Episode 83: The War Against Milk

“At face value, cutting fat from diets sounded as though it would put you on the fast-track to losing weight. But when people cut fat from their diets, they were more likely to consume other unhealthy additives, said Alexandra Miller, Baltimore-based corporate dietitian at Medifast, a weight-loss program.”
— Danielle Braff, The Chicago Tribune
“Whole milk isn’t made wholly of fat, or largely of fat, or even substantially of fat. In fact, it doesn’t contain much fat all. Whole milk is actually only about 3.5 percent fat. The reason it’s called ‘whole milk’ has less to do with its fat content, than the fact that it’s comparatively unadulterated. As the Dairy Council of California puts it, whole milk is ‘the way it comes from the cow before processing.’”
— Roberto A. Ferdman, The Washington Post

In a world where nearly everyone seems concerned with weight, health and appearance, many folks are concerned with the foods they eat and the connotations attached to their diets and nutrition. As a result, certain items and contents, such as fat, have been stigmatized. People pursue non-fat options under the banner of good health, unaware of potential consequences. Because of this, many of us fail to understand the dietary and biological roles of nutrients like fats, sugars and salts. Our conversation focuses on our relationship to these ideologies through an examination of fat content in different types of milk.

Episode 82: Improv Beyond the Theater

“What all my years in improvisation taught is that - if you’re going to grow as a performer - you have to try some new things. You’ve got to be willing to take a few risks.”
— Jack McBrayer
“With improv, it’s a combination of listening and not trying to be funny”
— Kristen Wiig

Improvisational comedy, often termed "improv," is seen by many as intimidating, impressive and surreal. Actors who can come up with answers and scenarios on the spot are treated as superhuman performers when the reality is quite different. As guest Kay Kelley helps describe in this episode, improv and everyday life are not so different. Both reward good listening, creativity and inventive thinking. As improv performers, we wanted to explore some memories we have of the format and how its philosophy can benefit anyone outside of a theatrical context.

Episode 81: Remembering David Bowie

“I loved David Bowie. We all did. Lonely people cracked open their closet doors because of him. Rabid fans in feathers drove thousands of miles for him. We stared at him in stadiums, on Broadway, on movie screens.”
— Elizabeth Mitchell, New York Daily News, Jan. 11, 2016
“But there are only two such artists who have immeasurably shaped my perspective as a music fan, critic, and aficionado for whom I can’t recount exactly how and why I found them: Prince and David Bowie.”
— Stereo Williams, The Daily Beast, Jan. 11, 2016

Since his passing over two months ago, we knew we wanted to discuss the public response to Bowie and the legacy he leaves behind. He was an artist, a visionary and so thoroughly involved throughout the experimental time in which he lived. But he also made choices during his life that some might question or condemn. We release this episode today because of necessary research and scheduling with our guest, Peter Wear. It is worth considering, given our delay, when we find it appropriate and worthwhile to mourn. How will we remember Bowie? What impact did he have on music and was he truly as singular as many describe him to be? What were his influences and how did he in turn influence spheres of fashion, music, celebrity and personal expression?

Episode 80: The Right to Disloyalty

“I have learned to hate all traitors, and there is no disease that I spit on more than treachery.”
— Aeschylus, Ancient Greek Dramatist
“Though those that are betrayed do feel the treason sharply, yet the traitor stands in the worst case of woe.”
— William Shakespeare

In a world where causes and sincerity are increasingly valued, we are very quick to label those who come to stand against as "traitors". Despite our language of simple dichotomies, between heroes and traitors, loyalty and betrayal, these ideas are more complex than they might appear. Can the individual offer their loyalty to more than one cause? Does the concept of loyalty allow for natural and inevitable human growth and change? This week we welcome Gabe Brison-Trezise to discuss some of these nuances and to explore their implications in our lives and the decisions we make.

Episode 79: "What Does the Academy Value in a Black Performance?"

“Black men have been up for best actor Oscars only 20 times. 13 of those characters were arrested. 15 were violent.”
— Brandon K. Thorp, The New York Times
“Of the 10 black women ever up for best actress Oscars, all played characters in poverty. 9 were homeless or nearly so.”
— Brandon K. Thorp, The New York Times

Given the popularity, influence and relevance of movies in America, the Oscars often present opportunities for cultural and historical consideration. This year, the lack of any black nominees at the Oscars caused massive outcries in response from audiences and actors alike. Social media conversations like #OscarsSoWhite remind us that the discontent is genuine and its roots in issues of race are deep. We chose to explore this issue through a New York Times article discussing black actors and actresses in the history of the Oscars.