Audacious with Chion Wolf

Elite bodyguard and security expert Will Geddes talks about how his childhood prepared him for a 30-year career protecting some of the most high-profile clients in the world.  Will shares surprising stories from the field, and reflections on what it's like when your one job is to make sure your client gets in and out - unharmed. Plus, get practical tips for staying safe! Suggested episodes: Stolen...

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 that once-in-a...

Missing the Olympics? Well, listen to our show about weird sports! Including extreme ironing, where people press their clothes at the top of volcanoes, in caves, even while hanging upside down in trees! And there's cheese rolling, where people chase a cheese wheel which is barrelling down a steep hill. And then there's the oh, so British sport of shin kicking! This is a centuries-old wrestling spo...

Did you know that food can trigger a trauma response? Somatic educators like Luis Mojica help people feel more connected to their bodies through food, music, and slowing down to feel it all. Hear how he helps people unlock their pain, and how his life as an intersex person informs his understanding of all the ways a body can communicate. GUESTS:  Luis Mojica : Musician, somatic educator, and life...

Most of us have faked being sick at some point, whether to escape a commitment or gain a little sympathy. But for some, this behavior becomes a compulsion, driven by underlying mental health or personality disorders. Meet a woman who has written a book about her journey to overcome Munchausen Syndrome, also known as Factitious Disorder. And a doctor specializing in this condition sheds light on it...

Chicago Cubs superfan, Ronnie “Woo Woo“ Wickers says, “It’s not a ballgame if they don’t see me or hear me!” That sentiment applies to all of our guests on this show! Including Ronnie, 49ers fan, Banjo Man, and Bob Labonne, who is a massive fan of the UConn Huskies women's basketball team! GUESTS:  Stacy Samuels aka Banjo Man: a 73-year-old fan of the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland A’s. He at...

With everything being stored in our phone, there seems to be fewer and fewer reasons to store anything in our brain. But what if your imagination was much more powerful and vast than you think? And with a few simple techniques, you could remember an astonishing amount of information? Two people who have won international memory competitions and set world records for memorizing will tell you exactl...

There are many ways to teach, but few are as impactful as embodying a character as an actor. How does taking on such roles shape a person's life? In this episode, we delve into the experiences of two unique educators. Discover what it was like for Azie Dungey, a Black actress, to portray an enslaved woman at George and Martha Washington's estate in Mount Vernon. How did this deeply emotional role...

You know the Chicago-based music festival, Lollapalooza? Well, this episode of Audacious features NO ONE from Lollapalooza! But it does feature people who love something so much that they made a palooza out of it! Hear about the communal beauty and allure of pogo sticks, origami, lighters, and John Philip Sousa marches. GUESTS:  Nick McClintock: Creative director and co-founder of  Pogopalooza Kua...

Growing up, Pidgeon Pagonis was told a lot about their medical history: They were born with cancerous ovaries, so the doctors removed them to save their life. Except that wasn't true. In reality, they were born intersex. And those were not cancerous ovaries, they were undescended testes. And that was just the beginning of many truths coming out. Hear their story of discovery, and how they played a...

Enjoy our ode to farts! Meet researchers who made a New York Times bestselling book series about the various ways that animals fart; A man who is internationally known for being a hand farter, (also called a “manualist“); And another person who was born without an anus and went on to make a living off of his ability to fart extensively on-command! Which he will absolutely do for us in this episode...

Back in the day — with your Walter Cronkites and David Brinkleys — it felt kind of   inappropriate for an interviewer to bring their full selves to the conversation. It was all about the guest, after all, so why bother bringing their own distinctive flairs? But now, people tune in as much for the interviewer as the one being interviewed. And because of that, the experience feels much more authenti...

Jayson Greene’s daughter, Greta, died in 2015 when she was two years old. She was sitting on a bench with her grandma on the Upper West Side of Manhattan when a brick fell from a building and struck her in the head. Now, nine years later, how would Jayson describe Greta’s presence in his life?   Hear his reflections on life after unimaginable tragedy, and how much he appreciates the people that sh...

In the movies, cyborgs often don't have a soul or a conscience. But in real life, some people become cyborgs in order to enhance the human experience and to be more connected with nature. Like Neil Harbisson. He was born colorblind, but now, thanks to an antenna implanted into the base of his skull, he can hear colors! And choreographer, Moon Ribas, had implants embedded in her feet that vibrated...

People modify their bodies all the time. A piercing here, a tattoo there… But what if you took it to the extreme, and reshaped yourself into something mythical? Meet two people who use body modifications to turn themselves into dragons. Related episodes: Change Of Art: Stories About Tattoo Coverups Retired CIA Chief of Disguise Jonna Mendez on magic, technology and the art of deception (Almost) Ev...

When people imagine becoming parents, they don’t often envision their child being born with a condition that requires lifetime care. Hear reflections and wisdom from “forever parents” whose children have autism with anxiety and OCD; a disorder that caused 100 seizures a day; and Down Syndrome. GUESTS:  Carrie Cariello :  Mother of five children, including 18 year-old Jack, who has Autism, OCD, and...

When you imagine a pawn shop, what do you think of? Maybe a gruff dude behind the counter, giving you as little money - and as much attitude - as possible. After all, it's a male-dominated industry, and t.v. shows like Pawn Stars reinforce the stereotype. But in this episode of Audacious, join Chion as she gets to know the kindness, compassion and sense of humor of Sandy Meier. She runs Pawn Queen...

Most of the time, the stunts you see in television and movies go perfectly. But when something goes wrong, the athletes who have spent their lives perfecting their craft can get permanently injured. David Holmes was Daniel Radcliffe's main stunt double in the Harry Potter movies. In 2009, an accident on-set paralyzed him. Jonathan Goodwin was a regular stunt performer on t.v. shows, but in 2021, h...

On July 12, 2022, Dawn Wright (aka "Deepsea Dawn") became the first and only Black person to dive to the lowest known point on the Earth's seabed, "Challenger Deep". Hear about her journey down into the Mariana Trench, why she went, and what she found at the bottom that shocked her. You also may enjoy these episodes: Below the surface: The stories behind underwater world records Extreme allergies...

Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are considered to be two of the most important performers of this or any generation. A Swiftie and a leader of the BeyHive talk about the lengths they go to to experience - and share the love - of their favorite performer. Suggested companion episode: 'I Will Always Love You': Jada Star’s musical bond with her aunt Dolly Parton GUESTS:  Molly Swindall : has been a Taylor S...

When you imagine an emotional support animal, what comes to mind? A dog? Well how about a pigeon? A sugar glider? Or an emotional support pig? Meet people who’ve paired up with these animals to make their lives - and mental health conditions - better. This episode originally aired on May 26, 2023. GUESTS:  Cynthia Zhou : Miu was her emotional support pigeon from 2016 to 2021. She is an advocate fo...

Pranking on television has been around for over 70 years. Starting with Candid Camera in the late 40s all the way through to Punk'd in the early 2000s. Pranking has evolved to not only entertain, but to show off the goodness in people! The directors of the movie Bad Trip, and the tv series, Jury Duty, talk about how they pull off physical stunts that leave a positive emotional impact. Previous epi...

Have you ever tried doing an impression of a famous person... And failed miserably? That's because impressions are really hard to pull off! On this episode, you'll meet two of the best in the business: Mary Elizabeth Kelly, who is known for her mouth acting impressions, and Dean Edwards from Saturday Night Live. Shows referenced: What is foreign accent syndrome? After a stroke, one man’s southern...

Remember the joy of “Show and Tell” at school? Now why should only the kids have all the fun? Listeners to Audacious (and staff members of Connecticut Public!) gathered at  Third Place  by Half Full Brewery on March 13th for an opportunity to share their story! For a full transcript of this show, click here . GUESTS:  Elaine Braithwaite:  Electric violinist and City Librarian of Bridgeport Faisal...

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...