I Couldn’t Throw It Out

Michael Small
  • 4.9 (57)
  • Film Interviews

Revisit pop culture history as former People Magazine reporter Michael Small and guests share never-heard celebrity interviews and other treasures they've saved for decades -- as they try to toss their stuff. Will it be an epic case of Swedish Death Cleaning? Or an epic fail?

  1. Sep 30

    How Cool is Vanilla Ice?

    Surprises about Vanilla Ice's music and his life are revealed in two never-heard 1990s interviews with the "Ice Ice Baby" rapper - - - - - -  Vanilla Ice was – and still is – a big deal.  And, chances are, you don't know the real story. Thirty-six years after his song "Ice Ice Baby" became the very first rap to reach #1 on the Billboard singles chart, it remains a massive hit on Spotify.  And, partly because of his controversial role in Trump's Freedom 250 concert (and the revival of his song, both by Olympic hockey fans and MAGA supporters of ICE), Vanilla Ice continues to make news. When Robert Van Winkle aka Vanilla Ice went from debt-ridden Texas rapper to instant world-wide fame with his 1990 album To The Extreme, PEOPLE magazine had to get involved.  So I met him for an interview on the 45th floor of a Manhattan hotel. He famously pulled down his pants to show me his scars from a knife fight, a detail that Jim Carrey later lampooned in his "White White Baby" parody on In Living Color. You can hear Vanilla Ice discuss his life and career in excerpts from my 1990 and 1993 interview tapes, which I saved all these years and share for the first time in this episode of I Couldn't Throw It Out. As it turns out, Vanilla Ice's rap skills were more advanced than I remembered, and his life story (including complicated relationships with his parents) was emotional and complex. Later in life, he showed admirable versatility as he faced obstacles in his music career, creating "The Vanilla Ice Project," a TV show in which he renovated and flipped houses for nine seasons. Music writer David Browne, the author of many music biographies and a contributing writer to Rolling Stone, is – yes, it's true -- quoted on the Vanilla Ice Wikipedia page. So I'm very lucky that he joined me to assess Ice's legacy and to help me decide what to do with everything I saved from my Ice escapades. Want to sample Vanilla Ice's music videos, watch him discuss the Trump concert in news clips, or watch Jim Carrey's parody? Find it all at throwitoutpodcast.com. Have thoughts about this episode? Send us a text More info, photos, and transcript:  throwitoutpodcast.com    Don't miss a thing: Join our mailing list    Do you save stuff you can't throw out? Tell us about it   Want to show support? Please rate/follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

    How Cool is Vanilla Ice?

  2. May 7

    Mother's Day Ritual: Share what she gave you

    Have you saved treasures from your mom? Find and share them for a revealing -- and emotional -- tribute ------------ Here's a special Mother's Day ritual: Dig out the letters and other items that your mom gave you over the years, show them to someone, and tell the stories about her that relate to what you saved. That's what I did two years ago. It was the most meaningful Mother's Day since my mom died. Of course, I went a little overboard when it came to saving things. I kept all 104 cards and letters that Doris sent me since I was in high school in the early 1970s. Reading through them was like going back in history, discovering how the world, our lives and our attitudes, have changed over the decades. And here's what made the big difference: Asking my friends and a few family members to read short excerpts out loud with me and discuss them. It gave me new perspective about my mother, and all of our mothers.  But it didn't solve one problem. For those of us who save treasures from our mom, what should we do with them now? For this, I needed an expert. So I interviewed my friend Susan, a psychoanalyst who has been helping parents and children for many decades. She didn't tell me to practice Swedish Death Cleaning. Instead, she shared insights about my mom that will apply to everyone who has or had a mother. Spoiler alert: It gets emotional. I hope – after listening to the episode – you'll be inspired to share with family and friends what you've saved from your mom. If you find a special letter that you'd like me to consider sharing it in my blog, please send it to me via the Contact button on my website at throwitoutpodcast.com. Happy Mother's Day! Have thoughts about this episode? Send us a text More info, photos, and transcript:  throwitoutpodcast.com    Don't miss a thing: Join our mailing list    Do you save stuff you can't throw out? Tell us about it   Want to show support? Please rate/follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

    Mother's Day Ritual: Share what she gave you

  3. Apr 2

    My Fun, Strange Adventures with Fabio

    How I helped the long-haired, bare-chested model leap from the cover of romance novels to the cover of People Magazine --------  In 1993, I spent a week in L.A. and Hawaii with Fabio Lanzoni, "The King of Romance," as I wrote a People cover story, then I ghostwrote his official biography. Now, for the first time, I'm sharing my never-heard interview tapes with revelations about cheating on his one true love, losing his virginity, and the upsetting experience that led him to utter an expletive. I also share the surprising tale of Peter Paul, the brilliant promoter who supercharged Fabio's career – without revealing his previous felonies. Listen in as Sarah Wendell, host of Smart Podcast, Trashy Books, makes sense of Fabio's past, then helps me review his later achievements, including 22 years as a pitchman for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, his collision with a goose, and his extreme political shift. What should I do with the stuff I saved from my time with Fabio? It takes an expert on love and romance to solve that problem. See my treasures, and sign up for reminders about future episodes, at throwitoutpodcast.com Have thoughts about this episode? Send us a text More info, photos, and transcript:  throwitoutpodcast.com    Don't miss a thing: Join our mailing list    Do you save stuff you can't throw out? Tell us about it   Want to show support? Please rate/follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

    My Fun, Strange Adventures with Fabio

  4. Feb 24

    Olympics Outtake? The Treasure Toss

    Craving more Olympics? I Couldn't Throw It Out has staged its own world-class event:  The Treasure Toss. In our first mini-episode, photographer and collage artist Joyce Seymore commits to the daring feat of throwing out an artwork and maybe one other possession. This is no easy feat, considering that Joyce has spent a lifetime saving just about everything, including a huge collection of art materials, books, shells, and more. The outcome is as tense as an Olympic snowboard half-pipe competition -- but with fewer spins through the air. Listen wherever you get podcasts, or watch all eight minutes of this historic event at throwitoutpodcast.com And check out Joyce's profoundly beautiful artworks at joyceseymore.com Have thoughts about this episode? Send us a text More info, photos, and transcript:  throwitoutpodcast.com    Don't miss a thing: Join our mailing list    Do you save stuff you can't throw out? Tell us about it   Want to show support? Please rate/follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

    Olympics Outtake? The Treasure Toss

  5. Jan 19

    What a much-loved partner left behind

    Janny Scott explains how saving things helped her grieve – and preserve her connection with journalist Joseph Lelyveld  --------------- When someone you love dies, the grieving process is different for each of us.  But one thing is always the same: You've got to decide what to do with the things your loved one left behind. Janny Scott experienced this in January 2024 when Joseph Lelyveld, her partner of 19 years, died from complications of Parkinson's Disease. Joe had been a star at the New York Times, eventually becoming executive editor (the top editorial position) and winning a Pulitzer Prize for Move Your Shadow, his 1985 book about apartheid South Africa. From his career and travels, he left behind some genuine treasures. But mostly, Janny was surrounded by everyday items that filled their apartment, especially the contents of Joe's tiny home office. So Janny made a deliberate decision.  She'd leave Joe's office exactly as he left it, creating what Janny calls The Museum of Joe. In this episode of I Couldn't Throw It Out, Janny – a former New York Times and L.A. Times reporter and author of A Singular Woman, the bestselling biography of Barack Obama's mother – shares what she saved and why.   Listen in to understand how one of us – and maybe all of us – can keep a connection to people we've loved through the things we never plan to throw out. Find out more about Joseph Lelyveld and Janny Scott at: throwitoutpodcast.com Have thoughts about this episode? Send us a text More info, photos, and transcript:  throwitoutpodcast.com    Don't miss a thing: Join our mailing list    Do you save stuff you can't throw out? Tell us about it   Want to show support? Please rate/follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

    What a much-loved partner left behind

  6. 12/16/2025

    Happy Ending! A Violinist's Dream Comes True

    You heard how I smashed violins as kid (in a previous episode). Hear how I saved one as an adult. ----- These days, we all could use a story with a happy ending, right? Well, here's one that answers the question: What ever happened to a family heirloom I inherited from my father? When last we spoke of my father's treasured violin (previous episode: Listen up! A Violin Lesson with Strings Attached), I was headed off – once again – to learn how to play it. Did I find a way to make music that wouldn't hurt your ears? Or did something much better happen? To answer those questions, I have expert help from violin virtuoso Amelia Bailey – who worked in the shop that repaired my father's very old violin. She also dared to be my violin teacher. Amelia shares with us a fascinating world that few people see:  the inner-workings of the famous New York City workshop, David Segal Violins. She walks us through the intricate and excruciatingly difficult task of restoring violins, and then solving the mystery of their origin. How does this relate to my musical family saga? Maybe you'll understand after you hear the tape of my father playing his prized violin... at age 96. His dream was for his violin, which he valued more than any object on earth, to be played beautifully by a family member. And what happened at David Segal Violins determined if his wish could come true. Ultimately, it all comes down to a solo violin performance that might blow your mind. It would certainly thrill my father, who may be listening in some kind of heaven. I hope it'll bring some joy to you too. Watch the entire performance: throwitoutpodcast.com  Have thoughts about this episode? Send us a text More info, photos, and transcript:  throwitoutpodcast.com    Don't miss a thing: Join our mailing list    Do you save stuff you can't throw out? Tell us about it   Want to show support? Please rate/follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

    Happy Ending! A Violinist's Dream Comes True

  7. 11/05/2025

    Salt-N-Pepa: We Talked About Sex

    1991 flashback: Hear candid talk about female rappers, obscenity, sexism, and more with Salt-N-Pepa, 2025's newest members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame  ----------- When I interviewed Salt-N-Pepa for my 1992 book Break It Down, they were among the most successful rappers on the planet. One platinum album and another coming soon.  Sell-out concerts around the world. But did I include them on my list of the top 5 hip-hop groups? Nope. Oops.  That was a mistake.  Now that Salt-N-Pepa are getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, it's clear that they changed everything. With their DJ Spinderella and their producer Hurby Love Bug, they helped push hip-hop into the pop charts, where we've heard it ever since. If you missed "Shoop," "Push It," "Whatta Man," "Let's Talk about Sex" and other Salt-N-Pepa hits – or if you still love those songs – here's some good news: I saved my audio tapes for 34 years.  Now you can listen to my never-heard interviews, as Salt (Cheryl James) and Pepa (Sandra Denton) talk about their music, their private lives, and share their thoughts about sex, pregnancy, AIDS, abortion, friendship, and on and on.  To give some perspective to Salt-N-Pepa's 1991 thoughts, I'm joined by Clover Hope, author of the 2021 book, The Motherlode, 100+ Women Who Made Hip-hop. Not only does Clover help explain what Salt-N-Pepa contributed to our culture, she also helps me make the fateful decision: In my latest round of Swedish Death Cleaning, should I toss my Salt-N-Pepa possessions? Or should I keep them?  Of course, there's one gift from Salt-N-Pepa that I'll never lose – their famous song hooks that latch onto my brain:  "Ah, push it! Push it real good!" "Shoop, shoop-a-doop, shoop-a-doopa-doopa-doop." Want to bounce to those and other songs we discuss?  You'll find links at throwitoutpodcast.com. Have thoughts about this episode? Send us a text More info, photos, and transcript:  throwitoutpodcast.com    Don't miss a thing: Join our mailing list    Do you save stuff you can't throw out? Tell us about it   Want to show support? Please rate/follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

    Salt-N-Pepa: We Talked About Sex

  8. 09/11/2025

    Swedish Death Cleaning - A global challenge?

    The director and cast of the TV series Waack Girls (Amazon Prime) explain why saving stuff is so common in India, and around the world -------------- If you ever suspected that an obsession with saving things is a mostly American habit, here's proof that it ain't so. Sooni Taraporevala -- who wrote the screenplays for Salaam Bombay!, Mississippi Masala, The Namesake, Yeh Ballet, and other movies -- recently told me that she's been saving treasures in Mumbai, India since she was 5. Not only that, but when Sooni checked with the young Indian cast members of her new TV series Waack Girls, they insisted that they've also been saving things since they were kids. In other words, it's an intergenerational, international pastime. Who knew? As it turns out, Sooni and Waack Girls stars, Mekhola Bose and Rytasha Rathore, have profound insights into why we save things. But then, I'm sorry to say they were exposed to a bad influence: me.  Yes, I could have taught them to clean out their closets with some Swedish Death Cleaning.  Alas, that isn't exactly what happened when they joined as guests on  I Couldn't Throw It Out. Hear the stories behind the things they've saved for years. Plus, find out about the wild dance style called waacking, which inspired Sooni to co-write and direct the TV series Waack Girls (on Amazon Prime).  It's based loosely on the life of the main character, played by our podcast guest Mekhola Bose. Maybe hearing and watching Mekhola will inspire you to try some new fancy moves. That -- like saving treasures for decades -- is something you can do in any country around the world. (To see Sooni, Mekhola and Rytasha's treasures, go to throwitoutpodcast.com.) Have thoughts about this episode? Send us a text More info, photos, and transcript:  throwitoutpodcast.com    Don't miss a thing: Join our mailing list    Do you save stuff you can't throw out? Tell us about it   Want to show support? Please rate/follow us wherever you get your podcasts.

    Swedish Death Cleaning - A global challenge?
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About

Revisit pop culture history as former People Magazine reporter Michael Small and guests share never-heard celebrity interviews and other treasures they've saved for decades -- as they try to toss their stuff. Will it be an epic case of Swedish Death Cleaning? Or an epic fail?

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Small
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 I Couldn’t Throw It Out
  • Show Website
    I Couldn’t Throw It Out

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