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

Aliksandria Prout had only been at the Central California Women’s Facility for a few days when an officer stopped her at a checkpoint. “You have beautiful lips and beautiful eyes,” he said. And that was just the beginning. But he didn’t realize… this time he’d picked the wrong girl. Part 1 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

Original Music & Engineering: Dirk Schwarzhoff

Director of Production: Marisa Dodge

Executive Producers: Glynn Washington and Mark Ristich

Season 17 - Episode 34

A man washes up on shore in Sitka, Alaska and finds himself in the middle of an underground boxing show. It’s a place where you might duke it out with the bartender, the locals, or your own troubled past.

This episode contains violence and strong language. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.

Thank you, Jaed “The Stone” Coffin, for sharing your story with us! For more about Jaed’s story, check out his memoir Roughhouse Friday.

Produced by Bo Walsh, original score by Doug Stuart, artwork by Teo Ducot

Snap Classic - Season 17 - Episode 42

On the volcanic island of La Palma biologists unravel a massive mystery. Is it a crime scene, a treasure or a dream come true? And in the town of Trinidad a grade school trip to the ocean is about to get beautiful, raw, and wild.

Whalecano

On the volcanic island of La Palma biologists unravel a massive mystery. Is it a crime scene, a treasure or a dream come true?

A huge thank you to Paula Alonso, and Dr. Antonio Fernandez for sharing your story with Snap!

Produced by Erick Yáñez, with help from Anna Sussman. Original score by Nicholas Marks. Translation by Elvis Di Marcantonio. Art by Teo Ducot.

The Trinidad Whale

In the town of Trinidad a grade school trip to the ocean is about to get beautiful, raw, and wild.

Special thanks to Trinidad elementary’s seventh grade class: Alana, Jolena, Xavier, Joda and Atticus. Thanks as well to the third grade class: Remy, Harriet, Emmett Bowman, Margie Cunningham and Emmett Bowman.

Big thanks also to The Marine Mammal Stranding network at Cal Poly Humboldt, Alison Lewis, Dr. Dawn Gulley, The Trinidad Rancheria, Ron Sundberg, Selena Rowan, Dessa Gunning, and Jessica Gravelle.

Produced by Sukey Lewis, original score by Dirk Schwarzhoff.

Season 17 - Episode 41

In sweet home Alabama, from the heart of Libya, comes a renegade candidate with a boombox and a head scarf. The cheerleaders, the geeks, the dweebs and the freaks are about to send a message the country needs right after 9/11.

A very big thank you to Yasmin! Yasmin is a comedian and storyteller. You can follow her on Instagram @yasminelhahahady or TikTok @yasmin_elhady. She first told a version of this story at Story District in Washington, DC.

Produced by Justin Kramon, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Snap Classic - Season 17 – Episode 40

There’s a jumbie in a jalopy and the spirits are flowing during happy hour on St. Thomas. Plus, everybody kicks butt in Lee’s Los Gatos Spin Class but Cycle 23 is out of this world.

Snap Judgment presents this year's Campfire Tales... "Hot Wheels.” A supernatural summer tradition that features stories from our evil twin Spooked. Spooked drops weekly, you can listen on any podcast platform. Tune in and be afraid...

STORIES

Joyride

There’s a jumbie in a jalopy and the spirits are flowing during happy hour on St. Thomas.

Thanks, Greg, for sharing your story! Produced and scouted by Paulina Creque, original score by Doug Stuart, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Soul Cycle

Everybody kicks ass in Lee’s Spin Class but Cycle 23 is out of this world.

Thanks Lee for sharing your story! Produced by Zoë Ferrigno, original score by Sandra Lawson-Ndu.

Season 17 - Episode 39