The Jersey Angle

EPISODE 13: NJ AND THE REVOLUTION WITH ROBERT SULLIVAN

What's would be the quintessential New Jersey way to commemorate the nation's semiquincentennial?  How about a Sloppy Joe sandwich, a very long walk, a possibly illegal boat ride and a bunch of giant bonfires? As our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday this year, the growing roster of events and commemorations being announced kept reminding me (partly for what the agenda seems to lack) of one of my long-favorite books "My American Revolution" [https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250037701/myamericanrevolution/] by Robert Sullivan.  Sullivan's book celebrates the massive, but often shortchanged role New Jersey played in the revolution through a series of personal journeys and haphazard experiments and adventures. (ok, he goes to NY and PA, too). As his book blurb sates, "Sullivan's history is personal, anecdotal, experiential. This is a fiercely individual and often hilarious journey; in the process of making our revolution his, Sullivan shows us how alive our own history is, right under our noses." In short, the things Sullivan does in his book: solo hikes along evacuation routes, looking for signs of the history all around us, pondering what it all means to us, seem like just the things a smart Jerseyan might want to do for the 250th. On this episode of The Jersey Angle, we sit down with Sullivan for a winding conversation about the Watchung Mountains, the nation's "first and worst" poet, bonfires and Sloppy Joe sandwiches. Listen, enjoy, take a walk, and, please, subscribe.  And as we mention in the podcast, when you're serving those Sloppy Joe's, this 4th of July, don't forget the fancy toothpicks with the plastic decorations on top. It is a special occasion, after all. - BD

EPISODE 12: SURVIVING A JERSEY WINTER, W/KATE NICHOLS

This winter is brutal. We need someone to make us laugh. We need a good therapist. How about someone who's both a comedian and a therapist! Host Brian Donohue sits down with Kate Nichols to discuss ways to cope, drunken teenage sledding outings, a weird Maplewood no-heat contest and the epic November 2018 surprise snowstorm. Meanwhile, Brian and Mark discuss the frozen-finger perils of old school shoe-leather reporting in single digit conditions in the neighborhoods of Carteret and on the frozen Navesink River.

EPISODE 11: ATTORNEY GENERAL MATT PLATKIN

New Jersey's outgoing attorney general Matthew Platkin sits down with Jersey Angle host Mark Bonamo for a wide ranging pair of interviews about corruption in New Jersey, his (some would say refreshingly) aggressive tenure as AG and the recent controversy over a bill opponents say would gut government watchdog agencies. Bonamo and co-host Brian Donohue break it all down from a booth in the Mark Twain Diner in Union Township.

EPISODE 10: Obsessed with NJ place names

Do you think you know how your town gots its name? Well, the story could be complete BS, and Scott Salmon is here to set you straight. Salmon has written a book entitled "Naming New Jersey: The Etymology of its Historical and Geographical Landmarks" [https://www.amazon.com/Naming-New-Jersey-Historical-Geographical/dp/B0FN3RBC74] which traces the origin of the names of more than 800 towns, landmarks and other spots. Brian and Mark sit down with him for a free-ranging Jersey nerdiest exploring the story behind everything from Hi-Nella to Ho-Ho-Kus.

EPISODE 9: NEW JERSEY'S CRAZY RACE FOR GOVERNOR

Did you know when Newark Mayor and Democratic candidate for governor Ras Baraka was arrested at an ICE detention facility the Mr. Softee Man was there to serve ice cream? Have you heard about how one Republican hopeful would fabricate ridiculous falsehoods on the TV news show he hosted? Did you know about the reporter who is Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop version of The Pink Panther's "Cato" character, keeping him on his toes? Whether you haven't followed NJ crazy gubernatorial primary race at all or have been following it closely, you're bound to learn some useful and enlightening or fascinating but completely irrelevant information as we break down the madness of the state's free-for-all race in advance of the June 10 voting. Our guest (and the aforementioned Cato) is Terrence T. McDonald, editor the New Jersey Monitor.