Falling Uphill: A Podcast

If you have a story to tell or would like to be featured on an upcoming episode like this one, email me at fallinguphill@fallinguphill.org Thanks for listening. Political scientist, circus performer and comedian Andrea Jones-Rooy  is a professor and directs undergraduate studies at NYU’s Center for Data Science. She also hosts Ask a Political Scientist. Falling Uphill is Produced by Matt Elzweig Music Maccary Bay by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4010-maccary-bay License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  

David Ryan Polgar is the founder of All Tech Is Human and co-host of the podcast Funny as Tech. Produced by Matt Elzweig If you have a story to tell or would like to be featured on an upcoming episode like this one, email me at fallinguphill@fallinguphill.org Music Maccary Bay by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4010-maccary-bay License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/    

Falling Uphill is still a podcast where ordinary people in unthinkable situations tell their stories.   But it now also includes conversations like this one I had recently with Carin Gilfry. Carin, a voice actor and singer is the founder of Voice Actors of NYC. It’s grown from a small Facebook Group into an opportunity for almost 3,000 members to network and learn during live events, on and offline. Produced by Matt Elzweig Music Maccary Bay by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4010-maccary-bay License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

A houseful of traveling performers in a war zone is just about to call it a night, when intruders arrive outside their door.  Story Told by Holly Adams Produced by Matt Elzweig Music Maccary Bay by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4010-maccary-bay License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

To mainstream elements in the neighboring countries of Nigeria and Benin, the Kalakuta Republic, musician Fela Kuti's commune, was off-limits and the subject of rumors and innuendo. Raised in the Celestial Church of Christ, but inspired by the sounds of high life, juju, funk, and rhythm and blues - and Afrobeat - the genre that Fela Kuti revolutionized, Leon Ligan-Majek taught himself the guitar and crossed the border into Nigeria from Benin as a teenager. He took shelter in the only place he knew that offered the musical opportunities he was seeking, not to mentione room and board, the Lagos branch of Celestial. But eventually he would decide to enter Kalakuta.  Produced by Matt Elzweig Story Told by Leon Ligan-Majek: Leon Ligan-Majek, or Kaleta as he’s known to his fans, got his start as a guitarist for King Sunny Ade and Fela Kuti in Nigeria. Originally from Benin, he’s been living in New York for decades and tours the country with several bands including Zozo Afrobeat, which he leads, as well as Akoya, a

Just in time for Election Day, Falling Uphill has received the infamous pee tape! No, not that pee tape. This one was recorded in London, not Moscow, and starts a punk rocker* not a useful idiot. *When you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Story told by Ed Zed, former lead singer of The Inconsolables, currently one half of The Casual Sexists. Produced by Matt Elzweig Music “Crisis Atomica” by GLAM “Hoverfly” and “I Want To Go To Borneo”  by The Inconsolables “Tiptoe Treadline” by Blue Dot Sessions "Maccary Bay ft. Brett VanDonsel" by Kevin MacLeod Sound freesound: chancemedia, ftpalad, launemax, ramiro1007, yellowbear Tell Your Story on Falling Uphill: fallinguphill@fallinguphill.org Help Falling Uphill produce more episodes on a more frequent basis. Become a Patron. Follow Falling Uphill on Instagram: @fallinguphillcast and Twitter: @falluphillcast                                                                                                                                       

One day, a stranger approached Cici McNair on a busy street in Midtown Manhattan. It was precisely the type of encounter that as a private detective, Cici McNair used assumed names and personas to avoid. Story told by Cici McNair. Produced by Matt Elzweig Music "Espionage at Noon" by Ergo Phizmiz "Espionage" by Split Phase "Maccary Bay ft. Brett VanDonsel" by Kevin MacLeod "I’m Doing Just Fine" by Lee Rosevere "Unanswered Questions" and “New Direction” by Kevin MacLeod "Down Low" by Stinky Treats "Hard Up on the Down Low" by Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society “Sticky Fingers” by Pk Jazz Collective “Underground Dance Club” by D-Smilez “Panic Attack” by The Courier Sound freesound: florianreichelt, rtb45, jmbphilmes   Tell Your Story on Falling Uphill: fallinguphill@fallinguphill.org   Help Falling Uphill produce more episodes on a more frequent basis. Become a Patron.   Follow Falling Uphill on Instagram: @fallinguphillcast and Twitter: @falluphillcast                                           

In the early 90s, a group of London schoolteachers and administrators invited a teenage punk band to play their prom. What were they thinking?  Story told by Ed Zed, former lead singer of The Walking Abortions Ed is currently one half of The Casual Sexists. Check out their most recent single, "What's Wrong With Being Sexy?" and all their music here. Produced by Matt Elzweig Music "You Give Me an Ulcer," "Where Does Jenny Live," "Four White Walls," and "Vision Red," by the Walking Abortions. (See above for Soundcloud link.)  "Clown Pain" by Brandy "Kopassus" by Punkasila "Maccary Bay ft. Brett VanDonsel" by Kevin MacLeod "Punk for Fashion" by Psychotic Reaction  "Reagan Shut Down the Asylums" by Punk Rock Opera "Two Waltzes, Op. 54 - Dvorak" by Musicians from Marlboro Sound BBC Sound Effects (various)  freesound: CAZAPROD, dmstudio, hjohnl, Nosebleed Cinema, LiamG_SFX,  schluppipuppie  

The race to build a house before winter arrives in Northern New Mexico sets in is upended by murder. Sound freesound: Blu_150058 blukotek Story told by Emily Ray Reese -- Instagram: @emilyrayreese Produced by Matt Elzweig Music “Maccary Bay” by Kevin MacLeod  "Valantis Vespers," "Slow Dial,""The One Shot" by Blue Dot Sessions  Sound freesound: Blu_150058 blukotek tags: emily ray reese, unsolved murders, mysteries, New Mexico, stories, podcast Ways to Support Falling Uphill Leave a review on iTunes! Become a Patron! Have a Story to Tell on a Future Episode?  Email your idea to fallinguphill@fallinguphill.org

When you're in a park, in a country your parents told you was 'off-limits' after 9/11, and there's a man following you who you think may think you're a foreign spy, there's only one thing to do--become one.  Story told by Adam Valen Levinson Produced by Matt Elzweig Music “Maccary Bay” by Kevin MacLeod "The Oud Player of Rosslyn (Prelude 20 for Oud)" by Rob MacKillop "Oud Improvisation" by Hanawo "The Commoner" Sound freesound: eaglechopper YouTube September 11 2001 As It Happened - CNN live 10:11am - 9:00pm cjnewson88 Published on Aug 12, 2012 Ahmadiyya Mosque Lahore Terrorist Attack 28.05.2010 On BBC IneeMaakaYaMasroor Published on Jun 7, 2010 Grenades Kill U.S. Troops In Iraq palotiven Published on Dec 11, 2008 CNN's Michael Ware Reports on Afghan Death Highway RagingProg Published on Sep 9, 2009 Violence in Middle East, 29 Nov                                         newscompany                                                                            Published on Dec 31, 2007 Iranian students protest A

A slight stretch of the truth takes Uluç Ülgen on two trips -- one good, one very bad.  Produced by Matt Elzweig Story told by Uluç Ülgen Music   "A Dixie Jam Session" by Armand Hug's New Orleans Jazzmen; Armand Hug; Santo Pecora; George Girard; Bujie Centobie; John Senac; Fred King "He-Man (Synthpop mix)" by Zapac  Intoxicated By Distance by Christian Fiesel "Intoxicated by Distance" by Christian Fiesel "Pilgrimage - Awe" by Wayne Kinos  "Black Chorale" by Pussyfinger "Spiritual Dreams" by Spuntic "Guy with the Stash" by TeknoAXE Creative Commons License "Crypt Keeper" by TeknoAXE Sound freesound: davidwmika, Razzvio, chripei, monotraum, NoiseCollector    

Brian McCullough avoided even over-the-counter painkillers. But one night, aching from rugby and softball, and with a grad school paper to write, he decided to make an exception. The problem was, there was no Advil or Tylenol to be found in his house. His mother had a prescription, however. She was willing to share it. He may have underestimated its potency.  Story told by Brian McCullough Produced by Matt Elzweig Music   “Maccary Bay” by Kevin MacLeod   "LSD Sky Chefs" by Loachfillet "Instant Disorientation" by Sound Spread  "Good Vibes" by JBlanked "Three O’clock Mother" by Bruce Lenkei "Night Loot" by Deal the Villain Sound Freesound.org: Liefdier101, InspectorJ, inspector, tokyoshowdown, soundmary, MorneDelport, Sevin7, amthomas101, cmusounddesign Looperman: Alabafruit, Psycholtropic_Circle YouTube: (kickball clip) 

With so many people out of town, the Sunday before Memorial Day should’ve been an easy shift at the New York cocktail lounge where this husband and wife team works. It got off to a good start. Then all hell broke loose.

You may remember Augustus* from Episode 6. He’s a guy to whom things tend to happen and then some. In this case, a pickpocket in Barcelona, a stolen suitcase, and a minor blemish on his passport set off a series of events that put his citizenship and his identity in question. Moments after arriving in San Francisco to catch his connecting flight to school, Augustus finds himself thinking not about how difficult the new semester will be, but whether he’ll be wasting away in a cell on the first day of classes. *not his real name Produced by Matt Elzweig Story told by Augustus Illustration by Richard Chance Music “Being Reviled, We Bless, Being Persecuted, We Endure”  by Hertz – Metek “Darkness” by Three Chain Links “Maccary Bay” by Kevin MacLeod “Lights” by To Eris “Running from an Evil Force” by Mystified “Te Quiero” by Mila “USS Sulaco” by N3rgul Sound Freesound.org: ultradust, stradie, matucha, Bram, daveincamas, arnaud coutancier, kgunessee, jordiroq, sapjir, rachaelbuchanan, soundmary, lex1975, dobroi

To actors trying to get work in New York City or anywhere else, acting and staging plays is a labor of love and insanity where every opportunity that presents itself could be that once in a lifetime break, a complete waste of time, or something in between. When Cherry Lou Sy graduated from theater school, she was willing to take almost any gig, even if she found it on Craig's List. She was still too green to notice several red flags when she agreed to play the role of Juliet in ...some sort of Alice in Wonderland-influenced Shakespeare review. When the writer/producer/director/star still hadn't shown up as the audience began to file in, she realized she would have to take the reins and try to avert a complete disaster.  Story told by Cherry Lou Sy  Produced by Matt Elzweig Music “Photo Morgana” Nightingale "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane (cover) Donna Cedar  "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane (cover) Liz Petty Sounds Freesound.org: Ximian, Martian, Saturdaysoundguy, JoelAudio, mattgarkusha   "Romeo an

Amy Oestreicher was a gifted high school student who seemed destined for a career on the stage. After what seemed to be a auspicious meeting with a respected mentor to several Broadway stars took a very dark turn, her life began to spiral out of control, culminating in an unheard of medical emergency. She lingered in a coma for months, and when she awoke she was unable to eat or drink. Putting her life back together seemed all but impossible. Produced by Matt Elzweig Story told by Amy Oestreicher Illustration by Richard Chance Music “Innamorata” by Glenn Kramer “Uddling” (Piano Makeover) by Garmisch “Colorless Aura” by Kevin MacLeod  “Despair and Triumph” by Kevin MacLeod  “Maccary Bay” by Kevin MacLeod “Exodus (cover)” by Marcus Eaton “Interlude – In Anxious Shadows” by Kai Engel “Glorious Food from Oliver Twist“ “Ephemeral (As Time Goes By)” by Karmic Interloper Sound Freesound.org: FolderPax, BastardWrio, Abyssmal, stratcat322, coetzee_megan12, pawelbas, sindhu.tms, ZoomNina, MacFalcon, Sforsman  

When Vito* arrived at the interview, his teaching experience consisted of teaching English in Japan for six months and a job as a classroom assistant in a special needs school. Later, after a string of failures at various day jobs, he began working as a cameraman at a small TV station, all the while continuing to pursue his dream of making independent films on his own terms. When the opportunity to teach a video editing class at a for-profit college of mixed reputation came up he applied, for the extra money and because he was growing more and more ambivalent about his job in television. His expectations were low at the outset, but no one could have predicted what would happen when he met with school’s octogenarian president. *not his real name Produced by Matt Elzweig Story told by Anonymous Technical Assistance by Alex Valle Illustration by Richard Chance Music “Collie Weed”   Kene Busma “Revoilà le Beaujolais Nouveau”   Dugardin  “Sieste Ocho”   Suerte “Mátalas”   Oscar Silva “Hero”   John Novak “Fabrica

It’s the mid-1960s and actor-director Jeff Bennett has realized he doesn’t have the stomach to pursue a career on Broadway. To make things worse, he’s just received a letter requesting his presence at an Army recruiting station to see if he’s physically fit enough to serve his country in Vietnam. Without enough teaching credits to spare him from what he sees as a pointless conflict and an all-around waste of his time, the only hope for Jeff is pneumothorax, a smoking-related lung condition. With papers documenting his ailment in hand, he reports to the center as instructed, but as he progresses naked through each exam station, no one in authority seems to want to hear about his extenuating circumstance.  Produced by Matt Elzweig Story told by Jeff Bennett Illustration by Richard Chance Music “Maccary Bay”  Kevin MacLeod “Spacial Harvest” Kevin MacLeod “StompDance” Kevin MacLeod  “Bronco Romp” Waylon Thornton “Adders Tongue” Waylon Thornton  “Goofer Dust” Waylon Thornton “Der Heyser Bulgar” Eastern Watershed K

Although Lou Perez ultimately chose atheism after a lifetime as a devout Catholic, he remained genuinely interested in people’s beliefs and why they held them. So when he saw that a convention of Geocentrists–those who still believe that the planets and the sun revolve around the Earth, that man and dinosaur walked by side by side, and who favor a literal interpretation of the Bible–would be holding their first ever convention at a Hilton in South Bend, Indiana, he convinced his then-girlfriend that they should fly from California to the Heartland for a weekend of Geocentrist festivities. Could it save their turbulent romance?   Produced by Matt Elzweig Story told by Lou Perez (www.louperez.net and @LOUontheSUBWAY on Twitter.)  Illustration by Richard Chance Music “Beggin On My Knees Live” Frenzy “Early One Morning (Assassinator Dub)” Hayvanlar Alemi “Epiphany Chant: Introit – Ecce; Communion – Vidimus; I Vespers Hymn – Hostis Heredes impie” Freetime at University Pompeu Fabra “A Nation of Culls & Weeds”

If you listened to Falling Uphill Episode 1 (“The Chairman”), you know that “Vito,” a filmmaker with no college teaching experience interviewed for a job at a small college, and through a series of unthinkable circumstances was named Chairman of the Film Studies Department shortly thereafter. A few days ago Vito lost his job. But with every* catastrophe comes a free bag of Gummi Bears. In this case the Gummi Bears are a rambling epilogue delivered by the no-longer-anonymous Chairman (real name: Tom Rizzuto) recorded at Sean Og’s in Woodside, Queens, detailing among other things, how he was hired, let go, why steak fries are called steak fries, and how it’s all related to the Arab Spring.  *almost every catastrophe Produced by Matt Elzweig Guest: Tom Rizzuto Illustration by Richard Chance