Taylor Swift, Baseball, and Type 2 Diabetes: Other WJPZ Alumni Podcasts, Part 1

Taylor Swift, Baseball, and Type 2 Diabetes: Other WJPZ Alumni Podcasts, Part 1

Author: WJPZ April 4, 2024 Duration: 6:40

I wanted to call your attention to some OTHER WJPZ Alumni who are doing great podcasts.  In fact, we’ve got a little something for everyone.  Today, in part 1, I’m going to introduce you to three podcasts hosted by WJPZ Alumni.

There’s no bigger star in the world right now than Taylor Swift – and you’d be hard pressed to find a bigger Swiftie than Molly Nelson, class of 2014.  She and her best friend Ryan co-host “Hits Different,” a podcast devoted to all things Taylor, from news to theories, and many other Swiftie rabbit holes.  It’s edited and produced by Molly’s husband who she met at WJPZ, Alex Brewer from the Class of 2012.

From America’s sweetheart to America’s pastime and the class of 2015’s Jeff Kurkjian.  Jeff grew up with baseball, thanks in large part to his reporter father, ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian.  If you love baseball, you’ll love this show, co=hosted by father and son, featuring Tim’s encylopedic knowledge, Jeff’s quick wit, and some great guests.

Finally, we turn to one of WJPZ’s “OG’s” in the world of podcasting.  Stacey Simms, Class of 93.  Over 8 years ago, she began hosting Diabetes Connections, a podcast dedicated to providing news and information to those with Type 1 Diabetes.  She’s just launched “Diabetes Connections, Type 2” – dedicated to superserving those individuals with Type 2.  It’s easy to hear her WJPZ and news chops as she tells you about the show.

Now these folks aren’t the only WJPZ alumni doing great podcasts.  We’ve got more to tell you about in the spaces of true crime, comedy, and more.  And if you or a WJPZ Alum you know has a podcast – be sure to let me know.   

Podcast Links:

His Different: A Taylor Swift Podcast: https://linktr.ee/ithitsdiffpod

Is This a Great Game Or What: https://greatgameorwhat.com/

Diabetes Connections Type 2: https://diabetes-connections.com/diabetesconnectionstype2/

Want to be on the show? Email JAG at jag@jagpodcastproductions.com

Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/


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For fifty years, the student-run airwaves of Syracuse University's WJPZ at 50 have been more than a radio station; they've been a launchpad. This oral history project captures that legacy not through dry facts, but through the voices that built it. Each episode is a conversation with a different alumnus, from the pioneers of the 1970s to recent graduates, tracing how their hands-on experience in what's called the "world's greatest media classroom" shaped careers in broadcasting and far beyond. You'll hear personal stories of late-night broadcasts, technical mishaps turned into triumphs, and the forging of lifelong bonds that created a unique professional family spanning generations. This podcast digs into the real, often messy, work of learning by doing, revealing how a campus station became an enduring institution. Tune in for a collection of fifty interviews that together form a living archive, celebrating the people, not just the programming, behind five decades of student-led radio.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

WJPZ at 50
Podcast Episodes
Tony Renda, Class of 1995 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:02
As the son of a radio station owner, Tony Renda grew up in broadcasting. His dad, Tony Renda Sr, started with an AM station in East McKeesport, Pennsylvania, before growing the company to many station in several markets.…
Tracey Turner ('00), Lisa Phillips ('03), and Sarah Fox ('02) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:29
Today's guests are three ladies, three years apart, who have formed an enduring frienship via WJPZ that has lasted over 20 years.Tracey (Chilandese) Turner got to the station when Harry and Dena were running a skeleton c…
"Kid" Michael Rock, Class of 1995 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:56
"Kid" Michael Rock grew up taping Casey Kasem and trying to talk up the songs himself. So it's not surprising that he applied to Syracuse, and only Syracuse. And he set out to find WJPZ before his parents had finished un…
Play-By-Play Man David Resnick, Class of 2010 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:38
Today's guest is play-by-play man David Resnick, a 2010 WJPZ alum. He reached out to us because he wanted to make sure we recognized the All Star sports department he worked with at Z89 - many who have gone on to great s…
Final Program Update from Jag [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13
Hey, it’s Jag. Again, thank you so much for your support of the WJPZ at 50 podcast, which as of today, January 23, 2024, now has almost 13,000 downloads!We’re starting to wind down the series, but wanted to make sure you…
T-Bone! Programmer Mike Tierney, Class of '91 and '93 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:29
Mike "T-Bone" Tierney may have known more classes in JPZ's history than anyone - having worked at Z89 as a high schooler, undergrad, and grad student. So it's no surprise many of his contemporaries consider him one of WJ…
Ethan Charlip, General Manager and Class of 2020 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:47
It's no surprise that Ethan Charlip ended up at Syracuse University. His New Jersey high school classmates Jacob Belotti and Shruti Marathe were already there when he arrived on campus. In fact, Shruti told Ethan he'd be…
WJPZ Legend and Radio Disney Vet B.B. Good - Class of '93 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:05
(Note link to additional content at the end of our show notes.)If we were to pick one alumnus who best represented the warm, welcoming atmosphere of WJPZ, it would probably be Sharon Goodman Michaels, aka "B.B. Good" fro…