Audacious with Chion Wolf

It was part birthday party, part storytelling spectacle, and 100% Audacious!

We threw a live Show & Tell at Dead Language Beer Project in Hartford, and invited public radio fans to bring an object they love, and the story that makes it matter.

From a PEZ dispenser with family ties, to a holy (literally) beer mug, to walnut shell art that has mesmerized a family for generations, the night was full of big laughs, tiny treasures, and extraordinary moments.

Suggested episodes:

• Audacious Live! Show & Tell in Stamford
• Five years of Audacious: Where are they now?

GUESTS: 

• Chion Wolf: host of Audacious with Chion Wolf, who brought a Gracie Award
• Emily Tracy: Manchester resident, who brought one of many PEZ dispensers collected by her mother, Caryn
• Dr. David Shapiro: West Hartford resident, who brought a copy of a Hasbro comic book with a depiction of himself, in recognition of his work with Stop The Bleed
• Meg Fitzgerald: Senior Manager of Projects and Radio Programming at Connecticut Public, who brought a walnut that folds open and holds tiny art inside 
• Larry Klein: Meriden resident, who brought a puzzle mug made by a potter named Guy Wolff
• Pamela Morrison-Wolf: Farmington resident (and Chion's mother!), who brought a framed greeting card from her late husband, Guy Wolf
• Christy Kovel: Middletown resident and Director of Public Policy for the Alzheimer’s Association's Connecticut Chapter, who brought her cell phone containing two memorable images from the previous day
• Dave Mourad: Windsor resident, who brought a metal newspaper stand
• Robyn Doyon-Aitken: Deputy Director of Audio Storytelling and Talk Shows at Connecticut Public, who brought the cast her late mother had on her wrist
• Ashley Cook: Hartford resident, who brought a shadowbox of her hand x-ray and pins that the surgeons removed
• Michelle Horsley: Hartford resident, who brought her conductor's baton

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To celebrate five years of Audacious, we reconnect with a few unforgettable guests.

Ari Cobb, now 13, reflects on how his relationship with stuttering has evolved since we first met him at age 8. Toby Dorr shares how the death of her former partner, whom she once broke out of prison, reshaped her purpose.

Jeffrey Marsh returns with powerful insights on self-acceptance. And we meet Hannah Joyner, wife of Dr. David Meyers, who joined us before his death from glioblastoma.

It’s a heartfelt look back at stories that changed us and the people who continue to inspire us.

Suggested episodes:

• People with speech disfluencies have a lot to say
• Why'd You Do It: I snuck my incarcerated boyfriend out of prison in a dog crate
• Jeffrey Marsh loves you
• After the fire: Stories of what the flames couldn’t destroy
• Views from the end: David Meyers

GUESTS: 

• Ari Cobb: a New Haven resident, who was eight when he first spoke with Chion on the third episode of Audacious in 2020, “People with speech disfluencies have a lot to say.” He is joined by his parents, Michelle and Kei 
• Toby Dorr: a guest on our 2023 episode titled “Why'd You Do It: I snuck my incarcerated boyfriend out of prison in a dog crate.” Toby is the author of several books, among them a forthcoming memoir titled Beyond Conviction: A Love Story 
• Jeffrey Marsh: an author, coach, and digital creator known for their advocacy of nonbinary and LGBTQ+ visibility, as well as for promoting radical self-acceptance. They first connected with Chion for the “Jeffrey Marsh loves you” episode in 2021. They're the author of How to Be You: Stop Trying to Be Someone Else and Start Living Your Life and Take Your Own Advice: Learn to Trust Your Inner Voice and Start Helping Yourself
• Hannah Joyner: a historian, author, and book critic, and the wife of Dr. David Meyers. David, a physician diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2018, appeared on the episode titled “Views from the end: David Meyers.” He died on July 2, 2023

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You know how sometimes you look outside, see a bird, and think, “Oh, hey! A cardinal! A blue jay! A robin!“

Happens all the time.

Now imagine what your life would be like if you traveled the world as part of a lifelong quest to become the first person to see 10,000 bird species.

Get to know Peter Kaestner. He shares the surprising story of how he came excruciatingly close to missing that once-in-a-lifetime shot. And find out why he believes there are a million ways to be a birder.

This episode originally aired August 23, 2024.

Resources:

• eBird online database of bird observations, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• IOC World Bird List, an open-access resource maintained by the International Ornithological Committee
• Merlin bird ID app by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a free global bird guide with photos, sounds, and maps

Suggested episodes:

• Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals
• We, The Dog

GUEST: 

• Peter Kaestner: First person to catalog 10,000 bird species, discoverer of the Cundinamarca antpitta, is an ambassador for the American Bird Conservancy, and leads tours with Rockjumper Birding Adventures

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When you hear “philanthropy,” you might think of millionaires, black-tie galas, or buildings named after donors. But what if you could be a philanthropist without being wealthy?

In this episode, you’ll meet people who donate small amounts to hundreds of places, hand out cash on city streets, and send money directly to people in poverty, no strings attached.

Explore the power of small, consistent giving, and how even modest acts of generosity can spark massive ripple effects.

Suggested episodes:

• GOOD NEWS! That’s how we celebrate 100 episodes of Audacious
• Social media, the algorithm, and the state of our hearts
• "Negativity be gone!": Artists igniting joy on social media

GUESTS: 

• Rabbi Jeff & Mindy Glickman: creators of the “Giving Locally Everywhere” (GLeE) initiative, through which they donated to every NPR station and United Way branch in the country, as well as other organizations they value. Jeff serves as rabbi at Temple Beth Hillel in South Windsor, CT, and Mindy is a community leader and Hebrew instructor
• Peter Bond: a social media creator best known for his TikTok and Instagram accounts, @bondgives, where he documents acts of kindness and helps people in need across New York City. Since 2021, he has been using his platforms to inspire others to give back and make a positive impact in their communities
• Caroline Teti: a Vice President at GiveDirectly with decades of experience in almost all areas of the development sector, including the world’s largest and longest study on universal basic income. Her belief in direct cash as the most effective tool to end extreme poverty is also rooted in her upbringing in rural Kenya

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Some rituals are spiritual. Some are silly. Some are inherited, and some are self-made.

Casper ter Kuile, author of The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices, walks us through how we create all sorts of meaningful, grounding rituals.

And you'll hear clips from past two years of Audacious guests who have shared the rituals that matter most to them, from morning journaling and bedtime affirmations to pre-show sign-slapping.

Whether you've already got your rituals down pat, or are still developing your own special routine, this episode shows you how to honor the sacred in the everyday.

Suggested episodes:

• Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us 
• Life advice, one Audacious guest at a time
• Kitchen objects with a story. Listen at your own whisk
• Why you so salty? The anger episode
• Change Of Art: Stories About Tattoo Coverups
• Awe yeah! Exploring the magic of mind-blowing moments

GUESTS: 

• Casper ter Kuile: author of The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices. He holds Master's degrees in Divinity and Public Policy from Harvard University, and is a co-founder of Sacred Design Lab. He also co-hosts the podcast, Harry Potter and the Sacred Text
• Audacious guests who shared their personal rituals (in order of appearance): Dean Edwards, Jessica Jin, Kristen Geez, Anna Holland, Lena Khalal Tuffaha, Chris Crowe, Bruce W Brackett, Moon Ribas, Azie Dungey, Pony Tromper, Mary Elizabeth Kelly, Paul Marcarelli, Brad White, Begoña Gómez Urzaiz, Dr. Gale Ridge, Mehdi Hasan, Stephanie Courtney, Rosanna Ramos, Sonya Horton, Greg Viloria, Ronnie “Woo Woo” Wickers, Zarna Garg, Jada Star, Luis Mojica, RoseMarie Wallace, Mindy Glickman, David Roche, Paul Gladis, and Arwen, Aidan, and Willow Gladis Perez-Sauquillo     

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What if it wasn’t spiders, heights, or flying… but grass, buttons, or your own reflection that made your hands clammy and your heart race?

Meet Bettina, a romantic comedy author who avoids lawns at all costs; Marcos, who dreads reflections and shaves in the shower to escape the mirror; and Mark, who hasn’t worn a shirt with buttons since he was a kid.

Connecticut psychologist Dr. David Tolin helps us understand how these fears develop, how they affect daily life, and why some people choose to confront their fears, while others simply adapt.

Suggested episodes:

• Full house: The line between collecting, clutter, and hoarding disorder
• Are you very superstitious or just a little 'stitious'?
• Snakes in their mouths and venom in their veins: Why two snake pioneers do what they do

GUESTS: 

• Dr. David Tolin: Founder and Director of the Anxiety Disorders Center at The Institute of Living in Hartford, CT. He is also Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine
• Bettina Hunt: a romantic comedy author based in the UK, who has a phobia of grass
• Marcos: a 24-year-old man from the Chicago area, who has a phobia of reflections
• Mark Cardia: a man based in Portugal, who has a phobia of buttons

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Meet people whose lives were upended by fire - and transformed by resilience.

From the recent Los Angeles fires, we hear from Casey Colvin, who searched for days to find his beloved dog, Oreo, and 10-year-old Grayson Roberts, who lost his home, his Braille materials, and his drum kits - but not his spirit.

We also talk to RoseMarie Wallace, who reflects on how losing everything made her stronger, and Leslie Wharton, who shares what 13 years of rebuilding and reflection have taught her after losing her Colorado home to a wildfire.

Resources:

American Red Cross: Recovering After a Fire

Suggested episodes:

• We, The Dog
• Aftershocks: Life after getting struck by lightning
• The story of the first African-American face transplant

 

GUESTS: 

• RoseMarie Wallace: a Massachusetts woman who had a major house fire in 2014. She is also a Director of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging at Tabor Academy, and a storyteller who honors identity, motherhood, and the quiet power of resilience 
• Casey Colvin: a Pacific Palisades resident whose dogs, Oreo and Teeka Teeka, went missing after the fires in January 2025. He was ultimately reunited with both, and the emotional moment of Casey finding Oreo after a five-day search captured global attention 
• Grayson and Terica Roberts: a mother and son from Altadena who lost their home in the fires in January 2025. Grayson is a 10 year-old drummer who has been blind since birth
• Leslie Wharton: author of Phoenix Rising: Stories of Remarkable Women Walking Through Fire, and a forthcoming memoir, Home Fires Burning.  Leslie lost her home during the High Park Fire in Colorado in 2012, and is now based in Washington State

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Before a sitcom rolls tape, someone has to turn a roomful of strangers into a laughing, clapping, totally-on-board studio audience. That someone? A warm-up comedian.

Meet Mark Sweet, who’s spent nearly 40 years getting audiences hyped for shows like Cheers, Roseanne, and The Big Bang Theory.

And Joyelle Nicole Johnson shares how warming up the crowd for Patriot Act was a part of what led her to a huge stand-up career.

It’s part comedy, part crowd control, part emotional thermostat, and it might just be the most invisible job in showbiz. Until now.

Suggested episodes:

• Why the world needs comedians with disabilities
• The meteoric rise of comedian Zarna Garg
• Actors Mary Elizabeth Kelly and Dean Edwards on the art of impressions

GUESTS: 

• Mark Sweet: a veteran warm-up comedian for scripted shows including The Big Bang Theory, Full House, and Two and a Half Men. He currently does warm-up for Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage and Leanne 
• Joyelle Nicole Johnson: a stand-up comedian, writer, and actress, who was a warm-up comic for Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj. She appeared on The Tonight Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and has a Peacock special called Love Joy

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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UPDATE: This episode originally aired June 28, 2024. Since its airing, Chion Wolf and the Audacious team were awarded a Gracie Award in the Portrait/Biography category for this episode.

"The Gracie Awards recognize exemplary programming created by women, for women and about women in all facets of media and entertainment. They also acknowledge the individuals who have made inspirational contributions to the industry." 

Growing up, Pidgeon Pagonis was told a lot about their medical history: They were born with cancerous ovaries, so the doctors removed them to save their life.

Except that wasn't true. In reality, they were born intersex. And those were not cancerous ovaries, they were undescended testes. And that was just the beginning of many truths coming out.

Hear their story of discovery, and how they played a massive role in getting the hospital where they were born to reverse their policies on how they treat intersex children.

Resources:

• interACT Advocates for Intersex Youth

• Intersex resource list by Pidgeon Pagonis

• Statements on Intersex Care at Lurie Children’s Hospital

Recommended episodes:

• Conception deception: The fight for transparency in the fertility industry

• Jeffrey Marsh Loves You

• Being a trans woman in the trucking industry

GUEST: 

• Pidgeon Pagonis: Intersex speaker, filmmaker, and consultant; Author of the memoir, Nobody Needs to Know

Jessica Severin de Martinez, Khaleel Rahman, Meg Fitzgerald, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Meg Dalton, Catie Talarski, and Reinett Chefu contributed to this show.

Audacious with Chion Wolf is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tune In, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and email.

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What do you regret?

Explore the human experience of looking back with Daniel H. Pink, author of The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward.

Poet David Whyte offers his take on regret, drawing from Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words.

We’ll also reconnect with “Tracy” from Maryland and Stormi Huhn (“Anna” from Iowa), four years after sharing their stories of parental regret.

Plus, Audacious listeners reflect on their own regrets - big, small, serious, and silly.

Suggested episodes:

• I Regret Becoming A Parent
• Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us
• Look For The Helpers: The Anatomy Of A Death
• Change Of Art: Stories About Tattoo Coverups
• Nothing goes as planned: A first-time offender’s prison story from arrest to release

GUESTS: 

• Daniel H. Pink: Author of The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward 
• Audacious listeners who contributed their regrets: Mary Ailes, Jennifer Crookes Carpenter, AmyLaBossiere, Susan Tilly, Steph MacGillivary, Brenda Kestenbaum, Theresa Cannavo, Wendy Gravely, Jonathan Graham, Ann Levie
• David Whyte: Poet, philosopher, and author of Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words. Consolations II came out in early 2025
• “Tracy”: Maryland woman who joined us for our show about parental regret in 2021
• Stormi Huhn: Iowa woman who joined us for our show about parental regret in 2021

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

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