Best North Carolina Public Radio WUNC Podcasts (2024)

1
Pro wrestling climbs back to the top rope 22:06

5d ago22:06

22:06

Regional pro wrestling was once a major cultural institution throughout the South. For decades, each state had its own stars like North Carolina's Ric Flair who performed weekly at iconic venues like Raleigh's Dorton Arena. But by the late 1980s, the emergence of a handful of large national wrestling promotions like Vince McMahon’s WWF (now WWE) de…

1
The Making Of Great Erotica 50:03

5d ago50:03

50:03

Anita's been deep in romantasy land this year reading Fourth Wing & ACOTAR. And it's gotten her thinking about the skill required to make steamy sex scenes come alive on the page and out loud. She goes behind the scenes with two prolific erotica author-editors and a former producer for the audio erotica app Dipsea to figure out how the sausage — an…

1
(Encore) Romance and Money 32:49

5d ago32:49

32:49

Laura talks with Shawn Leamon, a financial expert who usually explores money from an uncoupling point of view. Shawn offers tips and advice to Laura's other guests: Ginny, who's been so financially burned that she literally can't afford to be vulnerable; Sue, who's finding trouble meeting someone whom she considers her financial equal; and Barry, w…

1
Love found while ‘chasing the light’ 18:07

12d ago18:07

18:07

Cheryl Shelton-Roberts and her husband, renowned photographer Bruce Roberts, worked for years to preserve North Carolina’s iconic lighthouses. Meanwhile, their relationship blossomed into a love story unlike any other. This episode is an adaptation of a story that originally appeared in Our State magazine. Featuring: Cheryl Shelton-Roberts, co-foun…

1
Amplified: Building Intimacy With Hearing Loss (Revisited) 40:27

13d ago40:27

40:27

Anita and her partner John have started talking more openly about how his hearing loss informs their relationship and how they'll continue to navigate that as they age. She meets another interabled couple (Anna and Vika) who share the sometimes humorous, sometimes challenging moments that accompany sex and dating with hearing loss. Plus, former gue…

1
(Encore) Love in the Stars 32:38

12d ago32:38

32:38

Laura’s a Scorpio, and she reads her horoscope every morning for fun. But is there more to astrology than sun signs, and can it help us make romantic connections? Laura talks with Koku, who looks to the zodiac as a “quiet consultant” in her life. Then astrologer Leslie McGuirk says sun signs and daily horoscopes can be entertaining, but there’s a l…

1
Bonus Episode: Introducing Tested from CBC and NPR 39:07

16d ago39:07

39:07

Tested is a new podcast series from CBC and NPR that asks the question, who gets to compete? Since the beginning of women’s sports, there has been a struggle over who qualifies for the women’s category. Tested follows the unfolding story of elite female runners who have been told they can no longer race as women, because of their biology. As the Ol…

1
How beach music taught Southerners to 'dance sexy' 27:20

20d ago27:20

27:20

A type of music known as beach music has been baked into the culture of the Carolina coast for generations, along with a specific type of dancing that goes with it: shag. But how did these smooth, soulful sounds become tied to the sandy shores of North and South Carolina? The answer is a little more complicated and transgressive than you might expe…

1
Why We Need More Therapists Of Color 49:32

20d ago49:32

49:32

It took Anita 12 years and five therapists to find someone who could help her tackle questions of racial and cultural identity. She meets two therapists of color working to make that kind of support more accessible. Sahaj Kaur Kohli, founder of Brown Girl Therapy, talks about approaching wellness from a more collectivist lens, and Jor-El Caraballo …

1
Speed Dating While Gray: The Happily Ever After Journey 15:55

20d ago15:55

15:55

Jerry’s in his early seventies when friends introduce him to 65-year-old, never-married Ann. They share with Laura the twists and turns of their romantic relationship. Our Sponsors: * Check out Armoire: armoire.style/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check out Beverly Hills MD: beverlyhillsmd.com/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check out Lumen: lumen.me/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check …

1
VP candidate Roy Cooper? The NC impact of a presidential reset 11:32

20d ago11:32

11:32

With all the news swirling this week about the presidential campaign and the possibility of Gov. Roy Cooper as a vice presidential candidate, we’re bringing you a segment from WUNC’s Due South. Host Jeff Tiberii spoke with Western Carolina University political scientist Chris Cooper and WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell about where things st…

1
Bigfoot is from North Carolina 19:08

27d ago19:08

19:08

Appalachia is Bigfoot territory. In a big way. This week, we look at the mythical beast's legend, lore and sizable economic impact in the region. And we follow one reporter’s journey through the mountains and foothills of western North Carolina in search of Sasquatch. Featuring: Emily Cataneo, reporter for The Assembly Links: Check out Emily's stor…

1
Committed: Life Inside A Psychiatric Hospital 48:31

27d ago48:31

48:31

Long-term stays in psychiatric institutions were once a relatively common treatment in this country. They’re not anymore, but that doesn’t mean they’ve gone away entirely. Anita meets someone who spent three years living in a psychiatric hospital in the early 90s and talks with an activist whose time spent in contemporary psychiatric hospitals push…

1
(Encore) Dating 101: The First Date 26:04

27d ago26:04

26:04

Coach Amy Schoen returns for do’s, don’ts, and dishing with host Laura Stassi and Paulina, who can’t figure out if dating is different because she’s older, or because she’s dating Americans. What is a date, anyway? Then there’s Glyn, who offers cautionary tales about manners, and menu choices. Finally, we hear from Paula, who recounts that time she…

1
NC's only unaffiliated congressional candidate charts a unique path 26:58

1M ago26:58

26:58

North Carolina law makes it extremely hard to run for office if you’re not willing to register as a Republican or Democrat and go through the party primary process. This year though, an unaffiliated candidate for Congress has made it onto the ballot for the first time in memory. Shelane Etchison is an Army veteran who served in special forces units…

1
Written: Disability Love Stories 49:41

1M ago49:41

49:41

When you live in a disabled body, you don’t always get to see yourself in the love stories you consume. Anita talks with three folks changing that through their own writing. She meets a novelist, essayist and activist who share their disability love stories and how writing has changed their relationships with others and themselves. Meet the guests:…

1
Can we bring red wolves back from the brink (again)? 19:00

1M ago19:00

19:00

Red wolves were declared extinct in the wild in 1980. But in a stunning success for conservationists, a captive breeding program reintroduced the animal less than a decade later. That effort has stalled in recent years. Today, there are fewer than 30 animals left in the wild, all located in an isolated corner of North Carolina. Ultimately, the icon…

1
Speed Dating While Gray: When A Helper Needs Help 11:40

1M ago11:40

11:40

Laura chats with Kerry, a psychotherapist whose hopes for romantic companionship are faltering. Our Sponsors: * Check out Armoire: armoire.style/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check out Beverly Hills MD: beverlyhillsmd.com/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check out Lumen: lumen.me/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check out Quince: quince.com/datingwhilegray Advertising Inquiries: https://re…

1
Polished: Why We Care About Our Nails (Revisited) 36:12

1M ago36:12

36:12

Anita's nail habit has evolved in the past decade from $10 drop-in manicures to 90 minute appointments with a nail artist. That artist joins her for a conversation about how Black women have shaped nail culture. Plus a fashion historian details nail history from Egyptian mummies to ‘90s Chanel colors, and a Vietnamese-American woman tells the story…

1
The other Declaration of Independence 18:17

1M ago18:17

18:17

July 4th, 1776 is arguably the most important date in American history. That's when citizens of the colonies declared total independence from Great Britain for the very first time. But what if it wasn’t the first? This week, we travel down the rabbit hole of North Carolina’s Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and entertain a couple of shocking…

1
(Encore) Boomerang Love 34:37

1M ago34:37

34:37

Who hasn’t done a little digging to find a flame from our younger years? But, as Laura discovers, taking the next steps to reach out is when things can get complicated. Our Sponsors: * Check out Armoire: armoire.style/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check out Beverly Hills MD: beverlyhillsmd.com/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check out Lumen: lumen.me/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check…

1
Journeyed: Crossing State Lines For Abortion 49:36

2M ago49:36

49:36

It’s been two years since the Supreme Court revoked the federal right to an abortion. Now, nearly one in five people seeking abortion care has to cross state lines to get it. Anita meets someone who spent 20 hours on the road to get her abortion, learns how folks afford thousands of dollars worth of travel and reviews the ways that Hollywood has ta…

1
The surprising cricket capital of the South 21:03

2M ago21:03

21:03

The game of cricket is rapidly gaining popularity across the US. The country is currently co-hosting the Men's T20 Cricket World Cup for the very first time at venues in major cities like New York, Miami and Dallas. But if you want to see what the future of the sport in America might look like, you need to visit a field next to an airport in the sm…

1
(Encore) Unexpected Love 31:46

2M ago31:46

31:46

Are you starting to fret that despite all of your efforts, you’ll never find The One? Here’s a little inspiration to relax and just let it be: three stories of not seeking love, but magically finding it. Our Sponsors: * Check out Armoire: armoire.style/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check out Beverly Hills MD: beverlyhillsmd.com/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check out Lume…

1
Private records: A look at NC legislature's transparency problems 27:56

2M ago27:56

27:56

Thanks to a budget provision last year, state lawmakers can now deny the public access to their emails, documents and other records that most other branches of state government are required to release. That move toward secrecy is just one of many transparency concerns at the legislature. A few weeks ago, Democrats in the legislature filed a propose…

1
Tended: The Creative Work Of Dementia Caregiving 50:33

2M ago50:33

50:33

The vast majority of people living with dementia receive essential care from their own family and friends. This work is emotionally rigorous, but also filled with joy, surprise and creativity. More than 11 million Americans are doing this unpaid caregiving, and Anita meets two of them: a millennial who supported her mom and grandmother through diff…

1
The science behind saving an island 17:57

2M ago17:57

17:57

Sugarloaf Island protects the community of Morehead City from hurricanes and storm surge. But in recent decades, it’s begun to disappear. A multimillion dollar project is underway to save this North Carolina town's last line of defense from the pounding waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The plan's mix of science and engineering could offer a solution fo…

1
Speed Dating While Gray: The Only Ring is from a Phone 11:48

2M ago11:48

11:48

Shared mission, different game plan: Laura chats with Caitlin Pierce, creator of the reality dating show Hang Up from Radiotopia/PRX. Our Sponsors: * Check out Armoire: armoire.style/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check out Beverly Hills MD: beverlyhillsmd.com/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check out Lumen: lumen.me/DATINGWHILEGRAY * Check out Quince: quince.com/datingwhile…

1
Isolated: The Silence Around Male Infertility (Revisited) 31:37

2M ago31:37

31:37

Male fertility issues make up half of all infertility cases … but you’d never know it from consuming fertility content through culture, media and even medicine. Anita meets three men breaking the silence in hopes that others get the help and support they need. Meet the guests: - Jared Wright, journalist who wrote a piece about his infertility journ…

1
Craft beer’s emerging Southern flavor (Revisited) 19:18

2M ago19:18

19:18

In the last decade, the craft industry’s boom has steadily spread across Southern states. There are now thousands of breweries in the region (400 in North Carolina alone). But what exactly is a Southern beer? Featuring: Sean Lilly Wilson, Founder of Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, NC Tinu Diver, Documentary Filmmaker Owen Racer, Freelance Journalist T…

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