An author lands in the back seat of Anthony's car. A very academic discussion ensues...To learn more about this week's passenger, visit www.chinamirror.netTo donate to "Amira," please visit https://www.gofundme.com/amira039s-next-chapterP

#87: Amira's Next Chapter

May 29th, 2019 40m 25s

Two months after surviving a brutal attack at the hands of her ex-fiancee, "Amira" returns to Backseat Rider with an update on her life, her struggles, and her message to others who may be in abusive relationships. To donate to Amira, please vi

#86: Curveball

May 15th, 2019 36m 41s

A passionate special education teacher gets blindsided by a mysterious health condition.Join the Backseat Rider community on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2tNYiak Promo code ($50 ride credit) for new Lyft users: BACKSEATRIDER

#85: Choosing Door No. 2

May 1st, 2019 24m 6s

A handsome stranger walks into an upscale cafe and says to the woman behind the counter, "You have two doors. The first door is you get a $100 cash tip. The second door is, you get the [one] THING that you need." In this episode, the woman beh

#84: Sex in the Principal's Office

Apr 17th, 2019 35m 46s

A passenger reveals the shocking reason he ran away from boarding school at age 12, hitchhiking hundreds of miles back to his home. Another man tells Anthony how he escaped a South Side shoot-out as a teenager. Join the Backseat Rider commu

#83: Amira

Apr 3rd, 2019 32m 13s

Minutes into this car ride, Anthony's passenger reveals she had, hours earlier, been the victim of a vicious physical attack by her fiancee. This is the recording of their car ride to the police station.National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-

#82: A Fifth Grader's Dad

Mar 20th, 2019 44m 44s

"When you get to the 5th grade, that's when the cliques start to form."On today's episode, the father of an 11-year-old who is currently being bullied after school tells Anthony how the bullying started, what measures he and his son have tak

#81: Aaaaaand We're Back

Mar 6th, 2019 29m 17s

Time to put Backseat Rider back in your regular podcast rotation. To kick off the new season, Anthony dusts off the Lyft app and gets reacquainted with passengers via the following question: of the recent news stories, which one has had the bi

#80: Perfection or Death - Jimmy Chin & Alex Honnold

Oct 31st, 2018 39m 43s

"Alex Honnold's free solo climb of El Capitan should be celebrated as one of the greatest athletic feats of any kind, ever," said the New York Times. In this 30-minute conversation, Honnold and filmmaker/climber Jimmy Chin answer all of Anthony

Update from your Driver

Oct 10th, 2018 4m 33s

Anthony updates the status of the podcast.

#79: Rahm & Eddie

Jul 4th, 2018 41m 28s

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson are this week's backseat riders. When Anthony poses a question about impactful movies, it leads to unusually personal conversations with two of the most influential men

#78 (NEW!): Driving a Medium

Jun 27th, 2018 35m 51s

Anthony drives a self-described psychic/medium who claims to be communicating with Anthony's deceased grandparents during the car ride. Is he legit? Listen for yourself.-BACKSEAT RIDER FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://t.co/qaFOi6W0Zl-NEW LYFT US

#36: The Pops (Rebroadcast)

Jun 13th, 2018 1h 10m

With Father's Day almost here, Anthony & his passengers explore the experiences that have defined their relationships with their dads, including: why a rabbi hasn't spoken to his father in months, a dad's reaction after his daughter was kicked

#59: Girl with the Dragonfly Tattoo (Rebroadcast)

Jun 6th, 2018 47m 41s

In this episode, Anthony seeks input from passengers after his wife's decision to get a tattoo sparks a tense conversation. This episode originally posted in January 2018.Join the Backseat Rider Facebook Community at https://t.co/qaFOi6.Ne

#77: Risky

May 30th, 2018 30m 4s

What is the biggest risk you've ever taken? A big question that leads to some big results: including a woman who dropped her career to open a used bookstore and a man attempting to scale the tallest mountain on each of the seven continents.

#76: The Greatest Generation

May 23rd, 2018 31m 45s

This week, Anthony introduces you to two members of America's "Greatest Generation" - a 90 year old woman who's been waiting tables since 1951, and a WW2 veteran who was honored at a Blackhawks game. This episode is an intimate portrait of two

#28 - Cringeworthy (Rebroadcast)

May 16th, 2018 35m 58s

Anthony goes out with some friends and the conversation turns to: when each of their parents embarrassed them the most. Everyone had a tale, so he decides to take this topic to the passengers. Resulting stories range from low-grade embarrassmen

#75: The Moms

May 9th, 2018 31m 8s

With Mother's Day around the corner, Anthony's passengers recount the moments that have defined their relationships with the women who brought them into this world. From the amusing ("Uh, mom? Are you smoking weed?")...to the epic ("she showed

#74: The Lessons of Failure

May 2nd, 2018 29m 17s

What is the biggest lesson you've learned from a personal failure? Some things aren't truly "learned" unless they're born of personal experiences; oftentimes that means a mistake or a failure. This week, hear from a tae kwon do black belt, a h

#73: Call Me Entendre

Apr 25th, 2018 43m 45s

When in your life have you felt a great sense of accomplishment? From sports feats and career milestones to break-ups and breakthroughs, this episode is a peek into just how different an "accomplishment" can be, from one passenger to the next.

#72: Envy vs. Admiration

Apr 18th, 2018 33m 50s

Think for a moment: what's the difference between envy and admiration? When have you felt each emotion...and why the distinction? In this week's episode, you'll hear from a woman who grew up the only black girl in an all-white neighborhood, a f

#71: If it Bleeds...

Apr 11th, 2018 32m 17s

After announcing a new TV version of Backseat Rider--soon to be unveiled on 'Good Day Chicago'--Anthony turns to his passengers for advice as he returns to the world of local news. This week's cast: a warehouse worker, a bartender, a CEO, and a

#70: The Unbeaten Path

Apr 4th, 2018 1h 10m

This week: role reversal on Backseat Rider! For the first time ever, Anthony goes from the driver seat to his own back seat, letting a fellow podcaster take control of the car and the questions. Sean Sechrist is the Chicago-based host and cre

#69: Fifteen Minutes of Fame

Mar 28th, 2018 36m 22s

"In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes."It's been 50 years since Andy Warhol was credited with that quote, coining the phrase "15 minutes of fame." In honor of Anthony expanding Backseat Rider into a Chicago TV segment,

#68: Searching for Big Al

Mar 21st, 2018 43m 25s

Another school shooting--this one in Maryland--comes just days before another national day of protest against gun violence. With March for Our Lives scheduled for Saturday and National Walkout Day this past week, gun reform is top-of-mind for