Off the Beaten Jack

Apr 26 2023 31

Off the Beaten Jack Podcast artwork

Winner at the 2023 ARIAS and nominated at the 2022 British Podcast Awards. Series 1 - Jack Boswell winds his way across the United States by train, documenting his experiences in small-town America and interviewing the people he meets along the way, covering everything from spirituality, adoption and abortion rights to gun control, gambling and addiction. Series 2 - Jack heads to a small town in Mississippi to housesit for three months, painting a picture of a community in the heart of the Bible Belt, interrogating the stereotype and looking at the nuance which is left out.

Subscribe on Podcast Addict

S2 E7. One Little Chip at a Time

Apr 26 2023 25 mins

In the final episode of season 2, I volunteer as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army and get talking to a woodworker named Chip. We chat about his past addiction to drugs and alcohol, the Christian motorcycle group he rides in, and the analogies between woodworking and life. There’s even a Christmas miracle…

S2 E6. It's Not Perfect Anywhere Else

Apr 22 2023 22 mins

In episode six, I compare the experiences of two black women in Mississippi: T’Keeyah, a news reporter who was born-and-raised in Corinth at the top the state, and Deborah, an author who moved to Columbus from Rome. T’Keeyah discusses everything from the issue of hunger in the community to racism and the KKK in her hometown. Deborah and I talk about her experience moving in as

S2 E5. All This Woke Stuff

Apr 19 2023 22 mins

In this double-interview episode, I speak with Columbus’ Mayor, Keith Gaskin, about the polarisation of American politics, the removal of the confederate statue from downtown, and the split in attitudes towards the spring pilgrimage where homeowners open their houses to the public. I then meet Dick Leike, president of Historic Home Tours, to hear the other side of the debate, the

S2 E4. I Was Obedient

Apr 15 2023 26 mins

I sit down to chat with Laura Beth, who I met at the Preservation Society Gala. Our meandering conversation takes us from southern accents and politics to religion and Laura Beth’s moving story adopting her children.

S2 E3. Normal Girl Simulator

Apr 12 2023 25 mins

A near miss with a tornado prompts me to take stock of my life… so I visit a strip club for the first time and end up interviewing one of the dancers - Penelope. We discuss Russian literature, feminism, Mississippi’s “velvet ditch”, mental health, antidepressants and the less-obvious reasons one might go to a strip club.

S2 E2. High Cotton

Apr 08 2023 24 mins

I get invited to a swanky fundraiser for Columbus’ Preservation Society, then sit down to interview its president, Ralph Null. We discuss the split in attitudes towards the town’s historic homes, Ralph’s career in floral design and his experience being openly gay in small-town Mississippi for several decades.

S2 E1. Ain’t Nobody Mad But The Devil

Apr 05 2023 31 mins

For series 2, I’m headed to housesit in Columbus, Mississippi, a state with a painful history and perhaps the worst reputation in the US. I wanted to immerse myself in the community and paint a picture of a town in the heart of the Bible Belt, interrogating the stereotype and looking at the nuance which is left out by telling peoples’ stories. In the first episode, I spend a we

Exciting Announcement!

Jun 21 2022 1 mins

Flipping heck! The series has been nominated at the British Podcast Awards for Best New Podcast! If only the dry cleaner hadn't lost my one and only suit.

S1 E12. Los Angeles, CA

May 06 2022 30 mins

11 weeks and over 3,000 miles later, I finally make it to Los Angeles. As the California sun sets on my journey, I flip the interview on myself. Having asked others to open up, I bare my own soul and discuss the trip, how I felt it went and what I can learn from the experience.

S1 E11. Portland, OR - Part Two

Apr 23 2022 26 mins

In part two of my Portland adventure, I go through intensive training with Darryl Purpose - learning to count cards and play blackjack basic strategy. Then we make our way to the casino, where I stake my last few hundred dollars and try to turn it into thousands. Will I lose everything or take the house for all it’s worth?