SmAmazing

I'm new to the podcast world. As with most things I've arrived at this place kicking, screaming, with my fingers stuck in my ears, yelling LALALALALALALA as loud as I can. Until, in the brief silence as I drew breath, I listened and realized there was something I wanted here. My recent obsession is with Plus One, a show on Kevin Smith's Smodcast Network. I am new enough that I have avoided running my mouth here to let you know how perfect is this technology...that you have already been enjoying for many a year now.

Today, though, I'm listening to an episode of Plus One that I simply must share. Quick background, Plus One is Smith and his wife, Jen Schwalbach talking about science, weather, and their lives. Since I'm deep in the back catalog I'm hearing about what they were doing during the release period for Smith's 2011 horror movie, Red State, which was inspired by the deplorable Westboro Baptist Church. Smith decided to release the movie without the help of a studio and part of his marketing plan was to screen it in towns across the country and have a live Q&A to go along with it before a wide release into regular cinemas. At a Q&A in Kansas City, MO two former members of the WBC, relatives of King Daddy Asshole Fred Phelps, were in attendance and they wound up doing a portion of the Q&A with Smith. In this episode of Plus One (#15 The Phabulous Phelps Phamily Phuntime Hour) they share that Q&A.

It's fantastic. To hear these two young people, Josh and Libby, talk about coming into their own and deciding that all they had been taught about not just life but eternity was wrong enough that they needed to leave is beautiful. It's also a little painful and weird but in a way that reminds you that they're human. We're all human. All we can do is keep learning and keep trying to do better.

Logistically, you can fast forward to the Q&A part if you like. In the intro the normal marital bickering escalated to a point that flipped my own personal Only Child of Divorced Parents switch decisively so if you're sensitive to that you can skip right over it. However, stick around for the wrap up because the things that Schwalbach and Smith have to say about the experience of meeting these young people and seeing how they were treated by a huge group of Smith's fans is important. Like, important enough that I'm refusing to spoil it here by explaining.

I know, I know, I'll be having a housewarming for my place in the 21st Century in a couple of weeks. I just have to finish a review of the rotary dial phone first. But seriously, listen to this podcast, you'll learn stuff.