Dear Flock,
You’ve probably heard our good news by now. We just found out that #PRIVATE#the Our Hen House podcast was named an Official Honoree by The Webby Awards. This is like the Oscars for all things web. There are 11 Honorees (and five Nominees) in each category. The Honorees in our category, Radio and Podcasts, include NPR, Canadian Broadcasting Network, Scientific American, Radio-Free Europe, and other big shots. Is it oppressive to call us the dark horse? We’re … gobsmacked, y’all. Seriously, look up “gobsmacked” in the dictionary, and you’ll find a photo of Mariann, Rose and I sitting on our couch (a.k.a. our recording studio) with our mouths still wide open, chins on chests. I mean …
Now that I’ve calmed myself down with my morning fix of coke (I kid — it’s cocoa), I want to thank you. Many of you reading this are in the flock because you’re devoted listeners to our podcast. This weekend will mark the 170th consecutive weekly episode (um, do we need to get a life?). Some of you have listened to every single one (um, do you need to get a life? ONLY KIDDING!). But really — have I told you lately that I love you? There is no way we’d continue to do what what we do, and continue to get better at it and produce high-quality content with top-notch interviews (did you hear Jane Velez-Mitchell on last weekend’s show? Isn’t she dreamy?), without your support — both financially and otherwise. So this huge massive honor simply would not have happened without you, period. And I will therefore name my first-born after all of you, in alphabetical order.
Okay, don’t hold your breath on that one — but perhaps we can work something out where we name our stuffed animals after you. Would that be weird? I can see the headline: “Vegan Animal Rights Podcast Co-Hosts Name Stuffed Toys After Listeners; Movement Figures Say They’ve Gone Off the Deep End.” Hmmmm…
Howzabout just accepting our heartfelt gratitude for now? Because we mean it: THANK YOU.
BTW, if you haven’t yet left us a friendly review on iTunes, please do!
Review the podcast on iTunes, wouldya? Thanks!
Also: I’m toying around with the idea of beginning each episode with a sentence from you, our supporters, saying something like “My name is so-and-so, I live in XYZ, and I listen to Our Hen House because…” or “… I support Our Hen House because…” or something like that. Are you interested in scheduling a 2-minute Skype call with us (audio only!) to say your sentence, which we’ll possibly use in a future episode? Email me at jasmin [at] ourhenhouse [dot] org. I’m going to collect names and email addresses and I’ll get back in touch with you as soon as iron this out. What I think I’ll eventually do is create one of those handy online schedulers and you can sign up for a time that works for you. I’m hoping that other devoted listeners will get inspired by your support and help us out. We’re reader and listener supported, as you are well aware!
I’m in a good mood today. My new tap class is going really well and I am about to take a higher-level class. Everyone loves my special-order vegan tap shoes (they’re silver!). And, in case you haven’t noticed, spring seems to have sprung, at last.
So since I’m in a good mood, I think I’ll do a giveaway for you darling flock members. Some of you already have a copy of Timothy Pachirat’s book, Every Twelve Seconds: Industrialized Slaughter and the Politics of Sight. But even if you do have one already, this is a perfect book to hand off to someone in your life who cares about animals. So if you want to be entered to win a copy of this game-changer, email contest [at] ourhenhouse [dot] org (everybody, all at once, say “HI, DANIELLE!”), be sure to include your mailing address, and do so by midnight EST on April 18. Be sure to specify that you’re entering to win Every Twelve Seconds. We’ll randomly select a winner on April 19. You can only enter once. Good luck, flockers!
That’s about it from me. I have to work on the intro for this weekend’s podcast episode. I’m incredibly excited about it. It features an eye-opening interview with Dr. Ray Greek, and a review of the upcoming documentary The Ghosts In Our Machine.
Thanks for being amazing, and for giving a shit.
xo jasmin