Podcast archive, 2018
The Muni Diaries Podcast features stories told at Muni Diaries Live, as well as stories recorded in-studio for our spinoff project, San Francisco Diaries. Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss an episode.
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Ep. 68: BFF.FM radio hosts brought Herb Caen to Market Street
Rollover Easy hosts Luke and Chris share how their mutual love for Herb Caen led to an installation on Market Street. With little construction experience, these two San Franciscans were determined to make Herb Caen come alive to fellow pedestrians.
Ep. 66: San Francisco Diaries: trapped under Civic Center with an active shooter overhead
Louis Evans shares a story of one seemingly uneventful day when he was leaving the underground parking lot at Civic Center, only to learn there was an active shooter situation above ground.
Ep. 65: Nothing but “Love in the Lower Haight”
Thea Selby has lived in the Lower Haight (or “Hayes Valley” depending on who you talk to) since 1999. She’s also a tireless advocate for the art and artists that has defined her neighborhood for decades.
Ep. 64: Meeting Joan Didion in San Francisco right after 9/11
How do you go from humble grad school student to being on stage with one of America’s literary icons, all in a matter of days—especially when those days are ones following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001? Storyteller Judson True shares the tale.
Ep. 63: Molly Martin explores international relations on the 14-Mission
It wouldn’t be a cross-town Muni line if manspreading, drinking, and impromptu history lessons didn’t factor in somewhere, right? Today’s storyteller, Molly Martin, is a tradeswoman and longtime Bay Area resident who takes us back to simpler, but familiar times on the 14-Mission.
Ep. 62: Gwen Carmen pursues citizen justice on Muni
Gwen Carmen is a survivor: She’s taught middle school and beaten cancer. So you know she wasn’t going to let a creeper on the bus get off easy.
Ep. 61: Jeremy Fish and the heist of the Silly Pink Bunny
Jeremy joined us on the podcast to tell the story, in his own words, of the bunny’s evolution from a goofy pink (and occasionally peed-on) neighborhood fixture to the revered bronze bunny sculpture it is today.
Ep. 60: Nato Green on being raised on Pride in San Francisco
Nato is on the podcast today with a story that takes us back to the early-1990s in San Francisco, when the city was still hitting its progressive stride.
Ep. 59: Peter Hartlaub and Heather Knight: 2 reporters, 1 transit system, 60 Muni lines…in 1 day
No one’s can-do spirit (and tolerance for municipal mishaps) is stronger than that of tenacious journalists. Enter San Francisco Chronicle reporters Heather Knight and Peter Hartlaub with a not-so-simple goal: riding all of the Muni lines in one day. They called it, appropriately, #TotalMuni2018.
Ep. 58: Reporter Vivian Ho on the ONE thing you shouldn’t do on BART
It starts something like this: “If you miss BART during the strike, this might make you miss it a bit less: A man accused of trying to make love to a train seat was acquitted of felony indecent exposure and released from San Francisco jail Monday.”
Ep. 57: Senait Hailemariam on being 21 on Muni
Storyteller Senait Hailemariam uses her time on the K/T train to tell her mom about her life as a twenty-something: it’s the only form of therapy she can afford, she says. One day, she encounters a kind stranger who had a surprising reaction upon hearing Senait’s phone conversation.
Ep. 56: SF Chief Attorney Matt Gonzalez on keeping one eye open on Muni
San Francisco chief attorney Matt Gonzalez takes us back to the 2003 mayoral election—in which he was neck-and-neck with current Lt. Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. He shared why riding the bus as a politician in a highly contested race means always keeping one eye open.
Ep. 55: Who IS the Polk Street Pizza Lady?
Andrea Carla Michaels says that she had never done anything two days in a row, until a light-bulb moment and sense of commitment to her neighborhood changed her mind. Two years ago, she found her calling as “Pizza Lady,” which takes her, daily, through the alleys off Lower Polk Street.
Ep. 54: Comedian Dominique Gelin on the best pickup line on public transit
Comedian Dominique Gelin has given every sign on public transit to say, “Go Away.” She’s sat in the most strategic seat to avoid strangers, avoided eye contact, and yet, it doesn’t always work. In this episode, Dom walks us through how one crucial mistake led to her meeting a smug pickup artist on Muni.
Ep. 53: The transformation of a super tiny San Francisco apartment
Architect and longtime SF resident Bob Collins recalls a period of transformation (for himself and the unit) in a teeny space. In the process, he realized why San Francisco was home.
Ep. 52: Alexandria Love’s not-quite love story with a transit twist
Oakland native Alexandria Love is on the podcast today with her personal, cringe-worthy story from that time in her life, which comes with a bonus transit twist.
Ep. 51: Anna Pulley on taking a date to a fertility party
Love comes in all forms, and in San Francisco, you’ll encounter love and relationship rituals you never imagined possible. For example (and what an example), writer Anna Pulley shares a story about a fertility party she covered as a reporter. This may also be why she’s not allowed to plan dates anymore!
Ep. 50: My San Francisco pigeon housemates
When you’re 22 and end up in San Francisco alone, you do what anyone would do: Go wild and make age-22 type of mistakes. So how do you know when you’re ready to get out of the spiral? Reporter Vivian Ho shares her tale.
Ep. 49: Steve Pepple advocates for the BMW experience in San Francisco
Storyteller Steve Pepple reminds us that a passion for the shared experience of public transportation can start even in the most unlikely places.
Ep. 48: Talking to strangers on Muni isn’t always a bad idea
Always terrible with his sense of direction, comedian Tirumari Jothi takes the K instead of the M, and suddenly finds himself at Balboa Park station at 1 a.m.
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