224 episodes

Audacious with Chion Wolf will highlight the uncommon experiences of everyday people – asking the hardest, most uncomfortable questions. With curiosity and compassion, Connecticut Public producer and host Chion Wolf digs deeper, encouraging listeners to ask hard questions in their own lives.

Find out more at https://www.ctpublic.org/audacious

Audacious with Chion Wolf Connecticut Public

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.8 • 67 Ratings

Audacious with Chion Wolf will highlight the uncommon experiences of everyday people – asking the hardest, most uncomfortable questions. With curiosity and compassion, Connecticut Public producer and host Chion Wolf digs deeper, encouraging listeners to ask hard questions in their own lives.

Find out more at https://www.ctpublic.org/audacious

    Banjo Man, 'Woo Woo' Wickers and UConn Huskies superfans share their love of the game

    Banjo Man, 'Woo Woo' Wickers and UConn Huskies superfans share their love of the game

    Chicago Cubs superfan, Ronnie “Woo Woo“ Wickers says, “It’s not a ballgame if they don’t see me or hear me!”
    That sentiment applies to all of our guests on this show! Including Ronnie, 49ers fan, Banjo Man, and Bob Labonne, who is a massive fan of the UConn Huskies women's basketball team!
    GUESTS: 
    Stacy Samuels aka Banjo Man: a 73-year-old fan of the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland A’s. He attends games with his signature propeller hat and banjo, and he has not missed a 49ers home game since 1983
    Ronnie “Woo Woo” Wickers: an 82-year-old fan of the Chicago Cubs since 1949, known and celebrated for his chants in the stadium. His grandma brought him to his first game at Wrigley Field when he was eight years old
    Bob LaBonne Sr: an 88-year-old fan of the UCONN women’s basketball team. He lost his UCONN hat with pins he had collected over decades while cheering on the team in Texas. He is joined by his son, Bob LaBonne Jr.
    Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 48 min
    How do they remember that? Meet two world-class memory champions

    How do they remember that? Meet two world-class memory champions

    With everything being stored in our phone, there seems to be fewer and fewer reasons to store anything in our brain.
    But what if your imagination was much more powerful and vast than you think? And with a few simple techniques, you could remember an astonishing amount of information?
    Two people who have won international memory competitions and set world records for memorizing will tell you exactly how they do it so you can, too.
    Suggested episodes:
    Total Recall: What It's Like To Remember Every Day Like It Was Yesterday What it’s like winning a little or a lot on The Price Is Right, Wheel Of Fortune, and Jeopardy! GUESTS: 
    John Graham: Three-time USA memory champion, author and personal memory coach Katie Kermode: One of the top memory champions in the world, holding four world records in different memory events. She also developed software now used in memory competitions around the world Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 49 min
    When actors teach: Embodying the lives of an enslaved woman and a medical patient

    When actors teach: Embodying the lives of an enslaved woman and a medical patient

    There are many ways to teach, but few are as impactful as embodying a character as an actor. How does taking on such roles shape a person's life? In this episode, we delve into the experiences of two unique educators.
    Discover what it was like for Azie Dungey, a Black actress, to portray an enslaved woman at George and Martha Washington's estate in Mount Vernon. How did this deeply emotional role influence her understanding of history and her own identity?
    Then, explore the world of Cory Scott, a standardized patient who simulates medical conditions for training medical students. What toll does this role take on his mind and body?
    Provided/Cory ScottCory Scott (left) performs with Kate Jurdi.
    Join us as we uncover the profound effects of educational acting on those who live it.
    Suggested episodes:
    Actors Mary Elizabeth Kelly and Dean Edwards on the art of impressions Behind The Screens: Dressing Schitt’s Creek, Special Effects Make-Up, and Casting Queer Eye Behind The Screens: Hollywood Hairstyling, Coordinating Intimacy, And Illustrating The Great British Bake Off GUESTS: 
    Azie Dungey: Comedy writer and former character interpreter, playing Caroline Branham, an enslaved woman at George Washington's Mount Vernon residence. She also wrote the popular web series “Ask A Slave” Cory Scott: Standardized patient at UMass Chan Medical School for over 25 years. He has guest-starred in ABC’s Body of Proof and worked as a stand-in on the movies, TED and TED 2 Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 49 min
    Audacious Paloozas: Lovers of pogo sticks, origami, lighters, and John Philip Sousa share their passions

    Audacious Paloozas: Lovers of pogo sticks, origami, lighters, and John Philip Sousa share their passions

    You know the Chicago-based music festival, Lollapalooza?
    Well, this episode of Audacious features NO ONE from Lollapalooza!
    But it does feature people who love something so much that they made a palooza out of it! Hear about the communal beauty and allure of pogo sticks, origami, lighters, and John Philip Sousa marches.
    GUESTS: 
    Nick McClintock: Creative director and co-founder of Pogopalooza Kuang-Hao Huang: Pianist, former driving force behind Make Music Chicago, and creator of Sousapalooza Linda Mihara: Owner of Paper Tree - the Origami Store, and the brain behind Origami-Palooza in San Francisco Chuck Riley: The founder of Lighterpalooza, and owner of Riley’s 66 where he sells vintage and collectible Zippo lighters along with his own retro designs Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 48 min
    Intersex advocacy and the fight for bodily autonomy with Pidgeon Pagonis

    Intersex advocacy and the fight for bodily autonomy with Pidgeon Pagonis

    Growing up, Pidgeon Pagonis was told a lot about their medical history: They were born with cancerous ovaries, so the doctors removed them to save their life.
    Except that wasn't true. In reality, they were born intersex. And those were not cancerous ovaries, they were undescended testes. And that was just the beginning of many truths coming out.
    Hear their story of discovery, and how they played a massive role in getting the hospital where they were born to reverse their policies on how they treat intersex children.
    Resources:
    interACT Advocates for Intersex Youth Intersex resource list by Pidgeon Pagonis Statements on Intersex Care at Lurie Children’s Hospital Recommended episodes:
    Conception deception: The fight for transparency in the fertility industry Jeffrey Marsh Loves You Being a trans woman in the trucking industry GUEST: 
    Pidgeon Pagonis: Intersex speaker, filmmaker, and consultant; Author of the memoir, Nobody Needs to Know Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 49 min
    For the love of farts! From animal biology to musical mastery

    For the love of farts! From animal biology to musical mastery

    Enjoy our ode to farts!
    Meet researchers who made a New York Times bestselling book series about the various ways that animals fart; A man who is internationally known for being a hand farter, (also called a “manualist“); And another person who was born without an anus and went on to make a living off of his ability to fart extensively on-command! Which he will absolutely do for us in this episode.
    GUESTS: 
    Dani Rabaiotti and Nick Caruso: Researchers who created a spreadsheet listing what we know about which animals do and do not fart, and which remain a mystery. It was later turned into a book series beginning with Does It Fart? The definitive field guide to animal flatulence, and the kids book, Does It Fart?: A Kid's Guide to the Gas Animals Pass Guy First: A musician who plays music by making farting noises with his hands, featured on Britain's Got Talent. He is joined by his wife, Yaara Will Bakey a.k.a “Will the Farter”: Born without an anus, he later became able to fart on-command. Featured on the Howard Stern Show, Jackass 3D, and Cameo. He is joined by his girlfriend, Aislinn. Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 49 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
67 Ratings

67 Ratings

Javintage ,

Best Radio Voice!

Before having her show, I would hear Chion Wolf do smaller roles on NPR. Every time I heard her voice, I wondered why she did not have her own show. Her voice is perfect for radio. Her show topics are unique and engaging. Every guest is heard to say “that is a great question”. Check the shows - it happens in every show! That is a true indication of how good she is. Keep up the quirky! So enjoyable.

John P Wentland ,

Cringingly Respectful

I’ve met Chión only once, but feel I know her through her voice. Her interview questions make me cringe yet at the same time her queries are so respectful of each person she speaks with. Her voice has been described in many ways, but I think what makes her interviews cringingly respectful is her “honey smooth” voice. You can’t help but want to savor it. Thank you, Chión. I know your Mom thanks you, too.

Salama717 ,

Just amazing

Chion’s questions dig deep and show a genuine interest in understanding people’s lived experiences. I’ve learned so much about not just interesting people but also what it means to be truly empathetic.

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