The Moth Wants Your Story!

Summary

All Of It: The Moth Wants Your Story! — Detailed Summary

Released on January 27, 2025, "All Of It" hosted by Alison Stewart on WNYC, delves into the vibrant collaboration between WNYC and The Moth, a renowned storytelling organization. This episode, titled "The Moth Wants Your Story!", explores the essence of storytelling in New York City, highlights upcoming events, and features heartfelt "Only in New York" stories from listeners.

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1. Introduction and Special Event Announcement

Alison Stewart kicks off the episode by introducing The Moth's longstanding relationship with WNYC. She announces a special collaborative event titled "Only in New York", set to celebrate WNYC's centennial. Scheduled for March 14th at the NYU Skirball Center, the event will feature five storytellers, each representing one of New York City's five boroughs, accompanied by musical performances.

Key Quote:

Alison Stewart [00:37]: "We are cooking up a special collaborative event titled Only in New York. In honor of WNYC Centennial, the Moth will present a special main stage featuring five storytellers, one from each of the five boroughs."

2. Call for Listener Stories

Alison urges listeners to participate by sharing their unique New York stories. She emphasizes the importance of stories from individuals who contribute to the city's daily operations, such as bus drivers, ferry operators, and sanitation workers. The goal is to collect authentic "Only in New York" narratives that encapsulate the city's dynamic spirit.

Key Quote:

Alison Stewart [01:19]: "The Moth is still selecting stories for this event, so call in for a chance to tell your story on the Moth."

3. Conversation with Sarah Austin Janess

Sarah Austin Janess, the Executive Producer of The Moth, joins the conversation to provide deeper insights into the storytelling process and the upcoming event.

a. The Moth's History

Sarah recounts the humble beginnings of The Moth, founded by George Green in 1997. Initially a group of friends sharing personal stories on a porch, The Moth has evolved into a global storytelling phenomenon.

Key Quote:

Sarah Austin Janess [04:42]: "George Green grew up on St. Simon's island, and he would gather with his friends on Wanda's porch, and they would tell true personal stories into the night."

b. Story Selection Process

She explains that The Moth hosts around 600 live events annually worldwide, meticulously recording and selecting stories that are fresh, surprising, and relevant to contemporary issues. The selection aims to challenge dominant narratives and encourage listeners to reflect on their beliefs.

Key Quote:

Sarah Austin Janess [04:58]: "We choose the stories that are fresh, that are surprising, that are speaking to our time now and in a lot of ways, to current events."

c. Elements of a Good Story

Sarah emphasizes that compelling stories often break patterns, presenting unexpected twists that resonate deeply with audiences. She highlights that stories with genuine emotional journeys, even those without neatly tied endings, tend to be the most impactful.

Key Quote:

Sarah Austin Janess [03:33]: "Stories happen when there's a pattern that is broken... something was different was surprising and really shocked you in a good way."

d. Personal Insights on Storytelling

Discussing her two decades with The Moth, Sarah reflects on the universality of human experiences and the power of storytelling to foster community and understanding.

Key Quote:

Sarah Austin Janess [11:29]: "That people are more alike than different... we're doing our part to help people love their fellow person and be really open to their neighbors."

4. Listener Stories: "Only in New York"

The heart of the episode features a series of listener-submitted stories, each illustrating the unique and unexpected moments that only occur in New York City.

a. Joanna’s Banana Peel Incident [06:22 - 07:04]

Joanna shares a whimsical tale of slipping on a banana peel near Astor Place, only to be helped by a mysterious woman handing her a Winnie the Pooh band-aid—a quintessentially quirky New York experience.

Key Quote:

Joanna [06:24]: "It feels like something that's always been my only in New York story that could only happen here."

b. Olivia’s Pigeon Poo Surprise [07:14 - 07:44]

Olivia recounts a childhood mishap where she mistook pigeon droppings for raindrops while visiting the Met, underscoring the city's unpredictable nature.

Key Quote:

Olivia [07:14]: "Only in New York will a pigeon poop in your eye."

c. Katherine’s Pedicab Adventure [07:51 - 08:55]

Katherine narrates her perilous yet humorous experience with an unregulated pedicab driver demanding exorbitant fares, highlighting both the charm and chaos of New York's transportation scene.

Key Quote:

Katherine [07:51]: "We didn't have that much cash on us, so he started yelling at us, all muscle, no motor."

d. Gwen’s Boombox Harmony [09:00 - 09:58]

Gwen reminisces about the early '90s subway experience where a group of kids playing a boombox transformed a mundane train ride into a collective sing-along moment among diverse passengers.

Key Quote:

Gwen [09:00]: "By the time we got to Brooklyn, almost everyone on that train was singing the chorus."

e. Bill’s Bus Driving Exchange [13:26 - 14:10]

Bill shares a heartwarming story of his father befriending a nervous bus driver, leading to a unique exchange where they swapped roles, bridging cultural gaps through a shared journey.

Key Quote:

Bill [13:26]: "My father offered to drive. And they switched places and he drove to Manhattan, teaching his new friend the route."

f. Jill’s Midnight Encounter [14:20 - 15:26]

Jill describes a spontaneous midnight meeting at the Orchard bar where a chance interaction led to an unforgettable night, exemplifying serendipitous connections in the city.

Key Quote:

Jill [14:20]: "We ended up talking till 4am closing down the bar... we still regret that we didn't invite him to the wedding."

g. Bob’s Bagel Debate [15:32 - 16:03]

Bob humorously recounts stumbling upon a group debating the superiority of different bagel brands on the subway tracks, reflecting New York’s spirited food culture.

Key Quote:

Bob [15:32]: "They were having a very polite argument over whether they were Zapar's bagels or H and H bagels."

h. Nina’s Romantic Train Encounter [18:20 - 19:14]

Nina shares a modern romantic tale where a chance meeting on the L train, facilitated by a dating app connection, rekindles her faith in serendipity and love in the city.

Key Quote:

Nina [18:20]: "We realized... he told me, get off on your stop at Union Square... it ended up being our first meeting."

i. Patty’s Subway Entrance Surprise [19:23 - 20:07]

Patty describes a humorous observation of teenagers questioning how a surging crowd fits into a small subway entrance, illustrating the perpetual hustle of the city.

Key Quote:

Patty [19:23]: "How do all those people fit in that little house?"

j. Alba’s Beatles Window Scream [20:16 - 21:24]

Alba reminisces about witnessing an enthusiastic declaration about The Beatles from a classmate's window above the Ed Sullivan Studio, capturing the blend of culture and spontaneity in New York.

Key Quote:

Alba [20:16]: "She starts screaming, the Beatles... I had no idea what she was talking about."

5. Discussion on Storytelling Techniques

Alison and Sarah delve into the craft of storytelling, referencing The Moth's book, "How to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling." They discuss the importance of simplifying truth, crafting meaningful endings, and maintaining emotional authenticity without overcomplicating narratives.

Key Quote:

Sarah Austin Janess [16:55]: "We want not just the plot, but we want to know how you were feeling throughout... we want to be a little bird on your shoulder and go on the journey with you."

6. Closing Remarks and Event Promotion

As the episode concludes, Alison reiterates the details of the upcoming "Only in New York" event, encouraging listeners to participate and experience the magic of shared stories in person. Sarah expresses her enthusiasm for the event and the enduring power of storytelling to connect individuals.

Key Quote:

Alison Stewart [24:25]: "The Moth and WNYC present only in New York March 14th at 7:30pm at NYU Skirball Center."

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Conclusion

This episode of "All Of It" seamlessly blends announcements of upcoming events with genuine, relatable stories from New Yorkers, all while providing valuable insights into the art of storytelling through The Moth's platform. By highlighting diverse voices and unique experiences, Alison Stewart and Sarah Austin Janess celebrate the rich cultural tapestry that defines New York City.

Transcript

[Ira Flatow]

All of it is supported by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states. Listener supported WNYC Studios.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. You all know the Moth, the long running storytelling organization based right here in New York. And of course the Moth Radio Hour, which airs on WNYC Wednesday and Sunday nights. Well, next month on March 14th at NYU Skirball Center, WNYC and the Moth are cooking up a special collaborative event titled Only in New York. In honor of WNYC Centennial, the Moth will present a special main stage featuring five storytellers, one from each of the five boroughs. Yours truly will be hosting and there'll be some music involved too. In a moment we'll hear more from my next guest, Moss Executive producer Sarah Austin. Janess hi Sarah, by the way.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Hi.

[Alison Stewart]

But first, listeners, today we are coming to you with a very special opportunity and to ask for your help. We couldn't do an event like this without help from our WNYC listeners. The Moth is still selecting stories for this event, so call in for a chance to tell your story on the Moth. Pitch us a one minute version of an Only in New York story, whatever that means to you. We're especially would like to hear from the people who help keep the city running. That's bus drivers, ferry operators, people who run the electric grids, plane crews at the airport, subway mechanics, conductors, sanitation workers. If you're one of those people or someone else who makes up a piece of this engine that keeps this city going. And if you have a story, call in, make sure you keep it concise. Give us an elevator pitch. No promises here, but give it a shot. 212-433-WNYC 212-433-9692. Now maybe your job doesn't quite fit into one of those categories, but you still got a great Only in New York story. A story that takes place in Cardi hall or on the Staten Island Ferry or the Brooklyn Bridge. Call in and tell us it might be a love story, a story of kindness you witnessed or something weird. You can give us a call. 2124-3396-9221-2433-WNYC. Make sure that it is the short version. Sarah, did I, did I miss anything in that?

[Sarah Austin Janess]

No. You got It.

[Alison Stewart]

All right. So while they get the people lined up and for us to listen to their stories, we'll talk about this event we're gonna. We're gonna do on March. What's gonna happen.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Yeah. Well, I'm so happy to be here. Thanks for. Thanks for having me. And we're just gonna present some incredible true stories from New Yorkers from New York, as you said. And thank you for hosting this very special event. We're so happy to celebrate WNYC centennial.

[Alison Stewart]

So what's the difference between the Moth main stage?

[Sarah Austin Janess]

The main stage, the stories are about 10 minutes long.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

And it just gives you a chance to get into something a little deeper. We want to know you. We want to get to know you through your story. So it gives us a chance to hear not just the plot, but a little bit more of the emotional journey.

[Alison Stewart]

Where do stories usually come from? Not the ones that you hear on the air. We're gonna hear on the air, but where they usually come from.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

So stories happen when there's a pattern that is broken. And so you could think of your only in New York stories of, you know, what do you do in New York all the time? And then what was one day when something was different was surprising. Really, really shocked you in a good way, perhaps.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's take a step back and talk about the Moth's history. It's been around since 1997, correct?

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

How did it start?

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Well, a gentleman named George Green grew up on St. Simon's island, and he would gather with his friends on Wanda's porch, and they would tell true personal stories into the night. And the porch was screened, but it had holes in it. And so there are moths that would come through and circle around the light, and they started to call themselves the Moths, because they would circle with each other and tell these true stories and get closer because they were sharing not necessarily what they did well, but the tough decisions they had to make, the time when maybe. Maybe they weren't proud of their decisions, but they got close. And then he came up to New York and missed those nights on the porch and invited two people to his apartment to share true personal stories, and that was that.

[Alison Stewart]

So a lot of people experience them all through the radio. They obviously can't go to the events. Tell us how the radio captures the vibe of the live event.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Okay, so we have 600 live events a year all over the world, and we record everything.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, okay. Gotcha.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Every single show. So then the creative team at the Moth listens to everything, and we choose the stories that are fresh, that are surprising, that, you know, after. After almost 28 years, we're looking for stories that are speaking to our time now and in a lot of ways, to current events. We want stories that challenge dominant narratives and that keep people challenging their own beliefs. And so we pick the very best stories that we hear all around the world and put them in the Moth Radio Hour and the Moth Podcast. I'm curious.

[Alison Stewart]

Do you believe that stories have a beginning, middle, and end?

[Sarah Austin Janess]

I do, but I don't think they have to be in that order. Yeah, you could start with the middle, go to the beginning, end up at the end, or a different combination of such, but I do. And I also. Some of the stories that have resonated with me the most, I've been with the moth for almost 20 years now, and they're the stories that don't quite have an ending that's wrapped up in a bow. Those don't feel so real to me. Sometimes if you start in black or white and you end in gray, it's even more captivating and real. You want to hear some stories?

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah. All right, we're going to start with Joanna. All right, Joanna, I'm going to set the clock.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Go for it.

[Alison Stewart]

You're on the air.

[Ira Flatow]

Okay. Well, I don't know if this story fits into all of the setup that you've just given, but this happened one night. I was walking near Astor Place with my boyfriend at the time, it's about 20 years ago, and I slipped and fell on a banana peel. And it was very crowded. It was like a Friday night. And as I'm trying to get up this out of the crowd, this woman appears, hands me a Winnie the Pooh band aid, and then before I could thank her, just disappears in the crowd. And to me, it feels like something that's always been my only in New York story that could only happen here.

[Alison Stewart]

Joanna, thanks for the call. Let's talk to Olivia. Hi, Olivia. Your clock's gonna start when you start talking. Go for it.

[Ira Flatow]

So my only in New York story. I was 15 years old in Manhattan with family on our way to the Met. We had just left the luncheonette. Leaving lunch out on the sidewalk. Cloudy day. Thought I felt a raindrop land on my eyelid. Very squishy raindrop. I reach my finger up and look with my other eye to realize that it was not rain. It was pigeon poop dripping down my eyelid into my eye. So only in New York will a pigeon poop in your eye.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you for calling let's talk to Katherine. Hi, Katherine, you're on the air.

[Ira Flatow]

Hi, Alison. My story is, it was my birthday and I went to a Broadway show with my husband and my 13 year old son. And I always wanted to ride in a pedicab. I had never done that. We got a price quote from one guy and he said about $50 to ride from 42nd street to Penn Station. So when we came out, we ended up in a different cab and we didn't know that they're not regulated in pricing. So we went from 42nd street to 34th Street, Penn Station. It was a fun ride. We get out and the guy wanted to charge $150. And we didn't have that much cash on us, so he started yelling at us, all muscle, no motor, no motor. And we panicked and he said, go to the atm. So we went to the ATM and it wasn't working. And then we didn't know what to do, so we ran down onto our train. He followed us onto the train heading to Long island and. And he went to push my husband. And I'm an introvert, but I turned around and I screamed at him and he scared him away.

[Alison Stewart]

She made it in just a minute, by the way.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

That was good.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Gwen. Hey, Gwen.

[Ira Flatow]

Hey, how are you doing?

[Alison Stewart]

Okay, what's your story?

[Ira Flatow]

My story is that the early 90s on the L train, which, Allison, you remember, was a crappy, crappy subway. We didn't have any smartphones, so it was just us and our fellow New Yorkers. And we were on a packed L train, pulled into First Avenue heading towards Brooklyn. No Williamsburg histories at that time. It was just a bunch of Polish immigrants, Latinos, blacks, a lot of Hasidim. And these kids get on the train, a group of kids with a boombox. And literally everybody on the train is telling me to go, oh, man. Because we're about to get into the tunnel that goes to Brooklyn. It's a long tunnel. So the doors close, turn the boombox on, and what comes out but bom, bom, bom, bom, bom, bom, bom, bom bom. And all of a sudden everyone starts smiling and looking at each other. And by the time we got to Brooklyn, almost everyone on that train was singing the chorus.

[Alison Stewart]

Love it. Thank you so much for calling. I'm speaking with Sarah Austin Gennis, executive producer of the Moth. And we are previewing the Moth and WNYC present only in New York. It's going to be on March 14th at the Skirball Center. You can aud to be a storyteller by calling in right now. Tell us your best only in New York story, something that could only happen in this city. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. I want to hear your story. Before you came to the Moth, where were you?

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Where was I? Wow. Well, I've been with the Moth for half my life. So I was, you know, I was freelancing in film and tv and one night I had to fill a theater on the Upper west side. And so I just invited everyone that I had met in film and TV so far freelancing. And one guy afterwards said, what are you doing after this? And I said, well, I'm looking for a home. And I feel like it was the first time I was just very vulnerable and honest. I said, I'm looking for a home. I want to work somewhere that I really care about and plant seeds and see them grow. And he said, well, have you ever heard of the Moth? And I said, a couple months ago, I handed out programs at the Players Club. And then I felt like it was this weird kismet moment, you know, swim downstream. And he said, well, I know the people there and they're hiring, actually. And then I thought, my God, this is. Yeah, the stars aligned. But that was. It was a long time ago.

[Alison Stewart]

What have you learned in your nearly 20 years at the Moth?

[Sarah Austin Janess]

That people are more alike than different. That we have so many stories. We're not just a single story. There are just so many that live inside of us. And I feel so proud of the whole team at the Moth and all the listeners and the volunteers and the storytellers. Over the years, there have been more than 60,000 stories told on stage. And it's growing. But I feel like we're doing our part to help people love their fellow person and be really open to their neighbors. And maybe they're sharing stories on buses and, you know, waiting online. And you don't have to necessarily share it at the Moth in order for the Moth to fulfill its mission of bringing people together through their stories.

[Alison Stewart]

We'll hear more stories after the break. This is all of It. You are listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest in studio is Sarah Austin Janess, executive producer of the Moth. We are presenting the Moth and WNYC present only in New York on March 14, 7:30pm at NYU Skirball Center. You could be a part of it before we get to our next Series of storytellers. What are you looking for in a good moth story?

[Sarah Austin Janess]

We want not just the plot, but we want to know how you were feeling throughout. We want to know what you were thinking. What's your inner dialogue? How are you a little different at the end than you were in the beginning? We all experience the world myriad ways, and so we want to. We want to be a little bird on your shoulder and go on the journey with you.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's take some more calls. Let's talk to Bill in Greenwich Village. Hi, Bill. You've got about a minute. Go for it.

[Ira Flatow]

Okay. Hi, Allison. My father came to New York from a very small town on the Russia, Poland border many years ago. He lived in the Bronx and worked in Manhattan and would take the bus to work. From the accent of the bus driver, my father recognized that he was a landsman, a fellow countryman. It turned out this was the driver's first day on the job, and he was very nervous. So my father offered to drive. And they switched places and he drove to Manhattan, teaching his new friend the route. When they got to Manhattan, they switched places again. This was my father's first time ever driving a bus.

[Alison Stewart]

That's a great story, Bill. Thanks for sharing that. Let's talk to Jill from Westport, Connecticut. Hi, Jill. Thanks so much for calling.

[Ira Flatow]

Hi. So my story took place in the summer of 1997. I was 27 years old, and I was hanging out at the Orchard bar down on the Lower east side in Manhattan. Was not a trendy area at the time. And it was about midnight. This strapping guy comes walking through the door and I think, oh, my gosh. He sits down with a group of friends across from me. And then, you know, he's kind of looking at me. I think I'm looking at him. And then he gets up and he starts walking in the direction of the exit. And I had this panic moment, thinking, this is New York City. He's going to walk out that door. I'll never see him again. And I just had this compulsion to meet him. So I walked up and introduced myself, something I've never done before. He was actually heading to the bar to get a drink to get up the guts to talk to me. We ended up talking till 4am closing down the bar. And then we went and got a cab and asked him to take us to Save the Robots, a club neither of us had been to. But we didn't want the night to end. Turned out to be closed. And the taxi driver turned off his meter and drove us around the city trying to find us a club that was open because he thought we were so cute. His name was Mahfouz, and we have his phone number. And we still regret that we didn't invite him to the wedding.

[Alison Stewart]

Ah, just made it. And finally, let's hear from Bob. Hi, Bob.

[Ira Flatow]

Hi. Must be about 25 years ago, I was catching the number one train at the intersection of Broadway and 79th Street. And I got down on the platform and for some reason, there was about a dozen bagels scattered down on the tracks. No apparent reason. And as I moved along the platform, I realized there was a little cluster of people. And as I passed, they were having a very polite argument over whether they were Zapar's bagels or H and H bagels.

[Alison Stewart]

That's a good one. That's really funny. We have good storytellers. So once you choose your five storytellers for this event, do you work with them? Do you help them develop their stories?

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Yeah, the Moth directors will help you tell your story, and we work quite extensively with people for the main stage, and we help to pull out all the ingredients and put them back together and really find the one arc for the 10 minute story. But some of these stories are hilarious, laugh out loud, funny. Some of them are really somber. Some of them just make you think. And what I love about these shows is that everyone comes away with their own favorite. And everyone. The first one will be someone's favorite. And, oh, the third one, that's my favorite. It's nice. All will resonate with everybody.

[Alison Stewart]

People remember that you released a book called how to Tell a Story, the Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from the Moth. You and your colleague Katherine Burns came on the show, and I asked Katherine about a piece of advice in the book, which was uncomplicate the truth. This is what she said. Endings are where truth comes in.

[Ira Flatow]

Right.

[Alison Stewart]

Because where are you going to end your story?

[Ira Flatow]

And most life is messy.

[Alison Stewart]

You know, turning people's lives into art is.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

We do every day.

[Alison Stewart]

It's like very, very complicated, messy work. And the best stories actually are not.

[Ira Flatow]

Wrapped up in a bow, but if.

[Alison Stewart]

You can just find some place that.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

You landed some little piece of resolution.

[Alison Stewart]

Within the story you're trying to tell.

[Ira Flatow]

That will be very satisfying for an audience.

[Alison Stewart]

But it doesn't mean you have to have everything in your life worked out around the ending of the story.

[Ira Flatow]

And some people think that they do.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

And then they get overwhelmed.

[Ira Flatow]

But really, it could just be a.

[Alison Stewart]

Small moment that ends it. I saw you nodding your head yes.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Yeah, that's great. Yeah. I mean, there's one thread in the story. Even though there can be many pieces, there's one central thread in the story, and the job is to resolve that one question that you've posed in the beginning.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, interesting.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

And then find an answer to it at the end. But as Katherine was saying, it doesn't have to be a yes or no answer. It could be. And I realized there was a longer journey than I had anticipated.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's hear some more stories. Let's talk to Nina from Brooklyn. Hi, Nina. Thanks for calling, all of it.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Hi.

[Ira Flatow]

Thank you so much. For me, as the hopeless romantic that I am, I recently met this guy on a dating app, and I was texting with him on my way to work, and then just happened that we were on the same L train at the same time, but in different cars. We realized. So he told me, get off on your stop at Union Square, and I'll get back on my stop on the train to go to my stop. But I just want to give you a hug and a kiss. And we'd never even met yet, and we were just trying to organize when to meet, and that ended up being our first meeting. And I just. I don't know. I. I grew up in New York City, and it just kind of makes me feel a little. Give me faith, I guess.

[Alison Stewart]

Nina, thanks for the call. You know what's so interesting? You would not hear that story because it has the term dating app 20 years ago.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

That's right.

[Alison Stewart]

It really is a time. It's a bit of a time capsule.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Yeah. Timestamp. Yeah. That's magical.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Patty from Long Island. Hi, Patty.

[Ira Flatow]

Hi. So I was walking to work through the park at the lower tip of Manhattan, and I was stuck behind a group of teens who were clearly on a school trip. And ahead of them was one of the Bowling Green subway entrances. And this particular entrance. You know, there's a few entrances at this stop, but this entrance has this, like, little glass enclosure at the top, so it looks like a small glass shed. And a train must have just pulled in. And people started pouring out of the exit. And one of the teens exclaimed, how do all those people fit in that little house?

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, thank you for that story. That made me laugh. And let's talk to Alba in Brooklyn. Hi, Alba.

[Ira Flatow]

Hi. Hi. Nice to. Nice to be speaking with you. My story is very much a New York story. I was a little kid whose neighbor had gifted me, my family, some dance lessons, ballet lessons. We spoke English. I mean, Spanish at home, not English. Didn't know much about what was going on culturally, but this kind lady gave us dance lessons. Great. The dance lessons. I remember having to go to enter the building on a side entrance. And I was a little disclaimed in the dance class. There was an older girl in the class, and she's standing. She's standing by the window, and she's looking down over Broadway because we were on the side. We come in through the side entrance, but the front was a theater entrance. And she starts screaming, the Beatles. It's Beatles. And I ran to the window. I had no idea what she was talking about. We were above the ed Sullivan Studio. 10 seconds, and I looked up because I didn't know where the Beatles were.

[Alison Stewart]

Aw, that's a good story. She came in there at the end. So glad you could. Could make the call. This is an impossible question. Do you have a favorite moth story?

[Sarah Austin Janess]

It is a tough question. I've loved them all. There's one that I've loved for years. Cynthia Riggs. She called into the pitch line, and I did want to mention the pitch line, because if people can't call in, you could go to themoth.org and pitch your story. Cynthia Riggs called into the pitch line, and she said in her pitch that she received a box in the mail, and it had a latitude and a longitude on it instead of a return address. Wow. And when she opened the box, there were cryptograms inside that were wrapped in archival plastic, and there was one little cryptogram on a note on the top. And when she decoded it, it said, dear Cynthia, I've never stopped loving you, Howie. And it turns out Howie was a man that she was in a marine biology lab with when she was 18, and he was, I think, 26. And now she was in her early 80s. And so you'll have to go to the moth to hear the story. But of course, we called her right back. We expanded the story. She ended up telling that story twice with us. And, you know, not to give it away, but there's a very happy ending. But it's not one. It's not one. That is one of those black and white endings in the beginning there. So. But it's very beautiful.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's try to get Erica in here quickly.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Okay.

[Alison Stewart]

Erica, you got a minute? Go.

[Ira Flatow]

Hi. So in 2003, the 75th annual Academy Awards, that's the year that that was happening. So a bunch of I bunch of friends and myself, we rented a suite at the Oscar Hotel, and we just thought we'd have a comfortable evening. And a friend of ours had invited his friend from Columbia. She had been a co student with him. And so we opened the door, she brought her boyfriend and there was Tony Bennett standing right next to her. So we, you know, he came in and we were all in shock, but we ended up watching the Academy Awards with him. He was sitting at the end of this bed with his, you know, his hands on his knees. He had this beautiful suit and these gorgeous rings. And I remember thinking how shiny he was. And I had this whole new appreciation for self care and respect. And so that was the year Bob Mitchum died. And so he told stories about Robert Mitchum. And a friend of mine had her birthday that night. So we kind of all sang to her.

[Alison Stewart]

We appreciate it. We got in there. That's a good line. We are very much looking forward to The Moth and WNYC present only in New York March 14th at 7:30pm at NYU Skirball Center. Sarah Austin Janess, executive producer of the Moth. Thank you for being with us.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Thank you so much. That was so fun. I could listen to these for ages.

[Alison Stewart]

Come on back. I'm Alison Stewart. I appreciate you listening and I appreciate you. I will meet you back here next time.

[Ira Flatow]

If it's time for you to say.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

Goodbye to your car, truck, boat, motorcycle or rv, consider donating it to wnyc. We'll turn the proceeds from the sale of your vehicle or watercraft into the in depth news and programming that keeps our community informed.

[Ira Flatow]

Donating is easy, the pickup is free.

[Sarah Austin Janess]

And you'll get a tax deduction. Learn [e-mail] car.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm Ira Flato, host of Science Friday. For over 30 years, our team has been reporting high quality news about science, technology and medicine. News you won't get anywhere else. And now that political news is 24 7, our audience is turning to us to know about the really important stuff in their lives. Cancer, climate change, genetic engineering, childhood diseases. Our sponsors know the value of science and health news. For more sponsorship information, visit sponsorship.wnyc.org.