Inner States

02/12/2024

Greetings, Facebook! We're happy to be making our way back to your feed, and we have two brand new episodes for you to check out. Listen to "Singing for Ukraine" and "Don't Fight Your Political Enemies. Out-Organize Them." now wherever you get your podcasts or online.

Inner States is a weekly podcast and public radio show about art, culture, and how it all feels, in Southern Indiana and beyond.

12/18/2023

Leah Johnson writes romance novels. But not that kind. They’re award-winning YA books for q***r Black kids and others.
We talk about drag shows, making a living as a writer, and more.
Then, producer Avi Forrest takes a drive with comedian Katie Bowman. It’s a little like Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, but without the coffee. And Avi is getting Katie from the Indianapolis airport.
Listen to “Middle School and Q***r Superpowers, and a Comedian in a Car” wherever you get your podcasts.

11/28/2023

Hey Inner Statesians, we're putting together an episode about NOT celebrating winter holidays, or not the "normal" way, and we're looking for a few more stories. Tell me how you do - or don't do - the winter holidays! Was there a moment when things changed for you?

11/15/2023

After a period of cycling through members, trying new things and figuring out what works, local band SYZYGY has reached its final form.

Comprised of lead singer Lu Harper, guitarist Max Senter, bassist FJ Miller, and drummer Cory Schmitt, the q***r and trans led band has made a space for itself in the arts communities of Bloomington and southern Indiana.

The group describes their music as “q***r core”, incorporating themes from punk and alternative music along with their own identities. In a statement on their Instagram account () they say, “We bring a unique voice to the music scene and aim to raise awareness on important themes through our music such as relationship violence, sexism, and LGBTQ+ experiences.”

SYZYGY has performed at a variety of events around southern Indiana including Evansville’s Front Porch Fest and Pride Night, WIUX Battle of the Bands at Orbit Room, and several house shows around Bloomington. To them, the opportunity to make music and connect with people in these spaces is more important than any algorithmic fame or rock star status.

You can stream SYZYGY’s latest EP, Bugrats, on Spotify and Apple Music, or see them live in December. More details about the band, streaming and performances can be found on their Instagram.

Comment below if you want to see more social media features from Inner States and who we should feature next!

Photos and story by Jillian Blackburn

10/30/2023

This week, two stories about how art can keep conversations about memory and the questions of the past going. First, photographer Kei Ito uses his breath to think about nuclear war. Then, an exhibition in Indiana looks back at two competing anti-lynching exhibits from the 1930s, and remembering lynchings here in Indiana.

Tap the link in our bio to listen to the latest episodes of Inner States or tune in to WFIU every Sunday at 12 pm ET.

10/23/2023

For the last decade, poets have gotten together every month during the academic year at the Bishop Bar in Bloomington. There’s a stage in the back room. The evening starts with an open mic, and then there’s a slam. Poets try to win over judges picked from the audience. It’s basically American Idol for the Bloomington slam scene.

Well, maybe the competition isn’t the most important part. It’s really creating a space where people feel like they belong.

This week on Inner States, a report from the Bloomington Poetry Slam. And before that, The Ground Floor, the teen space at the downtown Monroe County Public Library. As you’ll hear, the teens there are accomplished and splendid – and wise.

Tap the link in our bio to listen to the latest episode of Inner States or tune in to WFIU every Sunday at 12 pm ET.

10/18/2023

This week’s episode of Inner States can be summarized in one word: panic. Panic in a mysterious desert town where every conspiracy theory is true. Panic about an unidentified disturbance in one of the world’s largest cities. Panic about how the media you consume reflects upon your character, even if it’s a “guilty pleasure”. And, of course, panic about losing our intern-turned-producer Avi.  
 
We’ll tell the tale of two podcasts, both detailing the lives of strange communities. One is fictional and tells the story of a small desert town through community radio updates. The other provides insight on the world of relationships, but only for the one (or maybe three) percent. The verdict is still out on how real that world may be.
 
And, a story from Mallory Keenoy and her friends about a mysterious occurrence on a high school trip to Paris.

Tap the link in our bio to listen to the latest episode of Inner States or tune in to WFIU every Sunday at 12 pm ET.

09/26/2023

When he was a teenager, Eric Deggans read a lot of movie reviews by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. He tended to have the same taste as Ebert, but it was Siskel’s reviews that showed him what was going on in a movie, and that helped him decide what he thought, even if he disagreed with Siskel’s take. That’s a good critic, and that’s what he aspires to as NPR’s tv critic and media analyst. This week, Eric Deggans on the life of the critic.

Then comedian Sara Schaefer talks about women in comedy, and why we don’t talk about “men in comedy.”

And if you want to hear more from Eric Deggans, join us in person at the Indiana University Cinema on Wednes, September 27, where WFIU will be talking with Eric about the writers’ strike, the future of television, and more. Reserve a ticket at the link in our bio.

Tap the link in our bio to listen to the latest episodes of Inner States or tune in to WFIU every Sunday at 12 pm ET.

Who are your favorite media critics and comedians?

09/19/2023

Eric Deggans is a media analyst, author, IU alum, and NPR’s first full-time TV critic. He also just so happens to be coming to the IU Cinema on Wednesday, September 27. And what’s even more exciting is that Inner States’ very own Alex Chambers is hosting this live conversation with Deggans!

Join us at 7 pm at the beautiful IU Cinema on the 27th to hear Eric's unique insights and anecdotes firsthand. We'll dive into the best and worst TV has to offer, unpack the actors' and writers' strike, and chat about what the landscape of television might look like in the future.

This event is free but ticketed. Information on how to reserve your seat can be found on our profile!

CORRECTION: Alex Chambers will unfortunately no longer host this event. Instead there will be a new host to be announced.

Can’t wait to see you there!

09/14/2023

This week, we welcome back Ross Gay: a poet, essayist, professor, and friend of Inner States. You may recognize him from our episode about his last book of essays: Inciting Joy. But he’s back to discuss his newest work: The Book of (More) Delights. In this collection he amends the sentiments in 2019’s Book of Delights and continues to discuss manifesting delight in a world that isn’t always delightful.

The Book of (More) Delights comes out Tuesday, September 19. Visit rossgay.net for information about purchasing and more from Ross.

Tap the link in our bio to listen to the latest episodes of Inner States or tune in to WFIU every Sunday at 12 pm ET.

Do you have a favorite Ross Gay work?

09/13/2023

You count on us, we count on you! Help us keep independent journalism, inspiring storytelling, and meaningful music free and accessible to all. A gift to WFIU now is an investment in your community. THANK YOU!

08/28/2023

Artist Honey Hodges was born in Liberia. They came to the U.S. with their mom when they were three years old. Honey says their mom devoted every waking hour to making sure her child had what they needed to be a successful American. And when she wasn’t taking care of Honey, she was taking care of other people. Honey can see her age – and all that care – in her hands. Honey is enjoying being an adult now, in a role where they can reciprocate the care their mother has given them. Honey hopes their hands look like hers when they’re older.

You can find Honey’s collages and other work at allnewgrowth.com or on Instagram

And in our other main story, make what you will of internet lists, but Brown County State Park recently made number six on a list of the most beautiful state parks. And no, this wasn’t the most beautiful state parks in south-central Indiana. It was the whole U.S. If, like me, your next question is, "Okay, but how’s it doing on Instagram?" I’ve got an answer for you there, too: apparently it’s number 13 among the most Instagrammed state parks. I’m sure we could get that ranking up, though. Just gotta get Instagramming.
It was right after I heard that news that I met up with Jim Eagleman. He was the park naturalist at Brown County for almost 40 years, until he retired a few years ago. We met in early December. Technically it was late fall. It felt like early fall. Foggy and mildly cold. I wanted to talk to him about the winter. Preparing for it. What the woods are like. What life is like. What things used to be like. And what it feels like to fall through the ice.

Tap the link in our bio to listen to the latest episodes of Inner States or tune in to WFIU every Sunday at 12 pm ET. Photo by Sam Schemenauer.

08/21/2023

Went back to an old favorite this past week. The episode is called "Joyce Jeffries and the Cutters." But that's not so accurate, because those cutters may or may not actually exist. I don’t mean the Cutters cycling team. They definitely exist, even if they were born from a fiction. But the actual cutters - the people who’ve worked in the quarries and stone mills of South-Central Indiana for a century and a half - I was chatting with some of them on a forum recently, and apparently they don’t call themselves cutters.

The folks on the forum said they were known as stoneys. And they figured the reason it was changed to “cutters” in the movie was that in 1978, calling them stoneys would have gotten them confused with stoners, and that would have made it hard to focus on the plot.

An industry veteran pointed out there are a lot more specific descriptions of who they are: stone carvers, stone cutters, planermen, gang sawyers, draftsman, estimators, secretaries, supervisors. “All,” he wrote, “with high skills doing their part to build spectacular limestone creations!”

This week we hear about the limestone workers of South-Central Indiana. Joyce Jeffries, who grew up and worked among them her whole life, tells us the stories. We also tour the Bybee Stone Mill with Dorian Bybee and his wife, Jeeyea Kim. And before all that, we talk with Bloomington high schoolers about whether the film Breaking Away still feels true to them today.

08/11/2023

I really enjoyed Avi's conversation with comedian Mohanad Elshieky. It's smart, and thoughtful - and you get to hear a bunch of Mohanad's jokes in the mix. They talk about why, after something bad happens, it’s important to wait before talking about it onstage, and how he tries to avoid being pigeon-holed as a comedian. Mohanad came to Bloomington for the Limestone Comedy Festival in early June.

In our other main story, a man calls Kayte to tell her he’s captured a cat in a cage, and he thinks it’s hers. But the last time he called, the cat Kayte saw nearby was only posing as Rita. Will this one be an imposter too? At last! The conclusion to our missing cat story! The Third Time Rita Left Chapter 4: Rita's Village

07/28/2023

A Good Divorce, and a Kitten Comes Back as a Cat

Psychology professor and comedian EJ Masicampo wasn’t expecting his divorce, but he’s pretty happy with how it turned out. He and his ex are colleagues, and sometimes they end up the only two people at the departmental coffee hour – and it’s still a good time. This week, EJ talks about divorce, and the connections between psychology and comedy. Then we have some rebel girl poems from Rachel Ronquillo Gray. And Chapter 2 of our missing cat story, in which Kayte encounters strangers in parking lots at 5am who are also searching for her cat.

(PIctured: EJ Masicampo)

07/21/2023

The Funny Times Keep Coming, and a Cat Disappears

Why does a print newspaper full of funnies still have tens of thousands of subscribers? When my friend lost her cat, why did so many strangers decide to help? This week: The Funny Times, and Chapter 1 of our lost cat saga.

(Pictured: Mia Beach, Renae Lesser, and Gabriel Piser, the new editor and publishers of The Funny Times)

07/21/2023

06/26/2023

The irony was not lost on me as I worked into the evening last week to finish a story about Jack Canfield being much happier packing boxes in a warehouse than he was following his dream to become a professional singer. There's a lot to be said for deciding NOT to pursue the thing you thought you wanted. Still, collaborating with talented producers like Avi Forrest, and putting together episodes like this one, is just what I want to be doing these days - even if, unlike Jack, I don't get to leave work at 4. Hope you get at least some of the satisfaction out of listening that Avi and I did in making this episode. Avi's pretty happy to be working in radio too, and maybe even happier that, unlike comedian Diana Hong, they didn't have to pursue professional golf for years first.

06/16/2023

I think a lot about community, about how hard it can be for those of us who've grown up without church, or bowling leagues, to find it. I think partly it involves making the choice to focus on it in your life, rather than, say, spending all your time working. That's what Kara and Andy did when they moved to Paoli and bought the Tomato Products Company. That's what the company produces - community - through lecture series, festivals, yoga classes, bagels, and a general sense of wonder, curiosity, and open arms. This week, a postcard from the Tomato Products Company in Paoli, Indiana. We discuss alternative economics, grief, and the magical realism of the place. But more importantly, I hope you get a feel for the strangeness and wonder of both the Tomato Products Company, and Paoli, Indiana, as a whole.
https://indianapublicmedia.org/innerstates/postcard-from-paoli.php

06/02/2023

Historian Emiliano Aguilar on Latinx politics in East Chicago, how political representation isn’t necessarily a panacea for historic discrimination, and why we should keep paying attention to local politics.

Then, John Bailey reconsiders the meaning of The Shaggs' "badness."

Historian Emiliano Aguilar on Latinx politics in East Chicago, how political representation isn’t necessarily a panacea for historic discrimination, and why we should keep paying attention to local politics. Plus, a guilty pleasure.

06/02/2023

Jack Lindner on why we should watch old movies on film, and Alicia Kozma on how to approach movies that have outdated attitudes about social issues.

https://indianapublicmedia.org/innerstates/how-to-watch-old-movies.php

06/02/2023

There's a meadow in eastern Kentucky where people sometimes hunt mushrooms, get married, attend a music festival. Something that's not happening? There's no prison getting built. A couple weeks ago, we returned to "The Prison They Didn't Build," in which Judah Schept tells us why that prison was a close call, and what it took to stop it.

https://indianapublicmedia.org/innerstates/the-prison-they-didnt-build-replay.php

05/12/2023

At long last! My interview with Hannah Zeavin, in which we talk about growing up with psychoanalysts, gender panics, and of course Parapraxis, a magazine that examines the psychic mechanisms of our social lives.

Listen! We had fun. You will too.

https://indianapublicmedia.org/innerstates/thinking-with-freud.php

05/05/2023

Leah Johnson's new book, Engle Engle Saves Herself, is about middle school, superpowers, and q***rness. When she started it, she was supposed to be working on something else. It was just a fun escape. But she showed her agent, and they got a book deal for it within weeks. Not her first!

I met Leah at her house in Indianapolis, and we talked her new book, about how when writing is your JOB, you actually have to get up and do it, every day. We talked about money, writing commercial fiction in an MFA program, and how it really feels to join the list of writers whose books have been banned. Give it a listen. And then let me know what it got you thinking about!

https://indianapublicmedia.org/innerstates/author-leah-johnson.php

04/29/2023

This week, I’m sharing the last two episodes of the first season of How to Survive the Future, a podcast about today from an imagined tomorrow.

Episode 4 takes place in Martinsville, Indiana. When his daughters were teenagers, Chuck and his family lived close to downtown Martinsville. That was also the time – they found out later – that the city’s drinking water was most contaminated with toxic chemicals.

Episode 5 takes place on Bloomington’s Near West Side. When I met up with writer Ross Gay and mentioned my neighborhood needed speedbumps to deal with the cops speeding through, Ross said, “Build your own. That’s what we did.” Ross is in his nineties now, but he’s as much a part of the neighborhood as ever.

Listen here: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1071403082/w-f-i-u-inner-states #:~:text=From%20WFIU-,Inner%20States%20is%20a%20weekly%20podcast%20and%20public%20radio%20show,in%20Southern%20Indiana%20and%20beyond.

04/21/2023

Welcome to Night Vale has been described at the fiction podcast that launched a million fiction podcasts. It’s set in a desert town – Night Vale – where every conspiracy theory is true. Jeffrey Cranor - one of the show’s creators – says making a comedy show about conspiracy and horror got trickier as time went on. This week on Inner States, Welcome to Night Vale’s Jeffrey Cranor. Then, Mallory Keenoy remembers a panic in France, and Violet Baron's guilty pleasure: a dating podcast for the one - or maybe three - percent.

Listen here: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1071403082/w-f-i-u-inner-states

04/14/2023

Hector Ortiz Sanchez grew up in Puerto Rico. He got pulled into the world of water treatment as a young adult, and hasn’t looked back. He spent years running plants in Puerto Rico. But a few years ago, he couldn’t realize his ambitions on the island. He moved to Bloomington. Now he runs the water treatment plants for the City of Bloomington Utilities, and he’d like to make them among the best in the country. He’s inspiring the people he works with too.

I’m starting a new segment: Guilty Pleasures. I’m starting with the person who got me thinking about my own relationship to guilty pleasures. Janna Ahrndt is a new media artist, and a connoisseur of guilty pleasures, including the early work of Jean Claude Van Damme.



Listen here: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1071403082/w-f-i-u-inner-states

04/08/2023

A replay for this week on Inner States: I asked a couple farmers I knew if I could come sit with them in their future – 2060, to be exact – and hear how they’d managed the past four decades. Which were the next four decades. They played the game beautifully. It was a moving conversation. I felt some magic.

I made an audio piece out of the conversation (Can you see where this is going now?), and played it for my friend, Allison Quantz, who said “We need to do this with everyone.” We did it four more times (okay, not quite everyone), and now we have a podcast. It’s called How to Survive the Future. Each episode is about a particular place in Indiana. Each one is deeply personal, and, in my opinion, each one is kind of beautiful. As is the art.

Listen here: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1071403082/w-f-i-u-inner-states