Did you ever have that one friend that you didn’t want but it turns out you really need? This week on Snap, epic stories about unexpected companionship.

STORIES

Shut Up Rick

He’s called Shut Up Rick. Let’s hear what he has to say.

Thank you Bucky Sinister and Rick Loddy.

Bucky is a poet, author, and comedian — to learn more about Bucky’s work and what he’s up to now, subscribe to his substack.

Original score by Clay Xavier, produced by Zahra Noorbaksh and John Fecile, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Rock Paper Scissors

When the two greatest auction houses in the world – Christie’s and Sotheby’s – vied for the privilege of auctioning off $20 million worth of art in 2004, little did they know that they would be forced to engage in an ancient form of ritualized combat known as… rock paper scissors.

Be sure to check out Carol Vogel’s original New York Times article.

Produced by Joe Rosenberg

The Kipling Hotel – LIVE

A young, penniless student arrives at UCLA with no place to stay and is forced to improvise.

Performed by Don Reed at Snap LIVE in San Francisco, CA.

Music composed by Alex Mandel, performed by the Snap Judgment Players: Alex Mandel, David Brandt, and Tim Frick

Snap Classic - Season 17 – Episode 46

Ali faces down her attacker in court and wins. But will the Central California Women's Facility officers who assaulted her former cell mate and 150 other women see justice? And with the story still unfolding, reporters Madi Bolaños and Anna Sussman unpack the investigation with editor Sukey Lewis in the studio. Part 3 of 3.

This episode contains violence against women, sexual assault, and strong language. Please take care while listening.

"We Are Jane Doe" is a new 3-part series from KQED’s Snap Studios. Over three episodes, we trace Ali Prout's dramatic fight for justice and the stunning ripple effects that threaten to upend the system of power and control at one of the largest women’s prisons on earth.

KQED reporters Anna Sussman and Madi Bolaños spent two years investigating this story. They spoke to more than a dozen women incarcerated at the Central California Women’s Facility, read through hundreds of pages of internal prison documents, obtained leaked audio, and painstakingly watched hours of video footage to reconstruct one of the most complex and devastating use-of-force incidents in state history.

This series was made possible in part with support from The Poynter Institute.

Produced by: Madi Bolaños, Anna Sussman & Sukey Lewis

Featured Story Voices: Aliksandria Prout, Katrina Cameron, Christina Wind, Wisdom Mohammed, Elizabeth Lozano

Editors: Sukey Lewis, Nancy Lopez & Mark Ristich

Fact-checking: Mark Bettancourt

Data Editor: Jeremy Sanchez Rue of UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism

Original Music & Engineering: Dirk Schwarzhoff

Director of Production: Marisa Dodge

Executive Producers: Glynn Washington and Mark Ristich

Artwork: Teo Ducot

Season 17 - Episode 45

August 2nd, 2024, started with a search. More than 150 women rounded up into chow hall as their cells were tossed. What happened next was beyond their imagination. It would be investigated by the feds and the state. Things did not go to plan, or did they? Part 2 of 3.

This episode contains violence against women, sexual assault, and strong language. Please take care while listening.

"We Are Jane Doe" is a new 3-part series from KQED’s Snap Studios. Over three episodes, we trace Ali Prout's dramatic fight for justice and the stunning ripple effects that threaten to upend the system of power and control at one of the largest women’s prisons on earth.

KQED reporters Anna Sussman and Madi Bolaños spent two years investigating this story. They spoke to more than a dozen women incarcerated at the Central California Women’s Facility, read through hundreds of pages of internal prison documents, obtained leaked audio, and painstakingly watched hours of video footage to reconstruct one of the most complex and devastating use-of-force incidents in state history.

This series was made possible in part with support from The Poynter Institute.

Produced by: Madi Bolaños, Anna Sussman & Sukey Lewis

Featured Story Voices: Aliksandria Prout, Catrina Cameron, Christina Wind, Wisdom Mohammed, Elizabeth Lozano and Antoinette Yancey

Editors: Sukey Lewis, Nancy Lopez & Mark Ristich

Fact-checking: Mark Bettancourt

Data Editor: Jeremy Sanchez Rue of UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism

Original Music & Engineering: Dirk Schwarzhoff

Director of Production: Marisa Dodge

Executive Producers: Glynn Washington and Mark Ristich

Season 17 - Episode 44