Snap Judgment

Snap #934 - 48 Hours In Syria

Kassem Eid had spent two years living in a city under siege.  After he and his neighbors took part in the protests during the Arab Spring in 2011, Syrian President Bashar Al Assad began to punish towns like Kassem’s. His forces bombed them, surrounded them, and starved them. That’s when Kassem decided to fight back.

Snap #933 - The 2018 Gratitude Special

STORIES THE BEST LITTLE SWIMMER Terry Galloway is ten years old and absolutely hot for summer camp. The only problem is, her family can’t afford it. But after she fails a hearing test at school, Terry learns that she is deaf -- and also eligible to attend The Lions Camp for Crippled Children, a summer camp that is free to kids with disabilities. The summer of 1960, just got way more exciting.  THE DOG THAT WENT AROUND THE WORLD The story of the first dog to travel around the world (and refuse a free steak).  QUAKE CITY HERO In 1989, an enormous earthquake struck the Bay Area. One of Oakland’s major arteries, the Cypress Freeway, collapsed. And one guy, a local Oaklander, left his home and dove into the wreckage to save lives.

The Fire Tapes Special

What do you do when you are trying to give birth... in the middle of a wildfire? Nicole Veum is interviewed live by producer April Demobosky for "The Fire Tapes" The Fire Tapes is a collaboration between KQED's "The Bay" and Snap Judgment for the Coal + Ice Festival in San Francisco. Producers: Sukey Lewis, Mark Ristich and Jeremy Siegel.

Snap #703 - Snap LIVE! in NYC

Glynn Washington - Friday Night Lockdown Glynn's father has a strict rule for Friday nights...the Second Coming.Performed live by Glynn Washington at the Brooklyn Academy of Music Jen Kober - Girl Scout Cookies As a littler girl, Jen Kober discovered the allure of being a brownie scout: the Girl Scout Cookie. Holding out for Girl Scout Cookie release day...was another struggle all together.Performed Live by Jen Kober at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Josh Healey - Barbara and Esther When Josh Healey learns some unexpected news from his girlfriend, his first thought...is of Grandma Barbara and Grandma Henrietta.Performed Live by Josh Healey at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter - Captive Audience When Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter was mistakenly arrested at the airport, he learned that his fame could only get him so far.Performed Live by Tariq Trotter at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.Music written by Alex Mandel and performed by the Snap Players Alex Mandel, Tim Frick and David Brandt

Snap #930 - Spooked IX: Trapped

Get 13 all-new episodes of Spooked Season 2 at Spookedpodcast.org. THE IRON GATE When Dallas Sanchez was stationed in Iraq, he saw danger every single day.  But one night on patrol, when his small kill team took over a house in Baghdad, an unseen force had a message for them: Get. Out.

Snap #928 - Two Brains

What if you had two choices. Either risk death, or start over in a completely new life. Now imagine you had to make that decision for your child.

Snap #926 - Beyond Faces of Death

In the mid-70s, Conan was hired to direct and produce a nature documentary. But he wanted to do something more ambitious. The film he made "Faces of Death" became one of the most infamous movies ever, but his success came with deadly consequences.

Snap #626 - The Proxy

What if you could be you without all of the responsibility, the guilt, and the self-loathing? Too good to be true? ...Maybe not. Stories Marwencol - When Mark Hogancamp woke up in the hospital he had no idea who he was or where he was. He was beat up so badly that he couldn’t walk, talk or speak.  His therapy? Marwencol. Friday Night Lights  - Your dad loves football. You hate football. How do you quit? Play football. Just Another Fish Story - 20 Years ago, a whale washed up on a beach in Lubec, Maine, but its death was just the beginning of its story.  

Snap #809 - The Real Black Klansman

Featuring a new story from the "Real Black Klansman" Detective Ron Stallworth. On the next Snap...we're going face to face with "The Klan." Includes a bonus Snap Classic story from boogie-woogie pianist Daryl Davis, author of “Klan-Destine Relationships.”

Snap #923 - Talk Of The Town

After a salesman at Oakland’s Lake Merritt disappears, journalist Tammerlin Drummond investigates what happened to him. Video used in story provided by user ritchhazel on YouTube.

Spooked Season II Trailer

It's coming. It's bigger and badder and all new... Spooked Season II. From Snap Judgment and WNYC Studios, host Glynn Washington pushes back the veil to bring you stories from real people battling the forces of the night. Subscribe now at SpookedPodcast.org to get a new Spooked episode every week leading up to Halloween.

Snap # 922 - Return To Kuku Island

In the 1970s, thousands of Vietnamese refugees were left on the remote Anambas Islands in Indonesia. They were stranded without food, water, and shelter, forced to survive off the land. Now, almost 40 years later, one woman wants to go back to those distant islands, one last time. This story would not have been possible without their generous support of the International Women’s Media Foundation.

Snap #921 - Night At The Mirage

The story of The Mirage, the famous undercover Chicago Sun bar, as told by two reporters posing as bartenders.  Pam Zekman currently works as an investigative reporter for CBS 2 Chicago. You can find Zay Smith’s book about The Mirage, his humor column and a his novel, at zaysmith.com.

Snap #919 - Fight Club

The first rule about fight club is you do not talk about fight club.  Ray Christian breaks that rule. You can hear more of Ray on his podcast What's Ray Saying. Producer:  Mark Ristich Original Score: Renzo Gorrio

Snap Classic - 06 Female

In 2006, a wolf was born in Yellowstone who would become a legend in her own time. For more about the 06 Female and the debate surrounding wolves in Yellowstone, be sure to check out Jeff Hull's article in Outside Magazine and Nate Rott's special report for NPR. Producer: Joe Rosenberg

Snap Classic - Tin Man

What if you don't have a heart? STORIES If I Only Had A Heart The sum of the parts cannot equal the hole in your heart. The Scientist And The Psychopath Neuroanatomist Dr. James Fallon studies the most dangerous kind of person: the psychopath. His job is to get up close and personal with the mind of the psychopath so that we can better understand what makes them tick. He treats their brains with the cold calculation of a scientist at work. But in the process things get mighty personal. About Face You’ve heard the saying, right? You can’t see the forest for the trees. Well, imagine if your whole life all you could do, all you knew how to do, was see the trees, the details, the minutiae of the world. What would you miss out on. Let’s take a walk in Tom Conces’ shoes and find out. Chin-Kyll and Bo-Ok: Across the DMZ What happens when you are reunited with your North Korean sister for the first time in over five decades?

Snap Classic - Secrets In The Stacks

When Avi Steinberg became a prison librarian, he thought his job would be to keep track of the books.  Then he started reading between the lines. Producer: Joe Rosenberg

Snap Classic - Where No One Should Go

On the next Snap Classic, we bring you one of our most beloved stories of all time. In the desert of northern South Africa you come across a little puddle.  If you dive down into that puddle, at the bottom there is a slot.  This is the entrance to third largest freshwater cave in the world. This is where the adventure begins.   Producer: Julia DeWitt

Snap #914 - The Badlands

For two years, ISIS fought to take over the city of Mosul, killing 40,000 civilians. This is a story about a group of men and women from around the world who packed up their bags, flew into Iraq, and made their way to Mosul to try their hand at fighting ISIS back. Check out more from the Free Burma Rangers at http://www.freeburmarangers.org/ Also check out the book City of Death due for release October 23rd, 2018.

Snap #912 - 26 Lives On Atlas Peak

On Atlas Peak there is one way in and one way out.  When wildfire threatened their homes, the only escape route...was up. Check out KQED's fire investigation. Producer: Sukey Lewis

Snap #911 - Breakfast Of Champions

On the next all-NEW Snap..."Breakfast Of Champions." Stories of young people using every trick in their little arsenal to win praise and love, only to find themselves alone in the end.   The Best Little Swimmer Terry Galloway is ten years old and absolutely in love with the idea of summer camp. The only problem is, her family can’t afford it. But after she fails a hearing test at school, Terry learns that she is deaf -- and also eligible to attend The Lions Camp for Crippled Children, a summer camp that is free to kids with disabilities. The summer of 1960, just got way more exciting. Terry Galloway is a writer, director and performer for stage, radio, and film. For more about Terry’s childhood in Texas,  check out her book Mean Little Deaf Queer. Producer: Adizah Eghan Original Score: Leon Morimoto   The One Year Campaign of Li Na In 1958, Charles Li spent one of the strangest, most difficult years of his life in a Communist Chinese reform school. Charles Li is a professor emeritus at the University of California, Santa Barbara. To read more of his story, check out his book, “The Bitter Sea: Coming of Age in a China before Mao.” Producer: Liz MakOriginal Score: Leon Morimoto   Rick Moranis performed by Adam Wade A young man can’t shake his dead ringer resemblance to Rick Moranis for years until one night he’s able to use it for an adventure. This was recorded live at the monthly 'Tales of the Cosmos' show at the UC Beast in New York City's Lower East Side. It is the first Saturday of the month at 7pm. Hear more stories by Adam Wade. Producer: Jamie DeWolf

Snap #910 - The Trouble With Shannon Cason

Snap proudly presents "The Trouble With Shannon Cason." KC Wilbourn was a rising star in education, turning around some of Detroit’s most troubled public schools. But in order to do that, she cut some legal corners that put her in prison. Do the ends justify the means? Check out the new podcast "The Trouble with Shannon Cason" and connect on Twitter @TheTroublePod  

Snap Classic - Big Girls Don't Cry

When the going gets tough, the tough make stuff happen. Featuring stories about rattlesnakes pageant queens, Apache orphans, and the legendary Xiao Xiao.

Snap #907 - Quake City Hero

In 1989, an enormous earthquake struck the Bay Area. One of Oakland’s major arteries, the Cypress Freeway, collapsed. And one man named Raven left his home and dove into the wreckage to save lives. This story comes from Liam O'Donoghue, host and producer of the podcast East Bay Yesterday. Producers: Liam O'Donoghue and Eliza Smith Original Score: Davey Kim

Snap #906 - Monk Of Mokha

The story of how Mokhtar Akhanshali braved a civil war to bring Yemeni coffee to the world.   Dave Egger’s biography of Mokhtar, The Monk of Mokha, is available wherever books are sold. And be sure to check out the book’s instagram at @themonkofmokha. Producer: Joe Rosenberg Original Score: Renzo Gorrio