Best tjsnodgrass5 Podcasts (2025)

1
Pigs on the Wing 15:37

Play Pause

3d ago15:37

15:37

On December 3rd, 1976, a 30-foot pig flew over England, disrupting air traffic and scaring the manure out of a rancher's cattle. In this special anniversary episode, we'll share the timeless tale of the photo-shoot for the Pink Floyd Animals album cover. And we'll consider what it may have to do with Orwell's novel Animal Farm, and whether that boo…

1
A Big Black Cloud Over Ohio (A Haunted Road-Trip to Witness Nick Cave) 13:50

25d ago13:50

13:50

The absolutely true story of a journey to witness Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds in concert, with some silly and supernatural surprises. This doesn't contain any music samples, but refers to "Jubilee Street" (I recommend the Copenhagen live version), "Tupelo," "Wild God," "Conversion" and "Into My Arms."By j. SNODGRASS

1
Circe in the Odyssey (Halloween Special) 15:44

2M ago15:44

15:44

In this "Season of the Witch" we'll be looking at the ancient myth of Circe, the Sorceress in The Odyssey. This Enchantress is dangerous (especially to chauvinist pigs) but also a savior who instructs Odysseus and his men about how to face the perils ahead. Times of terror can be times of transformation, sometimes for the better.…

1
The Sirens' Song 18:59

2M ago18:59

18:59

A Heart concert got me thinking about Odysseus and the Sirens. And I wondered - what might the Sirens be saying if they were singing today? (A Band Called Heart 0:00-3:00 / The Odyssey 3:00-11:00 / The Sirens Today? 11:00-13:30 / The Heart Concert 13:30-18:30)By j. SNODGRASS

1
Creeps! 15:48

3M ago15:48

15:48

In this Controversial Episode, we'll explore Biblical Bugs, and Creepy-Crawlies of Egyptian, Chinese and Greek Mythology. Plus some personal recollections of that time I got stranded in the middle of the great Cincinnati Cicada Awakening of 1987.By j. SNODGRASS

1
The Raven, the Fox, and the Rich Fool 15:13

4M ago15:13

15:13

How is a Raven like a Role-Model? In stories Jesus told, rich men come to bad ends, and apparently the fox and the raven know something we don't know about the divine plan. Regardless of heaven and hell, what might these parables tell us about life on earth?By j. SNODGRASS

1
The Fluid Edge 13:50

5M ago13:50

13:50

All life on Earth is linked by water – every human, plant, and animal in the past, present, and future. That's a lot to think about when someone pees in the pool. Water is life, water can be death, and it shows up in the strangest places...By j. SNODGRASS

1
Power 18:02

5M ago18:02

18:02

Bacteria, billionaires and blockbuster action stars of the 80s – all are forms of power. In this episode, we await the most powerful being of all, the electrician, whose 5-minute appointment can eat an entire day from 8 to 4. But it gives plenty of time to wonder: what is "power?"By j. SNODGRASS

1
The Trojan War and Euripides' Helen (Sample Chapters of WELCOME TO TRAGEDY) 17:39

6M ago17:39

17:39

I wrote a little book, Welcome to Tragedy: A Beginner's Guide to Greek Drama, with brief introductions to all of the surviving scripts by Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides (plus three comedies by Aristophanes). I was fascinated by the variety of Greek drama, ranging beyond familiar definitions of "Tragedy." One script that really sticks out is Eur…

1
Bonfire 20:15

6M ago20:15

20:15

Fire is like this pet we've been trying to adopt and domesticate for half a million years. But at heart, all fire is wildfire. In this episode, we'll be looking at some classic fire stories from Indigenous Americans, Ancient Greeks, and the Lethal Weapon film series.By j. SNODGRASS

1
Leviathan 15:23

7M ago15:23

15:23

One of the great mysteries of all Biblical Scripture is God's great battle with a sea-monster called Leviathan. Why did God have to mud-wrestle this beast? Was it killed and left out for the ravens, or is it still at large? And how might the grudge-match live on in modern courtrooms and classrooms?By j. SNODGRASS

1
MayDay and the Mysterious Robin GoodFellow Hood 16:47

8M ago16:47

16:47

Was Robin Hood really a Medieval Knight, or was he some kind of Goat-legged trickster? And what did he have to do with Pagan Pole-dancing? [Note: This live recording has some microphone buzz, but it basically came out alright]By j. SNODGRASS

1
Easter Bunny Special 12:16

8M ago12:16

12:16

In a candid moment, the Easter Bunny shares some personal recollections and ponders the... Well, you'll see. Or, in this case, hear.By j. SNODGRASS

1
The Minotaur 14:48

8M ago14:48

14:48

For some, the word "Labyrinth" conjures ancient visions of David Bowie with tight pants and puppets. The ancient Labyrinth was the lair of the man-eating Minotaur. We'll explore the myth of this monster, and the princess who masterminded its demise.By j. SNODGRASS

1
Raised by Wolves 13:36

8M ago13:36

13:36

Adopting a new dog (a dingo-corgi) raises fascinating questions about the long history of human-canine cooperation. And there's this Gospel story where Jesus calls someone's daughter a dog - what's up with that?By j. SNODGRASS

1
Lock, Livestock & Barrel 12:23

9M ago12:23

12:23

Abraham is remembered as a "good shepherd" - but did his sheep feel this way? In this episode, we'll explore how livestock herding has helped to shape human history. Alert: this episode does contain references to Biblical animal cruelty.By j. SNODGRASS

1
The Carolina-dog (A Free Sample Chapter of "Chaos Chaos") 13:41

9M ago13:41

13:41

Piling chili and coleslaw onto a hotdog sure is food for thought, inspiring questions like "what is 'food'?" And "if you are what you eat - what am I?" This is a sample chapter of the book "Chaos Chaos," a collection of comical personal recollections, silly bits of history, and some idiotic ponderings about what it means to be human.…

1
Naysayers 16:42

10M ago16:42

16:42

How did a donkey become the only animal prophet in the Bible? And how did horses change the lives of Indigenous Americans of the Great Plains?By j. SNODGRASS

1
Hibernating 18:18

10M ago18:18

18:18

A bear visits our campsite at Allegany State Park. Michael nearly learns a valuable lesson. A Biblical prophet's baldness summons the ursine species into existence. And we learn what happens when a bear refuses to dance like a chicken.By j. SNODGRASS

1
Groundhog Day Special 9:05

10M ago9:05

9:05

What's the Lifespan of your Average Magical Groundhog? Why is his February message so important? And how does Groundhog Day relate to Ancient Systems of Spring Predictions?By j. SNODGRASS

1
"Great Snakes!" 16:50

11M ago16:50

16:50

A Comical Glance at the Talking Serpent of Eden, Snake-Handling Churches, and some of the Silliest Snake-stories of the Bible. Plus: Before the Garden of Eden story got so famous (and poisonous) - what did the locals of Israel actually like about Women, Snakes and Trees?By j. SNODGRASS

1
Here Be Dragons 16:03

11M ago16:03

16:03

Watching the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings with my Kids I wonder - What's Humanity's great Fascination with Dragons? Where does the word come from, and what kind of Dragon-lore (good, bad, and ugly) might we find in Greek, Mayan and Chinese Mythology? And what might our long Multicultural Love-Hate Relationship with Scary Reptiles have to tell us ab…

1
Everything All of the Time 14:37

11M ago14:37

14:37

How did the Human Species Survive in the Chaos of the Jungle?By j. SNODGRASS

1
For the Birds 19:30

11M ago19:30

19:30

How did a Native American Raven bring light to the world? What happened to the Cratchit family goose in A Christmas Carol? And why did two Turtledoves have to die when Jesus was born?By tjsnodgrass5

1
Your Smiling Face 16:35

11M ago16:35

16:35

In this very special episode, the featured creature is James Taylor (or, more specifically, his eyebrows).By tjsnodgrass5

1
Two By Two 18:40

11M ago18:40

18:40

What's the first thing Noah did when the Ark landed? Can elephant sounds be translated into English? And why do I have to live in an artificial primate habitat?By tjsnodgrass5

1
Fish Story 19:03

11M ago19:03

19:03

Why does James Bond look so silly under water? Was Jonah swallowed by a fish or a whale? And how big can a fish story get?By tjsnodgrass5

1
Holy Cow 19:03

11M ago19:03

19:03

If you and I buy milk from the same grocery story, and it comes from the same cow - does that make us siblings? What's the difference between a Sacred Cow and a Golden Calf? And how could a cow have resolved the cosmic conflicts in Viking Mythology?By tjsnodgrass5

1
Rabbit on the Moon 19:00

11M ago19:00

19:00

Why is the Easter Bunny male? And how does he lay eggs? The ancient Aztecs and Chinese agree there's a rabbit on the moon. How did it get there? And how do all these rabbits survive on the streets of Buffalo?By tjsnodgrass5

Tjsnodgrass5 Podcasts

1
Animal Magic

j. SNODGRASS

1
Pigs on the Wing 15:37

1
A Big Black Cloud Over Ohio (A Haunted Road-Trip to Witness Nick Cave) 13:50

1
Circe in the Odyssey (Halloween Special) 15:44

1
The Sirens' Song 18:59

1
Creeps! 15:48

1
The Raven, the Fox, and the Rich Fool 15:13

1
The Fluid Edge 13:50

1
Power 18:02

1
The Trojan War and Euripides' Helen (Sample Chapters of WELCOME TO TRAGEDY) 17:39

1
Bonfire 20:15

1
Leviathan 15:23

1
MayDay and the Mysterious Robin GoodFellow Hood 16:47

1
Easter Bunny Special 12:16

1
The Minotaur 14:48

1
Raised by Wolves 13:36

1
Lock, Livestock & Barrel 12:23

1
The Carolina-dog (A Free Sample Chapter of "Chaos Chaos") 13:41

1
Naysayers 16:42

1
Hibernating 18:18

1
Groundhog Day Special 9:05

1
"Great Snakes!" 16:50

1
Here Be Dragons 16:03

1
Everything All of the Time 14:37

1
For the Birds 19:30

1
Your Smiling Face 16:35

1
Two By Two 18:40

1
Fish Story 19:03

1
Holy Cow 19:03

1
Rabbit on the Moon 19:00