This is my story too, and that’s why I launched this podcast. I’m Dan Weissmann. My work has appeared in outlets like Marketplace, Planet Money, 99 Percent Invisible, and NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
An Arm and a Leg is designed to be entertaining, empowering— even useful. As a reporter, I bring my skill at finding and telling revealing, surprising stories. But the project’s big focus— since I’m in this mess too—is connecting and problem-solving, together.
You are not alone. We may be screwed, but we’re together. And if we want to get even a little bit less-screwed, we need each other. If nothing else, we can be good company to each other.
• We can have a good, dark laugh.
• We can offer each other empathy.
• We can sing hilarious punk-rock campfire songs of rage at whoever turns out to be responsible.
We can’t count on single-payer or some other big fix coming to save our butts anytime soon. (We don’t even have to agree on what that big fix ought to be. No matter what our politics, we’re all screwed.)
But we need each other’s help and company RIGHT NOW, just muddling through the mess we’re in. And of course COVID makes it all more urgent than ever.
You know what? I think it’s going to be fun.
Meanwhile:
Thanks! Talk with you soon.
Till then… take care of yourself.
Dan WeissmannDan is a veteran reporter for outlets like Marketplace, 99 Percent Invisible, Planet Money, and Chicago’s WBEZ.
@armandalegshow
Dan WeissmannCreator & Host
Dan is a public-radio guy (in a good way). He was a staff reporter for Marketplace and Chicago’s WBEZ, and has done stories for outlets like 99 Percent Invisible, Planet Money, Reveal, Code Switch, and NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Before working in audio, he spent many years as a print reporter, frequently musing, “Audio seems like where the real fun is. How do I break into that?” His work reflects sophisticated reporting, an engaging narrative voice, and a knack for snappy, accurate breakdowns of complex subjects—from urban segregation to the economics of America’s largest crop to the engineering miracles that turned the Chicago River into a sewer. Dan lives in the beautiful village of Skokie, Illinois, with his beautiful family.
Daisy RosarioConsulting Managing Producer
Daisy Rosario is an executive producer at Stitcher focused on original podcasts. She was previously managing producer for podcasts at WAMU 88.5 in Washington, DC. She came to WAMU from the startup 60dB.
Before 60dB, Daisy was a producer on the first season of the podcast Sooo Many White Guys, hosted by Phoebe Robinson for WNYC Studios. She is also a former senior producer for the weekly NPR-distributed show and podcast, Latino USA.
In her spare time, Daisy is co-host and co-creator of the podcast Serially Obsessed, where she and a former prosecutor and a media critic break down each episode of the podcast Serial.
Before audio journalism, Daisy had a lot of strange, but useful jobs. Among other things, she was a comedian and live event producer who began piloting podcast ideas in 2005. She still performs monthly in CPT: Comedy People’s Time, an improv and stand-up show in New York City.
Editor
Marian is a journalist based in New York City. Nothing gets her going like stories of people being caught in the gears of complex, unwieldy systems — and she’s made a career out of telling those stories in a variety of formats. She’s currently a producer at HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, where she has helped shape the show’s signature long-form segments since 2015. She was previously an investigative reporter at ProPublica.
Managing Editor, Audience
Gabrielle is an editor who works with text and audio. She’s now at New Hampshire Public Radio after working as the digital editor for the NPR show 1A. She likes eating french fries and reading.
Associate Producer
Emily is a journalist, writer, and audio producer based in New York City. In 2020, she graduated from Columbia Journalism School where she focused on health care reporting and radio and podcast production. Before turning to journalism, Emily wrote and edited web and social media content for Planned Parenthood Federation of America. In addition to interning at An Arm and a Leg, she writes an independent newsletter about insulin.
Adam RaymondaAudio Wizard
Adam is an audio engineer, composer, sound designer, based in upstate New York. He’s worked with outlets like The Ringer, Audible, Uncover Studios, VICE, and Breadcrumbs.
Adam is the CEO of Rogue Dialogue Productions which is currently producing its first podcast Windfall which is like a big budget Sci-Fi HBO show, but for your ears. He also produces music under the name Garbage Person. RIYL: The Dear Hunter / Sigur Ros / Kimbra / Sufjan Stevens. Find out more at www.adamraymonda.com
David WinerComposer
Composer and Multi-instrumentalist David Winer has been writing and playing music for most of his life. His agility with countless musical styles has won him 2 AICP awards, 3 Clios, 1 Addy. He has been shortlisted at Cannes and nominated for 4 Grammys as a musician and producer. David is Creative Director at Fancy Mountain Music and Sound, and leads the Chicago band Ponds & Fleshman, whose music is dope as hell.
David lives with his wife and two children in Evanston, Illinois. His marinated jerk chicken is delicious!
Sean O’NeillDesigner, Visual Identity
Sean is an illustrator and writer living in Chicago. His colorful, vibrant illustrations have appeared in publications from Pearson, Harcourt, McGraw-Hill, Capstone Press, and many others. He is the creator of the Rocket Robinson series of graphic novels for young readers, published by Dark Horse Comics. Sean is also known for his series of live-drawing “whiteboard” videos on language and other topics, produced by mentalfloss.com.
Ann HeppermannEditor, Season 3 and SEASON-19
Ann Heppermann has been working in audio for nearly 20 years. She’s reported, produced and edited for everywhere under the sun, including: This American Life, Radiolab, 99% Invisible, and many others. She has received numerous awards, including a Peabody, and in 2011 was named a United States Artists Rockefeller Fellow. She has also edited a number of narrative podcasts like Heaven’s Gate, the feminist women’s history podcast No Man’s Land and an upcoming series with Complex Magazine. Bitch Magazine called her a “sort of Goddess of podcasting,” which makes her extremely proud.
Whitney Henry-LesterEditor, Seasons 1 and 2
Whitney is a versatile audio producer/editor/sound designer, production manager, and aspiring placemaker.
A collaborator at heart, she has worked with audio organizations such as PRX, StoryCorps, The Third Coast International Audio Festival, Heritage Radio Network, and CHIRP radio.
Whitney edits under the nickname The Darling Killer, she’s a founding member of The Recollective, a scrappy multimedia collective, and she currently runs a radio residency in Lima, Peru.
Mucca PazzaContributing Musicians, Inspiration
A Chicago treasure since 2004, Mucca Pazza‘s self-description — “the marching band that thinks it’s a rock’n’roll band” — doesn’t begin to do the group justice. We’re honored to have Mucca’s War of Amusements grace the end of Episode 4, season 1.
Daniel FernandezIntern, Season 2
Daniel is a 2019 graduate of Northwestern University, where he studied journalism and history. He was a founding member of the school’s undergraduate prison education program, and the editor for North by Northwestern, a student quarterly.
Before coming to An Arm and a Leg, he wrote and researched stories for Smithsonian, including a piece on invasive species that was a finalist for a 2018 National Magazine Award. You can read more of his writing at danielfernandezwrites.com