logo
episode-header-image
May 2023
42m 26s

On the Edge

Wnyc Studios
About this episode
At the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan, one athlete pulled a move that, as far as we know, no one else had ever attempted. In this episode, first aired in the Spring of 2016, we tell you about Surya Bonaly. Surya was not your typical figure skater: she is black, she is athletic, and she didn’t seem to care about artistry. Her performances—punctuated by triple ... Show More
Up next
Jul 31
The Shoe Thrower
When no one seems to be listening, how far do you go to be heard? In December 2008, George W. Bush made a surprise visit to Baghdad for a press conference. And at the very end of his remarks, a shoe came flying past his head. It was “the shoe heard around the world,” and countles ... Show More
1h 17m
Jul 24
Return of Alpha Gal
Several years ago, in 2016, we told a story about Amy Pearl. For as long as she could remember, Amy loved meat in all its glorious cuts and marbled flavors. And then one day, for seemingly no reason, her body wouldn’t tolerate it. No steaks. No brisket. No weenies. It made no sen ... Show More
55m 47s
Jul 17
Neither Confirm Nor Deny
In an episode we first ran back in 2019, we explore how a sunken nuclear submarine, a crazy billionaire, and a mechanical claw gave birth to a phrase that has hounded journalists and lawyers for 40 years and embodies the tension between the public’s desire for transparency and th ... Show More
29m 5s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2016
Gymnastics Gold
<p>American Simone Biles is possibly the most talented gymnast in history. Cristen and Caroline somersault across the history of the OIympic event from its iconic hair and leotards to gendered and ethnic coding as well as the women like Simone Biles who have vaulted to worldwide ... Show More
1h 9m
Dec 2020
What’s It Like To Make Triple Axel History? with Mirai Nagasu
This holiday break, we’re re-releasing two of our favorite episodes, with three of our favorite experts, about one of our favorite topics: figure skating. First up is an episode from April 2018 with Olympic figure skater Mirai Nagasu, who was the first American female figure ska ... Show More
56m 56s
Dec 2018
Chloe Kim
Chloe Kim is a snowboarding legend. Fresh off a 2018 Olympic Gold medal, she’s at the top of her sport. What gives Chloe her notorious edge is not just her physical ability, it’s her unstoppable drive to advance the sport. A drive that helps her rise above obstacles and find the ... Show More
27m 18s
Oct 2025
Out of the box
We like to think of ourselves as a bit maverick here on Not by the Playbook. Nothing too outrageous, but we like to think outside of the box... and so we present to you a show dedicated to those athletes whose decision to think out side of the box has served them well. People who ... Show More
51m 14s
Jul 2024
Breaking, climbing, and surfing
This week the panel take a look at their favourites of the newer Olympic sports as Paris 2024 gets underway. Surfing will happen in Tahiti this year, but could it ever be held on Titan, in orbit around Saturn? Obviously very unlikely, but not for the reasons you might expect. No ... Show More
49m 29s
Aug 2024
The Moth Podcast: The Olympics with Aimee Mullins
In this special episode, we celebrate four weeks of competition, daring, and perseverance by sharing three stories all about the Olympics. Hosted by actor, storyteller, and Olympian Aimee Mullins, we'll explore the joy of marching in the opening ceremony, the strange pull of Kris ... Show More
31m 29s
Aug 2025
198 - Expression: Against All Odds
Have you ever succeeded when no one thought you could? That’s what it means to do something against all odds. In today’s episode, Shana begins with a bear story from her front yard in Asheville (yes, one even climbed into her car!), then moves into a lighthearted pun about “bare ... Show More
27m 49s
Sep 2020
A Leap Of Faith
“Fearless” Felix Baumgartner skydived from the edge of space in 2012, breaking the sound barrier using only his body. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
7m 20s
Jul 2024
Olympic-sized solutions
As athletes from around the world strive for glory at the Paris Olympics, we look at how sport has a unique ability to change people’s lives for the better. In a refugee camp in Lebanon we meet those who are being inspired by that most traditional of sports, cricket. In Kenya we ... Show More
23m 19s