As 2016 comes to a close, The State of Things staff goes “behind the glass” to join Frank Stasio for conversations about their favorite segments of the year.
Producer Anita Rao’s favorite segments include a conversation with comedian Michael Karlik who founded the project “City Council Chronicles.” It comically reviews city council meetings around the country. Rao also discusses a segment about “Asperger’s Are Us,” a four-member comedy troupe comprised of men on the autism spectrum. She picked two of her favorite “Monday Meet” interviews, the hour-long segments that profile the life and work of individuals in North Carolina. One selection is Duke religious studies scholar Kate Bowler, and another is Islamic Studies scholar and public intellectual Omid Safi.
She ends the hour talking about conversations with NASA Astronaut Doug Wheelock and feminist icon Gloria Steinem. Rao also reflects on how her work at The State of Things complements her work as co-host of the podcast, “She and Her" which explores the lives of millennial women living in the South.
Anita Rao's Favorite Segments of 2016: