Ear Hustle
Ear Hustle is prison slang for eavesdropping, and that’s what listening to the show feels like: a raw, often funny, and always surprising peek into the reality of life inside prison.
Hosts Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods co-created the show that launched in 2017 while Earlonne was incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, where Nigel was a volunteer teaching photography. Since Earlonne’s release in 2018, the show has expanded to include stories from prisons across the state, including the California Institution for Women, as well as stories about getting out of prison and starting over, post-incarceration.
From finding romance, to grappling with a life sentence, to trying to parent via 15-minute phone calls, Ear Hustle stories deliver what This American Life host Ira Glass calls a “"very real” and “untragic” take on prison life.
Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX, a network of independent listener-supported podcasts. Discover audio with vision at radiotopia.fm and learn more about Ear Hustle at earhustlesq.com.
- Update frequency
- every 13 days
- Average duration
- 39 minutes
- Episodes
- 164
- Years Active
- 2017 - 2025
Ear Hustle Extra: Antwan Williams, Journeyist
Surprise! In this season four bonus episode, Earlonne sits down with Ear Hustle co-founder and sound design contributor, Antwan “Banks” Williams, who was recently released from San Quentin after serv…
00:22:49 |
Fri 15 Nov 2019
Tell Christy I Loved Her
Tom was a cop; Jason was a teenager in a gang. One night in 1997, they had a violent encounter that Tom describes as “inevitable.” In our season finale, Tom and Jason relate the story of that night, …
00:43:55 |
Wed 16 Oct 2019
Chicken on the Bone
Historically, death sentences in California have led to eventual execution by the state. But these days, public opinion and state protocol are in flux, and the future is uncertain for those on death …
00:41:11 |
Wed 02 Oct 2019
Catch a Kite 4
Sleep, soundtracks and signing in prison — the Ear Hustle crew tackles questions from listeners about these topics and more, in this season’s “Catch a Kite” episode. Plus, we’ll share some of our fav…
00:32:26 |
Wed 11 Sep 2019
Life Shows Up
Getting a job after serving time is crucial to rebuilding your life, but a criminal record inevitably gets in the way. Four people share stories about how their time inside both helped prep them for …
00:37:55 |
Wed 28 Aug 2019
Snack Money
Running a prison takes a lot of work, and not just by the staff running the place. At San Quentin inmates work regular jobs, earn pennies on the hour and often supplement their income with a side hus…
00:40:55 |
Wed 14 Aug 2019
Inside Music
I think we can all agree: It’s high time we devoted a full episode to the music of San Quentin.
Thanks to all of the musicians who talked with us for this episode, and shared their songs. Find a fu…
00:44:31 |
Thu 01 Aug 2019
I Want the Fairy Tale
How does dating work in your 30s when you’ve been locked up since you were 15? How soon do you share your incarceration history with new love interests? And how the hell does online dating work? Rece…
00:41:57 |
Wed 17 Jul 2019
Kissing the Concrete
Serving a prison sentence is hard, but getting out isn’t exactly a cakewalk, either. A lot depends on who’s waiting for you, what you have lined up on the outside and how you handle the regular press…
00:30:20 |
Wed 03 Jul 2019
Respect the Paper
Hardly anyone writes letters anymore. On the streets it’s all texting, posting, sharing and liking. But in prison, pens, paper, envelopes and stamps are highly prized, and still considered an essenti…
00:35:36 |
Thu 20 Jun 2019
Excuse Me on the Tier
Ear Hustle is back with season four! Let’s get oriented: to a new format and a new inside host, and through the stories of guys learning the prison ropes in Reception, while they wait to find out whe…
00:35:21 |
Wed 05 Jun 2019
Season four preview
Ear Hustle is back with season four, starting June 5. Mark your calendars and tell your friends!
00:04:17 |
Wed 29 May 2019
Road Trip
Ear Hustle will return with season four later this year, but in the meantime, here’s a timely bonus episode. Nigel and Earlonne hit the road and drive south to interview the man who commuted Earlonne…
00:14:29 |
Wed 16 Jan 2019
P.S. Asking and Giving
As the annual Radiotopia fundraiser wraps up, we bring you one final missive of the year, including an appeal for support, a chance encounter and a musical offering from the inside.
What a season! …
00:06:01 |
Mon 17 Dec 2018
Bittersweet
In prison, life’s major milestones usually pass at a distance. In our season three finale, Earlonne gets up close to a big one, while his brother’s family struggles with having missed out on too many…
00:45:08 |
Wed 12 Dec 2018
Big News: It's Time
Earlonne and Nigel got some big news earlier this week, from the office of California Governor Jerry Brown.
Stay tuned for more information about what’s next for Earlonne, and Ear Hustle, in our ne…
00:04:59 |
Sat 24 Nov 2018
Prime Real Estate
Despite the additional hurdles involved, daters in prison fall into the same categories as daters on the outside: romantics, hopefuls and players.
Thanks to Charlie Srey, Sincere Carter, Kevin Turn…
00:37:21 |
Wed 21 Nov 2018
The Big No No
When you’re incarcerated, falling in love with prison staff or volunteers is prohibited. But… it happens. And it happened to Erin and Lisa, who then had to negotiate the joys and pitfalls of romance …
00:36:27 |
Thu 08 Nov 2018
Catch a Kite 3
A “kite” is prison slang for a written note, and since Ear Hustle launched we’ve encouraged listeners to send in their questions about daily life inside San Quentin, via postcards, or kites. In this …
00:30:04 |
Wed 24 Oct 2018
This Place
This time on Ear Hustle we’re trying something different: we’re diving into San Quentin’s 166-year history. Normally, we get the guys inside to tell stories. But this place itself does speak, and it’…
00:38:35 |
Wed 10 Oct 2018
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