Closer Than They Appear

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Closer Than They Appear

How do you go forward when the past is breathing down your neck? Carvell Wallace talks to Americans grappling with the state of the union while trying to reconcile his own family's fractured history.If America is an estranged family, this show is our awkward holiday dinner.

Season 1

  1. Run Up On The Bear

    SEASON 1, EPISODE 1 TRAILER

    Run Up On The Bear

    Carvell Wallace and his young daughter talk about how scary it is to confront a bear. Season 1 starts November 15, 2017.

    5 min
  2. How did I get here? (with Mahershala Ali)

    EPISODE 1

    How did I get here? (with Mahershala Ali)

    Who or what is in your own past right now that you need to face, but aren’t facing — and why not? Host Carvell Wallace has a theory that maybe this whole nation is just 320 million people who all need to talk with someone they're afraid to talk to. He certainly needs to do that himself. Actor Mahershala Ali joins Carvell to talk about family, America, and grace.

    29 min
  3. Who is America? (with Shereen Marisol Meraji)

    EPISODE 2

    Who is America? (with Shereen Marisol Meraji)

    Carvell Wallace turns to Shereen Marisol Meraji from NPR's Code Switch to ask: How can we come together as a country when it seems like so many things are working to keep us apart? Thanksgiving is one of the only days of the year when a lot of us - literally, physically - have to come together with people we might not agree with, whether we want to or not. It's the quintessential American holiday. So who are the quintessential Americans?

    35 min
  4. If not me, then who? (with Dr. Ayaz Virji)

    EPISODE 3

    If not me, then who? (with Dr. Ayaz Virji)

    Going out and talking to people is a little thing, but it's also a big thing. Especially if those people are different from you, or might not like you, or might even reject you. Carvell Wallace talks to someone who's doing just that. Dr. Ayaz Virji is the town doctor in the 1400-person town of Dawson, Minnesota. He, his wife, and their three children are the only Muslim family in Dawson. The 2016 election changed how he saw his neighbors — so he started talking.

    31 min
  5. Why me? (with Shamrace Mims)

    EPISODE 4

    Why me? (with Shamrace Mims)

    Carvell Wallace goes to his hometown of McKeesport, PA and it's like visiting a small town... but it's also like visiting the remaining survivors of an apocalypse. Carvell talks with his childhood friend, Shamrace Mims. Decades ago, they rode bikes and played Atari. They sat on porches in the late afternoon, throwing rocks and talking rap crews and Transformers. That was of course until Carvell moved. The town changed. And Carvell's path and Shamrace's path... they diverged.

    32 min
  6. Is this worth it? (with Van Jones and Rabia Chaudry)

    EPISODE 5

    Is this worth it? (with Van Jones and Rabia Chaudry)

    Do you love America? No, seriously, Carvell Wallace wants to know: do you love America? Today, he talks with Van Jones and Rabia Chaudry about love. Love for our country, love for the complicated humans in our lives, and love for ourselves. Together, they also explore power, specifically political power, and whether or not we can pursue political power with love.

    39 min
  7. What can I give? (with Eva Paterson and Aunt Bea)

    EPISODE 6

    What can I give? (with Eva Paterson and Aunt Bea)

    How do you stand against evil, but not the evildoer? How do you go to war for what's right with love for the people you're fighting? Carvell Wallace talks with legendary civil rights lawyer and activist Eva Paterson. And at long last, he also reconnects with his Aunt Bea — the white woman who partially raised him — for the first time in nearly 20 years.

    39 min
  8. What's next? (with Alexis Frank)

    EPISODE 7

    What's next? (with Alexis Frank)

    How do you feel about the future? Do you feel hopeful? Do you feel scared? Can we move forward together as a country? In our Season 1 finale, Carvell Wallace reflects on his journey, connects with his kids about their vision for the future, and gathers insight from Alexis Frank, a 27-year old army veteran who wants to make political change.

    31 min
  9. Closer's coming to SXSW and check out Jetty's new show!

    EPISODE 7 BONUS

    Closer's coming to SXSW and check out Jetty's new show!

    Carvell will be onstage with Antique Naked Soul at SXSW in Austin, TX on Wednesday, March 14, 5-6pm CT. Can’t be there in person? Listen in on TuneIn LIVE. PLUS: subscribe to Jetty’s newest show, Game of Our Lives.

    1 min
  10. Closer and Antique Naked Soul LIVE at SXSW

    EPISODE 8

    Closer and Antique Naked Soul LIVE at SXSW

    Carvell and Antique Naked Soul went to SXSW last week to perform the show live on stage, and talk about their music, its role in the public sphere, and why musicians and podcasters should always work together.

    1h 2m
  11. Closer Than They Appear LIVE at the Seattle Art Museum, with Sondra Perry

    EPISODE 9

    Closer Than They Appear LIVE at the Seattle Art Museum, with Sondra Perry

    Carvell went to Seattle to record a live episode of the show with visual artist Sondra Perry. They looked at images from her exhibit, “Eclogue for [in]HABITABILITY,” and talked about race, displacement, survival, and overcoming the limits of our imagination. Thank you to the Seattle Art Museum for inviting us!

    1h 3m

Trailer

About

How do you go forward when the past is breathing down your neck? Carvell Wallace talks to Americans grappling with the state of the union while trying to reconcile his own family's fractured history.If America is an estranged family, this show is our awkward holiday dinner.

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