Unread Outspoken
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- Society & Culture
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One December evening in 2019, Chris Stedman noticed a new message in his inbox from his friend Alex, sent at exactly 7 p.m. He and Alex hadn’t talked in a while—was Alex writing to tell him off for being a bad friend? But it wasn’t that. “listen,” the note read. “i am writing to let you know that when you receive this scheduled email, i will no longer be alive.” At the bottom of his message, Alex included a link to a private SoundCloud account. “here’s Alice recordings,” he wrote.
Alice. Alex had talked to Chris about her before. A Britney Spears superfan, Alex had befriended this anonymous figure in a Britney fan forum years earlier. Alice had become the stuff of legend in Britney fan circles, and for good reason—she happens to sound exactly like Britney herself. Why was Alex including these recordings in his goodbye email? Who was Alice, really, and what had she meant to Alex? More importantly, could she help Chris understand why his friend was gone? With help from Alex’s loved ones, Chris decides to track down the elusive Alice, in the hopes that she can answer some of the questions Alex couldn’t.
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Episode 4: Give Me a Sign
Chris finds some of the answers he's looking for in a Google folder Alex left behind—and others during a conversation with someone else who loved Alex dearly.
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Episode 2: Piece of Me
Some of the people who knew Alex best look back on how he changed their lives—and then give Chris the push he needs.
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Episode 1: Email My Heart
A scheduled goodbye email raises as many questions as it answers.
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Introducing: Unread
A show about looking for answers in the digital breadcrumbs people leave behind.
(To learn more about Unread, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @unreadpod.)
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Customer Reviews
Incredible listen
Chris Stedman creates such an engaging and thoughtful experience that explores so many different things beautifully - connection to a dear friend, community on- and offline, queer identity, stan culture, grief, love, and more. This is an incredibly affectionate love letter to a friend and is heartwarming, relatable, and relevant all at once. Highly recommend!
Captivating and relatable
Loved the witty narration and relatable themes in Unread. The captivating story kept me guessing, and the ending tied everything up beautifully.
Such a good listen
This podcast strikes a perfect balance between serious and playful, and is anchored throughout by a sincerity that makes it wholly compelling. Many podcasts give the listener plenty to think about; here, we are also invited to feel, and it is truly a gift. Beautifully written and produced—it will stay with you long after you’ve finished the last episode.