'This Day in Esoteric Political History' joins a spring launch slate that also includes new seasons of 'This Is Love' and 'Adult ISH.'
ESPN veteran Jody Avirgan is bringing his podcasting talents to Radiotopia.
The former 30 for 30 Podcasts producer and host has developed a new show, This Day in Esoteric Political History, for the podcast network.
The show, which debuts March 31, will explore how events in U.S. political history might inform our present. Political historian Nicole Hemmer co-hosts alongside Avirgan, looking at such moments as the Abe Lincoln's death and the year Woodrow Wilson contracted influenza. Each episode, which will run under 10 minutes in length, will feature special guests. New episodes will be released every Tuesday and Thursday.
"We're in the midst of an unprecedented, and in many ways monumental era, which feels so distinct to the present," Avirgan said in a statement, adding, "In this show, there won't be any hot takes about the latest political news. Instead, we're taking a step back in the hopes of bringing some historical context to this moment where civic creativity and bonding also feel imperative. I hope this show doesn't speak so much about 2020 as it does to it, and that people might walk away from each episode with something that made them pause for a moment to think."
This Day in Esoteric Political History joins a spring Radiotopia slate that includes new seasons of This Is Love and Adult ISH.
In its fourth season, This Is Love: Wild Things, which hails from the team behind Criminal, will tell six new stories about animals. The show's subjects include a retired Central Park police horse and a dog who guides his owner out of tragedy. It premieres April 1 with new episodes every other Wednesday.
Adult ISH, hosted by 20-somethings Nyge Turner and Merk Nguyen, will explore such topics as friend breakups, mental health, anxiety and reproductive health. Guests on the show, which is produced by YR Media, include On My Block star Jason Genao and disability rights advocate Haben Girma. Its third season debuts April 16 with new episodes dropping every Thursday.
Said Julie Shapiro, Radiotopia's executive producer: "Whether through stories of resilience in the wild, talk from the heart between friends or reflecting on resonant moments from the past — which you'll find in these shows from Radiotopia — at their best, podcasts have the potential to help us not only hear one another, but to understand each other and relate to the world a little better."
