The Moth Radio Hour: Shocks and Surprises - Detailed Summary

Release Date: January 16, 2018
Host: Kathryn Burns

Introduction

In this episode of The Moth Radio Hour, hosted by Kathryn Burns, listeners are treated to a series of captivating true stories centered around unexpected twists and life-altering surprises. The narratives explore moments where ordinary lives are upended by unforeseen events, revealing the profound impact of these shocks on personal growth and transformation.

1. Teri Garr: A Morning of Chaos (04:13)

Story Overview:
Legendary actress Teri Garr recounts a harrowing early morning phone call that catalyzed a series of dramatic and emotional events. The story delves into themes of betrayal, rage, and the thin line between sanity and chaos.

Key Points:

• The Dreaded Call: On November 18, 1989, at 4:13 AM, Teri receives a call from her boyfriend's mistress, Donna, who reveals their affair and dumps Teri in a fit of anger, even throwing his potted plants into her pool.

  Quote (04:36):
  "I'm totally blindsided. I'm completely naive about this, but I was starting to hyperventilate."

• Acts of Anger: Fueled by betrayal and hormonal treatments for fertility, Teri decides to confront her ex-boyfriend by returning his belongings, leading her to Bel Air with a box of his possessions, including a hammer.

  Quote (05:10):
  "I started driving up there to Bel Air... Nothing was gonna stop me at all."

• Breaking In: Teri forcefully breaks into his home, smashing windows with the hammer, only to find him calmly on the phone inside, leading to a tense and surreal confrontation.

  Quote (09:50):
  "When I see him, I come out with some of my best Valley girl talk... I really wondered sometimes what he was thinking at that moment."

• Fake Police Encounter: As she prepares to leave, a fake police officer confronts her, mistakenly believing she is the victim, which ironically allows her to exit the scene without further conflict.

  Quote (10:45):
  "I was very happy about this. He recognized me and he said, 'Oh, Ms. Garr, are you all right?' "

• Aftermath and Reflection: Teri reflects on the incident as a life-changing wake-up call, emphasizing how this experience forced her to reassess her life and relationships.

  Quote (11:00):
  "It was a big wake-up call. I'll never be the same after this."

2. Lielle Leibowitz: Living with a Bank Robber Father (13:12)

Story Overview:
Lielle Leibowitz shares an intimate and compelling story about growing up in Israel with a father who becomes a notorious bank robber known as the "Motorcycle Bandit." The narrative explores themes of identity, familial relationships, and the quest for personal masculinity.

Key Points:

• Father's Transformation: Lielle describes how his father, under societal pressures to conform to traditional masculine roles, abandons his life to become a bank robber, executing swift and ingenious heists.

  Quote (15:00):
  "He was the Elon Musk of the stick-up job. He robbed a bank in under 40 seconds."

• Ingenious Robberies: The father's method involved rapid bank robberies followed by seamless deposits, making his cash virtually untraceable.

  Quote (16:30):
  "He would rob a bank, hop on his motorcycle, drive into a van, and then calmly deposit the stolen money back into the bank minutes after."

• Impact on Family: The robberies and subsequent incarcerations profoundly affected Lielle's childhood, including mandatory weekend visits and societal fame as the son of a bank robber.

  Quote (20:15):
  "He was my dad, who had just done something so incredibly stupid that lent him with a 20-year prison sentence."

• Personal Growth: Lielle reflects on his journey to redefine masculinity, influenced by attending avant-garde dance performances that challenged his preconceived notions of strength and manhood.

  Quote (22:39):
  "I realized that by going to jail when he did, he didn’t just free me up of the burden of this macho nonsense. He also freed up my son to grow up as a happy boy who can pretend to be whoever he wants to be."

• Ongoing Relationship: Despite their strained relationship, Lielle notes his father's detachment and his own ability to move forward, shaping a healthier environment for his own son.

  Quote (26:53):
  "He lives in his own world where everything is kind of happy and everything he did is kind of funny and just a pleasant old memory."

3. Nazreen Marzban: An Unexpected Public Incident (32:13)

Story Overview:
Nazreen Marzban narrates a distressing event from her youth during the tumultuous times of the Iranian Revolution. At 13, she experiences a moment of acute embarrassment and fear when she cannot control her need to urinate during an official visit by the Shah of Iran.

Key Points:

• Preparation for the Shah's Visit: Nazreen describes the extensive preparation and pressure placed on her to represent her community as a Girl Scout, culminating in delivering a poem to the Shah.

  Quote (34:50):
  "They used to put me in front of people to do stuff. So I was supposed to read a poem to the Shah."

• Moment of Crisis: Faced with anxiety and unable to hold back, Nazreen abruptly seeks to escape the daunting expectation, leading to her public act of urinating.

  Quote (35:30):
  "I realized I couldn't hold it back. So I ran outside, I went to the forest and I feel like it's the end of me."

• Aftermath and Support: Her older cousin intervenes, helping her return home and navigate the aftermath, including dealing with her school's response and community perceptions.

  Quote (37:00):
  "The principal and other teachers told me not to worry, that if I asked my friends not to talk about it, I was safe."

• Personal Transformation: This incident marks a significant turning point in Nazreen's life, shaping her resilience and ability to handle public scrutiny and personal embarrassment.

  Quote (37:49):
  "If you are safe, then I was okay. So I said, okay."

4. Michaela Murphy: The Beach Accident and Kennedy Encounter (38:16)

Story Overview:
Michaela Murphy recounts a bizarre and traumatic incident from her childhood involving a near-drowning experience, a traumatic injury to her uncle, and an unexpected encounter with members of the Kennedy family.

Key Points:

• Kennedy Obsession: Michaela details her family's intense focus on the Kennedy family, including annual vacations spent spying on them, which sets the backdrop for her story.

  Quote (40:00):
  "My aunts would sit all day in the sun with high-powered binoculars surveilling the Kennedys."

• Accidental Injury: While engaging in playful chicken fights in the shallow water, Michaela accidentally injures her Uncle Al by kicking out his fake eye, leading to shock and chaos.

  Quote (43:16):
  "My Uncle Al has a fake eye, and I accidentally kicked it out of his head. His eyeball popped out and sank into the water."

• Emotional Turmoil: The accident leaves Michaela grappling with guilt, fear, and confusion as her family reacts with horror and anger, compounded by her prior idolization of the Kennedys.

  Quote (45:00):
  "I was screaming inside, wishing I had drowned and that the Kennedys hadn't saved me."

• Kennedy Intervention: Unbeknownst to Michaela, two Kennedy brothers, David and Michael, witness the incident from their powerboat, creating a surreal intersection of her family's obsession and her personal tragedy.

  Quote (50:00):
  "I noticed that two of the Kennedy kids, David and Michael, had taken a walk on the beach and witnessed everything."

• Long-term Impact: Michaela reflects on how this incident further complicated her family's fixation on the Kennedys and her own path to healing and understanding.

  Quote (51:23):
  "Michaela's work continues to surprise her, and her family dynamics have never been the same."

Conclusion

Kathryn Burns wraps up the episode by highlighting the profound and varied experiences shared by the storytellers, emphasizing how moments of shock and surprise can significantly alter one's life's trajectory. The narratives showcase resilience, personal growth, and the complexity of human emotions in the face of unexpected events.

Notable Quotes:

• Teri Garr (04:36):
  "I'm totally blindsided. I'm completely naive about this, but I was starting to hyperventilate."

• Lielle Leibowitz (15:00):
  "He was the Elon Musk of the stick-up job. He robbed a bank in under 40 seconds."

• Nazreen Marzban (35:30):
  "I realized I couldn't hold it back. So I ran outside, I went to the forest and I feel like it's the end of me."

• Michaela Murphy (43:16):
  "My Uncle Al has a fake eye, and I accidentally kicked it out of his head. His eyeball popped out and sank into the water."

Final Thoughts:

This episode of The Moth Radio Hour masterfully illustrates how sudden and unexpected events can serve as turning points in individuals' lives. Through heartfelt and dramatic storytelling, the episode underscores the unpredictable nature of life and the resilience required to navigate its unexpected challenges.