Understanding Upstate

Under the banner of Griselda Records, Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, and Conway The Machine have created a musical force from their lives and experiences in Buffalo, New York that world hasn't seen since the likes of Rick James. Jim and Rob discuss the group's rise from handing out mixtapes to being anointed as successors to the hip hop crown by legends like DJ Premier and the Wu-Tang C...

You press the play button, Rob and Jim do the rest. This week Understanding Upstate breaks down the development and demise of Rochester's own, Eastman Kodak. From their pioneering innovations that brought photography to the masses, to practically inventing airplane reconnaissance, through their history around their racist and discriminatory employment practices, to the potential poisoning of F...

This week Jim and Rob get into the surprisingly complex origins of Thousand Island Dressing. They'll take a look at the sweeping innovations in salad technology that lead to a veritable salad boom in the early 1900's. What makes Russian Dressing Russian? Why did the federal government regulate French Dressing from the 1950's until 2022? Who were the movers and shakers in the early sala...

We're back in Binghamton to examine the history of a former Upstate cultural hub, the Binghamton Masonic Temple, which has since been abandoned and fallen into disrepair. Rob and Jim also will get into a little history of the Freemasons, their potentially successful kidnapping/murder of an Upstate journalist, and how the organization has changed over the centuries. Follow us on instagram:  ⁠⁠⁠...

This week we conclude our two part review of 2014's  The Rewrite. Is the combined power of Binghamton, fresh spiedies, and Rod Serling enough to redeem this movie? Jump in to find out! Haven't seen  The Rewrite  yet? Don't worry, you can watch the whole movie here for free on  ⁠Tubi⁠ .  Throw us a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Include a suggestion in your review for something...

In the first installment of a whirlwind two part series, Jim and Rob begin their movie review of 2014's The Rewrite, starring Hugh Grant, Marisa Tomei, and none other than our favorite Upstate city: Binghamton, New York. Not since The Twilight Zone has Binghamton been so prominently featured in pop culture and we'll get into why this movie is in many regards terrible but also a pretty good...

Get ready to yuck it up because this week we are headed to Upstate New York's funniest region: the Borscht Belt. Join Jim and Rob as they look at the Jewish Alp's impact on comedy and navigate the bungalow colonies and marriage brokers of the Catskill Mountains. Next week we're reviewing, The Rewrite , a film staring Hugh Grant and Marisa Tomei which was filmed in Binghamton, NY. Catch...

You may not have heard of the Upstate shoe company, Endicott Johnson. before, but trust us when we say this episode ties a lot of things together. We'll get to the bottom of how this company and its enigmatic owner, George F. Johnson influenced the Southern Tier, the Twilight Zone, spiedies, and maybe even Jumanji.  Throw us a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Include a suggestion in you...

If you've ever left a holiday celebration wanting to smash something, well then we have got the perfect Upstate tradition for you: peppermint pigs. Jim and Rob grab their tiny hammers and smash open this sweet swine from Saratoga to figure out why no one has ever seen hide nor hair of this holiday hog. Don't forget, this is a special episode you can WATCH on ⁠ YouTube⁠ . Throw us a rating...

This week Jim and Rob tackle... the Buffalo Bills! They'll figure out who's more intimidating between the Bills Mafia and the actual mob, and wether there is such a thing as a halfway Bills fan. Don't forget, this is a special episode you can WATCH on YouTube . Don't forget to throw us a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Include a suggestion in your review for something you&#3...

This week Rob and Jim will not only make you an offer you can't refuse, but will also talk about an ill-advised Upstate mob meeting. Back in 1957 the Mafia thought it'd be a good idea to get everyone together at a house in the small town of Apalachin, NY. Turns out this meeting would be the beginning of the end for the Cosa Nostra crime syndicate. Did the FBI have an undercover mole who fo...

Rob and Jim examine the life of Upstate legend and Adirondack resident, Oliver Lamora, who found himself caught between a Rockefeller and a hard place. We'll take a trip into the patient determination and not so subtle sociopathy of William Rockefeller as he waged a years long legal battle against Civil War veteran and father of eight, Oliver Lamora. Follow us on instagram:  ⁠⁠@understandingup...

Buckle up because this week we're going to learn all about the Upstate grocery store Wegmans and what has kept them ahead in the grocer game for so long and why self proclaimed Wegmaniacs ride so hard for a grocery store. While Understanding Upstate is definitely not sponsored by SupermarketWorldNews.com, rest assured, this will be Danny's Favorite episode. Have no idea what that means? We...

This week Jim and Rob take a look at one of the most (in)famous people to come out of Buffalo, NY, the one and only Rick James. Strap in, because this episode has more twists than every M. Night Shyamalan movie combined! We get into the wild life and times of the Superfreak himself, and also look at the lasting impact he has had on music and his hometown of Buffalo, NY. Follow us on instagram: @un...

Buckle up because we are headed back to Binghamton, NY to examine one of the greatest regional foods to ever exist, the magical marinated meat, the spiedie. Jim and Rob get into the origins of spiedie, what makes it so tasty, and why it's such an important part of Binghamton culture. On top of that, journalist and writer, Paul Lukas, sits down with us to talk about being one of the first peopl...

To round out this year's spooky season, Rob⁠  and  ⁠Jim⁠  are examining some Upstate ghost stories, including maybe the most famous murder case you've never heard of, the tragic Adirondack murder of Grace Brown. On top of that, Rob dove into the stacks to bring you the most gripping ghost stories ripped from the headlines of Upstate New York newspapers of yore. Jump in while Rob and Jim tr...

This week Rob and Jim are talking about Binghamton, New York's favorite son: Rod Serling! While they go over his amazing career in Hollywood, we'll also learn how Rod artfully wove Upstate NY into The Twilight Zone and the lasting impact he's had on the world. Was Rod's prolific skill as a writer only matched by his virtuosity as a smoker? Who should you back in the Bundy Museum v....

What is Upstate New York? Well, it turns out it's a lot of things, and hosts Jim Search and Rob Adler are here to tell you just what makes Upstate such a unique place. From garbage plates to the world's largest Prozac pill, we're diving into every interesting nook and cranny of Upstate culture and history that we can find. This episode breaks down the scope of the show and Rob see'...

Understanding Upstate is coming soon! It's the podcast dedicated to exploring what makes Upstate New York such a unique and special place. Each week hosts Jim Search and Rob Adler will dive into a new Upstate topic from local monuments like the world's largest Prozac pill, to famous Upstate New Yorkers like Rod Serling, to delicacies only found Upstate like Garbage Plates, Spiedies, and Mi...