Optophobia

Our guest this week, Theodore Kettle, grew up in the privileged world of 1980s international diplomacy. As the son of the UK ambassador in Addis Ababa, Kettle stumbled upon a hard-partying music scene in east Africa's Great Rift Valley, considered the "cradle of humankind," where he lost his virginity to a Russian-speaking beauty named Olga. Or did he?

Show Notes

Our guest this week, Theodore Kettle, grew up in the privileged world of 1980s international diplomacy. As the son of the UK ambassador in Addis Ababa, Kettle stumbled upon a hard-partying music scene in east Africa's Great Rift Valley, considered the "cradle of humankind," where he lost his virginity to a Russian-speaking beauty named Olga. Or did he?

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Credits:

Saleh Karaman played Theodore Kettle. Saleh performs with Nox and Colossus, usually at the Washington Improv Theater. Follow him on Instagram at @cirquedusalad.

Liz Sanders played Debra. Liz performs with Madeline, a Washington Improv Theater house ensemble. 

Produced by Tim Townsend.

Theme music by Bart Warshaw. 

Cover art by Claire Smalley. 

Website by Chance Griffin. 

What is Optophobia?

Optophobia is the fear of opening one’s eyes. Our show is dedicated to encouraging you — our listeners — to move beyond that fear. To solve riddles they don’t want us to unriddle. To investigate supposedly ironclad truths. To unearth evidence, buried for so long they believed it would stay buried. Each season we tackle a new investigation into what is often dismissively called a “conspiracy theory,” and each week a new guest weighs in. Are you bored by the lies? Open your eyes.