Curveball

Striking a chord – Astrid Jorgensen is making choir cool again

Astrid Jorgensen was on the verge of becoming an air traffic controller when a school called with an offer: run their choir on measly pay, for 500 teenagers who didn’t care. Not exactly a dream job, but she said yes anyway. Staring down that sea of bored teenagers, Astrid realised she knew exactly how to win a room — how to move, when to crack a joke, how to get even the most apathetic kids to sing. And if she could get kids to sing, could she do the same with adults? She turned up at a pub - lyric sheets in one hand, a pint in the other - and taught complete strangers to sing in three-part harmony. Pub Choir was born. And it exploded. But then COVID hit and live music collapsed overnight. From Kate Bush sing-alongs to America’s Got Talent, Astrid is now one of Australia’s most successful live performers. +++ Astrid Jorgensen is the creator of Pub Choir and her book is Average at Best. Curveball features compelling conversations with leaders about life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter or suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Unity Jackson-Muir, editing by Luci McAfee. Kellie Riordan is host and Executive Producer. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Country on which this podcast is made, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s first storytellers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lunar mission – How Kate Reid’s unexpected relationship with food drove her to pastry stardom

When Kate Reid was a child, her car enthusiast father used to take her to watch Formula One. By the time she was in her 20s, Reid was working as an F1 aerospace engineer for Team Williams in London. It was her dream gig, even if she was the only female engineer working there. “There was no female toilet in the building... so Sir Frank (Williams) and I would share the disabled toilet.” But the intensely long days in such a high-pressure environment soon led Kate down a dark path, where the only control she could find was to limit her food intake. Her salve came in the unlikely form of a pastry! Despite being dumped from cooking show Masterchef, Kate Reid shifts gears from cars to croissants. And her knead for speed revs up as she launches the now world famous Lune croissanterie. Kate Reid’s book is Destination Moon. If you need help with an eating disorder, please reach out to the Butterfly Foundation or Lifeline Australia. +++ Curveball features compelling conversations with leaders about life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter or suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Sarah Dabro and edited by Liam Riordan and Unity Jackson-Muir. Kellie Riordan is host and Executive Producer. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Country on which this podcast is made, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s first storytellers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cate McGregor came out as transgender in the army at age 56 – The response wasn’t what she expected

On Australia Day 2012, Cate McGregor stood at Adelaide Oval, publicly recognised with the prestigious Order of Australia. It should have been the proudest day of her life. But behind that honour, Cate was planning to end her own life. Across a distinguished career spanning the military, sport, and media, Cate McGregor has commanded respect and influence. But behind the uniform she’s fought private battles with alcoholism and gender dysphoria that have nearly cost her everything. Now, as Cate embarks on what she calls the “afternoon of her life”, she enters a time not of conquest, but acceptance, clarity, and grace. NOTE: This episode contains discussions of addiction, alcoholism, gender dysphoria and suicidal thoughts. If these issues bring up difficult feelings for you, please reach out for support. In Australia, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. International listeners, please seek support services available in your local area. +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on instagram. Want to know more about how people thrive in challenging times? Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter or suggest a Curveball guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Sarah Dabro, with editing by Amelia Navascues and Liam Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Power play – Saul Griffith’s plan to electrify everything

It’s the early 2000s and a young Aussie engineer named Saul Griffith has made his way to the prestigious MIT in the United States. He launches several startups, including one that develops the technology that eventually powers the Kindle, he even consults to NASA and the US Department of Defence. But at the same time, the climate crisis is looming larger. Saul tells his wife that perhaps he should ditch start-up life and instead become “an eco-terrorist”. It’s said partly in jest, but next thing Saul and his wife move their young family home to regional New South Wales. Over a few beers with friends at the local pub, Saul pitches an audacious idea: What if their post code, 2515, becomes Australia’s first fully electrified community? So, can Saul turn this bold pub pitch into a model for the nation – and do it fast enough to save Australia’s future? +++ Curveball is a production of Deadset Studios. Saul Griffith’s books include Plug In! The Electrification Handbook, Electrify: An Optimist’s Playbook for a Clean Energy Future, and The Big Switch. You can find Saul on Instagram and find out more from Rewiring Australia. Rebecca Levingston and Sarah Dabro produced this episode with editing from Amelia Navascues. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Benjamin Law always felt different – Then came the diagnosis

Benjamin Law grew up by the beach in 1990s Queensland. He was queer, Chinese-Australian, and didn’t seeing himself reflected in the world around him. So he picked up a pen and changed that. From memoirist to screenwriter, commentator to Survivor contestant, Benjamin has built a career by leaning into identity, humour, and personal truth. But a recent diagnosis he didn’t see coming cast a new light on everything: his childhood, his work habits, and even his so-called flaws. “Most people don’t need a calendar blocked out from 6:30am to 10pm just to function. I do. That’s how I’ve navigated this brain in a neurotypical world.” Benjamin Law shares how this diagnosis has helped him embrace the chaos of his creative brain and soften self-judgement. He also reflects on navigating public backlash, writing his family into the cultural mainstream, and how he finally came to love the beach he once avoided. “I realised it wasn’t the water that I hated, it wasn’t the ocean I hated. It was probably my relationship to my childhood home [town]”. Benjamin Law’s books include The Family Law and Gaysia. He also co-wrote and co-created Wellmania for Netflix. @mrbenjaminlaw +++ On Curveball, guests reveal how they’ve overcome a challenging moment they couldn’t see coming. It’s a production of Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with Curveball by following @_deadsetstudios on Twitter and @deadsetstudios on Instagram. Sign up to Curveball’s LinkedIn newsletter or suggest a guest by visiting www.curveballshow.com This episode was produced by Sarah Dabro with editing by Gia Moylan. Executive producer is Kellie Riordan. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.