Condensed Soup

The prolific painter Thomas Kinkade used to dominate our shopping malls and QVC channels, but there's more to the "painter of light" than his bucolic scenes. Pull up a chair in your thatched-roof cottage to hear more about the most mainstream American painter of our time.

What the government shutdown means for federal workers — hundreds of thousands are required to keep working without pay (Mike Winters, CNBC Oct 2, 2025)

'Banal and hollow': Why the quaint paintings of Thomas Kinkade divided the US (Nicholas Barber, BBC, Mar 28, 2025)

'A modern-day Greek tragedy': the life and death of artist Thomas Kinkade (Veronica Esposito, The Guardian, Mar 25, 2025)

Art for Everybody (official, accessed Oct 6, 2025)

Unseen Art of Thomas Kinkade (James Gurney, Paint Here substack, Jan 29, 2025)

Thomas Kinkade, the Painter Art Critics Hated but America Loved (Alexxa Gotthardt, Artsy, Oct 10, 2018)

Dark Portrait of a 'Painter of Light' (Kim Christensen, LA Times, Mar 5, 2006)

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*This episode was recorded in a hotel room.

Before Spotify, there was Columbia House—the iconic "8 CDs for a penny" club that lived in every magazine ad. But a few enterprising New Jersey men took it way too far.

It's a wild dive into the loopholes of analog-era e-commerce, the nostalgia of handwritten order forms, and the fine print that fueled my teenage CD collection.

N.J. man admits using aliases to bilk music-by-mail clubs (Deseret News, Nov 19, 1999)

'8 CDs For a Penny' Company Files for Bankruptcy (Laura Wagner, NPR, Aug 11, 2015)

The Club You Don't Want Let Into (Jonathan Rowe, Spin, Jun 21, 2021)

Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast

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*This episode was recorded in my bedroom.

Before "representation" was a buzzword, Agent Dana Scully was busy changing lives. Gillian Anderson's character on The X-Files has caused "The Scully Effect" -- women who grew up watching her were more likely to pursue STEM fields, crediting her intelligence, pragmatism, and respect from peers as inspiration.

The Scully Effect (Geena Davis Institute, accessed Oct 1, 2025)

The Scully Effect (Westcoast Women in Engineering, Science and Technology, Oct 21, 2019)

The X-Files and the Scully Effect — fake aliens, real-world phenomenon for women in STEM (Emma Nobel, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Aug 18, 2020)

Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast

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*This episode was recorded in my bedroom.

Emilia D'Albero just became the first American to take gold at France's prestigious and rigorous Mondial du Fromage—beating out competitors in blind tastings, cheese carvings, and presentations. Alongside her all-female Team USA co-captain, who also placed on the podium, D'Albero redefined what cheese can be: a culinary medium, a storytelling tool, and an emotional language.

Join us -- this episode is a gouda time.

Philadelphia cheesemonger becomes first American to win first place in world cheese competition (Marcella Baietto, CBS Philadelphia, Sep 28, 2025)

Meet the first American to win 'Best Cheesemonger in the world' (Maria Luisa Paul, The Washington Post, Oct 2, 2025)

Training for the Olympics of Cheese (Jaya Saxena, Eater, Sep 6, 2023)

Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast

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*This episode was recorded in my bedroom.

Every October 4, pets line up to be blessed in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology. At NYC's Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the celebration includes a full animal procession, live music, and open-air blessings, streamed worldwide. Washington National Cathedral hosts its own furry service too.

Around the world, other feast days bring their own flavor -- join me in investigating some of the most interesting.

The Feast of St. Francis (St. John the Divine, accessed October 2, 2025)

Blessing of the Animals held at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine (YouTube / CBS New York, Oct 6, 2024)

Italy's far-right government revives holiday for saint at 'core of our nation's identity' (Angela Giuffrida, The Guardian, Sep 24, 2025)

Lucia — bearer of light, hymns and Swedish treats (Visit Sweden, Jan 14, 2025)

Bulgarians celebrate Epiphany with traditional rituals (AP, Jan 6, 2023)

'Devils' take to the streets as a Spanish village celebrates the Endiablada festival (AP, Feb 2, 2025)

Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast

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*This episode was recorded in my bedroom.

Sixteen-year-old Milly from Lancashire brought her best friend (a North Ronaldsay ram) to pick up her GCSEs, just months after the duo wowed the school prom in matching outfits. It's not the first time sheep have stepped into classrooms — or headlines — and we're taking you on a stroll through award-winning young shepherds, illegal lockdown pubs with livestock, and the French village where a flock of sheep literally saved a school.

Shepherd takes 'therapy sheep' to get GCSE results (BBC, Aug 21, 2025)

Sheep found as police raid Bacup drinking party (BBC, Feb 6, 2021)

Shear genius: French school enrols sheep to keep class open (Agence France-Presse, The Guardian, May 7, 2019)

Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast

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*This episode was recorded in my bedroom.

Reading Rainbow is back, baby — and this time it's got big hair and an even bigger smile. Beloved internet librarian Mychal Threets will host the new digital version of the iconic PBS show, launching October 4. The reboot honors the original format that made us want to read all summer long, while giving it a fresh lift for the next generation. We'll revisit the legacy of LeVar Burton, the theme song wars (Chaka Khan vs. Tina Fabrique!), and why this show always felt like a field trip and a hug at the same time.

'Reading Rainbow' is back! Viral librarian Mychal Threets to host beloved series (Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, Sep 30, 2025)

'Reading Rainbow' returning after nearly 20 years; new host announced (Natalie Sierra, The Hill, Sep 30, 2025)

11 Educational Facts About Reading Rainbow (Stacy Conradt, Mental Floss, Aug 1, 2015)

Mychal Threets LinkedIn page (LinkedIn, accessed Sep 30, 2025)

Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast

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*This episode was recorded in my bedroom.

You might think roundabouts are just confusing circles of doom, but it turns out they're saving lives and city budgets all over the world. We're talking about why they're safer, cheaper, and surprisingly elegant once you know the rules. We'll swing by Carmel, Indiana—the roundabout capital of America—and detour to France and the legendary Magic Roundabout in Swindon. And if you're nervous about your first time, don't worry. Practice makes perfect!

Over 50M pounds of Jimmy Dean, State Fair items recalled for possible wood contamination (Melina Khan, USA Today, Sep 29, 2025)

How to navigate a roundabout (Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today / Detroit Free Press, Sep 27, 2025)

Understanding Traffic Rules for Roundabout (Joey Rosenberg, FirstTimeDriver (dot) com, accessed Sep 29, 2025)

How roundabouts transformed Carmel (Robert Steubenville, Public Square: A CNU Journal, Nov 21, 2024)

Circling the Drain: Tackling Europe's Strangest Roundabout (Mike Duff, Road & Track, Mar 12, 2024)

Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast

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*This episode was recorded in my living room.

There's a growing trend of post-workout, post-hike, and post-marathon ice cream treats -- a trend I can get behind. A mystery man rewards hikers with surprise ice cream, and we discover a way to make ice cream yourself -- while you're on a run.

(Note: you don't HAVE to go on a run.)

'Legend dairy' man carries ice cream and dry ice up Colorado peak as treat for other hikers (Colleen Slevin, AP, Sep 4, 2025)

Making ice cream while running tutorial @trailswithzach (Instagram, accessed Sep 28, 2025)

Yay Labs SoftShell Ice Cream Ball Ice Cream Maker (Cabela's, accessed Sep 28, 2025)

Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper (Salt & Straw, accessed Sep 28, 2025)

Sampaguita ice cream (official, accessed Sep 28, 2025)

Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast

[email protected]

*This episode was recorded in my bedroom.

South Korea has built a market based on hangover cures, and we chat some of the best ones I've found. No hair of the dog here!

K-cure: South Korea's booming market for traditional (and novel) hangover remedies (Raphael Rashid, The Guardian, Sep 27, 2025)

7 ways to cure your hangover (Howard E. LeWine, Harvard Health Publishing, May 22, 2023)

The Eater Staff Names Our Absolute Most Effective Hangover Cures (Francky Knapp and Eater Staff, Jul 21, 2025)

Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast

[email protected]

*This episode was recorded in my bedroom.