Audacious with Chion Wolf

What do bread clips, fire alarms, and umbrella covers have in common? Most people toss them, but not our guests.

Diana Mendoza has spent nearly 20 years collecting bread clips and helps moderate a global research community dedicated to their study. Tim Zhang, a recent high school grad, has over 400 fire alarms and a booming YouTube channel. And on a small island in Maine, Nancy 3. Hoffman runs the world’s only Umbrella Cover ...

Hey, kids! Did you know there are grown ups who are just as obsessed with Disney as you?

There's an adult out there who has full-sleeve tattoos of Disney characters, another who’s spent tens of thousands of dollars on merch, and one guy even set a world record for visiting Disneyland for almost 3,000 days in a row!

Those are just some of the Disney adults you’ll meet on today’s show.

This episode originally aired ...

Remember how fun roller skating was as a kid? Well, the adults you’ll meet this hour are still having a good time on roller skates, but they take that fun to the next level!

Takina Pollack Shafer brings pop-up skating events to her hometown of Bridgeport, CT, where she creates space for people of all stripes to forget their worries and experience the joy of roller skating. It’s a pop-up with a purpose.

You'll also ...

It was part birthday party, part storytelling spectacle, and 100% Audacious!

We threw a live Show & Tell at Dead Language Beer Project in Hartford, and invited public radio fans to bring an object they love, and the story that makes it matter.

From a PEZ dispenser with family ties, to a holy (literally) beer mug, to walnut shell art that has mesmerized a family for generations, the night was full of big laughs, tiny treasures, ...

To celebrate five years of Audacious, we reconnect with a few unforgettable guests.

Ari Cobb, now 13, reflects on how his relationship with stuttering has evolved since we first met him at age 8. Toby Dorr shares how the death of her former partner, whom she once broke out of prison, reshaped her purpose.

Jeffrey Marsh returns with powerful insights on self-acceptance. And we meet Hannah Joyner, wife of Dr. David Meyers, who joined...

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-lifetime shot. And fin...

When you hear “philanthropy,” you might think of millionaires, black-tie galas, or buildings named after donors. But what if you could be a philanthropist without being wealthy?

In this episode, you’ll meet people who donate small amounts to hundreds of places, hand out cash on city streets, and send money directly to people in poverty, no strings attached.

Explore the power of small, consistent giving, and how ev...

Some rituals are spiritual. Some are silly. Some are inherited, and some are self-made.

Casper ter Kuile, author of The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices, walks us through how we create all sorts of meaningful, grounding rituals.

And you'll hear clips from past two years of Audacious guests who have shared the rituals that matter most to them, from morning journaling and bedtime affirmations t...

What if it wasn’t spiders, heights, or flying… but grass, buttons, or your own reflection that made your hands clammy and your heart race?

Meet Bettina, a romantic comedy author who avoids lawns at all costs; Marcos, who dreads reflections and shaves in the shower to escape the mirror; and Mark, who hasn’t worn a shirt with buttons since he was a kid.

Connecticut psychologist Dr. David Tolin helps us understand h...

Meet people whose lives were upended by fire - and transformed by resilience.

From the recent Los Angeles fires, we hear from Casey Colvin, who searched for days to find his beloved dog, Oreo, and 10-year-old Grayson Roberts, who lost his home, his Braille materials, and his drum kits - but not his spirit.

We also talk to RoseMarie Wallace, who reflects on how losing everything made her stronger, and Leslie Wharton, who shares what...

Before a sitcom rolls tape, someone has to turn a roomful of strangers into a laughing, clapping, totally-on-board studio audience. That someone? A warm-up comedian.

Meet Mark Sweet, who’s spent nearly 40 years getting audiences hyped for shows like Cheers, Roseanne, and The Big Bang Theory.

And Joyelle Nicole Johnson shares how warming up the crowd for Patriot Act was a part of what led her to a huge...

UPDATE: This episode originally aired June 28, 2024. Since its airing, Chion Wolf and the Audacious team were awarded a Gracie Award in the Portrait/Biography category for this episode.

"The Gracie Awards recognize exemplary programming created by women, for women and about women in all facets of media and entertainment. They also acknowledge the individuals who have made inspirat...

What do you regret?

Explore the human experience of looking back with Daniel H. Pink, author of The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward.

Poet David Whyte offers his take on regret, drawing from Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words.

We’ll also reconnect with “Tracy” from Maryland and Stormi Huhn (“Anna” from Iowa), four years after sharing the...

Forget the typical meet-cute; this episode features individuals whose paths crossed in extraordinarily unique circumstances.  

Alex and Sue Tatham met each other on the globally televised dating show "Blind Date" in the UK, leading to a wedding watched by millions. 

Heather and Tony are Disney enthusiasts who found love across continents thanks to a dating site for fellow fans, MouseMingle.com

And after three years o...

Explore the extraordinary impact of horses on our lives. From the unique community of Pony Play and the athleticism of hobby-horsing to the therapeutic power of horses, and a neuroscientist's exploration of life after death, this episode dives deep into how horses shape our lives.

Suggested episodes:

• We The Dog
• Wings, pouches, and snouts: The world of uncommon emotional support animals
• Animal psychics reveal what our pets real...

Technology is rapidly reshaping the world, but for people with disabilities, it’s doing something even more profound - it’s redefining what’s possible. 

Explore how cutting-edge assistive technologies are breaking barriers, restoring independence, and revolutionizing the way people navigate the world.

Sam Seavey, creator of “The Blind Life” YouTube channel, shares how AI-powered tools are game-cha...

What makes your jaw drop? A celestial event? A powerful piece of music? 

In this episode, explore awe in its many forms, from a total solar eclipse to the psychology of wonder. 

Psychologist Dacher Keltner breaks down the science of awe, cellist Yumi Kendall shares how music transports us, and Audacious listeners share their most treasured moments of awe. 

GUESTS: 

• Mara Suttmann-Lea, Jose...

Imagine feeling an unbearable itch, convinced that tiny insects are crawling under your skin. But no doctor believes you. You try to prove it, collecting samples, documenting everything. But under a microscope? Nothing is there.

That was Paula Cox’s experience with delusional infestation, a rare disorder where people are absolutely certain they’re infested with bugs, despite all evidence to the contrary. In this episode...

What’s it like to live in the shadow of legends and still shine?

Meet Marshall Charloff, a Prince tribute artist with a personal connection to the artist himself. And Rick Torres, an Elvis impersonator whose two decades as the King has brought him to some surprising places.

From the joy and empowerment of embodying their heroes to navigating the challenges of the work, they discuss the artistry behind keeping music royalty al...