[encore] 600: I Imagine the Butches' Stripper Bar by Jill McDonough

Summary

Summary of "The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily" – Episode 600: I Imagine the Butches' Stripper Bar by Jill McDonough

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily
• Host/Author: American Public Media
• Episode: [Encore] 600: I Imagine the Butches' Stripper Bar by Jill McDonough
• Release Date: May 23, 2025

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Introduction: Revisiting the Archives Timestamp: [00:58]

In this encore episode, The Slowdown takes a nostalgic journey by revisiting a past episode from Tracy K. Smith's tenure as host. The current host, Major Jackson, announces the temporary break of the show and seamlessly transitions listeners to cherished moments from the archive, setting a reflective and intimate tone for the episode.

"[00:58] Major Host: Hi, it's Major. The Slowdown is on a break right now, but we'll be back soon with a new host. In the meantime, we're bringing you some of the best episodes from our archives. Today we revisit an episode from Tracy K. Smith's time at the Helm. Enjoy."

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Hosted by Tracy K. Smith: A Journey Through Memories and Photography Timestamp: [01:22]

Tracy K. Smith introduces the episode with a heartfelt reflection on personal memories tied to photography. She contrasts the vintage Kodak Brownie camera of her childhood with the more modern Polaroid SX70, evoking a sense of nostalgia and the enduring magic of capturing moments.

"When I was a kid, my mother had an old Kodak Brownie from the 1950s... The glossy images got tucked into books, scratch stashed in junk drawers, shuffled away only to turn up months or years later, like a time capsule attesting to what once made up our lives."
"[01:22] Tracy K. Smith"

Tracy shares a poignant memory of a Polaroid photo her sister took of Al Pacino during the airing of the movie Serpico, highlighting how these instant images serve as tangible witnesses to fleeting moments.

"I have a very clear memory of a Polaroid my sister Jean once snapped of Al Pacino... Somehow that photo and others like it bear witness to our lives in ways little else can."

She further explores the generational shift in how photography is perceived, contrasting the instant gratification of Polaroids with her children's perception of digital selfies, blending feelings of safety, nostalgia, and a touch of grief.

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Featured Poem: "Polaroid Ode" by Corey Winrock Timestamp: [02:15]

The centerpiece of the episode is Tracy K. Smith's reading of Corey Winrock's Polaroid Ode. The poem delves into the sensory and emotional experiences of taking instant pictures, capturing both the technical process and the deeper human connections they represent.

"O Snapshot, O etherized flash of childhood swarm of chemicals murmuring together to form empty sky..."
"[Tracy K. Smith reads from the poem]

Through vivid imagery and evocative language, the poem reminisces about the imperfections of Polaroid photos—the too much rug, the excessive shadows, the bright glares—and how these flaws paradoxically contribute to the cherished memories they hold.

"To tell me who was in our living room to capture this instant? Whose hand was shaking us into existence?"
"[06:03] Tracy K. Smith concludes the poem"

The reading is marked by a contemplative tone, inviting listeners to reflect on their own relationships with memory and imagery.

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Production Credits and Acknowledgments Timestamp: [06:03]

Following the poem, Major Jackson provides detailed production credits, acknowledging the collaborative efforts behind The Slowdown. This section underscores the show's commitment to quality and the support from various organizations and individuals.

"The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation... Special thank you to former Slowdown producers Jennifer Lai and Tracy Mumford, who critically shaped the show."
"[06:03] Major Host"

Supporting Public Media: A Message from Micah Kilbon Timestamp: [07:40]

Micah Kilbon, the lead producer, delivers an important message regarding the significance of public media and the challenges it faces, such as federal budget cuts. He emphasizes the role The Slowdown plays within the public media ecosystem and encourages listeners to support and protect their favorite public media podcasts.

"If you want to protect your favorite public media podcasts like this one, visit americanpublicmedia.org/action to learn how you can help."
"[07:40] Micah Kilbon"

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Conclusion: Embracing the Past and Present This encore episode of The Slowdown masterfully intertwines personal reminiscence with poetic reflection, offering listeners a deep dive into the emotional landscapes captured through photography and verse. By revisiting Tracy K. Smith's insightful narration and Corey Winrock's evocative poetry, the episode serves as a poignant reminder of how art and memory coexist, enriching our understanding of both past and present.

For those who haven't listened, this episode provides a rich, immersive experience that combines storytelling, poetry, and thoughtful reflection, embodying the essence of The Slowdown as a daily ritual for poetry lovers.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• "[00:58] Major Host: ... Today we revisit an episode from Tracy K. Smith's time at the Helm."
• "[01:22] Tracy K. Smith: ... like a time capsule attesting to what once made up our lives."
• "[06:03] Tracy K. Smith: ... Whose hand was shaking us into existence?"
• "[07:40] Micah Kilbon: ... visit americanpublicmedia.org/action to learn how you can help."

Transcript

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[Major Host]

Hi, it's major. The Slowdown is on a break right now, but we'll be back soon with a new host. In the meantime, we're bringing you some of the best episodes from our archives. Today we revisit an episode from Tracy K. Smith's time at the Helm. Enjoy.

[Tracy K. Smith]

I'm Tracy K. Smith and this is the Slowdown. When I was a kid, my mother had an old Kodak Brownie from the 1950s. It was a camera made of pebbly black Bakelite and brushed chrome. To capture an image, you held the thing at waist level and looked down into its viewfinder, which must have been fashioned out of some kind of a mirror. By the time I played with it, that camera was just a toy, a reminder of another era. The only evidence that it had ever worked came from all the photos of my parents in their youth that filled so many of our family albums. The reigning camera of the decade was the Polaroid SX70 instant camera, which spat 3 inch square images out of the front. Images we shook in the air and then watched slowly, magically come into view. There was something off, compositionally speaking, in just about every Polaroid photo I ever saw. Too much rug, too much shadow. Too bright a glare off the velvet sofa. The glossy images got tucked into books, scratch stashed in junk drawers, shuffled away only to turn up months or years later, like a time capsule attesting to what once made up our lives. I have a very clear memory of a Polaroid my sister Jean once snapped of Al Pacino when the movie Serpico was playing on television. The image is all pale greens and blacks watery and muddy at the same time. Somehow that photo and others like it bear witness to our lives in ways little else can. Two years ago, Jean sent a modern day reboot of the Polaroid camera to my daughter Naomi. There are differences in size, shape and proportion, but the basic magic remains the same. You put your eye to the viewfinder, press the button and out is spat a soon to be legible photographic image. Through some alchemy of chemicals and light, the scattershot images make the world my children and I live in look uncannily similar to the world my family inhabited in the late 70s. To my 21st century kids, the instant pictures are a fleeting novelty, something more concrete than a cell phone selfie. To me, the feeling is one of safety, nostalgia, and maybe even a little dram of grief. Today's poem is Polaroid Ode by Corey Winrock. It captures the look and feel and ceremony with all its hope and disappointment of taking instant pictures. And it makes me wistful both for the past and the present. Polaroid Ode by Corey Winrock O4 cornered room in which we tuck the ever developing light of our warm bodies. O Snapshot, O etherized flash of childhood swarm of chemicals murmuring together to form empty sky exposing days blue dissolve from blue, oh bad 70s plaid sofas and pearl snapshirts, costumes fading like Fisher Price, cars on washed out lawns. O moon boots without stars, oh family regathering as light seep as grief, oh ablation and emulsion, an actual moon, you day lurker, you balloon. I imagine deflating above our duplex. Why the resistance? Tell me who was in our living room to capture this instant? Whose hand was shaking us into existence?

[Major Host]

The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. This project is also supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. On the [e-mail] to get a poem delivered to you daily, go to slowdownshow.org and sign up for our newsletter and find us on Instagram @downdownshow and bluesky.downdownshow.org our lead producer is Micah Kilbon and our associate producer is Maria Wartel. Our music is composed by Alexis Cuadrado, engineering by Alex Simpson and Josh Savageau. Our digital producer is James Napoli. Additional production help by Susanna Sharpless, Rebecca Rand, Jordan Turgeon and Lauren Humpert. Our executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavati and Joanne Griffith. Special thank you to former Slowdown producers Jennifer Lai and Tracy Mumford, who critically shaped the show. You know, today an appreciation to the Library of Congress for your partnership.

[Micah Kilbon]

Hi everyone, it's Micah, lead producer of the Slowdown. I want to take a minute to talk to you about public media. You may have heard about federal budget cuts and other threats to public media, but what you might not know is that the Slowdown is actually part of the public media ecosystem. If you want to protect your favorite public media podcasts like this one, visit americanpublicmedia.org action to learn how you can help.