About a year before the pandemic, I made the very sensible decision of spending all my savings on a creative writing master’s. Despite a long freelance career that straddled the corporate and creative worlds, I wanted to narrow my focus and instead at least try to commit to a more creative life. I was a professional singer with a residency at a London hotel and after completing my MA, I decided that singing would be my main source of income while I worked on my novel and other creative pursuits of podcasting and standup comedy.

Clever.

When lockdown hit, I didn’t just lose my income, it felt like I lost my voice.

I started a podcast with my boyfriend in 2019. The Dabblers’ Book Club was a simple couple’s hobby, built around the fact we both loved to talk and we both liked reading. Well, he loved reading, I always needed a bit of a nudge. The pod forced me to read a book every fortnight and to clarify my thoughts on it by talking it through. We reviewed novels and would laugh at one-star reviews on Amazon. It was a modest podcast but it was fun and it gave me the opportunity to connect with a range of people for interviews – it felt like a permission slip to approach people I admired and respected for a conversation. A particular highlight was interviewing the wonderful author Douglas Stuart about his Booker winning debut, Shuggie Bain.

In the early stages of lockdown, despite the chaos in my head, The Dabblers’ Book Club gave me a sense of purpose and even identity. I’m undeniably an extrovert but growing up in a strict religious household instilled a sense of shame in me about any traits that might be deemed unladylike; I knew from a young age that I was ‘too loud’ and that anything I said would be subject to intense scrutiny. So when it came to podcasting it wasn’t the chat, but the edit that felt like a battle. I started out cutting huge sections of what I’d said in case the logic was even slightly flawed or ill-considered; I’d take out jokes I’d found funny at the time; I’d edit out every ‘umm’ to the point I sounded like a robot; and even though there was no clipping or distortion I’d cut out the occasional foghorn that was my laugh. I simply couldn’t believe that not everyone was listening to tear me apart. That some people do actually want to hear what you think and will allow you your flaws. The inner critic is hard to silence. As schedules changed, reading got harder and we let the podcast fizzle out, but I’m determined not to let my voice die with it.

So, I’ve given myself permission to be too loud again or – as anyone who’s not my dad would call it – to have conversations in public. Lots and lots of conversations, in fact, with brilliant people, covering everything from love, loss and grief to travel, creativity and identity. To get me through this post-pandemic lull and make some noise, I’m launching The Noisy Hajar Podcast, a weekly podcast where I’ll invite guests to talk about absolutely anything they want. As a judge at the British Podcast Awards, I should know better than to dive in without a clear structure or plan, but that’s also the beauty of podcasting. Just as some of best lines in TV comedy history came from hours of improv, you never know what gems you’ll find just by talking things through. To get some inspiration (and bag some future guests) I’ll be heading to some of the brilliant live podcast events at the London Podcast Festival this month. Here are my picks.

Halfies: A Live Podcast
Thursday 8 th September | 9.30pm | £9.50

If you’re dual heritage like me and have never known which box to tick on a diversity form, this one’s for you. To talk about the funny side of growing up a ‘halfie’, I’ll be joined by razor-sharp comic and fellow Anglo-Iranian Darius Davies and ‘the best British-Surinamese, Irish-Palestinian duo on the circuit’, Shirley & Shirley, aka Joanna Carolan and Pascale Wilson. Buy tickets >>

A Gay and A NonGay
Friday 9 th September | 7pm | £9.50

I saw James Barr’s brilliant ‘Straight Jokes’ show at the Edinburgh Fringe and I know this live podcast, nominated in the Best Interview and Sex & Relationships categories at this year’s British Podcast Awards will deliver just as many laughs. Expect audience interaction, a safe space for Dan to ask questions to the LGBTQ+ community in Things That Dan Cannot Say, and a laugh-out-loud look at the differences between Gay and NonGay people. Buy tickets >>

Griefcast
Sunday 11 th September | 7pm | £14.50

Grief isn’t something we seem to have a particular language or culture around in the UK, but luckily people are trying to change that. This podcast has been a lifeline for some of my friends who’ve experienced the heartbreak and aching loneliness of loss. Comedian Cariad Lloyd is joined by Karen Hobbs, Marcus Brigstocke and Saima Ferdows to talk all things grief and death and to plan their own funerals at the same time. Buy tickets >>

Chart Music: The TOTP Podcast
Sunday 17 th September | 2pm | £12.50

Now that I’m 36, a good Friday night in consists of a bottle of wine and 90s Top of the Pops, so this is right up my street. For this special live episode, host Al Needham will be joined onstage by David Stubbs, Sarah Bee and Taylor Parkes for a concentrated, 90-minute blast of putting the trainers to the anus of an episode of our favourite Thursday night pop treat. Buy tickets >>

90 Minutes Or Less Film Fest Fest: Dan Schreiber on Naked Gun 2 1/2 – The Smell of Fear
Sunday 18 th September | Noon | £9.50

I loved the Naked Gun films as a kid, and still have Priscilla Presley’s three-point flashing dress emblazoned in my memory, so this is a must-watch for me. For this live edition of the show, Sam Clements will be joined by Dan Schrieber to watch the film and then chat about it after. A pretty perfect Sunday afternoon. Buy tickets >>

Read more articles about the London Podcast Festival or head to the Kings Place Website to buy your tickets!

The post Permission to make some noise (and finding inspiration at the London Podcast Festival) appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Now, Liz Cheng and Patricia Alvarado Núñez (who co-created the series with Editorial Manager Chris Hastings) host and executive produce Stories from the Stage: The Podcast, based on the original broadcast series. It allow listeners to hear entire episodes of the original series as they appeared during their original television broadcasts, but it also provides bonus “behind-the-scenes” narratives and extras not included in the Stories from the Stage on-air broadcasts.

We caught up with Liz and Patricia to talk about creating the podcast series, representation, and which podcasts inspire them…

Can you introduce yourselves to the readers?

Liz Cheng: Early in my career as a print and video journalist/producer, I gravitated to the stories of individuals, caught in the headlines, who illustrated the unfortunate pressure points in America, and yet, were determined to prevail. I was especially drawn to those who embodied all the ‘differences’ that make a difference. You see, my parents emigrated from China after World War II at a time when our country thought every Asian was the enemy, so it was difficult for them to find jobs, despite having advanced degrees, and it was years until they eventually became U.S. citizens. As a result, I found myself focusing on fellow multiculturals — filmmakers, storytellers and subjects/people with diverse backgrounds, differing orientation and often challenging circumstances —who like all of us just want a safe and sustainable place in the world for themselves, the people they love and their community. Thanks to our talented staff, WORLD has evolved from a service that merely repeated the best in PBS non-fiction content to now commissioning and curating original films and storytelling with widely diverse perspectives and memorable situations – in essence, people reporting from the heart of their own multicultural communities.

Patricia Alvarado Núñez: Growing up in Panama and working at its public television station, I had always dreamed of studying in Boston and working at the powerhouse public media producer, GBH. I was fortunate to secure an internship with La Plaza, a GBH series dedicated to examining issues affecting Latino communities throughout the United States. Following my internship, I had the opportunity to produce different projects, including a documentary about Fidel Castro for the PBS series American Experience, a national studio-based series called Maria Hinojosa: One-on-One and Neighborhood Kitchens, a regional multicultural food series. I hope all my projects give people a glimpse into the diverse communities that make up our country. For this series, we have created a welcoming stage accessible to people from across the nation and around the world — of all ages, genders and ethnic backgrounds as well as those from rural and urban areas. When we create a safe place for people and their stories, we make space for empathy and a way for all of us to connect with a shared humanity.

What drew you to this project?

Patricia: Stories from the Stage is a dream project for me. I grew up hearing stories, mainly from my aunts and my dad in our childhood home. So, while I’ve always enjoyed the art of storytelling, I never dreamed that such stories could appeal to a wider audience. We love to help people find their voice because everyone has a story to tell. Some say telling a story on stage in front of strangers is simple, but it is not, even if you are an experienced speaker, actor, writer or stand-up comic. Liz, Director and Editor Michael Rossi, Curator and Story Coach Cheryl Hamilton, and I are grateful to our storytellers for allowing us to work with them on honing their performances, as they prepare to share the best and worst moments of their lives. Sometimes storytellers think they are ready to go on stage when they are not, so we gently invite them to return another time.

There are many reasons why tellers volunteer to do what they do: the time needed to process and publicly recognize something significant that happened to them as well as the opportunity to connect with strangers, impart insight about personal experiences and help others on their journey through life. Plus, it’s an amazing adrenaline rush – until you are up on stage, you can’t imagine the energy, excitement and feeling of accomplishment.

Liz: I believe a memorable story, heard at the right time, can transform a person. These are quintessential American stories from people whose families often originated from other countries. You can be emotionally uplifted by someone who might seem, at first, very different from you: a penniless young Black refugee from civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo trying to pursue an education in the U.S.; a woman with alopecia who redefines beauty for her two young daughters; or a man, whose family fled the Holocaust, learning to come to terms with tremendous loss.  These stories can inspire empathy, action and even incite social change — it is an art form that dares to take a stand. The primal act of sharing a story is a wonderful communal experience — we can learn together through laughter, tears — and cheers!  We endeavor to move beyond  understanding in order to celebrate our differences.

What do you have to consider when making a podcast as a companion to a TV series?

Patricia: For the podcast — as a major departure from broadcast — we can reveal the thinking and expand the timeline driving this incredibly rewarding work. Liz and I share behind-the-scenes information, including what happens after a performance. For example, on stage, a mother describes rescuing her young daughter from an oxycodone house; a year later, did the daughter stay drug-free and what did she think about her story being told publicly? Often, post-performance, long-lost friends, family and those involved in a story reach out to tellers after decades of no contact. These important details add layers to a story that is already extremely impactful.

Liz: Patricia and I discuss why we choose certain storytellers and how three stories connected together can make an inspiring statement about fighting for a cause, surviving a hilarious set of circumstances, triumphing over disaster, and even finding redemption. Unlike our broadcast series — we can also talk about how we identify with tellers and their stories. After all, we’re not made of stone! If we are filled with a sense of wonder or a particular story hits home, we talk about the connections to our personal lives. The podcast allows amazing stories – for the first time — to be enjoyed by all of you outside the United States.

Are there any podcasts you draw inspiration from?

Liz: I love so many podcasts that provide daily news, political analysis, storytelling, humor and deep dives into science, history, the arts or social justice issues.  Walking the dog on weekends, I like to listen to Code Switch, Hidden Brain, On the Media, and Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me!

We like to give our listeners a point of entry to series – would you say there’s a particular episode that’s a must listen?

Patricia:  It is hard to choose among so many storytellers who have inspired and entertained us. Below is a sampling of episodes we have listened to again and again and have turned out to be fan favorites in the U.S. Enjoy!

GROWING UP BLACK

Valerie Tutson introduces her disbelieving Black students to one of the world’s greatest explorers from Africa; and as a young girl at a predominantly Black school in Chicago, Angie Chatman has a chance encounter with a police officer she will never forget. Listen now >>

DEADLY SINS

Ashley Rose’s beloved multicultural neighborhood in Boston was destroyed by a man-made disaster; years later, she takes us back there to explore how this traumatic event turned her into a crusader for others. Listen now >>

WHATEVER IT TAKES 

Teacher and artist Annemarie Whilton describes her daughter Sarah’s descent into substance misuse disorder and her dramatic rescue from a drug den. Mother and daughter have a conversation with us about the challenging journey toward recovery. Listen now >>

SURVIVING CHILDHOOD

Comedic storyteller Susanne Schmidt shares two of her favorite childhood adventures: an “extreme camping” trip with her family, and her Janis Joplin lookalike nanny, who invented an new Olympic competition riding pillows down the staircase. Listen now >>

Where can our readers find out more about you?

You can follow Stories from the Stage on Facebook @storiesfromthestage to learn more about the series and discover new stories, or
Instagram, Twitter and YouTube using the hashtag #SFTSPodcast or by tagging @worldchannel and @StoriesFromTheStage.

Listen to Stories From The Stage now on worldchannel.org, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

Patricia Alvarado Núñez is an executive producer at GBH Boston.

Liz is the general manager of television for GBH’s six channels in the station’s local Boston, Massachusetts, area and for the U.S. 24/7 digital service, WORLD Channel, which is available in markets representing nearly 75% of U.S. television households.

The post Stories From The Stage: The most memorable stories from WORLD Channel appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Podcasters have been all over it for ages, going all the way back to the very beginning of the boom. It’s easy to see why too.

The intimacy that podcasts can build between hosts and listeners makes it an ideal place for guests and emailers to open up and show vulnerable parts of themselves, and for listeners to eavesdrop on other people’s lives.

At the very least, someone sharing a mortifying story about the first time they met their partner’s parents will never, ever not be funny. Here are some of the best sex and relationships pods to hitch yourself to.

Savage Lovecast

Everyone’s welcome on columnist Dan Savage’s forthright sex and relationships show, which has been dispensing judgement-free advice for the best part of 750 episodes now. Savage’s dictum is always that he only goes in hard on bad decisions rather than whatever particular quirk he’s been asked to dissect. It’s not for the delicate, but it’ll certainly open your eyes to quite how varied and joyous the rich tapestry of sexuality and relationship dynamics really is. Listen now >>

The Receipts

Tolani Shoneye, Audrey Indome and Milena Sanchez started up The Receipts back in 2016, on seeing a now hilariously misinformed tweet from 3 Shots of Tequila’s Tazer Black which suggested their pod wouldn’t work with three women hosting. Six years later, The Receipts is massive, and while the hosts are happy to dive into pretty much any topic at all their ‘Your Receipts’ episodes, which often tackle listeners’ relationship dilemmas, are frequently standouts. Listen now >>

Unexpected Fluids

It may be defunct now, but if you’re after some grossout fun, look no further. This one’s all about sharing sex stories where something goes hideously, hilariously wrong. That includes the deeply misbegotten sex tips listeners have tried out, the perils of getting tech involved in the bedroom, and Dr Alex George’s reminiscences of treating erotically acquired injuries in A&E. Probably not one to stick on if you’re in the office. Listen now >>

How to Build a Happy Life: ‘How to Know You’re Lonely’

Of course, the first issue in any relationship is working out whether you actually want one or not. The Atlantic’s podcast touches on most of the very biggest questions there are – finding joy, dealing with pain, making your work mean something – and its study of the growing epidemic of loneliness in the West is also a look at the fundamentals of making relationships meaningful. It’s not just a lecture either: there are exercises to complete to turn your new knowledge into a habit you get into every day too. Listen now >>

The Log Books

After three series, this sparkling, moving, sensitive exploration of the anxieties and joys of Britain’s LGBTQ communities from the 1970s to 2003 has come to an end. Tash Walker and Adam Zmith’s dive into the logs of Gay Switchboard (now Switchboard) has been a leader in showing how podcasts can turn raw sources into affecting social history which gives voice to marginalised groups. Listen now >>

Modern Love

What with having already been adapted into a TV programme and three books, it was perhaps inevitable that the New York Times’ long-running relationships column, Modern Love, would jump to podcasting too. The format isn’t revolutionary – stories from the huge archive of stories of real, ordinary love are read, authors are interviewed, and that’s roughly it – but it’s so well put together and the trove of material so strong that it’s pretty undeniable. The relationships it details are rarely plain sailing, but it’s proof that love is a persistent, mysterious and wonderful thing. Listen now >>

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