I Couldn’t Throw It Out

Michael Small

1 Creator

Revisit pop culture history as former People Magazine reporter Michael Small and guests share the treasures they've saved for decades, including never-heard celebrity interviews, rare memorabilia, and maybe a little junk. Co-host Sally Libby helps decide if they should keep or toss their stuff. Will it be an epic case of Swedish Death Cleaning? Or an epic fail?

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Top 10 I Couldn’t Throw It Out Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best I Couldn’t Throw It Out episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to I Couldn’t Throw It Out for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite I Couldn’t Throw It Out episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Joni Mitchell: Our Day Together in 1985

I Couldn’t Throw It Out

06/03/22 • 67 min

In 1985, Joni Mitchell gave me a multi-hour interview for People Magazine about flunking high school, Woodstock, Bob Dylan, her Chelsea apartment, poetry, painting, and much more -- which you'll hear in this episode. Oh, c'mon. Do not ask me to toss those tapes. (Part 1 of 2.)

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Why Do We Save Things? Can We Throw Them Out?

I Couldn’t Throw It Out

05/28/22 • 25 min

In the first episode of our podcast, my co-host Sally Libby and I try to figure out why I -- and others -- feel the urge to save things.
And then, sob, she makes me use the shredder.
I know Sally's right. For decades, I've saved mementoes from when I was a reporter for People Magazine -- including hundreds of celebrity interview recordings. I also have more than 60 interviews with the original stars of hip-hop for my 1991 book Break It Down The Inside Story from the New Leaders of Rap. Then there are the personal items: cards and letters I've saved since I was 6, expense accounts, a play I wrote in fifth grade, and other treasures that now fill 24 boxes.
But when I'm gone, someone will throw all of it in a dumpster. So here's my goal: Tell the stories behind the items I've saved so at least the memories are preserved. Then attempt to do some Swedish Death Cleaning. That's the process of throwing out your stuff now so someone doesn't have to deal with it when you're gone.
And I'll invite guests to join us on the podcast to do the same.
Can't guarantee that we'll succeed at throwing things out. But either way I hope I'll inspire you to look through your own treasures. Then share a story with a friend or family member about what you've saved, why you saved it, and what you plan to do with it. Or send us a photo and description to us. We'll post our favorites in our blog.
In the meantime, we hope you enjoy the podcast!

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High School Poet: Donna Murphy Gets Literary

I Couldn’t Throw It Out

09/03/22 • 50 min

Broadway? Movies? TV? That's nuthin'. Stage and screen actress Donna Murphy first found fame on the high school literary magazine staff with Michael and Sally. Listen in as they read poems by Donna and others 50 years later -- and get a big surprise.

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Joni Mitchell: 1985 Interview - Her Wonderful Tales

I Couldn’t Throw It Out

05/30/22 • 54 min

When I interviewed Joni Mitchell for People Magazine in 1985, some of her best tales were the longer ones. Hear a few of them, including how she met Jimi Hendrix, why Jack Nicholson missed his cameo in her song, and a recitation of her 7th grade poem. No way will I ever toss this tape. (Part 2 of 2)

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Swedish Death Cleaning: Meet the World's Experts

I Couldn’t Throw It Out

01/27/24 • 52 min

Welcome to the invasion of the most entertaining people in Sweden -- who want all of us earthlings to start thinking about... death. Yup, it sounds kooky. But, in this episode, we have a blast absorbing the wit and wisdom of three experts on Swedish Death Cleaning.
In case you wonder what that means, these Swedes are the hosts of the Peacock TV series The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning (produced and narrated by Amy Poehler). They're the ultimate experts on a philosophy of reducing your possessions in a way that's much more profound than a decluttering with Marie Kondo.
Dialing in from Sweden, psychologist Katarina Blom, professional organizer Ella Engstrom, and designer Johan Svenson help us evaluate a sampling of stuff I've saved for decades, including treasures related to Andy Warhol, Billy Idol, and Joni Mitchell from my years as a People Magazine reporter. So now it's time to let it all go. Okay, maybe some of it...
Along the way, these Swedes showed us how to laugh about death. But they also caught me off guard with a revelation so powerful that... I kind of lost it.
Would a little Swedish Death Cleaning do wonders for you too? Listen and find out.

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Perfect Match, Part 1: A Kidney Transplant Tale

I Couldn’t Throw It Out

11/26/22 • 57 min

At 20, my wife Cindy thought she was about to die. Following a lupus diagnosis at 15, her kidneys had shut down in a way that seemed fatal. But after devastating years on dialysis, many near-death experiences, and three kidney transplants, Cindy is going strong 46 years later. Her optimism and determination to survive, and the joy she got from painting and creating art, kept her going through each crushing health challenge.
Reminded by cards and letters we saved, Cindy and I share in this episode -- for the first time -- the entire rollercoaster tale of our intertwined lives (including my own highly flawed behavior) after we met as college freshmen.
This is part 1 of 2. Coming up in the second part: Just when it seemed that Cindy's health would improve, the most dramatic life-threatening challenges began. And then... we discovered a error that lasted 33 years. This was the start of a sort of miracle. Hear Part 2 wherever you get your podcasts, or listen here.

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Gangsta rapper Eazy-E: Our Final Meeting [Explicit]

I Couldn’t Throw It Out

11/05/22 • 50 min

Rap mogul Eazy-E's death from AIDS complications in 1995 was a shock. Hear reactions at the time from Wu-Tang's Method Man and others. Plus, hear my 1992 talk with Eazy while driving in Compton during the L.A. riots.

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The Funniest Movie You Never Saw

I Couldn’t Throw It Out

02/23/24 • 49 min

Why should you watch Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson in 1967's long-lost-comic gem The Tiger Makes Out?
The surprise reason: After 50 years when you couldn't watch it anywhere, we just discovered that you can stream it for free.
But wait! That's just a start. Before you dive into this satire from another era – which can be a challenge – let us give you a prep session, with help from our special guest: Katherine Wallach, daughter of Eli and Anne.
Katherine shares the back story of The Tiger Makes Out, and her parents' wondrous performances in it. Then she talks about her family life, which included starring with her parents on Broadway, and a babysitter named Marilyn Monroe.
We also point you to the highlights of The Tiger Makes Out, including a cameo by Dustin Hoffman, an unhinged performance by Charles Nelson Reilly, and comic twists hiding in every single performance and every tiny detail of the set.
Now, after decades of frustration when I couldn't share my favorite movie, everyone can watch it -- including our special guest Walker Stevenson, a friend who has never agreed with me about any movie. Can I transform Walker into a fan ofThe Tiger Makes Out? Or will he talk me into tossing my treasures that relate to the movie? Um, don't bet on either of those.

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Memories of Melanie: A friend shares fun times with the singer

I Couldn’t Throw It Out

03/21/24 • 61 min

When singer/songwriter Melanie Safka died in January, many people remembered her for the #1 pop song "Brand New Key" (also known as the roller skate song.) But those of us who loved her know that her biggest hit never conveyed the richness of her career and her talents.
That's why I asked photographer Maddy Miller to join us on I Couldn't Throw It Out. Not only did Maddy take iconic photos of Melanie, including the cover photo on Melanie's gold album Gather Me, she also was Melanie's close friend for more than 50 years. While sharing some of the gifts she received from Melanie, Maddy tells never-heard stories about their adventures – including an excellent close encounter with The Who's Keith Moon.
Though Melanie released dozens of albums and wrote new songs for six decades, little is known about the full scope of her life and music. Find out what you missed – and what you could still enjoy – as we look back on her performance at Woodstock, and the varied songs that won her a legion of passionate fans.
Plus, I share my never-heard interview with Melanie and my authentic mementoes from the '70s. Will I toss 'em? Let's just say that Maddy figures out what to do with her own treasures. Listen and find out...
MORE ABOUT MELANIE
Maddy Miller's personal collection of Melanie photos: See the gallery
My playlist of favorite Melanie songs: Listen now

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Kooky reunion: 67-year-olds perform their 5th grade play

I Couldn’t Throw It Out

10/11/24 • 60 min

Does a 1967 elementary school magazine -- or a fifth grade school play -- still have value? Only if you’re looking for lost memories, new insights, and hilarity
- - - - - - - - -

Somewhere in your home, you might have saved at least one treasure from elementary school. The question is: Why did you save it? The only way to find out: Hunt for your ancient objects and see what revelations they bring to your adult life.

At least that’s what Sally and I decided to do.

After I found a play and three copies of a school magazine that I had saved since fifth grade, we used the Interwebs to track down five other people who created those masterpieces with us. Then we made them revive their original roles in the play and read poems, jokes, and gossip from the magazine, all written when we were 10. They also shared some of their own elementary school treasures, before we determined the fate of everything we’d saved.

It might seem absurd for seven adults to go back to their fifth grade writings. Which is why partly why we did it. A little absurdity is a lot of fun. But here’s the surprise: we also had revelations about our lives, thoughts that would never have come to us if we left those objects unseen in the attic, waiting for someone to toss them.
Oh, and yes, I also saved my fifth grade class photo -- along with a photo of my classmate Nancy (Simms) Sofen, who joins us on this episode.

We hope our fifth grade gang will inspire you to start searching for your own elementary school friends. Then stage your version of our kooky reunion, where you just might get useful insights into who you were as children and how it affected you for the rest of your life.

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Podcast Q&A

What do you hope listeners gain from listening to your show?

Almost everyone saves things, even if they don't realize it. I hope my podcast will remind listeners to look at what they've saved and enjoy the stories that these objects hold within them. Because I worked at People Magazine, some of my stories are about celebrities, and some are not. Either way, it's the memories -- not the actual objects -- that are so valuable. If we all share these stories, maybe we'll realize that we can toss the objects.

Which episode should someone start with?

There's no order to the episodes. If you look for a topic that interests you, that's the best place to start. One funny note: I thought the story behind my Jennifer Beals interview was so unimportant that I almost didn't include it. But so far, it's the most popular episode. It's also the most embarrassing, because it forced me to admit my stupid tactics for that interview.

Which have been your favourite episodes so far?

The episode with spy novelist Joseph Kanon was so much fun to record. Joe was my boss at my very first job, when I was his editorial assistant at a New York book publisher. In the episode, I had to admit to him all the secret -- and not entirely kosher -- things I did while he employed me. His reaction is priceless.

Which episode are you most proud of?

It's understandable that the interviews with celebrities draw a larger audience, but I'm most proud of the two episodes about the crazy coincidences that allowed me to donate a kidney to my wife. We had many laughs and remembered many nightmares related to her health. I'm really happy that we preserved these memories.

What is your vision for your show?

The goal is to expand and include more guests who share their stories about what they've saved. I also need to TRY to throw out everything I've saved for decades, or give it to someone else who'd value it. So far, not much progress with that. But there's always hope.

What is your favourite other podcast that isn't yours?

Rachel Maddow's Ultra is absolutely riveting. The tone is different from her show, and the history she relates --which I never knew -- is horrifying and enlightening.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I was a reporter for People Magazine for 15 years, then a manager at websites for Wired, Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, MSNBC, NBC News and others. I'm also the author of the 1992 book, Break It Down, which includes interviews with more than 60 hip-hop stars. As a storyteller, I've performed many times in New York City's Tale show and my plays have been performed at New York City's International Fringe Festival and the Howl Festival.

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FAQ

How many episodes does I Couldn’t Throw It Out have?

I Couldn’t Throw It Out currently has 30 episodes available.

What topics does I Couldn’t Throw It Out cover?

The podcast is about Film Interviews, Celebrity, Music, Podcasts, Music Interviews and Tv & Film.

What is the most popular episode on I Couldn’t Throw It Out?

The episode title 'I Couldn't Throw It Out - Trailer' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on I Couldn’t Throw It Out?

The average episode length on I Couldn’t Throw It Out is 51 minutes.

How often are episodes of I Couldn’t Throw It Out released?

Episodes of I Couldn’t Throw It Out are typically released every 21 days, 19 hours.

When was the first episode of I Couldn’t Throw It Out?

The first episode of I Couldn’t Throw It Out was released on May 28, 2022.

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I Couldn’t Throw It Out

Michael Small

Top 10 I Couldn’t Throw It Out Episodes

Podcast Q&A

FAQ

How many episodes does I Couldn’t Throw It Out have?

What topics does I Couldn’t Throw It Out cover?

What is the most popular episode on I Couldn’t Throw It Out?

What is the average episode length on I Couldn’t Throw It Out?

How often are episodes of I Couldn’t Throw It Out released?

When was the first episode of I Couldn’t Throw It Out?

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