Snap Judgment

When a young man is told he is going deaf, he sets out on a challenge to memorize the songs that defined his life. He had no idea that those songs would come back to him in the most unexpected way. And a musical savant shares the inner workings of his amazing gift. 

STORIES 

The Soundtrack of Silence 

When a young man is told is he going deaf, he sets out on a challenge to memorize the songs that defined his life. He had no idea that those songs would come back to him in the most unexpected way.

Thank you, Matt Hay, for sharing your story! A version of this story aired on KQED’s Q’ed Up.

Produced by April Dembosky. Sound Design by April Dembosky, Leon Morimoto & Renzo Gorrio.

Sudden Savant 

Although most musicians spend decades honing their craft, musical genius Derek Amato never had to practice a day in his life. One day, he just sat down at the piano and his fingers began to fly across the keys with ease.

As an immediate musical genius, Derek is one of the few people on Earth diagnosed with Acquired Musical Savant Syndrome. Derek takes us into the inner workings of his amazing gift.

Produced by Anna Sussman &  Pat Mesiti-Miller. Original score & sound design by Pat Mesiti-Miller.

Season 16 - Episode 52

In a boarding house in Chicago, a young girl puts her questions to the universe and the answers are returned in coded messages from the other side. And a boy lost in the forest at the foothills of the Himalayas, sees a light in the distance… but it isn’t there to guide him.

This story comes to us from our evil-twin, Spooked! You can listen to Spooked on any podcast platform, episodes drop weekly. Happy Halloween! 

STORIES

Knock Knock

In a boarding house in Chicago, a young girl puts her questions to the universe and the answers are returned in coded messages from the other side.

BIG thanks to Connie Shirakawa for sharing her story with us. Connie is a storyteller in Chicago. You can catch some of her performances on her website.

Produced by Anne Ford, original score by Doug Stuart.

Fire Creature

When you’re lost in the forest at the foothills of the Himalayas, a light in the distance is not always good news.  

Thank you, Razdan, for sharing your grandfather’s story with Spooked.

Produced by Erick Yáñez, original score by Clay Xavier, scouted by Aditya Mattoo.

Season 16 - Episode 51

A man visits prominent members of the Blackfeet Traditional Medicine community. After witnessing an unexplainable force, he learns just how important it is to practice good medicine. And a girl growing up in Mumbai knows money doesn’t grow on trees. But when times get tough, her family house begins to reveal its secrets.

This story comes to us from our evil-twin, Spooked! You can listen to Spooked on any podcast platform, episodes drop weekly. 

STORIES

Bull Boy

While Dan is at the compound of good friends and prominent members of the Blackfeet Traditional Medicine community, the Heavyrunner family, he learns just how important it is to practice good medicine.

Thanks to Dan SaSuweh Jones for sharing your story with us! Learn more about Dan.

Produced by Chris Hambrick, original score by Leon Morimoto.

Hiding Spot 

Growing up in Mumbai, Rashi knew money didn't grow on trees.  But when times got really tough and the family was on the brink, their house began to reveal its secrets.

Thank you Rashi for sharing your story with Spooked!

Rashi is a radio DJ on BIG FM India. You can also follow her on Instagram: @rjrashiofficial @biglive @bigfm.jharkhand

Produced by Erick Yáñez. Original score by Lauryn Newson. Scouted by Aditya Mattoo. 

Season 16 - Episode 50

A young man gets “rollers” — the gift of a lifetime from a mysterious friend. Plus, an epic mixup at the funeral home is about to bring the house down.

STORIES 

The Birds - LIVE

A young man gets “rollers” — the gift of a lifetime from a mysterious friend.

This story was told at the Orpheum Theatre at Spooked LIVE in 2023. Join us at our shows next week in Los Angeles and Oakland! Get your tix. Cross over.

Thank you, Dr. Ray Christian! Check out Ray’s podcast: What’s Ray Saying

Original music performed live by Doug Stuart and Brijean Murphy. Produced by Anna Sussman. Mixed by Miles Lassi. Special thanks to Ryan Davis, Sarah Rose Leonard, Jon Cohn, Rebecca Stumme, Kristen Payne, and the LA Orpheum Team.

That's Not Mama

An epic mixup at the funeral home is about to bring the house down.

Thank you, Sheri Booker, for sharing her story with Snap! Sheri is an author, poet, spoken word artist, and professor.  If you want to read more of Sheri's tales from her near-decade of work in the funeral business, check out her memoir: Nine Years Under: Coming of Age in an Inner-City Funeral Home.  

Big thanks to Jessica Henkin and Laura Wexler at The Stoop Storytelling Series in Baltimore for introducing us to Sheri.

Original score by Clay Xavier, edited by Nancy López, produced by Justin Kramon.

Season 16 - Episode 49

A woman in Texas takes animal rehabilitation to new heights when she brings over a thousand bats back from the dead in her own home. And a Snap producer reveals he owes a lot to one single hairy flying mammal. 

STORIES

Batwoman

A woman in Texas takes animal rehabilitation to new heights when she brings over a thousand bats back from the dead in her own home.

Thank you, Mary Warwick, for sharing your story with us!

Big thanks also to The Houston Humane Society, The TWRC Wildlife Center, and the Batworld Sanctuary in Texas – whose staff protect and rehabilitate bats, and provide education and training on the proper treatment of bats to people all over the US.

Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, produced by Shaina Shealy, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Bless the Bat

Snap Producer, John Fecile, tells us how he got where is he today.

Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, produced by John Fecile.

Season 16 – Episode 48 - Snap Classic

DeAndre D’Angelo, a scam artist with a talent for forged documents and a taste for red sports cars finds the perfect persona to escape his checkered past. He's the Camaro driving, show tune singing, high school student who is actually 31 years old.

What if you could relive your youth and do it all over again the right way?

Thank you, Michael Backman, for sharing your story with Snap! Check out Michael's music.

Produced by Jeff Maysh and Nancy López, edited by Anna Sussman, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, illustration by Alex Williamson.

Season 16 - Episode 47

A team of high school students investigate a new hire at their school. What they discover leads them towards an all out battle for the truth. 

Extra special thanks to Emily Smith and her team of sleuthers!

Produced by Shaina Shealy, edited by Nancy Lopez, original score Nick Marks. 

Season 16 - Episode 46

Drama Club is the happy, safe space for Lee and Parker until their school play becomes a homophobic middle school meltdown. The lights get turned up to 10, the adults are in a media frenzy, and the kids are just trying to figure it all out.

STORIES

Don’t Say Gay Dads

Drama Club is the happy, safe space for Lee and Parker until their school play becomes a homophobic middle school meltdown. The lights get turned up to 10, the adults are in a media frenzy, and the kids are just trying to figure it all out.

This story contains descriptions of abuse directed at gay persons. Please take care while listening.

A very big thank you to Lee and Parker—who are best friends to this day.  Thanks as well to Jamie McGonnigal.

Produced by Mark Betancourt, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff. Artwork by Teo Ducot.

Playground Bullies and Dark Secrets 

In middle school, Mike has a secret. But no one has ever seen “it.”

This was performed at Snap LIVE in Los Angeles.

“Mighty” Mike McGee is an international spoken word artist, writer, performer, speaker, slam poet and comic. McGee is the first slam poet to win both the American National Poetry Slam Individual Grand Championship and the Individual World Poetry Slam Championship.

Original score composed and performed by Alex Mandel, Tim Frick, and David Brandt.

Season 16 – Episode 45

The county clerk in a sleepy town finds himself on the frontlines of a national fight over abortion care.  When a New York doctor prescribes abortion meds to a Texas woman, a state's rights fight erupts. Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck is front and center when he invokes the "shield law" to prevent Texas AG Ken Paxton from filing a case against the doctor. 

Produced by Anna Sussman and Zoe Ferrigno. Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff. 

 Season 16 - Episode 43

This week on Snap Judgment… it's the tough jobs, the rough jobs, the roll up your sleeves and get it done jobs. When the oddest man in town is arrested for murder, only one lawyer steps up to represent him. Plus misadventures under the Not-So-Big Top.

STORIES

The Writing Is On The Wall

When the scariest man in town is arrested for murder, only one lawyer volunteers to represent him...

Produced by Joe Rosenberg, sound design by Renzo Gorrio. Artwork by Teo Ducot.

Corrections: In a previous version, McCracken Poston is referred to as both a state senator and state representative.  He was a state representative, not a state senator.  Also, Virginia Ridley is described as having last been seen in public in 1980, 17 years before the events described in this story.  In fact it was in 1970, 27 years before.

The Indiana Bust-Out

How does a well-mannered math kid become a first-class hustler? Through the ancient carnie tradition of "The Indiana Bust-Out."

Check out Pete’s book -- Eyeing the Flash: The Making of a Carnival Con Artist

Produced by Davey Kim, sound design by Leon Morimoto and Davey Kim. 

Season 16 - Episode 42 - Classic