Glynn gets a new friend. A wolf in Yellowstone becomes a legend in her own time. And a woman’s life changes forever when a hurricane heads towards her house full of birds. Snap Judgment presents, “The 2020 Gratitude Special.”

We are grateful to lift voices up, to tell stories, and we are so SO thankful for you Snap Nation! We appreciate each and every one of you Snappas… for all of the love and support you’ve shown us, thank you.

STORIES

Bardot

Everyone needs a scratch behind the ears sometimes.

Produced by Pat Mesiti-Miller

06 Female

In 2006, a wolf was born in Yellowstone who would become a legend in her own time. For more about the 06 Female and the debate surrounding wolves in Yellowstone, be sure to check out Jeff Hull's article in Outside Magazine and Nate Rott's special report for NPR.

Produced by Joe Rosenberg, original score by Renzo Gorrio

The Birds

With a houseful of her favorite birds and a hurricane on the way, Nikki's whole life is about to be upturned.

Find out more about Nikki's life story on her website, and in her book, "The Bird Market of Paris."

Produced by Anna Sussman, original score by Renzo Gorrio

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Rhyme and punishment go hand in hand in America. This week, we are featuring Louder Than A Riot, an incredible new podcast from NPR Music. It reveals the interconnected rise of hip-hop and mass incarceration. From Bobby Shmurda to Nipsey Hussle, each episode explores an artist's story to examine a different aspect of the criminal justice system that disproportionately impacts Black America.

STORY

The Badder, The Better: Bobby Shmurda (Pt 1)

Just like his legendary disappearing hat, Brooklyn rapper Bobby Shmurda's career was on the rise in 2014. But so was the evidence in a murder case against his crew, GS9. In the first of three episodes exploring Bobby's story, we look at his come-up through the eyes of former Epic Records exec Sha Money XL, who guided Bobby on his tightrope walk from the streets to superstardom. What happens when the industry capitalizes on a criminal persona? And do record execs have the juice to back Bobby up when things get too hot?

Content Advisory: This story contains strong language and the mention of drug use and guns. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.

Be sure to visit Louder Than A Riot to hear Part 2 and 3 of Bobby Shmurda’s story and listen to more incredible episodes. Follow the show on Twitter @LouderThanARiot and subscribe!

To hear the music in this episode, check out the Louder Than A Riot playlists on Apple Music & Spotify.

Louder Than A Riot is hosted by NPR Music's Rodney Carmichael and Sidney Madden, this podcast is invested in power from all angles — the power the music industry wields over artists, the power of institutional forces that marginalize communities of color, the power of the prison industrial complex and the power dynamics deep-rooted in the rap game.

Illustration by Dale Edwin Murray for NPR

©2020 National Public Radio, Inc.

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 just 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, and Katie Song.

Produced by John Fecile, original score by Renzo Gorrio

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 11 - Episode 36

Nada Rothbart thought she’d have plenty of time to get her family out of Sarajevo. Suddenly, it was too late.

This story originally aired on the Lucky podcast, listen to part two of Nada’s story “The Choice” here.

Produced by Briana Breen

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Snap Classic - Season 9 Episode 16

Todd’s uncle was one mean son of a biscuit. But long after he’s dead and gone, his descendants worry that his meanness might rub off on them. Snap presents a story crafted in the dark of night by Spooked.

Thank you, Todd, for sharing your story with us!

Produced by Anna Sussman, original score by Renzo Gorrio

Artwork by Sanaa Khan

Listen to Spooked on Luminary! Spooked season 5 has 22 all-new episodes to keep you up at night. You can get a Luminary subscription for as little as $2.99 a month with their annual plan, plus a 7-day free trial to get started. Not available in all markets. Terms apply. Visit luminarypodcasts.com to learn more.

When singer/songwriter and former frontwoman of the Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard, comes up against a hostile spirit in her home, she has to decide: who’s going to get to stay? Brittany... or the ghost? Snap proudly presents an amazing Spooked tale!

Big thanks and big love to Brittany for sharing her story with us.

Produced by Chris Hambrick, original score by Leon Morimoto

Artwork by Sanaa Khan

Listen to Spooked on Luminary! Spooked season 5 has 22 all-new episodes to keep you up at night. You can get a Luminary subscription for as little as $2.99 a month with their annual plan, plus a 7-day free trial to get started. Not available in all markets. Terms apply. Visit luminarypodcasts.com to learn more.

Kristen Cortez is a new teacher in beautiful Los Gatos, California. From her classroom window, she can see rolling, golden hills. Redwood trees. The sun is almost always shining. And yet… something lurks. Snap proudly presents a story crafted in the dark of night by Spooked.

Thank you, Kristen, for telling us your terrifying tale!

Produced by Zoë Ferrigno, original score by Richard Haig

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Listen to Spooked on Luminary! Spooked season 5 has 22 all-new episodes to keep you up at night. You can get a Luminary subscription for as little as $2.99 a month with their annual plan, plus a 7-day free trial to get started. Not available in all markets. Terms apply. Visit luminarypodcasts.com to learn more.

Lee’s great grandfather, his grandfather, and his father have all seen him: the shapeshifter. They know this man has the power to curse them, to hurt them. Lee wonders: is this man coming for him too? Snap proudly presents a terrifying tale from Spooked.

BIG thanks to, Lee, and his entire family for sharing their story with us!

Produced by Annie Nguyen, original score by Leon Morimoto

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Listen to Spooked on Luminary! Spooked season 5 has 22 all-new episodes to keep you up at night. You can get a Luminary subscription for as little as $2.99 a month with their annual plan, plus a 7-day free trial to get started. Not available in all markets. Terms apply. Visit luminarypodcasts.com to learn more.

Some of the best stories are told when the show’s over… Join us for our first-ever Snap Backstage! 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 11 - Episode 31

Back in the 1970s, Bob Favor signed up to be a Texas Ranger. He proudly helped local police solve some of their toughest cases. But there was one case that kept getting away from him.

For more of Bob Favor’s exploits as a Texas Ranger, check out his book: My Rangering Days.

Produced by Luke Quinton, original score by Leon Morimoto

Snap Classic - Season 7 - Episode 8

Just a few weeks ago, writer and performer Jacoby Cochran walked through a Chicago neighborhood and into a time machine. That’s where the story begins…

Sensitive listeners, please note this story contains explicit language and references racial violence.

Thank you, Jacoby, for sharing your story with us! For more of Jacoby’s work, please head on over to jacobycochran.com.

Produced by Regina Bediako & Anna Sussman, original score by Clay Xavier

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 11 - Episode 30

A man walks off the side of a California highway, deep into the patchy grassland, to build a life away from the rest of the world.

Sensitive listeners should know that this piece does contain a description of a car accident.

Thank you, Gregory, for sharing your story with us!

Produced by Tessa Paoli, original score by Derek Barber

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 11 - Episode 29

Four women share their stories of loving incarcerated men, and the challenges they face in maintaining their relationships, staying hopeful about an eventual reunion, and carrying on with their lives on the outside. We also hear from a man sentenced to Life without the possibility of parole.

Snap Judgment presents, “Hold That Space,” a special spotlight on the Ear Hustle Podcast, from PRX’s Radiotopia.

Content Advisory: This episode discusses sex and contains explicit language. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.

Thanks to Erica Olson, Loraine Serrano, Darlene Burke, Annette Shields, Raven Campbell, Raylene Ruiz, Theresa, Sutina Green, and Steven Green for sharing your stories for this episode. And BIG thanks + so much love to the entire Ear Hustle family!

Be sure to visit www.EarHustleSq.com to hear more stories, see pictures from episodes, and follow everything Ear Hustle. They just dropped a new season!

Ear Hustle comes to us from PRX’s Radiotopia, this episode is produced by Earlonne Woods, Nigel Poor, Rhasaan “New York” Thomas, John “Yahya” Johnson, Pat Mesiti-Miller, and Bruce Wallace. This episode was scored with music by Antwan Williams, Rhashiyd Zinnamon, and David Jassy.

Artwork by Antwan Williams 

What’s keeping you from feeling proud today? We’re exploring that question with a special Snap two-for-one: SHAMEBOOTH, a traveling art installation, hotline, and podcast featuring the voices of real people sharing their shame, and “Quiet Is Best,” a story from Julie Lindahl about her shocking discovery of a secret -- and shameful -- family legacy.

Content advisory: These stories detail substances, violence/graphic images of Nazi Germany, and sexual assault. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.

STORIES:

SHAMEBOOTH Recordings

SHAMEBOOTH explores the science & psychology behind one of the most intense and isolating emotions a person can feel by capturing the voices of real people who step into a refurbished phone booth to speak their truths. It has become an art installation, podcast, hotline, live event space, and movement to help people get proud.

A very big thank you to all of the brave people who stepped into the SHAMEBOOTH, baring their souls. For more, head on over to SHAMEBOOTH and subscribe to the podcast!

SHAMEBOOTH’s creator and host is Paula Williams. The podcast is produced by the fine folks at SOUND MADE PUBLIC: Tania Ketenjian, Philip Wood, and Katie McCutcheon. Production assistance was by Snap’s Regina Bediako.

“Quiet is Best” - Snap Classic

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.

Thank you, Julie, for sharing your story with Snap! A version of this story was originally produced for the podcast Kind World. For more, please make sure to check out Julie Lindahl’s book, The Pendulum: A Granddaughther’s Search for Her Family’s Forbidden Nazi Past.

Produced by Erika Lantz, original score by Leon Morimoto with production assistance by Liz Mak

Season 11 - Episode 28

A teenager ends up with more than he bargained for when he hacks his principal’s Twitter account. And a night-shift doctor shares a story of life after death.

STORIES

Code Yellow

A teenage hacker inspired by “Mr. Robot” takes on his principal, teachers, and the Board of Education.

This piece was adapted from the podcast, Darknet Diaries. Listen to the full story, called Finn.

Produced by Jack Rhysider with assistance from Nancy Lopez, original score by Renzo Gorrio

The Lazarus Effect

A night-shift doctor shares a story of life after death.

This story comes to us from the podcast, The Nocturnists, and was performed live in San Francisco in 2018. You can listen to the full story, called The Lazarus Effect.

Special thanks to Emily Silverman, Ana Adlerstein, Ali Block, Adelaide Papazolou, Marina Poole, Kirk Klocke, and the storyteller, Joe Sills

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Snap Classic - Season 10 Episode 19

When the man in charge of a small, insular northern Ohio town wreaks havoc on his followers, a young boy with a passion for good hair tries to clean up the mess.

Produced by Shaina Shealy, original score by Leon Morimoto

Snap Classic - Season 9 - Episode 32

A fisherman down on his luck finds gold at the bottom of the sea. It’s only after his treasure hunt is underway that he discovers what is truly valuable deep down.

BIG thanks to Joe Pennisi for sharing your story with Snap.

This story would not have been possible if not for the amazing, on the ground reporting work of Tara Duggan, Jason Fagone, and Santiago Mejia who first told this incredible story for the San Francisco Chronicle.

Produced by Nikka Singh, original score by Renzo Gorrio

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 11 - Episode 27

When a young man is told is he going deaf, he sets out on a challenge to memorize the songs that defined his life. He had no idea that those songs would come back to him in the most unexpected way.

A version of this story aired on KQED's Q'ed Up.

Produced by April Dembosky, Original Score by Renzo Gorrio

Sound Design by Leon Morimoto & April Dembosky

Artwork by Mark Fiore

Snap Classic - Season 9 Episode 3

The last embers of the season. The final wander through the woods. The chill not yet hitting the air. That’s when you know it’s time… This week, experience the dark magic of Spooked on Snap. We proudly present, “Campfire Tales VII.”

STORIES

Kapu

If the sign at the mouth of the cave says “kapu,” forbidden, you better take heed. Don’t go searching for trouble. Thank you, Joe, for sharing your story with Spooked!

Produced by Greta Weber and Annie Nguyen, original score by Lauryn Newson

Route 666

Michael Kilpatrick is coming home from the venue, celebrating a great show. He’s taking a familiar road. But tonight, the conditions are bad: hard wind, rain, and… frogs? Thanks, Michael, for sharing your story with us!

Produced by Annie Nguyen, original score by Leon Morimoto

Widow’s Walk

Howling wind. Swirling fog. What lurks in the mist? To whom is the wind calling? Thank you, Bubba, for sharing your terrifying tale with us.

Produced by Greta Weber & Gaylen Koch, original score by Clay Xavier

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 5 of Spooked drops 8/21/20 & will have 22 brand new episodes, each released weekly on Mondays & Fridays. Select episodes will be available across streaming platforms, but you can find ALL the new episodes only on Luminary. Visit LuminaryPodcasts.com to start listening!

Season 11 - Episode 26

A rowdy radio show. A sick listener. A Radio DJ who gets in way, way too deep.

This story is a co-production between Snap Judgment Studios, Hi-Phi Nation with Barry Lamb, and our dear friends over at Love and Radio. 

Listen & subscribe to Hi-Phi Nation with Barry Lamb, the best story-driven philosophy podcast in the universe! Love and Radio also rules and comes to you from the incredible Luminary family. You can hear the original version of Gotcha from Love and Radio here. 

Learn more about Radio DJ Amber Petty and pre-order her new book, “This Is Not A Love Song”

This story was produced by Barry Lam, Steven Jackson, Nick van der Kolk, Phil Dmochowski, Julia DeWitt, and John Fecile

This story includes the voices of Amber Petty, Cory Kimm, Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello, and Sarah 

The actors featured in this story are Aliya Pabani, Corey Layton, Robin Luckwaldt-Ross

Special thanks to Diane Wu, Antimo Ianella, Ira Glass

Artwork by John Garrison

For a full list of music featured in this episode, visit the Snap site.

Season 11 - Episode 25

A musician writes a song so catchy, it takes over the world…then he finds out it’s become a weapon on the streets of Portland. “Easy Street” turned into something it was never meant to be.

This story contains explicit language, sensitive listeners are advised.

A big thanks to Joe Sivick & Deena Prichep.

Easy Street (Redux) single by The Occupy ICE PDX Alliance on Apple Music or iTunes.

Original Score: Renzo Gorrio

Producer: John Fecile

Team Snap brings you the story of the devastating COVID-19 outbreak at San Quentin State Prison, as told by people on the inside. 

STORIES

Outbreak at San Quentin

As the Coronavirus outbreak overwhelms San Quentin State Prison, one incarcerated person, Chanthon Bun, is awaiting his release on parole. Bun tries to protect himself from the virus, while incarcerated first responders and cleaning crews attempt to treat those who are collapsing and stop the spread of COVID-19. In this episode, we hear first-hand accounts from incarcerated people inside San Quentin trying to survive the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

This story contains graphic content, listener discretion is advised.

At the time of this recording, 13 people from San Quentin have died due to coronavirus, bringing the total number of lives lost in California prisons to 40. Our hearts go out to them and theirs, sincerely.

Find out how you can support people on the inside with care packages and more at Prison University Project. 

Chanthon Bun is a producer now living on the outside. Greg Eskridge and Thanh Tran are both multimedia journalists currently incarcerated at San Quentin. Checkout Uncuffed and First Watch for more of their work. Rasheed Lockheart, who narrated this piece, works with Planting Justice, a food and social justice organization empowering those impacted by incarceration. Many thanks to Ant, Eric Phillips, and Alex Simon for sharing their stories from the inside as well. 

Special thanks to James King from the Ella Baker Center and Adnan Khan from Restore Justice. 

Produced by Pat Mesiti-Miller and Ninna Gaensler-Debs

Original score by Pat Mesiti-Miller

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Letters from Uncuffed

While people inside San Quentin and other detention facilities across the country are faced with the threat of coronavirus, it is not just them who are affected. This piece is made up of a collection of letters from people on the outside trying to reach their loved ones currently behind bars. 

Big thanks to everyone who shared their letters, Rasheed Lockheart, Shelly Ammons, Dario Abramskiehn, Jovina Vejar.

The letters came to us from Uncuffed, a storytelling project made by people behind bars, from inside San Quentin State Prison and Solano State Prison, in collaboration with KALW. Listen & subscribe on your favorite podcast player!

Produced by Ninna Gaensler-Debs, Gabe Grabin, Angela Johnston, and Eli Wirtschafter. 

San Quentin Mixtapes Vol. 1 – “Same Prison As My Grandfather”

The San Quentin Mixtape is a music project recorded, produced, and performed by incarcerated people inside San Quentin State Prison. 

The song featured in this episode is “Same Prison As My Grandfather” by Dinero G. Thank you Dinero G and David Jassy for sharing your music with us! 

This song comes from the album San Quentin Mixtapes, Vol. 1. It was produced by the now formerly incarcerated, David Jassy, who has since been released and is now living in his home country of Sweden.  

Season 11 – Episode 24

Things go horribly wrong for a safari guide on the Zambezi River when he comes face-to-face with a rogue hippo.

Thank you, Paul, for sharing your story with Snap! Check out Paul Templer’s memoir, What’s Left of Me.

Produced by Erika Lantz, original score by Renzo Gorrio

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Snap Classic - Season 9 - Episode 25

The night of June 11, 2011, will forever be seared in Roger Stringer’s memory. The night started off with a dinner of boiled shrimp with his two sons. The night ended with his family being torn apart.

This story contains sensitive content and graphic imagery not suitable for young listeners. Listener discretion advised.

A very big BIG thank you to Roger and Zac Stringer for sharing their story with us here at Snap!

As of yet, Zac has not been exonerated. A post-conviction relief appeal to clear his name is stalled in a local circuit court. His civil lawsuit against Remington is currently in limbo. Zac is now 24. He goes to college full time. He's the first-ever convicted felon to be admitted to William Carey University in Mississippi.

Produced by Nancy Lopez, original score by Renzo Gorrio

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 11 - Episode 23

For 110 days Peter Hammarstedt and his group of ocean vigilantes hunted the most notorious poacher 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.

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

Season 11 - Episode 22

This weekend we are moving our podcast feed. You will still be able to listen to Snap Judgment on the radio and wherever you get your podcasts, but we want to make sure you don’t miss a beat. Make sure Snap stays in your feed by subscribing. Next week, check to see you have the new epic Snap episode, "Chasing Thunder." If you don't see it in your feed, please refresh or resubscribe!

A young boy in a migrant worker farm camp gets a surprise present from his father. But the gift comes with certain expectations. Season 11 - Episode 21

A DJ hosts a radio show from a garden shed in his backyard. For over forty years… he had an audience of one. Season 11 - Episode 20

Team Snap brings you voices from four amazing people - some looking to the future, some looking at the past, and those who never emerged.  Season 11 - Episode 19

A computer hacker tries to make his way home through two countries, dense jungle, and a seemingly endless string of technical challenges. Snap Classic - Season 10 Episode 4

Police shootings, mistaken arrests, and growing up Black / Brown in America. Snap presents amazing stories from people facing our nation’s original sin. 

At the height of the Cold War, Ulrike Poppe just might have been the most surveilled woman in the world. But it was only after the wall fell that things really got interesting. Snap Classic - Season 9 Episode 15

A Muslim doctor moves his family to a small, rural, Midwestern town. To his surprise, they fit right in... and then came the 2016 presidential election. Season 11 - Episode 18

A son tries to make contact with his dad, who’s deteriorating in the throes of dementia. He makes new connections and discoveries, and as he says goodbye to his father, he is granted a long-awaited wish. Snap Judgment presents, “Lucky Penny,” a special spotlight on The Truth Podcast, from PRX’s Radiotopia.

Some stories that seem the furthest away hit closest to home. Team Snap presents more lockdown advice from around the world, even from the places you least expect. Listen to the fifth installment of "Letters from Lockdown." Season 11 - Episode 16

When a little girl goes missing in the desert, one woman is driven to find her, no matter what. And a mother makes her own Ebola suit - MacGyver style - to save her son's life. Happy Mother's Day to all you Snap Moms! 

Who better to seek advice from than a mother? This week, Team Snap brings you the fourth installment of, "Letters from Lockdown,” featuring moms around the world. Happy Mother's Day to all the Snap Moms out there! Season 11 - Episode 14

V grew up hearing about her parent’s love story... but she never knew about the song behind it. Season 11 - Episode 13

While most of the world continues to shelter-in-place, Team Snap brings you the third installment of, "Letters from Lockdown.” 

STORIES

Jericho

Osama Iliwat spent days in solitary confinement inside an Israeli prison during the First and Second Palestinian Intifadas. Learn how peace reached him in the midst of conflict.

Today, Osama runs a cell phone shop in Jericho, is a peace activist, and leads international tours in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. He advocates for dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians and speaks to international groups with an organization called Combatants for Peace. 

Rwanda

In the 90s, Eric Murangwa was the star goalkeeper of Rwanda’s most beloved football team, Rayon Sport. He was also a Tutsi - at the time when death squads were hunting Tutsis. Find out where - and with who - Eric took refuge.

Eric now runs a charity called Ishami Foundation, which brings people together through sport.  He’s currently raising money for vulnerable families affected by coronavirus during the genocide commemoration in Rwanda. Help him reach his goal. 

Brooklyn

Estee grew up in an ultra-orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn where her then-husband isolated her from friends, family, and activities for nearly two decades. Hear how Estee’s spirit could not be contained by four walls. 

Today, Estee lives in Jerusalem with her eight children and recently remarried a very kind man. She teaches Zumba Extreme at the Jerusalem YMCA. Hear more of Estee’s story in the Snap archives.

Thank you, Osama, Eric, and Estee for sharing your stories with us!

Produced by Shaina Shealy, Naomi Zeveloff, Liz Mak, and Anna Sussman

Music by Renzo Gorrio, additional production by Pat Mesiti-Miller

Artwork by Sanaa Khan

Digital Producer: Marisa Dodge

Season 11 - Episode 12

Our team is working quickly to put together more pieces of advice from people all over the world - stay tuned for more. And if you have advice from a past lockdown you’d like to share with Snap Nation - reach out to us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook - or email pitches@snapjudgment.org 

The beat doesn’t happen without YOU. Support Snap storytelling... stories you won't hear anywhere else.

Team Snap proudly presents the second installment of, "Letters from Lockdown," featuring stories from people around the world who have experienced lockdown before. Season 11 - Episode 11

A skeptical journalist fights freezing temperatures alongside a fitness guru to test the limits of his own mortality. Snap Classic: Season 8 - Episode 17

Weed brownies, firefighting, and friendship. It’s a 4/20 Snap Special! Amazing stories by friends, about the friend you did not expect. Season 11 - Episode 10

These people from all around the world share a common thread… this isn’t their first lockdown. During quarantine, Team Snap is bringing you pieces of wisdom, hope, and defiance. Season 11 - Episode 9

A woman visits a faraway island to meet the last generation of Korea's mermaids. She comes away with an unexpected discovery about motherhood and about herself. Season 11 - Episode 8

Blair can’t see his hands in front of his face. He can’t see the ground beneath his feet. He’s not in the dark: he’s in a thick cloud of fog. And then, a voice emerges from the mist. This story comes to us from Australia, the original Upside Down. Select Spooked episodes will be available across streaming platforms but ALL will be exclusively on Luminary. Download the Luminary mobile app or go to LuminaryPodcasts.com. 

When the scariest man in town is arrested for murder, only one lawyer is willing to represent him. Snap Classic: Season 6 - Episode 30

Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr. had a complicated relationship with his mother. But after she passed, he traveled across the world to try and make things better.

This story comes fromTransom.org and was produced by Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr. and Jay Allison

Additional production by Pat Mesiti-Miller

Special thanks to Kadijatu Suma, Haja Suma, Fatima Rahman, Alimamy Conteh, Sheri Rickson, Lynn Levy and Gimlet Media. Thomas King, Brima Thomas, and Jartu Tejan-Thomas. Thanks also to Milo, Mason and Melissa Allison, Viki Merrick, Samantha Broun, Sydney Lewis, Rob Rosenthal, and WCAI and Atlantic Public Media in Woods Hole Massachusetts.

Season 11 - Episode 7

The beat doesn’t happen without YOU. Support Snap storytelling... stories you won't hear anywhere else.

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. Season 11 - Episode 6

Betsy keeps seeing a young girl at night in her room. She stands at the end of Betsy’s bed and stares at her. She comes back, over and over: night after night; year after year. Betsy knows she wants something, but she has to figure out what. Snap Judgment Presents: Spooked. Be afraid. All of the latest episodes are available only on Luminary. Download the Luminary mobile app or go to LuminaryPodcasts.com. Season 4 - Episode 1

A young teacher's daily struggles provide the backdrop for a poetic re-imagining of a public tragedy in London. Snap spotlights the amazing "Have You Heard George's Podcast?" from BBC Sounds.  Season 11, Episode 5

A black detective in Colorado Springs infiltrates the KKK and finds himself face-to-face with David Duke, the Grand Wizard. And Daryl Davis is a boogie-woogie pianist who's played with Bill Clinton, Bruce Hornsby and Chuck Berry. But we wanted to talk to him about another group of his friends. Snap Classic - Season 8 Episode 9 

Mountain Village is an Alaska Native town in the middle of nowhere. One woman is the town’s only police officer and she alone is responsible for the safety of everyone there. Her track record is perfect until one day when she responds to a call that changes everything. This story discusses suicide and violence. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. Season 11 - Episode 4

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. Snap Classic - Season 9 Episode 4

When your plane crashes in the Amazon Jungle on your honeymoon, do you take a raft down a river to continue on… or turn back? This epic romance turns into the ultimate test of survival. Season 11 - Episode 3

Mary needed to get away from her husband. A handsome stranger offered her a way out. All she had to do was participate in the strangest group experiment of all time. Produced by John Fecile, original score by Leon Morimoto. Season 11 - Episode 2

A Chicago newspaper establishes an undercover bar to catch officials in the act of corruption. They soon acquire a cast of characters looking for more than just a drink. Snap Classic - Season 9 Episode 21

One night, an explosion in the night sky of western Colorado draws townspeople out to search for something more. Something bigger. Something… out of this world. Season 11 - Episode 1

An openly gay luchador full of talent faces an uphill battle to get the crowd and the press on his side. A woman takes on superhero duty, serving as a heroine of the streets. And Chapelle's other half rocks three mics. Snap Judgment presents, “The Performers.” Exploring the magic behind the stagecraft. Snap Classic - Season 7 Episode 10

Tom was a cop. Jason was a teenager in a gang. The two men tell the story of the one night in 1997 that changed who they both are now. Snap Spotlights Radiotopia's "Ear Hustle." 

A loan shark crusades against the dark side of the payday industry, after running a risky business. A student discovers a kid named Hitler at college orientation, leading to a search for more Hitler’s. And a survivor of criminalization and state violence performs as a means of healing.

A poet delivers a devastating portrait of the relationship that made him who he is today. Two men come face to face one night in the dark canyon-lands of southern Utah. And a dangerous anarchist steals, kills, and escapes, until one day when he can run no further. It’s Snap’s 2019 Look Back Special.. time to look back before we move forward.

After traumatic experiences underwater, a diver falls in love with the ocean again by building a secret kingdom for seahorses. Season 10 Episode 36

A woman arrives in India only to discover that the baby she’s there to adopt has just been rescued from an orphanage tied to a child trafficking ring. Listen to Part Two of this amazing journey. 

An aid worker is held hostage in Iraq, a detective’s toughest case turns out to be an investigation into his own past, and a hauntingly beautiful story of a simple piece of fruit. Snap Classic - Season 7 Episode 18

A headless chicken proves sometimes urban legends are true, playground bullies expose dark secrets during a “pantsing” epidemic, and a young man comes out to his parents. We are grateful to tell stories and we are so so thankful for you Snappas! For all the love and support you have shown this crazy ridiculous enterprise that is Snap Judgment, thank you. Season 10 Episode 33

Fans and journalists embark on a seven-show tour with Rihanna... in seven countries, over seven days, on a Boeing 777, to celebrate her seventh album in seven years. Did we mention this is the seventh anniversary of the tour?

A woman revisits remote Indonesian islands where she and thousands of other Vietnamese refugees were once stranded without food, water, or shelter. She returns to this tiny place on the edge of the world... one last time.

A former journalist turned CIA agent goes undercover to flip an international arms dealer and stop a terrorist bombing.

A woman’s voice changes forever, following a stroke-like episode. A man living in Alaska continues to hear rumors about the elusive blue bear. When he goes out searching for one, he ends up finding... something much different. And a girl gains magical powers that lead to an irreversible and terrible chain of events. 

Bonnie Blagg and her two friends call for Bloody Mary in the mirror on her dresser during a middle school sleepover. Bonnie thinks nothing of it until a ghost boy with long, sharp, bloody teeth appears in her bedroom every single night after that.

When Maribel loses her little brother Santi, her very best friend in the world, she learns that love is sometimes stronger than death. We travel to Mexico for this very special Spooked tale.  

We're bringing you Spooked tales about ladies who lurk, haunt and aren't messing around. Be afraid. 

STORIES

Barbara Nichols Pond

Ever since a little girl died a watery death, the kids in Johnston County steer clear of the pond. Years later, Todd thinks that she might just be avenging her untimely end.

Thank you, Todd Narron for being our tour guide in the mysterious American South.

Todd’s memoir is Country Stories of Ghosts and Bad Men.

Produced by Anna Sussman, original score by Renzo Gorrio

Room 324

A film producer visits one of the most iconic haunted places in the world: The Stanley Hotel. He doesn’t believe in ghosts at all. But he’s about to question reality. 

A big thanks to Daniel Noah for sharing this story with us. Daniel is the cohost of SpectreVision's Visitations Podcast, a Shudder Original.

Produced by Eliza Smith, original score by Davey Kim

Artwork by: Teo Ducot 

Snap Season 10 Episode 28

Want more Spooked? There are 26 new episodes of Spooked coming this season each week through Halloween and into a spooky November. To listen to them all, download the Luminary mobile app or go to LuminaryPodcasts.com. And remember, don't turn out the lights...

It's Spooked Season! When supernatural forces come for her kids, Curtis’s mom stands strong. Mrs. Hagstrom may be one of the meanest ghosts yet. Be afraid.

An Israeli Defense solider decides to speak out about his violent actions from the past and they come back to haunt him.

Season 10 Episode 26

A mentor to a disabled little boy loses a piece of himself and discovers what is gained.

A teen's dad surprises him by taking him on his first slave plantation tour. And a girl realizes the computer version of herself, acts more like her than she does.

Season 10 Episode 25

A man tries to cheat death with homemade technological body enhancements, but the world isn’t ready for his kind of lifestyle.

The story of a lifetime falls into a reporter’s lap when he receives a tip about father-son co-conspirators who sell national secrets to Russia.

President Lincoln is mortally wounded. The nation is under attack. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton takes control and tries to protect Vice President Andrew Johnson.

This story comes to us from 1865.

When a brilliant inventor was robbed of his life’s work, his son did the only reasonable thing: he became a robber.

Snap Classic: Season 8 Episode 10 

The human mind can play tricks on you... A father of five and devout Mormon is dragged into a world that upends everything he knows to be true. And a young man comes to terms with his mother’s profound mental illness.

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!

"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.

Martin is a paramedic. He has a gift for saving people’s lives. He also has another, darker, gift--one that he doesn’t want to use.

Produced by: Eliza Smith

Original Score: Renzo Gorrio

Artwork by: Sanaa Khan

Season III is ALIVE!! There are 26 new episodes of Spooked coming this season each week through Halloween and into a spooky November. To listen to them all just download the Luminary mobile app or go to LuminaryPodcasts.com

Season 10 Episode 22

For two years, ISIS fought to take over the city of Mosul, killing 40,000 civilians.

A mix of missionaries, mercenaries, and misfits from around the world pack their bags, fly to Iraq and voluntarily run into the line of fire to fight back.

Producer: Anna Sussman

Original Score: Renzo Gorrio

A man inspired by joy writes a song, then he discovers it’s become a weapon. And a boy beat down by life learns to fight back, with the help of an upper-cut and milkshakes.

STORIES

Life On Easy Street  

A musician writes a song so catchy, it takes over the world...then he finds out it's become a weapon. "Easy Street" turned into something it was never meant to be.

A big thanks to Joe Sivick & Producer Deena Prichep

Producer: John Fecile

Original Score: Renzo Gorrio 

The Little Boxer

After getting beat one time too many, little Gus Lee decides to fight back. 

A big thanks to Gus Lee. This story comes from his novel, “China Boy,” based on his childhood. 

Producer: Liz Mak

Original Score: Renzo Gorrio 

Season 10 Episode 21 

Glynn unearths paradise. A geoscientist journeys deep into the Amazon Jungle, where rivers rage and legends come true. And a revolutionary living in exile does the unexpected. Snap presents a classic, "Shangri-La."

STORIES

"The Perfect Spot"

Backpackers are scouring Southeast Asia looking for the magical spot, but Glynn has the inside tip.

"Boiling River"

Andres Ruzo tried to track down a legendary he’s heard his grandfather talk about in stories when he was a little boy. He found the stuff of legends, and then was faced with the choices, and burdens of knowing a valuable secret.

Producer: Anna Sussman

"For Love and Revolution"

In the 1970’s Truman Capote interviewed Watani Stiner, a young revolutionary serving time in San Quentin for the death of two Black Panthers. Then... things got interesting.

Producer: Sukey Lewis and Mark Ristich

Season 7 Episode 12 

Snap leaves San Quentin State Prison with the Ear Hustle Podcast and then goes back inside to hear stories from Prison Reception.

Content Advisory: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence. Listener discretion is advised. 

STORIES 

Kissing the Concrete

Snap finds freedom with Ear Hustle. Two men transition from prison back into society and find out who - or what - is waiting for them on the outside. 

Excuse Me On The Tier

Snap goes under lock and key with Ear Hustle. Everyone entering the prison system must pass through Reception, to learn the ropes and discover what’s really behind the walls.

A big thanks to Tevin Fournette, aka Cutty, and Ronnie Young for sharing their stories about leaving prison with the team. You can hear more of Cutty’s music here. Thanks as well to John “Yahya” Johnson, David Ditto, Talib Brooks, Louis Brackett, and Jeff Atkins for sharing their experiences inside Prison Reception.

Artwork by: Atwan Williams 

Be sure to visit www.EarHustleSq.com to hear more stories, see pictures from episodes, and follow everything Ear Hustle.

Ear Hustle comes to us from PRX’s Radiotopia and is produced by Earlonne Woods, Nigel Poor, Rhasaan “New York” Thomas, John “Yahya” Johnson, Pat Mesiti-Miller, and Bruce Wallace. This episode is scored with music from Antwan Williams and David Jassy. Senior Producer Curtis Fox, Digital Producer Erin Wade, and Executive Producer Julie Shapiro.

In a dark and fictional world, we meet the best Hollywood trainer money can buy.  A trainer who specializes in the human body, but one body in his gym... isn't breathing. 

Snap spotlights "The Truth" podcast. We're proud to present Part one from their five-part series, “The Body Genius.” 

Starring: Chris Cafero as Evan

Written by: Hunter Nelson

Produced by: Jonathan Mitchell & Davy Gardner

Artwork by: Clement Bolla

To hear all five episodes & see the full list of credits, visit "The Truth" podcast.

Season 10 Episode 20 

A teenage hacker inspired by “Mr. Robot” takes on his high school and gets personal with his principal's Twitter account. And night-shift doctor, Joe Sills, shares a story of life after death. 

STORIES 

Code Yellow 

A teenage hacker inspired by “Mr. Robot” takes on his principal, teachers, and the Board of Education.

This piece was adapted from the podcast, Darknet Diaries. 

The Lazarus Effect 

A night-shift doctor, Joe Sills, shares a story of life after death. 

This story comes to us from the podcast, The Nocturnists.

Season 10 Episode 19 

A one-legged high schooler wrestles with his identity and his weight class. A story featuring tough opponents and big decisions. 

The Wrestler With The Missing Leg

Anthony Robles was born with one leg, but that didn’t stop him from joining the wrestling team. If you want to learn more about Anthony’s story and his career as a motivational speaker, check out his website and be sure to read his memoir, Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated. 

Producer: Joe Rosenberg    

Sound Design: Renzo Gorrio

Season 8 Episode 18

"On the Mat" - Snap Classic 

In a small Croatian town of Vukovar, some 200 people went missing. Years later, a group of investigators with The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia set out on an impossible task to find out who was responsible for these missing people.

Season 10 Episode 18

Mouth Of The Dragon

When a small child is lost, it's up to Glynn to face the dragon.

As The World Burns

What happens when the world around you starts to burn?

A Little White Lie

Think your dating life is tough? Try being an Arab, Muslim man after 9/11 in New York City.

Mortuary Assistant Required

The wanted ad said “Mortuary Assistant Required. Prior Experience An Advantage, But Not Essential.” No one bothered to apply, except for Simon...

Season 6 Episode 16

THE LEGEND OF SWEETFOOT

Comedian Dino Archie gets into a bar fight that blossoms 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, falls in love with a human hair blanket, and performs a church camp exorcism…you know, the kind with googly-eyed sock puppets.

Original Music by: Bells Atlas 

Season 10 Episode 17

Point guard Alex Owumi has just landed in North Africa to play basketball for his childhood hero.

For more information, check out Alex’s book -- Qaddafi's Point Guard.

Producer: Davey Kim and Anna Sussman 

Season 6 Episode 8

Hear the story behind the influential photo of the Syrian boy who drowned while attempting to reach Europe.

Read more in Tima Kurdi’s book, The Boy on the Beach.

Producer: Anna Sussman

Season 10 - Episode 15

Quiet is Best

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.

Producer: Erika Lantz

Like A House On Fire

Young Glynn is trying to keep up appearances at school, despite his family’s hardships. Then his house goes up in flames.

Performed live in Portland at Revolution Hall.

Music composed and performed: BELL'S ATLAS

Season 10 Episode 15

When Josh Healey learns some unexpected news from his girlfriend, his first thought...is of Grandma Barbara and Grandma Henrietta.

Season 7 Episode 3

Five women, one husband and one goal in life... to get to the Celestial Kingdom. 

Producer: Tyler Measom & Adizah Eghan

Original Score and Sound Design: Renzo Gorrio

Season 8 Episode 15  

When Roderick turns 18, he gets a special gift from his mom... for the one thing about him, she does not love.

Sound Design & Score: Leon Morimoto

Produced: Shaina Shealy, Mark Oppenheimer and the team at Unorthodox.

Season 10 Episode 14

Comic Jen Kober tells the story of the mother she never expected to find, on a journey she never expected to take.

Performed live at The Paramount in Oakland. 

Music composed by Bells Atlas.

Season 10 Episode 13

When you're struggling and living in the margins, the powers that be want to keep you ... exactly where you are.

Season 8 Episode 12 

When one couple learns that their teenage son has been identified as a potential school shooter, they do everything they can to prove that he’s not.

Bethany Barnes originally reported this story for The Oregonian - Targeted: A Family and the Quest to Stop the Next School Shooter. 

Producer: Nancy López

Season 10 Episode 12

A tiny, pirate radio station broadcasts to the thousands of families trapped in ISIS-controlled Mosul. When listeners start calling in, something remarkable happens.

Producer:  Anna Sussman

Snap LIVE! At The Paramount featuring Glynn Washington, Don Reed and Joyce Lee telling stories about subjects that are taboo, bizarre and humorous.

Live Music by Bell's Atlas

Season 10 Episode 11

Snap Favorite Don Reed takes the stage with a heartfelt homage to his father's dreams for his son.

Performed live by Don Reed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music

Music composed and performed by Bells Atlas

Season 10 Episode 9

Snap comedy queen Jen Kober thought having an adventurous date meant trying a new restaurant... little did she know she would be free falling into a pretty crappy situation.

Original Music by Bells Atlas

Performed Live at Brooklyn Academy of Music

Get the video at snapjudgment.org

Season 10 Epsiode 8

Back in the 1970's Bob Favor signed up to be a Texas Ranger. He helped local police solve some of their toughest cases. But there was one case that kept getting away from him.

John Cotrocois is obsessed with meet-cutes, but he always falls for the wrong men. Will his dream of a fairy-tale romance come true?

Season 10 Episode 7

Snap spotlights "Peace of Mind" with Bhi Bhiman. In the inaugural episode, Bhi interviews Glynn Washington, bestselling author Dave Eggers, and renowned psychologist Lee Ross.

After a college party, Anwen* and Sameer* went back to a dorm room. What happened that night was confusing and horrible. But in this story we get the rare opportunity to hear both of them grapple with what happened in a way that is both surprising and meaningful. Warning, this story contains graphic descriptions of sexual violence.

Season 10 Episode 6

Two women, a tiny boat, the wide open ocean...and kismet.  

Season 8 Episode 28

A computer hacker tries to make his way home through two countries, a dense jungle and a seemingly endless string of technical challenges.

Season 10 Episode 4

It was both a tragedy and a punchline. The story behind a cult that changed the world. 

Season 10 Episode 3

When a man is falsely accused of kidnapping a police officer, he tells a lie to set himself free. But that lie comes at an enormous cost.

Season 10 Episode 2

There was a legend in central Maine, about a hermit who had lived in the woods, unseen, for 30 years.  Then, in 2013, the police arrested a man named Christopher Knight.

Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. 

A very special presentation of the day the world almost ended.

Season 10 Episode 1

A young man has the chance to work on a very secret, very powerful weapon that could put an end to world war II. The project involves no toxins, no chemicals, no shrapnel and no bullets. Instead, the project involves lots and lots of flying mammals. Lots.

Content Advisory:  This story details a war situation involving both people and animals, Listener Discretion Is Advised.

Season 9 Episode 38

A special presentation just for you... "Look Back 2018." Coming to terms with events that have happened, but that you don’t want to believe. Featuring some favorite Snap stories from the vault.

Season 9 Episode 37

Snap Judgment spotlights the amazing podcast Ear Hustle: The Big No No, stories from San Quentin State Prison.

Kassem Eid had spent two years living in a city under siege.  After he and his neighbors took part in the protests during the Arab Spring in 2011, Syrian President Bashar Al Assad began to punish towns like Kassem’s. His forces bombed them, surrounded them, and starved them. That’s when Kassem decided to fight back.

Season 9 Episode 35

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes: little girls, traveling dogs and men who save strangers from disaster... on the Snap Judgment 2018 Gratitude Special.

Season 9 Episode 33 

When the man in charge of a small, insular northern Ohio town wreaks havoc on his followers, a young Amish boy with a passion for good hair tries to clean up the mess.

Season 9 Episode 32

What do you do when you are trying to give birth... in the middle of a wildfire?

Nicole Veum is interviewed live by producer April Demobosky for "The Fire Tapes"

The Fire Tapes is a collaboration between KQED's "The Bay" and Snap Judgment for the Coal + Ice Festival in San Francisco.

Producers: Sukey Lewis, Mark Ristich and Jeremy Siegel

Counted: An Oakland Story is the story of the people lost to Oakland’s violence. During 2017, a team of Snap Judgment producers, learned about Oakland’s homicide victims, their families and communities. Visit oaklandstory.org for more interviews, photos and illustrations.

Season 9 Episode 9

Legendary "Snap LIVE! in NYC" at RadioLoveFest featuring Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter from The Roots and The Tonight Show, comedian Jen Kober, and Snap favorite Josh Healey. 

Season 7 Episode 3

The Birds: As a little boy in Richmond Virginia, raising pigeons, Ray Christian made a friend with the same hobby. But there was something mysterious about Ray’s new pal.

The Taxidermist: When Tracey started doing taxidermy, she assumed all her subjects would be dead. Until she met a squirrel who didn't seem quite right.

The Visage: A man is hired to do remodel work on a house with a haunted history.  But something inside the house doesn’t want anything to change.

Season 9 Episode 31

Get 13 all-new episodes of Spooked Season 2 at Spookedpodcast.org.

THE IRON GATE

When Dallas Sanchez was stationed in Iraq, he saw danger every single day.  But one night on patrol, when his small kill team took over a house in Baghdad, an unseen force had a message for them: Get. Out.

Season 9 Episode 30

How do you imagine falling in love when you know you might never get the chance to? A story from inside the walls of Guantanamo Bay Prison.

Season 9 Episode 27

In the mid-70s, Conan was hired to direct and produce a nature documentary. But he wanted to do something more ambitious. The film he made "Faces of Death" became one of the most infamous movies ever, but his success came with deadly consequences.

Season 9 Episode 26

Sometimes the only word you hear is "No." But what if you always said "Yes"? Snap Judgment proudly presents "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy".

Forbidden Fruit

An aspiring priest decides to experience all that the world has to offer.

The Faith Healer

Imagine putting your hands on someone, and curing whatever ails them. Charles Monroe Kane knows the feeling.  

The Insane Million Maker Master Counterfeiter

What’s the easiest way to make money? Make Money. And lots of it.

Season 7 Episode 23

When you’re a safari guide on the Zambezi River, you always know that things could go horribly wrong.

Season 9 Episode 25

Featuring a new story from the "Real Black Klansman" Detective Ron Stallworth...we're going face to face with "The Klan." Includes a bonus Snap Classic story from boogie-woogie pianist Daryl Davis, author of “Klan-Destine Relationships.”

After a salesman at Oakland’s Lake Merritt disappears, journalist Tammerlin Drummond investigates what happened to him.

Season 9 Episode 23

Dylan Evans had hit a wall. Life was becoming too routine, too mundane. So he did something very few of us would do to change that.

For more check out Dylan Evan’s book: The Utopia Experiment

Producer: Nancy Lopez

Sound Design: Pat Mesiti-Miller

In the 1970s, thousands of Vietnamese refugees were left on the remote Anambas Islands in Indonesia. They were stranded without food, water, and shelter, forced to survive off the land. Now, almost 40 years later, one woman wants to go back to those distant islands, one last time.

This story would not have been possible without their generous support of the International Women’s Media Foundation.

Season 9 Episode 22

In 2009, Jane Gillooly came across an item on Ebay that piqued her imagination.  The picture was of a suitcase filled with old audiotapes. The listing’s title was “Suitcase of Love and Shame.”

The story of The Mirage, the famous undercover Chicago Sun bar, as told by two reporters posing as bartenders.  Pam Zekman currently works as an investigative reporter for CBS 2 Chicago. You can find Zay Smith’s book about The Mirage, his humor column and a his novel, at zaysmith.com.

Season 9 Episode 21

An all new season of Spooked, the podcast, is dropping early August. In this episode, we’re featuring some of our favorite stories from Spooked, season one.

The first rule about fight club is you do not talk about fight club.  Ray Christian breaks that rule.

Season 9 Episode 19

Snap Judgment joins the podcast Ear Hustle for a look at parenting from inside San Quentin State Prison.

In this episode incarcerated fathers share their stories of striving to be present in their children's lives. One inmate reconnects with his son after 20 years. Another stays very involved through letters and visits. And a third gets the opportunity to give his teenage son a haircut.

In 2006, a wolf was born in Yellowstone who would become a legend in her own time.

For more about the 06 Female and the debate surrounding wolves in Yellowstone, be sure to check out Jeff Hull's article in Outside Magazine and Nate Rott'sspecial report for NPR.

Producer: Joe Rosenberg

What if you don't have a heart?

If I Only Had A Heart

The sum of the parts cannot equal the hole in your heart.

The Scientist And The Psychopath

Neuroanatomist Dr. James Fallon studies the most dangerous kind of person: the psychopath. His job is to get up close and personal with the mind of the psychopath so that we can better understand what makes them tick. He treats their brains with the cold calculation of a scientist at work. But in the process things get mighty personal.

About Face

You’ve heard the saying, right? You can’t see the forest for the trees. Well, imagine if your whole life all you could do, all you knew how to do, was see the trees, the details, the minutiae of the world. What would you miss out on. Let’s take a walk in Tom Conces’ shoes and find out.

Chin-Kyll and Bo-Ok: Across the DMZ

What happens when you are reunited with your North Korean sister for the first time in over five decades?

When the fight is over we still have to deal with the pieces of the battle that remain inside.  Featuring The Warrior Box and Soul of a Soldier.

Season 9 Episode 17

When Avi Steinberg became a prison librarian, he thought his job would be to keep track of the books.  Then he started reading between the lines.

Producer: Joe Rosenberg

Hear how one of Yugoslavia’s top basketball players attempts to escape the Siege of Sarajevo and don't miss The Nocturnists late night meltdown at the morgue.

"The Choice" from the Lucky Podcast

Nada Rothbart thought she’d have plenty of time to get her family out of Sarajevo. Suddenly, it was too late.

This story originally aired on Lucky podcast, listen to part two of Nada’s story "The Choice" here.

"Live At The Morgue" from The Nocturnists Podcast

What do you do when the morgue has a total meltdown. Galen Laserson tells her story live at The Nocturnists.  Its host and creator is Emily Silverman, MD, its executive producer is Ali Block, MD, and its podcast producer is Marina Poole. 

Season 9 Episode 16

In the desert of northern South Africa you come across a little puddle.  If you dive down into that puddle, at the bottom there is a slot.  This is the entrance to third largest freshwater cave in the world. This is where the adventure begins.  

Producer: Julia DeWitt

At the height of the Cold War, Ulrike Poppe just might have been the most surveilled woman in the world. But it was only after the wall fell that things got really interesting.

Producer: Luisa Beck with Production Assistance By Joe Rosenberg

Original Score: Renzo Gorrio

Season 9 Episode 15

For two years, ISIS fought to take over the city of Mosul, killing 40,000 civilians. This is a story about a group of men and women from around the world who packed up their bags, flew into Iraq, and made their way to Mosul to try their hand at fighting ISIS back.

Season 9 Episode 14

When a rising high school track star in Eritrea, East Africa, is arrested under the military dictatorship, he realizes he might have a way out....run.

Season 9 Episode 13

On Atlas Peak there is one way in and one way out.  When wildfire threatened their homes, the only escape route...was up.

Check out KQED's fire investigation.

Producer: Sukey Lewis

Season 9 Episode 12

There is a line, draw it in the sand, shake on it, mark it in blood, but if you cross it... there is no going back.

Season 6 Episode 12

Stories of young people using every trick in their little arsenal to win praise and love, only to find themselves alone in the end.

Season 9 Episode 11 

Paul Berczeller examines the case of Takako Konishi, who died in a frozen forest on the North Dakota/Minnesota border looking for the treasure from the Coen Brother’s film Fargo.  

Producer: Joe Rosenberg

KC was a rising star, improving Detroit’s most troubled public schools. But to do that, she cut some legal corners that put her in prison.

Season 9 Episode 10

Counted: An Oakland Story is a yearlong look at the people lost to Oakland’s violence. During 2017, a team of Snap Judgment producers learned about Oakland’s homicide victims, their families and communities. Visit oaklandstory.org for more interviews, photos, and illustrations.

Season 9 Episode 9

When the going gets tough, the tough make stuff happen. Featuring stories about rattlesnakes pageant queens, Apache orphans, and the legendary Xiao Xiao.

Avraham’s story was included in a 12-part Hebrew webseries called Neviim: Operation Amramby Elad Ben Elul (@Eladbenelul) and Yossi Brauman. Read hundreds more testimonies like Avraham’s at Amram’s website. The Amram association has collected hundreds of saliva samples from people who connected to the kidnapping affair.

Producer: Shaina Shealy

Season 9 Episode 8

In 1989, an enormous earthquake struck the Bay Area. One of Oakland’s major arteries, the Cypress Freeway, collapsed. And one man named Raven left his home and dove into the wreckage to save lives.

This story comes from Liam O'Donoghue, host and producer of the podcast East Bay Yesterday.

Producers: Liam O'Donoghue and Eliza Smith

Original Score: Davey Kim

Season 9 Episode 7

When Snap Judgment producer Davey Kim was in eighth grade, he went to the regional level spelling bee with his best friend...and took R-E-V-E-N-G-E.

The story of how Mokhtar Akhanshali braved a civil war to bring Yemeni coffee to the world.  

Dave Egger’s biography of Mokhtar, The Monk of Mokha, is available wherever books are sold. And be sure to check out the book’s instagram at @themonkofmokha.

Producer: Joe Rosenberg

Original Score: Renzo Gorrio

Season 9 Episode 6

Ear Hustle brings you stories of life inside prison, shared and produced by those living it. The podcast is a partnership between Earlonne Woods and Antwan Williams, currently incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, and Nigel Poor, a Bay Area artist.

The team works in San Quentin’s media lab to produce stories that are sometimes difficult, often funny, and always honest, offering a nuanced view of people living within the American prison system.

Find out more about Ear Hustle and Subscribe to the podcast on their website, www.EarHustleSQ.com

Season 9 Episode 5

Snap spends a year with three Mission High School seniors Brantin, Damaris, and Alex as they try to make sense of adulthood in a rapidly changing San Francisco.

Producers: Adizah Eghan, Liz Mak, Eliza Smith, Anna Sussman and Mark Ristich.

Original Score: Pat Mesiti-Miller and Renzo Gorrio

Special Thanks: Chandra Shivakumar from Mission High

Season 9 Episode 4

What sounds would you want memorize if you were told you were going to be completely deaf before you turned 28?

Producer: April Dembosky

Original Score: Renzo Gorrio

Sound Design: Leon Morimoto and April Dembosky

Season 9 Episode 3

What happens when boy meets girl and… fungus?

Season 9 Episode 2

What if you were born to twerk it, but you didn't know how to work it? Estee Rose grew up in a tight-knit Ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Brooklyn. Find out how she reclaims her faith after she loses it in a tumultuous series of events. To channel Estee’s tunes, check out producer Shaina Shealy’s Spotify playlist, “Zumba Estee”. 

Season 9 Episode 1

What if one day you found out you look like one of the most famous people in the country -- who everybody hates?

Lynn Harris is an author, commentator, award-winning journalist and mostly-retired comedian. She has a new business, teaching comedy to teenage girls. You can find her performing on stage as Tonya Harding here.

Producer: Liz Mak

There are big stories with weight, little stories with heart, and then the stories that are just STOOPID.

Season 8 Episode 33 

Before there was Zimbabwe, there was the “Heavy” scene. In the 1970’s, Rock music rang out from the black townships in Rhodesia. One band, Wells Fargo, became the voice of the people. Founding members Ebba Chitambo and Never Mpofu tell their story of music and revolution in the face of an oppressive government.Wells Fargo’s new release Watch Out! is available now through Vinyl Me Please.Learn more about the work Matthew Shechmeister and Eothen “Egon” Alapatt are doing to document the Heavy scene at Now-Again Records.  Producer: Pat Mesiti-MillerCorrespondent: Albert NyathiFeaturing Music by Wells FargoCourtesy of Now-Again Records

The Snap Judgment Holiday Special features two good Santas in "Miracle on 22nd Street," a misguided angel in "Preaching to the Choir," and Snap story makers as they look back on their favorite stories of 2017.

Season 8 Episode 32

Let Moss Hills take you on sea cruise…

Producer: Joe Rosenberg

Sound Design: Renzo Gorrio

In 1962, in a very small, very white suburb of Chicago, a young couple set out to adopt a baby girl.

This story was produced in collaboration with The New York Times.

Producers: Amy Roost and Anna Sussman

Season 8 Episode 31

James Vlahos wanted to keep his dad around for as long as possible, so he saved the best part about him in the best way he knew how.

Season 8 Episode 30

Jay J. Armes was a real life superhero ... until real life intruded.   Also be sure to check out Gary Cartwright’s original 1976 article on Jay J. Armes for Texas Monthly. Producer: Vanessa Rancano Sound Design: Leon Morimoto

We're dropping the story-pocalypse...performed LIVE! at San Francisco's Nourse Theater.

Season 5 Episode 21 

"The Outbreak" - What do you do when a life-threatening disease makes it too dangerous to save the person closest to you.

"Grits and Sausages" - When Ray Christian was a young boy, he longed to hear the voice of God.

"The Blue Bear" - For Lynn Schooler grew up in Alaska hearing rumor after rumor about the elusive blue bear. 

Season 8 Episode 29

From Russia With Love

Two women, a tiny boat, the wide-open ocean...and kismet.  

Elena has written a book about their adventure, called Talking to the Moon. You can read the story on the couple’s website.

Producer: Liz Mak

Original Score: Leon Morimoto

Season 8 Episode 28

Tameer is part of an ethnic minority in northern Israel called Druze. When he is struck on the head as a young boy he inherits an entire new lifetime of memories.

Original Score: Renzo Gorrio

Producer: Shaina Shealy

Cowboy Ghost

Valerie is lost in a snowstorm in rural Montana. She thinks she might not be able to get out, when she sees two headlights coming to her through the storm. Help is on the way - she hopes. Valerie’s story comes to us from the book Trucker Ghost Stories, edited by Annie Wilder.

Producer: Eliza Smith

Voice In The Woods

When the voice says "Stop" you stay perfectly still. And when the voice says "Run!" you had better run.

Producer: Eliza Smith 

Season 8 Episode 26

Great Aunt Rose

When Christina McKenna’s cruel aunt comes back from the grave to make amends--she’s not sure if she can forgive. Read more about Christina’s childhood in Ireland in her book, My Mother Wore A Yellow Dress.

Devil’s Water

Attempting to dig the family well in rural Michigan, Glynn's family comes up dry – until Daddy cuts a deal with the Devil.

Season 8 Episode 25

Confessions of a Baby Snatcher

The ‘work’ of social work is a lot more complicated than Katie Leavitt first thought. Luckily, a little voice helps to guide her.

Producer: Anna Sussman

Original Score and Sound Design: Leon Morimoto

Get The Hook Up!

Sometimes, you know your big shot when you see it.

Ayanna Dookie and Seaton Smith are both comedians living in New York.

Producer: Liz Mak

Original Score and Sound Design: Renzo Gorrio

The story of two men who come face to face one night in the canyon lands of southern Utah.

Producer:  Joe Rosenberg

Original Score and Sound Design: Leon Morimoto

Season 8 Episode 23

Time Warp Saloon

The neon sign blinks at the roadhouse bar. The jukebox plays an old tune as the bartender shouts, "Last Call." Just one more. Why not? What could it hurt?

This story came to Spooked from Jim Harold’s Campfire Podcast, hosted by Jim Harold, check it out at JimHarold.com.

Love Letters

Mark Spencer lived in the haunted house with the ghost of Ladell - and we are eternally grateful that he stuck around long enough to bring us his story. Mark Spencer and his family have lived in the Allen House since 2007. Visit him online at AllenHouseTours.com

Season 8 Episode 22

When an immovable object meets an unstoppable force, what is left standing?

Season 7 Episode 14

Goose Justice

Snap storyteller Abdul Kenyatta was taught to be wary of the police. Then one day he found a way to turn the tables.

Benjamin and The Bear

Back when he was kid, Benjamin was a scrawny outcast with a penchant for tinkering. He liked to  go on adventures in the abandoned mining town where he grew up, seeking discarded electronics to repair. One day he goes on an adventure that he will never forget.

Season 8 Episode 21

Luna The Whale

In 2004, a lost baby orca named Luna swam towards Vancouver Island and tried to befriend humans. Then the First Nations and the Department of Oceans and Fisheries got involved.

To learn more about Luna's story, check out Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisholm's documentary.

Producer: Davey Kim

Season 8 Episode 20

The hardest character to play is the character without a script.

Magic Lamp

Glynn's good luck charm goes missing.

Producer: Mark Ristich

Cassandro El Exotico

Cassandro is an up-and-coming luchador, a professional Mexican wrestler. He wants to get to the big arenas. He's got the talent, no doubt. But because he's also one of the only openly gay fighters, he's got an uphill battle to get the crowd and the press on his side. 

Producer: Eliza SmithSound Design: Leon Morimoto

Gina Gold - The Lusty Lady

Pimps beware! Gina Gold is on superhero duty.

Performed live at Snap LIVE! in Oakland's Paramount TheaterMusic composed by Alex Mandel and performed by Alex Mandel, David Brandt, and Tim Frick

Neal Brennan - Three Mics

Neal Brennan writer, director, comedian and co-creator of Chappelle's Show is in the studio telling a story from his one-man show Three Mics.

Performed by: Neal BrennanProducer: Lina Misitzis and Mark Ristich

Season 7 Episode 10

Supernatural Storytelling. Experience Snap's new haunted podcast, "Spooked!"

 Featuring "Houdini’s Promise" and "The Night Mother."

BOO! Get the NEW Spooked Podcast now at SpookedPodcast.org. 

Border Bogeyman

Rocky Elmore used to work down by the border during long pitch-black nights in the desert. It was so dark you never knew who or what was out there.

Rocky’s previous story with Snap Judgment was The Phantom Border Patrol Agent.

For more stories of natural and supernatural happenings on the border, be sure to check out Rocky’s book, Out On Foot: Nightly Patrols and Ghostly Tales of A U.S. Border Patrol Agent and his website, RockyElmore.com

Tooki Man

Trekking in Indonesia, Ian and Stuart wander off the beaten path.  There, a broken man tells them he knows the way to magic . . .

The Trail of Polaroids

After arriving home from work, Douglas Leach saw a Polaroid lying on his front step. He picked it up. He shouldn't have. . .

Past Life Detective

Detective Bob Snow could never have imagined that the toughest case of his entire career, would be an investigation into his own past....life.  Check out Bob Snow’s books here. 

Season 8 Episode 19

Promises. Some of them are worthless, and some of them have infinite value, and some you will never know how much they are worth... until you have to cash them in.

Season 7 Episode 7

Amazing people wrestling with tough opponents and big decisions. Featuring Anthony Robles, the grappler that could take you down with one leg, and the Von Erich wrestling family whose glitz and fame was riddled with pain and sacrifice.

Season 8 Episode 18

When your back is against the wall and you're all out of options, you don't want to break the law...but it wants to break you. Featuring the story of an imprisoned Iranian fiancee and a personal story from the Daily Show's Hasan Minhaj.

Season 7 Episode 1

Amazing stories from people pushing the limits of their own mortality. Featuring the story of a skeptical journalist turned mountain climber.

Season 8 Episode 17

Fantastic stories from people paid to do our dirty work.

Season 5 Episode 6 

At the Cadillac Hotel, an SRO in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District, a resident has gone missing. Her long time lover and best friend won’t rest until she is found.

Remarkable stories from real people battling a digital future.

Season 5 Episode 1

You take the pills, you exercise regularly, and yet, still something or perhaps someone is wrong...

Season 8 Episode 16