Errthang
Originally aired spring 2018
Al Letson and Willie Evans Jr. are back with season two of Errthang! After a long hiatus, the dynamic duo returns to tell stories, and have a good time. This season Letson and Evans focus on stories and interviews about fatherhood, the political unrest in the country, and ruminations on love. It’s a wild, fun ride with a lot of heart and depth.
Errthang is produced and hosted by Al Letson, with co-host and music supervisor Willie Evans Jr., show systemizer Brie Burge and actor Jason Stephens. Check out season one here.
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Al Letson & Willie Evans Jr.
Co-hosts
Al Letson is a renaissance man. In 2007 he created PRX & NPR’s State of the Re:Union and garnered several accolades, including a Peabody Award. In 2015 Letson joined the CIR to help launch Reveal, public radio’s first hour-long investigative news program, heard on more than 400 stations. As a comic book writer he’s written for DC Comics, and as a playwright/performer his work has been performed Off-Broadway. Al Letson is a storyteller for the new millennium.
Willie Evans Jr. is a founding member of legendary underground hip hop group Asamov. After releasing two solo albums, he moved more toward the digital world with the first audiovisual hip hop project of its kind and was dubbed a new-artform-inventor by music site OkayPlayer.com. Looking toward the future, Willie seeks to make more contributions to the advancement of art drawn from hip hop culture.
EPISODE #1 – 808S AND THREE HEARTBREAKS
In episode one of Errthang, Al tells the stories of three excruciating heartbreaks that will leave you laughing.
EPISODE #2 – WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH AL?
Al recounts when he went to a protest to report the news, but became the news. Letson saved a right-wing protester from a vicious beating by Antifa. This episode is about why he did it, how it all happened, and how he felt afterwards.
EPISODE #3 – NO ORDINARY LOVE
Al and Willie tell stories about fatherhood. Al’s story is about being a black father to a white kid, while Willie recounts teaching his son how to handle a bully.
PISODE #4 – THE GOOD GUY MYTH
Al goes deep exploring the "good guy’s” relationship to the #MeToo movement, through a story about his old friend, Louis. After the story, Al sits down with feminist commentator Kimberly Foster of For Harriet, to talk about the story, Rape Culture, and how to move forward.
EPISODE #5 – HOW TO SLOWLY KILL YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN AMERICA
This episode features Kiese Laymon’s memoir about growing up as a young black man in the South. The piece is performed by a small group of young black men who Al mentored in their youth.
EPISODE #6 – JOHN COFFEY REFUSES TO SAVE THE WORLD: PART ONE
In this episode, Errthang takes on radio drama. John Coffey waits to play his part in The Green Mile in the room of Magical Negroes. With him are other Magical Negroes: Mother Abigail, Bagger Vance, and God (with a Little g). When John learns the nature of his power, he doesn’t want to be magical anymore and refuses to go. But everyone has to play their part, or the universe might fall apart. John Coffey and the rest of the Magical Negroes wrestle with question; are we all destined to play the roles we are cast?
This episodes features Larry Knight (as John Coffey), David Girard (Legba), Jason Stephens (God with a little g), Toni Lang Philips (Mother Abigail), Steven Anderson (Bagger Vance), Bill Ratliff (Stephen King), Brooks Anne (Clerk).
EPISODE #7 – JOHN COFFEY REFUSES TO SAVE THE WORLD: PART TWO
John Coffey doesn’t want to be Magical Negro anymore and the universe trembles in the aftershock of his decision. All John wants is a story all his own; a history deeper than him just saving white people. John sets out to find that story with the help of his fellow Magical Negroes and his creator, Stephen King.
This episodes features Larry Knight (as John Coffey), David Girard (Legba), Jason Stephens (God with a little g), Toni Lang Philips (Mother Abigail), Steven Anderson (Bagger Vance), Bill Ratliff (Stephen King), Brooks Anne (Clerk).
EPISODE #8 – SONGS IN THE KEY OF OUR LIVES
Al and Willie wrap up the season right where they started – with each other. After 30 years of friendship, their origin story is finally revealed.