Muni Diaries
155 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 32 ratingsThe Muni Diaries podcast is where you'll hear true stories that happened on public transportation in San Francisco and the Bay Area, presented by the editors of MuniDiaries.com. Since our launch in 2008, we've gathered stories from more than 4,000 transit riders. To submit your own story, or read more bus tales, visit MuniDiaries.com.
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Episodes
Ep 55: San Francisco Diaries: The Polk Street Pizza Lady
April 09, 2018 15:19 - 17 minutes - 8.08 MBAndrea Carla Michaels says that she has never done something two days in a row, but a commitment to her neighborhood led to her new identity. Two years ago she found her calling as "Pizza Lady" and you can find her daily in the alleys off lower Polk Street. Andrea just celebrated her 25th anniversary in San Francisco. Originally a standup comic, game show writer and briefly a writer for "Designing Women", she now spends her time naming companies, constructing crossword puzzles for the NY...
Ep. 54: Comedian Dominique Gelin on the best pickup lines on public transit
April 03, 2018 14:27 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MBWhat do you do when you meet a smug pickup artist on public transit? Storyteller Dominique Gelin is a comedian in Oakland, and she says she offers strong opinions on stupid things, -isms, and assholes. She has performed at SF Sketchfest, Boston’s Women in Comedy Festival, the All Jane Comedy Festival, and was a finalist for the Ultimate Miami Comedian. She's here with a lesson in transit etiquette for the newbies — especially if you’re a pickup artist, or for everyone who could use a refresh...
Ep. 53 San Francisco Diaries: Bob Collins on the transformation of a super tiny SF apartment
March 20, 2018 09:25 - 17 minutes - 8.08 MBIn this episode, architect and long-time SF resident Bob Collins recalls transforming his super tiny apartment and how, in the process, he discovers the real reasons why he calls San Francisco home. Bob has lived in the Bay for 30 years, with stints in the Mission, Nob Hill, Russian Hill, and the Richmond. He has a blog about walking around San Francisco called Urban Ambles, told from the dual perspectives of a regular pedestrian and professional architect. His walks in the blog cover a...
Ep. 52: Alexandria Love's not-quite love story with a bonus transit twist
March 08, 2018 01:39 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBAlexandria Love is a stand-up comedian, podcaster, and writer from Oakland. She's performed at some of the best venues in California, including Tommy T's, The San Jose Improv, and Cobb's Comedy Club. She is the current reigning champion of Tourettes Without Regrets' Dirty Haiku battle with 5 victories under her belt. She was also the sleeper hit at the Muni Haiku Battle at Lit Crawl in 2017. This tale about relationshipping in your Roaring 20s hits home for all of us who wished we could fi...
Ep. 51: San Francisco Diaries: Anna Pulley on taking a date to a fertility party
February 20, 2018 17:08 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MBLove comes in all forms, and in San Francisco, you'll encounter love and relationship rituals you never imagined possible. Today's episode comes from writer Anna Pulley. She is the author of The Lesbian Sex Haiku Book (with Cats!), which Cheryl Strayed called a “must-read,” Tegan and Sara said was “an adorable and hilarious way to start the day,” and Jennifer Tilly said was “thoroughly charming.” You can find her sex and relationship advice column on her blog, as well as in weekly advice col...
Ep. 50: San Francisco Diaries: Vivian Ho and her pigeon housemates
February 05, 2018 05:21 - 17 minutes - 15.6 MBYou may know storyteller Vivian Ho as the criminal justice reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle since 2011. She's reported on the Mario Woods shooting, the San Francisco Police Department, wildfires, and she’s just published an incredible investigative piece called "A Life on the Line." In this episode, Vivian shares a personal story about the challenges of adulthood in San Francisco, and how a pair of pigeons helped her realize the importance of a new love in her life. You can find her...
Ep. 49: Steve Pepple advocates for the BMW experience in San Francisco
January 22, 2018 22:19 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MBSteve Pepple is on the board of San Francisco Transit Riders, a rider-supported group for world-class transit in San Francisco. He works as a designer at OpenGov, where his goal is making cities more livable, whether he’s working on a budget or a bus. In this episode, he brought us the thoughtful back story behind his passion for world-class urban transit and the BMW (BART, Muni, walking) experience. Is your own story burning a hole in your brain? Want to share an unexpected conversation...
Ep. 48: Comedian Tirumari Jothi finds his way on Muni
January 08, 2018 21:03 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBIn this podcast episode, comedian Tirumari Jothi loses his way on Muni, but a stranger's conversation helps him find his way. Tirumari has been performing comedy for six years, with stand-up as his first love, but he also loves improv and sketch acting . You can find him either performing with the geeky comedy group he co-founded, Komedio Comedy (facebook.com/komediocomedy), or acting on stage with Killing My Lobster (find him at Sketchfest 2018). He says if you can't find him doing any of t...
Ep. 47: Broke-Ass Stuart learns his SF ABC's
December 20, 2017 19:01 - 10 minutes - 10 MBWho gave you your first "San Francisco education"? In this episode, Broke-Ass Stuart shares the story of living in a house on Golden Gate where his housemates were artist, thinkers, and some of Burning Man's original participants. You might know Broke-Ass Stuart from Brokeassstuart.com, where he lists cool things to do if you don't have a lot of money. He is also a travel writer, TV host, a poet. He has a column in the San Francisco Examiner called “Broke-Ass City,” and he ran for mayor a ...
Ep. 46: The Shard, The Tissue, an Affair: from writer Andrew Lam
December 13, 2017 03:04 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBWhen a poet lands in San Francisco, even our city may not be enough to make this love affair last. Today's podcast is from Vietnamese American author Andrew Lam. He was the web editor of New America Media for many years. In 2005, he published his first book, Perfume Dreams. He is also the author of the book Birds of Paradise, about the Vietnamese immigrant community in the Bay Area. He is working on a fourth book tentatively titled, Stories From the Edge of the Sea. The book is a collection...
Ep. 45: Meet Irene Tu, Muni celebrity
November 28, 2017 16:13 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBComedian Irene Tu was a Muni celebrity last year and turned her friends into last-minute paparazzo to chase that fame. Irene Tu is a Chicago-born, San Francisco-based stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. In 2017, the San Francisco Chronicle singled her out as an “artist on the brink of fame,” on the heels of being named one of the “Bay Area’s 11 Best Stand Up Comedians” (SFist) and one of 20 “Women to Watch” (KQED). Irene hosts several popular shows in the Bay Area: Man Haters, The Missi...
Ep. 44: Sexual folklorist Dixie De La Tour on the magic of the telepersonals
November 14, 2017 17:45 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBDixie De La Tour is the founder of Bawdy Storytelling (“The Moth for Pervs,” per LA Weekly), America’s Original Sex+Storytelling series featuring Real People & Rockstars sharing their bona fide sexual exploits, live onstage. In this episode, she reaches back in time to those bad old days without Tinder, and you have to call the telepersonals to find Mr. Right/Mr. Right Now. If you enjoyed the Muni Diaries podcast, please share our podcast and rate it in iTunes so people can find it! And...
Ep 43. Baruch Porras-Hernandez on taking a friend on her first Muni ride
November 01, 2017 14:45 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBThis week's story is from our reigning Muni Haiku champion, Baruch Porras-Hernandez! You can see him at Muni Diaries Live on Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Elbo Room. Tickets are at munidiarieslive18.eventbrite.com Baruch tells a story of taking a visiting friend on her first Muni ride, promising that nothing will go wrong. And if you've been on Muni at all, you know that's a hard promise to keep. Baruch Porras-Hernandez is a Pushcart Prize nominated writer, performer and standup comedian, name...
Ep. 42 Comedian Ronn Vigh on practicing zen on Muni
October 24, 2017 14:33 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBThis episode features Ronn Vigh, whose attitude and wit earned him a comparison to a young Joan Rivers by SF Weekly. A yoga instructor, Ronn puts his teachings of compassion and letting go (and working on your core) to practice on Muni. You can find Ronn on Twitter @ronnronnvigh.
Ep. 41: San Francisco Diaries: Designer Steve Pepple finds a secret door
October 10, 2017 15:19 - 8 minutes - 8.15 MBAn unmarked door at a SOMA diner turned out to be a portal that led to a mysterious place, as storyteller Steve Pepple discovers one evening. Steve is a designer at OpenGov, where his work aims to make cities more liveable, whether he's working on a budget or a bus. What's *your* unexpected San Francisco experience? Is there another portal that opened your eyes to something that's quintessentially SF? Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/sanfranciscodiaries to submit your own story.
Ep. 40: Na’amen Gobert Tilahun on the magic of the late night metro ride
October 03, 2017 15:55 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBNa'amen Gobert Tilahun is a writer whose craft spans multiple genres. The follow up to his 2016 novel, The Root, is The tree, which is coming out later this year. You can find him at naamentilahun.com. In this episode, he shares the magic of the late night metro ride.
Ep. 39: San Francisco Diaries: writer Hiya Swanhuyser on the secret past of the Montgomery Block
September 20, 2017 00:55 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBWriter Hiya Swanhuyser is writing a book about a lost piece of San Francisco history, the Montgomery Block building, which stood where the Transamerica Pyramid stands today. It was there for 107 years, and was a crucial gathering place for artists and writers, including Mark Twain, Ambrose Bierce, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, and thinkers and political people including Emma Goldman and Sun Yat-Sen, among many many others. Listen and share this San Francisco Diaries episode on the secret p...
Ep 38: Sal Castaneda’s ‘Bad-Ass’ Muni Moment
September 12, 2017 19:09 - 7 minutes - 6.87 MBYou know Sal Castaneda as your long-time KTVU traffic reporter. We grew up listening to him in the mornings, and here he is at Muni Diaries Live with his tale attempted (and imagined) bravado on the 44.
Ep. 37: Kirk Read practices radical empathy on the 14-Mission
August 29, 2017 07:00 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBKirk Read is a writer and storyteller who grew up in Virginia. His memoir, How I Learned to Snap, was named an Honor Book by the American Library Association. He works in the healthcare industry and has curated a host of literary events around the San Francisco Bay Area.
Ep 36: San Francisco Diaries: my first job at the Nob Hill Theater
August 14, 2017 19:48 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBYou've seen the marquee, "Touch our junk" on Bush street probably a thousand times. Storyteller Jesse James brings us deep into the back room of the famed adult theater where he unwittingly becomes an employee after a brief interview. Today's story is a part of our new series, San Francisco Diaries! We are expanding our lens to gather stories about our fair city, and we welcome your stories about the people and experiences that make our city what it is today. What makes San Francisco ou...
Ep 35: Jesse James and the litter bug on Muni
August 01, 2017 15:25 - 15 minutes - 14 MBStoryteller Jesse James recounts a day that started with ordering a Thor hammer on Amazon -- easy peasy, right? But of course Muni had other plans for Jesse's day. Jesse James is the former Muni haiku champion, return storyteller, and has had battle of wits against Airbnb's ridiculous ads. You can find him on Twitter at @LoudGayAmerica.
Ep 34: The humans behind Muni's official Twitter account
July 18, 2017 15:51 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MBSay you're frustrated waiting for the bus and you fire off a tweet, "Where the hell is my bus?", there are three people at the SFMTA whose job is to respond to you to make sure you're ok. We found these very patient humans at the SFMTA whose jobs we never want to have, and ask them: what's it like to be on the receiving end of all our ire? As it turns out, it's not all terrible. SFMTA's Schad and Rick tell us all about behind the scenes stories of responding to your Muni complaints and re...
Ep. 33: H.P. Mendoza on cinema, Muni, and SF life
July 05, 2017 21:32 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MBFilmmaker H.P. Mendoza's dad was a Muni driver for 25 years. Add that to a life time of San Francisco transit-riding, H.P. has lots of fodder for another original composition about cinema, Muni, and an ode to the Mission district. Bonus: in this very musical episode, we're also featuring Mesquite and Mustard, the western fiddling band with a spirited original song about Charlie the Muni Rider, the "man who never returned."
Ep. 32: the ultimate Pride party at a Muni stop, from Jerry Lee Abram
June 20, 2017 00:17 - 9 minutes - 9.04 MBStoryteller Jerry Lee Abram shares a story of the ultimate Pride party at a Muni stop. Remember when Muni shelters were domed (not doomed!) and … and just worked? One Dyke March, Jerry and his friends climbed up on one said shelter and took it all in.
Ep 31: Dhaya Lakshminarayanan and her dad, on Muni weirdos
June 13, 2017 16:58 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MBComedian Dhaya Lakshminarayanan shares a tale of her trip to Big Lots on Muni with her pop. Hilarity ensued, of course. And a new slogan for this site and Muni general is born. Dhaya Lakshminarayanan is the 2016 winner of the Liz Carpenter Political Humor Award (previously awarded to Samantha Bee, Wanda Sykes and satirist/humorist Mark Russell) presented by the National Women’s Political Caucus. She is also a storyteller and runs storytelling workshops and corporate events. You can find h...
Ep 30: Writer Annalee Newitz on Muni vs. obnoxious driver
June 06, 2017 19:01 - 12 minutes - 11 MBScience writer Annalee Newitz fulfilled our geek dreams by sharing a story of how Muni is actually on the side of righteousness when an obnoxious driver gets in its way. Bonus: she also recounts the early days of being in the tech industry in the Bay Area. Look out for her new sci-fi novel coming out in September called AUTONOMOUS, which does not contain any Muni bus references but does feature a pirate with her own badass submarine.
Ep 29: Glynn Washington confronts a Muni mugging
May 31, 2017 18:50 - 10 minutes - 9.34 MBGlynn Washington, host and executive producer of NPR’s Snap Judgment, gave everyone a lot of food for thought when he was confronted with a mugging on his commute.
Ep 28: From writer Mat Honan: What does the Forest Hill station smell like?
May 22, 2017 19:41 - 10 minutes - 9.56 MBTechnology journalist (and BuzzFeed San Francisco bureau chief) Mat Honan had once used Muni data to find out when the next bus was coming. Imagine that! He dug deep into Muni’s history to find out why Forest Hill station smells the way it does—and what is really wafting through the air when you take a deep breath at Muni stations.
Ep 27: Bay to Breakers on Muni -- from Elbo Room sound man Gabe Armstrong
May 16, 2017 15:31 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBGabe Armstrong stepped out of the sound booth (he is the audio engineer at the Elbo Room) to share his own Muni story, which happened during Bay to Breakers. Riding public transit can really change your perspective of what you should and shouldn’t be afraid of in life, Gabe says. And how did he learn this? By hauling the remainder of his B2B vehicle on Muni while under the influence of jello shots, of course.
Ep 26: J. W. Friedman witnesses an unlikely hero on Muni
May 09, 2017 16:11 - 14 minutes - 13.3 MBLearning the rules of Muni isn't easy, especially when you've just moved from the driver-centric state of Florida. Storyteller J. W. Friedman shares a tale of how, as a Muni newbie, he encountered an unexpected superhero on the bus. J is also the host of the podcast I Don't Even Own a Television, a podcast all about terrible books. You can check out his hilarious book reviews on IDontEvenOwnATelevision.com.
Ep. 25: BART operator Kelly Beardsley on intercom drama
May 02, 2017 03:30 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MBBART operator Kelly Beardsley lets us in on one little secret about driving BART: passengers love pressing the intercom button to chat with him about annoyances big and small, or even to just shoot the shit with him for no reason at all.
Ep 24: Yayne Abeba on growing up on Muni
April 25, 2017 18:48 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBDid you know there was a movie theater on 17th Ave. and Geary that used to play lots of children’s films? That was just one of the destinations that this Muni Diaries storyteller would see on her Muni journeys growing up in San Francisco. Comedian and native San Franciscan Yayne Abeba started riding Muni by herself when she was 7, along with all her relatives ages 1 to 6.
Ep. 23: Cynthia and Jeremy Pollock on how to set a street bird free
April 11, 2017 02:00 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBSelf-described San Francisco political nerds Cynthia and Jeremy Pollock took time out from writing the League of Pissed Off Voters voting guide to share how they became Twitter-famous from riding Muni. We found Cynthia and Jeremy when they tweeted a photo of Cynthia holding a crow on Muni, and of course we had to know how this all happened.
Ep 22: Jesse James and the rules of Muni
April 04, 2017 15:15 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBStoryteller Jesse James recounts his first impression of Muni when he moved to San Francisco, and how he learned the rules of Muni when he saw a pickup line gone wrong.
Ep 21: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez on behind the scenes story of being a transit reporter
March 28, 2017 16:43 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MBJoe Fitzgerald Rodriguez is one of the few transportation reporters in San Francisco. You might have seen many of his stories in the San Francisco Examiner. In this episode, Joe shares why the mundane, boring City Hall meetings that he often attends can mean life and death for some in San Francisco.
Ep 20: Driver Doug on the zen of being a Muni operator
March 21, 2017 17:33 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBMuni operator Doug has written two books on driving the bus, and in this episode, he shares some behind-the-scenes gems. He's got his eyes on you, whether you're furtively holding your expired transfer or digging in your wallet for your Clipper card. You can find Doug's books at the San Francisco Public Library or your friendly local bookstores near you.
Ep 19: Isaac Fitzgerald's college antics on the Metro
March 14, 2017 06:00 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MBBuzzfeed Books Editor Isaac Fitzgerald proves a universal fact: stories happen on public transit in any city. In this Muni Diaries live performance, he shares the story of falling in love with a girl (and getting over it quickly) with the aid of a few heroic acts on the D.C. Metro.
Ep. 18: Gina Gold and one unforgettable night on BART
March 07, 2017 16:13 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBComedian Gina Gold is the host of TMI Storytelling, a monthly series in Oakland. In this week’s story, Gina shares what happened when she rode BART with her coworker from Market Street Cinema, all in the name of improving her job skills. Gina has a new podcast called "Do You Think I'm Kidding?" -- check her out on iTunes.
Ep 17: H.P. Mendoza's Ode to Bay Area Public Transit
February 28, 2017 18:01 - 8 minutes - 7.63 MBH.P. Mendoza is a San Francisco treasure. The seemingly tireless moviemaker and musician’s works include Colma: The Musical, Fruit Fly, and I Am a Ghost. When he’s not making movies, he’s doing rad museum takeovers with ‘80s-style scavenger hunts. All of this, and he’s also just one of the smartest, nicest people you’ll ever meet. H.P. graced the stage of Muni Diaries Live back in 2011. This week’s episode is the story of how he came to love San Francisco when he was a kid thanks to his da...
Ep 16: Courtney Riddle daydreams of becoming a Muni driver
February 21, 2017 18:31 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBCourtney Riddle is the zine ambassador of Market Street, selling small handmade books out of a formerly abandoned newspaper kiosk, The Grand Newsstand. She’s been distributing zines to unwitting tourists for more than a year now. When not sitting in peculiar street furniture, she makes her own zines, does calligraphy, daydreams about urban planning, and rides unusual Muni lines (how about that 36?). In this episode, she shares her aspiration of becoming a Muni driver, but there's just one ...
Ep 15: Ariel Dovas on getting his first kiss...on Muni
February 14, 2017 03:14 - 10 minutes - 9.77 MBFor Valentine's Day, we bring you Ariel Dovas and his story of his very first kiss...and it happened on Muni! Ariel is a local filmmaker and the Creative Director at BAYCAT (Bayview Hunters Point Center for Arts & Technology). He is also a co-founder of the collaborative art space The Secret Alley. Go to MuniDiaries.com to see episode extras and old photos of Ariel that he dug up just for the podcast.
Ep 14. Comedian Caitlin Gill on making out on public transit
February 07, 2017 16:42 - 10 minutes - 9.62 MBIn preparation for St. Valentine, we have an episode from comedian Caitlin Gill, who won't hold back her opinions about couples who make out on Muni! SF Weekly said this about one of our favorite comedians: "If hapless and fearless could occupy the same body, it's in Caitlin Gill."
Ep 13: Peter Hartlaub Remembers the 'Muni Booze Cruise'
January 31, 2017 01:25 - 17 minutes - 16.2 MBWhen he was a kid, SF Chronicle writer Peter Hartlaub would take public transit to San Francisco 49ers football games at Candlestick Park with his dad. Years later, Peter discovered his own "transit utopia" aboard the 77X-Candlestick Express to the stadium. That bus was filled with the rowdiest, most colorful, most loyal and dedicated football fans this city has possibly ever known. Now Candlestick and the 77X are memories—gone, but clearly not forgotten.
Ep 12: Justina Wu and the street stray that captured the entire bus
January 24, 2017 18:04 - 13 minutes - 11.9 MBWriter Justina Wu is the producer of Beyond Borders Storytelling, a series of bi-monthly workshops and story jams for travel adventurers in San Francisco. In this week’s story, Justina tells us about how one Muni driver really took charge of a crazy situation.
Ep 11: Aussie transplant Sarah Hunt becomes an SF local
January 17, 2017 20:23 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBRecent Aussie transplant, cartoonist, and writer Sarah Hunt tells the story of what it’s like to arrive in a strange, new land that mirrored the one she grew up watching in movies and TV. It has to be a good thing for those of us who’ve been here a minute to see San Francisco, BART, and the Mission through Sarah’s fresh, loving eyes. Hear about all those things we take for granted as Sarah experienced them for the first time.
Ep 10: Cara Tramontano meets SF's most enthusiastic Muni driver
January 10, 2017 08:00 - 8 minutes - 7.76 MBComedian Cara Tramontano is a model Muni rider. One day she meets Edison, the world's most enthusiastic bus driver who is doing this job for a very quirky reason.
Ep 9 Klee Wiggins Owes Her Life to Muni
January 03, 2017 08:30 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBFor SF native Klee Wiggins, Muni isn't all that bad. After all, if not for Muni, she might not be here to share her comedy with the world. Her origin story starts in the '70s, when, as Klee describes it, Muni was a "mafia of sorts." Stories in her early San Francisco life are tied intimately to various bus lines, including some that no longer exist.
Ep 8: Kristee Ono on finding her own Muni community
December 27, 2016 19:09 - 9 minutes - 8.61 MBSan Francisco comedian Kristee Ono comes clean about how she finally learned to take Muni. An unfortunate incident involving chapped lips and a DUI helped her find her own Muni community. You can see a video of this story and other episode extras on MuniDiaries.com/podcast. Submit your own stories at MuniDiaries.com.
Ep 7: Tarin Towers and her tale of riding Muni during the first dot-com wave
December 20, 2016 08:00 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBOn this week’s episode, we bring you Tarin Towers, a writer and longtime San Francisco resident. She's been riding Muni since 1995; in fact, she used to take the 22-Fillmore to her graveyard shift in the Japantown Denny's. Remember that place? On a bus ride during the first dot-com wave, she encountered someone whose casual nod was hardly the end of the exchange. This story was recorded at Muni Diaries Live on April 18, 2015, at the Elbo Room in San Francisco.
Ep 6 Beth Spotswood Learns to Ride Muni
December 13, 2016 08:00 - 8 minutes - 7.91 MBSan Francisco writer Beth Spotswood tells the tale of how a group of Muni riders banded together during a slight bus malfunction. With the help of a good friend and her phone's audio-recording app, Beth became a Muni pro during the course of one commute home.