70 Over 70

Hysterical investigates a mysterious illness that spreads among a group of high school girls in upstate New York. What is causing their sudden, often violent symptoms? Is there something in the water or inside the school? Or is it “all in their head?” The series examines the outbreak in LeRoy, NY, believed by some to be the most severe case of mass hysteria since the Salem Witch Trials. In his search for answers, Dan Taberski (9/12, Missing Richard Simmons, Running from Cops) explores other seemingly inexplicable events of the last few years – CIA officers being crippled with nausea and vertigo; cops OD'ing from exposure to fentanyl – and discovers they’re far more connected than we realize.

From Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios, this 7-part series forces us to grapple with the mysteries of our own minds, and reckon with a contagion that we thought was long dead, but may be the defining disorder of our time.

Follow Hysterical on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Hysterical early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+ at Wondery.fm/Hysterical_PSS.

Before 70 Over 70 goes on hiatus, Max sits down again with the person who inspired the show, his dad Marty, to talk about what he has learned from these conversations and what he hopes will stick with listeners. 

Thank you to the more than 70 people over 70 who helped make this show possible: 

Alice Waters, André De Shields, Anna Fisher, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Arlene Heyman, Arthur Russell, Austin Sarat, Barney Frank, Bertha Riley, Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk, Betty Goedhart, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Bob Iger, Carolyn Doelling, Dan Rather, Darryl Cox, David Crosby, Deanna Gobio, Diana Nyad, Diane Meier, Diedre Wolownick, Dionne Warwick, Dolores Huerta, Donalda MacGeachy, Evelyn Griesse, George Pettigrew, Gloria Allen, Greg O'Brien, Sister Helen Prejean, Howard Kakita, Jackie Batson, James Hong, Jim Clyburn, Father Joe Carey, Dr. Joycelyn Elders, Judith Light, Konai Helu Thaman, Krishnamurthy, Dr. Laverene Wimberly, Liliana Weisbek, Lillian Faderman, Lilly Ledbetter, Lucia DeRespinis, Lois Lowry, Lynn Staley, Madeleine Albright, Maira Kalman, Marty Linsky, Mavis Staples, Michio Kaku, Miriam Moss, Nikki Giovanni, Norman Lear, Paul Price, Paula Weinstein, Peter Leighton, Phyllis Irwin, Raffi, Renata Adler, Russell Banks, Sandy Levin, Scott Kalin, Shirley Ross, Sid Moss, Sjanna Leighton, Steven Berman, Susan Lucci, Timothy Fullam, Tom Locke, Travis Mayes, Twiggy, William Locke

Paul Price shares what he has learned about how to make the most of the time we have left. Then Max talks with Dr. Diane Meier, a geriatrician and founder of Mount Sinai’s Center to Advance Palliative Care, about what she has learned from helping so many people make meaning of their lives, how to have hard conversations with people we care about, and why 70 feels exciting and unknown.

Special thanks to Agnes Frith and The Golden Wattle Cafe, “a regular cafe event for people living with dementia, their carers, and others who would like to join us.”

Greg O’Brien shares how a terminal diagnosis revealed his purpose in life. Then Max talks with Judith Light about how her career opened up when she started to focus on what she could give rather than what she could get, and how that transformation has helped her think about death in a “real, conscious and alive way.”

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Know someone who should be on 70 Over 70? We’re looking for all types of stories and people to feature at the top of the show. To nominate yourself or someone else, email [email protected] or call 302-659-7070 and tell us your name, age, where you’re from and what you want to talk about.

This week we’re going back to our first interview of 70 Over 70 with Sister Helen Prejean, who has dedicated her life to ending the death penalty in America. Sister Helen’s interview helped set the tone for our show, and as 70 Over 70 comes to an end—yup, we’ve only got a few episodes left—we wanted to revisit this first conversation and share Sister Helen’s thoughts on what it really means to be present, how to show up for others, and why gratitude is so important at any stage of life.

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Know someone who should be on 70 Over 70? We’re looking for all types of stories and people to feature at the top of the show. To nominate yourself or someone else, email [email protected] or call 302-659-7070 and tell us your name, age, where you’re from and what you want to talk about.

Diedre Wolownick tells the story of how she became the oldest woman to climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Then Max talks with Twiggy about her career as an international supermodel, how she thinks about that time in her life now, and why getting older doesn’t faze her. 

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If you want to hear more from Twiggy and her friends, check out her podcast, Tea with Twiggy.

Know someone who should be on 70 Over 70? We’re looking for all types of stories and people to feature at the top of the show. To nominate yourself or someone else, email [email protected] or call 302-659-7070 and tell us your name, age, where you’re from and what you want to talk about.

Phyllis Irwin and Lillian Faderman share the story of how a legal loophole allowed them to create the life they had always dreamed of. Then Max talks with Lilly Ledbetter about the amazing story behind the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, how a single moment in her 60s led her to become a prominent activist in her 70s and 80s and why her fight for equal pay is far from over.

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Know someone who should be on 70 Over 70? We’re looking for all types of stories and people to feature at the top of the show. To nominate yourself or someone else, email [email protected] or call 302-659-7070 and tell us your name, age, where you’re from and what you want to talk about.

Konai Helu Thaman explains how teaching high school English deepened her appreciation for her native language. Then Max talks with David Crosby about why he feels incredibly lucky to still be alive at age 80 and how he’s starting to plan for a future where he’s no longer able to make music. 

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Know someone who should be on 70 Over 70? We’re looking for all types of stories and people to feature at the top of the show. To nominate yourself or someone else, email [email protected] or call 302-659-7070 and tell us your name, age, where you’re from and what you want to talk about.

Krishnamurthy shares what it feels like to accept new limitations. Then Max talks with Russell Banks about why writing comes more easily now than ever before, how he learned to let go of the anger that drove him for so long, and what it really means to be alone.

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Know someone who should be on 70 Over 70? We’re looking for all types of stories and people to feature at the top of the show. To nominate yourself or someone else, email [email protected] or call 302-659-7070 and tell us your name, age, where you’re from and what you want to talk about.