Audacious with Chion Wolf

Meet two men who survived suicide attempts, and built lives around helping others imagine a future beyond despair.  Kevin Hines, one of the few to survive a jump from the Golden Gate Bridge, reflects on the instant regret, the long recovery, and the tools he uses when “brain pain” returns - recorded just days before the 25th anniversary of his attempt.  Then, Connecticut ther...

TV shows and movies set in places like field offices, courtrooms and hospitals entertain us, sure... But they also tell us something - about crime, medicine, danger, and heroism. So who makes sure they don’t get it wrong?  Meet three entertainment consultants whose real jobs exist far beyond the screen: a former FBI profiler behind Criminal Minds , an ER doctor, who advised on The Pitt...

Meet two influential voices in autism advocacy whose lives and work have reshaped how the world understands neurodiversity.  Dr. Temple Grandin - a scientist, author, and animal behavior expert - reflects on growing up autistic, thinking in pictures, and building a career by leaning into the way her mind works.  And Dr. Kerry Magro, an autism advocate, speaker, and consultant on Netflix&...

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 happens when a mother can’t raise her children? Not out of neglect, but because systems, partners, and survival leave her no real choice? This episode challenges the assumptions we place on “non-custodial mothers.” Rebekah Spicuglia explains how immigration rules, economic pressure, and unequal power led to her relinquishing custody of her son, Oscar, and how she channels he...

Step into the technicolor world of PEZ! We tour the Connecticut factory where more than 12 million tiny candies are pressed each day, guided by archivist Shawn Peterson, whose personal collection helped shape the Visitor Center. Meet Brian Trauman, the Guinness World Record holder whose thousands of dispensers trace a lifetime of joyful obsession. Hear Emily Tracy’s tender, funny, heartbreak...

A wise woman once said, “You can tell the ocean anything, but it has to be the truth.“  Chion Wolf boards the MSC Meraviglia expecting a week of small talk and sunscreen. But the farther she gets from land, the more people become willing to hang out in the deep end to talk about love, loss, faith, sobriety and stories they’ve been holding onto for years. When they speak, the...

Ahoy! Here’s a little bonus treasure from our episode, Audacious at Sea: Wisdom from Strangers on a Cruise Ship .  Chion spends a blissful vacation week aboard the MSC Meraviglia with about 5,000 fellow humans, sailing from Brooklyn to the Bahamas and back. And because we couldn’t fit everyone she talks with into the on-air version, this bonus gives you even more of their voices a...

Would you leave your family, friends, home, and job to move over a thousand miles away to take care of a pet squirrel? Meet two people who did just that for 8 year-old Thumbelina. Then, meet a birdkeeper at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute who was chosen by an endangered crane to be her life partner for almost 20 years. This episode originally aired on September 13, 2024. Listen to a...

We recently rebroadcast our Audacious episode featuring Chris Crowe. He's a bird keeper at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s campus in Front Royal, Virginia. He spent nearly twenty years as the chosen partner of an endangered white-naped crane named Walnut. She was one of only 5,000 in the world, but to Chris, she was one of a kind.  Walnut's lif...

Some people “age gracefully.” These three women age audaciously! 91 year-old comedian, D’yan Forest, commands the stage with her ukulele and sharp wit, spinning the stories of her long life into laughter. Family law attorney Harriet Newman Cohen, 92, is the kind of lawyer who changed history for LGBTQ+ families and plans on never stopping. And Charlotte Guttenberg, the 77-year-ol...

Who rejoices in making a bad episode of public radio? We do! But only the best kind of bad.  On this episode of Audacious , meet Jon from Jon Breaks Bad News , who delivers other people’s worst messages for a living. Then, the co-founders of the Golden Raspberry Awards - also known as the Razzies - celebrate Hollywood’s most spectacular cinematic failures. And finally, a few liste...

What happens when a Brooklyn woman who identifies as queer, liberal, vegan, and an atheist donates her kidney to a conservative Christian man from Virginia? Kerry Kennedy and Joey Shervey tell the story of what it looks like when compassion outvotes everything else. Their transplant crossed party lines and personal beliefs to create an unexpected friendship. Then, Lindsay Vigue describes how a sma...

When does creation become prayer? And when does prayer become protest? Artist and poet Zulynette talks about her new book,  Becoming a Soft Woman with a Machete . It's equal parts gospel, therapy session, and roast. From laughter to liberation, explore how art can be both sanctuary and sword. Suggested episodes: Poet Zulynette on “Seeing in the Dark”  The playfulness of poetr...

Have you ever seen Reborn Babies? They’re these hyper-realistic-looking dolls that are collected for their extraordinary artistic accuracy… And they’re also used therapeutically for people who suffer from anxiety and depression. Hear from a woman who uses them for just that reason. Plus, meet a painter who makes them look so real, a researcher on the Reborn community and culture...

It’s 2 a.m.; the phone rings. The caller ID says Stockholm, Sweden. The voice on the other end of the line says, “Congratulations! You’ve just been awarded a Nobel Prize!” What goes through your mind in a moment like that? Meet two people who received that life-altering call. Discover not only the incredible doors it opened for them, but the unexpected challenges that came...

DING DONG! Crash headfirst into the world of singing telegrams: bizarre, moving, and absolutely unforgettable.  You’ll meet Joy Brooker, whose TikTok serenades bring millions to tears and laughter; Jay Bragg, who blends hospice care and honky-tonk into acoustic telegrams; and Paul Mordoff, a children’s entertainer who joins us on a bench by a lake in a tutu-clad gorilla costume.&n...

At The Big E, a fair becomes a mirror. Wander with the Audacious crew through 175 acres of wonder and delight to meet the people who bring it to life! From a Lost & Found sage, to a fairy from the Florence Griswold Museum, to a hot tub ace, to Amber, the bathroom attendant/joy DJ. President & CEO Gene Cassidy shares the soul of the Exposition, then we follow our heads, hearts, and (especia...

What happens when adults do “Show and Tell” at a brewery? In this third live installment, recorded at Willimantic Brewing Company, names are drawn from a vase and strangers step up with objects that carry big stories: a couch cushion, a WWII code talker radio, a NeXT computer by Steve Jobs, a ravioli cutter, a shofar, even a hand grenade. The results are hilarious, heartfelt, and unfor...

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. This episode originally aired on March 14, 2...

Ever look at a wedge of cheddar and think, “Tell me my destiny” ? No? Well, it’s time.  Dive into the delicious world of food-based fortune telling with Jennifer Billock, a cheese oracle; Sarah Napoli, a witch who lets onions predict your romantic future; and Rebecca Zaretzky, a tea-leaf reader who sees more than just caffeine in your cup. Suggested episodes: I predict that...

Marfan syndrome is a rare genetic condition that affects the body’s connective tissue, sometimes in ways that are life-threatening, and often life-changing. Meet three people whose stories reveal the risks, resilience, and even humor of living with Marfan.  Dr. John Elefteriades, one of the world’s leading aortic surgeons, explains how new AI tools could revolutionize diagnosis. B...

Mascots: They’re furry, funny, and sometimes mischievous. But what's actually going on in there? Tom Burgoyne shares what it’s been like to embody the Phillie Phanatic for over three decades.  Mikaela Higgins reveals how her company became a giant in the world of mascot-makers, designing icons from Ronald McDonald to the Energizer Bunny.  And hear how one “yes“ ch...

What’s in a name?  For me, “Audacious” was the perfect fit for a show about bold conversations, but I’m not the only one drawn to it. Meet three creators who also built their work around that powerful word.  Dr. Jody Jahn hosts The Audacious Year , helping high-achieving women rebuild their self-image from the inside out. Audley Stephenson’s The Audacious Li...

Jeffrey Marsh is back on Audacious , four years after their interview with Chion Wolf cracked open a new kind of conversation about dignity, identity, and radical love.  In this deeply personal follow-up, Jeffrey opens up about self-trust, forgiveness, the spiritual stakes of being visibly nonbinary in America, and why vulnerability is the real magic. Plus, how to keep your heart intact in a...