Audacious with Chion Wolf

You know how sometimes you look outside, see a bird, and think, “Oh, hey! A cardinal! A blue jay! A robin!“ Happens all the time. Now imagine what your life would be like if you traveled the world as part of a lifelong quest to become the first person to see 10,000 bird species. Get to know Peter Kaestner. He shares the surprising story of how he came excruciatingly close to missing th...

When you hear “philanthropy,” you might think of millionaires, black-tie galas, or buildings named after donors. But what if you could be a philanthropist without being wealthy? In this episode, you’ll meet people who donate small amounts to hundreds of places, hand out cash on city streets, and send money directly to people in poverty, no strings attached. Explore the power of s...

Some rituals are spiritual. Some are silly. Some are inherited, and some are self-made. Casper ter Kuile, author of  The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices , walks us through how we create all sorts of meaningful, grounding rituals. And you'll hear clips from past two years of Audacious guests who have shared the rituals that matter most to them, from morning...

What if it wasn’t spiders, heights, or flying… but grass, buttons, or your own reflection that made your hands clammy and your heart race? Meet Bettina, a romantic comedy author who avoids lawns at all costs; Marcos, who dreads reflections and shaves in the shower to escape the mirror; and Mark, who hasn’t worn a shirt with buttons since he was a kid. Connecticut psychologist Dr...

Meet people whose lives were upended by fire - and transformed by resilience. From the recent Los Angeles fires, we hear from Casey Colvin, who searched for days to find his beloved dog, Oreo, and 10-year-old Grayson Roberts, who lost his home, his Braille materials, and his drum kits - but not his spirit. We also talk to RoseMarie Wallace, who reflects on how losing everything made her stronger,...

Before a sitcom rolls tape, someone has to turn a roomful of strangers into a laughing, clapping, totally-on-board studio audience. That someone? A warm-up comedian. Meet Mark Sweet, who’s spent nearly 40 years getting audiences hyped for shows like  Cheers ,  Roseanne , and  The Big Bang Theory . And Joyelle Nicole Johnson shares how warming up the crowd for  Patriot Act...

UPDATE: This episode originally aired June 28, 2024. Since its airing, Chion Wolf and the Audacious team were awarded a Gracie Award in the Portrait/Biography category for this episode. "The Gracie Awards recognize exemplary programming created by women, for women and about women in all facets of media and entertainment. They also acknowledge the individuals who have made inspirational contributio...

What do you regret? Explore the human experience of looking back with Daniel H. Pink, author of The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. Poet David Whyte offers his take on regret, drawing from Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words. We’ll also reconnect with “Tracy” from Maryland and Stormi Huhn (“Anna” from...

Forget the typical meet-cute; this episode features individuals whose paths crossed in extraordinarily unique circumstances.   Alex and Sue Tatham met each other on the globally televised dating show "Blind Date" in the UK, leading to a wedding watched by millions.  Heather and Tony are Disney enthusiasts who found love across continents thanks to a dating site for fellow fans, Mous...

Explore the extraordinary impact of horses on our lives. From the unique community of Pony Play and the athleticism of hobby-horsing to the therapeutic power of horses, and a neuroscientist's exploration of life after death, this episode dives deep into how horses shape our lives. Suggested episodes: We The Dog Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals Animal psyc...

Technology is rapidly reshaping the world, but for people with disabilities, it’s doing something even more profound - it’s redefining what’s possible.  Explore how cutting-edge assistive technologies are breaking barriers, restoring independence, and revolutionizing the way people navigate the world. Sam Seavey, creator of “The Blind Life” YouTube channel, share...

What makes your jaw drop? A celestial event? A powerful piece of music?  In this episode, explore awe in its many forms, from a total solar eclipse to the psychology of wonder.  Psychologist Dacher Keltner breaks down the science of awe, cellist Yumi Kendall shares how music transports us, and Audacious listeners share their most treasured moments of awe.  GUESTS:  Mara Suttman...

Imagine feeling an unbearable itch, convinced that tiny insects are crawling under your skin. But no doctor believes you. You try to prove it, collecting samples, documenting everything. But under a microscope? Nothing is there. That was Paula Cox’s experience with delusional infestation, a rare disorder where people are absolutely certain they’re infested with bugs, despite all eviden...

What’s it like to live in the shadow of legends and still shine? Meet Marshall Charloff, a Prince tribute artist with a personal connection to the artist himself. And Rick Torres, an Elvis impersonator whose two decades as the King has brought him to some surprising places. From the joy and empowerment of embodying their heroes to navigating the challenges of the work, they discuss the artis...

In 2022, Just Stop Oil protestors threw tomato soup on a Van Gogh painting in London. The world collectively gasped, but some UK lawmakers responded by supporting fewer investments in new oil projects. On this episode, meet one of those soup-throwers, and hear from two other people who have been part of creative protests: a spokesperson from an anti-circumcision group that wears all white with gia...

What drives someone to ski solo across Antarctica or leap off cliffs in a wingsuit?  Meet Liv Arnesen, the first woman to ski alone and unsupported to the South Pole, and Ellen Brennan Frat, the ‘Fastest Flying Woman in the World.’   From battling -30°F winds to soaring at 100 mph, these women share their extraordinary journeys of courage, resilience, and pushing bou...

Ever had someone finish your sentence before you even opened your mouth? Now imagine they knew what you were going to say before  you  did. That’s what it’s like to experience Dr. Kruti Parekh in action. Through a mix of psychology, intuition, and age-old wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita and Vedic traditions, Dr. Parekh believes we all have the potential to tap into this power....

What can you gain when you lose your vision? Christine Ha was in her early 20s when she began losing her sight. Instead of giving up on her dreams, she taught herself how to cook - so well, in fact, that she became the first and only person who is blind to win MasterChef . Now, she’s a celebrated chef and author who’s proving that great cooking is about taste, texture, and trust - not...

We just aired an episode about blindness featuring the poet Edward Hirsch, and chef, Christine Ha. If you're a fan of Gordon Ramsay's cooking competition show, MasterChef, then you know exactly who Christine Ha is.  But if you don't, she's the first - and only - person with blindness to win it! Now you'll hear so much more of our conversation in our podcast feed, but there was this one little...

It all began with a single Reddit post: A Connecticut man, overwhelmed and uncertain, sought advice about what to expect as a first-time, non-violent offender facing prison. He invited us to chronicle his life before, during, and after incarceration, pulling back the curtain on a world most of us only glimpse in movies or headlines. Discover how his expectations clashed with reality in ways he nev...

Delve into the extraordinary lives of two men whose worlds are centered on venomous snakes. Jackie Bibby, a record-setting daredevil, set multiple world records, including the astonishing feat of holding 13 live rattlesnakes in his mouth. And Tim Friede has spent nearly two decades intentionally subjecting himself to hundreds of bites from some of the planet's most lethal snakes, all in the pursui...

For the past two years, at the end of every interview, I asked every guest to tell me their favorite piece of life advice. We took dozens of our favorite clips and brought them together in this very special episode. And we also hear from Connecticut Public employees! Email your favorite piece of advice:  Audacious@ctpublic.org For a full transcript of this episode, click here . Suggested epis...

On past episodes of our Audacious Love series, we’ve talked with people who’ve been married for over 50 years, people who’ve fallen in love with synthetic companions, people who’ve fallen in love with objects, and today, you’ll meet four people who are married to spirits, ancestors, or gods. Listen to our past  Audacious Love  episodes: Married Over 50 Years...

We hear a lot about the harm of social media. But what about the good? Meet two artists who started off on social media by showing their artwork… But once they revealed the hope and kindness and positivity in their hearts? The views, shares and likes piled up in ways they never expected. Hear how they both are grappling with the newfound pressure of inspiring hundreds of thousands of fans,...

Family secrets are often kept to protect, but hiding the truth can sometimes cause more harm than good. When Michael Hainey’s father died, the explanation he was given never quite added up. Decades later, uncovering the real story changed his life, and inspired him to write a memoir. Melissa Daniels faced a different kind of revelation: the man she thought was her father wasn’t her bio...