Ear Hustle

Ear Hustle features fascinating personal stories about incarcerated individuals including experiences that led to their imprisonment, how they are adapting to life behind bars, rehabilitation, and sometimes even experiences after being released. Ear Hustle provides real insight into prison life and our criminal justice system. I love the sound quality, the interview styles, the music, and especially the perspectives of people that I would have never known otherwise.

It is very easy to hear how the hosts feel about each other and how they feel about the show. It’s fun to hear those feelings evolve. The visiting host has always struck me as condescending. It feels like she is holding on to the fact that this was “her show” that she decided to include him in. As the show moves forward it’s more and more like, wait why is this lady here? She doesn’t need to be it’s weird. I think she should have just been a producer especially after he got out of prison. Erlon’s confidence is building enough to react in a normal way to the weird voice she uses sometimes, for example whenever she says “our show”

I enjoy how each prisoner interviewed gives us the story of his humanity, hobbies, gifts and talents. I so wish our prison system would allow prisoners to learn a trade or enhance skills of their talents. Allow them to become better individuals and gain confidence in themselves. When they are released, they have a much better chance of getting a job with the skills they enhanced while in prison and make them more valued in themselves, their families and in society. The story of Ear Hustle is a great example. Perhaps you can extend to the women’s prisons also? Thank you for such wonderful, compassionate stories!

Educational and moving