Across The Margin: The Podcast

In the latest episode of Across The Margin: The Podcast host Michael Shields interviews the Founder & Director of EndClimateSilence.org, Dr. Genevieve Guenther. EndClimateSilence.org is a volunteer organization dedicated to helping the media link stories about Climate-Change impacts to Climate Change itself. Mobilizing through digital activism, they are an organization motivated by the awareness that Climate Change possesses a grave danger to humanity and that an immediate transition from fossil fuels to safe energy is necessary in order to preserve a planet that supports civilization. EndClimateSilence.org recognizes that climate change has begun to hurt people, and it is the media's job to report on that fact. In this episode Michael and Dr. Guenther dive deeply into the importance and fallout surrounding the U.N Special Report on Global Warming, the abject failure of the media in correctly reporting about Climate Change, the wildfires ravaging California and how they relate to Climate Change, the Midterm

In this latest episode of Beyond The Margin, host Michael Shields interviews award-winning filmmaker, TV producer, writer and podcaster Andrew Jenks with an episode focused on his latest project WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? Andrew Jenks is a prodigious storyteller who found success early on in his career. His participatory documentary Room 355, set in an assisted living facility, was picked up by HBO when he was just 19 years old. Following that he crafted additional documentaries aiming attention on the U.S. Criminal Justice System (dream/killer), the struggles of living with HIV/AIDS (It’s Not Over), and a bevy of other extraordinary stories (The Zen of Bobby Z, All American Family, Posterized). The New York Times has remarked that Andrew’s work “shines a light on populations that many of us would just as soon forget,” and now, he is utilizing his storytelling and research-based investigative reporting prowess in the podcasting realm with WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?, a podcast where Andrew examines and contextualizes fa

To mark its 50th episode, Beyond the Margin tackles one of the most pressing concerns of modern times: Russian influence in the United States’ 2016 presidential election and its ongoing sway on the President of the United States. To accomplish this in a comprehensive manner, host Michael Shields interviews filmmaker Jack Bryan, the figure behind one of 2018’s most talked about documentaries. Bryan is the director, writer, and producer of Active Measures (Available on iTunes and Hulu now!), a documentary which exposes a 30-year history of covert political warfare devised by Vladimir Putin to disrupt, influence, and ultimately control world events and democratic nations through cyber attacks, propaganda campaigns, and corruption. Bryan’s film is an important work of storytelling that provides a rich context for Russia's interference by tracing the history of its government’s shrewd geopolitical machinations. Jack Bryan is a dynamic filmmaker, and one intent on telling a story that must be told for the sake of

In the latest episode of Across The Margin’s podcast, host Michael Shields dives into the seedy underworld of 1970’s New York City with the help of the incredibly talented actor Gary Carr, in an episode that revolves around HBO’s series The Deuce. The drama series, whose second season premieres September 9th at 9 p.m., is a show about the legalization, and subsequent rise of, the porn industry in America. Created by David Simon (The Wire, Treme, Show Me A Hero) and writer/producer George Pelecanos, The Deuce chronicles a unique period of time in America when the sex trade became mainstream and porn’s popularity exploded. This episode provides a glimpse into what lies ahead in The Deuce’s second season, while marveling at the weighty themes present in the entire series, from the ills of capitalism to the misfortunes of gentrification and to the corruptions of the justice system in America. Gary Carr is a multi-talented actor, director and musician, and he shares his insight into The Deuce and his role as C.C.

In the latest episode of Across The Margin’s podcast, host Michael Shields introduces listeners to The Realness, a podcast series exploring the life and death of the rapper Prodigy which focuses in on his lifelong battle with Sickle Cell Anemia. To gain substantive insight into all the series has to offer, this episode features an interview with one of the hosts of The Realness and executive producer of WNYC’s health unit, Mary Harris. Michael and Mary dig into Prodigy’s life story in this episode, and dissect the broader issues surrounding Sickle Cell Anemia — a condition that overwhelmingly affects black Americans and is continuously underfunded — including medical racism and institutional neglect. Prodigy  stood as half (with Havoc) of the Queensbridge rap duo Mobb Deep, one of the most celebrated rap groups in the genre’s history. He was a unique and authentic artist, and a storyteller at heart having published a memoir, a crime novel, and even a cookbook (Commissary Kitchen). Mobb Deep is best known for

In the latest episode of Across the Margin: The Podcast, host Michael Shields takes a step back from the typical format that regularly comprises the journeys Beyond The Margin, and once again digs into what it means to be a member of the Osiris Media Group. Osiris is a community of podcasts and podcasters that connects enthusiasts of the arts, culture and music with an eclectic and fascinating array of podcasts and live experiences. In Episode 43, Michael dove into the Arts, Culture and Comedy podcasts of Osiris, and to further round out Beyond The Margin's exploration of the experiences Osiris has to offer, this episode focuses in on the podcasts that are musically inclined, a bevy of offerings that celebrate jazz, indie and psychedelic rock, bluegrass, and more (and unequivocally, Osiris offers the most dynamic and compelling collection of podcasts dedicated to Phish, the Grateful Dead and Ween you will find anywhere)! Osiris Media’s specialty, its unparalleled strength, is its music podcasts, and this epi

In the latest episode of Beyond The Margin, host Michael Shields sits with down writer, editor, and film historian Christian Niedan to talk about his recently-concluded, eight part “Hollywood Interview” series published by Across The Margin. From 2009-2014 Christian ran the film interview site Camera In The Sun, and more recently he published interviews with writers, poets, photographers, comedians, and other creatives on the website of Oakland-California-based literary nonprofit, Nomadic Press, for which he also volunteered as an event coordinator for poet/music showcases around Brooklyn. In addition, Christian recently published several serialized works about film and television for the print/online culture publication At Large Magazine, all of which fashion Christian with an unparalleled wealth of knowledge about the film industry. In this episode, the unique Hollywood artists who are the subjects of Christian’s interviews are discussed (L.Q. Jones, Hampton Fancher, Alison Martino, William Lustig, Penelope

In the latest episode of Across The Margin’s podcast, host Michael Shields, with the help of recurring guest George Guidotti, explores the recently released memoir of the late, great John Perry Barlow. As exhibited by his memoir, Mother America Night: My Life In Crazy Times, John Perry Barlow was an extraordinary human, who throughout his remarkable life was entirely and wonderfully multifaceted. He was a poet and essayist, a cattle rancher, a political activist, a freedom fighter who championed an independent internet, a lyricist for the Grateful Dead, and a founding member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Freedom of the Press Foundation. There are few individuals in the last fifty years whose life has been at the center of so many cultural and political touchstones as Barlow has, and Mother America Night, and thus this episode, acts as a window into the life of a steadfast American icon. In this episode, Michael and George delve into Mother America Night, which will forever stand as an essenti

Simply put, John Gosslee is an author, poet, and editor. But with his prodigious and ever-expanding presence in the literary world, we here at Across The Margin believe such an elementary definition of Gosslee will not suffice. With this in mind, we felt the need to get to know more about such a unique and ambitious artist. In order to dig down to the root of the question regarding who exactly John Gosslee is, it was imperative to get a first hand account of the various projects he helms, the books he has written, and the myriad of ventures he has embarked upon. In this latest episode of Beyond the Margin, we take a journey into the mind of a true original and an all around literary citizen. This is an episode where Gosslee’s early days birthing the renowned literary magazine Fjords Review are recalled, his time at Pank Magazine (“the riskiest magazine on the literary scene”) is discussed, and where we delve into all his work with C and R Press and take a look at his recent tenure as the Editor In Chief of t

In the latest episode of Across the Margin: The Podcast, host Michael Shields takes a step back from the typical format that regularly comprises the journeys Beyond The Margin, and digs into what it means to be a member of the Osiris Media Group. Osiris is a community of podcasts and podcasters that connects enthusiasts of the arts, culture and music with an eclectic and fascinating array of podcasts and live experiences. In an episode that features three interviews with a trio of seasoned, knowledgeable podcasters, Michael delves into the Osiris podcasts that are not musically focused (an episode dedicated to the music of Osiris is forthcoming!). First up, is an interview with Bob Crawford, co-host of the The Road To Now. The Road to Now explains the history behind important events and outstanding individuals of modern times. Created in 2016 by Dr. Benjamin Sawyer of Middle Tennessee State University and Bob Crawford, a founding member of the Grammy-nominated band The Avett Brothers, The Road to Now has brou

In this most recent installment of Beyond the Margin, the stories that are born amid the lines that humans have used to divvy up the planet are explored. In an discussion centered on Borders, a Vox series which examines the human stories behind physical and political borders, one of the most important episodes of Beyond The Margin is birthed. In order to dig deeply into the stories told in Borders, host Michael Shields enlisted the help of the storyteller behind the series, Johnny Harris. Johnny is an Emmy-nominated journalist and filmmaker based in Washington, DC, where he makes web videos for Vox.com, reporting on interesting trends and stories both domestically and around the globe. Johnny's visual style blends motion graphics with cinematic videography to create content that explains complex issues in relatable ways. Throughout their discussion, Michael and Johnny discuss the origin of Borders and then promptly embark on a journey around the globe — from Haiti to Japan, Norway to Guatemala and to Nepal a

Beyond the Margin explores the making of and significance of two hip-hop related productions, Word is Bond and Rapture (Mass Appeal Productions), with an interview with director and hip-hop icon Sacha Jenkins and director/producer Ben Selkow. In an episode taped in the recording studio at Mass Appeal's offices in lower Manhattan, host Michael Shields had the opportunity to discuss with Sacha and Ben the soon to be released eight-episode Netflix series Rapture. The must-see series is an inside and deeply personal look into the lives and careers of a bevy of hip-hops’ brightest shining stars such as Nas, 2 Chainz, Just Blaze, and Logic, to name a few. Following a discussion about Rapture, Sacha guides listeners into the intricacies of Word is Bond, a documentary he directed that doubles as a love letter to hip-hop lyricism. It’s a film that takes aim at a specific aspect of hip-hop culture, keying in on the poetry that has continuously and purposefully glided over beats as hip-hop music exploded into the mainst

In its latest podcast, Across the Margin welcomes George Guidotti, returning for his third trip Beyond the Margin. In a previous episode, George helped host Michael Shields critically dissect author G. Edward Griffin’s weighty novel, The Creature from Jekyll Island, which promotes undisclosed theories about the motives behind the creation of the United States’ Federal Reserve System. Following that, George and Michael came together for an episode in which they dove deeply into Sebastian Junger’s novel Tribe: On Homecoming & Belonging, a book that examines humanity’s innate attraction to tribal societies and explains why we are stronger when we come together, and how that can be achieved in today’s divided world. Now, they are back with another book-centric episode, this time exploring writer Joseph Campbell’s deeply insightful and affecting book The Power of Myth. The Power of Myth deals with the universality and evolution of myths in the history of the human race and the place of myths in modern society, an

In the latest episode of Across the Margin’s podcast, prolific science-fiction author Philip K. Dick’s work is celebrated via a discussion centered on the exciting new anthology series now streaming on Amazon titled Electric Dreams. Electric Dreams is a series based on the writings of Philip K. Dick, and in order to fully discern all the splendor Electric Dreams has to offer, Beyond the Margin host Michael Shields enlisted the help of one of the executive producers and writers of the series (as well as The Man In The High Castle), Kalen Egan. More than just one of the creative minds involved in bringing Electric Dreams to life, Kalen also works with Electric Shepherd Productions, a production company that works in partnership with Philip K. Dick’s daughter, Isa Dick Hackett, and is dedicated to stewarding and adapting Dick’s vast catalog for television and film projects. In this podcast, Michael and Kalen discuss the lengthy process and intricacies behind the spawning of Electric Dreams, as well as the exte

In the latest episode of Across the Margin’s podcast, award-winning poet, author and teacher Rodger Kamenetz ventures Beyond the Margin to discuss a subject he has devoted his entire life to, dreams. Kamenetz, a prolific and bestselling author of ten books, is best known for The Jew in the Lotus, which follows the story of rabbis making a holy pilgrimage through India to meet with the Dalai Lama. His account of their historic dialogue became an international bestseller, prompting a reevaluation of Judaism in the light of Buddhist thought. But of all of Kamenetz's works, the one that drew in Beyond the Margin host Michael Shields was The History of Last Night's Dream, a novel that delves into a mysterious inner realm and suggests the idea that dreams are not only intensely meaningful, but hold essential truths about who we are. When The History of Last Night's Dream was released in 2007, Oprah Winfrey interviewed Kamenetz on her "Soul Series" program, professing, "What's so exciting about this book is that it

In this latest episode of Beyond the Margin, we welcome into the studio author, poet, and award-winning actor and playwright A.B. Lugo to discuss his latest release Spanish Coffee: Black, No Sugar (LCG Press, 2017). Joining in on the podcast are Jonathan Marcantoni, publisher and co-founder of LCG Press, who edited and published Lugo’s latest book, as well as author Patrick Dalton — fashioning the podcast as an author’s roundtable centering on A.B.’s deeply engaging and affecting book. Digging deep into the origins of Spanish Coffee, we learn that A.B.'s book was composed amid an extremely trying time for the author. Deciding to confront the deaths of his parents only months apart from each other, A.B., to cope with his grief, dedicated himself to writing a poem for each week of 2016, his first year without his parents. From birthdays, holidays and anniversaries, to the waves of social strife, upheaval and tragedy affecting the world, A.B. recounts his thoughts and feelings throughout the year, and what is b

In this episode of Beyond the Margin, host Michael Shields welcomes in studio Katherine MacLean, a research psychologist with expertise in studying psychedelics and meditation. Katherine is the founding director of the Psychedelic Program of New York where she leads trainings in psychedelic harm reduction. A true and passionate psychedelic ambassador, Katherine has worked with MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies), The Center for Optimal Living, and the Brooklyn Psychedelic Society in order to further psychedelic research and offer patients a safe place to receive treatment and education. Her Ted Talk entitled “Open Wide and Say Awe” details the ways in which psychedelics allow for deeply enriching experiences with long lasting improvements in well-being, greater confidence in making life changes, and reductions in psychedelic distress, and . In the podcast Michael and Katherine discuss Katherine’s extensive research background and experiences with psychedelics, the reasons for, and ben

In its latest podcast, Across the Margin welcomes back in studio George Guidotti, a seasoned and enlightened software executive and sage mind. In the previous episode featuring George, he and Beyond the Margin’s host Michael Shields critically dissected author G. Edward Griffin’s weighty novel, The Creature from Jekyll Island, which promotes undisclosed theories about the motives behind the creation of the Federal Reserve System. Once again using an enlightening book as the source material for the podcast, in this episode George and Michael delve deeply into Sebastian Junger’s Tribe: On Homecoming & Belonging which is a book that examines human's innate attraction to tribal society and explains why we are stronger when we come together, and how that can be achieved in today’s divided world. Expounding about the depth of knowledge that can be found within Tribe, this podcast features discussions about the benefits of close-knit communities, the ability within humans to thrive amid hardships and during tragedi

In this episode host Michael Shields conducts an interview with author Trevor James Zaple to delve into the latest release from ATM Publishing, Interstitial Burn-Boy Blues. Illuminating listeners as to the unique, but strangely familiar, world of Trevor’s novel, and elaborating on the propulsive plot and the extraordinary characters to be found within, this episode of Beyond the Margin acts as a primer for those curious about the wild, thought-provoking ride that is Trevor’s latest release. Throughout the podcast, Michael and Trevor discuss the various inspirations behind Interstitial Burn-Boy Blues, which range from Bruce Springsteen, Aristotle, and authors John Steinbeck and Margaret Atwood, and they also unpack some of the weightier themes present in the novelette, from income inequality and American restlessness, to vigilante justice, climate change and beyond. Dive deep, as Beyond the Margin takes you on a journey through the impending American West, a land crippled by war and environmental ruin, in an e

In the latest episode of Beyond the Margin, host Michael Shields welcomes back to the studio Across the Margin’s own GoT Guru, Geoffrey Golia, as well as writer and Thrones buff Krissy Trujillo. This trio, ATM’s GoT squad, once again, digs deeply into all things Game of Thrones in the wake of Season 7’s tension-filled finale. Back due to popular demand following Beyond the Margin’s GoT-themed Episode 32, which prepped viewers for the commencement of the 7th season, this latest episode recaps the season and explores some of the more dramatic and jaw-dropping developments in Westeros. In this episode, Michael, Geoffrey, and Krissy provide a shared insight into the world of Game of Thrones and discuss the deeper and underlying meanings of the events that transpired now that Winter has finally arrived. The GoT squad put forth their thoughts, predictions, and hopes for the next (and final) season, as well as addressing the abundance of critiques and grievances that the seventh season of Game of Thrones was wrough