Earlonne, I want to ask you about the final podcast you recorded in San Quentin, which was largely about your older brother, Trevor, and your nephew, Tyler. Ear Hustle co-hosted by Woods and Nigel Poor, an artist and volunteer at San Quentin interviews men in the prison about their lives there. No. E WOODS: I think the mentality is more of crime to you is a job. I was going to Nigel's house the other day, and I was an hour early. So here's Nigel Poor, co-host and co-producer of the podcast Ear Hustle. Look. My guests are Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, the co-hosts and co-producers of Ear Hustle, a podcast featuring their interviews with men incarcerated in San Quentin. I was a clerk. Here you guys are, poking and - poking and prodding. The sound was recorded because he's the co-host and co-producer of the podcast Ear Hustle, which features interviews with San Quentin inmates talking about daily life there, things like living with a cellmate in a tiny cell, what it's like to be in solitary confinement, the heartbreak of being a parent separated from your child, how everything inside is separated by race and so on. This is FRESH AIR. "[15], The New Yorker's Sarah Larson said the show "might be the best new podcast Ive heard this year" and described it as being "about the creativity required to live a satisfying lifeor even a sane lifein prison, and is itself a product of that creativity. [13], The term "ear hustle" is prison slang for eavesdropping. I don't know. GROSS: And you basically just described your own situation when you were incarcerated because you got 31 to life for attempted second-degree robbery. Don't be - whatever you do, don't play with no guns. But you look back, and you're looking at it like, I've wasted, like - I can say right now, I'm 47 years old. He was sentenced to 31 years to life for attempted robbery in 1999. In 2020, alongside his Ear Hustle co-hosts, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting. It's - it's - I think being in a position to step away from it all and look back and say, man, I was on something else. You know, they playing with guns or whatever have you. Now Earlonne will be doing interviews with people like him who are transitioning back into society. Poor, a professor of photography at CSU Sacramento, was volunteering with the Prison University Project at San Quentin State Prison when she met Woods, who was serving a 31-year-to-life sentence. Your nephew, his son, Tyler, was born in 1994. They're waiting to get inside a club, and somebody from way across the street just shoot into the crowd, hit him in the heart, right? I think my mother told me she loved Jesus more than she loved me. [12] On October 19, 2021, co-hosts Poor and Woods released a book on the podcast, This Is Ear Hustle. --. Why we living like we don't care - because this is somehow how we grew up and how - since as early teenager we've been living in the streets, in the gangs. [12][13][14] Since his commutation, Woods has become involved in campaigns to repeal California's three strikes laws. Before creating the podcast, Woods and Poor did interviews with inmates in San Quentin for public radio station KALW in San Francisco. Namcy Wong. Jerry Brown commuted his sentence for attempted armed robbery. And y'all having these intimate conversations about, you know, why you went down this path or what it was like being a survivor, what it was like being this. I'm doing that. I'd rather not know. Once you commit your crime, people think thats what it is, but individuals change. E WOODS: He got a hell of a collection of vinyl. Even after Woods is out on parole in Oakland, California, Ear Hustle said that it will continue, with Poor telling more tales from those inside San Quentin and Woods talking about the journey to re-enter society after years behind bars. They're very polite. [4] Its first season began on June 14, 2017. Also with us is Nigel Poor. It was a restorative justice group. In 1997, Woods was sentenced to thirty-one years to life in prison. E WOODS: (Laughter) Not no time soon, no. POOR: OK. I went in and ended up in a security housing unit a couple of times for lengthy stays and just continued my pretty much destructive behavior all the way out. You know, at that particular moment, in that mindset - like today, am I OK with that? Poor's teaching work led her to a vast archive filled with photographs taken from life inside the prison that she began using in . [8] Galen Beebe's review for The Atlantic called it a "brilliant series" which "return[s] some of the humanity that the carceral system removes and provide[s] a link between inmates and outsiders. Ear Hustle was the first podcast to be created entirely inside a prison. And Jerry Brown was then the governor of California. POOR: That's his obsession. How do we present this? So we're going to strike you out this time. And I listen very carefully to how you talked about your relationship and how much you thought about it and how painful and joyous the whole experience was for you. POOR: Yeah, not skewed, not skewed. He also founded CHOOSE1, which aims to repeal the California . "Ear Hustle" features stories from prison told by prisoners - their intimate, honest conversations about family visits, cellmates, solitary confinement - conversations like this one between Earlonne Woods and his co-host Nigel Poor, who's not an inmate. Earlonne still co-hosts the show alongside Nigel. I'm fine working with him now. Like, all of a sudden, you know POOR: We'll be like regular colleagues. But it was just - it was spectacular. He also founded CHOOSE1, which aims to repeal the California Three Strikes Law, the statute under . When Earlonne was in, I was probably in there 40-plus hours a week, and I'm not a masochist. Earlonne Woods Wife Earlonne resides in the United States. Woods was involved in an attempted robbery in 1997, when he was in his 20s. Can people change? So, yeah. And at one point, he revealed to me that he had raped quite a few women. And they shot at Tyler, like, 40-something times. They grow up literally., In Browns letter announcing the commutation, the governor echoed that thought, saying Woods has clearly shown that he is no longer the man he was when he committed this crime., He has set a positive example, Brown wrote. California Gov. And it was one of them, I guess could you say, moments where you just feel embarrassed about your previous conduct. So I gave him, you know, a handshake with as much emotion as I could muster POOR: Appropriately. And then, I always say that, you know, a lot of people that volunteer - people like Nigel Poor, people like other volunteers that volunteer inside of prisons - are on the frontline of public safety because these are the people that's coming in and is trying to show you a different way of life or trying to help you understand differently, think differently. I don't (laughter) take them for granted. And when the men started filing into my class, I was like, oh, what have I done? [3] According to The Economist, by this time Woods was one of the most famous incarcerated people in the US. Earlonne became busy reporting on re-entry stories and daily life for originally incarcerated people, while also documenting his own experiences. But the law don't see your rehabilitation. The podcast title, Ear Hustle, is prison slang for eavesdropping or being nosy. An intimate view into the life and challenges of an asperger's spouse.It seems some marriages are so wonderfully stellar you have to look away or be blinded. POOR: You can't blend into what the guys inside wear. And you've said in the past that he was always the quietest person in the room, but you could tell he was a good observer. But that was a case that challenged my desire to not know and to - how to deal with the knowing once it's been presented to you. What was your reaction when you found out? That, in a nutshell, is the juxtaposition that defines Ear Hustle. Earlonne became preoccupied with reporting on re-entry stories and daily life for people who had previously been incarcerated, as well as documenting his own experiences. I got out, stayed out two years, 10 months and found myself back in jail for attempted second-degree robbery. You have to wear the same clothes all the time. So I still had a 17-year-old mentality. You start really understanding what the word community means and what your participation in community is about, you know? That stuff carries 17 years. Shes holding on. It instead offers the even more illuminating dialogue of individual prisoners. They said that, hey, when you went to jail when you were 17 - yeah, it was one time, but there was two convictions in that case. You were OK with that? And that's pretty much what I did. It destroys hope, and it violates the principle that redemption is at the essence of what it is to be human. You know, when I was out for the two years 10 months, I raised Tyler, you know? Like, my mother used to bring him. Earlonnes sentence was recently commuted, but the two proceed to tell stories of life behind bars. E WOODS: I, personally, would like to eradicate California's three strikes law because I think that there's a lot of people that's sentenced under this law, which everybody thinks is 25 to life. E WOODS: I like my colors bright these days. And to hear - to take that in and to not be afraid and to not judge a person but to, like, sit with it and think about it and think about this was 30 years ago, like I just - I had to do a lot of work around that. GROSS: And that was because - you got such a long sentence because one crime had you convicted on two counts, so that counted as two strikes. GROSS: Yeah. GROSS: That Tyler was killed while they were in prison. In 2018, California governor Jerry Brown commuted Earlonne Woods' sentence, citing Ear Hustle as a significant contributor to his reformation as an American citizen. GROSS: So can I ask you an honest question? Earlonne Woods is the co-creator, co-host, and co-producer of Ear Hustle (PRX & Radiotopia). NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. GROSS: That was Governor Jerry Brown interviewed by my guests Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor. This is what we work for because there comes a moment in every person in prison's life where the light switch go on. But on the second term after - once you receive a life sentence, there's no guarantee that you'll ever be released from prison. Earlonne Woods is the co-creator, co-host, and co-producer of Ear Hustle (PRX & Radiotopia). And you also spent time in solitary, where it's very hard to stay sane. Ear Hustle was selected from 1,537 submissions, securing the funding for a 10-episode first season. Therefore, Earlonne has accumulated a decent fortune over the years. And then I got into the lifestyle of robbing drug dealers. In 1997, Earlonne was sentenced to thirty-one years to life in prison. He is a man of average stature. It was like a light switch. And then the question is, well, what do we do about that? Let me see why you're here. HuffPost visited Woods at San Quentin earlier this year to discuss why he created the podcast. One is that you're going to get killed, and the other is that you'll eventually go to jail. California Gov. SHAPIRO: When you said goodbye to him, were you crying? GROSS: Who - give us an example of somebody who you spoke to who had been a victim of a crime similar to the one that you committed that made you feel this, you know, sense of feeling bad for what you'd done. Usually, you can't go back into a correctional facility on parole. Governor Jerry Brown commuted his sentence in November, and Woods regained his freedom after serving 21 years of his sentence. POOR: I don't ask unless it comes up as part of the story. Woods said he was only trying to be helpful, but was arrested by local sheriffs who did not question why he had lifted the gate; Woods subsequently had to appear in juvenile court. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College and completed many vocational trade programs. I just stopped over there, went and sat on a rock and just watched the water for about an hour. Woods learned of his commutation the day before Thanksgiving. He is a podcast host correspondent. Earlonne Woods was released from San Quentin in November after his sentence was commuted by Governor Jerry Brown. Earlonnes net worth is estimated to be $657,586. Why didn't you invite me (laughter)? But we knew that, you know, it's traditional for the governor to do these commutations right before Thanksgiving. I love it. You're sitting across from law enforcement. But the things that you do in your past do add dimension to who you are in this moment. GROSS: And Nigel, just as a person who's constantly interacting with inmates at San Quentin, do you want to know what they're incarcerated for, what crime they were convicted of? Like, me personally, what I took away from a lot of things is that, yeah, I may have robbed a person for, let's say, $1. You have to go through a lot of E WOODS: Yeah, it's a lot of stuff you have to go through. And so that's the point that I'm struck by - that human beings in a moment can do something with devastating consequences. GROSS: Are you going to go back and visit him? E WOODS: Right. POOR: And the other thing is we've always - we've tried to always keep this as equal as possible. He's also co-host of the podcast "Ear Hustle," which is why we had him on this program. And we used to do, like, healing circles. In 1997, he was sentenced to 31-years-to-life in prison. And Trevor, your brother, speaks first. Like, you may have guys that are Hispanics or whites who, when they get to a certain prison, their race is like, let me see your paperwork. Author, Project Leader of CHOOSE1 Opinions are my own linktr.ee/Earlonnewoods Posts Reels Videos Tagged Show More Posts from earlonnewoods Earlonne was not only one of the co-hosts, he was one of the men incarcerated until his release in late November after California Governor Jerry Brown commuted his sentence. Then there are those marriages that become the subjects of books . It focuses on both the personal and the political, shedding light on issues of mass incarceration and the criminal justice system by telling intimate, humanizing stories, like the tale of one inmates obsession with keeping small critters as pets in his cell or anothers struggle to be intimate with his wife while behind bars. Co-produced by inmates Earlonne Woods and Antwan Williams . [5] Woods role on the podcast was well-received, with Sarah Larson from The New Yorker describing him as an "immediately warm and likable presence",[10] while Eddie Harana from Rolling Stone praised the sense of humor he brought to the show. Does that mean we're self-absorbed? They surrounded Tyler around a - at a apartment building, where he was trying to climb up to the roof. He says, I need to speak with you. Woods said that the show chose the topic of cellmates for its first episode to ensure the show was relatable, since most people can relate to having a bad roommate. And just listening to her tell her story to us and knowing that I've been in these type of situations or knowing that I've been probably on the other side of the gun or whatever the case may be and just hearing her loss, hearing her heartfelt testimony about this was really - it was shakening (ph), you know? I'm Terry Gross. Content Creator @CoinAcademy; Pres. SHAPIRO: Earlonne Woods is 47. POOR: So we were in the media lab working and - you know, trying to work, trying to stay concentrated. "[9] The show's unique lens and intimate first-person storytelling is noted in most reviews. You're more looking at what you're getting out of the situation. You're not really looking at the person. Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor: This Is Ear Hustle Some might say that Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods were destined to meet. POOR: Earlonne described himself, and I described myself. Along with Nigel Poor, he is a full-time producer, co-host, and co-creator of Ear Hustle at PRX. Accuracy and availability may vary. I've never had a problem. He and Nigel also co-wrote This Is Ear Hustle: Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life, a book inspired by the podcast and published by Crown/Random House. Earlonne Woods, co-host of the popular prison podcast Ear Hustle, had his sentence commuted by California Gov. And I was - yeah, I was definitely nervous. And I mean, we just knew that was the call. SHAPIRO: Nigel Poor told us that when Earlonne Woods came back POOR: He was walking with a lot of air in his step. Woods never used the drug, though became addicted to the money and lifestyle selling it provided. Our associate producer for digital media is Molly Seavy-Nesper. And it's just about - you know, they accept anybody, you know? While incarcerated at California State Prison, Centinela, Woods saw a documentary about the film school at San Quentin State Prison, and applied to transfer to that prison. She first started working at San Quentin in 2011 as a volunteer in the Prison University Project, teaching the history of photography. And so (laughter) it was just incredible. And I think - I didn't - I didn't become accustomed to the lifestyle of working or having a job, you know? Redmond O'Neal is the son of American actor Ryan O'Neal and Farah Fawcett (an America. And it's the way people would hope other people think that, hey, OK, I've done my time. NIGEL POOR: You know, E, you've been in prison 20 years. Woods' sentence was recently commuted, but the two continue to tell stories of life behind bars. Earlonne Woods (@earlonnewoods) Instagram photos and videos earlonnewoods Follow 225 posts 24.1K followers 931 following Earlonne Woods Public figure Award winning Co-Creator + Co-Host, @earhustlesq . Earlonne is 5 feet 7 inches tall ( Approx1.7 m). Woods was involved in an attempted robbery in 1997, when he was in his 20s. E WOODS: I think - I was just tripping off - he was just peeling back one of the Beatles POOR: Oh, yeah. POOR: What are some of the things you think about when you fantasize about your life when you're out? [3], Woods met artist and volunteer Nigel Poor, who was teaching photography at the film school. WOODS: It's unrealistic, but I think about just getting out of San Quentin, jumping in the water and swimming to my yacht and going around the world. Earlonnes sentence was recently commuted, but the two continue to share their experiences behind bars. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College, and completed many vocational programs. Earlonne Woods is the cocreator, coproducer, and cohost of the Pulitzer-nominated podcast Ear Hustle. I was questioning everything. OK. (SOUNDBITE OF JOHN COLTRANE'S "OUT OF THIS WORLD"). With grace and humor they walk through what life is really like behind bars, showing the humanity and depth of those they meet inside." --Catherine Burns, artistic director, The Moth "I listen to Ear . He is a staff writer and podcast producer at KQED, as well as a graduate of UC Berkeley's School of Journalism. So it's been a real eye-opener for me. Behind 'Ear Hustle,' The Podcast Made In Prison. So you recorded interviews with Trevor and Tyra talking about how difficult it is to maintain a relationship with your child when you're incarcerated and how difficult it is to help them stay out of trouble. And I think that's a shared philosophy with everybody that's in prison - is that you have to just deal with what's going on today, you know, and just not let the pressures of prison just get to your core and crush you. You may be a changed individual, all the way changed, would never commit another crime. And on their way back to the auntie's house, they were pulled over by Long Beach Police Department - two officers. Earlonne is busy reporting on re-entry stories and daily life for originally incarcerated people, while also documenting his own experiences. GROSS: Earlonne, what's the custom among men in San Quentin? So in that case, I didn't dig in. In November 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown commuted Earlonne's sentence after 21 years of . Elevated Entertainment LLC; Host: Hard in the Paint w/Aaron Showtime Taylor. And for most people - for most people inside, they just want the chance to represent the person that they are today, you know? I'm pretty shy. And then what worries me is, like, so people will leave with this very, like, I love this guy. And, you know, I pretty much raised - because my brother was locked up. He's able to call me collect. So I think I understand more the complexity and the pressures and inside I get to see men relating in very heartfelt ways. And so to me, that meant he was a very good observer. He also founded CHOOSE1, which aims to repeal the California . Earlonne was both host and inmate, but he was released in November after his sentence was commuted by California Governor Jerry Brown. And you start thinking differently, you know? I was on some - I would like to say other words, but I'm holding my (laughter) E WOODS: (Laughter) I'm on the radio. And he was always ready to help. I used to sit there and ask God, "Like, why am I living if I have to die?" And I think at that age I was questioning God. But if we could just talk about it and come to some understanding about what's our responsibility, what's your responsibility? They struck him 19 times, killing him. GROSS: I want to thank you both so much. That was something that was volunteered to me. Woods was serving a 31-years-to-life sentence for attempted 2nd degree robbery due to a three-strikes law before having his sentence commuted in 2018. And E WOODS: And of course I enjoy all the little moments. In 2016, it was selected by the Radiotopia network as the winner of its Podquest competition, and the following year released its first season. POOR: You know, a kind of joy I never really experienced before - I mean, it's - you know, to be so happy for him and being in prison and not wanting to cry (laughter) - you know, trying to hold it together. I was hoping I could talk to you a little bit about it. GROSS: Their brothers are the people who live in a similar world of fantasy as opposed to defining their brothers as being, you know, a skin color or ethnicity. He also founded CHOOSE1, which aims to repeal the California Three . And my mindset, regardless of where I'm at, I'm going to live to the best of my ability. What's it like to not think about that? Then she started doing interviews, and then they started working together co-producing a radio show and then the podcast. Poor, a professor of photography at CSU Sacramento, was volunteering with the Prison University Project at San Quentin State Prison when she met Woods, who was serving a 31-year-to-life sentence. Thank you both so much for talking with us. And I got out in '95. GROSS: So you know, you're a middle-aged man now. I'm on a podcast. Can I ask how your relationship is changing now that you're both outside? And I always wore black. Also Read: Earlonne Woods, . Once the details concerning Earlonnes marital status are available we shall update. Jerry Brown. In March 2016, the Public Radio Exchange's Radiotopia network put out a call for new podcast ideas via an initiative called Podquest, with funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. I mean POOR: No, we're not allowed. But you may have the African-Americans who go to prison and they're at certain places and you don't get that question. [1][2] Since his release, Woods has continued to co-host the podcast with Poor from outside prison, with Poor recording some parts in San Quentin with new co-host Rahsaan "New York" Thomas. You - you - you always feel that you're better than getting killed, like you would never get killed. WOODS: That's something that a lot of us behind bars fantasize about - getting out and leading a normal life. I've spent a total of 27 years in prison. He is 49 years old. And when I went to prison, it was pretty much the California Department of Corrections, and there was not a rehabilitation on the name then. Earlonne Woods is the co-creator, co-host, and co-producer of Ear Hustle (PRX & Radiotopia). And we just had such great conversations. And so we just started talking, and I realized that he was interested in thinking about how we could do interviews from more of an artistic perspective and not as journalists. Earlonne has not yet revealed any information about his parents. You know, prison, I'm going to live to the best of my ability. In 1997, he was sentenced to 31-years-to-life in prison. He works as a full-time producer, co-host, and co-creator of Ear Hustle at PRX alongside Nigel Poor. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College and completed many vocational trade programs. Therese Madden directed today's show. [9][7] Ear Hustle was the first podcast entirely recorded and produced inside a prison. The prison also went on lockdown during production, halting work and requiring additional administrative steps to both create and release the audio. I don't know. We'll be right back. E WOODS: So on November 19, Tyler and his auntie and some other lady went to 7-Eleven to get a pack of cigarettes. When Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods met, Poor was a photography professor volunteering with the Prison University Project, and Woods was serving thirty-one years to life at California's San Quentin State Prison. My guests are Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, the co-creators of Ear Hustle, a podcast featuring their interviews with men incarcerated in San Quentin. GROSS: And you chose Earlonne. I'm Terry Gross. Earlonne was both co-host and inmate. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, Lana Wolf, Eric Marcus, Robert Marawa, Who is Redmond ONeal? Earlonne is a brother to Shala Woods. So to hear Governor Brown say that, it was like this is how we actually think. And they - and I received 31 years to life. And my whole thinking, like, changed in that moment. And he's standing in a group. All rights reserved. And then Trevor was arrested when their son, Tyler, was 10. You're able to go POOR: We're able to go out. [3] After two rounds of judging, Ear Hustle was selected as the winner and added to the Radiotopia network. When he was nine, Woods lifted up a faulty railroad crossing gate to allow cars to pass. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College, and completed many vocational programs. So I want to ask you each to choose one thing that you would like to change in the system of - in the prison system or in mass incarceration. And at the end of November, Governor Jerry Brown commuted his sentence. E WOODS: I don't - I think when you're living in the moment, you feel untouchable. Woods and Poor cohost the show while Williams does the show's sound design, working in San Quentin's media lab to record music and effects, including foley work. All rights reserved. ERIN: I don't - I don't know. Woods is a full-time producer, co-host, and co-creator of PRXs Ear Hustle with Nigel Poor. Woods is expected to be released on parole in the coming days, after serving 21 years of a 31-years-to-life sentence. His first book, OG Told Me, is a memoir-style collection of essays about Harshaw's. She started going to San Quentin to volunteer teaching photography. Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor started the podcast Ear Hustle when Woods was a prisoner in San Quentin. So what - one of the things that I've really taken away from being in prison is that I've gotten an incredible glimpse into what it means to be a man and what men deal with. And that was one of the things that I appreciated about Jerry Brown - especially everything he said in that clip that you played is the way people inside think. I mean, I try to be, like, open and honest about my past and the things that I've done, including what I've done to get to prison. Earlonne became preoccupied with reporting on re-entry stories and daily life for people who had previously been incarcerated, as well as documenting his own experiences. I had to really work through it and think about it. You know, they get to see each other in passing. [5][15] In 2020, alongside Poor and co-host Rahsaan Thomas, Woods was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting. He and Nigel are also the authors of This Is Ear Hustle: Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life, a book that was inspired by the podcast and released by Crown/Random House. Earlonne Woods co-hosted the podcast Ear Hustle while incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison. And, Earlonne, since you served so much time, let's start with you. And it was just - I just seen him slipping through my fingers because I wasn't there to snatch him up. GROSS: So this gets back to something you were just saying. But yeah, I can't. Like, what - why were we on this path, you know? Yeah - the butcher cutters. co-hosted by Woods and Nigel Poor, an artist and volunteer at San Quentin interviews men in the prison about their lives there. My first prison term, I went to jail when I was 17. For Walter "Earlonne" Woods, the path to freedom was podcasting. Jerry Brown (D) has commuted the prison sentence of Earlonne Woods, whose hit podcast Ear Hustle explores life inside San Quentin State Prison. They eventually met this person. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Earlonne is of white ethnicity and American nationality. His sentence was commuted yesterday. Toni Storm is well-known in the wres. We get - I mean, it's - you know, it's - we're just E WOODS: You're able to go out now. So I think what kept me sane is that I had the philosophy where, I am going to live to the best of my ability every day that I have left on this Earth no matter where I'm at. I actually oddly enjoy being in there. No, and I laugh because had Governor Brown probably not been the governor, I would still have 10 years of my sentence left. (SOUNDBITE OF NOEL BONNEVIE'S "DAHIL SA'YO"). And your brother is still in San Quentin. [3][4] In 1997, at the age of 25, he was arrested for attempted second degree robbery. And one of my goals has been for us to travel to other prisons, and I never wanted to do that without Earlonne. [11], By September 2021, Ear Hustle episodes had been downloaded over 54 million times. And to hear how it happened to him and to hear that he was shot 19 times, you know - and I just try to visualize, like, what he was going through at the time he was being shot at by those officers. Aaron Taylor. In November 2018, Woods' sentence was commuted by California governor Jerry Brown. Presently, Earlonne has not mentioned any details concerning his parents. GROSS: We talk about the podcast and before we talk about your work together, Earlonne, I want to talk with you about life outside. I'd still be sitting in San Quentin in a cell with my brother. ERIN: Oh, [expletive]. Earlonne Woods is the co-creator, co-host, and co-producer of Ear Hustle (PRX & Radiotopia). And you really get a better understanding of your impact that you've personally had on people in society. As a result, it is unknown whether Earlonne is single, dating, or married. [8][9] Poor is a visual artist in the San Francisco Bay area who volunteers at the prison. The show was still challenging to create, in part because none of the three producers had a background in audio production, but also because of prison administration red tape. POOR: You get a lot of calls from guys at San E WOODS: I get a lot of 15-minute calls from prison. They ask how you are. And, like a lot of inmates, he's been thinking about this moment for a long time. Not one bit, you know? They say hello. It was - and it's not just her. GROSS: Well, why don't we take a short break here, and then we'll talk some more? POOR: While you're thinking, can I tell you some of the things that are just going through my mind about it? In an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, Lexi Mainland wrote "The runaway hit Ear Hustle never takes a broad look at criminal justice policy or employs Voice of God narration. I felt like in Earlonne I found a true professional colleague. [3], Woods completed his General Educational Development in prison, as well as vocational courses such as auto mechanics. So you're interviewing a prisoner who - he and one of the volunteers fell in love, and so she stopped working there in any capacity, and they got married. Other officers got involved. I'd rather deal with anyone, actually, as they are in front of me at that moment. You know, he was - you know, I even - I'm talking to him all the time. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. E WOODS: Well, me growing up the way I grew up, I grew up in a lifestyle where I was young when I got into selling drugs, and I was - I was real young. Not at all. And Earlonne just had his sentence commuted by Governor Jerry Brown in November after serving 21 years. His sentence was commuted by Governor Jerry Brown in November. He and Nigel Poor began the podcast Ear Hustle when Earlonne was a prisoner in San Quentin. [9], On November 21, 2018, producer Earlonne Woods's sentence was commuted by California governor Jerry Brown. On his release from San Quentin State Prison, Woods was hired full time to continue the work started inside but also adding reentry stories. I was just done. He is now 47. And when you're in that moment, I think it's more of crime to people in society that commit crime. SHAPIRO: Well, yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown commuted Earlonne Woods' sentence. Since the podcasts launch in 2017, its been downloaded, announcing the commutation, the governor echoed that thought, saying Woods has clearly shown that he is no longer the man he was when he committed this crime.. - like, was with him pretty much every day. GROSS: And, Earlonne, I look forward to your interviews with people who, like you, are transitioning back into society from prison. And I got into this group. Earlonne Woods, Nigel Poor, welcome to FRESH AIR. So you can't wear blue, which is what they wear. Nigel first went to San Quentin as a volunteer teaching photography. GROSS: That people can change and that you should look at the person and not just the crime - that you'd still be in prison, I mean? POOR: So one of the things is that I really believe that people change. And they won't get that opportunity to present the person that they are today. Brown cited Woods' leadership in . TREVOR WOODS: You know, so Tyler was out there trying to grow up on his own, trying to be something that he didn't know nothing about. I hope you'll join us. He does not, however, expose his wife's identity to the public. And many people around me wasn't like that. What's it like to not care about the person who you're robbing or the person who might be killed by a stray bullet? We can go to the gym and work out together. POOR: There's something I have to talk to you about. . Jerry Brown commuted his 31-years-to-life sentence for attempted armed robbery. Nigel Poor is a professor of photography at California State University in Sacramento. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Therefore, it is not known if Earlonne is single, dating, or married. And I spend a lot of time in there. She co-created the podcast with Woods and has co-hosted and co-produced it with him. Nigel Poor assures us the podcast will continue with Earlonne contributing stories from the outside. Earlier this year, we introduced you to a man named Earlonne Woods who got some big news yesterday. He is a man of average height. Nigel is a professor at California State University. We'll be right back. He has the age of 49. He is 5 feet 7 inches tall ( Approx1.7 m). There's a story you did about how people like you from the outside who come in to volunteer - because you started at San Quentin volunteering teaching photography before you started doing the podcast Ear Hustle. After 21 years in prison, Governor Brown the great governor of California decided that I served enough time, Woods said in the latest episode of Ear Hustle. So I was nervous at first to go in because, I mean, my head was full of all the images that, you know, of - from bad TV, bad movies, bad media about what prison was going to be like. It mentally puts you in a whole different space. I'm not doing this. POOR: Well, let me ask you this - do you feel like we're being unfair trying to make you do this? POOR: Oh, plus, I - we get to see each other in all different color clothing because POOR: In prison, Earlonne always had to wear blue. Even though you can't do nothing about your past, you just feel embarrassed about even going down that route, even victimizing anybody. And as time went on, as years went on, I stuck to my guns. Woods, 47, was recently released from San Quentin State Prison after California Gov. Their tenth season finished airing in December 2022. Brown cited Woods'. His net worth is estimated to be $657,586. He's been behind bars for more than 20 years. Earlonne Woods is the co-creator, co-host, and co-producer of Ear Hustle (PRX & Radiotopia). Jerry Brown commuted his 31-years-to-life . For the first few months after Earlonne Woods was released from San Quentin in November, his "Ear Hustle" podcast co-host Nigel Poor kept receiving photos of ice cream on her phone. The rest of it is just an enhancement. WOODSON: I used to work for the captain at CIW in the program office. After a break, we'll hear and talk about excerpts of two episodes of Ear Hustle, one about a death that was devastating for Earlonne, the other about an interview that raised serious ethical questions for Nigel. Los Angeles, CA. And then I saw him in this awesome, orange T-shirt that had some brown in it. Earlonne continues to co-host the show with Nigel. FRESH AIR's executive producer is Danny Miller. Earlonne Woods was born in the United States in 1972. Did you give him a hug? It's like - I think they're not under the constraints or the pressures to not accept people. E WOODS: So I'll give you example. E WOODS: And she even got mad at me the other day E WOODS: 'Cause I left dinner with everyone, and I went to the movies by myself to go see "Vice" (laughter). [14] In an interview with Rolling Stone, Poor said the show is "about everyday life inside a prison. This lady - her name was Claire. And I'm not even talking about physically intimate, but just emotionally intimate is against regulations. And he said the thing that all women fear is that I raped women because I could. Im thinking about my mama, shes 70. You know what I'm saying? Poor is a professor of photography at California State University in Sacramento. [17], Last edited on 21 December 2022, at 04:36, "Host Of The Prison Podcast 'Ear Hustle' Reflects On His 27 Years Behind Bars", "After parole, podcast producers are turning skills learned in prison into paying gigs", "Prison-produced podcast 'Ear Hustle' lets you listen to real stories of incarcerated life", "The story of "Ear Hustle", a podcast made by prisoners at San Quentin", "Podcast on prison stories wins PRX backing", "California inmate Walter 'Earlonne' Woods takes unlikely path to freedom: A popular podcast called 'Ear Hustle', "With eyes on the inside, 'Ear Hustle' makes the big time with its look at prisoners", "Earlonne Woods, Co-Host Of 'Ear Hustle' Podcast, Gets Prison Sentence Commuted", "San Quentin's Breakthrough Prison Newsroom", "This Is Ear Hustle: Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Earlonne_Woods&oldid=1128635338, This page was last edited on 21 December 2022, at 04:36. Earlonne still co-hosts the show alongside Nigel. I have all the different people that I talk to as I work my way down to the media lab. I'm Terry Gross, and this is FRESH AIR. [7] Woods relocated to Oakland, California after his release, and was hired full-time as a producer and co-host of Ear Hustle. I'm not doing this. And, Nigel and Earlonne, I want to wish you good luck with the retooled version of Ear Hustle now that Earlonne is out. And the assumption is that what you did at that moment is what you are today even though it's five years, 10 years, 20, 30 years later. Accuracy and availability may vary. Earlonne, tell us a little more about what happened to Tyler, how he was killed. [7] Co-creators Woods and Antwan Williams were inmates at San Quentin State Prison for the first three seasons of the show. Part of HuffPost News. They dont stay the same people that they were when they committed their crime. You know, he calls me. We know because they did a whole episode on getting parole. And I was paroled when I was 23, about to turn 24. But the - the problem is is that a lot of the sentences are a hundred years, 200 years, 300 years. And so being in prison has just really altered that. I don't know what tomorrow brings, but I know what's happening today and right now. But apparently it's fine - like, if you fall in love, the prisoner and the volunteer fall in love, that's fine as long as the volunteer or the staff person is no longer going to be working there in any capacity. He is now 47. A post shared by @earhustlesq on Mar 13, 2018 at 8:35pm PDT. Copyright 2018 NPR. Our senior producer today is Roberta Shorrock. Earlonne, congratulations on life outside of prison. He is 5 feet 7 inches tall ( Approx1.7 m). [2], Woods first went to prison at 17 for two concurrent convictions of kidnapping and robbing a drug dealer, and was released at 23. He commuted my sentence to be released forthwith, immediately, right now, its time to go, time to walk out that gate, he added, laughing. GROSS: Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor are the co-creators, co-producers and co-hosts of the podcast Ear Hustle, which features interviews with men incarcerated in San Quentin. You know that it could be a possibility, but it's a possibility that you've seen pretty much your whole life, you know? And they say Tyler just took off running. Like, I just walked away, you know? Ear Hustle was a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting, and won a Alfred I. duPontColumbia University Award in 2021. Earlonne Woods educational background is unavailable. Vice President . When asked earlier this year what was the first thing he would do if he got out, Woods said, Take a bath. So I think that's very damaging. GROSS: This is FRESH AIR, and if you're just joining us, my guests are Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor. Earlonne Woods is co-creator, co-producer and co-host of Ear Hustle from Radiotopia. POOR: But I get to see his brother and catch him up on what you're doing. Ive been taking showers for like 20 years.. How do you survive? I think I was probably like eight years old when it came to me that one day I have to die. The San Francisco Public Library chose the title for its One City One Book citywide community reading program in 2022. So I believe that crimes have sentencing under them. And I - I observed Earlonne a lot. Woods is expected to be released on parole in the coming days, after serving 21 years of a 31-years-to-life sentence. His mother was a postal worker and his father was an unemployed alcoholic, who Woods described as violent and distant. What are some of the ways you think you've changed over the years? As co-host of the 2019 Third Coast Awards Ceremony, Earlonne will make his return to the "Oscars of Radio." Last year, he beamed in via video ( watch here ) after winning a 2018 Best Documentary: Honorable Mention Award as part of the Ear Hustle team. Williams, 29, has served more than 10 years on a 15-year sentence for armed robbery. And Nigel is also a professor of photography at California State University. And that surprised me greatly. E WOODS: Right, right. So this is JERRY BROWN: It all goes to this point that something very bad happens, and people will say, OK, now we're putting you in jail for a very long time. You know, he running the streets. GROSS: If you're just joining us, my guests are Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, the co-creators of the podcast Ear Hustle. It was so kick-back and cool, meaning I take advantage of all these moments now. And I keep thinking, like, a week from now, Earlonne and I could be having dinner outside the prison together (laughter). His commutation includes reference to Earlonne's work on the podcast. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Earlonne Woods, 47, was recently released from San Quentin State Prison after California Gov. He was born and brought up in the United States to his caring and supportive parents. E WOODS: It's the bay. He works as a full-time producer, co-host, and co-creator of Ear Hustle at PRX alongside Nigel Poor. Woods was unaware his two convictions as a juvenile counted as two 'strikes', which made his conviction at 25 count as his third under California's three strikes law. Its out of body, he said of getting the call from Browns office. GROSS: A job because you thought it was, like, your only source of income? 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. So now we can actually do that and even POOR: Hopefully go to other countries, too. POOR: I know. California Gov. Due to the complex and time-consuming bureaucratic challenges associated with unusual prison activities, she decided that audio would be easier to manage than video. Eventually, the marriage fell apart. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College, and completed many vocational programs. (SOUNDBITE OF STEFANO BOLLANI AND JESPER BODILSEN AND MORTEN LUND AND MARK TURNER AND BILL FRISELL'S "ALOBAR E KUDRA"). And when it actually happened, it was a - it was an awakening in me, like, oh, I don't - why is we living this way, you know? And it might help you. So Earlonne, let me ask you about ways you think you've changed since you were a teenager and were first put in prison. It's a job. He understood human nature. I get to see how they express love and tenderness and fear and frustration and how they posture and what's behind that. [11], In November 2018, then California Governor Jerry Brown commuted Woods' sentence, saying he had "clearly shown that he is no longer the man he was when he committed this crime" and that "he has set a positive example for his peers and, through his podcast, has shared meaningful stories from those inside prison. E WOODS: It was devastating because I had - one, I had just talked to Tyler, like, probably the day before. He gave up his brother name. [9], In a Rolling Stone article about the show, Tana Ganeva called it "a fascinating, harrowing and also deeply entertaining look into life on the inside that runs the full gamut of emotions. Like, in the county jail, I was like, OK, I'm done with this side of life because even though our philosophy growing up was for death though - you know, meaning I'd rather be carried by six than judged by 12 - that was just the philosophy we had growing up, you know? It looked so good on you. Jerry Brown", "The story of "Ear Hustle", a podcast made by prisoners at San Quentin", "Ladies and Gentlemen: Your Podquest Semifinalists", "Prison-produced podcast 'Ear Hustle' lets you listen to real stories of incarcerated life", "San Quentin's Breakthrough Prison Newsroom", "After parole, podcast producers are turning skills learned in prison into paying gigs", "This Is Ear Hustle: Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life", "Why the podcast revolution is here to stay", "Ear Hustle Is an Utterly Fascinating Look at Prison Life", "Announcing the Winners of the 2019 Discover Pods Awards", "Announcing the winners of the 2020 Discover Pods Awards", "2019 iHeartradio Podcast Awards: Full List of Winners", "With eyes on the inside, 'Ear Hustle' makes the big time with its look at prisoners", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ear_Hustle&oldid=1134158700, "Ear Hustle Extra: Antwan Williams, Journeyist", "Ear Hustle Extra: In It for the Long Haul", "Ear Hustle Extra: A Call From Sacramento", "Ear Ear Hustle Presents: My Mother Made Me", This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 07:55. So I think as far as African-American culture in prison, I don't think nobody really cares why you're in prison. Yes, he can come to my house. He was hired to continue co-hosting and producing the podcast after his release. It was like 2 in the morning. [5] He served his last seven years at San Quentin. But to hear the very next day that he was killed - and my mother is who told me. So I'm not thinking that it's serious as much as I'm hearing. Let's get back to my interview with Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, the creators and hosts of the podcast Ear Hustle, featuring interviews with prisoners in San Quentin about their lives and what it's like to be incarcerated. But I took way more from that person than $1. Woods' sentence was recently commuted, but the two continue to tell stories of life. So prison was more like, oh, hey, this is a place to go and continue your gang activity, continue your destructive behavior. E WOODS: In between prison - when I got out - Tyler had just been born in '94. I don't know if it's a lake. In fact, when I walk through the yard, one of the things I really like is that people make eye contact. His net worth is estimated to be $657,586. Earlonne Woods was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. SHAPIRO: Earlonne Woods had to leave the media lab to take the call. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. And a chase pursued. I probably was like 14. POOR: We can taste each other's food 'cause, you know, in prison you can't share food with people. And the captain comes in. In terms of his romantic life, Park is happily married to his wife in South Korea. The podcast team announced Tuesday that it will hire Woods as an employee on the show. Tyra got arrested first for kidnap and robbery, and she was sentenced to 17 years. Everybody we know live the same lifestyle, you know? E WOODS: Yeah, so that's cool. Co-founded by San Francisco Bay Area artist Nigel Poor alongside Earlonne Woods and Antwan Williams who were incarcerated at the time the podcast now tells stories from both inside prison and from the outside, post-incarceration. Others are typical and comfortable, never rising to celebrity status but supplying its partners with a contented existence. So for me internally, I started my change. Earlonne Woods annual salary is $61,244 on average. Earlonne Woods is an American podcaster and author, best known for co-hosting and co-founding the podcast Ear Hustle in 2017, and co-authoring the book This Is Ear Hustle in 2021. And I just said, when you come back, you're going to be almost a free man. (SOUNDBITE OF GOLDMUND'S "THE BALLAD OF BARBARA ALLEN"). If you're just joining us, my guests are Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, the co-hosts and co-producers of the podcast Ear Hustle, which features interviews with men incarcerated in San Quentin Prison about their daily lives and their personal stories. Jerry Brown. Kourtney Kellar models for a variety of periodicals, companies, Toni Storm is a famous New Zealand-Australian wrestler, social media influencer, Instagram personality, OnlyFans star, and entrepreneur from Auckland, New Zealand. POOR: It's the bay - yeah, the bay, yeah. I wouldn't spend time in a place that made me uncomfortable or I didn't like. You know what I mean? Jerry Brown is releasing Woods from San Quentin State Prison after two decades behind bars. There's all these restrictions. In some ways, like, I find it hard to understand that somebody, like, wouldn't have any empathy for the victim and wouldn't care. GROSS: Earlonne, how did you learn how to keep your calm and live in the kind of confined situation you were in during the more than two decades that you were incarcerated? And so when people listen to this story, that's what I want them to take away, that here's this person who is in a difficult situation. And it was one of the restore justice symposiums. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. And this time, they had something for me, which was the three-strike law. But I'd say a lot of people, particularly in law enforcement, want to look at the crime only, and that's really the big debate. Earlonne resides in the United States. Don't be out there doing no robberies, none of that stuff. I'm not doing that. But of course when someone's in prison and the other person's not, there's so many things you can't do. GROSS: If you're just joining us, my guests are Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, the co-hosts and co-producers of the podcast Ear Hustle. Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor started the podcast Ear Hustle when Woods was a prisoner in San Quentin. And, like E WOODS: My partners. E WOODS: Well, I mean, it's cool, you know? Woods was convicted of attempted second-degree robbery but because of the three-strikes law was sentenced to 31 years to life, most of which was served in prisons other than San Quentin. I think maybe 14 years in my sentence, I went to San Quentin. You feel invincible in some ways. Earlonne holds an American nationality and white ethnicity. It was the first podcast to be entirely created and produced inside a prison. So what - what were the first communications like in which you tried to see, but is he a good interviewer? Like, he just seemed lighter and shiny and fresh. Just to be out there with her.. He had just became a paramedic or something. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College, and completed many vocational programs. When Earlonne was incarcerated in San Quentin, he and Nigel Poor started the podcast Ear Hustle. He had served 21 years of a 31-years-to-life sentence. "[16] Quah contrasts standard prison narratives told entirely from an outsider's point of view with the interplay of insider and outsider perspectives provided by the hosts of Ear Hustle, with stories primarily told through Woods' and Williams' words and perspectives, and Poor in an active role adding "key narrative housekeeping". Earlonne still co-hosts the show alongside Nigel. So even though I'm hearing stuff and then I'm talking to him, he playing - he downplaying it. [5] The show features interviews with inmates who share their stories and opinions on topics like cellmates, solitary confinement, race, morality, pets, religion, gangs, and family. When he was 15, he committed his first robbery alongside his brother, who had transitioned from selling drugs to robbing drug dealers. But I always go over to the fantasy game guys, and I'll just sit there for a minute and try to see if I even come close to understanding what's going on on that table. He spin his vinyl. GROSS: Nigel, let me bring you into the conversation. The two bonded over a love of storytelling and with no formal experience, began a podcast together where they showcase the . Kourtney Kellar is an American model, social media celebrity, influencer, media face, and Internet personality. GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. It was a private wedding ceremony, according to accounts. And I hit the floor. Instead of me representing it, Earlonne and I can represent it together. He is also involved in the Repeal California's Three Strike Coalition, which aims to end California . He also founded CHOOSE1, which aims to repeal the California . E WOODS: It is - they see something that I can't see.

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