Susan is the author of the memoirEmpty. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Current is an editorially independent, nonprofit service of the American University School of Communication. Her own mother, also a devout Catholic, labeled her a failure and wouldnt allow her to visit home unless she held an overcoat in front of her belly. What were Goldsteins specific powers on the program? We worked with animators at Moth Studio to create the Cleveland settings for each episode, and then we commissioned illustrations from muralists and artists to go in those scenes. Id noticed this about Goldsteins presence in my parents kitchen. But I did ask her if she could please talk to Natalie about the podcast before the wedding. I called my mom as I was working on this story to ask if she regrettedor resentedthe fact Id brought this podcast into their lives. My mom agreed to talk to Goldstein, but she didnt want to upset my dad. My parents and our aunts and uncles and cousins had all been keeping this secret from me and my two siblings. People drag their feet, and all that dragging makes each step more difficult. My then-fiance, Maggie, and I shook our heads as we pulled away, seeing Goldstein with all his gear, standing on the sidewalk by himself. Though when I needed help with my familys most painful secret, I eschewed Maury for Jonathan Goldstein, a podcaster who is, if not Oprah-famous, extremely popular with 30-something NPR listeners. Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News. Current. for (var i = 0; i < arrayLength; i++) {
My mom had made a choice to give up this little girl and then never found out how that girl had turned out. That being said, Ive asked so much of Natalie at this point that I couldnt ask her for an additional interview before sitting down to write this story. So we did. For Follow This on Netflix, she reported on Amish romance novels, Black survivalists, and modest fashion. We did the interview over the lunch hour on a weekday. She is a graduate of NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study and The New School's MFA Program in Nonfiction Writing. She took adoption and birthing classes with other single pregnant women at Seton Residence, a home for unwed mothers, run by Catholic Charities. First, the initials of the man she was going to marry: The board had answered P-M. And then, how many kids she was going to have: The board had answered T-H-R-E-E. Shame compelled her to quit her office job at the Star Tribune. So like every story Jonathans ever done?, For his part, the meaning of the title has morphed for Glass into a reflection on Goldsteins creative process. ;>. I couldnt do it for someone I didnt know, or someone I wasnt really close to. Once we stepped inside and introductions were made, Goldstein started to unpack what appeared to be a bottomless Mary Poppins bag full of radio equipment. Outside of Serial, he designs sound for theatre and live performance, specializing in new and devised plays. It was WONDERFUL! A couple of days after the wedding, Maggie and I were eating Mongolian barbecue when I butt-dialed Natalie on Facebook Messenger. First she tried it longhand. First of all, the hospital no longer existed. Did Dad have a heart attack? My dad didnt say anything at all. I was born in 76, followed by Kevin in 77 and Megan in 81. Seth joined This American Life as production manager in 2006. This is what he does for a living, and I cant think of a better place to apply those skills than at a wedding.. But when he picked me up that Monday, he was as quiet as a monk. FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM. "I recognize that the process of designing a space is very personal and emotional. My little sister, then 27, has been a constant loud and dramatic presence in my life, but I had never heard her like this. Required fields are marked *. And this time, I think I can get the answer right on the first try: Jonathan, thanks for everything. And Goldstein seemed genuinely intrigued. The podcast has stimulated conversations across social media platforms, such as Reddit, Twitter and YouTube. Moms understanding of the process made me think about my dads response to my question in the car; apparently, shed thought a lot about Leisha, too. It was a warm, eloquent, beautiful letter: in many ways the absolute dream scenario. I called the Lutherans and asked them to send my mom a new packet. Shes completed three NYC marathons and the Boston Marathon. Megan was regaling the stragglers with a story about a Ouija board. Part of it is because hes a little bit of an uncomfortable presence in the world, he said. Last week, when I saw the news that Judge Martin P. Welch granted Adnan a new trial, I happened to be on Skype with our Executive Producer Julie Snyder, and both of us did exactly the same involuntary thing of sucking in our breath and then putting our hands over our mouths. Hes trying to anticipate every nuance of the interaction while its happening. Click on the image to see a larger version of the timeline of the case. Two nights later, we all got together: Mom and Dad, Kevin, Megan, and her three-year-old son Ashton. Yes! I called her back immediately, fearing the worst. 38 others named Emily Condon are on LinkedIn See others named Emily Condon. I was bicycling across Loring Park in the middle of a perfect midsummer night when my phone started blowing up in my pocket. I was emotional, and I cant remember the precise specifics of what we talked aboutanother reason Im happy to have turned this story over to somebody who records everything. Today, we have good news: between the money you donated and sponsorship, we'll be able to make a second season. The dotted rectangle at the top is the pull-off, where they found a bunch of shell casings and made a tire impression cast. In the social media and reality TV era, I understand that sharing details from your private life can feel like youre trading on your emotions for the attention of an audience. ~ See More. Nancy Updike is one of the founding producers of This American Life. It keeps you on your toes. Price of tea at C-Mart, This was curious. This was no Freudian slip, but the leaking of a deep family conspiracy. One courthouse, week by week. (production manager) Last winter, Blumberg sold his podcast startup to Spotify for $230 million. In acceptance speech, NPRs Scott Simon reflects on the state of journalism, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/fashion/05marry.html. In Episode 1, Asia McClain, Adnans potential alibi witness, tells Sarah she specifically remembers seeing Adnan after school on Jan. 13at the Woodlawn Public Library. The episodes attempt to address a seemingly endless stream of questions surrounding the murder of Hae Min Lee with further evidence, clues and doubt. | I just think theres something about Jonathan. Emily Condon manages This American Life. When you give your child up for adoption, when you have to ask the world for help, theres a chance that request will be returned with love. Some episodes are heavier than others, but almost all the conflicts have been weighed down by the steady compounding interest of time. Sean did my wedding to Lisa, too! (Photo: Kate Fromhagen). I froze. The first episode will also air on This American Life the same day. I know because I performed my sisters ceremony, and she performed mine. What do I have to thank Natalie for? ~ See More, Marylands highest court, the Court of Appeals, has denied a new trial for Adnan Syed. Podcast Republic is one of the most popular podcast platforms on the world serving 1M+ podcasts and 500M+ episodes worldwide. Back in Loring Park, my pulse wobbled. Ok,Ive made you wait long enough for the secret. This is basically all you need to know to make some sense of that call log we published yesterday. Ira Glass started working in public radio in 1978, when he was 19, as an intern atNPRs headquarters in D.C. Over the next 17 years, he worked on nearly every NPR news show and did nearly every production job they had: tape-cutter, desk assistant, newscast writer, editor, producer, reporter, and substitute host. She said she would, but I had heard that from her before. The reason is: We're still making them. In an Uptown apartment, my mom held hands with a coven of her friends and asked the sinister toy two questions. The senior producer is Kalila Holt. I remember how gentle and embarrassed she sounded, as she explained that, yes, she had given birth to a baby girl seven years before I was born. One of Cole's favorite wedding memories is of presiding over the marriage of Jonathan Goldstein and Emily Condon, one of four couples with connections to TAL whom he married. The role of journalism is to tell people the facts of whats happening, not what they want to hear, Simon said upon accepting an award for distinguished achievements in American journalism. Previously, she worked as an online producer and editor at National Geographic and The New York Times. The sentiment in the car was so heavy that Im not sure if his eyes glassed up with tears or if I imagined it. I sat across from Natalienow, all of us were wearing the stupid studio headphonesspeaking into Goldsteins expensive microphones. Megan described the entire campfire going silent as Cindy realized what she had just said. Do we just listen to it individually and then come together with a group text message later that day? Valeriya, who also goes by Valerie, came to This American Life from her Fulbright to Ukraine, which she spent in Poland. One of Coles favorite wedding memories is of presiding over the marriage of Jonathan Goldstein and Emily Condon, one of four couples with connections to TAL whom he married. The next day, Goldstein asked if he could come to my apartment to get you applying aftershave, putting on a necktie, etc. It was amusing seeing Goldstein in full-on documentarian mode again, with his big fuzzy mic. I did, standing there in Loring Park. Paul, that story was from 2007. Sean contributed to the show on and off starting in 1999, and then came on staff in February 2014. Before that, she was a scientist. I talked to my friends about their own adoption stories. She handles film and television adaptations,and rights, for the show. We dont know yet what the story will be or exactly when well be airing Season Two, but well be working on it as soon as this season ends. THAT Ayn Rand? And you can often tell from an email submission if somethings too raw or the person has a real blind spot. We surpassed that almost immediately.". These couples recognize that Coles not good at the God stuff, as he says. Every day, he said. I told my mom that I wanted to invite Natalie and her husband. Over the years Ive thought a lot about what a wedding day is for, Cole said. It covers the major events in the year and a half from when Hae went missing to when Adnan was sentenced to life in prison. And how should we listen to it? page. She played soccer in college and now worked as a marketing executive for a software company. Not for one extraordinary case; instead, Serial wanted to tackle the whole criminal justice system. I was so guilty about it. The writing is equally sort of funny and melancholic, which is a combination I think is really hard to beat.. For Ahearn and Murrays big day in Olympic National Park, Cole used excerpts from an interview Ahearn did with her husband to be. Prior to joining This American Life as a producer three years ago, Cole had worked at several of public radios top producing organizations WBUR in Boston, where he started as a newsroom intern; American Public Medias Marketplace; the CBC and WNYCs RadioLab. He was nominated for a Tony Award in 2014. Two years later, at another wedding weekend, in New York, I ran into Goldstein again. Facebook gives people the power to. The other is the call log from Adnans cell phone on January 13th, 1999. Natalie stood a foot shorter than the rest of us, but she had some striking Marsh family features. My parents must have returned to the camper for the night. Still, somehow, ever since he was an adolescent, hes felt compelled to entertainstarting off safely behind a word processor. The month-old podcast has already topped the iTunes charts and garnered listeners from across the globe, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported. But when Goldstein asked a third time, I tried to think deeply about his question. I dont want to keep you from diving into this, he wrote, but if its something that you still havent started exploring by November, Id love to figure out how we could help.. Thats when Glass realized he could send Goldstein anywhere and he would come back with a good story. Abraham Waranowitz. I can imagine my mom, just starting to show, being received by my dads intensely affectionate family. It was like one of his radio stories in which you are the characters, recalled Goldstein, who now lives in Brooklyn and produces the Heavyweight podcast for Gimlet Media. She's been with This American Life since 2009. But after setting up all his equipment, he listens intently and without judgment, and you feel compelled to share. Its more apt to say each episode is an audio documentary about somebodys long-term relationship with regret. She found a new job at a temp agency and wore a fake wedding ring to work, telling her new colleagues that her husband was serving in Vietnam. Its not just about the heavy weight that the people in the stories are carrying, he said. Hes not the best at admitting his mistakes. Goldstein seemed strangely official with all his radio gear, as if David Attenborough from BBCs Planet Earth were operating as a one-man band. I remember her quickly establishing the scene. . Ben Phelan is a freelance journalist, writer, and musician who lives in Louisville, Kentucky. Big news: were launching Serialon Friday, October 3rd. The seventh episode was released this week. Christopher Swetala joined the show as the head of fact-checking in 2015. Chapter VI John despises his Alabama town and decides to do something about it. Natalies birth inspired my parents to get back together. I guess I never really thought ahead to having it on a podcast. He has another interesting sideline that employs his abilities as a poet and radio producer: As an Internet-ordained clergyman, he has married 19 couples over the last 15 years. At the time of the wedding, the couple had been engaged for six years. Just a few years before the discovery, at age 23, shed decided to become a single mother herself. As host, Goldstein has cast himself in the Columbo role: an unassuming detective with sly comic timing. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher, RadioPublic or the podcatcher of your choice. Elna Baker Producer She came toThis American LifefromRevealwhere she managed production and produced long-form investigative stories like this one. Once I found Emily, it all changed for me. I didnt know if my no-longer-secret sister was even alive. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone, and applying the relevant accessibility standards. And throughout that fraught decision, my mom and dad kept their secret. Prior to This American Life, Alissaworked as a production executive at Warner Bros., and at a number of film and publishing jobs. If either one were a possibility, I wanted Natalie to be there. As the presiding minister, Cole turns to the groom to ask, Will you take this splendiferous, magnanimous, hilarious whip-smart beauty to be your lawfully wedded wife?. Cole had worked with Goldstein on CBC Radios Wiretap, a show in which he played or improvised fictitious characters. And while Waranowitzs words on the stand were few, and technical, and soporific [seeEpisode 5, where I admitted to being so bored by the whole thing that I handed it all over to our producer Dana Chivvis to investigate], his testimony was in fact fantastically important. The author at his wedding reception, in 2018, with sister Natalie. I only do it for dear friends, Cole told Current. Your email address will not be published. Her work has won many awards including a Dupont, a Livingston, and a Robert F Kennedy. She explained what it was like being a single pregnant lady in 1969. Goldstein and Condon would also come to the reception, and a lot of my friends were really excited about thisespecially my women friends. Podcast Show more Blog Goldstein and Condon hit it off, and nearly two years later they decided to get married. As an indie producer, Oehler had reported for Morning Edition, Marketplace, RadioLab, Studio 360 and Hearing Voices. CellCarta, +2 more Concordia University, +1 more Emily Condon . She asked me to recount my familys story, this time for tape. So Waranowitzs interpretation of those cell records underpinned the states entire case against Adnan. And again I demurred, this time because I kind of felt protective of her last answer. Sarah came to This American Lifefrom Gimlet Media, where she was a Senior Producer, and where shelaunched and ran a number of the company's shows. In her spare time, she's working on her first book about immigrants and language. Read More. He asks a reporter to investigate the son of a wealthy family who's allegedly been bragging that he got away with murder. Weve added two graphics to the site today that might be helpful as you listen to the rest of the season, although theyre especially relevant to Episode 5. I wouldnt know what to say.. Sona joined This American Lifeand Serial as CFO in 2016. She did Mark until she got old and infirm and opted for Medicare. More on that later. In February of 2017, Goldstein flew into Minneapolis and picked me up at my apartment. Elna Baker is a writer and comedic storyteller. 2014 Serial (Podcast Series documentary) (production manager - 12 episodes) - What We Know (2014) . Goldstein always does his best to bring about a resolution of some kind, something that satisfies everybody involvedthe people with the secret, and his audiencethrough the twin powers of longform narrative and droll radio humor. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service, 2014 - 2023 Serial Productions, a New York Times Company, Update: Court of Special Appeals Will Hear Arguments in Adnan Syed Case. The couple met soon after Ahearn took a job as an environment reporter at KUOW in Seattle. The whip-smart beauty in this 2014 wedding was Kara Oehler, whom Cole met in 2002 when they were on a panel together at the Third Coast International Audio Festival. },
We ordered cheeseburgers and fries from Wagners Drive-In, sitting on a picnic table in the early-July sunshine. The pie gun just went off. At the time of the dinner party, Goldstein was visiting New York City from Montreal. He tells a story of how the couple met, their courtship or the marriage proposal, and writes insightful lines about them, such as whip-smart beauty and goofball cutie. Most couples write the vows to be recited before Cole pronounces them wife and husband., Cole officiated at weddings of many of his former colleagues from WBUR, including Ashley Ahearn. How could she tell Natalie about the podcast, and would she have to talk to Goldstein again? But I felt that figuring out what had happened to Leisha might help alleviate my moms deeply held anxiety. The arts and entertainment blog. Cole played a matchmaking role in this one. We watched how justice is calculated in cases of all sizes, from the smallest misdemeanor to the most serious felony. I got my laptop out, and she dictated to me. As I write this, in fact, Sarah is re-writing Episode 5. For much of his career prior to that, he worked nationally and internationally as a theatrical sound designer. "We're seeing more people getting in the game of podcasting," said Emily Condon, the production manager of "Serial." "As people become more and more used to consuming media in transit, while. But thats not true, Megan, she said. Would we ever relate to each other as siblings? The detectives asked him why Adnan would choose that spot. Or the NYTimes? But its produced by Gimlet Media in New York, under the podcasting umbrella of Spotify, the Swedish music-streaming conglomerate. Before Serial, she was the senior producer at This American Life. Often Cole includes a blessing for the couple in the form of an original poem he writes, sometimes on the day of the wedding. I gathered that together, in the country, they decided on a course of action. ewt.track({name:mp_global.tag[i],type:'topiccode'});
At the reception, I put my arm around Natalie and thanked her for coming. Read More. And I was guilty about not telling you kids. On Monday afternoons in the summer, I still go trapshooting in a league with my dad. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher, RadioPublic or the podcatcher of your choice. We chose Cleveland, because they let us record everywhere courtrooms, back hallways, judges chambers, prosecutors offices. Before that, she was a reporter for NPRs Planet Money team, as well as an NPR producer. She guest hosted the show several times, and has produced and reported some of the shows most popular episodes, including Petty Tyrant, Dr. When Condon, production manager for TAL and Serial, invited Cole to a small dinner party, Cole asked if he could bring Goldstein. (Both Beaubien and Schmidt now work at NPR. Cole played a matchmaking role in this one. And despite my dads Abrahamic emotional silence, I suspected he wanted to find her more than anybody, perhaps driven by an even deeper guilt than my moms. On Heavyweight, Goldstein fulfills the job of a radio host, letting the audience know who the characters are and whats going on. Ira Glass is the creator and host of This American Life, which has won the highest honors for broadcast excellence. They wont be re-trying him for the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee. var arrayLength = myStringArray.length;
He asks a reporter to investigate the son of a wealthy family who's allegedly been bragging that he got away with murder. My familys mystery had gone unsolved for nearly a decade: long enough that my siblings and I were making increasingly awkward jokes about it at holiday dinners. (Not quite) all in the family. So we let Goldstein out a couple blocks before arriving at the pizza place. Charlotte joinedThis American Lifein 2022. Here's the order: There are a few pieces of evidence we havent been able to track down these last 15 months. We'll have a much more detailed timeline of Jan.13, 1999 coming later this week. Before working atThis American Life, she was often found with the audio department ofReveal, from the Center for Investigative Reporting. Before that, she worked with StoryCorps recording oral histories around the country. Seth Lind also runs operations for This American Life. The story we heard now was an unknown and revelatory prequel. She was alive, and she lived in Minnesota, with a family of her own. Add a bio, trivia, and more. Former St. Paul resident Emily Condon is the production manager of "Serial," which re-examines the 1999 murder case of a Baltimore teen. Serial is a podcast from the creators of This American Life. I dont know if I wouldve found her., My mom is deeply happy to have Natalie in her life. But then someone else ends up dead, sparking a nasty feud, a hunt for hidden treasure, and an unearthing of the mysteries of one man's life. Looking at a photo I took of my dads handgun next to the raspberry pie, I joked to Goldstein, Chekhovs pie (a call-out to the dramatic principle that a gun introduced in the first act must go off by the end). When I thought about the weight in my own familys story, it was all loaded into the baggage of not knowing what my sisters life was actually like. Listen to the Marsh familyepisode of the Heavyweight podcast. Alissa has been a producer at This American Life since July 2006. And I think we lucked out with the investigator I chose, even though I hadnt even realized the scope of Goldsteins talents when I initially offered him my familys story. Later that fall, she took a nasty spill on an icy sidewalk and started hemorrhaging. I met Jonathan Goldstein in the summer of 2014 at my friend Pat Condon's wedding. But they werent ready to commit to either this baby or each other. Serial is an investigative journalism podcast hosted by Sarah Koenig, narrating a nonfiction story over multiple episodes. Hes the best there is at this sort of thing. My mom, by contrast, came off calm and sweet. Correction:An earlier version of this story mischaracterized how Cole and Kara Oehler met. My mom started to duck Goldsteins calls. The only complicating factor now seemed to be Goldstein and his podcast. The air pressure was just holding off a storm as we all found our spots at the big common table: Maggie and me; my parents; my siblings, Kevin and Megan; and Natalie and her husband. Stowe joined This American Life in 2018. Cole has met other Universal Life Church ministers all over the place. Before that, she was an Emmy-award winning producer and reporter covering national news for Vice News. A few months later, after Goldsteins paternity leave, his producer, Kalila Holt, got in touch. Copyright 2023. What part of her personality came from nature and what from nurture? Four days after 9/11, a crazed time for journalists to be away from the newsroom, they exchanged vows on a small island off the coast of Maine. Cole is hoping his ordination in the Universal Life Church passes muster in the Great White North. He also reported and produced stories as an intern at NPR member stations WBEZ and WOSU. The condom and condom wrapper were just down the road from the pull-off, and across the street is where they picked up two Blockbuster cases and some more shell casings. Hehas also served as a producer on shows like Radiolab and More Perfect. How about when Jay and Adnan were driving around Baltimore County, from school to "Cathys" and then to Jays house and wherever else? . Adnan got his cell phone two days before Hae went missing, on January 11th. And he did. She told me that Cindy had apologized profusely the next morning. She said she would like to meet, but wanted to take it slow. She sees Emron (probably Adnans friend Imran) and says that he looked like crap. She concludes that most people think he'sinnocent. Theyd always told her she was a gift of love. She wrote that she had considered reaching out to her birth parents before, but was concerned about her own parents feelings, and also harbored some anxieties about rejection. This is a map of the gravesite in Leakin Parkand of the places where the police found evidence. Not pictured: Leisha. Cassie joined This American Life as Finance Manager in 2018. Something about your fibers on Haes body But his friends are sticking up for Adnan, telling Asia hes innocent. "Serial," which re-examines the 1999 murder case of a Baltimore teen. Nadia was also the Senior Editor at NPR's Latino USA, where her work received the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Award, among others. Adnan's picture didn't appear in the 1999 yearbook along with the rest of his class (he was in jail awaiting trial when it went to press), but one picture of him did slip in, in the group shot of the football team. In the end, I realize that I trusted him more than I trusted myself. I asked her if she knew how Dad felt about it, if maybe some of his hostility toward the podcast is connected to the guilt hes carried ever since the week they spent up in Staples, when she made that decision to give up her baby. What does that mean? I understood the emotional risks involved for her. Diane started at the show as a fellow in 2017. Mom agreed in the coming weeks that she would start what could be a reunion process. Some news on the legal front: The Maryland Court of Special Appeals has agreed to hear arguments about why Adnan should either get a new trial, or some other remedy. And then later, at the punch bowl, I introduced her to Goldstein, explaining simply that this guy helped us find her. Read more, var customEventsOnLoad = window.onload;
But my mother was alone when the nuns took Leisha away. My little sister had an actual beef. Elise Bergerson. I always need to remember, this is your life, he says. I was referring to Mr. Cook, who has revealed elsewhere on this site his love for Ms. Rand. Its hard to gauge, she said. Emily Condon Water Resources Engineer Los Angeles, California, United States 439 followers 435 connections Join to connect CDM Smith Massachusetts Institute of Technology Activity A deeper dive. My curiosity ran toward the abstract: Here was a control group for nature versus nurture. In the near decade since, she produced stories for WNYCsRadiolab, then NPRsPlanet Money, and finally Gimlet MediasReply All, where she worked as the shows supervising producer.