Brooklyn Magazine: The Podcast

Sean Qualls is a Brooklyn-based artist, award-winning children’s book illustrator, author and occasional DJ. His latest book is a collaboration with Roots drummer Questlove called “The Idea in You,” a charming children’s book about finding that first spark of creativity. You can see Sean’s art on display now through November 10 in a solo exhibition called “Inner Victories” at Established Gallery here in Brooklyn. The show explores the idea that private victories precede public triumphs. His work across the board — both non-fiction and figurative — leans into notions of race and identity, and the intersection of history and mythology.

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Love it or hate it, reality TV isn’t going anywhere. It’s also probably not going to stop being divisive any time soon, either. So maybe it’s time we take seriously a genre so many people dismiss as silly. That’s the central argument of Emily Nussbaum’s deeply reported warts-and-all history “Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV,” which she succeeds at making in the most compelling and engaging prose. From Candid Camera to the Apprentice — from “The Real World” to the Kardashians — it’s a “dirty documentary” world and we can’t stop watching.

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For about 40 years now, the husband-and-wife team of Constance Hansen and Russell Peacock has created an indelible body of photography produced under the name Guzman. Now they have a new book out, called “Family Values,” a series of incredibly intimate photos taken in one day at the home of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, five weeks after their daughter Frances Bean was born in 1992. Here we talk about that day, what they remember about the young family, their process and highlights of their career — like hanging out with Iggy Pop. They also talk about one of their more challenging shoots … Soundgarden, we’re looking at you.

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If you live in Brooklyn and have ever had a desire to renovate or restore your place — a total overhaul or a new kitchen, some shelving, maybe, or a rethinking of your lighting — chances are you’ve come across the Brownstone Boys online. Or if you live in Brooklyn and just have a kink for historic home restoration, you’ve probably followed the Brownstone Boys on Instagram or YouTube. The Brownstone Boys are Jordan Slocum and Barry Bordelon. They are a couple who live in Bed-Stuy and gained a following when they started blogging their own journey of restoring the house they bought in 2018. From there, a simple online diary of their progress morphed into a full-fledged online brand, and then an interior design and renovation firm, and TV appearances and, now, a book: ”For the Love of Renovating: Tips, Tricks and Inspiration for Creating your Dream Home.” Is out now.

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Since its founding as an impromptu celebration of Black joy and community in response to the murder of George Floyd in May of 2020, the Lay Out has grown into a sprawling community platform that hosts year-round parties and offshoots like the BuyBLK. ByBLK. marketplace. This week, the Lay Out’s founder Emily Anadu joimed us on the podcast as she was in the final stages of prepping for the Lay Out’s annual Juneteenth party in Fort Greene Park. We discuss the origins of the Lay Out and her own background as someone who was born in Texas and raised in Nigeria before returning to Houston for middle school. We talk about building community and we talk about what’s next for the Lay Out.

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Eli Sussman is a meme lord, cookbook writer, a very funny guy and restaurateur with a few big hits under his belt — notably the contemporary Middle Eastern Samesa and Gertrude’s, a Jew-ish style diner in Prospect Heights. We first became aware of Sussman before he opened Gertrude’s with partners Nate Adler and Rachel Jackson  a year ago. His Instagram account is chock-a-block with hilarious if-you-know-you-know service industry in-jokes, satire and original memes that skewer more famous restaurateurs. More recently, he has also now launched a video interview show called “Talkin’ in the Walk-In,” where he interviews his contemporaries inside restaurant coolers. Here, we discuss the first year of Gertrude’s, his viral micro-fame and growing up in the Midwest. We talk about culinary trends and his pet peeves about customers. And he gives us his personalized food tour of Brooklyn and beyond.

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A new book, called “Brooklynites: The Remarkable Story of the Free Black Communities that Shaped a Borough,” out in September, tells the story of Brooklyn’s free Black population between 1790 and 1870, 80 years of unfathomable change in the borough and the country at large. The book, by Prithi Kanakamedala, is a cultural and social history, told through four extraordinary families from Brooklyn’s 19th-century free Black community. Theirs are stories of activism, support, struggle, community, education and entrepreneurship. And their stories continue to resonate today, some 200 years later. This week we discuss the book, what it meant to be a free Black Brooklynite and how Kanakamedala uncovered their stories.

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Molly Roden Winter never set out to be the face of Park Slope polyamory, but here we are. Her book “More: A Memoir of Open Marriage” came out earlier this year and instantly hit the best seller lists. It became the subject of think pieces and trend stories, landed her on talk shows and podcasts and essentially went viral in a way that clearly underscores how thoroughly she has tapped into some kind of zeitgeist. Today we dig into her book, which is a brutally honest warts-and-all story of her years-long foray into polyamory, sexual liberation, self-discovery, love and heartbreak.

Brooklyn news and views you can use: bkmag.com

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Born and raised in New York City, Cey Adams emerged from the vibrant graffiti scene of the 1970s while still in his teens, tagging “Cey City” on subway cars and painting murals — and was one of the first wave of street artists to obtain gallery representation. He met the Beastie Boys before they were the Beastie Boys, and designed their first logo, t-shirts and singles. He linked up with Russell Simmons at RUSH Artist Management where he designed logos and merch for an artist roster that included Run DMC, Big Daddy Kane, Kurtis Blow, Whodini. When Simmons and Rick Rubin launched a little label called Def Jam Records he joined on as creative director. If there’s an album from hip-hop’s golden era that you love, it probably has Adams' fingerprints all over it. We discuss his career from its earliest days to today,  which also includes work with iconic brands and fine art and collage.

Brooklyn news and views you can use: bkmag.com

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Follow Brian Braiker on Twitter: @slarkpope

The Good Liars are comedians Davram Stiefler and Jason Selvig, and for nearly a decade they have been doggedly traveling the country — most notably to presidential campaign rallies for both political parties — trolling attendees and politicians in fearless interviews that often go viral. All with an eye towards exposing hypocrisy, hubris, absurdity and just plain stupidity. The two have launched a new podcast, “The Good Liars Tell the Truth,” where they replay and re-examine some of their more viral moments — like being on the scene during the January 6 insurrection, or, more recently, attending a Trump rally and trying to sell their own satirical version of Donald Trump’s bible to his supporters. They’ve also taken their live act, “The Good Liars Fix America,” first performed in Brooklyn, on the road.

Brooklyn news and views you can use: bkmag.com

Email: [email protected]

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Twitter: @brooklynmag

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Follow Brian Braiker on Twitter: @slarkpope