Midwesternish
21 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 39 ratingsA podcast for people who ♥ the heartland. Hosted by writer, storyteller and public radio journalist Gina Kaufmann, a Midwesterner born and raised.
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Episodes
Introducing A People's History Of Kansas City
February 04, 2020 15:58 - 1 minute - 117 BytesMidwesternish listeners, we have a new podcast for you! KCUR's Suzanne Hogan brings you tales of the everyday heroes, renegades and visionaries who shaped Kansas City and the region. If these stories aren't told, they're in danger of fading into the past. The first episode drops February 6. Apple Podcasts | Spotify
The North To The Midwest: It's Not You, It's Us
April 11, 2018 10:00 - 17 minutes - 1 KBMinnesota wants to rebrand itself as "The North," because apparently they think they're different from the rest of the Midwest. So, is it time to break up? Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .
Midwest Accent
April 04, 2018 10:00 - 25 minutes - 1.51 KBThe Midwest has a reputation for being a bland, neutral, accent-free place. But experts say that simply is not true. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .
School Lunch
March 28, 2018 10:00 - 16 minutes - 1003 BytesWe produce a lot of food in this part of the country, and some of it ends up as school lunch. But with every cafeteria tray comes a large helping of economics and politics. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .
From A Small Town To The Big Stage
March 21, 2018 10:00 - 16 minutes - 984 BytesSinger Vanessa Thomas credits her idyllic childhood in a cozy Kansas town for her international success. But she ended up in that town through a set of dark circumstances. And her path forward hasn't always been a straight shot. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .
Squirrels Go Rogue
March 14, 2018 10:00 - 17 minutes - 1 KBMidwesterners are used to seeing squirrels all over the place - in the woods, in cuisine (really) and in their front yards. But some species are leaving the Midwest for the west coast and abroad. And they're not making friends easily. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .
Midwest Famous
March 07, 2018 11:30 - 18 minutes - 1.07 KBWhat's it like to be an icon in the Midwest? The tap-dancing McFadden Brothers tell the story of their coming up, and how they're carrying on a legacy for African American arts in the Midwest. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .
Demo Derby
March 07, 2018 11:05 - 22 minutes - 1.3 KBPeople have been intentionally destroying cars in demolition derbies for generations. It's like the Midwest's Colosseum. But the old school demo derby is running out of gas. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .
Challenging Midwestern Clichés
March 07, 2018 10:45 - 21 minutes - 1.26 KBWhen we talk about being from the Midwest, it usually comes with some familiar words. "Quaint" and "old fashioned" or worse, "close-minded" and "too slow." So are they true? Well - it's complicated. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .
Trailer: Midwesternish Season 2
March 02, 2018 16:41 - 1 minute - 89 BytesEver been to a squirrel cook-off? How about the demo derby? Well ... that's ok. Here in the Midwest we eat all kinds of food, play all kinds of sports and maybe aren't exactly what you thought — particularly if you identify as a Midwesterner yourself. Midwesternish is a podcast that explores (and sometimes explodes) what it means to be Midwestern. Stories of triumph, identity and casseroles.
The Best Of All Possible Worlds
September 03, 2017 05:24 - 10 minutes - 605 BytesReporter Laura Ziegler reflects on what bringing her family and her father under one roof really meant. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher . Music: " Feathered ," " Silent Flock ," and " On Belay " by Blue Dot Sessions; all have been edited for length.
Origin Story
August 25, 2017 17:00 - 17 minutes - 1.02 KBFor his day job, he smoked ribs at a barbecue joint. But his secret identity was a playwright. Hear Nathan Louis Jackson's journey to becoming a writer for television and stage, including the Netflix series Luke Cage. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher . Music: " Set The Tip Jar ," and " Balti " by Blue Dot Sessions; all have been edited for length.
No Place Like Home?
August 17, 2017 18:27 - 14 minutes - 898 BytesWhen you start a show called "Midwesternish," at some point there'll be an episode about The Wizard of Oz . If this film defines Kansas for the entire world, what exactly does it say and do we believe it? Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher . Music: " Filing Away ," " In Passage " and " On Belay ," by Blue Dot Sessions; all have been edited for length.
The Cassette Tape Revival
August 11, 2017 22:15 - 12 minutes - 759 Bytes2015 was the most successful year since 1969 for the nation's largest cassette tape manufacturer. We meet the founder of that company, based in Springfield, Missouri, and try to figure out why people are returning to cassettes. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher . Music: " Pulsars ," and " Jetsam " by Podington Bear, and " Manele ," and " Heliotrope ," by Blue Dot Sessions; all have been edited for length.
The Garden Of Eden In Lucas, Kansas
August 04, 2017 15:51 - 19 minutes - 1.12 KBThe Garden of Eden isn't as far away as you might think. It's in the small town of Lucas, Kansas and it's filled with art. On this episode, a grassroots art project and it's unexpected caretaker. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher . Music: " Home Home At Last ," " Drifting Spade ," and " City Limits ," by Blue Dot Sessions; all have been edited for length.
Regulating a Tradition: African Hair Braiding
July 21, 2017 23:57 - 14 minutes - 865 BytesWhat happens when a state regulates a tradition practiced on stoops and living room floors for generations? Missouri hair braiders say you could end up disenfranchising a community. On this episode: African hair braiding in the Midwest. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher . Music: " Home Home At Last ," " Sunday Lights ," and " One Needle ," by Blue Dot Sessions; all have been edited for length.
Abortion Experiences And The Difficult Search For Middle Ground
July 14, 2017 20:02 - 19 minutes - 1.17 KBIt's one of the hardest conversations to have: the conversation about abortion. But what if we tried to just talk about it without all the politics. We sat down to hear two women share their stories, they stand on opposite sides of the issue, politically, but they've both had abortions. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher . Music: " Denzel Sprak ," " Cobweb Transit ," " Headlights/Mountain Road ," and " One Needle ," by Blue Dot Sessions; all have been edited for length.
How To Save A Rural Midwestern Town
July 08, 2017 19:04 - 20 minutes - 1.19 KBRoger Thomas wants you to move to his hometown, Orrick, Missouri, in order to save a small town that's only getting smaller. But can he convice you to see what he sees in Orrick? Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher . Music: " Milkwood ," " Paper Napkin ," " Algea Tender ," and " On Belay ," by Blue Dot Sessions; all have been edited for length.
How Not To Do Fourth Of July
June 29, 2017 22:16 - 15 minutes - 904 BytesThe story of how one Kansas City man's DIY fireworks display got completely out of hand. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher . Music: Gentle Marimba by Alastair Cameron, The Stars And Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa
Relearning To Hear With Cochlear Implants
June 23, 2017 16:00 - 10 minutes - 633 BytesCan you imagine what it would be like to regain your sense of hearing after years of silence? Regaining the ability to hear isn't as simple as flipping a switch. Hear what Rob Jefferson heard as he relearned to hear with cochlear implants. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher . Music: " Dirtbike Lovers " by Blue Dot Sessions; it has been edited for length.
A Home In Paris, A Heart In The Plains
June 16, 2017 18:29 - 12 minutes - 733 BytesWhen you're falling in love, spending time apart can seem unbearable. Kansas City-born musician Krystle Warren has been away from her first love, her hometown, for a long time. She shares her story of finding a new home in Paris when her heart was still in the plains. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher . Music: Krystle Warren