Suzanne Rust
Appearances
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
This is the Moth Radio Hour, and I'm Suzanne Rust. In this hour, stories about big reveals. We'll be hearing from a young girl who discovers both her fragility and her strength, a reluctant middle school thespian, and a woman with a rather curious hobby. Sometimes it's good to start things at the ending. In this case, someone else's ending.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
Linda King told this story to Slam in New York City, where we partner with public radio station WNYC. Here's Linda, live at the Moth.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
That was Meredith Morrison, an educator who lives in Maine with her girlfriend and their growing menagerie of cats. The role of Bey was her first and last foray onto the middle school stage. I asked her how her off, off, off Broadway debut of Pajama Game went, and she said, about as well as you might think an eighth grade musical at peak puberty and middle school awkwardness could go.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
Her sister Jen, on the other hand, went on to become an actress and casting director. I was curious if getting the lead role made Meredith want to play less of a supporting role in real life.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
To see photos of Meredith in the pajama game, go to themoth.org. We like our women wise at The Moth, and our next storyteller, Betty Reed Suskin, a 99-year-old phenomenon, more than fits that bill. Betty's story takes place when she was a young wife and mother in California, and it was recorded at a live performance at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
That was the one and only Betty Reed Susskind. Betty lives in Richmond, California. You may have noticed that Betty tells us that a white friend had to handle the transaction for the purchase of her home. Betty's story takes place in the mid-1950s, prior to the California Fair Housing Act of 1966 and the Federal Fair Housing Act.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
Those were laws which prohibited discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing. Before that, all bets were off. Betty says that even after over six decades, she is still dealing with the traumatic effects from the years of death threats that her family received for choosing to live in their dream home.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
While onstage minstrel shows basically died out somewhere in the 1920s, blackface lived on in the movies and beyond, regrettably to the present day where whites and blackface still resurface. I checked in with Betty via email. She told me that she had a stroke last year and that since then she's just trying to live life one day at a time. But that life has been very rich.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
Betty became a park ranger in Richmond at the age of 85, making her the oldest active ranger with the National Park Service. Prior to that, Detroit-born Betty has been a songwriter, an author, and a civil rights activist. Betty's great-grandmother was born into slavery in 1846. Betty actually knew her.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
And at one time, Betty, her mother, her grandmother, and her great-grandmother all lived together under one roof. Four generations of powerful women. When Betty was a guest at the Obama White House, she held her photo of her great-great-grandmother tucked into her breast pocket. To see photos of Betty, her family, and their California home, go to themoth.org.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
Coming up next, spinning wheels and busting moves when the Moth Radio Hour continues.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
This is the Moth Radio Hour, and I'm Suzanne Rust. In this episode, we're featuring stories about big reveals, those moments with an element of surprise. Jason Nunez told this next story at a Moth High School showcase in Brooklyn. Here's Jason.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
That was Jason Nunez. And no, he never saw his beloved birthday bike again. Jason is currently a student at Ithaca College. He loves playing basketball and, yes, riding his bike. And he has finally mastered the art of hands-free biking. Our final story takes place in Mumbai, but it was told at a Moth Grand Slam in Chicago, where we partnered with public radio station WBEZ.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
Jitesh Jaggi is a recent immigrant from India and a two-time Moth Story Slam winner. He currently resides in Chicago. Jitesh ended his career in finance one day when he lost all the data that he'd forgot to save on an Excel sheet and realized that he just didn't care. That tipping point led him to becoming a writer, and he is currently working on a book of essays.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
Jitesh can still do most of his moves, but confesses that he has grown a little rusty. He says that his house has creaky wood floors, so there's always the chance of his downstairs neighbors thinking that there are six kids wrestling upstairs, even though it's just him breakdancing by himself. To see photos of Jitesh breakdancing, go to themoth.org.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
That's it for this episode of The Moth Radio Hour. We hope you'll join us next time.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
That was Linda King. I confessed to Linda that I had some particular requests for my wake. I'd like the mourners to exit dancing till Sylvester's disco hit, Mighty Real, and I'd like spicy margaritas served at the reception. So I asked her if she had any special requests.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
She said, I never left the 70s, so I'd like to have some good old Motown playing in the background, and I'd like folks to enjoy themselves. Maybe do the hokey pokey. I want to leave them laughing. Simone de Beauvoir once wrote, one is not born, but rather becomes a woman. That road can be beautiful, but it's often tricky to navigate. The world isn't always the safest place for young women.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
And the moment we first realize that can be eye-opening and humbling. Our next storyteller, Aisha Rodriguez, shared such a revelation at a moth education showcase in New York. Here's Aisha.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: The Big Reveal
That was Aisha Rodriguez, a college junior who lives in Harlem. To see photos of Aisha and her mom, go to themoth.org. Coming up after the break, Reluctant Thespians, when the Moth Radio Hour continues. ¶¶
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
That was Matthew Dix. Matthew is an elementary school teacher, best-selling author, and a nine-time Moth Grand Slam champion. Some of his favorite things? Play golf poorly, tickle his children, and stare at his wife. Oh, and also hang out with Benji. They live 15 minutes away from each other and often get together for long walks and talks where they never run out of things to say.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
I asked Matthew something that he loved about Benji back then that he still loves about him today.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
To see some photos of Matthew and Benji, head over to themoth.org. In a moment, youth under a looking glass and adventures on the high seas when the Moth Radio Hour continues.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
This is the Moth Radio Hour. I'm Suzanne Russ. And in this hour, we're exploring stories that look back on the different ages and stages of our lives. So much of adolescence involves internal dialogue and struggle. And while our friends and family may observe the behavior, the material does not become fodder for the whole country to see. Unless you're Kate Greathead.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
She shared her story in New York, where WNYC is a media partner of the Moth. Here's Kate.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
This is the Moth Radio Hour. I'm your host, Suzanne Rust. Moth story slams are magical. Each evening has a theme like lost, busted, or love hurts. Brave people from all across the country show up with a five-minute story that relates to the theme and drop their names in a hat for the chance to step on the stage and share it. No notes.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
That was Kate Greathead, a Brooklyn-based writer. Her new novel, The Book of George, is out now. Kate said that being a subject of a documentary had lasting effects on her life. Seeing herself from an external perspective compels her to think more about herself with an objective framing. And she believes that's what led her to become a writer.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
Middle age can be tricky, so sometimes you just need to do something new to get your sea legs and your groove back. This story was told by Linda Grosser in Boston, where we partner with public radio station WBUR. And a quick note, the story contains a little sexual content. Here's Linda.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
That was Linda Grosser. Linda loves photography, teaching storytelling workshops, and producing shows that help build emotional human connections. Alas, that romance with Errol fizzled. They just lived too far apart. But Linda still loves sailing, feeling the wind on her face, the physical and technical challenge of navigating, and the romance of just being on the water.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
To see a photo of Linda at the helm, go to themoth.org. In a moment, must-see TV for kids, and a story about reclaiming connections from the past, when the Moth Radio Hour continues.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
This is the Moth Radio Hour. I'm Suzanne Rust. And in this episode, we're hearing stories that reflect on different times of our lives, from adolescence to our later years. Being an adult with a career that requires you to tap into your youth to figure out what kids like requires a very particular set of skills. Skills that our next storyteller, Ron Hart, happens to possess.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
He told us at a Los Angeles slam where we partner with public radio station KCRW. Here's Ron.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
This week's hour, which features stories from these slams, explores how we reflect on our worlds at different ages and stages of our lives, from childhood and teens to adulthood and later life. From personal experience and non-scientific observation, I think it's pretty safe to say that in middle school, confidence levels are not at an all-time high.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
That was Anne McManie Keels, an educator and a Moth Grand Slam winner. She is also the host and producer of Lapsed, a podcast about growing up Catholic. Anne lives in Oak Park, Illinois with her family. Anne told me that the most positive thing that came from her experience was realizing how many people she actually had in her corner. She didn't receive any of the blowback she feared.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
Instead, everyone in her life was very supportive, including the intimidating cool girls at her school. She says that it took her years to realize that they were all likely just as insecure and confused as she was at that time in life. To see photos of Anne's 15 minutes of fame, go to themoth.org.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
Those first jobs that we take as teens often allow us to reinvent ourselves and make new personal discoveries and connections. Our next story, set at a famous fast food franchise, pits two young employees against each other. Matthew Dix told this story at a Boston slam where we partnered with public radio station WBUR. Here's Matthew.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: For the Ages
So the last thing most kids want is to be the center of attention. Our first storyteller found herself in that position and live to tell the tale. Ann McNamee Keels told this at a Chicago slam where we partner with public radio station WBEZ. Here's Ann, live at the Moth.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
This is the Moth Radio Hour, and I'm your host, Suzanne Rust. I live in a household with an Italian husband where, while we're eating breakfast, we're thinking about lunch. And at lunch, we're planning dinner. It's a family trait that we've passed down to our son and daughter. We definitely live to eat, because a good meal brings such joy. But beyond sustenance, food is a magical vessel.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
That was Dee Zhao. Dee spends her weekdays talking to companies about sustainability and her weekends being enthusiastic about food. After her daughter recovered successfully from recent surgery, Dee and her husband celebrated by ordering pizza, Indian takeout, and McDonald's, all in the same evening.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
I asked Dee if her favorite hot pot ingredients had changed, but she let me know that she was still team quail eggs all the way. To see a photo of Dee and her fabulous hot pot spread, go to themoth.org. When I was a little girl growing up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, there was an Italian restaurant called Tony's Kitchen, where I used to go with my parents.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
I loved their desserts, specifically these ice cream wonders that were exotic to me with fun names like Tortoni and Spumoni. All this to say, our next story, told by Josephine Ferraro, took me back to those happy days. She shared it at a slam in New York City. Here's Josephine.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
That was Josephine Ferraro. Josephine is a psychotherapist in private practice in New York City. In her spare time, she loves writing for her psychotherapy blog, telling stories, and doing improv with her team, Sunday Best. Sadly, she hasn't had a good spumoni in a long, long time. To see a photo of Josephine and her mother taken around the time of the spumoni caper, go to themoth.org.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
In a moment, two men remember their grandmothers through recipes when the Moth Radio Hour continues.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
You're listening to The Moth Radio Hour. I'm Suzanne Rust. And in this episode, we are sharing stories about food and the memories it can evoke. Our last two stories pay tribute to grandmothers and their loving recipes, which live on even after they have left us. Michael Imber told this story at a Grand Slam in New York City, where WNYC is a media partner of Lamothe. Here's Michael.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
That was Michael Imber. He lives in Connecticut with Nancy, his bride of 35 years. This father of two sons loves to cook for his family and celebrate the stories they share over meals. I asked Michael how strong his fudge game was, and he said that while he's made the recipe many times over the years, it's never as good as Nana's.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
He suspects that being a grandmother is actually the secret ingredient to a great batch of fudge. To see a photo of Michael and his grandmother, Ms. Millie Shaikowitz, and her legendary recipe, head to themoth.org. These stories remind us how food and memory are intertwined. So I asked a few people in my life about the meals they remember most and why.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
Here's my friend Kim Van Dorn talking about summers spent in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
Here's another food memory from another dear friend, Meryl Salzinger.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
My friend Venkatesh Tadmiri is a wonderful chef, and I love hearing any stories he has related to food while he was growing up in India. He shared this one with me, and now I know, finally, the origins of one of his famous sauces.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
A favorite memory of mine involves fruitcake. Okay, not the dry, tasteless bricks that so many people joke about. I'm talking about a rich, moist, rum-infused treat.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
Around the holidays, I have vivid memories of my grandmother Yuna and her sisters Doris and Petrona, women with Jamaican and Panamanian roots, in the kitchen for hours, churning the large amounts of dried fruit-studded dough by hand in these giant, repurposed metal potato chip tins. The scent was intoxicating and the cake even more so.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
I finally learned to make the cake about 15 years ago, and that first bite always reminds me of them and their warm, inviting kitchen. Our final story comes from James Gallicchio, who learns firsthand about the unifying powers of a great recipe.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
James told this story at an open mic story slam competition in Melbourne, Australia, where we partnered with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABCRN. Here's James, live at The Moth.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
It transports us back to our childhoods, back to memories of meals shared with friends and family, back to road trips and vacations. And through it, so many stories are born, nurtured, and remembered over the years. Sometimes food is what you do for a living. Our first story comes from Chef Arlene Stewart, who told it at a show in East Hampton, New York, where Guildhall was our venue and partner.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
That was Chef Arlene Stewart. Arlene is the founder and owner of Cocozine Wellness Retreats. and the personal chef to Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. She has worked in the kitchens of notable chefs like Marcus Samuelson and the late Patrick Clark of Tavern on the Green. But the vibrant flavors that often inspire her come from her Trinidadian roots and her childhood memories.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
Full disclosure, Arlene and I have been friends for over 20 years, and I have been lucky enough to have been fed by her many times. I knew that she had lots of stories in her, so I was thrilled when she finally agreed to share one at the Moth. Here's a little more from Arlene.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
You talk about... this term, which I love, called sweet hands. And I wonder, are sweet hands something you're born with? Are sweet hands something you can grow into?
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
Here's Arlene, live at The Moth.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
Beautiful. I want to know what keeps you in this business. I know it's been rough in so many ways being a woman, a woman of color, but you persevered. And I wonder what drives you? What's your driving force in staying?
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
That was Chef Arlene Stewart. To see a photo of her lovely face, go to themoth.org. In a moment, hot pot techniques and crimes of passion when the Moth Radio Hour continues.
The Moth
The Moth Radio Hour: Delicious! Stories of Food & Feelings
This is the Moth Radio Hour, and I'm your host, Suzanne Rust. Being the only child at a dinner table full of adults gives you a unique point of view. Dee Zhao shared this next story at a New York City slam where WNYC is a media partner of the Moth. Here's Dee. Thank you.
The Moth
The Moth Podcast: Growing Up
Welcome to the Moth Podcast. I'm Suzanne Rust, and in this episode, in honor of Black History Month, we'll be showcasing three stories from black storytellers, all on the universal theme of growing up. First up, we have Whitney McGuire, who told the story at a community and education showcase in New York. Here's Whitney, live at the Moth.
The Moth
The Moth Podcast: Growing Up
That was Aubriana Peton. Aubriana is an undergraduate student of English and history at Wesleyan University who grew up in Brooklyn, New York. She loves her family, reading, knitting, and learning new things. She looks forward to dedicating her life to social justice. We'll be back in a second with another story about discovering who you are. Welcome back.
The Moth
The Moth Podcast: Growing Up
On this episode, in honor of Black History Month, we've been sharing stories from Black storytellers all about growing up. I was raised in a loving, Afrocentric household.
The Moth
The Moth Podcast: Growing Up
By exposing me to art, music, literature, and their own personal stories, my parents made sure that I grew up with a sense of self-worth, one that made me not only proud of my people's past history, but also of our present strengths and capabilities. They taught me to know the power of that combination. Our final story is a favorite from the archive.
The Moth
The Moth Podcast: Growing Up
Jacoby Cochran told this at a New York City main stage where the theme of the night was pass and go. Here's Jacoby live at the night.
The Moth
The Moth Podcast: Growing Up
That was Jacoby Cochran. Jacoby is a writer, educator, and storyteller. He is the award-winning host of CityCast Chicago, Chicago's favorite daily news podcast. He has also been a Moth Story Slam host in Chicago for the past eight years. That's it for this episode.
The Moth
The Moth Podcast: Growing Up
These stories remind me of the fact that being able to hear from people of different races, religions, and cultural backgrounds is a gift. From all of us here at the Moth, we hope that you will take the time to listen.
The Moth
The Moth Podcast: Growing Up
That was Whitney McGuire. Whitney is a sustainability strategist, lawyer, and consultant who helps arts and cultural institutions embed sustainability into their work. She's also the founder of the McGuire Consulting Group and a big believer in making sustainability more than just a buzzword. It's a necessity.
The Moth
The Moth Podcast: Growing Up
This may be Black History Month, but every week, The Moth showcases storytellers from all walks of life, including African Americans. Hopefully you see a little of yourself in these stories about growing up, no matter who the teller is. Next, we've got a story about getting your hands dirty.
The Moth
The Moth Podcast: Growing Up
Aubriana Paton told this story at an education showcase in New York, where the theme of the night was uncharted territory. Here's Aubriana, live at The Moth.