Snap Judgment

An Afghan man is asked the unexpected by one of the most notorious Talibs in his neighborhood. A boy is picked on at school but it isn’t the other kids he has to worry about. Glynn flies too close to the sun. And not even death can keep true friends apart. STORIES Extremist Makeover A young boy in Afghanistan was approached by one of the most notorious Talibs in his neighborhood. He never expected...

August 21, 1971, was the deadliest day in San Quentin history, and it’s still a painful topic, both inside the prison and out. At the center of the story was a Black revolutionary named George Jackson. Who was he, and what makes him so controversial, even today? Snap Judgment presents, “August 21, 1971," a special spotlight on Ear Hustle from PRX’s Radiotopia. This episode contains strong language...

You know we had to go for Round 2! We’ve brought your favorite Snap storytellers from around the world Backstage again, sharing the real stories that bubble up when the stage lights go down. Dino Archie , Shannon Cason , Dr. Ray Christian , Joyce Lee , and Don Reed join Glynn to spar about problematic side dishes, code-switching, and skin-lightening cream. Big thanks and love to the whole crew! Th...

Two women set sail on a tiny boat, embarking on a journey to freedom that takes them across the globe. And a Hungarian composer dreams of changing the world… he did. STORIES From Russia With Love Two women, a tiny boat, the wide-open ocean… and kismet. Elena has written a book about their adventure, called Talking to the Moon. You can read the story on the couple’s website. This story contains sce...

It’s when the last glow of amber fades from the sky. When you can’t quite tell who approaches you on the dark path. When everyone starts to speak with lowered voices. That when you know… it’s time for Campfire Tales. This week, Spooked stories that will keep you up at night! A policeman experiences a sinister omen with deadly consequences. Crows set out to send a man warnings in Santa Fe. And it’s...

ALM – as referred to in court documents – is a Navajo and Cherokee toddler. When he was a baby, a white couple from the suburbs of Dallas wanted to adopt him, but a federal law said they couldn’t. So they sued. Today, the lawsuit doesn’t just impact the future of one child, or even the future of one law. It threatens the entire legal structure defending Native American rights. Today, from Crooked...

Sir Dyno is the Chicano Eazy-E, the king of lowrider car shows, an up-and-coming gangsta rapper straight outta Northern California. But when he gets the money to finance his next CD, he has no idea that the same music that made him a legend will also lead to his downfall. Thank you, David Rocha, for sharing your story with us! Thanks also to Sharon Rocha, Justin Berton & Julia Reynolds. David...

When Ian Coss decided to get married, every living member of his family who had ever been married had also been divorced. He wonders: are we doomed to recycle the patterns of behavior we get from our ancestors? And a fictional tale of marital mayhem! STORIES Forever is a Long Time When Ian Coss decided to get married, every living member of his family who had ever been married had also gotten divo...

A computer learns to speak with emotion and conviction but lacks the ability to distinguish good ideas from absolute madness. And a man has a chance to work on a secret project involving millions of flying mammals that could put an end to World War II. STORIES Theodora Making sense of the world is always a struggle.  And that's why, as far back as time has existed, some people have chosen to stand...

When Heidi Shin had her first baby, she took an entire year to care for her daughter full-time. For the most part, she loved it. But she also felt like she was losing part of herself to motherhood. So she decides to take a work trip to an island off the coast of South Korea. She comes away with an unexpected discovery about motherhood and herself. Check out more of  Heidi’s work . Listen to Heidi’...

The podcast The Turning from Rococo Punch and iHeartRadio tells the story of religious sisters who joined Mother Teresa’s order of nuns, but who eventually decided they had to leave. It asks, what is the line between devotion and brainwashing? Can you truly give yourself to God? If you make a lifelong vow, what does it mean to break it? Produced by Erika Lantz, Elin Lantz Lesser, and Emily Forman....

A woman in Veracruz, Mexico receives a map from a pair of anonymous strangers that leads her on a search to solve a mystery that’s haunted her for years. And a psychiatrist brings together three men who believe they are all Jesus Christ, hoping to cure them of their delusions. STORIES Map to the Disappeared A woman in Veracruz, Mexico receives a map from a pair of anonymous strangers that leads he...

On January 13th, 2018, at exactly 8:07 in the morning, one text message turned the state of Hawaii into a state of emergency. From panic and fear to acceptance and joy, Snap Judgment explores the 38 minutes when the people of Hawaii faced an incoming ballistic missile threat. Lead Producer: Jazmin Aguilera Editor: Anna Sussman Producers: Eliza Smith, Erika Lantz, John Fecile Additional production...

A severed head turns up in a small rural town. While police investigate this as a crime, they look at disturbed graves, search for missing people — suspect a killer. But the forensic artist on the case has a very different theory for how the head ended up in the woods. This story contains references to forensic material, sensitive listeners please be advised. Thank you to Michelle Vitali & Mik...

A tiny, pirate radio station broadcasts to the thousands of families trapped in ISIS-controlled Mosul. A man’s fingers fly across the keys with ease when he sits down at a piano for the first time. And a young kid learns a lesson in friendship. STORIES Mixed up Mixtape Glynn tries to front as an angsty mixtape master, and it's got him all mixed up. Produced by Pat Mesiti-Miller Good Morning Mosul...

One officer in Los Angeles used car inspections to hit on women. Three hundred miles away in the San Francisco Bay Area, another woman says an officer used police resources to harass and stalk her. This episode investigates these two cases of sexual misconduct by California Highway Patrol officers. While the officers were fired, the agency did not refer potential crimes to prosecutors. And the fil...

Cheyenne Brady knew next to nothing about the US census when she was given the job of counting everyone on her reservation. Writer Julian Brave Noisecat follows her through the ups and downs of the 2020 census, culminating in the first-ever Census Powwow. This story features descriptions of genocide and historical trauma, sensitive listeners please be advised. A big, big thank you to everyone on t...

In May 1991, a bank robber walked into a bank in Irving, Texas, and without speaking handed the teller a note that read, “This is a bank robbery. Give me your money. No marked bills or dye packs.” Witnesses reported that the robber was wearing a cowboy hat and a brown leather jacket. And then it happened again. And again. But when FBI agents finally got a lead, they discovered that the robber wasn...

An Israeli soldier’s decision to speak out against his own violent actions comes back to haunt him. And a little girl in Brooklyn devotes herself to becoming a nun… or does she? STORIES Crimes, Lies, and Videotape When Dean Issacharoff was a commander in the Israeli Defense Forces, he patrolled the Palestinian city of Hebron, and later fought in Gaza. Then, after he got home from the army, Dean’s...

It's been almost a year since friends and family have been able to visit their loved ones in prison, due to the pandemic. Letters to the inside are always a lifeline. This year, more than ever. Today, from Uncuffed , we hear from Adamu Chan, who was recently released from San Quentin State Prison, while his friend Edmond Richardson, is still on the inside. Uncuffed is a storytelling project made b...

Andy Marra’s job has just offered her the chance of a lifetime: she’s going to Korea. But she’s got a secret plan for the trip that has nothing to do with work. Thank you, Andy, for sharing your story with Snap! Find out more about her advocacy work here . Produced by Regina Bediako, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot Season 12 - Episode 20 Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.p...

Snap Judgment presents, “Hot Trash,” a special spotlight on the Ear Hustle podcast, from PRX ’s Radiotopia . Visiting a loved one in prison is both emotionally intense and constrained by countless rules — from how much PDA is too much PDA, to what kind of candy you can eat inside. One year after California prison authorities suspended in-person visits due to COVID-19, hear stories from and about v...

When the two greatest auction houses in the world - Christie’s and Sotheby’s - vied for the privilege of auctioning off $20 million worth of art in 2004, little did they know that they would be forced to engage in an ancient form of ritualized combat known as... rock paper scissors. Be sure to check out Carol Vogel’s original New York Times article. Produced by Joe Rosenberg, artwork by Teo Ducot...

After years of fighting battles as a child soldier, a Sudanese man finds himself a refugee in Australia. As he struggles to overcome his past, he comes face-to-face with his childhood tormentor on a TV show. This episode recounts real events that happened to a child soldier, including graphic scenes inside a prison camp, listener discretion is advised. Thank you, Ayik , for sharing your incredible...

When a four-seater plane violently crashes onto the top of an 8,000-foot mountain, an 11-year-old fights to survive. A white boy discovers he's black. And history calls on an Oglala Lakota Headsman in South Dakota to stand up for his people. Snap Judgment presents, “Mettle.” STORIES Electric Fence As a country boy, Glynn puts his family pride on the line when his neighbor challenges him to the ult...