I can't seem to find it. But I swear I remeber it.

This post includes mentions of politics. I tried to keep it neutral. My focus is on the impact that this podcast has had on me- I am not trying to push any agenda outside of listening to great content.

My first encounter with The Truth was during the holiday break from university. My parents, particularly my father, were/are avid NPR listeners and had heard "Naughty or Nice" on the radio one day. He couldn't get enough of that episode.

I was blown away by the attention to detail and the amount of story that could be conveyed through audio alone. I, too, listened to it multiple times, and it inspired me to layer in more detail when I had a podcast assignment the following semester in university.

Fast forward several years. It was the fall after I'd graduated from engineering school with my B.S., and I was sweeping out some trucks. I had taken a job in the performing arts due to my lack of enthusiasm for engineering and was, as a newbie, volun-told to complete some chores. "What can I listen to besides music?" I thought. The Truth instantly came to mind.

For the next couple of hours, I listened to a few episodes. One chilled me to the bone and has stuck with me to this very day: "The Dark End of the Mall". https://www.thetruthpodcast.com/story/2017/1/11/the-dark-end-of-the-mall

Without spoiling it for those who haven't given it a listen, it recently piqued my attention again due to the "Paging Dr. Beat" trend on Instagram/TikTok. Immediately, a significant yet not overwhelming feeling of stress hit me. Despite not thinking about it in years, "The Dark End of the Mall" instantly came to mind.

It's been interesting listening to this episode and through a few different lenses.

The first round of listening (of course I listened multiple times!), I was reminded of the dangers of poorly-programmed technologies, and the risk of failure of safety measures that are included. One reason I left engineering was because I felt that many risk-prevention features and ethical issues were being overlooked by my classmates. Whenever I brought them up, I felt pushed aside. To me, at the time, this episode served as a warning.

It also inspired me as an artist. Once again, the layering and amount of detail inspired me to bring more to my art. I was reminded about how the same thing, whether it be an event, a piece of art, or even simply day-to-day conversation can be simultaneously perceived differently by different people based on their preconceived ideas and mental schemas.

While I loved my job and the ability to use my skills, there was a lot of corporate control and influence. Despite the cheerful environment, there was sometimes a sinister undertone that I tried to ignore.

The second time was during the beginning of the pandemic. I was stuck at home. It seemed like the end of the world.

This is the third round. I'm in school again, this time for a different degree. This morning, I saw a "Paging Dr. Beat" video again and was inspired to take another listen to "The Dark End of The Mall" during my morning walk.

This time, probably due to the increased political polarization in the United States, it reminds me of people from the extremes of each side trying to "enlighten" others to their views and how even those who are not extreme trying to convince others of their view of reality regarding various issues. Sometimes, people may not even be voting in their best interest. However, they are so incredibly "programmed" to think one way that even when someone makes a convincing argument and they are teetering on the edge of truly understanding, they sometimes immediately revert to their "programming" and come up with alternative explanations that line up "just enough" to make them feel comfortable again.

It also reminds me of how, at least personally, I KNOW there are so many realities on Earth and in the universe these days that I am not fully aware of. I, too, have preconceived ideas, try as I might to set them aside. I have not gotten to travel the world and meet everyone out there. In this way, I am like the robot in the episode.

Moreover, I was even more like the robot the first time I'd listened to the episode. In my job, I had accepted the corporate guidelines placed upon me and explained away any challenge to it (I was aware that I was doing so, but felt less okay about it throughout the years), especially in the public eye.

While The Truth may be either over or on hiatus for a while, I hope the website sticks around. It is such a valuable collection of thought-provoking pieces that not only stand the test of time, but can bring more value with age. I am looking forward to listening to more recent episodes, and it sure will be interesting to find out how I see this episode in the future.

P.S. I hope no one is taking this as a jab to either side politically- as I mentioned, I don't know everything out there in the world and have my own preconceived ideas as well. I tried to make this as neutral as possible.

Hey, everyone. I’m back with Part 2 of my review of The Truth. I only covered seven episodes last time, so there’s still plenty of territory left to cover. In fact, I’ll be back for Part 3 at some point, and probably Part 4 as well. There’s nearly 200 episodes of The Truth, and quite a few excellent episodes.

We’re going to looking at even more great episodes, but also a couple of misfires. I think looking at episodes that misses the mark can be just as much of a learning opportunity as looking back at episodes that knocked it out of the park.

Now, on that note, I want to address something. There were a couple times in the last review I came across as a tad harsh. I intended for these reviews to be a warts and all look at The Truth. Where there is good, it shall be given due praise. Where there is lacking, this will be duly noted. Personally, I think, when you look at it as a whole, The Truth got more right than it got wrong. Every ax has a few speckles, as Benjamin Franklin famously said. 

So, with all of that out of the way, let’s meet the line-up. We’re taking a look at:

They’re Made Out of Meat

Possible Side Effects

Sleep Some More

Salamanca

Justice Battalion

Mark the Creep

Journey Into Kalanu

Breakfast in Wartime

Naughty or Nice

You can checkout Part 2 over here: https://drakoniandgriffalco.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-audio-file-truth-part-2.html?m=0

And if you’re looking for Part 1, you can find it over here: https://drakoniandgriffalco.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-audio-file-truth-part-1.html?m=0

I recently did a partial review of The Truth on my blog, and I thought I’d share it with you guys here.

The Truth is an anthology of nearly 200 episodes spanning a wide variety of genres. It billed itself as movies for the ears, and it certainly lived up to that description. Now, it is true that quite a few audio dramas fit that description, but you have to consider the context that The Truth occurred in. The first episode of The Truth premiered way back in 2011. The indie audio drama community was still very much in its infancy. Fiction podcasts tended to be short story readings like StarShipSofa or Lightspeed Magazine. If you were lucky, you might get something like The Drabblecast, with music and sound-effects added to the mix. The Truth was a full-cast show, performed rather than read, and with immersive sound-effects and music.

The Truth was an anthology in the purest sense of the word. Each episode was a new present to unwrap. It spanned multiple genres and styles. The early years did tend to be a bit more experimental in terms of material. I had the opportunity to chat with series creator Jonathan Mitchell. Jonathan described these early episodes as scenes rather than stories. True, they are certainly shorter than later episodes, but that’s hardly a bad thing. Each of them was like a snapshot into a different life, and they were certainly memorable snapshots. I’m not the only one who is of this opinion. Many episodes from this era of The Truth were featured on various programs such as All Things Considered, Weekend America, Planet Money, This American Life, and Studio 360. Eventually, the need to pay the bills came knocking. So, the episodes began to favor longer stories in order to provide more space for ad breaks. Now, some people say this was the era when The Truth went into decline. Personally, I strongly disagree. There were still many quality episodes being produced.

The real decline, ironically, was around the time The Truth celebrated its tenth anniversary. Well, maybe not entirely ironically. I have noticed that many anthology podcasts tend to start going stale around the ten year mark. It was at this point the misses started to outnumber the hit. Now, to be fair, there were still a few diamonds in the rough. That being said, it was clear that the writers’ well of inspiration was starting to run dry. The episodes also increasingly had the same feel to them. The decline of The Truth didn’t come with a bang, but with a whimper.

It is certainly sad that the curtain has finally fallen on The Truth. No show can last forever. Eventually, if you smolder well past your time, you will see a steady decline in quality. In the immortal words of Harvey Dent, you either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. I certainly hope that The Truth is always remember for what it was, rather than the decline it saw during its final season.

And that, my friends, is what this review is all about. We are going to celebrate The Truth in all its myriad ways. From those early “snapshots of a life” episodes, to the more full-length episodes. We will also look at a few less than stellar episodes. They can make for a good teaching moment about what not to do.

This is merely part one. I’ll be making a part two, so be on the lookout for that in the near future. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s part three eventually.

But I wanted to start off with a good solid foundation. To that end, I reviewed the episodes “Moon Graffiti”, “Eat Cake”, “That’s Democracy”, “Do You Have a Minute for Equality”, “Brain Chemistry”, “Fish Girl”, and “Mall Santa.”

Like I said, this just the start. More to come in the future.

Link to the full review is over here: http://drakoniandgriffalco.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-audio-file-truth-part-1.html?m=0

From writer Janina Matthewson (Within the Wires) and director/sound designer/composer Jonathan Mitchell (The Truth), The Missed Lives of Max and Judy is a new audio drama in 2 parts, each 44 minutes long, and you can hear it free online for the next 30 days.
PART 1: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001yxg8
PART 2: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001yxkx

Max and Judy are 18 when they first meet during a University lecture. They become friends. Just friends. And they meet up for chicken shop dates to discuss their failed relationships with other people. But missed opportunities and bad timing prevent anything more. When it looks like things might get serious, a misunderstanding drives them apart. Both devastated, they each try to find a way to get over their heartbreak quickly - by wishing it away.

It's a mind-bending, time-warping romantic comedy starring Danuisa Samal, Carl Prekopp and Alison Steadman. It was produced by Emma Hearn, and Executive Produced by John Dryden of Goldhawk Productions.

Part 1 is available starting May 8, part 2 starting May 9th, and after 30 days, they will be gone, possibly forever, so be sure to listen to it soon!

I’m pretty sure it’s from the truth podcast but I was listening to a few different podcasts at the time in work.

So an older guy keeps getting automated scam phone calls. The first ends up taking money from his bank, he goes to the bank and the bank employee tells him to ask “am I talking to a real person” He becomes more wary after this and starts asking more questions when he gets calls.

He has a call from supposedly his daughter saying she needs help. He ends up visiting her to find out she’s ok and nothing was wrong. She takes him home and they talk a bit. He falls asleep and he wakes up and she’s gone. He then gets a call from the police saying his daughter was in a car crash, he then asks the question “Am I talking to a real person” and then the episode ends.

Anyone know what this one is called?

i do remember the name of the podcast that the guy was hooked up to, but can't quite remember the title of this episode.

The little snippet of singing in the Intro of each episode:

I'm sure I've heard it elsewhere It's a real earworm for me. Can someone please tell me more about it? What's the original source? What is the context? Why?

https://podcastthenewsletter.substack.com/p/the-prince-and-the-dressmaker-very

Does anyone know if The Truth ever released any episodes on physical media, posters, or anything like that? I have one of their t-shirts, but would love to own something like that if it's available.

Been a fan of the show sporadically for awhile (sad its over) and recently started listening from the beginning. I was wondering who reads the title of the show? It sounds a bit like the late Alan Arkin.

We have some sad news to share. Pariah No. 3 will be the last episode of The Truth for a while. We’re not sure if or when the show will return, we hope it does, but it will likely take a different form. 

You might be aware that many podcasts are going through some challenging times right now, because advertising sales are down across the entire industry.  And so as a result, it would not be wise to continue making the show. If you’ve ever thought of donating to our show, or just sending us a nice thank you tip, now would be a great time. Follow this link to donate.

Thank you to all of you out there who’ve listened to our show over the years. We’ve been able to do this because of you, and we’re so glad that we’ve been able to make stores that you enjoy. 

And thank you to all the writers and actors and producers who’ve worked on the show over the years, there’s hundreds of people who’s work is represented in these stories. 

We’re going to miss making stories for you here, but hopefully we’ll be around still making stuff. So look for us, we’ll be looking for you. 

Thank you again so much for listening to our show.

And if you're looking for other podcasts to fill the void, Pariah writer Davy Gardner—who, when he's not writing for The Truth, oversees Tribeca Audio—has some podcast recommendations for you.

• UnReality
• My Mother Made Me
• Free from Desire 
• These Were Humans
• Happy Accidents

We also encourage you to revisit the 150+ past Truth episodes available on our feed. Happy listening!

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The performance of a lifetime

The grandson of a world-renowned art gallery owner falls in love with a performance artist. But when her performance piece becomes a crime scene, he has to team up with an art critic to investigate. Part 3 of 3.

Listen on the Truth Podcast website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Measuring the depth of perception.

The grandson of a world-renowned art gallery owner falls in love with a performance artist. But when her performance piece becomes a crime scene, he has to team up with an art critic to investigate.

Listen on the Truth Podcast website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

“Pariah” is a three-part series from The Truth. Part three is coming July 12.

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The grandson of a world-renowned art gallery owner falls in love with a performance artist. But when her performance piece becomes a crime scene, he has to team up with an art critic to investigate.

Listen on the Truth Podcast website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

“Pariah” is a three-part series from The Truth. Part two is coming June 28.

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When Jen gets an instruction manual specifically written for her boyfriend, she uses it to help both him … and herself.

Listen on the Truth Podcast website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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A mechanic with a gambling problem has a chance to get out of debt by restoring his bookie’s vintage car. But first he has to deal with Ro.

Listen on the Truth Podcast website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Welcome to the 18th Annual Heat Meet, where hot sauce enthusiasts from all over the world gather to talk shop, sample new sauces, and—maybe, just maybe—see the face of God.

Listen on the Truth Podcast website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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We’re taking a break right now, and we’ll be back in May with all new stories. But in the meantime, we’re featuring stories from the past that you may not have heard.

For this episode, we’re re-releasing a story from 2013 called The Talk by Louis Kornfeld. A father comes to the rescue when three teenagers take things a little too far.

Listen on the Truth Podcast website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Hope you are enjoying your break 😃

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We’re taking a break right now, and we’ll be back in May with all new stories. But in the meantime, we’re featuring stories from the past that you may not have heard.

For this episode, we’re re-releasing a story from 2013 called Keep Running, based an interview with listener Brian Foy. Brian donated money to our show (thank you so much Brian!), and in return, we took details from his life, and changed them to make a fictional story. It’s about a man running from Wisconsin to Indiana, and where his mind goes along the way.

Listen on the Truth Podcast website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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We’re taking a break right now, and we’ll be back in May with all new stories. But in the meantime, we’re featuring stories from the past that you may not have heard.

For this episode, we’re re-releasing a story from 2013 called Tough Crowd, about a stand-up comic competing with a speed-date event—based on a true story!

Listen on the Truth Podcast website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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We’re taking a break right now, and we’ll be back in May with all new stories. But in the meantime, we’re featuring stories from the past that you may not have heard.

For this episode, we’re re-releasing a story that we made back in 2013 called The Mutiny, about the power dynamics between two children and their mother, and what happens when the tables get turned.

Listen on the Truth Podcast website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

A disenchanted mall Santa gets a surprise gift from SantaCon.

For this episode, we’re re-listening to a story from 2017 that we still love. Written by Louis Kornfeld, it features fantastic performances from Tom Ligon and Chris Dwane.

http://thetruthpodcast.com

The Truth is going on a six-month hiatus to develop new stories for 2023. We're looking forward to trying a new format next year—instead of a new story every two weeks, we're planning to release two seasons of six episodes each, released weekly in May–June and November–December.

If you’d like to be notified when our new episodes start again, please join our mailing list, where you’ll get all the latest news about The Truth.

To tide you over, please explore our back catalog, or try one of our curated Spotify playlists below:

• Best of The Truth
• Sci-Fi/Speculative
• Funny
• Drama
• Horror
• Christmas
• Clean/Kid-Friendly
• Sketches
• Series

Also, check out some of these other podcasts we like, plus any of the excellent podcasts on the Radiotopia network. Drop your own recommendations below!

• Appearances
• The Big Loop
• CrossBread
• The Fitzroy Diaries
• Here Lies Me
• MOONFACE
• Newts!
• Passenger List
• The Polybius Conspiracy
• The Shadows

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Long-running late-night talk show “Still On” just got a new host. He’s young, innovative… and cursed.

Listen on the Truth Podcast website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Hi, wondering if anyone knows the songs used in Dark End of the Mall? I recognize Link Ray's Rumble, but am curious about the steel guitar piece.

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Back in high school, a jock and a nerd switched bodies. Now it's ten years later... and one of them still refuses to switch back. It’s a revisionist body swap comedy about identity and the person you become when you're no longer who you used to be.

Listen on the Truth Podcast website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Mark doesn't think he's worthy of his wife's affection. At least, that 's what the voices in his head say...

Listen on the Truth Podcast website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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On a theme park ride dedicated to a sci-fi mega-franchise, a man meets a superfan whose love of fantasy is about to put them both in real danger.

Listen on the Truth Podcast website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.