Behind the Stories: The Moth Radio Hour’s 5th Season Extras

In this episode of The Moth Radio Hour, Tina McElroy Ansa details her elaborate strategy to make her first romantic encounter foolproof. She also details her upbringing in Macon, Georgia. 

Tina at age 13.

Tina with her family as a child.

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Episode 502

In this episode of The Moth Radio Hour, Warren MacDonald describes the hiking accident that cost him both of his legs. Despite the accident, Warren continues to explore the world.

Warren MacDonald on one of his many hikes after his accident.

Also in this hour, speechwriter Mark Katz accidentally steals a popular joke and dreads confessing to Al Gore.

Mark Katz gets a laugh from President Clinton.

Also in this hour, Juliet Wayne is an animation student with a death wish who finally gets clean and finds love. 

A still from Juliet’s final animation project, mentioned in her story.

Juliet and Pete pictured together before a road trip.

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Episode 503

In this episode of The Moth Radio Hour, Kimberly Reed is forced to confront her past and future when she attends her father’s funeral. Prior to her Moth story, Kim made the critically-acclaimed documentary Prodigal Sons about her experience as she attempts to reconcile with her long-estranged brother Marc, who has seen her as a rival since childhood. We highly recommend that listeners interested in Kim’s story check out her amazing documentary for themselves.

Also in this hour, Ishmael Beah describes his transformation from innocent child to cold-hearted soldier in Sierra Leone, but his story was first captured in his book A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. Publisher’s Weekly says ”this absorbing account by a young man who, as a boy of 12, gets swept up in Sierra Leone’s civil war goes beyond even the best journalistic efforts in revealing the life and mind of a child abducted into the horrors of warfare.” We also highly recommend his book to Moth listeners. For more information on Ishmael, visit his website.

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Episode 504

In this episode of The Moth Radio Hour, June Cross is born to a white mother and black father and is asked to keep her two different worlds separate. June is the author of the book Secret Daughter: A Mixed-Race Daughter and the Mother Who Gave Her Away inspired by her Emmy award-winning personal film Secret Daughter.

Also in this hour, Mishka Shubaly must trek a treacherous path to save the day a sailboat shipwreck. Mishka wrote about his experience in Shipwrecked.

Mishka onboard the sailboat.

Mishka with Captain Peter.

Also in this hour, Susan Duncan cares for her dying mother and finally bridges the gulf between them. For information on Susan and for a list of her works, visit her website.

Susan with friends and family during her wedding to Bob on Pittwater in 2011. Esther is second from left, Susan is fourth from left.

Esther and Susan at Esther’s 90th birthday party this year.

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Episode 505

In this episode of The Moth Radio Hour, famed bassist Christian McBride gets a chance to play with his idol, Freddie Hubbard. Take a look behind the scenes of the making of Christian McBride Big Band’s debut recording, The Good Feeling.

Also in this hour, Adam Gopnik introduces his daughter’s imaginary playmate, Charlie Ravioli. Adam, who is a regular Moth storyteller as well as a writer for The New Yorker, sits down with Catherine Burns to discuss how the process of writing an essay and telling a Moth story differ.

Adam’s latest book, The Table Comes First: Family, France and the Meaning of Food, will be released on October 25th.

Also in this hour, the late Mike DeStefano describes the lowest point of his life when a chance meeting with a monk gives him a new lease on life.

A Tribute to Mike DeStefano

By Catherine Burns, Artistic Director of The Moth

“I used to be a drug counselor, and before that I was a drug addict, and before that I was ten.” – Mike DeStefano

Mike DeStefano performing at The Moth in 2007.

Mike DeStefano was a thoroughly original person. He was a brilliant comic, but his comedy was not for sissies. Much of his humor came from talking about the years he spent addicted to heroin. You can hear many of his best sets on his YouTube channel.

I first met Mike Destefano in 2007 at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado. It was our third year at the festival, and I got a call from Kirsten Ames, who had done a brilliant job casting our shows there in the past. She had a knack for knowing which comedians would be willing to drop their comedy acts, show their vulnerability and tell a real story. In past years she had identified the then up-and-coming Mike Birbiglia, whose story eventually became the Off-Braodway Hit My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend; and Anthony Griffith, who told the devastating story of his young daughter’s death.

She told me she had a feeling about this new guy. His name was Mike, and he was from the Bronx – a real tough guy. He had stories I wouldn’t believe, if he was willing to tell them. He had never told them on stage before.

He called me ten minutes later, and by the time we hung up he had told me not one but two stories that we Mothies would call “mainstage worthy”. I called Kirsten back and asked if the festival would be willing to give Mike two slots, one in each of the shows we were producing from them that year. I have never asked for anything like that for a storyteller before or since. He was just that good. She said yes.

He closed our first Aspen show that year, sharing the stage with some heavy hitters including Marc Maron, John Oliver and the actor Billy Baldwin. From the moment Mike took the stage, telling a story about taking his dying wife, Franny on one last motorcycle ride, he owned the show and the crowd. It was one of those moments where it felt like the entire audience was holding hands under the table. There was an intense stillness to the listening, but also a sense that the quiet energy he was giving out might just blow the roof off. You can see that performance here:

Two days later, he told the story we’ve come to call The Junkie and the Monk, which was a sort of sequel to the motorcycle story and which you can hear on this episode of The Moth Radio Hour. It was another home run. Mike went on to tell many more stories at The Moth, and even hosted a few live shows.

Part of what I loved about Mike as a storyteller is that he didn’t hide behind his comedy. He made you laugh out loud, but didn’t shy away from the depth and seriousness of the story for a second. He was just a guy who saw humor in everything telling you about the most important events of his life, many of which were heartbreaking.

Mike DeStefano with his wife, Franny.

He was one of the kindest and most generous people I’ve ever known. Behind that gruff demeanor was a man with a huge heart. In rehearsals he was always encouraging the others, especially the first time storytellers for whom taking the Moth stage involved great risk. In his last Moth show he shared the stage with John Dau, one of the famous “Lost Boys” of Sudan. John was nervous about talking about his more traumatic experiences, and Mike was very encouraging. Mike knew first hand how terrifying facing your darkest memories could be.

Recently his career had really taken off. He was a finalist on the show Last Comic Standing, appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and in his own Comedy Central special.

On March 6, 2011 Mike had a massive heart attack and died. He was 44. Mike was one of the Moth’s greatest voices, and we mourn him and the stories he had left to tell.

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