"Small Talk Is Dead" Podcast Premieres: Conversations Courageous

 We think of small talk in three ways. As a social lubricant at public events with people we don't know; As a transition to a more serious conversational topic; and superficial conversation with people we know well to avoid discussing more personal issues.

Small Talk Is Dead, a Spotify Original podcast from Gimlet, which premiered this week, is anything but aimless, placeholder gibberish. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The stated goal of the show is to, "bring honest, vulnerable, and complicated conversation as they explore the rules around race, gender, and money, featuring memories, expert voices, and a ‘lil drama’ in between!"

And the show certainly delivers. The first three episodes -- which are all available -- deal with use of the N-word, fairytale life myths, and racial identity plus class privilege.  

That's not small talk, but diving into the deep end of the conversational pool.

 The limited series is the result of three producers out of the ground-breaking Sound Up: Behind the Mic 2022 fellowship. Small Talk is Dead

 ●      In the first episode Aw Hell Naw!, producer Lonnie Ro Wade from South Central, Los Angeles explores why Black people never talk back to their parents, cognitive dissonance around the use of the ‘N-word’ in popular music and why they NEVER mess with the paranormal!

●      In the second episode The Wildcard, after a difficult breakup, producer Courtney Gilbert from Columbus, Ohio asks if a 21st-century girl can have it all? Is the idea of having love, career and adventure realistic, or simply a fairytale?

●      In the third episode Black Gentrifier, when producer Kayla Stokes - who’s originally from New Jersey - moved to Los Angeles, her racial identity and newfound class privilege clashed. Then, she desperately tried to figure out how to not suck in her new city. 

Small Talk Is Dead began when Lonnie Ro Wade, Courtney Gilbert, and Kayla Stokes participated in Spotify’s Sound Up: Behind the Mic 2022 fellowship for early-career podcast producers. During their time with this ground-breaking 12-month program, they received best-in-class training and mentorship from podcast industry leaders.

As part of their training, the cohort worked on a series based on a topic of their choice. The result is Small Talk Is Dead. 

Lonnie Ro Wade has worked as a legal videographer in LA, and has released lo-fi house tunes made on his own DIY beat machine, “Octa Dre.” Courtney Gilbert is a videographer, photographer, and storyteller. She’s a former facilitator for StoryCorps, and has produced stories for NPR and the Smithsonian Museum. Kayla Stokes is a director, writer, producer, and storyteller. In addition to her own podcast, Kayla has worked on various scripted series with Audible and Wave Runner Studios. 

Check out the show, but don't expect the pitter-patter of innocuous conversations. After all, Small Talk Is Dead. Instead, get ready for a "back and forth" that will entertain you and stretch you emotionally and intellectually.