesses a miracle... his daughter's birth. Produced by Mark Ristich The Spy’s Son Bryan Denson was a court reporter for The Oregonian newspaper in Portland. It could be mind-numbing work sitting in the cheap seats of the American justice system. But then one day he got a tip about an espionage case coming in. The defendant was 24-year-old Nathan Nicholson. For Bryan it would turn out to be the story of a lifetime. For Nathan, it was the beginning of the end. To learn more about Nathan’s story, make sure to grab a copy of Bryan Denson’s book: The Spy’s Son. You can check out his other work on his website. Bryan also wrote a six-part series of Nathan’s story for The Oregonian. A big thanks to The Oregonian/OregonLive for allowing Snap Judgment to use tape from Bryan Denson’s interview with Nathan Nicholson. Original score and sound design by Renzo Gorrio, produced by Nancy López, artwork by Teo Ducot The Admission Pia's Letter of Acceptance from NYU should have been the best news she heard all day -- but her mother's reaction changed everything. See the film of Pia's amazing Snap Judgment LIVE in NYC performance. Reach out to Pia via Twitter @PiaGlenn / Insta: @Pia_Glenn Original score composed by Alex Mandel. Performed by Alex Mandel, Tim Frick, and David Brandt. Remember The Baby This radio play is about one of those days that you have that changes you forever. It comes from our friends at The Truth Podcast, and it was commissioned by The Sarah Awards from Sarah Lawrence College. It was written by Louis Kornfeld, and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. The part of ANN was played by Ann Carr, ADAM was played by Louis Kornfeld, and Amy Warren was the sister. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell Snap Classic - Season 14 - Episode 43

This week on Snap, two stories about the human mind and how it can play tricks on you. A young man comes to terms with his mother’s profound mental illness. And a father of five and devout Mormon is dragged into a world that upends everything he knows to be true. STORIES “Tracy: My Ride-or-Die“ When Adult ISH host Nyge Turner turned 17, he became the caretaker for his ride-or-die: Tracy. His mom. This story was produced by YR Media‘s Adult ISH podcast (Mom ISH episode). Adult ISH is a culture, advice, and storytelling show about #adulting, that is produced entirely by folks who are “almost adults.” It’s distributed by PRX’s Radiotopia. Be sure to subscribe and listen here. Sound Designer: DJ Clay Xavier “A Short Stay in Hell” A father of five and devout Mormon is dragged into a world that upends everything he knows to be true. This story comes to us from Believable, a new podcast from Narratively about how our stories define who we are. Each episode dives into a personal, eye-opening story where narratives conflict and different perspectives about the truth collide. Steve Peck works at Brigham Young University and tells this story to a microbiology class every year. Check out his novel, “A Short Stay in Hell“ which inspired this story. Listen and subscribe to Believable wherever you get your podcasts. Producer: Ash Sanders Lead Producer & Sound Designer: Ryan Sweikert Host & Executive Producer, Narratively Podcasts: Noah Rosenberg Production Assistant: Emily Rostek Story Consultant: Brendan Spiegel Art Direction: Vinnie Neuberg Believable Episode Art: Zoe Van Dijk Additional Support: Ula Kulpa and Russell Gragg Special Thanks: Made in New York Media Center and Brigham Young University “Head Games” episode artwork: Teo Ducot Season 14 - Episode 42 - Snap Classic

Your kids love her, your in-laws fear her, but you can't do Friday date night without QANanny. The ice is cracking on Lake Huron... will it break the bond between two ice fishermen? And Dr. Ray Christian gets stuck in the mud at Burning Man. This week on Snap, stories of people trying to escape a mess of their own making. STORIES My Beloved QANanny Your kids love her, your in-laws fear her, but you can't do Friday date night without QANanny. Thank you, Josh Healey, for sharing your story with Snap! Produced by David Exumé, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff No Ice Is Safe Ice The ice is cracking on Lake Huron... will it break the bond between two ice fishermen? Thank you Steve, Jeremy, and Telaine for sharing your story with us. This episode was originally aired on Points North, podcast from Interlochen Public Radio. Go listen now for more stories about land, water, and inhabitants of the Great Lakes! Produced by Dan Wanschura, original score by Clay Xavier, edited by Nancy Lopez and John Fecile Mud Burn Dr. Ray Christian gets stuck in the mud… at Burning Man. Thanks, Ray, for telling us this tale. Go check out Ray’s podcast, What’s Ray Saying, for a deeper view into Black life in America and all things Ray. Produced by John Fecile, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 14 - Episode 41

Some commitments go way beyond words. STORIES True Friends Glynn discovers the true meaning of friendship. The Belfast Project It’s not always easy to deal with the past, especially if it’s a troubled one. Do you hold on to it or do you let it go? For Anthony McIntyre the answer was easy. Anthony McIntyre is a journalist and you can check out his writings on his website: The Pensive Quill. Thank you to Ed Moloney for sharing the archival tape of the Brendan Hughes interviews from the Belfast Project that were featured in his book, Voices from the Grave. Sound design by Renzo Gorrio, Produced by Nancy Lopez Love Me Two best friends have never met in person ... and one of them insists they keep it that way. That was Allison Williams, and that piece was produced by Mira Burt-Wintonick and Cristal Duhaime for CBC's Love Me. You can hear more at cbc.ca/loveme or subscribe on iTunes. 13 Ways To Destroy A Painting How far would you go to save the person you love? This radio play was adapted from Amber Sparks’s story, 13 Ways of Destroying a Painting, from her short story collection The Unfinished World. You can find more of her work at www.ambernoellesparks.com Narrator: Thao Nguyen of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down Sound design by Pat Mesiti-Miller, produced by Eliza Smith Season 14 - Episode 40

It’s Senior Year and Alex, Damaris, and Brantin have been waiting for the day they get to leave Mission High and enter adulthood. Snap follows the three students for a whole year as their dreams turn into reality. Plus, we have life updates from the students about what they’re doing now. A very special thank you to our heroes: Brantin, Damaris and Alex. Thank you also to Mission High School Principal Eric Guthertz, everyone in the Wellness Center and our guide Chandra Shivakumar. Produced by Adizah Eghan, Liz Mak, Eliza Smith, Anna Sussman, and Mark Ristich Original score by Pat Mesiti-Miller and Renzo Gorrio Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 14 - Episode 39

Chris Lundy always wanted to figure out why his family took him to see a Vodou priest and how this treatment made him better. And a group paratroopers go on a trip with their Sergeant that’s out of this world. STORIES Magic Potion Vodou Chris Lundy has always wanted to figure out why his family took him to see a Vodou priest and how this treatment made him better. There is one explicit word in this story. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. Big thanks to Chris Lundy for sharing your story! Chris is a storyteller who's performed at First Person Arts, RISK!, USA Today's Storytellers Project, and more. Major thanks to WHYY's The Pulse, who originally aired this story. Their podcast features stories about people and places at the heart of health and science. Check it out!! This story was produced and reported by Chris Lundy and Justin Kramon. It was edited by Maiken Scott and Lindsay Lazarski. Sound design by Maiken Scott. Engineering by Charlie Kaier. Special thanks to Dieu Nalio Chery for his help on the story. Acid Jump When morale was low among the paratroopers in his company, Sergeant Ray Christian takes them on a trip. Thanks Ray for telling us your story! Check out Ray’s podcast, What’s Ray Saying, and follow him on Twitter. Original score and sound design by Leon Morimoto, produced by Adizah Eghan Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 14 - Episode 38

There are some stories we are afraid to tell. Some truths only happen after dark. And some secrets can only be shared around the fire. We proudly present, “Campfire Tales X.” An annual tradition featuring supernatural stories from our evil-twin podcast, Spooked. STORIES Smell Ya Later After Laura’s husband gets a fatal diagnosis, he promises to contact her from beyond the grave. But how will she know it’s really him? Original score by Leon Morimoto, produced by Anne Ford Paper Route Premonition Alyssa is taking over her friend’s paper route for the week. It’s a fun way to make a little money. There’s just this one house that’s freaking her out … Original score by Yari Bundy, produced by Anne Ford Stormwalker When Roberta is a little girl, there’s nothing scarier than the thought of being caught out in a big storm. One day, her worst fear comes true … and then someone shows up Original score by Yari Bundy, produced by Anne Ford Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 14 - Episode 37

Did you ever have that one friend that you didn’t want but it turns out you really need? This week on Snap, epic stories about unexpected companionship. STORIES Shut Up Rick He’s called Shut Up Rick. Let’s hear what he has to say. Thank you Bucky Sinister and Rick Loddy. Bucky is a poet, author, and comedian — to learn more about Bucky’s work and what he’s up to now, subscribe to his substack. Original score by Clay Xavier, produced by Zahra Noorbaksh and John Fecile Rock Paper Scissors When the two greatest auction houses in the world – Christie’s and Sotheby’s – vied for the privilege of auctioning off $20 million worth of art in 2004, little did they know that they would be forced to engage in an ancient form of ritualized combat known as… rock paper scissors. Be sure to check out Carol Vogel’s original New York Times article. Produced by Joe Rosenberg The Kipling Hotel - LIVE A young, penniless student arrives at UCLA with no place to stay and is forced to improvise. Performed by Don Reed at Snap LIVE in San Francisco, CA. Music composed by Alex Mandel, performed by the Snap Judgment Players: Alex Mandel, David Brandt, and Tim Frick Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 14 – Episode 36

A woman takes animal rehabilitation to new heights when she brings over a thousand bats back from the dead. And a Snap producer reveals he owes a lot to one single hairy flying creature. Snap Judgment presents, “Batwoman.” True stories about animals told by humans. STORIES Batwoman A woman in Texas takes animal rehabilitation to new heights when she brings over a thousand bats back from the dead. There is an explicit word in this story. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. Thank you, Mary Warwick, for sharing your story with us! Big thanks also to The Houston Humane Society, The TWRC Wildlife Center, and the Batworld Sanctuary in Texas – whose staff protect and rehabilitate bats, and provide education and training on the proper treatment of bats to people all over the US. Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, produced by Shaina Shealy Bless the Bat Snap Producer, John Fecile, tells us how he got where is he today. Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, produced by John Fecile Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 14 - Episode 35

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 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 a whole bunch of great music, Jada recently launched a new product line called “Good For The Soul”. Be sure to check out her Patreon and follow her on social media! This song comes to us from the compilation Water For The Town Vol. 4, a project series from SmartBomb created to raise mutual aid and awareness for various organizations and grassroots movements doing vital work right here in Oakland. The song is produced by Dakim, be sure to check out more of Dakim’s music and follow them on Instagram! Snap Classic - Season 14 - Episode 34

Nelufar grew up with a Muslim upbringing, and she’s about to dig into a ritual that’s at the center of her religion: the daily call to prayer. It’s a practice uniting 1.8 billion Muslims around the world. But, for a lot of reasons, Nelufar never felt completely comfortable responding to that call. So Nelufar, she tries a slightly different approach. This episode comes to us from our friends at Ritually. It’s Nelufar Hedayat’s new podcast, from Brazen Media. And In each episode, she tries out a new spiritual or wellness ritual to find out if practicing it can actually make you feel better. Want to hear more? Listen to Ritually wherever you get your podcasts! BIG thanks to the entire Ritually team over there for their work on this beautiful piece: Sarah Kendal, Susie Armitage, Clair Urbahn, Troy Holmes, Bradley Hope, Tom Wright, Mariangel Gonzales, Lucy Woods, Charlotte Cooper, Francesca Gilardi Quadrio Curzio, Nour Abdel Latif, Megan Dean, Ryan Ho, and Julien Pradier. Ritually’s theme music is by Amaroun. Original music is by Jay Brown. Artwork by Ryan Ho and Julien Pradier Season 14 - Episode 33

Two comic story tellers, Dino Archie and James Judd, bring you love, bromance and a summer camp exorcism with sock puppets. This episode contains explicit language. STORIES The Legend of Sweet Foot Comedian Dino Archie got into a bar fight that blossomed into a bromance. The bond with his soulmate ripens over crab trapping, bankruptcy, and the Ghost of Christmas Future. Camp Exorcist Comedian James Judd dreams of being kidnapped, falling in love with a human hair blanket, and a church camp exorcism…you know, the kind with googly-eyed sock puppets. Original Music by Bells Atlas Artwork by Teo Ducot Snap Classic - Season 14 - Episode 32

Strapped in a harness, on the edge of a mountain, the snow bridge lets out a hollow crack as it gives way. The story of two climbers whose fates are intertwined by a length of rope. Big thanks to Jim Davidson for sharing his story! Jim wrote a book with Kevin Vaughan about surviving the fall on Mt. Rainier, called The Ledge. He also wrote a book about his experiences during and after the Nepal earthquake called The Next Everest. Check them out! Original score by Renzo Gorrio, produced by Justin Kramon, artwork by Teo Ducot Season 14 - Episode 31