Lana's new airboat, MomTok, Nobody Wants This, English Teacher, and more. Plus, a chat with Oh He Dead front woman CJ Johnson. Oh He Dead will play in Amherst at The Drake on October 13 and in Boston at the Middle East on October 19.By Sarah Connell Sanders

Molly and I just got back from Newport Folk Festival where we had the opportunity to connect with two bands on opposite ends of the folk spectrum: Dropkick Murphys and Palmyra . Although both groups challenge the traditional folk archetype, each has been anointed by one of the first families in folk—the Guthries and the Prines, respectively. (Apolo…

Alex Rosamilia is the lead guitarist of The Gaslight Anthem, a New Jersey punk band known for embracing legacy artists like Bruce Springsteen. I spoke to Rosamilia prior to the band’s Boston show on Sunday, August 18th at MGM Music Hall at Fenway.By Sarah Connell Sanders

Originally aired in August of 2018—radio and podcast gender bias & our favorite female voices on the airwaves. Experts Lance Reenstierna and Tim Pilleri share what it takes to wrack up millions of downloads on iTunes and the story behind their breakout podcast success “Missing Maura Murray.” (22:00) Plus, a crack at "Runaway Bride" inspired by Juli…

Honorable Madeline Singas was born in Worcester and went on to become the Nassau County District Attorney and then an associate judge of the New York Court of Appeals. As the District Attorney, she oversaw the prosecution of criminal cases, including that of Jesse Friedman who was a subject of the 2003 Academy Award nominated documentary, “Capturin…

Lillian Asplund was the last survivor of the Titanic who could remember the infamous voyage — she was 5 when the “unsinkable ship” struck an iceberg, and more than 1,500 of her fellow passengers perished at sea. Later, Asplund worked as a secretary at State Mutual Life Insurance, headquartered in Worcester’s first skyscraper, at the corner of Main …

Gabi Bennett's takeover of The Barn in Princeton marks the third generation of her family's ownership since 1983. Under her management, the restaurant is serving 'mountain chalet.' Bennett grew up in Princeton, but spent the bulk of her professional career in Hollywood.By Sarah Connell Sanders

We discuss Andrea Riseborough's controversial Oscar nomination & recap Beyonce, Bennifer 2.0, Harry Styles, Madonna, & more at the Grammys. In the end, a game of "guess that Super Bowl commercial" with baby Sloane.By Sarah Connell Sanders

There are thousands of books to support educators, and with good reason—teaching is the noblest profession. But, in recent years, teachers are leaving the classroom in droves. SMALL TEACHING K-8 takes a unique approach to combat teacher burnout with a series of research-based practices that are low-effort and high-reward.…

Awards Season, Royals, Alec Baldwin, and *feel-good* TV.By Sarah Connell Sanders

Ms. Porter is on a different coast & we had our wires crossed. Molly & I will catch up with her very soon. In the meantime, here is a meandering overview of her life and work with honorable mentions to Falling for Christmas (ft. Lindsay Lohan), Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, The Redeem Team, Sumner Stroh, A Chorus Line, Every Little Step, & of…

Bennifer 2.0, Don't Worry Darling, Funny Girl, Abbott Elementary, Do Revenge, and wine.By Sarah Connell Sanders

Meet Julia Germaine and Jessie Heasley of Worcester's first cannabis delivery service, KindRun. KindRun’s mission is to provide convenient and seamless home delivery of cannabis products to clients across Massachusetts from a high-quality e- commerce platform. As a Social Equity, Veteran-owned and female-led business, we support a diverse and acces…

Reverend Dr. Debora Jackson is Dean of the Business School at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, a premier STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) based institution recognized for project-based education that integrates the theory and practice of management. In response to changing industry needs, Dr. Jackson seeks to promote research, coll…

Troy Kotsur and Youn Yuh-Jung stole our hearts, Will Smith and Chris Rock made our jaws drop, Timothée Chalamet and Kristen Stewart showed us some skin...this year's Oscars Ceremony was full of surprises.By Sarah Connell Sanders

The Pink Boots Society exists to ASSIST, INSPIRE, and ENCOURAGE women, beer professionals, through EDUCATION. We stopped by Redemption Rock Brewery to learn more about their 2022 Pink Boots Brew, "Spare us..."By Sarah Connell Sanders

We discuss the very sophisticated scientific experiment chronicled on Love is Blind Season 2. We also have high praise for Marlee Matlin and CODA.

Brian Flores was surprised to get a congratulatory text from Bill Belichick informing him he had landed his dream job with The Giants. There was just one problem: Bill had texted the wrong Brian. Flores hadn't even interviewed yet and The Giants had already given the position away. What follows is a class-action claim addressing racist hiring pract…

Adriana Keefe is a purpose-driven life coach based out of Central Massachusetts who specializes in helping women declutter their homes and their lives. You can learn more about her work at https://www.adrianakeefe.com/ or tune into her show “Women Who Want More” wherever you get your podcasts.By Sarah Connell Sanders & Molly O'Connor

Our favorite things to read, watch, and listen to in 2021, plus a few thoughts on Adam McKay's new Netflix release "Don't Look Up." Molly's Picks Reads: New Gawker (lol), honestly considering just cracking open a Babysitters Club book at this point in the pandemic Movies: Dune. West Side Story, Mortal Kombat Songs: Solar Power, Last Train Home Show…

Enjoy our guided tour of Worcester Historical Museum's landmark exhibit "Pretty Powerful." Listen as co-chairs Marlene Persky and Moyra Moynihan Manoog take us counter-clockwise through the gallery, along with curator Charlotte A. Haller and Director Anne Sadick. Hear the stories behind special pieces contributed by former First Lady Michelle Obama…

Patty Ann was a 17-year-old student at South High in 1984. Her two best friends are also named Patty. Patty Dansereau and Patti Weagle L’Ecuyer. Collectively, they were known as “the 3 Patties.” On a cold, rainy Wednesday night in October, Patty Ann called her mom to say she'd be late coming home from her boyfriend's house where she was playing Tri…

Worcester Fire Department gear comes under scrutiny. We referred to Diane Cotter as 'Worcester's Erin Brockovich' after reading the September 2021 feature in Men's Health centered around her activism. (Then, we found out how true that moniker has become...) Cotter walks us through her husband Paul's battle with cancer and her own fight for justice.…

Heather Bish is an educator, an advocate, and a warrior. When her sixteen-year-old sister Molly was abducted and murdered in the year 2000, her life changed forever. Heather has sought justice for over two decades, not just for her sister—for all missing persons. As a member of the Massachusetts Missing Persons Task Force, she is taking the crimina…

Our live show at the BrickBox is fast approaching on 9/30! Get your tickets here. In preparation for the big event, we met up with Managing Director Olivia Scanlon. This project is funded by the Worcester Arts Council.By Sarah Connell Sanders & Molly O'Connor

On September 30th, we will sit down with Heather Bish to reflect on the abduction of her sister, Molly Bish, which took place more than two decades ago at a Central Massachusetts pond. We are taking this opportunity very seriously and doing our homework to better understand the significant details of the case. If you feel comfortable attending, we …

White Lotus, Larry David v. Alan Dershowitz, Bennifer, & more. We're back! I missed you, Molly. xoxo -S Live show at the JMAC Brick Box on September 30th: A Conversation with Heather Bish $6 Tickets to benefit the Molly Bish FoundationBy Sarah Connell Sanders & Molly O'Connor

Worcester Arts Council supports our efforts to elevate the voices of womxn & girls in the community through podcasting. Our most recent podcast pop-up took place in Great Brook Valley at the first POW! WOW! Worcester event of the summer. Artist Stephanie Benenson of Harbor Voices was on site to oversee an art installation titled "Not Alone" that co…

SchoolHouse aims to improve both the quality and safety of K-8 education by working hand in hand with parents to create local “pods” that provide a tailored learning experience. Nevertheless, a powerful New York Times op-ed recently referred to pods as “the latest in school segregation.” Clara Totenberg Green went on to say, “At face value, learnin…

Mairéad Dickinson Connolly has always admired Ali Wong, but motherhood has given her a fresh appreciation for the critically acclaimed comedian. We discuss Mairéad's own standup career and her new role as a show producer.By Sarah Connell Sanders and Molly O'Connor

Fern L. Johnson, senior research scholar and professor emerita of English at Clark University, and Marlene G. Fine, professor emerita at Simmons University co-author Let’s Talk Race: A Guide for White People, a new book that confronts why white people struggle to talk about race, why we need to own this problem, and how we can learn to do the work …

Roller skating is more than just a pandemic pastime. We're examining Worcester's skate scene and talking about history, culture, and representation with Derek Thompson from Chez-Vous. Thank you to organizers Ellen Walsh and Ellen Benson for nurturing the local rollerskate community. And also to Naghmeh Eskandri, Penelope Angiulo, Jeanne D. Arc, and…

It is Molly's one true destiny to someday appear on Jeopardy. When we found out Worcester native Brendan Sargent was going to be on the show, we had a lot of insider questions for him. How did you study? How sensitive was the buzzer? How did your charming anecdote land at the start of the episode? Brendan has graduated from Christ the King musicals…

Avanah Sophia grew up in the Faith Assembly cult under the teaching of notorious divine healer, Hobart Freeman who aided and abetted in the deaths of nearly 100 of his followers. Avanah has gone on to become an incredible mother, respected music teacher, and revered singer song-writer in Central Mass. Avanah’s liberation came when she realized she …

Episode 99 provides an extensive overview of the Free Britney movement, Golden Globes snubs, and celebs who exchange blood vials. Also, we love The Eggroll Lady!By Sarah Connell Sanders & Molly O'Connor

Worcester native Katzie Guy-Hamilton is the author of the "Clean Enough" cookbook, co-founder of Cassata Bakery, and a Top Chef alum.By Sarah Connell Sanders & Molly O'Connor

A Village People send-off, a sea of purple coats, a pair of hand-knit mittens, and an exquisite young poet—this was an inauguration day we won't soon forget.By Sarah Connell Sanders & Molly O'Connor

Che Anderson and Amy Peterson of Food & Convo host us for a virtual tasting of Grandeza Hot Sauce. Other guests include Ricky Nelson and Travis Duda of SeltzerTime, Jesse Burlingame of the Lonely Mans Podcast, and Shaun Connolly of WOOtenanny and An Actual Alt-Weekly Podcast.By Sarah Connell Sanders & Molly O'Connor

Normal People: Based on a Sally Rooney novel. Young Irish lovers. Connell’s chain. The chemistry! The Queen’s Gambit: Anya Taylor Joy (who I also loved in Emma) is a Chess wunderkind. The coats. The friendship with her school’s custodian. That kid from Love Actually... GBBO: The Bake Off came at a much needed time. They bubbled up at the tent just …

Part 2 of our Public Hearing crossover. We discuss growth mindset, social-emotional learning, transgender rights, and the validity of SESTA (Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act). Public Hearing is a show about broken systems, the people affected by them, and how we can redesign them. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Action! by Design founder J…

Part one of two. “Public Hearing” is a show about broken systems, the people affected by them, and how we can redesign them. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Action! by Design founder Joshua Croke. Photo at www.popitworcester.com by Unity Mike.By Sarah Connell Sanders & Molly O'Connor

The story of a convicted restaurateur who tried to get a piece of Worcester’s restaurant renaissance, and failed. We all watched Kevin Perry's unraveling in real-time. Consider this a tidy summary. Thank you Masslive for your thorough local coverage. We wish you well, Stacey!By Sarah Connell Sanders & Molly O'Connor

Concierge Physical Therapy offers women's health specialists who can help with pelvic pain and dysfunction to stop you from suffering in silence. Dr. Sean Lordan & Dr. Samantha Santiago answer our questions about the USA women's gymnastics team, Kris Jenner's devotion to Poise, and the many risks of "holding it." We also recommend a critical watch …

While Robert Mueller was conducting an investigation of Russian election interference, we were busy compiling our own report: The Rosie Report. Join us as we revisit the troubled history between Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell through the years. We also discuss Aaron Sorkin's new film, "The Trial of the Chicago 7," starring Sacha Baron Cohen as Wo…

We popped in for Sunday sandwiches at deadhorse hill to speak with Abigail Rubin, an NYC pastry chef who has worked for the greats at Marea, Grammercy Tavern, Carbone, and The Dutch. Unity Mike also caught up with Abby for some stunning photos, featured on our ig: @popitworcester.By Sarah Connell Sanders & Molly O'Connor

Sara Jean Louis helped Boston-based developer The Grid to dial-in its brand identity over the last year. Sara's community engagement, spirituality, and passion for plants all shine through at The Grid's Worcester holdings, and sitting down with her is an introspective delight. Look for Sara on your next visit. If you're lucky, she might even give y…

Game designer Amanda Theinert heads up Becker's MFA program, (ranked #6 nationally among Game Design MFA programs.) She loves The Witness almost as much as she loves crystals. Plus, a little Submarine Machine remix to get you in the gamer spirit...By Sarah Connell Sanders & Molly O'Connor

May RBG's memory be a blessing. We dig into the 2020 (pand-)Emmys, which featured big wins for Schitt's Creek and Succession. Brad and Jennifer reunite for a silly/steamy table read. Top marks to Emily Ratajkowski for her long-form essay about taking control of her own image. And, a happy 30th birthday to Molly!…

We are so proud of our friend Anne Conroy, an associate at a BIG Manhattan firm. Her law review article about social media censorship was just published in a TOP 50 law review by George Mason. As Twitter and Facebook become the new town square, we consider the role of free speech as the cornerstone of our democracy. We also press Anne for her favor…

"The 19th Amendment, recognizing women the right to vote, was ratified in August of 1920. Women’s Suffrage: Worcester 2020 celebrates the progress of American women since then, recognizes historic and present-day obstacles to universal suffrage, and works to increase voter education and engagement in our city. A volunteer working group drawn from v…