Defending Indiana: Recent Episodes
Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Do you think Indiana is a flyover state in the middle of the U.S. with just corn and basketball? Are you wrong or are you right? Find out by listening to Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez, stand-up comedians who were born and raised in Indiana, as they discuss the stereotypes, jokes and myths about Indiana with special guests who help them try to defend the Hoosier state.
Kurt Vonnegut, one of the greatest American writers of all time, was a Hoosier! Colleen and Janice go deep into discussing the life and work of Vonnegut with special guest, Chris Lafave, curator for the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library.
Guest: Chris Lafave is the curator for the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Chris has been studying and speaking about Kurt Vonnegut for over a decade, and has spoken at book festivals, schools and prisons about Kurt's life story and his influence on American culture and our world. Mr. Lafave has always been proud to represent an organization dedicated to maintaining the ideals and memory of a man novelist Jay McInerney once described as "a satirist with a heart, a moralist with a whoopee cushion."
14:09 Interview starts
15:15 Vonnegut history in Indiana
20:20 Education and early career
28:40 Vonnegut and social media
30:00 Vonnegut Museum and Library
39:22 First Amendment Advocacy
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan, Janice V. Rodriguez, Michael Miltenberger
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
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Colleen, Janice and fellow co-producer, Michael Miltenberger, discuss some of their favorite unusual stories coming out of the Hoosier state. Both current events and past mysteries are shared such as zebras and camels on the interstate, the Kokomo Hum and Pukwudgies. Seriously, we are not making this stuff up.
Stay in Touch with Defending Indianadefendingindiana@gmail.com
Defending Indiana Website
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So it turns out many people really do write books in Indiana. Bronwen Carlisle from Indiana Humanities joins Colleen and Janice to discuss the books and authors that everyone should have on their reading lists. This is a great conversation that highlights another overlooked but significant fact about the Hoosier State...and it's damn entertaining too.
Bronwen Carlisle, programs and special projects manager, manages a variety of Indiana Humanities’ literary programs, including the Indiana Authors Awards and its affiliated events. She also supports the organization with grant reporting, copy writing and project management.
Bronwen holds master’s degrees in English literature and library science from IU Bloomington and a bachelor’s degree with majors in writing and literature from Huntington University (in her hometown of Huntington, Ind.). Her literary criticism has been published in several academic books and journals. She teaches adjunct literature courses for the HU English department and serves on the board of the Imagination Library of Johnson County. Additionally, Bronwen holds a certification in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) and has taught English in China, Thailand and the states.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan, Janice V. Rodriguez, Michael Miltenberger
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Stay in Touch with Defending Indianadefendingindiana@gmail.com
Defending Indiana Website
Defending Indiana on Facebook
Defending Indiana on Instagram
Defending Indiana on Twitter
Before you fly over Indiana for the holidays, just listen to this episode. Maybe you're missing something...?
Colleen and Janice reminisce about their past Hoosier holidays with nods to live nativity scenes, unstable ice skating rinks and time and a half. Fortunately, Kathleen Crews, Director of the Santa Claus Museum & Village and Melissa Arnold, Executive Director of the Spencer County Visitors Bureau, save the episode by explaining the true magic of Santa Claus, IN. This episode is filled with delightful surprises about the remarkable town featured on the Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning , CBS Evening News, Good Morning America, BBC and many news outlets across the country. Who knows, you might even decide to be less naughty and more nice this holiday season?
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Stay in Touch with Defending Indianadefendingindiana@gmail.com
Defending Indiana Website
Defending Indiana on Facebook
Defending Indiana on Instagram
Defending Indiana on Twitter
We know, it's been a while! Colleen and Janice wrap up season three with their customary witty banter while offering very little useful information. Join us as we defend our delayed season finale and provide updates from the past year. Season 4 coming soon!
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Stay in Touch with Defending Indianadefendingindiana@gmail.com
Defending Indiana Website
Defending Indiana on Facebook
Defending Indiana on Instagram
Defending Indiana on Twitter
Indiana has been home to extraordinary women. From actors and singers and writers to entrepreneurs and notable women from history, amazing women have been born and raised in Indiana (or if they spent a few years here - we're claiming them too!).
One of these amazing Hoosier women, Christina Hale, worked her way through college as a proud single mother and served as a nonprofit executive for Kiwanis International, fulfilling a variety of roles that included chief communications officer and executive director for Kiwanis Youth Programs worldwide. A former state legislator for the Indiana General Assembly and the first Latina to run for statewide office in Indiana, Christina earned a reputation for bipartisanship and resolve. In 2021, Christina was appointed by the Biden-Harris Administration to head communications for the US International Development Finance Corporation. She continues to fight against sexual violence and advocate for youth and democracy.
In her book, "Why Not You?", Hale shows why, no matter your age, now is the time to find your platform and pursue the vital causes that inspire you. Christina discusses the importance of positional leadership, how to channel a servant leader’s heart, and why it’s easier than you think to create your own path toward transformative change. With powerful stories of ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things, Why Not You? is an interactive guide that points you in the right direction and inspires you to say yes to your calling.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Stay in Touch with Defending Indianadefendingindiana@gmail.com
Defending Indiana Website
Defending Indiana on Facebook
Defending Indiana on Instagram
Defending Indiana on Twitter
In our second episode examining human rights in Indiana, Colleen and Janice discuss the events in the Indiana Statehouse and Supreme Court following the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overrule Roe v. Wade. State senator, J.D. Ford, provides context and detail to help us understand how Indiana became the first state to ban abortion after the fall of Roe v. Wade.
TRIGGER WARNING - This episode references sexual assault and may not be suitable for sensitive listeners.
J.D. Ford - In 2018, the voters of Indiana Senate District 29 elected J.D. Ford to the Indiana Senate Since then, he was elected as Minority Caucus Chair and appointed to serve as ranking member on a number of important committees, including Education, Veterans Affairs and Family and Children Services.
Senator Ford is the first, and so far only, openly LGBT+ member of the Indiana General Assembly. As one of the youngest members of the Indiana Senate, he is proud to represent Hoosier Millenials.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
In the first episode examining the state of human rights in Indiana, Colleen and Janice discuss the history and politics of LGBTQ+ rights over the past decade with state senator, J.D. Ford.
Interview starts: 16:31
J.D. Ford - In 2018, the voters of Indiana Senate District 29 elected J.D. Ford to the Indiana Senate Since then, he was elected as Minority Caucus Chair and appointed to serve as ranking member on a number of important committees, including Education, Veterans Affairs and Family and Children Services.
Senator Ford is the first, and so far only, openly LGBT+ member of the Indiana General Assembly. As one of the youngest members of the Indiana Senate, he is proud to represent Hoosier Millenials.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Is this "flyover" state worth a second look? Colleen and Janice hope Hoosier photographer and entrepreneur, Joey Lax-Salinas, can convince them it is. Lax-Salinas has changed the way Indiana appears on search engines by photographing and cataloging nearly every city and town across the entire State of Indiana (approximately 400 to date!). With his extensive travel and knowledge of not only Indiana, but cities across the U.S., he seemed to be the most qualified for this task.
Joey Lax-Salinas is a traveling photographer and entrepreneur whose photos and videos have been featured on Good Morning America, World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer, The Weather Channel, CNN, Forbes.com, and USAToday.com. He is a collegiate licensed photographer of Indiana University campus photos and the author of "Good Night, Indiana University", available on bookshelves in 2023.
17:07 Lax-Salinas interview begins
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Defending Indiana cuisine felt like a herculean task for Colleen and Janice. Thankfully, acclaimed Hoosier chefs, Ambarish Lulay and Chris Pappas, stepped in to provide much needed insight. Listen and learn all about food and the food scene in Indiana including: the "Indiana Banana" (the pawpaw), duck farms, mushrooms, burrata, lemon rice soup and the pork tenderloin.
Interview starts: 16:17
Ambarish Lulay is a Culinary Olympic Silver Medalist Chef who began his career in India with the 5 star Leela Beach, formerly the Four Seasons, in Goa and the 5 star Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay. Since that time, Chef Lulay's has worked around the world including more recently as Chef de Cusine at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park and Executive Chef at Petco Park in San Diego (home of the San Diego Padres MLB team)
At his alma mater, Kendall College in Chicago, Lulay created and implemented the curricula for the first-time, intensive culinary classes for the new BA in Culinary Arts, spanning the Cuisines of Asia, the Mediterranean and Latin America. He then went on to blend his global exposure to food with traditional French- Mediterranean method and technique to reflect current trends in food as the Chef Instructor at the Chicago Tribune 3 star Dining Room at Kendall College.
Lulay went on to serve as the Department Chef at the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Purdue University where he oversaw foodservice, operationally and academically at the Purdue campus while also serving as the chef for the president of the university. At Purdue, Chef Lulay focused on hospitality education and sustainable initiatives for the department and the community with relationships with local farms and other departments. As faculty he also taught international Cuisine and Culture classes that study abroad each year.
In 2018, Chef Lulay switched gears to join Scott Trzaskus as the executive chef at East End Grill in Lafayette, Indiana where he oversaw day to day culinary operations and worked with Scott to develop a new concept for Lafayette.
Currently, Lulay is the Executive Chef for all dining operations at Cornell University and lives in Ithaca, NY with his wife Kim and baby Archis.
Chris Pappas attended Purdue University, one of the top restaurant management schools in the country, and partook in some unforgettable internships during his time there. It was during this time that he fell in love with the kitchen and decided to continue his education in culinary arts at the Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park New York).
While in New York, Chris spent time at two Michelin rated restaurants, including Per Se in New York City with Chef Thomas Keller, and was there presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at the world-renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California with food activist Alice Waters. Chris’ entire outlook on life and food was transformed while working alongside some of the most brilliant minds and passionate individuals in the industry at Chez Panisse. Before leaving California Chris spent time in Napa Valley studying, tasting, and working with wine allowing him to achieve his first certification of The Court of Master Sommeliers.
After completing his degree in New York, Chris returned home to Crown Point, IN, to the place where it all began, to relieve his father of his duties at their family-owned restaurant. Shortly after he decided to open Provecho, a fine dining experience with a unique mixture of exquisite Latin American and Spanish culinary specialties, paired with expertly handcrafted drinks.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
In this episode, Colleen and Janice want you to imagine watching a stunning sunset over the vast, blue seascape while feeling gentle breezes and sand between your toes. Would you believe THIS is Indiana?!?!?! It is and it can be enjoyed regularly at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Joined by Superintendent for the National Park Service, Paul Labovitz, and founder of Dig the Dunes, Eve Wierzbicki, Colleen and Janice confirm there is a slice of paradise in Northwest Indiana.
Paul Labovitz started his National Park Service career in the Rivers & Trails Program and would go on to serve in Philadelphia, for the Midwest Regional Office at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio, Voyageurs National Park and Mississippi National River & Recreation Area in Minnesota. Paul has worked on park and protected area projects in over 25 states and in several European countries. Now 26 years later, Paul serves as Superintendent at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
Prior to working for the NPS, Paul was a Forester, Wildlife Biologist and Manager at a 10,000 private property in Southwestern Pennsylvania after earning a BS in Forest Science from The Pennsylvania State University. He would later receive his MBA from Frostburg State University.
Paul serves as a strategist on the Urban National Park work group. Their goal is to reach a new generation of National Park stewards. He also serves as the Midwest Region's Superintendent Representative to the NPS Tourism Council.
Eve Wierzbicki started Dig the Dunes because of her love for the area. She began taking photos and posting them on Facebook and found that people really enjoyed seeing where she was every day. After watching her page grow, Eve started writing blog posts, created a website and added much more information for people to discover. Now she enjoys planning events and workshops and getting people out and about all year long. She’s excited to watch Dig the Dunes grow and looks forward to seeing what will happen next!
15:04 Paul Labovitz interview begins
42:10 Eve Wierzbicki interview begins
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Colleen and Janice discuss true crime in Indiana with the founder of Cold Case Chronicles, a popular, Indiana-based cold case podcast. Indiana has had its share of infamous crimes - many that have gone unsolved. Join us as we learn more about how podcasts and citizen detectives are changing the landscape of crime solving.
Cold Case Chronicles is made up of four women from totally different backgrounds brought together for their desire to give exposure to lesser known cold cases. Started in July 2019, the hosts recorded over 80 episodes dedicated to finding answers for families.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Colleen and Janice share many laughs discussing sexy beverages, après ski and growing up in families who did and did not drink alcohol (can you guess which host grew up without?) Joining them for an interview and a lesson in Indiana bourbon is the man behind the wildly popular @indianabourbon Instagram page, Dirk Fentz.
Dirk Fentz is a bourbon enthusiast focused on bringing attention to Indiana spirits, Indiana farms, and Indiana families. Find him on Instagram @indianabourbon and discover the wide variety of high-quality bourbons made in Indiana.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Colleen and Janice welcome Jesse Kharbanda, the Outgoing Executive Director of the Hoosier Environmental Council. In this enlightening conversation, Kharbanda explains the challenges of pollution in Indiana (and across the country) and the actions addressing those challenges.
Jesse Kharbanda is the Outgoing Executive Director of the Hoosier Environmental Council, Indiana’s largest environmental policy organization. Jesse has focused HEC’s initiatives around environmental health & justice, land & water protection, and climate solutions. Jesse has been passionate about expanding the tent of people who care about the environment, and he has been personally involved in forging deeper connections with public health organizations, the business community, and faith-based groups, among other constituencies. Jesse’s leadership honors include being named to the “Forty Under 40″ list by the Indianapolis Business Journal, being recognized as the sole Indianapolis-based community leader in his induction year named to Delta Omega, the national public health honorary, winning the Hulman Health Achievement Award for Public Policy Advocacy, and being awarded with an honorary degree by DePauw University. Jesse has graduate degrees from Oxford University and undergraduate degrees from the University of Chicago. On October 7th, 2021, Jesse announced that he will be beginning a new chapter in his career; after seven months helping with his organization's transition, he embarked on that new chapter on May 2, 2022.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Joined by Jared Thompson, co-creator/co-director of the Limestone Comedy Festival and owner of The Comedy Attic in Bloomington, IN, Colleen and Janice discuss all things comedy in Indiana (and across the US).
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Nymphs, Egyptian beer and sibling issues - these are just a few of the topics addressed in the season two finale. Colleen and Janice welcome their #1 Season Two Fan (and Janice's mom!), Carmen Jones, and #1 "Non-Listener", John Brennan, who offer their thoughts on why they listen...and why they don't.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Season Two Intern: Kate Beck
Apparently, Indiana is not the only state with bizarre liquor laws. Colleen and Janice examine liquor laws from across the U.S. to determine whether or not Indiana's are as bad as they thought then chat with Chris Reisetter and Scott Ferguson from Zorn Brew Works to learn all about craft beer in Indiana.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Season Two Intern: Kate Beck
Pop or soda? Tennis shoes or sneakers? People all over the U.S. use different words to talk about the same things and Indiana is no exception. Colleen and Janice dive deep into regional slang and try to understand the origins of "Region Rat" with the Mayor of Hammond, IN, Tom McDermott.
He is loved, feared, hated and revered. Colleen and Janice discuss college sports and the legendary Bobby Knight with sports journalist, Chris Luchene.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Season Two Intern: Kate Beck
Auto racing is kind of a big thing around the world. Colleen and Janice learn all about life in the fast lane from former motorsports professional and Indiana native, Terry Greetham. Terry's experience with racing teams is so long, we can't fit it all in this space, but we are not above a little name dropping (Mario Andretti, Danica Patrick, Dario Franchitti and more!).
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Season Two Intern: Kate Beck
How can we relive our glory days without hometown news? Colleen and Janice wonder whatever happened to small town news in the Midwest. Joined by their guest, podcast host and executive director of GreatNews.Life, Jenny Craig-Brown, they learn that hometown news might actually be coming back.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Season Two Intern: Kate Beck
Curious to find out how Indiana fits into the Great American Melting Pot, Colleen and Janice discuss immigration and refugees with refugee advocate, Sara Hindi. Turns out, Indiana has a much more diverse population than many people might think!
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Season Two Intern: Kate Beck
Part two of our conversation with NYT Bestselling author of the memoir "Somebody's Daughter" and Fort Wayne native, Ashley C. Ford.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Season Two Intern: Kate Beck
She has been interviewed by Oprah, Trevor Noah, Terry Gross and now...Colleen and Janice! In the first part of a two-part interview, Colleen and Janice chat with NYT Bestselling author of the memoir "Somebody's Daughter" and Fort Wayne native, Ashley C. Ford.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Season Two Intern: Kate Beck
Colleen and Janice explore architecture in Indiana with Anthony 'Tony' Costello, FAIA, a 50+ year educator/practitioner who is recognized as one of the national pioneers in community -based, urban planning and design education. Winner of countless design and preservation awards, this Hoosier (via New York) explains why Columbus, IN is ranked 6th in the nation for architectural innovation and design by the The American Institute of Architects right behind Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Boston & Washington DC.
Hosts: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Co-Producers: Colleen Brennan and Janice V. Rodriguez
Theme Music: Michael Miltenberger
Sound Editing: Michael Miltenberger
Season Two Intern: Kate Beck
Why does a smoking monkey law exist? Is there really a monument made of teeth? Does Clint Eastwood have sheep? In the season one finale, Colleen and Janice welcome Defending Indiana sound editor, Michael Miltenberger, and stand-up comedian and Defending Indiana's biggest fan, Sonal Aggarwal, for a deep dive into some of the interesting tidbits they discovered in the first season.
Colleen and Janice did not listen to Country radio while growing up in Indiana and they know almost nothing about it. Thank God for their special guest, former Michiana B100 radio host, Lisa Kosty, who shares stories about her years as a radio personality in Indiana.
Is Indianapolis the #siliconvalleyofthemidwest? Colleen and Janice discuss keeping talent in Indiana with Key Club International Director at Kiwanis International and Indianapolis native Greg Stowers. Together they examine Indiana's #braindrain and his hopes for the future for Indiana communities.
Colleen and Janice discuss the important issues of racism and the history of the KKK in Indiana. Our guest is Dr. James Madison, Professor Emeritus of History at Indiana University and the author of "Ku Klux Klan in the Heartland."
Is Indiana romantic? Colleen and Janice uncover evidence to suggest, well, maybe?
New York Times & USA Today Best Selling Author of regency romance novels and fellow Hoosier, Erica Ridley, joins Colleen and Janice to discuss her new series The Wild Wynchesters, growing up in Indiana and everything in between.
Joined by Craig Prater, president of the Heartland Film Festival, Colleen and Janice share their experiences with culture in the Hoosier State - proving that there really IS more than corn in Indiana.
Part one of a two-part series features filmmaker Angelo Pizzo (“Hoosiers” and “Rudy”). In these revealing episodes, Pizzo speaks extensively about how his Indiana upbringing has influenced his approach to filmmaking and storytelling.
You probably broke the law in Indiana and didn't even know it! Colleen and Janice discuss their favorite weird state laws with special guest, former Indiana State Representative, Christina Hale, then defend the Hoosier state by examining some very strange laws from other states.