Snap Judgment

Latest Episodes:

Senior Year Mixtape - Snap Classic Sep 14, 2023

Show notes

It’s Senior Year and Alex, Damaris, and Brantin have been waiting for the day they get to leave Mission High and enter adulthood. Snap follows the three students for a whole year as their dreams turn into reality.

Plus, we have life updates from the students about what they’re doing now.

A very special thank you to our heroes: Brantin, Damaris and Alex. Thank you also to Mission High School Principal Eric Guthertz, everyone in the Wellness Center and our guide Chandra Shivakumar.

Produced by Adizah Eghan, Liz Mak, Eliza Smith, Anna Sussman, and Mark Ristich

Original score by Pat Mesiti-Miller and Renzo Gorrio

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 39

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The Medicine Man Sep 07, 2023

Show notes

Chris Lundy always wanted to figure out why his family took him to see a Vodou priest and how this treatment made him better. And a group paratroopers go on a trip with their Sergeant that’s out of this world.

STORIES

Magic Potion Vodou

Chris Lundy has always wanted to figure out why his family took him to see a Vodou priest and how this treatment made him better.

There is one explicit word in this story. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.

Big thanks to Chris Lundy for sharing your story! Chris is a storyteller who's performed at First Person Arts, RISK!, USA Today's Storytellers Project, and more.

Major thanks to WHYY's The Pulse, who originally aired this story. Their podcast features stories about people and places at the heart of health and science. Check it out!!

This story was produced and reported by Chris Lundy and Justin Kramon. It was edited by Maiken Scott and Lindsay Lazarski. Sound design by Maiken Scott. Engineering by Charlie Kaier. Special thanks to Dieu Nalio Chery for his help on the story.

Acid Jump

When morale was low among the paratroopers in his company, Sergeant Ray Christian takes them on a trip.

Thanks Ray for telling us your story! Check out Ray’s podcast, What’s Ray Saying, and follow him on Twitter.

Original score and sound design by Leon Morimoto, produced by Adizah Eghan

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 38

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Campfire Tales X Aug 31, 2023

Show notes

There are some stories we are afraid to tell. Some truths only happen after dark. And some secrets can only be shared around the fire.

We proudly present, “Campfire Tales X.” An annual tradition featuring supernatural stories from our evil-twin podcast, Spooked.

STORIES

Smell Ya Later

After Laura’s husband gets a fatal diagnosis, he promises to contact her from beyond the grave. But how will she know it’s really him?

Original score by Leon Morimoto, produced by Anne Ford

Paper Route Premonition

Alyssa is taking over her friend’s paper route for the week. It’s a fun way to make a little money. There’s just this one house that’s freaking her out …

Original score by Yari Bundy, produced by Anne Ford

Stormwalker

When Roberta is a little girl, there’s nothing scarier than the thought of being caught out in a big storm. One day, her worst fear comes true … and then someone shows up

Original score by Yari Bundy, produced by Anne Ford

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 37

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Shut Up Rick Aug 24, 2023

Show notes

Did you ever have that one friend that you didn’t want but it turns out you really need? This week on Snap, epic stories about unexpected companionship.

STORIES

Shut Up Rick

He’s called Shut Up Rick. Let’s hear what he has to say.

Thank you Bucky Sinister and Rick Loddy.

Bucky is a poet, author, and comedian — to learn more about Bucky’s work and what he’s up to now, subscribe to his substack.

Original score by Clay Xavier, produced by Zahra Noorbaksh and John Fecile

Rock Paper Scissors

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

The Kipling Hotel - LIVE

A young, penniless student arrives at UCLA with no place to stay and is forced to improvise.

Performed by Don Reed at Snap LIVE in San Francisco, CA.

Music composed by Alex Mandel, performed by the Snap Judgment Players: Alex Mandel, David Brandt, and Tim Frick

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 – Episode 36

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Batwoman Aug 17, 2023

Show notes

A woman takes animal rehabilitation to new heights when she brings over a thousand bats back from the dead. And a Snap producer reveals he owes a lot to one single hairy flying creature. Snap Judgment presents, “Batwoman.” True stories about animals told by humans.

STORIES

Batwoman

A woman in Texas takes animal rehabilitation to new heights when she brings over a thousand bats back from the dead.

There is an explicit word in this story. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.

Thank you, Mary Warwick, for sharing your story with us!

Big thanks also to The Houston Humane Society, The TWRC Wildlife Center, and the Batworld Sanctuary in Texas – whose staff protect and rehabilitate bats, and provide education and training on the proper treatment of bats to people all over the US.

Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, produced by Shaina Shealy

Bless the Bat

Snap Producer, John Fecile, tells us how he got where is he today.

Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, produced by John Fecile

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 35

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The Loophole - Snap Classic Aug 11, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever wanted something so badly you’d do anything to make it happen? Sixteen-year-old Mohamed decides to dig deep in his religion to take the next step with his crush. There’s no love like young love… especially when it’s a secret.

This story contains strong language, discusses sexuality, and mentions corporal punishment. Please take care while listening.

BIG thanks to Mohamed Ali for sharing his story with us! Mohamed is an artist and comedian, he just got back to Canada after spending the last few years working and performing in Southeast Asia. Check out his Instagram!

Special thanks to Zahra Noorbakhsh. Big thanks as well to Zaiba Hasan & her crew from the podcast Mommying While Muslim.

Produced by Regina Bediako, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot

Snap Music Spotlight: “Honest” by Jada Imani (produced by Dakim)

Jada Imani is an East St. Louis-born, Bay Area-raised Hip-Hop R&B artist and organizer. In addition to a whole bunch of great music, Jada recently launched a new product line called “Good For The Soul”. Be sure to check out her Patreon and follow her on social media!

This song comes to us from the compilation Water For The Town Vol. 4, a project series from SmartBomb created to raise mutual aid and awareness for various organizations and grassroots movements doing vital work right here in Oakland.

The song is produced by Dakim, be sure to check out more of Dakim’s music and follow them on Instagram!

Snap Classic - Season 14 - Episode 34

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A Feminist Call to Prayer from Ritually Aug 03, 2023

Show notes

Nelufar grew up with a Muslim upbringing, and she’s about to dig into a ritual that’s at the center of her religion: the daily call to prayer. It’s a practice uniting 1.8 billion Muslims around the world. But, for a lot of reasons, Nelufar never felt completely comfortable responding to that call. So Nelufar, she tries a slightly different approach.

This episode comes to us from our friends at Ritually. It’s Nelufar Hedayat’s new podcast, from Brazen Media. And In each episode, she tries out a new spiritual or wellness ritual to find out if practicing it can actually make you feel better. Want to hear more? Listen to Ritually wherever you get your podcasts!

BIG thanks to the entire Ritually team over there for their work on this beautiful piece: Sarah Kendal, Susie Armitage, Clair Urbahn, Troy Holmes, Bradley Hope, Tom Wright, Mariangel Gonzales, Lucy Woods, Charlotte Cooper, Francesca Gilardi Quadrio Curzio, Nour Abdel Latif, Megan Dean, Ryan Ho, and Julien Pradier.

Ritually’s theme music is by Amaroun. Original music is by Jay Brown. Artwork by Ryan Ho and Julien Pradier

Season 14 - Episode 33

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The Social Experiment - Snap Classic Jul 27, 2023

Show notes

Two comic story tellers, Dino Archie and James Judd, bring you love, bromance and a summer camp exorcism with sock puppets. This episode contains explicit language.

STORIES

The Legend of Sweet Foot

Comedian Dino Archie got into a bar fight that blossomed into a bromance. The bond with his soulmate ripens over crab trapping, bankruptcy, and the Ghost of Christmas Future.

Camp Exorcist

Comedian James Judd dreams of being kidnapped, falling in love with a human hair blanket, and a church camp exorcism…you know, the kind with googly-eyed sock puppets.

Original Music by Bells Atlas

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Snap Classic - Season 14 - Episode 32

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The Ledge Jul 21, 2023

Show notes

Strapped in a harness, on the edge of a mountain, the snow bridge lets out a hollow crack as it gives way. The story of two climbers whose fates are intertwined by a length of rope.

Big thanks to Jim Davidson for sharing his story!

Jim wrote a book with Kevin Vaughan about surviving the fall on Mt. Rainier, called The Ledge. He also wrote a book about his experiences during and after the Nepal earthquake called The Next Everest. Check them out!

Original score by Renzo Gorrio, produced by Justin Kramon, artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 31

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Buds - Snap Classic Jul 13, 2023

Show notes

Weed brownies, firefighting, and friendship. Amazing stories by friends, about the friend you did not expect.

STORIES

Weed Brownies

At school, Alia Volz was a weird kid without a lot of friends. She had a secret... after school, she’d go home and help her mom make and sell weed brownies all over San Francisco. But one day, Alia discovered something about her mom’s business that turned her secret into a burden that was far more painful than she could have imagined.

Thank you, Alia, for sharing your story with Snap!

Produced by Shaina Shealy, original score by Doug Stuart

Up in Smoke

Firefighting runs through Nyge’s bloodline. But he had no idea what it would cost to pursue this family dream.

This story was produced by YR Media's Adult ISH podcast. Adult ISH is a culture, advice, and storytelling show about #adulting, that is produced entirely by folks who are "almost adults". It’s distributed by PRX’s Radiotopia. Listen to more episodes of Adult ISH and subscribe!

Produced by Nyge Turner and Davey Kim, sound design by Clay Xavier, Marcel Angelo, and Davey Kim

Letters from Lockdown

Thank you to all of our storytellers from around the world for sharing your stories with us!

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 30

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