Correct me if I'm Norm

Radio Free Rhinecliff

“Correct Me if I’m Norm” is a good-natured, Rhinebeck (New York) focused, one-on-one (mostly) free-formish interview-format program, covering all topics from the personal to the universal. It’s hosted by Norm Magnusson, who is an artist and father of three and an active member of his community in the small town of Rhinebeck, NY. Every week, he interviews folks who live and/or work in Rhinebeck about who they are and how they got here and what they’re up to. “I’m very interested in collecting the stories of the people who made this town what it is and those who are continuing to do so”, he explains, adding that he’s deeply appreciative for all the people who come to the Nook @ The Epicurean to talk with him and thanks the Epicurean and RadioFreeRhinecliff.org for making it all possible. Adult themes, childish banter, strong language, and a lot of levity. 60 minutes. Produced by Jennifer Hammoud & Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    Lost in Austin, Found in Rhinebeck: A Conversation with Our Own Alex Hannaford

    Norm sits down with Alex Hannaford, a London-born, dual U.S.-U.K. citizen journalist who covers America for foreign publications and whose writing has taken him from the death rows of Texas to the pubs of east London. Rhinebeck's own, Hannaford traces his path into journalism through a gap year teaching sailing and an internship at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where he found his voice as a features writer. The conversation moves from pub culture and Indian food to the weight of capital punishment, including Hannaford's firsthand account of witnessing an execution in Oklahoma amid growing controversy over lethal injection drugs and the systemic failures, racial bias and inadequate legal representation, that plague the system. He also discusses making the animated documentary "The Last 40 Miles," which follows the transfer of a condemned man from Texas death row to Huntsville. Closer to home, Hannaford talks about volunteering on Thames RNLI lifeboats, launching a youth sailing program in the Rhinebeck-Kingston area through Culture Connect and the Hudson River Maritime Museum, and his book "Lost in Austin," a ground-level look at how climate, explosive growth, and cost-of-living pressures have transformed one of America's fastest-changing cities. Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org Send comments to comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org

    1 hr

  2. 26 MAR

    David Hoffman on the Life You Build When You Keep Reinventing Yourself

    On Norm's birthday episode, guest David Hoffman looks back on a life shaped by curiosity and reinvention. He recalls early radio days in high school, studying engineering at Case Western, earning a third-class FCC license in Detroit, and landing at Vassar, where he fell in love with both '60s music and the college's carrier-current station. From there, Hoffman found his way into filmmaking, including a short inspired by Kurt Vonnegut, a documentary on Vassar's history, and festival screenings, before moving to New York to work in film and animation on an Oxberry stand. Then came the 1981 IBM PC and Lotus 1-2-3, which redirected his career entirely toward consulting and writing for PC Magazine, where he met his editor and future wife, Jane. Norm and Hoffman also share a laugh over a tennis mishap that inspired Norm's birthday gift. In closing, Hoffman describes his volunteer work as treasurer and bookkeeper for the Ulster Immigrant Defense Network, which provides food pantry access, legal aid, transportation, school coordination, and emergency rent assistance to those in need. Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org Send comments to comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org

    1 hr

  3. 26 MAR

    This week's guest is coming up on her 25 year anniverary at the helm of one of my favorite restaurants, Gigi Trattoria, which she co-founded in 2001. She's a dietician/ entrepreneur an absolute delight: Laura Pensiero.

    This week's guest is coming up on her 25 year anniverary at the helm of one of my favorite restaurants, Gigi Trattoria, which she co-founded in 2001. She's a dietician/ entrepreneur an absolute delight: Laura Pensiero. Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org Send comments to comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org

    1 hr

  4. 14 MAR

    Rhinebeck’s own Charles Derbyshire Traces a Life from Theater to Television to Town

    Norm sits down with Charles Derbyshire, who shares the story behind pronouncing his surname, his upbringing in Huntington, West Virginia, and reflections on the region’s hardship, opioids, and shifting economy centered on education and healthcare. He talks about Marshall University family ties, Appalachian identity, Hatfield lineage, and how his accent changed after years of acting training. The conversation ranges from Cajun martinis and Charles’s love of cooking—especially his gumbo—to high school basketball, his sons’ paths (one teaching at a refugee center in Cairo and one pursuing a PhD in astrophysics), and a beloved local tennis community. Charles also recounts his 15-year acting career, standout experimental theater work, world travel with Orbis International, television executive roles at Bravo/NBC and the BBC, and selling his Rhinebeck spirits shop after 20 years. Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org Send comments to comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org

    1 hr

  5. 7 MAR

    Mezcal, Watersheds, and Trust: Bard professor Monique Segarra on Oaxaca, the Catskills, and Community-Led Sustainability

    Norm welcomes back Monique Segarra, a Bard Center for Environmental Policy professor just returned from Oaxaca, to share a mezcal from a small-batch palenque as they dig into agave's long growth cycles, industrial production, and what sustainability actually means for Oaxacan producers. Segarra, who has spent a decade doing field-based work with graduate students in the region, discusses water management, payments for ecosystem services, and community-run conservation businesses that support local livelihoods. She describes Zapotec communal land governance and one northern mountain community's collectively owned enterprises, including sustainable logging, a sawmill, furniture factory, community bank, and social programs. The conversation connects to New York's Catskills watershed agreement, WAC's voluntary whole-farm planning, and trust-building organizations, alongside personal family stories. Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org Send comments to comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org

    1 hr

  6. 7 MAR

    Dr. Amy Novatt and Marybeth Cale on Menopause, Midlife, and the Whole-Person Approach to Women's Health

    Norm welcomes Dr. Amy Novatt, OB-GYN, and Marybeth Cale, a national board certified health and wellness coach, to discuss integrative approaches to midlife health, with a focus on perimenopause and menopause. They explore how coaching complements conventional medicine by addressing whole-person wellbeing across life domains, using tools like a "wellness wheel" to support self-discovery and actionable next steps. Novatt explains why clinicians are increasingly open to nutrition, acupuncture, and lifestyle medicine, and clarifies key points and cautions around hormone therapy, including how interpretations of the 2002 Women's Health Initiative have evolved. Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org Send comments to comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org

    1 hr

  7. 7 MAR

    Rhinebeck's own Jaime Ransome on Feminism, Afrofuturism, and Curating ‘Weird Sisters’ in the Hudson Valley

    Norm sits down with Rhinebeck's own Jaime Ransome, an educator, former adjunct professor, gallery manager, and one of the most compelling curators working in the Hudson Valley today. They talk family, feminism, and a life in the art world. Jaime explains her middle name (Ernestina), shares stories about her grandparents, and traces the through-line connecting spirituality, the moon, and feminist thinking, including what her mother taught her about consent and sex ed. She talks about her parents, author Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome, and makes the case for fiction as a vehicle for deeper truth. Jaime defines Afrofuturism, recommends Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents, and reflects on curating an Afrofuturism show in Newburgh. She discusses her exhibition "Weird Sisters" at Dutchess Community College's Mildred Washington Gallery, and points listeners to "Crazy" at Bow Gallery in Beacon. Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org Send comments to comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org

    1 hr

  8. 3 MAR

    From Kindergarten to Candy Store: Ally and John Traver's Rhinebeck Love Story

    This Valentine's Day, Norm welcomed the cutest couple in Rhinebeck to "Correct Me If I'm Norm": Ally and John Traver, who've been part of each other's lives since kindergarten. They dated in middle and high school, lost touch for years, then found each other again on Facebook in college. Married now for 16 years, they have two sons, Charlie (6) and Dave (2.5). They chat about growing up in Rhinebeck, their studies (Ally in history with a passion for archiving; John in economics and English), and their careers — including Ally's work in logistics and truck brokerage and John's long tenure at Samuel's Sweet Shop, where he's worked since age 15. John talks about what makes Samuel's special: its intimate footprint, nostalgic and international candy selection, the famous foil-wrapped Samuel's bars with golden ticket prizes, and the shop's deep commitment to community and ambiance. John also shares memories of Ira, the shop's founder. Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org Send comments to comments@radiofreerhinecliff.org

    1 hr
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About

“Correct Me if I’m Norm” is a good-natured, Rhinebeck (New York) focused, one-on-one (mostly) free-formish interview-format program, covering all topics from the personal to the universal. It’s hosted by Norm Magnusson, who is an artist and father of three and an active member of his community in the small town of Rhinebeck, NY. Every week, he interviews folks who live and/or work in Rhinebeck about who they are and how they got here and what they’re up to. “I’m very interested in collecting the stories of the people who made this town what it is and those who are continuing to do so”, he explains, adding that he’s deeply appreciative for all the people who come to the Nook @ The Epicurean to talk with him and thanks the Epicurean and RadioFreeRhinecliff.org for making it all possible. Adult themes, childish banter, strong language, and a lot of levity. 60 minutes. Produced by Jennifer Hammoud & Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org

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