Snap Judgment

A family leaves their busy life in Southern California to live in a little cabin in the woods, without electricity. But then, strange things start happening… it seems this family aren’t the only occupants of the cabin. And a story about a grandfather who makes monsters tremble. Snap Judgment presents, “The Stormy Night.” Real stories from people fighting for their loved ones.

STORIES

Northspur Storm

Kathy and her kids leave a busy life in Southern California to live in a little cabin in the woods, without electricity. But then, strange things start happening. It seems Kathy and her children aren’t the only occupants of the cabin.

Thank you, Kathy Bolte, for sharing your story with Spooked!

Produced by Zoë Ferrigno, original score by Renzo Gorrio

Shayne Koyczan’s Monsters LIVE

Night creatures tremble in fear of Shane Koyczan's grandfather, until powers fail.

This story contains explicit language. Sensitive listeners please be advised.

This story was told by Shane at Snap LIVE in Los Angeles. Original Music by Alex Mandel, performed by Alex Mandel, Tim Frick, and David Brandt.

Shane Koyczan is an award winning Canadian Poet, Author and Performer. He is also a TED Talks speaker. Shane's influential, anti-bullying, "To This Day Project" video went viral in early 2013 and currently has over 10 million views and counting.

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 54

This week on Snap, the story of the first dog to travel around the world, a summer camp swimming contest to remember, plus - an earthquake that takes a man straight into the wreckage.

We are so grateful for you, Snap Nation. Thank you for listening and supporting our show! Cheers to you and yours this holiday season.

STORIES

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.

Produced by Adizah Eghan, original score by Leon Morimoto

The Dog That Went Around The World

The story of the first dog to travel around the world (and refuse a free steak).

Produced by Joe Rosenberg, sound design by Leon Morimoto

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, a local Oaklander, left his home, and dove into the wreckage to save lives.

This story contains strong language, violence, and graphic imagery. Please take care while listening.

This story comes from Liam O'Donoghue, host and producer of the podcast East Bay Yesterday.

Produced by Liam O'Donoghue and Eliza Smith, original score by Davey Kim

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 53

From the podcast, Movement, we spotlight the story of a self proclaimed “drunk drag queen,” and the music that saved them. Plus, we go on an adventure underwater to visit a secret kingdom for seahorses.

STORIES

Movement

From the podcast, Movement, we spotlight the story of a self proclaimed “drunk drag queen,” and the music that saved them.

Produced by Meklit Hadero and Ian Coss. The Movement show was co-created by Julie Caine.

You can find all of San Cha’s music and projects at churchofsancha.com.

If you want to find more stories at the crossroads of music and migration, search for “Movement with Meklit Hadero,” wherever you listen!

Movement is supported by The Mellon Foundation and National Geographic Society, and distributed by PRX.

Under Pressure

After traumatic experiences underwater, a diver falls in love with the ocean again by building a secret kingdom for seahorses.

BIG thanks to Roger Hanson. Roger’s writing a children’s book, called “A Seahorse of a Different Color,” about a unique seahorse who was born different. It comes out in June.

Roger has previously been covered by the LA Times and Spectrum Channel 1, which called him the “world’s foremost expert on the Pacific Seahorse.”

Seahorse Update: In September, pregnant Deep Blue stopped showing up. Roger thinks he was eaten by an octopus. He’s moved any remaining octopuses in the area and resettled them elsewhere.

Produced by Liz Mak, original score by Leon Moriomoto

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 Episode 52

One beauty pageant. 12 contestants. 1000 rattlesnakes. And a story from a young girl who is confronted with the opportunity every kid at the orphanage dreamed of. Plus, the legendary Xiao Xiao.

STORIES

Been There Better Than That

Glynn witnesses a lady show what real class looks like.

12 Pageant Queens, 1000 Snakes

One beauty pageant. 12 contestants. 1000 rattlesnakes.

Produced by Anna Sussman

A Hard Knock Life

Sharon Skolnick was nine years old and an orphan in the Murrow Indian Orphanage, when she was confronted with the opportunity every girl at the orphanage dreamed of. Find out more about artist Sharon Skolnick at here.

Sound Design by Renzo Gorrio, produced by Anna Sussman

Xiao Xiao

When Cindy adopted a four year old girl from China, there was a lot the two didn’t understand about each other.

Find out about Cindy’s story (and her books) at CindyChampnella.com.

Sound Design by Pat Mesiti-Miller, produced by Anna Sussman

Art by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 51

Two crazy cats and one hard-nosed reporter land in Syria right as it is thrown into turmoil. And a lovesick junior high kid will do anything to win over his crush. Even if that means going “undercover” for the US government.

STORIES

Wartime Cats

Two crazy cats and one hard-nosed reporter land in Syria right as it is thrown into turmoil. Rasha Elass navigates her way through Damascus amidst government crackdowns and whistling missiles in search of the country she loves.

This story contains graphic imagery and descriptions of wartime violence, sensitive listeners please be advised.

Thank you, Rasha, for sharing your story with us! Rasha Elass is currently the editorial director at New Lines Magazine, where she first shared this story. She’s also working on a memoir about her childhood and reporting days in Syria. Follow what she’s up to on her website.

Produced by David Exumé, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot

Danger 9b

Richard Hatch is overseas on a top-secret mission… to win over Jill, the most elusive, electrifying student in his 7th-grade class. He isn’t suave or sophisticated, so he’s gonna need help from The Beatles, the Russians, and even the CIA to pull it off.

Thank you, Richard Hatch aka Danger 9b, for sharing your story with us!

Rick is back in the US and is putting the finishing touches on a kid-friendly memoir about his travels abroad.

Produced by Regina Bediako, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff

Season 14 – Episode 50

This dog has everything: mustard, onions, a scrap with Giuliani, Vietnam Vets, and The Met. Everyone is coming for the Throne of the Hot Dog King of New York… Dan Rossi. And a camp for kids with dermatological issues reveals that some summer romances are more than skin deep.

STORIES

The Hot Dog King of New York

This dog has everything: mustard, onions, a scrap with Giuliani, Vietnam Vets, and The Met. Everyone is coming for the Throne of the Hot Dog King of New York… Dan Rossi.

This story contains strong language - sensitive listeners please be advised.

A huge thank you to Dan Rossi for sharing his story with Snap! There is so much that we were not able to share with you about Dan’s experience. To find out more check out his new memoir The New York Hot Dog King: From Rags to Riches to Less Than Rags. You can also follow Dan on social media.

Additional thanks to our friends at VICE, whose series MUNCHIES featured Dan back in 2019 and was a big inspiration for this story.

Listen to the King’s tribute song featured in this episode recorded by The Burner Band.

Produced by Bo Walsh, original score by Clay Xavier, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Skin Deep

It's days before the big dance at Camp Discovery — and there's a problem. A few problems. But the kids at this camp are more used to problems than your average camper.

Thanks to everyone in this episode! Learn more about Camp Discovery at aad.org.

Produced by Sarah Harris with help from Anna Sussman. Sound design by Renzo Gorrio.

Season 14 - Episode 49

A young girl was lost to her family. Torn away from them during their time in the Japanese-American prison camps, she was institutionalized and thought to be gone. But now, somehow she is rumored to be alive.

STORIES

Seeking Shizuko

A young girl was lost to her family. Torn away from them during their time in the Japanese-American prison camps, she was institutionalized and thought to be gone. But now, somehow she is rumored to be alive.

A very big thank you to David “Mas” Masumoto for sharing his story. Mas wrote about Shizuko in his book, Secret Harvests.

This story is part of Lisa’s podcast California Foodways. It gets support from California Humanities and the Food and Environment Reporting Network.

Produced by Lisa Morehouse, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, artwork by Teo Ducot

Nellie’s Pond

When Peter Aguero got picked on as a kid, but it wasn’t the other kids he had to worry about.

Hear more stories, and find where Peter’s performing next on his website, www.peteraguero.com

Produced by Ana Adlerstein & Joe Rosenberg, sound design by Leon Morimoto

Season 14 - Episode 48

Rooty isn’t like most farm pigs, she’s a city pig. This 300-pound Vietnamese pot-bellied pig is a New Orleans girl. But when Hurricane Katrina hits, everything in Rooty’s world is threatened.

BIG thanks to Jim & Connie for sharing their story with us! Thanks as well to Jeffery Tam & Dr. Alison Barca.

Produced by Annie Nguyen, original score by Cheflee, artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 47 - Snap Classic

Elmer Gantry gets an offer to join a notoriously unstable rock n’ roll band on a tour of the US. What could possibly go wrong? And the infamous Pine Tar Game of baseball superstar George Brett... told by the bat boy.

STORIES

The Real Fleetwood Mac

Elmer Gantry gets an offer to join a notoriously unstable rock n’ roll band on a tour of the US. What could possibly go wrong?

Thanks, Elmer, for sharing your story with us! Learn more about Elmer Gantry’s music in this blog post that producer John Fecile wrote for Aquarium Drunkard.

Kirby Gregory still performs with the band Curved Air.

Read an extensive history of Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera from the magazine Ugly Things.

Listen to a 10-song Spotify playlist that we put together of Elmer’s songs and other tunes from the story.

Special thanks to Mike Stax, Anja Stax, and David Prest.

Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, produced by John Fecile

The Bat Boy And The Pine Tar Bat

Every baseball fan has heard of the superstar hitter George Brett and his infamous Pine Tar Game…but have you heard of the bat boy’s version?

For more info, check out Daniel Barbarisi’s story in the Wall Street Journal.

Sound design by Renzo Gorrio, produced by Davey Kim

Season 14 - Episode 46

We’re getting spooky again this week with a quirky haunting from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and a tale from a girl who escapes a ghostly force through astral projection.

Be afraid… this Halloween special features supernatural stories from our evil twin podcast, Spooked, told by people who can barely believe it happened themselves. You can listen to Spooked for free on any podcast platform! Episodes drop weekly.

STORIES

Night at the Aquarium

On Kevin’s night shift at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, things get wet, wild, and very very weird.

BIG thanks to Kevin Wright and the magical Monterey Bay Aquarium. Thanks also to KAZU Radio in Monterey, California for its assistance.

Original score by Yari Bundy & Renzo Gorrio, produced by Anne Ford

Out of Body

Tiyi just wants to get away from the man in the closet. What happens next changes her life forever.

Thank you, Tiyi Schippers, for sharing your story with us! You can find more of her creepy tales on YouTube.

Original score by Leon Morimoto, produced by Anne Ford

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 45