The Scribble with Jeremy Bradley

Jeremy Bradley thought it would be another silly phone call when reaching out to our company's executive producer, Bonnie Winters. Instead, the first minute of the chat with her husband changed everything. JB learned that his 20-year writing and producing partner had "a small stroke" at the start of the team's spring holiday. He recounts hearing the details and how he expected the worst after getting the news. But, in true JB style, he called Bonnie a few days later to put her on the radio to share her story! We've got it in podcast form for you this week.

It's the third week for what's turned out to be a series about inmates! This week, Jeremy Bradley talks about knowing a convicted bank robbery. Spoiler: it was his journalism instructor! When JB learned of the news that the one-time local celebrity was busted for heists across Canada, he couldn't believe what happened to the life of his former mentor. While the news saw the teacher lose nearly all of his personal relationships, JB felt compassion because, despite the crime, he knew the person well enough to realize there was a deeper issue at hand. JB talks about how he worked through his feelings after learning the bombshell news.

Last week, Jeremy Bradley talked about how he discovered some shocking news about an inmate pen pal. It led to a discussion about carrying on relationships with people behind bars and who you will likely never meet. Moreover, JB discusses messages he got from listeners after opening up the discussion to wondering if you can trust -- or potentially fall in love with -- a murderer. What is the point of forming a romantic relationship with someone who'll never have a day of freedom for the rest of their life? Shifting gears, JB talks about his experiences writing back and forth with the locked up. 

Jeremy Bradley reveals he's maintained a pen pal relationship with several inmates in the United States. Years ago, he was set to host a podcast featuring their stories but when the business deal fell through, he kept in touch with them, anyway. He talks about how he's come to know them quite well, even discussing his work, business and family with the people he's never spoken to or met. After getting caught up with the busy awards show season earlier this year, JB says he forgot to log in and check his mail from the murderers. When he eventually wrote back to one this spring he discovered some shocking news. It's something that he couldn't shake for days.

"Just because you have a phone, doesn't mean you need to be a content creator." That's how Jeremy Bradley opens the show this week. JB has said countless times that he has no interest in social media, however, this week he says there's an exception to his objection. It's when it comes to people broadcasting their relationship drama. He notes there's always a big, official announcement when a relationship starts and an official statement on social media when it ends. And, in between: the ups and downs are fascinating to watch play out. JB maintains he'll never publicly post birthday wishes or ooey-gooey lovey-dovey messages to his husband because, as he says, "our relationship isn't performative for an audience."

It was a simple question that had Jeremy Bradley confused and then slightly offended. For a guy who never holds his tongue (or worries about offending people) did one question turn the tables on him? See if you would have felt the same way in that situation. Plus, JB circles back to the discussion about cellphone use from last week's episode. There was lots of conversation about how people use their devices and their pet peeves of others.

There's at least one in every group. It's the person who's not enjoying the moment and is constantly looking at their phone. The addiction is real! Jeremy Bradley talks about his amazement that people sleep with their phones and it's usually the first thing they look at when they wake up. He goes on to talk about how workplaces should restrict phone use just as schools do with kids. JB shares a story about how phone use became a rule in his house. Later, he wonders why people have to clutch their phone as they walk down a sidewalk or through a store -- or worse yet, seeing people vacationing on the beach staring at their device. How many hours of hand-time does your phone get?

As you get older you tend to care less about what people think about you. At times, you probably don't hold your tongue and say what you want. Jeremy Bradley is at that point and has made observations about his life as he gets older. He identifies key personality traits that have changed over time and how he views people in society. 

You had "the time of your life" -- was it recently or a memory from the past? Is life as enjoyable for you now as it was when you were growing up? It depends on when you grew up, according to Jeremy Bradley. He talks about his childhood and how he would stay in his teenage years forever because it was an innocent and fun time. (He'd never want to be a kid in today's world.) JB recounts the friendships and memories that got him through childhood. Now, in his 40s, JB said he wouldn't mind being stuck in the past with the way his life was back in the day. Is it the same situation for you?

Everywhere you go people are discussing politics. It's understandable given what's happening in the world (especially the United States). But for Jeremy Bradley, who's never participated in nor had an interest in politics, it's getting to be a bit much. JB explains how, as a Canadian, he watches from the sidelines people having emotionally -- and sometimes violently -- charged confrontations about politics in the U.S. He talks about how Canadians feel about politicians and politics and it's vastly different than with Americans. (Shocker, right?) "We've never had anyone throwing mashed potatoes at someone at Christmas because of a political argument," JB says.