Audacious with Chion Wolf

Medical aid in dying offers what some may call “a good death”. But how will the increased use of it change our relationship with dying? Meet a hospice and palliative care consultant who has been present for over 1,500 deaths, and hear his concerns about the effect of so-called “designer deaths” on the human species. Then, hear from a woman living with terminal cancer who is an enthusiastic advocat...

What's it like being an environmental activist who takes a vow of silence for 17 years? What's life like as a Trappist monk who defaults to silence for a lifetime? And what's it like to be a public radio host who gives up speaking for a week? The voice in Chion's head narrates the experience, and you'll hear audio she collected along the way. GUESTS:  John Francis : an environmental activist who t...

This is a bonus track from the first time Chion Wolf spoke after a week-long vow of silence. It was for an episode of Audacious featuring two people who've had their own vows of silence, including an environmental activist who didn't speak for 17 years (with the exception of one time), and a Trappist monk, whose lifestyle defaults to silence. This video of this moment is also available here: ctpub...

The most common name in the United States is Smith, and if that's your surname, you'll have around 4.5 million others in the world to share it with. But just because you have a popular name like, say, Pat Smith, that doesn’t mean that you’re common! The four Pat Smiths you’ll meet are unique: an environmental activist, an adventurous videographer, an African-American kindergarten...

The odds that you’ll be in an airplane crash are about 1 in 1.2 million. The odds you’ll die that way? 1 in 11 million. So what’s it like being someone who made it through something like that? On today’s show, hear stories from two people who did, including a military pilot, and a woman who was one of only two survivors of a crash that claimed 107 lives. GUESTS:  Kechi Okwuchi : author of More Tha...

It’s one thing to have a hard time with parenthood. But what if you wholeheartedly regret it? On this  Gracie Award-winning episode , hear from two parents who feel this way, and find out how they balance feeling full of regret while wanting to make sure their kids are well taken care of. And is it really possible to love someone whom they regret bringing into existence? You’ll also meet a woman w...

This episode of Audacious is tops! You’re gonna meet the first African-American to summit Everest, the world’s first candidate to consider transplanting his head onto a different body, and how teachers and students of a special education school in the UK beat the world record for the tallest stack of hats worn for at least 30 seconds! GUESTS:  Sophia Danenberg: The first African-American and first...

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 love with objects, and today, you’ll meet four people who are married to spirits, ancestors, or gods. GUESTS:  Dr. Megan Rose : An initiated ceremonial magician, a Shakta Tantric practitioner, and the author of S...

How do you define forgiveness? Turns out, the definition tends to be as different as every person. And that definition changes depending on where you are in the process, too! On this episode of Audacious, Chion talks about it with a best friend, a pastor, a philosopher, and a man who lost his face after getting hit by a drunk driver. You’ll also hear ponderings on forgiveness from some of our Auda...

On the most recent episode of Audacious, we talked about the definition of forgiveness. It seems like every person has their own interpretation of it, and how we define it often defines us.  David Whyte is a philosopher, poet, speaker, and author of Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment, and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words . He begins our conversation by reading the passage on forgivenes...

JURY DUTY. Just those two words evoke a lot of reactions. And the stories you get from jury duty can be funny, absurd, or, like you’ll hear a juror from the Derek Chauvin trial, they can be traumatic. Hear stories from the jury box on this episode of Audacious. GUESTS:  Michael Leung : Hartford, CT resident who had an awkward encounter as a foreperson in a jury Bishop John Selders : Assistant Dean...

What’s it like reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine, right now? Hear from an American war photographer and a Ukrainian journalist. Plus, get some context from the Executive Director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. GUESTS:  Bruce Shapiro is the Executive Director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma Ron Haviv is the co-founder of the photo agency VII, dedicated to documenting conflict...

Consider all the stuff in your kitchen. There’s at least ONE thing in there with a story behind it, right? Today’s episode features conversations with eleven people about the stories behind their special kitchen utensil or appliance. GUESTS:  Susan Jane Bigelow of Enfield, Connecticut, has a very special spoon Emily and Kevin Tracy of Windsor, Connecticut, have a utensil set that Emily borrowed lo...

Ever wonder how the folks at  Antiques Roadshow on PBS  figure out what makes it on the air? Or what it would feel like to find out your family heirloom is worth at least $100,000? Hear stories from the show's executive producer, and the guest whose heirloom price tag was shocking. Plus, you'll join host Chion Wolf on her trip to Collinsville, CT, for a surprising appraisal of her own! Subscribe t...

This is a BONUS track of Audacious, from our episode about Antiques Roadshow! Eric Hanks recently made his first appearance on the PBS show. He specializes in African American art, and he’s the owner of the renowned M. Hanks Gallery. He’s also the host of the podcast, Eric’s Perspective. It’s his conversations with people about the past, present and future of African Americ...

You know what kind of day today is? It’s a GREAT day to go dumpster diving! A seasoned pro takes me into the depths of a dumpster in West Springfield, Massachusetts, plus a TikTok star talks about how she got hooked on dumpster diving. You’ll also get some do’s and don’ts from a guy who wrote a book about it! GUESTS:  Robert Vadas is the author of A Beginner's Guide to Dumpster Diving and the crea...

A lot of therapists are able to help anyone with anything. But some therapists have a more focused clientele. Like people who are on death row. Or people who are “gifted”. Or people who are super-rich. On this next episode, meet three Audacious therapists. GUESTS:  Clay Cockrell is a psychotherapist, and the founder of Walk And Talk Therapy in Manhattan. He is a therapist to the super-rich Aileen...

Ah, Craigslist’s Missed Connections. Where else can you find that attractive guy you saw at that concert? Or the lady in the laundromat who held your gaze? Or reconnect with your long lost hairstylist?   Hear those stories, plus what a researcher learned from studying over 10,000 posts. And what does it sound like when two Tony-nominated songwriters take Missed Connection posts and turn them into...

What kind of person works in Antarctica? Meet a chef, a supply technician, a physician, and a man who has worked on the continent for over 25 years, including at the world’s most southerly post office and convenience store. GUESTS: Toni Traub  is a Supply Technician & “Wastie” at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station Lisa Minelli  is a sous chef at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station Ted Lee...

Many of us know what it feels like to fall in love. The attraction, the chemistry, the excitement! But what’s it like to fall in love with an ashtray?   Or a chandelier? Hear what love is like for people who identify as  Objectum Sexual . Plus, hear from a sexologist on what the rest of us get wrong about them. GUESTS:  Amy Marsh is a sexologist who specializes in understanding and counseling peop...

Back in The Before Times, I had a monthly advice show called Asking for a Friend at Sea Tea Comedy Theater in downtown Hartford, and in one part of the show, the house lights would come up and the audience members took the mic and talked about what was bothering them. From being annoyed about pumpkin spice, to frustrations with the healthcare industry, pollution, and racism, no gripe was too small...

Sure, you love The Price Is Right, Wheel Of Fortune, and JEOPARDY! But what does it take to go through the audition process and get on those shows? On this show, meet three people who did just that and get some life advice from those iconic soundstages. GUESTS:  Bob Knych of Pawtuket, RI, was on The Price Is Right in 2006 and 2019 Ash Colwell of Charlotte, NC, appeared on Wheel Of Fortune, which w...

Oh, 2021. You were chock full of surprises. So in honor of this most unusual time period, we’re bringing you some of the most thought-provoking, funny, emotional, inspiring, Audacious conversations of the year. GUESTS: Martha Tucker (94) of Birmingham, Alabama, went viral after trying on the wedding dress she'd always wanted. She is joined by her granddaughter, Angela Strozier, who made it happen...

Kids see things differently. Solutions to problems are one big idea away. “What if” is an enthusiastic refrain! And expressing yourself means making art, and asking ALL of the questions! If you’re an older kid who’s forgotten what that drive, that passion, that confidence feels like, all you have to do is keep listening! Today, you’re gonna meet eight young people who think and act BIG in this swi...

2021 has been a year like no other. Many of us were out of our comfort zone because of what’s happening in the world. And some people stepped out even further. Meet some people from Connecticut who’ve done bold, brave things - including a man who went from completely paralyzed to running a gauntlet, a young person who planned her town’s first pride parade, and Hartford’s first troubadour, and flow...