Chloe Salmon
Appearances
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
And I know it's not just me. Tales of bad blood and petty squabbles have entertained us all for centuries. So in this episode, stories of bringing and slinging beef and the highs and lows we can find in the fight. Our first story comes to us from Lori Tucker Sullivan. She told it at a story slam in Detroit where we partnered with public radio station WDET. Here's Lori live at the Moth.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
That was Morgan Balabaj. She's a yoga teacher who travels full-time with her rescue chihuahua. She's also a lifelong skier who is always looking for a house-sitting gig near a mountain. I figured that the high-stakes, high-danger situation might have shifted a thing or two for Morgan, and I was curious. Did she and Blair end up bonding over it and reconciling? Morgan's answer? Nope.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
She worked at the bank for another year and endured even more robbery attempts and multiple banking scandals. I honestly had no idea that neighborhood banks are so stacked with drama. But through it all, she held strong and ignored Blair until she left for a new job. The betrayal cut that deep. And honestly, fair. Not all beefs can be squashed.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
After the break, a man takes up arms in an online battle for the ages when the Moth Radio Hour continues.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
What does the future hold for business? Ask nine experts and you'll get 10 answers. It's a bull market. It's a bear market. Rates will rise or fall. Inflation's up or down. Can someone invent a crystal ball?
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
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The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
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The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
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The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
This is the Moth Radio Hour. I'm Chloe Salmon. And in this episode, we're listening to stories of beef. Beef can come in many forms, including all-out feuds, righteous crusades, or my personal favorite, petty grievances. I'm a firm believer that this flavor of beef is central to the human species, a small and usually low-risk way to let a little steam out of the kettle.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
The key is to let it out instead of letting it build up. A little steam is better than a boil over. Once it's boil over time, someone is going to get burned. Our next storyteller learned this the hard way during his stint as a keyboard warrior. Matthew Trenda told this at a Grand Slam at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oregon, where we partner with public radio station OPB.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
Matthew Trenda is the kind of guy whose possessions might just be made to last one more year. Like many English majors before him, he works in state government, and he takes a lot of pride in serving the people of Washington.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
Matthew lives with his partner in Olympia, where he enjoys sharing his love for folk tales and old folk songs, playing an OK violin, and being very annoying about his favorite books. I asked him what he would say to his Shelfari nemesis now if he got the chance. Matthew's answer? I hope every time you wear a new pair of socks, you step in something wet.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
Although he's not sure if Mr. Lipman was also banned for their public spat, he likes to think that his old foe is out there somewhere holding onto the grudge as well. Sounds like the beef is still on. Mr. Litman, you have 24 hours to respond. One thing about me, a favorite pastime of mine is hearing all about other people's grievances.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
I love to come in hot with my opinion, which is usually that the person sharing with me was wronged. If you need someone to be outraged on your behalf, I'm your girl. In that spirit, and in honor of this episode, I sent out a call for tiny stories of the beefs in people's lives. And let me tell you, I got a lot of responses. The people need to let it out.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
I picked a few of the spiciest entries to share with all of you. Are you ready to be outraged? Welcome to The Beef Corner. First up is Eric, who has a childhood grudge that has not budged.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
Wow, I too hope she's miserable. Bullying a child? Killing his love of spelling? Someone was drunk with power. Diabolical. This next one from Bethany is a best friend betrayal for the ages.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
She snagged your ex and then sent you flowers? Moth listeners, we ride at dawn. Bethany, my friend, I am so very sorry and so very outraged on your behalf. Your emotional maturity is refreshing, but also, if you ever need to vent over a glass of wine, I will be available immediately. Okay, these beefs are getting hot.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
Next up is Jonathan, who represents the unsung heroes of The Morning Commute, your local barista.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
Jonathan, I love that you gave this woman what she was too afraid to ask for, a cup of literal sugar. Not only is the customer not always right, they can also be pretty annoying. Our final friend has a grievance so dangerous that they asked for complete anonymity. We take beefer safety very seriously here at the Beef Corner, so to protect the innocent, I will read it for them.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
The walls are closing in. There is no escape. Send help. Okay, you see the need for anonymity. This could get a person in hot water. So clearly the thing to do here is to challenge them to an unspoken game of chicken. Just keep moving. Either they'll fold at some point or they'll end up living in your attic. High risk, high reward.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
All right, folks, that is the last tiny beef I have for you today. If you'd like to hear and read more of the fabulous submissions I got, you can head over to the extras for this episode on themoth.org. This has been The Beef Corner. May your outrage never falter. In a moment, our final storyteller's grudge against the world is tested by man's best friend. When the Moth Radio Hour continues.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
This is the Moth Radio Hour. I'm Chloe Salmon. In this episode, we've been listening to stories of beef with nemeses of all kinds. Our final story comes to us from someone who picked the biggest beef of all, one with people and the world in general. Will he win? We shall see. Diego Aguirre told this in Big Sky, Montana, where we partnered with the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
That was Diego Aguirre, a New York City-based actor and storyteller. He grew up in Ecuador and lived there until he was 17. After graduation, he joined the Marine Corps and fought in Afghanistan shortly after 9-11, followed by a deployment in Guantanamo Bay. He has lived in New York for the past 20 years, making him a bona fide New Yorker. At least, that's what he's been told.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
Diego's beef with the world quieted down significantly, thanks to Rusty James. That connection inspired him to find work in what he loves, dogs. His day job is as a full-time dog walker and sitter. He says he's barely home, but he loves it. He gets to spend all day with dogs, and it helps him to avoid beef with humans.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
Which is a good thing, because bad sidewalk etiquette still really gets his goat. And honestly, you know, I'm there with you, Diego. Move to the side if you want to stop and check your phone, people. To see lots of photos of Diego, Rusty James, and their beautiful life together, head over to themoth.org. And take some tissues with you. You'll thank me. I promise.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
That's it for this episode of the Moth Radio Hour. Whether you've been inspired to simmer the beef in your life or turn the temperature up instead, I wish you luck and I'm on your side. Thank you to our storytellers for sharing with us and to you for listening. I hope you'll join us next time.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
That was Lori Tucker Sullivan, a writer and educator living in Detroit. In 2024, her first book, I Can't Remember If I Cried, Rock Widows on Life, Love, and Legacy, was published. It contains 14 profiles of the widows of her favorite rock stars and what they taught her about grief. When I heard Lori's story, I was impressed that she didn't escalate her one-sided beef into a two-sided feud.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
After all, she was going through a pretty tough time. She says that she felt the community had really rallied around her family during her husband's illness in a way she'll always be thankful for. Bringing meals, having the kids over for sleepovers, driving her husband to treatments. And Francine was a part of that community.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
Lori knew she had a lot on her plate too, so she's still glad that she never picked up the phone to get into it with Francine's mom. To see a photo of Lori and her late husband Kevin as newlyweds, head over to themoth.org. A good feud can get your heart pumping.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
That first flush of how dare they has the potential to turn into a grievance that burns so hot and grows so big that it eclipses everything else. That burning often dims with time, but it leaves an impression like, wow, I really felt that. Our next storyteller found her beef in the most tumultuous of times, young adulthood, and it burned all the brighter because of it.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
Morgan Balavage told this story at a main stage in Seattle, where we partnered with Seattle Arts and Lectures. Here's Morgan.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Beef
This is the Moth Radio Hour. I'm your host, Chloe Salmon. Nothing captures the heart and the mind quite like a good beef. I'm not talking the deli counter variety. I'm talking grievances, rivalries, grudges. Now, do I generally advocate for negativity and chaos? No. But I'll admit it. Something about the technicolor drama of a good feud has me reaching for my popcorn every time.