Different Leaf: the Podcast

Different Leaf
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For information on Different Leaf magazine follow us on social media @DifferentLeaf and find host Brit Smith @BritTheBritish. Different Leaf: the Podcast is produced and hosted by Brit Smith and Executive Produced by Michael Kusek. All episode music is by Home Body.

  1. 2 Jul

    Capturing André: Photographers Hunter Abrams + Sam Lee

    In this episode of the Different Leaf the Podcast, photographers Sam Lee and Hunter Abrams discuss their long-running creative partnership and their approach to shooting one of the book’s most striking visual stories. Having worked with leading outlets including Vogue, Interview Magazine, The New York Times, and GQ, Lee and Abrams reflect on how they first met, how their collaborative process evolved, and what it means to build trust behind the camera.  The conversation centers around their Different Leaf photo shoot with André De Shields — Tony Award–winning actor, singer, and cultural icon — whose presence, movement, and history informed every frame. They break down the role of styling and wardrobe, and how thoughtful choices allowed De Shields’ creative energy to lead without overpowering the image itself. Lee and Abrams also speak to Bob Faust and Nick Cave’s original vision for the book, and how they translated that vision into photographs that expand the narrative while honoring its spirit—adding texture, rhythm, and humanity to a world built on art, cannabis, and storytelling.

    Capturing André: Photographers Hunter Abrams + Sam Lee

  2. 25 Jun

    Curating the Magazine: Denise Markonish

    In this episode of the Different Leaf: the Podcast, host Brit Smith talks with curator Denise Markonish as she unpacks the vision behind the inaugural book hitting shelves in Summer 2026. Drawing on her extensive background in contemporary art — including her current work as the Martin Friedman Chief Curator at the Madison Square Park Conservancy and previously at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MOCA) — Markonish reflects on what has shaped her curatorial approach and why subversive artists feel especially vital in today’s political and cultural landscape. She shares what drew her to invite Nick Cave and Bob Faust to guest edit the book, highlighting the rigor, playfulness, and social awareness that defines their artistic practices. The episode traces the early conceptual framework for the book project, following the journey of Mr. Karen, an other-worldly character created by author Jonathan Lethem who moves through Different Leaf’s richly layered world of art, cannabis, community, and storytelling.

    Curating the Magazine: Denise Markonish

  3. 13 Apr

    Behind the Issue: Guest Editors Nick Cave & Bob Faust

    In this episode, host Brit Smith sits down with Chicago-based artists Bob Faust and Nick Cave to talk about their roles as guest editors of the upcoming book. Drawing from decades-long careers across visual art, performance, and community-centered practice, Faust and Cave share how their distinct backgrounds shaped an initial vision rooted in storytelling, collaboration, and movement. They unpack how the character of Mr. Karen serves as both narrator and guide, leading readers through the book’s shifting moods and ideas while anchoring its larger world. The conversation also highlights the many photographers, writers, and artists who expand the project, each contributing their own perspective to the book’s layered narrative. Throughout the conversation, cannabis and lifestyle emerge not as trends, but as cultural touchstones — woven naturally into a broader discussion about creativity, process, and the ways Faust and Cave believe art reflects how we live.

  4. 31/07/2025

    We're back!

    Different Leaf: The Podcast is back with a new season and a fresh direction. In this first episode, host Brit Smith talks with Different Leaf Publisher Michael Kusek about how Different Leaf is evolving—from a redesigned magazine with guest editors to a renewed focus on cannabis through the lens of art, music, and fashion. Start listening to hear what's next.

    We're back!

  5. 15/12/2023

    The Future of Different Leaf with Publisher/CEO Michael Kusek

    It's here! Our final podcast episode before we go on hiatus! In case you missed the big announcement in the fall 2023 issue of Different Leaf Magazine; "We're saying goodbye -- for now." This week, host Brit Smith sits down with Different Leaf CEO/Publisher Michael Kusek to talk about what his Editor's Note on page 11 announcing the hiatus means for the future of Different Leaf. They talk about the changes Michael has seen in the cannabis industry and the publishing industry over the past five years, what the hiatus means for our magazine and podcast, and what readers and listeners can expect when we return in mid-2024. Brit also has our annual "high holiday gift guide" with Different Leaf magazine’s merch and more writer John Arvanitis. You can read more about all John's chosen products and experiences in the fall 2023 issues of Different Leaf Magazine, available at DifferentLeaf.com Sign up for our newsletter and get any back-issues of Different Leaf Magazine at DifferentLeaf.com Get your DL merch now at xDifferentLeaf.com Follow us on social media @DifferentLeaf and find host Brit Smith @BritTheBritish Thanks to everyone who has worked on this iteration of DL the Podcast, including: Editor-in-Chief; Michael Kusek Production Manager; Jen Hayes Audio Producer; Aleksandra van der Westhuizen Head of Audio Production; Gretchen Kuhsel Musicial Duo; HomeBody See you all in 2024!

  6. 08/12/2023

    Purchasing Pot Like a Professional with Rooted In Dispensary

    If you've ever walked into a cannabis dispensary and felt overwhelmed with options, you are not alone. Around 2/3 of cannabis consumers consider THC potency the leading factor when purchasing pot. While that doesn't tell us much about the experience we might have, there are plenty of things beyond THC and price that we can consider when picking products at our local pot shop. This week, host Brit Smith talks to the staff at Boston's Rooted In dispensary, to learn how professional cannabis purchasers make their selections for the shelves, how cannabis consumers can hone in on their most enjoyable experiences, and how we can try new products without breaking the bank. The Rooted In team discusses the range of prices we often see in cannabis flower, the questions curious consumers might want to ask when they get to a dispensary register, and the best ways to test your local cannabis options for cheap or free. Then Brit goes to Botera dispensary in Franklin to try out what she learned about picking the perfect product. Follow us on social media @DifferentLeaf and find host Brit Smith @BritTheBritish Get your issue of Different Leaf magazine now at DifferentLeaf.com

  7. 01/12/2023

    Parents Roundtable: Celebrating the Holidays with Cannabis and Kids

    Between socializing, cooking, traveling, and spending, the holiday season can be a tough time to chill out. And then, of course, some of us have kids to watch, and those kids are also watching us. Thankfully, cannabis is a great tool to help adults enjoy the holiday season, even if we’re in charge of children. And this generation of parents is becoming much more open about discussing cannabis with their kids. They use electronic dab-rigs. They wear smoking jackets. They tell their children why they can't touch their medicine. In this episode, host Brit Smith sits down with three moms who use marijuana, to talk about the best ways to consume pot during the holidays when there are little ones around. Brit hears from cannabis consultant Cara Crabb-Burnham, Bountiful Farms sales manager Amy Fintonis, and massage therapist Kristi about their preferred ways to consume around their kiddos and their advice for parents and guardians who want to take the edge off while staying focused on the family. The moms discuss the benefits of concentrates and vaping over smoke, how to talk to young people about why adults might smoke cannabis, use weed during postpartum, and give advice for overcoming the stigma associated with being a parent who uses pot. Get your issue of Different Leaf magazine now at DifferentLeaf.com Follow us on social media @DifferentLeaf and @BritTheBritish Get your Different Leaf hoodie, hat, shirt, and other merch at xDifferentLeaf.com

  8. 24/11/2023

    CBD Spas; Worth It? with Antonia Schreiber of The Windham Spa

    It's the end of the year, the perfect time to indulge in some much-deserved rest and relaxation. And with so many spas now offering CBD-infused facials and massages, we can truly relax to the max this holiday season. So does topical CBD actually help our bodies more fully relax? Can a cannabis-infused facial benefit skin more than a regular facial does? And how else are spas incorporating cannabis to help their guests truly chill? To kick off the holidays, host Brit Smith and production manager Jen Hayes hit the road for the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York, to try the nation's first seed-to-spa experience; The Windham Spa (thewindhamspa.com). First, Brit and Jen talk with spa owners Antonia and Chris Schreiber about their decision to grow and produce their own CBD-infused massage oil for clients in Windham, NY. They also discuss the long-term benefits of using cannabis-infused skincare and wellness products, and the crossover between spa culture and cannabis culture. Then, Brit and Jen experience The Windham Spa's Entourage Package, which includes a selection of infused edibles, a CBD foot soak, a massage with oil made from their hemp plants, and hemp-focused facials made with local products by MASK. Get your fall 2023 issue of Different Leaf magazine at DifferentLeaf.com Follow us on social media @DifferentLeaf and find host Brit Smith @BritTheBritish Stock up on some dope DL merch for the holidays at xDifferentLeaf.com

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For information on Different Leaf magazine follow us on social media @DifferentLeaf and find host Brit Smith @BritTheBritish. Different Leaf: the Podcast is produced and hosted by Brit Smith and Executive Produced by Michael Kusek. All episode music is by Home Body.

Information

  • Creator
    Different Leaf
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    132
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Different Leaf, LLC
  • Show Website
    Different Leaf: the Podcast