Statesman Shots

Well, it’s goodbye to all of that, dear listeners. After three and a half years doing “Statesman Shots,” Omar and I, Tolly, are saying farewell. BUT! That’s only because we’ve got something new — that other podcast we’ve been telling you about — waiting in the wings. So today, we squeeze our beloved “Shots” goodbye, and say … Continue reading "Statesman Shots Finale: Goodbye, and hello"

A few months ago, we told you we’d let you know when we were ready to announce our new podcast, the one that will succeed “Statesman Shots.” Welp, folks, that time has come. The new show is called “I Love You So Much: The Austin360 Podcast” (or ILYSM for short) and here’s a teaser for … Continue reading "Our new podcast: ‘I Love You So Much’"

Did ya miss us? It’s true: we’ve been on a little break for a while. But not without a reason. In today’s episode, Statesman food writer Addie Broyles joins Omar and Tolly to discuss why we’ve been so hush-hush…and to help us make a special (happy) announcement! In our first segment, we talk about new … Continue reading "Statesman Shots Ep. 143: Well hi, y’all"

How’s your South by Southwest going? We conclude our week of “Statesman Shots” dispatches from SXSW with a take from Tolly Moseley and Addie Broyles on some technology at the Expo Hall that maybe says more about society and its treatment of gender than its creators from Japan (Panasonic, specifically) were intending. Check out the … Continue reading "Statesman Shots @ SXSW 2017 #5: Should we be offended by appearance-coaching tech?"

Yo, you can surf in downtown Austin right now. What’s happening? “Animal Kingdom” (TNT’s new show about a crime family clan in Southern California) and its stars have set up shop on the corner of Congress and Fourth Street, where you may remember the “Mr. Robot” Ferris wheel from last year’s South By. So it IS … Continue reading "Statesman Shots @ SXSW 2017 #4: Downtown surfing and the cast of “Animal Kingdom”"

Joe Biden. James Comey (cancelled but not forgotten). Cory Booker. Jessica Shortall. These are just a few of the South by Southwest speakers scheduled that have made headlines leading up to it. It sure seems like a lot of SXSW is political this year. But is that a good or a bad thing? Instead of … Continue reading "Statesman Shots @ 2017 SXSW #3: Do politics belong at South by Southwest?"

There was no chicken, but plenty of curly fries when we visited the Los Pollos Hermanos activation downtown to celebrate the return of AMC’s “Better Call Saul” (itself a prequel to “Breaking Bad,” where the character Gus Fring’s chicken restaurant was a key location. In this audio dispatch, Omar and Tolly talk about why this … Continue reading "Statesman Shots @ 2017 SXSW #2: Los Pollos Hermanos and other TV activations"

Two and a half years ago, Jeff Wilson, aka “Professor Dumpster,” decided to make a radical lifestyle shift: he would move into a dumpster. A professor of environmental science at Huston-Tillotson, he resided in said dumpster for an entire year. Now, he’s launched a whole company around that idea: Kasita. Starting today, you can buy … Continue reading "Statesman Shots @ 2017 SXSW #1: Kasita’s Tiny House"

On the show this week: It’s SOUTH BY, peeps. What are you doing? What Internet famous pets are you selfie-ing? We got you. Big programming themes (politics), the evolution of the festival into a culture conference, and interesting pop-up offshoots (Twin Peaks!). Also: SXSW speakers like Marie Kondo, Cheryl Strayed, and Garth Brooks ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ plus festival immigration issues and soooo much … Continue reading "Statesman Shots #142: Our Super SXSW 2017 Preview Special!"

On the show this week: Kevin Curtin’s story on Red River clubs and homelessness in Austin Chronicle, “Red River Clubs Grapple With Downtown Homelessness” prompts a frank discussion with Statesman’s Deborah Sengupta Stith with her response to the story. Also, how to plan for SXSW and not make yourself crazy. Yeti’s brand new activation: how a cooler company … Continue reading "Statesman Shots #141: Deborah Sengupta Stith on Red River and Austin’s homeless; the rise of Yeti"

On the show this week: Austin restaurant critic Matthew Odam, his big review of Eberly, Austin’s “golden age” of restaurants (and if it’s about to end), Melissa McCarthy and the politics of SNL, who are enjoying the best ratings they’ve had in 22 years, the Twitter feed of photographer Chris Arnade (linked below), “Legion,” the new FX … Continue reading "Statesman Shots #140: Matthew Odam on Eberly and Austin’s evolving restaurant scene"

On the show this week: Alyssa Vidales, our producer(!), on cosplay culture, cosplay and gender, PAX (Penny Arcade Expo) 2107, game consoles that let you feel things, like the Nintendo Switch, social gaming, how to insulate yourself from every day’s crazy news, Fresh Air’s “What Does Putin Want?” episode, “A Prairie Home Companion” with Chris Thile (not Garrison … Continue reading "Statesman Shots #139: Alyssa Vidales on cosplay, PAX 2017 and the Nintendo Switch"

It’s time to immerse ourselves in all the movies a lot of haven’t seen (but want to) as the Academy Awards approach! Our favorite movie expert Joe Gross joins us to weigh in on each of the Best Picture nominees, from “La La Land” to “Moonlight” to every other non-frontrunner. We also talk about the … Continue reading "Statesman Shots #138: Joe Gross on 2017’s Oscar nominees"

On the show this week: Sharon Mays, owner of Baby Greens, on shutting her business down then bringing it back, why she opened a salad drive-thru, what it was like running for Austin City Council both as a native and as a woman, best drive-thru’s in Austin, the ones that could use a little improvement, Omar … Continue reading "Statesman Shots #137: Sharon Mays on bringing back Baby Greens and finding joy"

On the show this week: Kelly Krause, programming manager for SXSW, on Marie Kondo-ing her life, how she became a konvert, the new minimalism, what Marie will be talking about at SXSW 2017, things you should “kondo or keep,” Eric Webb, the New Year’s word, Poshmark to sell your clothes, Fresa’s rice crispy treat ice … Continue reading "Statesman Shots #136: Kelly Krause on Marie Kondo’ing your life"

Remember Dago and Nicole from Episode 94 last year? The charming hosts of Austin’s Breakfast for Dinner Podcast invited us (Omar and Tolly) to their show and you can hear the nearly two-hour conversation over on their site or wherever you get your podcasts in Episode 156 of their show, “Brisket Breakfast Taco.” We talked … Continue reading "Shots on Breakfast for Dinner Podcast: an excerpt"

On the show this week: TOLLY’S PARENTS, Tom and Christi Moseley, what it’s like to live in Austin, leave, and return 30 years later, Austin in the 80s, going to school while raising a toddler, bucket list suggestions for Austin in 2016, the holiday trees on 360, the first season of “Westworld,” the holiday light show at … Continue reading "Statesman Shots #135: Tom and Christi Moseley on returning to Austin three decades later"

On the show this week: Sister Temperance Tarot, the art of tarot reading, why Sister Temperance (our dear friend, Angeliska Polachek) came out of the “broom closet,” what the tarot deck actually means, Dolly Parton and why to see legends while they’re still alive, Statesman food writer Addie Broyles, holiday cooking inspo, Stanley Roy’s and Rebecca Havemeyer’s … Continue reading "Statesman Shots #134: Sister Temperance on tarot and psychics; Addie Broyles on holiday cooking inspo"

On the show this week: How a 1964 AMC Rambler named Elizabeth drove Austin’s comedy scene to the 21st century, ’90s Austin, old car stories, Carrying Hope, a local nonprofit that helps kids in the foster care system, what it’s like being a foster parent in central Texas, the Hamilton Mixtape, “Before the Flood,” the climate change documentary … Continue reading "Statesman Shots #133: Carrying Hope and Phil Jankowski on an AMC Rambler and ’90s Austin comedy"

On the show this week: “Doper Than Dope,” the local, live, ’90s-inspired comedy show from writer/director Adrienne Dawes, comedian (and reformed Topo Chico imbiber) Maggie Maye, who stars in the show, “In Living Color” and “House of Buggin,” fly girls, our collective affection for John Leguizamo, what podcasts we’re listening to right now, “Fleabag” from Phoebe … Continue reading "Statesman Shots #132: Adrienne Dawes and Maggie Maye on ‘Doper Than Dope’"