Delve into the extraordinary lives of two men whose worlds are centered on venomous snakes. Jackie Bibby, a record-setting daredevil, set multiple world records, including the astonishing feat of holding 13 live rattlesnakes in his mouth. And Tim Friede has spent nearly two decades intentionally subjecting himself to hundreds of bites from some of the planet's most lethal snakes, all in the pursuit of creating a universal antivenom. Suggested episodes: Scars To Prove It: Living Through Animal Attacks (Almost) Everybody Hurts: An Exploration of Pain Animal psychics reveal what our pets really think GUESTS: Jackie Bibby: Also known as the Texas Snake Man. His memoir is called, “The Texas Snake Man: A Very Nice and Kind... Gentleman“ Tim Friede: A self-taught herpetologist and venom expert from Wisconsin. His goal is to develop the world’s first universal antivenom Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the past two years, at the end of every interview, I asked every guest to tell me their favorite piece of life advice. We took dozens of our favorite clips and brought them together in this very special episode. And we also hear from Connecticut Public employees! Email your favorite piece of advice: Audacious@ctpublic.org For a full transcript of this episode, click here. Suggested episode: Views from the end: David Meyers GUESTS (in order of appearance): First segment: Paul Gladis, AJ Wolfe, Christine Hazel Decker, Cynthia Zhou, Danielle Weisberg, Jonathan Goodwin, Kitao Sakurai, Mary Elizabeth Kelly, Stephanie Courtney aka Flo from Progressive, The Lim Family, William Harder, Lior Ofir, Martha Underwood, David Vance, Greg Viloria, Kristen Geez, Jessica Jin Second segment: Bianca L McGraw, Dean Edwards, Adriana Piltz, Dani Rabaiotti, Danielle Perez, Dr. Richard Gibson, Eve Wiley, Jayson Greene, Dr. Marc Feldman, Florence Early, LaNia Roberts, Luis Mojica, Robbie Romu, Anna Holland, Arianna Preuss, Carrie Cariello, Dawn Shaw, Katie Charter, Natasha Fischer, Rozy, Zarna Garg, Arwen, Aidan, and Willow Gladis Perez-Sauquillo, Cash Daniels, Gus Mcafoos, Samirah Horton, aka DJ Annie Red Third segment: Caryn Toriaga, Chris Massimine, Dr. Mary Ann Cooper, Guy and Yaruh First, Julie Millsap, Megan Peabody, Mehdi Hasan, Azie Dungey, Colin Nissan, Paul Marcarelli, Stacy Samuels aka Banjo Man, Tabitha Farrar, Neil Harbisson, Jada Star, Athena Walker, Timothy Schultz, Tony Cicoria, Kenley Byrd, John Graham, Jenn Carson, David Meyers, Blyss, Bruce W Brackett, Moon Ribas, Paperboy Love Prince, Jessica Severin de Martinez, Meg Fitzgerald, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Meg Dalton, Vanessa de la Torre, Mark Contreras Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 in love with objects, and today, you’ll meet four people who are married to spirits, ancestors, or gods. Listen to our past Audacious Love episodes: Married Over 50 Years: “Love Each Other Even When You Don’t” It’s not just a sex doll! What it’s like to be in a relationship with a synthetic partner Falling in love with objects: The experience of being an Objectum Sexual GUESTS: Dr. Megan Rose: An initiated ceremonial magician, a Shakta Tantric practitioner, and the author of Spirit Marriage: Intimate Relationships with Otherworldly Beings. She serves as an ordained interfaith minister and psycho-spiritual counselor and is the executive director of the Entheosis Institute Caroline Kenner: A professional Witch and Tarotiste, a teacher of visionary healing methods, and a spiritual healer also known as the Washington Witchdoctor. Caroline is a founder of The Fool's Dog, a Tarot app publishing company. She is married to multiple spirits Dr. Monica Mody: A transdisciplinary poet, writer, educator and spiritual practitioner whose border-crossing praxis lives at the intersections of earth-based wisdom, whole person philosophy, and embodied regenerative consciousness Orion Foxwood: A traditional witch, conjure-man, "Eco-Magical Activist", faery seer; author of The Faery Teachings, The Tree of Enchantment, Mountain Conjure and Southern Rootwork and The Flame in the Cauldron. He is the founder of the House of Brigh Faery Seership Institute, a co-founder of Conjure-Craft, and Witches in the Woods gatherings in California Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear a lot about the harm of social media. But what about the good? Meet two artists who started off on social media by showing their artwork… But once they revealed the hope and kindness and positivity in their hearts? The views, shares and likes piled up in ways they never expected. Hear how they both are grappling with the newfound pressure of inspiring hundreds of thousands of fans, and find out what Chion's favorite clips from their channels reveal about her. Listen to the first installment of this series, featuring Joel Cross, Scott Tatum, and Daníel Colón. GUESTS: LaNia Roberts: Internationally renowned artist, speaker, and positive social media influencer Bruce W Brackett: Artist and the author of How to Breathe While Suffocating: A Story Of Overcoming Addiction, Recovering From Trauma, and Healing My Soul Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Family secrets are often kept to protect, but hiding the truth can sometimes cause more harm than good. When Michael Hainey’s father died, the explanation he was given never quite added up. Decades later, uncovering the real story changed his life, and inspired him to write a memoir. Melissa Daniels faced a different kind of revelation: the man she thought was her father wasn’t her biological dad. Her determination to uncover the truth became unstoppable. Hear their powerful stories of discovery, and what unfolded after the secrets came to light. Suggested episodes: Conception deception: The fight for transparency in the fertility industry Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us GUESTS: Michael Hainey: A journalist and author of the memoir, After Visiting Friends: A Son’s Story". It details how he uncovered the circumstances surrounding his father’s death decades later Melissa Daniels: Her father passed away when she was seven. As a teenager, she learned that she was conceived by a donor and set out to connect with her biological father Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine waking up one morning and seeing every face around you as demonic - twisted, distorted, and unrecognizable. Are you hallucinating? Would you think people were possessed? Should you call 911? Now, what if it’s not demons you’re seeing, but constantly shifting facial features on everyone, including yourself? And what if this has been your reality since birth? Meet two people living with this rare and perplexing condition, prosopometamorphopsia (PMO), and a researcher dedicated to understanding it. Hear their stories and learn about a simple, surprising treatment for this mysterious disorder. Suggested episodes: Revealing Our Blind Spots About Blindness What it’s like to be able to smell illnesses What is foreign accent syndrome? After a stroke, one man’s southern drawl turned British GUESTS: Brad Duchaine: Researcher at Dartmouth who studies face blindness and is a leading researcher on PMO Victor Sharrah: Clarkesville, Tennessee resident who discovered in 2020 that he has prosopometamorphopsia (AKA demon face syndrome or PMO). He found help on the Veronica Smith: PMO patient who sees facial features moving. They have been experiencing this since they were four years old, and the distortions appear mostly on themself rather than on other people Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine you’re 16 years old, living in Lahore, Pakistan, and preparing for the adventure of a lifetime: A high school exchange year in Rockville, Maryland. Just as you’re getting ready to leave, a public radio show in Connecticut asks to document your journey! This is the story of Salaar Muhammad - before, during, and after his transformative year in the United States. We explore how this experience changed his perspective, shaped his future, and touched the lives of those around him. Suggested episodes: Francesca Abroad: Following an American high school student’s year in Sarajevo GUESTS: Salaar Muhammad: a student from Lahore, Pakistan, who spent the 2023/2024 academic year in Rockville, MD through the U.S. Department of State’s Kennedy Lugar YES program. He lived with a host family and went to a local high school Sarah Clapp: Sarah’s family hosted Salaar during his stay in the US Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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, 2024, for an opportunity to share their story! Special thanks to PJ Kennedy of HeyStamford.com for sharing our event, and for keeping residents and visitors of Stamford in the loop! For a full transcript of this show, click here. This episode originally aired on March 22, 2024. GUESTS: Elaine Braithwaite: Electric violinist and City Librarian of Bridgeport Faisal Saleh: Founder of Palestine Museum US in Woodbridge, CT Paul Bluestein: Husband of Lynda Shannon Bluestein, advocate for LyndasPhones.org Chion Wolf: Host of Audacious Jessica Severin de Martinez: Producer of Audacious Khaleel Rahman: Producer of Audacious Lucy Nalpathanchil: Vice President of Community Engagement at Connecticut Public Jennifer Reilly and Stephanie Convey: Wethersfield residents who brought a brass sculpture Cjet Raymond: West Haven resident who brought a jar of cat whiskers Cynthia Bowser: Stamford resident who brought her mother's hat Kristen Cusato: Director of Communications for the Alzheimer's Association of Connecticut, and host of the podcast, Speaking of Alzheimer's Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know people who love Costco or Trader Joe’s. But what compels someone to devote their time and travel to visiting as many stores as possible, to wrap so much of their identity around these massive shopping chains? Meet three people whose lives brighten the moment they put their hands on a Trader Joe’s or Costco grocery cart. For a transcription of this episode, which originally aired on December 14, 2023, click here. GUESTS: David and Susan Schwartz: Authors of The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z. They have traveled over 220,000 miles visiting over 250 Costco warehouses in 13 countries Natasha Fischer: Runs the social media account TraderJoesList, where she offers product reviews and recipes to over two million followers. She also sells spatulas Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brains are weird. Bodies are weird. People are weird! Brains, bodies, and people together in a psychological or medical setting? Man, it can get REAL weird. Ethical conundrums abound, like navigating boundaries, bias in treatment, managing power dynamics… And that's just the tip of the iceberg! So who's in charge of figuring out the ethics behind all of this? Meet the Chief of Ethics for the American Psychological Association, Lindsay Childress-Beatty. And hear stories from the hospital from Andy Kondrat. He's the one that doctors call when they or the patients they serve are experiencing ethical medical questions..Suggested episodes: Body Integrity Dysphoria: When being disabled is a desire I downloaded my soulmate: Stories of love and AI TOPS: A woman summits Everest, a man considers a body transplant, and world-record hat-wearing Faking it: Munchausen syndrome and the compulsion to be ill GUESTS: Andy Kondrat: Ethics consultant and Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Cedars‑Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. He's a member of the Bioethics Committee, and co-director of CSMC’s Responsible Conduct of Research training course Lindsay Childress-Beatty: Chief of Ethics for the American Psychological Association Khaleel Rahman, Jessica Severin de Martinez, Meg Fitzgerald, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, and Meg Dalton contributed to this show. Audacious with Chion Wolf is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tune In, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Join the conversation on Facebook,Instagram, TikTok, and email.Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes it’s like you and your pet are perfectly in sync, reading each other’s minds… and other times, you’re staring at them thinking, “Seriously? Why do you keep licking the couch?” But what if you could actually read your pet’s mind? Would you treat them differently… or would you just confirm that dogs think every meal is their last, and that cats really are secretly plotting world domination? Today, meet two people who make a living as animal communicators. They’ll share wild stories from their sessions, explain why they believe your pets keep hanging around even after they’re gone, and give you tips on how to connect more deeply with your own beloved companions. Suggested episodes: We The Dog Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals When wild animals become family: Thumbelina the squirrel and Walnut the crane GUESTS: Nikki Vasconez: Animal communicator, teacher, and former litigation attorney based in Florida Laura Stinchfield: Animal communicator known as “The Pet Psychic” based in New York. Author of Voices of the Animals and Stormy's Words of Wisdom: An enlightened dog’s profound insights on life Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Incest is one of the most challenging topics to discuss, yet our guests are opening up about the truth behind their origin stories. Meet Steve Edsel, who always knew he was adopted. But when he set out to uncover the identities of his birth parents, he stumbled upon painful truths. Now, he and his wife work with an organization dedicated to supporting others with similar backgrounds. Then, hear from Jerri Harrell, whose discovery of her biological parents happened almost by accident. She shares how she transformed feelings of shame and rejection into a profound source of love and resilience. Resources: Genetic Genealogist CeCe Moore and The DNA Detectives GEDMatch.com IncestAware Survivors of Incest Anonymous Time To Tell Suggested episodes: Think Before You Spit: The Pandora’s Box of DNA Testing Conception deception: The fight for transparency in the fertility industry GUESTS: Steve Edsel: Found out that his father is his mother’s brother. He is joined by his wife, Michelle, who works with CeCe Moore to help inform people of their family history Jerri Harrell: Found out that the woman she thought was her sister was actually her mother, and the man who she thought was her step-grandfather is her father. She is currently working on a poetry chapbook titled Across the Bridge - Out of the Shadows and into the Light: The Journey to Healing Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.