When no one seems to be listening, how far do you go to be heard?

In December 2008, George W. Bush made a surprise visit to Baghdad for a press conference. And at the very end of his remarks, a shoe came flying past his head. 

It was “the shoe heard around the world,” and countless jokes and memes ensued. 

But in the pandemonium, many missed the story of the man at the center: Muntadhar Al-Zaidi, a weary journalist trying to get the world to see the Iraq War in a different light. Even fewer people know what happened to him after. 

Nearly two decades later, Radiolab reporter Sarah Qari tracked Al-Zaidi down to learn the story of his life. What she found was a story about grief, anger, and the line where journalism ends and protest begins.

Special thanks to Azmat Khan and Mustafa Salim.

EPISODE CREDITS:

EPISODE CITATIONS:

Collaborator’s Work - 

Journal Articles _

Films - 

Inspired by the shoe throw - 

If you want more fun facts that didn’t make it into the story, follow Sarah at @bysarahqari on Instagram, where she’ll be sharing more in the coming weeks.

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