Snap Judgment Snap Judgment

One beauty pageant. 12 contestants. 1000 rattlesnakes. And a story from a young girl who is confronted with the opportunity every kid at the orphanage dreamed of. Plus, the legendary Xiao Xiao.

STORIES

Been There Better Than That

Glynn witnesses a lady show what real class looks like.

12 Pageant Queens, 1000 Snakes

One beauty pageant. 12 contestants. 1000 rattlesnakes.

Produced by Anna Sussman

A Hard Knock Life

Sharon Skolnick was nine years old and an orphan in the Murrow Indian Orphanage, when she was confronted with the opportunity every girl at the orphanage dreamed of. Find out more about artist Sharon Skolnick at here.

Sound Design by Renzo Gorrio, produced by Anna Sussman

Xiao Xiao

When Cindy adopted a four year old girl from China, there was a lot the two didn’t understand about each other.

Find out about Cindy’s story (and her books) at CindyChampnella.com.

Sound Design by Pat Mesiti-Miller, produced by Anna Sussman

Art by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 51

Two crazy cats and one hard-nosed reporter land in Syria right as it is thrown into turmoil. And a lovesick junior high kid will do anything to win over his crush. Even if that means going “undercover” for the US government.

STORIES

Wartime Cats

Two crazy cats and one hard-nosed reporter land in Syria right as it is thrown into turmoil. Rasha Elass navigates her way through Damascus amidst government crackdowns and whistling missiles in search of the country she loves.

This story contains graphic imagery and descriptions of wartime violence, sensitive listeners please be advised.

Thank you, Rasha, for sharing your story with us! Rasha Elass is currently the editorial director at New Lines Magazine, where she first shared this story. She’s also working on a memoir about her childhood and reporting days in Syria. Follow what she’s up to on her website.

Produced by David Exumé, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot

Danger 9b

Richard Hatch is overseas on a top-secret mission… to win over Jill, the most elusive, electrifying student in his 7th-grade class. He isn’t suave or sophisticated, so he’s gonna need help from The Beatles, the Russians, and even the CIA to pull it off.

Thank you, Richard Hatch aka Danger 9b, for sharing your story with us!

Rick is back in the US and is putting the finishing touches on a kid-friendly memoir about his travels abroad.

Produced by Regina Bediako, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff

Season 14 – Episode 50

This dog has everything: mustard, onions, a scrap with Giuliani, Vietnam Vets, and The Met. Everyone is coming for the Throne of the Hot Dog King of New York… Dan Rossi. And a camp for kids with dermatological issues reveals that some summer romances are more than skin deep.

STORIES

The Hot Dog King of New York

This dog has everything: mustard, onions, a scrap with Giuliani, Vietnam Vets, and The Met. Everyone is coming for the Throne of the Hot Dog King of New York… Dan Rossi.

This story contains strong language - sensitive listeners please be advised.

A huge thank you to Dan Rossi for sharing his story with Snap! There is so much that we were not able to share with you about Dan’s experience. To find out more check out his new memoir The New York Hot Dog King: From Rags to Riches to Less Than Rags. You can also follow Dan on social media.

Additional thanks to our friends at VICE, whose series MUNCHIES featured Dan back in 2019 and was a big inspiration for this story.

Listen to the King’s tribute song featured in this episode recorded by The Burner Band.

Produced by Bo Walsh, original score by Clay Xavier, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Skin Deep

It's days before the big dance at Camp Discovery — and there's a problem. A few problems. But the kids at this camp are more used to problems than your average camper.

Thanks to everyone in this episode! Learn more about Camp Discovery at aad.org.

Produced by Sarah Harris with help from Anna Sussman. Sound design by Renzo Gorrio.

Season 14 - Episode 49

A young girl was lost to her family. Torn away from them during their time in the Japanese-American prison camps, she was institutionalized and thought to be gone. But now, somehow she is rumored to be alive.

STORIES

Seeking Shizuko

A young girl was lost to her family. Torn away from them during their time in the Japanese-American prison camps, she was institutionalized and thought to be gone. But now, somehow she is rumored to be alive.

A very big thank you to David “Mas” Masumoto for sharing his story. Mas wrote about Shizuko in his book, Secret Harvests.

This story is part of Lisa’s podcast California Foodways. It gets support from California Humanities and the Food and Environment Reporting Network.

Produced by Lisa Morehouse, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, artwork by Teo Ducot

Nellie’s Pond

When Peter Aguero got picked on as a kid, but it wasn’t the other kids he had to worry about.

Hear more stories, and find where Peter’s performing next on his website, www.peteraguero.com

Produced by Ana Adlerstein & Joe Rosenberg, sound design by Leon Morimoto

Season 14 - Episode 48

Rooty isn’t like most farm pigs, she’s a city pig. This 300-pound Vietnamese pot-bellied pig is a New Orleans girl. But when Hurricane Katrina hits, everything in Rooty’s world is threatened.

BIG thanks to Jim & Connie for sharing their story with us! Thanks as well to Jeffery Tam & Dr. Alison Barca.

Produced by Annie Nguyen, original score by Cheflee, artwork by Teo Ducot

Season 14 - Episode 47 - Snap Classic

Elmer Gantry gets an offer to join a notoriously unstable rock n’ roll band on a tour of the US. What could possibly go wrong? And the infamous Pine Tar Game of baseball superstar George Brett... told by the bat boy.

STORIES

The Real Fleetwood Mac

Elmer Gantry gets an offer to join a notoriously unstable rock n’ roll band on a tour of the US. What could possibly go wrong?

Thanks, Elmer, for sharing your story with us! Learn more about Elmer Gantry’s music in this blog post that producer John Fecile wrote for Aquarium Drunkard.

Kirby Gregory still performs with the band Curved Air.

Read an extensive history of Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera from the magazine Ugly Things.

Listen to a 10-song Spotify playlist that we put together of Elmer’s songs and other tunes from the story.

Special thanks to Mike Stax, Anja Stax, and David Prest.

Original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff, produced by John Fecile

The Bat Boy And The Pine Tar Bat

Every baseball fan has heard of the superstar hitter George Brett and his infamous Pine Tar Game…but have you heard of the bat boy’s version?

For more info, check out Daniel Barbarisi’s story in the Wall Street Journal.

Sound design by Renzo Gorrio, produced by Davey Kim

Season 14 - Episode 46