A chance encounter with Paul Rudd at a movie theater causes formerly devout Jehovah’s Witness, Quinta Brunson, to rethink her future and embark on a new life. Featuring Paul Rudd and Dan Wilson.Get access to all the podcasts you love, music ch
Episode 8: "Legacies" Interpreting slavery at Mount Vernon was not part of the mission of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association when the organization purchased the estate in the mid-nineteenth century. Over time, however, investigating the peop
Episode 7: “Preserving”Edmund Parker never knew George and Martha Washington, but he knew Mount Vernon and the Washington Family very well. Parker was one of the many enslaved people who labored on the plantation in the nineteenth century afte
This week’s Torah Portion, “Bo,” mentions the “mixed multitude” that left Egypt with the Israelites. Who were these “others,” and who are the "others" in our own lives today?Also, if Josh and Rabbi Shira went on a reality TV show together, wh
In the 1980s and 1990s, the San Francisco Metropolitan Community Church wrestled with profound questions: What does it mean to minister a gay church when so many in the congregation are dying from AIDS-related complications and grieving the rec
How have outsider legislators changed American history? On this episode of Now & Then, “The Lure of Political Outsiders,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the history of the eccentric and anti-establishment members of Congress,
Think back to two summers ago, the summer of 2020, when a series of violent, highly-publicized killings of Black Americans sparked outrage and a national movement to eradicate racism and its evils. That movement gave way to a newer, reactionary
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
People have been going back and forth about what makes a healthy and productive office since there have been offices. The 20th century was full of misbegotten fads and productivity innovations that continue to this day, even when the whole noti
We've been seeing a lot of debate recently about how history should be taught. For example, some believe that the Civil War was about state rights while some argue that slavery played a large role in it. But what if we could all agree on one sh
As tensions between Ukraine and Russia escalate, we decided to take a look at the man who has been running Russia for two decades: Vladimir Putin. How did a former KGB officer make his way up to the top seat — was it political prowess or was he
Life can be tough. Every day brings new challenges. And in order to get through the waking hours we need rest. Good quality sleep. In this bonus episode, a companion to "The Way We Dream," we offer you a 30-minute audio journey into the deep. A
Our dreams can haunt us: literally. Recurring dreams about failing tests or running late are a common occurrence, but what are we to make of them? And are there hidden meanings in our dreams? Paleolithic hunter-gatherers may have painted their
In the film Mogul Mowgli, Riz Ahmed stars as Zed, an on-the-rise rapper whose biggest gig yet is threatened by the sudden onset of an illness. He's also forced to confront his own insecurities about his family and British-Pakistani identity. Ah
China has held a soft power over Hollywood for the last few decades. Examples range from the cosmetic, like the way Chinese police heroically restore order in films like The 355. It can also be more overt, like China blocking the release of Chl
It's hard to believe the Winter Olympics have begun in Beijing, our second COVID Games. Sam talks to NPR correspondent Emily Feng about the political implications of this year's Olympics, the crackdowns on activists, and diplomatic boycotts.The
Are hikers loving the Appalachian Trail to death? In this episode of The Green Tunnel, we examine the history of hiker trash - as in actual trash - on the trail. We’ll look at a moment when the trashing of the trail got so bad that the trail cl
This iconic location on the Appalachian Trail is the very first monument in the country to George Washington. It also made a cameo in the Civil War, and now it makes a great place for birdwatching. Learn more about Maryland's Washington Monumen
Trail food: it’s kind of weird. Think about it. When else do you eat freeze-dried lasagna? Or several protein bars…in one day? Probably not often. How did trail food become what it is now? And what did hikers do before the wonders of backpacker
An interview of Dr. Mary DeCredico, of the Naval Academy's History Department, who discusses her recent book, Confederate Citadel: Richmond and Its People at War. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @usnahistoryFor more information about NAHP a
Who doesn't love a good backstabbing? In these two episodes, our three faculty co-hosts discuss and debate which are the worst betrayals of modern history, taking examples from Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America.Follow us on Instagram and
Trader Joe's, the most beloved "neighborhood grocery store" in America, has a super-loyal "cult following"... a sentiment that needs no explanation. The limited-edition niche products (like cookie butter and lemon ricotta), kitschy nautical aes
If you have an Instagram account, you’ve probably seen those beautifully curated infographics explaining "trauma,” “attachment theory,” and "boundaries" in 100 words or less... but when does mass-disseminating parasocial mental health advice on
A strange letter appears outlining a plot by Islamic extremists to infiltrate Birmingham schools. Hamza and Brian visit the supposed mastermind of the plot, and he tells them he did take over a bunch of schools – just not for the reasons in the
Hamza and Brian think the source of the Trojan Horse letter might be hiding in plain sight. After learning about the petty personnel dispute that probably gave rise to the letter, they’re even more bewildered about how it ever could have been t
Renowned mountaineer Alex Lowe had reached the summit of his career by 1999, scaling some of the planet’s most challenging peaks. Just a few months after he was featured in National Geographic as “one of the world’s finest all-around climbers,”
Black southerners and their allies were experiencing the brick and mortar of Jim Crow being installed in real time. Racial terror killings had been climbing, lynchings were becoming more shocking and segregation was gaining traction.And throug
Last week's story continues, about a Michigan couple who walked into a police officer's house and made a disturbing discovery. This week: the police officer suffers the consequences and so does the couple.
Rob and Reyna Mathis make an unsettling discovery in the home of a local police officer. Soon, their whole city is asking questions about who the officer really is and what he's been doing.
With the week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim, as a guide, Rabbi Shira and Josh probe the Jewish take on lying — is it ever acceptable? And we are joined by Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD), who discusses his new book “Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and
Rabbi Shira and Joshua discuss the giving of the Ten Commandments, and what it takes to be prepared for “revelation” in our lives. Then they kick back with actor-writer-director David Wain to discuss his connection to Judaism, and the Ten Comma
Don’t pack away those NYE decorations just yet! Rabbi Shira and Joshua discuss Tu Bishvat, the Jewish “New Year of the Trees.” They’ll help you spruce up your observance with new ways to celebrate an ancient holiday. Also, we book our first gu
This week on Unorthodox, we’re bringing you a conversation with Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker of Temple Beth Israel in Colleyville, TX, who was held hostage along with three congregants during a Shabbat service two weeks agoSubscribe to our wee
This week, we’re reflecting on the rabbi and three congregants held hostage at a Texas synagogue last Saturday. We’re also sharing an interview with Mark Podwal, an artist who has illustrated for the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Times
This week on Unorthodox, more Israel-related animal conspiracy theories. Before she was Liz Lange, our Jewish guest was Liz Steinberg, niece of corporate raider Saul Steinberg. She tells the story of her family’s spectacular rise and eventua
People lie about being Native American all the time – on college applications, on job applications, in casual conversation. But how do "Pretendians" hurt real Indigenous people and communities? And what does all that mean for people who aren't
We use words related to color to describe different racial categories all the time — Black, white, brown. But how much of race and identity actually has to do with the color of your skin? What if what appears to be "whiteness" is only skin dee
It's now been more than a year since the so-called "racial reckoning" that marked the summer of 2020. The country, some said confidently, was having the biggest racial reckoning since the civil rights movement. But since then, the Code Switch t
In a state of surprise, Hamza and Brian leave a meeting with the man the Trojan Horse letter was first sent to. And they learn about an internal investigation report that local officials have kept hidden, but which they think could contain a bo
A series of frustrating interviews with Birmingham politicians leaves Brian and Hamza wondering if crucial information about the Trojan Horse letter was kept from officials in London. Then one rainy Friday afternoon, Brian hears back from a gov
Hamza and Brian learn that the Trojan Horse letter wasn’t the only unsigned letter alleging an extremist operation was afoot in Birmingham. An interview with a couple who lodged complaints against their school starts out cordially, but six hour
Hamza takes a long, hard look at what the government found when it investigated more than 20 majority-Muslim schools in Birmingham. And our two reporters have a confrontation – with each other. To get full access to this show, and to other Seri
Birmingham authorities struggle to explain why they disavowed their own findings about the Trojan Horse plot. But when Brian and Hamza make a discovery deep inside some court documents, everything suddenly makes sense.To get full access to this