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The Sleeper Hit

A weekly podcast where guests talk about what's underrated, over drinks. Hosted by Meryl Williams, writer and roller derby skater.
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Now displaying: 2017
Dec 27, 2017

The Sleeper Hit is still on hiatus, but Meryl recorded a pilot episode of a new Friday Night Lights podcast with her friend, Liz Juranek. If you like FNL, or like Meryl and Liz, give it a listen and give us your feedback! Texas Forever, y'all!

Liz's twitter: @lizjuranek

Meryl's twitter: @MerylWilliams

Show's twitter: @TexasForeverPod

Oct 16, 2017

Meryl goes over some books, TV, podcasts, and more that she's been into so far for Fall '17. Should you watch Riverdale and Rick and Morty? Find out now!

To get links to some of these things and more, sign up for Meryl's newsletter!

TinyLetter.com/TheSleeperHit

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

Oct 2, 2017

Writer Laura Chanoux talks about the hilariously entertaining BBC radio drama Benedict Cumberbatch did *before* he became famous as Sherlock Holmes. She also shares who would be at her best-ever dinner party, and who her #1 celebrity crush is.

Follow Laura on Twitter @LauraChanoux and read her stuff on The Billfold and The Belladonna Comedy!

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/ 

Sep 18, 2017

First-ever returning guest Megan Burbank schools us on birth control, and how it's portrayed and misrepresented in politics. She also shares why what's best for her or Meryl or you may not be best for everyone!

Follow Megan on Twitter @meganireneb and sign up for her amazing newsletter, The Killjoy Report.

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/ 

Show note: At one point, Megan mentioned USDA approval and she wants you to know she meant FDA! Our bad!

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Sep 11, 2017

High school art teacher and graphic design artist Owen Williams (aka, Meryl's big brother!) talks about the appeal and depth of great cartoons like Gravity Falls, Steven Universe, and Star Vs. The Forces of Evil. He also plays a great round of Over/Under, along with Unexpected Fav and Best Buy.

Follow Owen's classroom on Instagram @ and Owen on Twitter @geekierthanthou!

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/ 

Sep 5, 2017

Nicholas Dekker of Breakfast With Nick came on the show to advocate for "grip it and rip it"-style traveling, which is not for the faint of heart, but is maybe the best way to see the most of a new city. Listen to where he and his wife visited (and ate) on trips everywhere from Manhattan to Cincinnati's Over-The-Rhine neighborhood.

Nick has been writing about breakfast at breakfastwithnick.com for the last decade. Follow him on twitter @breakfastwnick!

Aug 29, 2017

Poet Christina M. Rau stops by to talk up America's classic diners and the joy of being able to order anything from a 2 a.m. waffle to a "garbage plate." Christina is the author of "Liberating The Astronauts" and the chapbooks "WakeBreatheMove" and "For The Girls, I." Follow Christina on Twitter @ChristinaMRau!

https://christinamrau.com/

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/ 

Aug 22, 2017

Funny Chicago writer Luke Trayser makes a case for the smartest, nerdiest Friend to Meryl (who is clearly a Monica). Luke is internet famous for hating La Crioux, making this episode's edition of Over/Under especially entertaining!

Follow Luke on Medium and Twitter (@TrukeLayser)!

Related reading:

https://medium.com/words-for-life/how-to-be-a-copywriter-f60fd17d4b68

https://medium.com/@thatdavidhopkins/how-a-tv-sitcom-triggered-the-downfall-of-western-civilization-336e8ccf7dd0 

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/ 

Aug 14, 2017

In light of Charlottesville, writer and activist Samantha Tucker talks why you need to confront the white people in your life on their racism. Follow her on Twitter @samtucker_i

Meryl & Sam also play some games, including Over/Under, Unexpected Fav, and more.

TinyLetter.com/TheSleeperHit

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

Jul 17, 2017

Meryl's Seattle buddy, Evan Cartwright, talks Scandinavian spirits in this episode recorded last summer. He also shared his thoughts on Seattle's public transit and what it was like to grow up in a literal ghost town. You can follow Evan on Twitter @evancartwright.

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

Jul 10, 2017

Meryl goes over some movies, TV, podcasts, and more that she's been into so far for Summer '17. To get links to some of these things and more, sign up for Meryl's newsletter!

TinyLetter.com/TheSleeperHit

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

Jul 3, 2017

Lin Rice talks about Jim Butcher, prolific author of the Dresden Files and other series. He also shares his guest list for his ideal dinner party and describes how the president has ruined Cheetos for us all. Happy July 4th weekend, America!

Follow Lin on Twitter @mrlin13!

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

Jun 12, 2017

Ohio Roller Derby All-Star Amy Spears talks about the sport and how it's changed over the last 10+ years of her career. Amy is a vet of the sport and is involved in the work of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). In today's episode, she also shares a terrible first date story and cops up to something she loves that might surprise most people.

Follow Amy on Instagram @wittyknits and also her super cute dogs, @licorice_and_blackjack!

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

May 30, 2017

NYC poet Abigail Welhouse sells us on why the teen drama Gossip Girl is often underestimated, unfairly. Follow Abigail on Twitter @welhouse and sign up for her great poetry TinyLetter!

http://tinyletter.com/welhouse

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

May 15, 2017

Dean Gorsuch, TV critic and Twitter presence, talks about the Elijah Wood shows and movies you should be watching. Hear Dean share thoughts on his celebrity crush, what's the best flavor of La Crioux, and why he hates sheep so much.

Follow Dean on Twitter @hapless23!

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

May 8, 2017

Editor for The Billfold Nicole Dieker makes a case for the 1978 miniseries version of Little Women, starring basically everyone who was on a famous TV show in the 1970s. Listen to Nicole play a ~brand new~ season two game, and discuss who her famous bae would be (hint: It's NOT William Shatner, who *was indeed* in the 1978 version of Little Women). 

Follow Nicole on Twitter @HelloTheFuture and pre-order her book, The Biographies of Ordinary People, out May 23!

https://www.amazon.com/Biographies-Ordinary-People-1989-2000-ebook/dp/B06VT22Y3Q

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

May 1, 2017

Season 2 premiere! Motorcycle Instructor Jesse Lamp doesn't want you to stop learning things just because you're not in school anymore. In this "lost" September 2016 episode from Meryl's last weeks of living in Portland, she interviews a dude she's known most of her life about growing up in a conservative part of the country, but how the military and two deployments to Iraq broadened his horizons. Travel and a lifelong love of learning has taught him the values of knowing about and understanding other cultures.

Follow Jesse on Twitter at @Jesse_Lamp_101!

Sidenote: Members of both the bands Saintseneca and Papadosio went to high school with Jesse and Meryl in southeastern Ohio. Small world!

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

Apr 17, 2017

In the spirit of Another Round, Meryl runs down a list of self-care tips, for when things kind of suck. Listen to her talk about the stresses and benefits of playing roller derby. She shares what you can try in your own life to check in with yourself, and seeing what you can do to make your life and mental health a little better.

Follow Meryl on Twitter @MerylWilliams and sign up for her TinyLetter at TinyLetter.com/TheSleeperHit.

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

Apr 10, 2017

Here's a classic episode of the show, an interview with Megan Burbank, Arts Editor for the Portland Mercury! She told us about her lifelong affection for underrated hot, scienc-y type, Jeff Goldblum. She also gave us a great red lipstick recommendation and shared what it was like to grow up in Seattle.

Megan's awesome newsletter, the Killjoy Report, is a must read:

https://tinyletter.com/meganburbank

Follow her on Twitter @meganireneb!

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

Apr 4, 2017

Amelia Buzzell talks about the culinary legend and late career bloomer behind Mastering The Art of French Cooking. Listen to who Amelia would pick to be at her celebrity dinner party and who would troll whom there.

Follow Amelia on Instagram @marlojunior for posts of her two amazing dogs, Albright and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

https://www.instagram.com/marlojunior/

https://www.instagram.com/notoriousrbvizsla/

Related: http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/05/dog-birthday-party-ideas.html

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

Mar 28, 2017

This is a special edition of The Sleeper Hit: An interview with Meryl's grandfather six weeks before he died on March 25. Les Williams was the Director of Parks & Rec in Dover, OH for many years and was married to Kay Williams, a local reporter for the Times Reporter. In this interview, he shared stories about his life, some marriage advice, and his secret to being happy even late in life. He will be missed.

Les was inducted into the Cy Young Tuscarawas County Old Timers Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008, recognized for his playing, managing and umpiring. He was offered a contract by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1947, but did not report because of an arm injury. He also was a volunteer for many years at the Dover YMCA, where he also played, coached, and refereed in church league basketball games.

Les Williams: August 4, 1928 - March 25, 2017

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timesreporter/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=184709581

Music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1jGDhkkzzc&list=RDg1jGDhkkzzc&index=1

http://brokeforfree.com/ 

 

Mar 27, 2017

Rob Harvilla is a staff writer for The Ringer and he loves the band Grandaddy. Listen to his interview about the band, as well as what it was like to work at a competing streaming service in the months just before Spotify's arrival in the U.S. Follow Rob on Twitter @harvilla and read his writing about pop culture on The Ringer!

https://theringer.com/@rob.harvilla

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

Mar 20, 2017

Special guest host Gina Watters interviews *regular* show host, Meryl Williams! She talks about why we should be more open about discussions of mental health and treatment. Meryl is a writer for the internet who sends out a super fun feminist-y newsletter every two weeks called The Sleeper Hit. (She hosts a podcast of the same name!) Follow her on Twitter @MerylWilliams!

Gina Watters is a Chicago writer and storyteller and general podcast enthusiast. Follow Gina on Twitter at @MercuryMarie5!

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

Mar 13, 2017

The hosts of Columbus podcast 6pod4 brought some bourbon to their hang out recording session to discuss the IFC series, Documentary Now! Robert Gratton and Craig Clawson also go over who'd be in each of their respective Super Groups, and debate the world's worst bands.

Follow @6pod4 on Twitter and subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!

http://6pod4.blubrry.com/

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

Mar 6, 2017

Funny writer Erik Sternberger discusses why we remember SNL at its best, and when. Follow Erik on Twitter @ZapThunder and check out his website!

http://eriksternberger.com/

Theme song: "Sleeper Hold," by Saintseneca (@saintseneca)

http://www.saintseneca.com/

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