JUNE 14, 2019

We don’t know who needs to hear this today, but it’s time for the Weekly Sound Off! We’ve got a genius antidote to dieting, a 93-year-old mystery we need Hercule Poirot to solve already, and (finally!) some star-studded respect for audio equipment. Join us, won’t you?

Mr. Stewart goes to Washington.

Former Daily Show host Jon Stewart advocated for 9/11 responders with an impassioned speech on Capitol Hill this week. Facing a row of empty seats, the comedian took lawmakers to task for skipping the hearing on funding health care for emergency personnel—and his message recalled that of another viral hearing speaker, Fred Rogers. Mr. Rogers used to say that in a crisis, we should look for the helpers—and that’s just who the first responders on September 11 are. Following Stewart’s emotional address, the House Judiciary Committee unanimously voted to send the bill through to the House for consideration.

So, how’d you two meet?

Twitter sensation and fellow member of the Dead Dads Club, Sixth Form Poet shared the ultimate meet cute on Twitter this week. While visiting his father’s grave, he felt inexplicably drawn to the neighboring headstone. Feeling bad that his dad’s plot was always adorned with flowers while this one was not, he began laying flowers there, too—till he discovered the man’s grave was bare because he’d murdered his wife and her parents before killing himself. Overwhelmed with guilt, Sixth Form Poet took flowers to where the victims were buried, where he met a woman who asked him why he was putting flowers on her aunt’s grave. He explained, they went for drinks, and now they’re MARRIED. Come on! We stan them forever.

Speaking of wild and slightly morbid sagas...

Bloodhounds, a séance, and marital infidelity all figured into the bizarre 1926 disappearance of Agatha Christie—a real-life mystery that’s never been fully solved. The New York Times has a timeline and you should really read the whole thing, but TLDR: the novelist eventually turned up in a Yorkshire spa—where she’d checked in using the name of her husband’s mistress—and greeted her spouse with a stony stare upon return. Whether or not Dame Agatha precipitated the plot to Gone Girl by nearly a century, the crime writer’s spa trip puts us in mind of another contemporary concept…

…which is that murder and self-care are actually the perfect combo.

Stare into the abyss for too long and you’re going to need a palate cleanser, which is exactly why My Favorite Murder’s blend of true crime and comedy is so special. The podcast’s creators, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, have inspired an army of murderinos—including editor Kat, who spoke with them about Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide, their new co-memoir that’s light on murder but heavy on self-care and empowerment. Listen in as Karen and Georgia share their thoughts on vulnerability, friendship, and why their audiobook truly slays (it’s not just the Paul Giamatti cameo!).

And now, time for a different kind of self-care.

We believe in wellness as much as the next person (it’s certainly better than the alternative—no one would espouse unwellness, would they?), but something about author Jessica Knoll’s viral op-ed Smash The Wellness Industry really spoke to us. The piece raises the profile of something editors Rachel and Courtney (not to mention Oprah Winfrey Herself) have been into for some time: Intuitive Eating. IE promotes following our body’s internal cues—and actually enjoying the experience of nourishing ourselves. In the words of IE expert Geneen Roth, When we give up dieting, we take back something we were often too young to know we had given away: our own voice. You had us at voice, Ms. Roth. #micdrop

Oops, scratch that mic drop.

We love a strong ending as much as anyone, but actor, comedian, and author Rob Delaney spoke directly to our audio-loving hearts when he made the astute observation that recording equipment is pricey, and anyone who drops his microphone can expect a bill. Respect the 🎤, people!
Till Next Week!
—the audible editors