Every cool kid has a gimmick. That’s the starter pistol for episode 501 of the Snap Judgement Podcast. Like the Moth, TAL, The State We’re In, and in some ways Radio Lab, Snap Judgement takes personal stories from individuals and examines their broader application. It’s familiar territory. I’m comfortable there. Episode 501, “A.I”, felt like home.
“In my hand is the first artificial brain.” That was host, Glynn Washington’s proclamation in the first segment. He recounts a story from his childhood, when he told his friends that his dad worked in a secret underground lab developing the first artificial brain. He considered that his “gimmick.”
The second segment was called “The Robot Boy.” It’s the story of Lyndon Baty, a Texas kid battling a kidney condition. Because of his compromised immune system, he has to go to school virtually, using a machine described as Skype on wheels.
The next segment was creepy, as third acts often are. It was about a website gatekeeper of sorts, who, much to his dismay, had to police the unsavory content flooding his site. Very icky subject matter. Could’ve skipped it and been fine.
Again, solid podcasting here. The music can be a bit distracting, and like all storytelling ventures, it can get a bit precious, but I’ll keep listening. It’s lovingly produced and entertaining. Completely worth the bandwidth.
