“A conversation with Baba,” This Is Uncomfortable: Episode (52 mins)
“A conversation with Baba,” This Is Uncomfortable: Episode (52 mins)
An emotionally challenging interview between a podcast host and her father, about Gaza's past and present.
Recommendation Type: Episode
Length: 52 minutes
Format/Style: 2-way Interview
Release Date: February 1, 2024
Publication: Marketplace
(This is part 2 of 3 in a mini-rec series I’m doing about interviewing one’s parents. Check out the first rec, an episode of Latino USA, by journalist Yvonne Latty here. A couple of you told me that made you cry…I’m sorry!)
Host of This Is Uncomfortable Reema Khrais, sits down with her father, Jamal, to hear about his childhood in Gaza and his emigration to North Carolina. The pair reflects on Jamal coming of age as a nurse in Palestine and how to cope with the loved ones they have lost to conflict.
I won’t lie, this was a difficult listen. I took a good, long break half-way through. The midroll coincided with a key emotional rest-point in the interview as well (a tasteful production choice). If you’ve been avoiding the headlines this is an especially good listen for you. Difficult things are worth it.
The episode is a masterclass in ethical interviewing, especially when it comes to family members. Reema shares some hesitation (? nervousness?) about the undertaking. But the team pulls off this episode with thoughtfulness and care. For all of us, it’s a reminder that sometimes we know the least about the people closest to us.
Thank you to the production team of This Is Uncomfortable for challenging me and making this episode.
Listen Link
On any platform of your choosing: https://link.chtbl.com/w3a7909l
To learn more about the episode and see family photos from Reema (I highly recommend!), check out the podcast episode’s website.
P.S. The following episode in the This Is Uncomfortable queue, “My name is Hana,” is also worth a listen. Through voice memos and phone calls, Host and Reporter Reema Khrais, talks to Hana, a kindred 33-year-old woman, currently living in Gaza. It is brave and honest storytelling.