Crude Conversations

In this episode, family and friends share some of their favorite memories of professional snowboarder Chris Larson. About a month ago, Larson took his own life. Without speculating on reasons why he did it, this episode focuses on the life of Larson.   If you didn’t know Larson, then the best way to understand him is that he was someone who came from a loving family, he had loyal friends and he was extremely talented, but he just had a hard time being comfortable. Maybe because he was restless, maybe because he was an old soul, like so many of his friends have said.   Thank you to Mike Dempsey for suggesting the idea for this episode. Thank you to Carrie Hambach for suggesting that Cody dig up an interview he did with Larson back in 2015 and include snippets of it in this episode. And thank you to everyone who told a story for this episode, for being brave enough to record a memory about Larson so close to his passing. Each one is a reminder that life is never just one thing. That it’s made up of all the good and the bad that people do, and together those things create every one of us.   PHOTO / Thomas Noonan

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with Cliff Groh about Alaska's economy during COVID-19. Cliff is a former Alaska Revenue Department official and longtime advocate for the Permanent Fund Dividend, and a board member of Alaska Common Ground, a non-profit that focuses on Alaska’s public policy issues.

In this episode, Cody has a conversation with Zach Carothers of Portugal. The Man. Zach grew up in Wasilla, Alaska, where he spent most of his time skateboarding, snowboarding and playing music. He started playing music in elementary school programs. Then in high school, he played for a band called The Dependable Letdowns. The next band he played for was A New Hope, which eventually changed its name to Anatomy of a Ghost. After Anatomy of a Ghost broke up, Portugal. The Man was formed in 2004. Between then and now, a lot has happened. They’ve gained band mates and lost band mates, recorded eight albums, toured the world and even won a Grammy. Zach says that the feeling of success is a carrot on a stick. That his idea of success is always changing. At first, it meant playing a show and having the crowd sing your lyrics, then it was the first time he played in a big city or traveled overseas, then it was the first time he played at a big music festival. Now, his idea of success is tied to the band’s current work with the rights of indigenous peoples, through the PTM Foundation.

In this Special Conversation, Cody catches up with Dr. Andy Elsberg for an update on where Alaska is with COVID-19. Andy is an emergency room doctor at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska.

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with David Reamer about how Alaska has historically reacted to pandemics. David is an academic and public historian based out of Anchorage, Alaska.

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with Heidi Hill about how COVID-19 is effecting Abused Women's Aid In Crisis (AWAIC) and their resources. Heidi is the Grants and Program Director at AWAIC in Anchorage, Alaska.  If you or someone you know is currently in an abusive relationship, you can call AWAIC's 24-hour crisis support hotline at (907) 272-0100.

In this episode, Cody has a conversation with professional snowboarder Louie Vito. Louie grew up in Ohio, where winter is short and there wasn’t much of a snowboard scene. So if he wanted to pursue snowboarding at a professional level, he had to travel. At that point, his dad was his mentor and his coach. He would bring Louie to events, competitions and snowboard camp. Louie eventually enrolled in Stratton Mountain School, a boarding school in Vermont that specializes in training winter sports athletes. There, he was around likeminded peers, all focused on the same goal. Today, Louie is a top tier competition rider who has expanded his professional repertoire with charities and a televised dance competition. To ensure a stable of future professional riders, snowboard companies promote amateur riders who show the most promise. That support helps boost their exposure and helps solidify their place in the industry. Louie says he never had that support as an amateur, so he had to find his own way in. He did that by proving himself, competition after competition. Forcing his name into the conversation. Looking back on it now, he’s happy it turned out that way. He’s glad he was brought up to persevere. He remembers something his dad would tell him in those moments of frustration. He said, “If you’re good enough, then they can’t ignore you.” Note: This episode was recorded before the COVID-19 quarantine.

In this episode, Cody has a conversation with musician Emma Hill. Emma is a prolific Alaska folksinger and songwriter. She released her first album when she was 19. Since then, she’s released seven full-length albums, a live album, and two EPs. The focus of her music has always been introspective, focusing on healing, recovery and more recently mental health. She says that she’s always been a heart-on-her-sleeve songwriter and that a lot of her music focuses on heartache in one form or another.   Emma’s worked as a traveling musician since 2006, so it makes sense that her live performance has evolved. When she was younger, her set was more planned—she got onstage and sang her songs. Nowadays, her performances are mostly spontaneous. As an example, she points to the Spenard Song Circle, a monthly event Emma hosts. She says that it’s more than just a concert, it’s a safe space to talk about the feelings and experiences behind songwriting.   Photo by Lauren Parker Photography

In this episode, Cody has a conversation with retired pararescueman Jimmy Settle. Jimmy details his arduous journey to becoming a pararescueman, or PJ, in his book “Never Quit.” He talks about the endless hours of training and everything it took to become a PJ. All of that training ultimately led him to a heavy firefight in the Watapur Valley in Afghanistan in 2010. He was part of a military operation called “Bulldog Bite 2 Charlie,” and while on his way to provide medical aid he was shot in the head. Fortunately, the bullet didn’t penetrate his skull. And after he received medical attention, he got back out there and continued his duties as a PJ. When Jimmy got back home from war, he felt broken. His career as a PJ had ended long before he had planned. On top of that, he was experiencing serious physical pain and PTSD. And he couldn’t find any help. As a result, he went through a period of suicidal depression and homelessness. Since then, Jimmy has found help in therapy, family and college. He says that “Life’s funny like that. You don’t always see the spot you’re gonna land when you let go of the thing you’re holding onto.”

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with Jerico Masangay about the effects COVID19 is having on high school seniors. Jerico is a senior at West High School in Anchorage, Alaska.