On Failure & Closure

Last week I got to meet Joe Berlinger, a documentary hero of mine. As we chatted, I had a realisation about a failed documentary idea of mine - and in talking to him, I got closure.See you in the comments section: https://www.webworm.co/p/failureandclosure This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit webworm.substack.com/subscribe

Getting tear gassed by the National Guard fucking sucks. Everything stings, you can’t breathe, and you can’t see. You can hear just fine — the almost comical pop-pop-pop of more tear gas canisters arcing over the crowd. It strikes you how everyone has their own unique cough; their own way of sounding when they splutter. Like many of you, last night I heard that Donald Trump was allegedly sending 2000 members of the National Guard to LA, all with the purpose of stopping the terrible violent protests against all the ICE raids and deportations going on in this city. Of course there has been little to no violence — he just wants to swing his tiny lizard dick around, and stoke fear. His dream, I imagine, is conflict. “See, look, the people of LA are out of control,” he’ll mumble and dribble, distracted by whatever bugs are buzzing around in his sloppy mess of a brain. I saw there was a planned protest outside City Hall at 2pm — so I drove downtown at 10am to get an early start. You fund my journalism here on Webworm, so let’s fucking do journalism on my Sunday.For more and to comment, please come to www.webworm.co This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit webworm.substack.com/subscribe

Hi, Tear gas in the air, a lot of coughing. A lot of guns. And anger.But so far, peace.I’ll be going live throughout the day here on Webworm. If you have the app, you’ll automatically see when I go live.UPDATE, 7.45pm PT: For anyone who missed the lives — the quality was pretty patchy, so I have summed up my experiences and interviews (with much better audio) here:David. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit webworm.substack.com/subscribe

I wanted to share the short audio documentary I created for Flightless Bird about the execution of a quite possibly innocent man, Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams. I travelled to Jefferson City, Missouri, as both the victim’s family and the original prosecutor in the case urged lawmakers to halt the execution — saying terrible mistakes had been made in the case. This was all based on the reporting I did for Webworm back in September last year. Some of you are Flightless Bird listeners and will have heard this already, but I figure plenty of you aren’t. I felt proud of how this turned out and wanted to share it with you. It’s just the audio documentary — no yapping from any podcast hosts. This reporting wouldn’t have been possible without you. So thank you.Finally, I wanted to note that January 20, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order to implement a fed­er­al death penal­ty. Looking back on my time in Jefferson City, this fills me with fucking horror. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit webworm.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s Webworm story comes in the form of a short podcast episode. It’s the sort of story I tend to be attracted to — a tale that’s weird, dark and strangely redemptive. And true. I came across it while researching a story about US prisoners who volunteer to fight fires. Matt was one of these prisoners — but he also had another story that I wanted to share. Please be aware this episode is for adults only. By now you probably know my stories go to some pretty dark places. There are markers along the way, so you should get a feeling of whether it’s for you or not. But please do take care when listening — and don’t listen with your kids in the car.See you in the comments and discussion over on https://www.webworm.co This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit webworm.substack.com/subscribe

In this Webworm podcast, a story I've been working on for some time. Just over a year ago — in March of 2024 — I got an email from Jake. He had a story he wanted to tell, and he wanted to find a way to tell it that could help others. A warning, of sorts. And so over the last year, as a court case played out — I’ve been working on this story. It takes place in and around CityLife church in Melbourne. And while this story is a warning, I also think it’s a story about the truth, justice, and pushing back against institutions that allow abuse to happen. This piece discusses emotional and physical abuse that may be distressing for some readers, so please take care when reading. For more see https://www.webworm.co This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit webworm.substack.com/subscribe

Something is killing the birds in a sleepy Auckland suburb. The locals are on a witch hunt. Alexandria Edwards was playing Pokemon Go in her car when she saw the sparrows. Dozens of them were strewn in various states of stupor on the grass nearby. Some had passed out. Others were struggling and failing to fly. Magpies were swooping at the ones who couldn’t get away. She got out to shoo the bigger birds. Help arrived promptly. A call had gone out on the local Facebook community page. Come down, it said. The birds have been poisoned again. TAKE PART IN THE DISCUSSION: https://www.webworm.co/p/brownsbaybirdpoisoner This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit webworm.substack.com/subscribe

Today's guest essay is from Kath: It’s a tough time for librarians at the moment. Here in Aotearoa we’ve just recently seen an Auckland library hosting a science performance (about the weather of all things) by a drag king stormed by black shirted thugs instructed by their leader to “shut it down”. The United States is currently facing the highest rate of attempted book bans it has ever faced, even to the attempt to criminalise librarians who loan these books. Libraries around the world are fielding an increasing number of threats, book challenges and ugly behaviour. So it’s understandable librarians are feeling it right now. For context, I have had an almost 30 year career in public libraries in Australia and New Zealand, and a lifetime lurking in them like the massive library nerd that I am. Libraries have always been a sanctuary for me. From when I was a little girl growing up in a violent household, as a teen who was mercilessly bullied at high school, and a young adult when I was feeling lost. It was inevitable that I would end up working in libraries and to become a career librarian. In the last five years, librarians have been facing challenges that were simply not an issue for the first 15-20 years of my career. Librarians have always faced challenges, and I have endless stories I could dine out on. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit webworm.substack.com/subscribe

Joshua Drummond visits one of the last video stores in New Zealand, United Video found in Morrinsville. It's a snapshot into another time, and a part of New Zealand that’s very dear to my heart. And if you’ve ever rented a video or DVD, it might pluck on a few nostalgic heartstrings. See photos at www.webworm.co/p/lastvideoshop This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit webworm.substack.com/subscribe

Today on Webworm I wanted you to share a conversation between two New Zealanders raised by parents who embraced Focus on the Family. Because Focus on the Family travelled far beyond America. It went global — and during the 80s and 90s in particular, millions of kids were raised in the ways of Dr James Dobson. Michael Frost and Shane Meyer-Holt are my friends, and run a podcast called In The Shift, in which they discuss coming to terms with exiting a very certain breed of Christianity. They are still Christians, just not the breed you find at the churches I tend to write about. Hearing them discuss Focus on the Family was fascinating to me, and I hope it’s fascinating to you, too. Something Michael said towards the end really hit me like a tonne of bricks. He talked about what it meant to grow a generation of compliant kids. At what that means when a country like America comes under the leadership of Donald Trump — a man who professes to be a Christian. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit webworm.substack.com/subscribe