Best Aviary Podcasts (2025)

1
‘Have you checked on your ancestors?’ This woman brings dignity to deceased Black Chicagoans 15:06

3h ago15:06

15:06

Tammy Gibson wants you to visit the gravesites of your deceased relatives. “Have you checked on your ancestors?” said Gibson, the founder of Sankofa TravelHer, an organization dedicated to honoring the legacy of African-Americans who were often denied dignity in death. As we learned last episode, Chicago’s long history of segregation affected both …

1
Exploring the segregated past of Chicago cemeteries 6:57

24h ago6:57

6:57

Mayor Harold Washington is buried in a cemetery that was once for “whites only.” Protests and legislative fights desegregated area cemeteries.

1
Brain-Eating Amoebas 1:22:12

8d ago1:22:12

1:22:12

Join hosts Ed Voccola (Rick and Morty, Bless The Harts) and Chris Cullari (Blumhouse, The Aviary) for a wild trip through the world of what scares them. This week, the boys kick off their SUMMER OF FEAR with a terrifying trip through the microscopic world of brain eating amoeba. Go behind the headlines to learn what exactly these things can do to y…

1
What happened to Chicago's Japanese community? 7:00

8d ago7:00

7:00

Lakeview once had a thriving Japanese community, but it fell victim to a push for assimilation. As one Japanese-American puts it: “You had to basically be unseen.”

1
Car towed? Listen to this on your way down to Chicago’s Central Auto Pound 10:28

15d ago10:28

10:28

If you’ve had your car towed in Chicago, there’s a decent chance you had to journey down to Lower Lower Wacker Drive — likely not in the best of moods — to open your wallet and recollect your vehicle. “It's supposed to be a happy process,” said Michael Lacoco, the deputy commissioner of the city’s bureau of traffic services. In our last episode, we…

1
Lower Wacker Drive: A uniquely Chicago street 6:42

16d ago6:42

6:42

Curious City has gotten several questions about Wacker Drive over the years. We head down to the lower levels in search of some answers.

1
Ep 10: Ravenhearst & Pajama Sam 1:17:02

17d ago1:17:02

1:17:02

Annie and Emmi revisit games from their respective childhoods. Annie brings Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst, a game about being friends with your ex, and Emmi brings Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It’s Dark Outside, a star vehicle for Pamela Adlon. Spoilers for games that are decades old. This episode was deeply cursed with recording issues, room…

1
Bad Trips: Meth 1:53:17

22d ago1:53:17

1:53:17

Join hosts Ed Voccola (Rick and Morty, Bless The Harts) and Chris Cullari (Blumhouse, The Aviary) for a wild trip through the world of what scares them. This week, the boys lose their minds on a meth bender through time and space. From the origins of the drug in the reeds of a 125 million year old plant, to its powerful effects on the body and mind…

1
Schools, Water Plants and City Hall: We search for Chicago’s nuclear fallout shelters 10:46

22d ago10:46

10:46

Nuclear fallout shelters are still among us, though they are not exactly ready for the apocalypse. These remnants of Cold War-era infrastructure do exist across Chicago, often in places you might not expect. This episode originally aired in 2015.

1
Why does Chicago have a law prohibiting nuclear weapons? 6:32

23d ago6:32

6:32

Tucked in the city’s municipal code is a law that prohibits the production, storage and launching of nuclear weapons in Chicago. We find out why the city decided this law was necessary.

1
Even when nothing goes wrong, moving is trash 18:23

29d ago18:23

18:23

It’s typical to see moving trucks winding through streets and alleys of Chicago on the first day of any month. The act of moving hardly sounds like a luxury, but as we heard in the last episode, it could be worse. About a century ago, Chicagoans only moved on May 1 and sometimes Oct. 1. That meant thousands of moving wagons clogging the streets, pr…

1
‘Pure chaos’: Why did Chicagoans once move on the same day? 6:50

1M ago6:50

6:50

You think moving is hard work? For about 100 years, Chicagoans used to move at the same time. Moving Day: May 1.

1
The Fang Bois Talk “Sinners” - A Vampires Follow-Up 54:20

1M ago54:20

54:20

DISCLAIMER: THIS BONUS EPISODE IS FILLED WITH SPOILERS FOR THE FILM, “SINNERS,” SO DO NOT LISTEN TO IT BEFORE SEEING THE FILM. With everyone talking about Sinners these days, it felt weird that it doesn't come up in our Vampires episode, so Ed assembled a crack team of previous SATT guests to have a candid, barely fang-deep chat about the smash hit…

1
Ep 9: Hades II (Early Access) 1:27:23

1M ago1:27:23

1:27:23

Gird your chthonic loins for the Hades II Early Access anniversary. Emmi and Annie talk muscle mommies, lunar lasers, and so many spoilers. No section on upcoming games this week because we simply had too much to say about Hades II. Corrections: Emmi misspoke when she said Giant Bomb was sold from CBS to Fandom. The 2020 sale of Giant Bomb was from…

1
Vampires 1:50:16

1M ago1:50:16

1:50:16

Join hosts Ed Voccola (Rick and Morty, Bless The Harts) and Chris Cullari (Blumhouse, The Aviary) for a wild trip through the world of what scares them. This week, the boys team up with writer/director Jackson Stewart for a stake-deep dive into the heart of vampires. From ancient monsters to modern cinema, this episode drags it all from the shadows…

1
The complicated statue of labor leader Samuel Gompers 4:08

1M ago4:08

4:08

Samuel Gompers fought for the eight-hour work day and helped create child labor laws. But for all he achieved, he was also fiercely anti-immigrant. We explore Gompers’ life, legacy and the statue built to this complicated man.

1
Maria Rodriguez: From fashion designer to restaurateur 13:22

1M ago13:22

13:22

In our last episode, Curious City question-asker Emily Porter sent us on a quest exploring the world of local fashion designers, all after she found a thrift shop sweater with a tag that reads: “Maria Rodriguez Chicago.” Who is Maria Rodriguez? How did she get into the industry? And what is it like to be a fashion designer in Chicago? To answer tho…

1
Like NYC and Paris, Chicago was a hub for fashion designers 6:35

1M ago6:35

6:35

A question about a sweater in a thrift store turns into a search for a prominent Chicago designer of the 1980s. Along the way, we discover the city’s golden age of fashion designers.

1
NDEs, UFOs, the Spirit World, and Flying the Craft 1:19:20

2M ago1:19:20

1:19:20

In this episode I talk again with Ron Johnson who has had scores of OBE, dream, and abduction experiences over almost 60 year. We talk about his 2 NDEs, His flying of the craft, and his many encounters with Elbe, the main being he has dealt with. #consciousness #paranormal #GrantCameronCheck out Matt and Desta's new Etsy store:https://www.mysterial…

1
Cruises 1:39:01

2M ago1:39:01

1:39:01

Join hosts Ed Voccola (Rick and Morty, Bless The Harts) and Chris Cullari (Blumhouse, The Aviary) for a wild trip through the world of what scares them. This week, the boys book tickets on the USS SCARED and take a doomed vacation through the world of cruises. All aboard for stops at the Titanic, COVID vessels, and the haunted Queen Mary! Warning: …

1
How sweet the sound: The history of Evanston folk coffeehouse Amazingrace 12:14

2M ago12:14

12:14

Folk music surged in popularity across America in the late 1950s through the ‘70s, including here in the Chicago area. Last episode, we looked at how a few area coffeehouses catered to many patrons in their teens and early twenties. These were alcohol-free spaces where people could listen to live music and hangout for hours. Curious City host Erin …

1
‘An underground subculture’: How Chicago coffeehouses shaped the folk revival movement 7:42

2M ago7:42

7:42

In the 1960s and 70s, Chicago coffeehouses were popular spots for young people. These were alcohol-free establishments where people in their teens and 20s could listen to live music or just hangout for hours.

1
Ep 8: itch.io Snack Mix 1 56:00

2M ago56:00

56:00

In their first itch.io Snack Mix episode, Emmi and Annie scale fish, believe and forget, and descend into the depths. Snack along at the links below. Games discussed: Scale the Depths Bulbo’s Belief System my father’s long long legs Upcoming/newly released games: Locomoto (Apr 8) Blue Prince (Apr 10) Rusty Rabbit (Apr 17) Beholder: Conductor (Apr 2…

1
You May Also Like: Stories Without End 22:17

2M ago22:17

22:17

Introducing WBEZ's latest podcast series, Making: Stories Without End. Host Natalie Moore takes you on a journey to learn about daytime soap operas and their broad reach on television. From the early radio days in the 1930s through the invention of TV to streaming, this way of telling immersive stories has endured. There are intergenerational famil…

1
Is extremist ideology still fringe? 20:15

2M ago20:15

20:15

Extremism in America has been on the rise. Last episode, we looked at extremist groups in Chicago and how they terrorized select groups of people and influenced housing policy in the city during the 1950s. But what does extremism look like today? Curious City host Erin Allen talks with Odette Yousef, a national security correspondent focusing on ex…

1
How much influence did white supremacist groups have on Chicago housing? 6:50

2M ago6:50

6:50

Extremist groups of the 1950s played a violent part, alongside real estate and neighborhood organizations, in keeping Chicago segregated.

1
Sleep Deprivation 1:42:52

2M ago1:42:52

1:42:52

Join hosts Ed Voccola (Rick and Morty, Bless The Harts) and Chris Cullari (Blumhouse, The Aviary) for a wild trip through the world of what scares them. This week, the boys get meta - talking about sleep deprivation while experiencing sleep deprivation. It's a mind melting, sense scrambling journey through a kind of hell that only exists in nightma…

1
What's up with the Chicago's feral cats? 5:01

2M ago5:01

5:01

Chicago is home to thousands of feral cats, and some people are looking after them.

1
Ep 7: Balatro 1:03:46

2M ago1:03:46

1:03:46

For April Fools’, Emmi & Annie play a little game called Balatro. Upcoming/newly released games: The Chef's Shift (Mar 30) PEPPERED: an existential platformer (Apr 7) Tiny Garden (Apr 8) Maliki: Poison of the Past (Apr 22) News links: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/nintendo-announces-new-lending-feature-for-digital-games https://www.polygon.com/gami…

1
“Enemy Alien”: How Chicago photojournalist Jun Fujita avoided Japanese internment camps 18:06

2M ago18:06

18:06

Jun Fujita is the Japanese-American photographer behind some of the most recognizable photographs taken in Chicago in the 20th century, including his shots of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929, the Eastland passenger boat disaster of 1915, and the 1919 Chicago race riots. Fujita was also a published poet and something of a regional celebrity…

1
Restriction and sanctuary: A look at Chicago mayors’ wildly different approaches to immigrants 7:12

2M ago7:12

7:12

Chicago is in the national spotlight when it comes to the immigration debate, but that’s nothing new to the mayoral office. We take a look back at how mayors have either embraced or rejected new arrivals.

1
Chimp Attacks with Mike Recine 1:22:17

3M ago1:22:17

1:22:17

ATTENTION: THIS EPISODE IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. THE STORIES ARE VERY GRAPHIC, AND THE COMMENTARY MIGHT INCLUDE MORE LEVITY THAN PERHAPS YOU'D FIND COMFORTABLE. This week, comedian Mike Recine joins the boys to discuss his greatest fear: chimp-assisted genital detachment syndrome. The trio tackle the dangerous combination of cuteness and aggr…

1
The Life and Legacy of Alice Hamilton 4:10

3M ago4:10

4:10

Scientist Alice Hamilton’s investigations into toxins in Chicago’s factories led to some of the first workplace safety laws in the country. She was known for her “shoe leather” epidemiology, wearing out the soles of her shoes from all the trips she made to Chicago homes, factories and even saloons to figure out what was making people sick.…

1
Ep 6: Aviary Attorney 1:13:00

3M ago1:13:00

1:13:00

Annie is a know-it-all. Emmi is a know-it-none. No news or upcoming games this week because we spend too long talking about which anthropomorphic animals from Aviary Attorney we would kiss. Vive la France. Links: 2014 Siliconera interview with Darya Noghani and Mandy Lennon Original Kickstarter for Aviary Attorney The Public & Private Life of Anima…

1
How does honoring the dead impact the environment? 15:18

3M ago15:18

15:18

How should we decide what happens to our bodies when we die? And what implications does that decision have for the living? It’s common to think a burial at a cemetery is the final resting place for a loved one. But as we heard in our last episode, sometimes the need to progress as a society is in direct conflict with the desire to honor the dead. T…

1
Why is there a cemetery at O’Hare Airport? 7:14

3M ago7:14

7:14

The suburban village of Bensenville has a long history of getting eaten up by development. Resthaven Cemetery is a symbol of what remains.

1
Ep 5: Europa & Mouthwashing 1:22:10

3M ago1:22:10

1:22:10

Emmi & Annie played two games with very different styles. Emmi was disturbed by Mouthwashing's body horror; Annie was disturbed by Europa's cuteness. These problems are the same. TW for discussion of sexual assault. Maddie Myers on motion sickness in Indiana Jones Mouthwashing playthrough Annie referenced Gene Park interview with writer of Mouthwas…

1
Wildfires 1:34:32

3M ago1:34:32

1:34:32

Join hosts Ed Voccola (Rick and Morty, Bless The Harts) and Chris Cullari (Blumhouse, The Aviary) for a wild trip through the world of what scares them. Sparked by the recent wildfires that threatened Chris' home, America's favorite scaredy cats explore these powerful and destructive forces. Don't love every word we say? Ok, weirdo. Here's some "ch…

1
How one Midwestern community avoids road salt all winter 10:15

3M ago10:15

10:15

Chicago — like so many other frigid American cities — can’t seem to kick its dependence on road salt. Last episode, we talked about why chloride from salt is harmful to both our natural and built environments. So we spent some time looking around for a cold-weather community that avoids using it altogether. And we found one! A little community way …

1
Could Chicago ever ditch the road salt? 6:08

3M ago6:08

6:08

Road salt helps us get around safely during snowy, Chicago winters. But salt is corrosive and harmful for the environment. Could the city ever go without road salt?

1
The Purple Gren: A Dazzling Jewel for Your Aviary 17:59

3M ago17:59

17:59

One of the most breathtaking finches to keep in an aviary in Australia is the exquisite Purple Grenadier Finch (Uraeginthus ianthinogaster). Native to Africa, this stunning bird was last officially imported into Australia in the mid-1940s. While it has specific care requirements, adapting your aviary to meet its needs will be well worth the effort.…

1
The First Black-Owned And Operated Airport Was In Robbins 20:04

3M ago20:04

20:04

The Chicago area played a key role in Black aviation in the early 1900s. The founders of the first Black-owned airport learned to fly in Chicago and went on to teach thousands of others.

1
A Very Special Episode: SATT Live! 1:35:39

4M ago1:35:39

1:35:39

With a newborn baby keeping Chris from getting a slick new episode finished, we’ve decided to share one of our premium monthly live shows with the public for the very first time. And not just any episode. The VERY FIRST episode! Back when we were young and dumb and a technical abomination. It was a real learning experience, and only got better from…

1
“It’s too complicated”: The state of cannabis record expungement in Illinois 11:55

4M ago11:55

11:55

When Illinois legalized recreational use of marijuana five years ago, it came with a goal to right the wrongs of the war on drugs. “We’re addressing the past harms of discriminatory prosecution of drug laws,” Governor J.B. Pritzker said at the time. Many low level cannabis charges would automatically be expunged and legal aid would be made availabl…

1
Illinois has made a lot of money from recreational pot. How’s that money used? 6:28

4M ago6:28

6:28

The state has made about $500 million in marijuana tax revenue since the state legalized recreational use. Social programs have benefited from those funds, but experts say it won’t last forever.

1
Ep 4: Death of the Reprobate 1:02:50

4M ago1:02:50

1:02:50

Emmi and Annie played Death of the Reprobate. Content warnings for: Hieronymus Bosch, tomfoolery, bird violence. --- BBC article about 2011 23-day PSN outage Polygon article about PSN outage Emmi wants this Infinity Nikki outfit and she’s stressed about it. This is the pizza box Playdate case that Annie has. Upcoming games: Ale Abbey (Feb 18 - Earl…

1
Going to Hell 2:08:59

4M ago2:08:59

2:08:59

Join hosts Ed Voccola (Rick and Morty, Bless The Harts) and Chris Cullari (Blumhouse, The Aviary) for a wild trip through the world of what scares them. This week, the boys turn to religious texts, doctors, and the people who claim to have gone, to get a better idea of just how many hells they might have waiting for them. Don't love every word we s…

1
There’s a delicate alchemy to overturning a wrongful conviction 17:34

4M ago17:34

17:34

What does it take to get a wrongful conviction overturned? Quite a lot, according to investigative reporter Alison Flowers, who says proving innocence is much more difficult than proving guilt. She has investigated the cases of many wrongfully convicted individuals, including that of Chicagoan Robert Johnson. In our last episode, Invisible Institut…

1
Why does it take so long to free an innocent person from prison? 7:08

4M ago7:08

7:08

We follow the case of Robert Johnson. Now, three decades after his arrest, a judge will decide whether to release him later this month.

1
Bad Trips: LSD 1:52:45

4M ago1:52:45

1:52:45

Join hosts Ed Voccola (Rick and Morty, Bless The Harts) and Chris Cullari (Blumhouse, The Aviary) for a wild trip through the world of what scares them. This week, the boys begin a new series exploring bad trips - starting with what can happen when an LSD experience goes wrong. Get ready to get scrambled! Don't love every word we say? Ok, weirdo. H…

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