S4|E40: An Interview with Jed Lipinski

Summary

Gone South: Season 4, Episode 40 – An Interview with Jed Lipinski

Release Date: July 23, 2025

Introduction

In the milestone 40th episode of Gone South Season 4, executive producer Lloyd Lochridge takes a departure from the usual format to interview the show's creator, Jed Lipinski. This reflective episode delves into the origins, creative processes, and personal experiences that have shaped Gone South into the compelling true crime podcast it is today.

Genesis of Gone South

Jed Lipinski begins by sharing his journalistic background, which laid the foundation for the podcast. Having worked as a freelancer in New York City and later at the Times Picayune in New Orleans, Lipinski's transition from print journalism to documentary filmmaking marked a pivotal shift in his storytelling approach.

[04:19] Jed Lipinski: "I was a crime reporter. And all that kind of led me to write this story that then became The Pharmacist, which was a Netflix documentary I've mentioned probably too many times in Gone South."

The idea for Gone South crystallized when a DEA agent introduced Lipinski to Skip Sewell, who recounted the unsolved murder of Margaret Coon in St. Tammany Parish. Recognizing the depth and intrigue of the story, Lipinski envisioned it as a podcast narrative, inspired by the immersive audio storytelling of podcasts like The Clearing.

Embracing the Podcast Medium

Lipinski explains that the podcast medium offered a unique opportunity to tell stories with limited archival footage, allowing for a more intimate and accessible narrative.

[05:28] Jed Lipinski: "I figured, wow, maybe I can tell this as a podcast. And that's how it all started. Because the Margaret Coons story didn't work as a documentary."

Transitioning from documentaries, Lipinski found podcasting restored the intimacy he cherished from his print journalism days. Unlike the intimidating setup of documentary interviews, podcasts allowed for more relaxed and open conversations.

[09:34] Jed Lipinski: "It restored the intimacy that I'd experienced and really liked about journalism because people are just more open, they're more honest, they're more comfortable, they're more relaxed."

Evolving the Show's Format

Initially adopting a limited series approach, Gone South primarily focused on single, intricate stories. However, Season 4 saw a significant shift to a weekly format, expanding the number of stories covered.

[10:03] Jed Lipinski: "In a limited series show, you're kind of limited to the People who are in that story, you're boxed in. People will take you down like a rabbit hole."

This transition allowed the podcast to explore a broader array of narratives, tapping into listener recommendations and uncovering lesser-known stories that might otherwise remain untold.

Approach to Storytelling

A defining characteristic of Gone South is Lipinski's reluctance to insert his own opinions into the narratives. Instead, he positions himself as a facilitator, letting the individuals involved tell their own stories.

[12:26] Jed Lipinski: "I have a compulsion to write stories. That's kind of how I think. That's how I understand the world, I think, is through stories."

This method ensures that the stories remain authentic and centered around the experiences of those directly involved, fostering a deeper connection between the listener and the narrative.

Fascination with Human Nature Over Crime

Unlike many true crime shows that focus primarily on the perpetrators, Gone South emphasizes understanding the motivations and human elements behind each story. Lipinski expresses a profound interest in the decisions people make, whether they're committing crimes or striving for justice.

[13:41] Jed Lipinski: "I'm always wondering, why did that person do that? I have a deep, deep interest and obsession with the decisions that people make."

This approach not only enriches the storytelling but also offers listeners a nuanced perspective on the complexities of human behavior.

Balancing Dark Narratives with Positive Protagonists

Acknowledging the potential emotional toll of recounting harrowing crime stories, Lipinski emphasizes the importance of highlighting protagonists who counterbalance the darkness.

[15:24] Jed Lipinski: "It leaves you with a kind of hopeless, empty feeling. But I also, you know, in terms of things that we discovered, or I discovered in this show, in this season in particular, it's that often the darker the story, the darker the villain in a story, the lighter and the better the protagonist has to be to fight that evil."

By focusing on individuals who embody compassion and resilience, Gone South provides a hopeful counterpoint to the often grim nature of true crime narratives.

Building Trust with Southern Communities

Despite being a Northerner from Concord, Massachusetts, Lipinski shares that he has cultivated a deep affection for the South, which is evident in his interactions with interviewees. While initial skepticism exists due to regional differences, Lipinski’s genuine interest and respectful approach have enabled him to build strong rapport with Southerners.

[25:06] Jed Lipinski: "I totally get it. ... But I know that you are fascinated with the south and are a big admirer of Southerners. I think that they can detect that and can tell that you don't have any bad intentions and that you're really interested in hearing a story."

This mutual respect and understanding have been pivotal in gaining access to sensitive stories and fostering open dialogues with interview subjects.

The Importance of Storytelling in the South

Lipinski reflects on the rich storytelling tradition in the South, noting that while Southerners may excel at storytelling, he is merely an admirer striving to honor and share their narratives.

[28:43] Jed Lipinski: "There is something about people from the south that enables them to tell really good stories. ... It's been this enormous privilege for me, and it's something I hope I can continue doing."

This admiration underscores the podcast’s commitment to preserving and highlighting Southern stories with authenticity and respect.

Listener Connection and Impact

Understanding the inherently private nature of podcasts, Lipinski articulates his vision of creating a bridge between the listener and the stories being told. He likens himself to a "switchboard operator," facilitating a connection that allows listeners to empathize and understand perspectives they might never encounter otherwise.

[30:51] Jed Lipinski: "Maybe they're in Australia ... giving them a window into this person's life in Louisiana ... That’s what we offer in the show."

This thoughtful approach ensures that listeners, whether local or global, can engage deeply with the stories, fostering a sense of connection and empathy.

Conclusion

As Season 4 of Gone South concludes, this introspective episode with Jed Lipinski offers listeners a comprehensive look into the heart and soul of the podcast. From its journalistic roots and passion for storytelling to the delicate balance of exploring dark narratives with hopeful protagonists, Gone South stands as a testament to thoughtful, compassionate true crime storytelling. Lipinski's dedication to honoring Southern narratives and his genuine curiosity about human nature continue to set Gone South apart in the crowded landscape of true crime podcasts.

Final Thoughts from Jed Lipinski

In his closing remarks, Lipinski extends heartfelt gratitude to his team, including Lloyd Lochridge and his brother Tommy, as well as the listeners who have supported the show through their recommendations and unwavering commitment.

[32:39] Jed Lipinski: "Couldn't have done it without either one of you. ... I really appreciate those and most of all just grateful to you for listening and supporting the show."

This heartfelt acknowledgment encapsulates the community-driven spirit that has been instrumental in Gone South's enduring success.

Transcript

[Brian]

Hey there cats and kittens. It's Brian from the commercial break, the mediocre comedy podcast where my best friend Chrissy and I attempt to make sense of the world. We talk about the absurd, the ridiculous, and the stuff no one asked for, like Internet weirdos, pickup artists, and why everyone is obsessed with crystals and colonics. It's all gotta stop. The show is free, it's frequent, and it's probably not for everyone. You can go to tcbpodcast.com, [e-mail] the commercial break, or check out the show wherever you listen to podcasts. We'll see you on the next commercial break. And best to you.

[Chrissy]

My family and I do everything we can to keep our cats healthy and active. We buy them new toys and tasty treats. We schedule regular checkups with the vet, and a few months ago we swapped out their old litter for a new one. Pretty Litter. Actually, it's not just litter. It's also a tool we use to monitor their health. Pretty Litter changes color based on what's going on in your cat's urine, so it can help detect issues early by showing abnormalities in acidity, alkalinity and even the presence of blood. That color changing feature total peace of mind for my family. Plus it ships free right to my door. It's non toxic, super low dust, controls odor like a champ, and one bag lasts an entire month. It's hard to know if our cats really appreciate what we do for them, but my daughter thinks they love their new litter.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

The color, the freshness, the lack of clumps and dust. We've tried dozens of different litters over the years and Pretty Litter is the best so far.

[Chrissy]

Right now, save 20% on your first order and get a free cat toy at PrettyLitter.com GoneSouth that's PrettyLitter.com GoneSouth to save 20% on your first order AND get a free cat toy. Prettilitter.com GoneSouth Pretty Litter cannot detect every feline health issue or prevent or diagnose diseases. A diagnosis can only come from a licensed veterinarian. Terms and conditions apply. See site for details.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

Gone south listeners My name is Lloyd Lochridge. I'm the Executive producer of Gone South. I want to welcome you to the 40th and final episode of Gone South Season 4. Before I go any further, I also want to share some good news. Gone south will be back for a fifth season in the beginning of next year. In the meantime, please continue enjoying the show. Maybe some of you haven't had A chance to listen to seasons one through three. If so, make sure you don't miss out. Also, we love hearing from listeners. If you have story tips or any kind of feedback, please email the [e-mail] for our final episode of this season, we're going to do things a little differently. Rather than Jed interviewing people for Gone South, I'm going to interview Jed about Gone South. I want to thank you for listening, and I hope you enjoy our conversation. Jed Lipinski, welcome to Gone South.

[Jed Lipinski]

Thanks so much. It's great to be here on my own show.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

Yeah. So first of all, what's it like to be the one being interviewed? Seems like you're rarely in that chair.

[Jed Lipinski]

Yeah, it's partly because I don't like to be interviewed. I feel like I became a journalist partly because I was too nervous to say much in public, and so I felt much more comfortable as the one asking the questions and leaving or putting all the pressure on the other person to answer. I think that's why I became a journalist in the first place.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

So we are at the end of season four. How does it feel to be at the end of your fourth season of Gone South?

[Jed Lipinski]

It feels great. I feel tired, but I feel energized, too, because it feels like a real accomplishment to have written, hosted, and produced with you and Tommy, my brother, 40. I mean, really, 39 narrative episodes of a podcast in, you know, a little less than a year.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

It's been a big year, you know, for a lot of people. I think with all podcasts, they come in and out of shows. Some of our listeners might have started this season. Some might have come in in season three. Some might be loyal listeners who started with season one, episode one. But even those people probably aren't really aware of how this show came into being. Can you tell me about the genesis of Gone South? Where did this idea come from?

[Jed Lipinski]

Yeah, I mean, I'll just tell you a little bit about my background. I was a journalist for years. I was a freelancer in New York City, and then I moved to New Orleans to take a job at the Times Picayune newspaper there. I worked in different beats there, but at the end of my time there, I was a crime reporter. And all that kind of led me to write this story that then became the Pharmacist, which was a Netflix documentary I've mentioned probably too many times in Gone South. And while we were filming that story, I was doing an interview with a DEA agent from New Orleans, and he brought this guy, Skip Sewell along with him and Skip, who has appeared in now several episodes of Gone south, told me the story that day of Margaret Coon and her unsolved murder in St Tammany parish. And I remember thinking, that's a really interesting story. And that became season one, who killed Margaret Coon?

[Lloyd Lochridge]

So you start with journalism, with print journalism, move to documentary film, and then ultimately have an idea for a podcast. What drew you to the podcast medium?

[Jed Lipinski]

Yeah, I mean, it was accidental. I was working as a documentary producer at the time, and I got this idea from Skip, and I really wanted to explore it, but there was zero archival. There was, like, nothing to show on screen. And I thought at the time I'd listened to shows like the Clearing, which was really amazing. The way that that story really managed to ground you in the story through audio only. I figured, wow, maybe I can tell this as a podcast. And that's how it all started. Because the Margaret Coons story didn't work as a documentary.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

Right. You know, earlier you were talking about how you don't really like to be in the front of the story, but as you started making season one of Gone south, really, when you started recording it and beginning to hear yourself in the story, did that make you uncomfortable or excited or. A little bit of both?

[Jed Lipinski]

Yeah, the answer is uncomfortable. I've always, like most people, not like the sound of my voice. And I was extremely surprised when people, you know, not everyone, but some people would say, hey, yeah, I like the sound of your voice. You have a. You have a voice for podcast. And that was really bizarre, but also encouraging. And I thought, really? I've never been told that by anyone, so it was a surprise. And I still find it uncomfortable. I still find it strange to hear the sound of my voice, but I've come to accept it.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

So as you started making your first podcast, what did you discover in terms of the opportunities that existed in podcasting versus the formats that you've done in the past?

[Jed Lipinski]

You know, in print journalism, which I did for years, and especially in the south, you'd go out and interview people and they would say these things and the way that they would say them. I just remember thinking, especially when I was in New Orleans, like, oh, my God, this person has such a great voice. Or the way they said that. There was such a musicality, the way that they phrased that, or it was just so funny. And the humor in the line depended all on the way that they said it and the rhythm with which they said it. So when we did Gone south, season one at Least about Margaret Coon. We got to spend so much time in Louisiana, where people have such beautiful voices and such beautiful accents. It was like a feast of different voices, and it was like this brand new opportunity to hear people.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

Right. And there's another aspect that I. And I know we're talking a lot about just podcasts in general, but I don't know, podcasts have been around for a while now, and I feel like the honeymoon phase is over, but there's still such great stuff out there that I'm in the mood to celebrate podcasts. So I'm going to ask you another podcast question or two. Getting a sense of who the people are and how they say things. You also get that documentary of film, of course. In fact, you also get the visuals. But when you're making a documentary film, as you know, you know, the amount of equipment that you bring into a room, the amount of people that can be in a room for a documentary film interview, is pretty startling and also probably imposing to somebody who's not used to making documentaries, which in most cases is everybody who's in a documentary. Do you feel like podcasts are uniquely intimate?

[Jed Lipinski]

Oh, yeah. I mean, I was a print journalist, but I leapt from print journalism all the way to documentaries. And suddenly just to do an interview, you have to have 10 people in the room with lights and cameras. And they're so uncomfortable, the guests. And I was uncomfortable, too. I felt guilty about putting people in that situation. I felt nervous asking questions. They felt nervous answering the questions, and I just wanted to take them aside and say, like, all right, now let's just start the real interview, just the two of us. But then that was another thing I discovered in podcasting. It restored the intimacy that I'd experienced and really liked about journalism because people are just more open, they're more honest, they're more comfortable, they're more relaxed, and they say more interesting things as a result.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

I've got a question about format. Our listeners who've been with us for all four seasons or listened to more than one season, might have noticed that we went from a limited series format to kind of a weekly format. In the past, we'd done six to eight episodes on one story. This past season, we did 40 episodes, 39 episodes, and we had a couple of two or three parters. So let's call it 30 stories. Tell me about the experience of moving from that limited series format to this weekly format.

[Jed Lipinski]

Yeah, I get that question a lot. And in a limited series show, you're kind of limited to the People who are in that story, you're boxed in. People will take you down like a rabbit hole. But you can only go so far because you have to keep it contained within what that story is. People would often tell me about other interesting stories that they were a part of, or actually, you know, you shouldn't do this story. There's a much more interesting story you should actually be doing here. And you have to just file that away and say, maybe next year, and in this case, someone would tell us this great story and we could do it next week, we could talk to that same person. And that happened again and again in this series. Mary Jane Markintel was working with us on one story, and she in the process said, you really should. Shouldn't be doing this story. It's a good one, but you. You should really be doing this other one, which I play a much larger role in.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

So when I tell people about this show, you know, Gone South, True crime Show, it's usually sort of the shorthand they normally envision. You know, two people chatting about crimes. Gone South. Is not that what is Gone south in your mind?

[Jed Lipinski]

Yeah, it's not a chat show. And I don't think I have the disposition to do a chat show. I just don't think I would be any good at it. So I listen to so many people who do chat shows successfully and. And they're just really beautiful conversationalists. And I'm just, unfortunately, don't think I have that skill or that talent. What this question also gets at is the format of this show as a narrative show. In addition to not really being able to do a chat show, I find that I have a compulsion to write stories. That. That's kind of how I think. That's how I understand the world, I think, is through stories.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

That brings up another kind of, I think, unique aspect of Gone South. And we've actually gotten some feedback on this, positive feedback from listeners who noticed this and appreciate it. So I wanted to ask you about it, and that's that you're very hesitant to insert your opinion on a story. You really seem to prefer allowing the people in the story to tell it. And you position yourself as more of a guide for the listener to take them through the story as told by the people who lived it or who are experts on a subject. Tell me about that approach to telling stories.

[Jed Lipinski]

Interestingly or not, I've never been someone with very strong opinions. I'm kind of amazed by people who have really strong opinions about things. A lot of my friends have really Strong opinions. And I just kind of, you know, laugh or say, wow, yeah, that's a. You really have a real strong opinion about that. I tend not to. At the same time, I really like to tell stories through the point of view of the person who experienced it firsthand. Injecting myself into the story has never been something I'm that comfortable with. But I think that gets at the point too, is that often when I find a really good story, one that we want to tell in Gone South, I don't want to interfere with it. Like, I don't want to be the one to kind of mess it up or distract someone from what really happened at the time.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

I think if somebody were to make assumptions about a true crime host, they would say he must have a sick fascination with crime. But for you, it really has. Seems to have nothing to do with that. It's. It's a sick fascination with people and just a deep desire to understand how they think. Do you know where that comes from?

[Jed Lipinski]

You know, I don't. And yet. Well, yeah, maybe I do. I mean, I read a lot. I'm endlessly curious, often to my detriment. I'm always staring at people. I'm always wondering, why did that person do that? I have a deep, deep interest and obsession with the decisions that people make. But I'm just as curious about why people commit crimes as I am about people who are motivated to do amazing things and to sacrifice themselves and to live completely selflessly, to work pro bono for years or even decades in order to get justice for a family, a woman, a victim of a crime. Those motivations are really, really fascinating for me. And every episode of our show has involved a crime in some way. But often in most cases for our show, the crime has been the least interesting part of the story. It's just often just the catalyst for this deeper exploration of human beings and their motivations.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

One thing that I find really interesting about the stories that you gravitate towards is, you know, lots of true crime shows will fixate on a criminal or a killer. There's a widespread fascination with psychopaths just in our society. But your strongest stories always include a great protagonist, somebody who is kind of counterbalancing or fighting against the evil forces in a given story. Doing this many crime stories, it seems like it could begin to weigh on you. Do you find relief in these characters that offer something good?

[Jed Lipinski]

Yeah, good question. You can totally get overwhelmed with crime stories. It would have been very easy to do that in gone South Season 4. 40 episodes of True crime stories, many of which are pretty harrowing. We covered, as you mentioned, a lot of people that I think meet the full criteria for the psychopath test. Tommy Lyncels. We covered a number of serial killers, Felix Vale, and I can't tell those stories without having the counterbalance. I don't think it's fair to listeners because otherwise, in my mind at least, what does it leave you with? It leaves you with a kind of hopeless, empty feeling. The world is terrible and evil. But I also, you know, in terms of things that we discovered, or I discovered in this show, in this season in particular, it's that, you know, often the darker the story, the darker the, you know, villain in a story, the lighter and the better the protagonist has to be to fight that evil. That happened absolutely. In the story Public Access we did about Scott Rogers, who was a kind of evil incarnate and he managed to. The evil he was committing managed to kind of draw out the most beautiful people like Ronna Gray, Mary Jane Marcantel, the man that we refer to as Ethan in the story, who was a victim of Scott Rogers. These were such beautiful people. They were so selfless and they were so compassionate and they counterbalanced the evil that Scott represented. And so, both for my own protection against nightmares and hopelessness, especially against the backdrop of some pretty terrible things that are happening in the world, I felt it was my responsibility to find these good people and present them to the listener.

[Chrissy]

I'm not someone who shops for the latest trends, but I do care about clothes that feel good, look great and actually hold up. That's why I'm such a fan of quints. Their breathable flow knit polos, crisp cotton shirts and lightweight pants have quietly taken over my closet. And they work for everything from weekend errands to dinner out. And the price? About half what you'd pay for similar quality elsewhere. Quintz makes it possible by going straight to the source, working with top tier artisans and cutting out the middlemen. That means luxury pieces without the markup. And they only work with factories that follow ethical, responsible practices. I own a bunch of Quint stuff at this point. I wear it all the time. The fit, the feel, the price, it all works. Stick to the staples that last with elevated essentials from quince. Go to quint.com gonesouth for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-N-C-E.com gonesouth to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com/gone south.

[David Spade]

Hey, what's up, flies? This is David Spade.

[Dana Carvey]

Dana Carvey.

[David Spade]

Look at. I know we never actually left, but I'll just say it. We are back with another season of Fly on the Wall.

[Dana Carvey]

Every episode, including ones with guests, will now be on video. Every Thursday, you'll hear us and see us chatting with big name celebrities.

[David Spade]

And every Monday, you're stuck with just me and Dana. We react to news, what's trending, viral.

[Dana Carvey]

Clips follow and listen to Fly on the Wall. Everywhere you get your podcasts.

[Chrissy]

Just wrapped. Another chilling case or unsolved mystery. Give your brain a break and keep the thrill going with Chumba Casino, your online social casino where fun's just a click away. Play slots, blackjack, and live casino games all. All without downloads or pressure. Sign up to claim your free welcome bonus plus daily login rewards to keep the excitement rolling. Chumba Casino. When the case is closed, the real fun begins. No purchase necessary. VGW Group voidware prohibited by law 21 TNCs apply.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

So I want to switch gears a little bit. The types of stories that you tend to tell on Goncal south, they're not ripped from the headlines. They're not splashy news stories getting a lot of play on social media. Talk to me about the thinking and avoiding what is trending, so to speak.

[Jed Lipinski]

You know, a couple thoughts there. I don't have great instincts. I think as a journalist, I never had great instincts, news instincts. My editors were always appalled that I was, you know, off in the weeds reporting these stories that had nothing to do with current events. Like nothing to do with the conversation currently going on in Brooklyn or New Orleans or wherever else. So it's always been kind of a liability for me as a journalist, and it might have been a fatal one. But this kind of stories that we choose for this show, you know, they're old in part because old stories are often fully formed. The kind of stories that we find that we select and choose to do and report out typically have a beginning and a middle and an end. You can see the full arc of them. And that is often more interesting to me than stories that are ripped from the headlines but are still developing. That's one factor. The other factor is, you know, telling these older stories. It puts us in touch with older people. And this is something else that's maybe not very fashionable right now. These are not people who are really good on social media. These are not people with big social media followings who are going to promote the episode to their million followers and therefore get Us a much larger audience.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

There are often people who don't know what a podcast is exactly.

[Jed Lipinski]

There are often people who don't even know what a podcast is. And that's a question often. My first question for the people that we interview is, you know, sir, ma', am, do you know what a podcast is? And most of the time it's yeah, yeah. And some of the time it's no, like, what is that? And you kind of say, well, it's sort of like a radio documentary. You know, it's just audio, so you have to explain what it is. And often, often they don't really care. They're just interested in telling the story. But, you know, I've really come over the years that we've been doing this show and interviewing a lot of people about stories that took place in the 1980s, sometimes the 1970s, developed a real respect, appreciation, love for people over the age of 60. They have a lot of life experience, they have a lot of time to spare to talk. And often, you know, they have a lot of experience, life experience that leads them to draw conclusions about a story that took place in the past, and they have thoughts about what that story means. So in that way, they do a lot of the work for you. You don't have to really fight to extract from them the meaning or to help them try to find meaning in a story.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

Yeah. There's another component to this that I want to get to. These are older stories, often involving older people. And in keeping with the premise of the show, they all take place in the South. You are not from the South. You're from Concord, Massachusetts. You came down to New Orleans and then left. After you left, you launched Gone south and you come down. We've reported a lot of stories down here together. In fact, Jed and I were in Tennessee recently, and somebody we were with who was from the south learned that Jed was from Connecticut and immediately told a joke which was, do you know the difference between a Yankee and a damn Yankee, Jed? And I said, no. And the guy said, a Yankee visits, a damn Yankee stays. But I wanted to ask you build a great rapport with the people that you interview here in the South. And Southerners are probably any region, particularly Southerners, are skeptical of people who are not from the South. Have you encountered any barriers of being. Being a, quote, Yankee reporting these stories in the south and stories that depend on a lot of trust between you and the interview subject?

[Jed Lipinski]

Yeah. So I've always felt a little self conscious about telling stories of the south as a Northerner and that'll never go away. That'll never go away. I think what you're referring to might be somewhat hostile encounters that we had during the first season of the show. We would talk to some law enforcement professionals, some sheriffs in Louisiana. This was, mind you, during the pandemic. So I'd have a mask on and they couldn't see my expression. And here I am asking these prying questions about, you know, Margaret Kuhn and wondering whether corruption might not have been a factor in the inability to solve her murder and was getting some very, very skeptical and cynical and sometimes outraged responses. Rightly so. Rightly so. And I, in some ways, I sympathize with them. If I were in their shoes, a sheriff, a deputy sheriff who had spent years trying to solve a case, and some podcaster from Connecticut or Massachusetts or Brooklyn, for God's sake, came down and started interrogating me about my motives and my process and my. My intentions, I would be so outraged, I would probably have canceled the interview just like. Just like they did. So I totally get it.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

And yet there's no, with a few exceptions, no resentment between you and people you've interviewed, and vice versa. In fact, I found that you're incredibly good at building trust and getting people to agree to talk when at first they don't want to. I know that you are fascinated with the south and are a big admirer of Southerners. I think that they can detect that and can tell that you don't have any bad intentions and that you're really interested in hearing a story. Can you tell me about your feelings towards the South?

[Jed Lipinski]

It's funny, because as we're talking, I'm realizing another reason that I might feel uncomfortable about injecting myself into these stories. And that's because I'm not from the South. Maybe if I was from Mississippi, I might feel a lot more comfortable injecting my own thoughts and opinions and experiences into a story that takes place in Louisiana or Mississippi. But I feel very uncomfortable doing that as someone from, you know, Yankee territory. So maybe that's another factor that I haven't quite processed or thought about. So that's interesting. At the same time, I do have such deep affection for the South. I spent a year in South Carolina outside Charleston. I spent four plus years in New Orleans, and those were the most vivid years of my life. I remember those years day by day. Almost those years and days that I spent in the south are in Technicolor, in a way. And I miss the south terribly. And the show in some ways is a way for me to stay connected to the South, Stay connected to the people of the South. We go back to the south to report the show multiple times per season, which is restorative for me. I go back and people call me honey and sweetie and baby and. And put their hands on you, and you feel healed. And then I come back to Connecticut in the winter and I hibernate.

[Unknown]

We all belong outside. We're drawn to nature. Whether it's the recorded sounds of the ocean we doze off to or the succulents that adorn our homes, Nature makes all of our lives, well, better. Despite all this, we often go about our busy lives removed from it. But the outdoors is close, closer than we realize. With alltrails, you can discover trails nearby and explore confidently with offline maps and on trail navigation. Download the free app today.

Buying a car in Carvana was so easy, I was able to finance it through them. I just. Whoa, wait, you mean finance? Yeah, finance. Got pre qualified for a Carvana auto loan, entered my terms and shot from thousands of great car options, all within my budget.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

That's cool.

[Unknown]

But financing through Carvana was so easy. Financed, done. And I get to pick up my car from their Carvana vending machine tomorrow. Financed, right? That's what they said. You can spend time trying to pronounce financing, or you can actually finance and buy your car Today on Carvana financing, subject to credit approval, additional terms and conditions may apply.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

So, Jed, you were talking about not being from the south, and I think even though you're not from the south, you and Southerners are kindred spirits because of your shared love of storytelling. There's a strong storytelling tradition in the South. In fact, there's an entire PBS series called Southern Storytellers. Do you think Southerners are better at telling stories?

[Jed Lipinski]

You know, I think it's a strange kind of generalization to say that people from the south are better storytellers. There was this quote that I may have quoted before, I think, when we were talking to the Way Brothers for an episode that we did earlier this season about that show called Kings of Tupelo. The show begins with this guy, Steve Holland, who says some version of the south and its struggle to rise above the past, learned how to tell stories, learned how to share tragedy, and then sometimes learned to make up stuff. So Southerners were the best storytellers of any area in the world. So that's what he said. And he's smiling as he says it, and it's as if he doesn't really mean it, but then again, it's as if he really does. You know, he's being wry and funny. But it caused me to reflect and think, why is that? I'm not exactly sure, but it was born out in this season. Again, there is something about people from the south that enables them to tell really good stories. And being able to talk to them and being able to listen to their stories and being able to make a show based on, you know, Southern storytelling has been this enormous privilege for me, and it's something I hope I can continue doing.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

You know, what you're saying makes me think of one of the great joys of storytelling, which is seeing the reaction of your audience, whether it's one person or a crowd. But with the podcast medium, you rarely interact with your audience, and you've created ways to interact with your audience through social media and your newsletter. But even if you were a filmmaker, you could sit in the theater and listen to people enjoy your movie. But with a podcast, it's such an inherently private medium where you're almost always doing it alone, and in large part, you're kind of making them alone. So I wanted to give you an opportunity to talk about what you hope the listener gets from this show, or in other words, what are you hoping to give the listener.

[Jed Lipinski]

In some ways, it comes back to that idea of sitting there in the south when I was a reporter in someone's house or on the front porch with someone or in a warehouse or a factory and having them open themselves up to me. And I think that's part of it, sharing that with the other person, the listener who's on the other end, who's listening alone in their car, who's walking their dog and listening on their headphones. Maybe they're in Australia. We have a lot of listeners from Australia, for some reason, and giving them a window into this person's life in Louisiana, a person that they would never, ever talk to, not because they don't want to, but just because the circumstances of their life would never put them in contact with this person, let alone hear from them in such an unguarded way. So in some ways, you're kind of like a switchboard operator, you know, like, you know, the calls coming in from Australia, and you're connecting them to someone in the Deep south, and I'm that switchboard operator. I'm the guy who's just making the connection and trying to open up the phone line and allowing those people to connect and empathize with this person and understand them in a way that, you know, a lot of other mediums don't. And I think that's what we offer in the show.

[Lloyd Lochridge]

Jed, thanks so much for being in the interviewee chair for once. I hope I didn't make you too uncomfortable. I'm going to give you the reins and let you sign off.

[Jed Lipinski]

Yeah, thanks, Lloyd. And I will say thank you to you. You've been with me for over four years now. My brother is not here right now, but he's also been with us from the beginning. Couldn't have done it without either one of you. And as for the listener, couldn't do it without you either. Your support and reaching out, recommending stories so many of the stories we did this year were based on listener recommendations, so keep those coming. I really appreciate those. A lot of people know what a gone south story is at this point and so the recommendations are often really, really good. So I'm grateful for that and most of all just grateful to you for listening and supporting the show. So thanks so much.

[Ben Stiller]

Hey, I'm Ben Stiller.

[Jed Lipinski]

And I'm Adam Scott and we host.

[Ben Stiller]

A podcast called the Severance Podcast where we used to break down every episode of the TV show Severance.

[Jed Lipinski]

Severance isn't back just yet, but the podcast is.

[Ben Stiller]

Each week we'll discuss the movies, TV shows and ideas that influence the making of Severance.

[Jed Lipinski]

We're going to talk to the incredible.

[Dana Carvey]

Artists who inspire us to do what we do.

[Ben Stiller]

The Severance podcast returns Thursday, June 26th. Follow and listen everywhere you get your podcasts.

[Unknown]

If you're alignment in charge of keeping the lights on, Grainger understands that you go to great lengths and sometimes heights to ensure the power is always flowing. Which is why you can count on Grainger for professional grade project products and next day delivery. So you have everything you need to get the job done. Call 1-800-granger clickgranger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.