Episode 443
with Roman Mars & Kurt Kohlstedt, Shayla Lawson, and Colin Hay
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss the mysteries they can never seem to solve; 99% Invisible podcasters Roman Mars & Kurt Kohlstedt unveil the hidden world of everyday design in their companion book The 99% Invisible City; writer Shayla Lawson takes the lead role in her new collection of essays This Is Major, in which she celebrates black womanhood; and Colin Hay, former frontman of Men at Work, performs an acoustic version of their hit song "Overkill."
Roman Mars
Host, 99% Invisible
Roman Mars is the creator and host of 99% Invisible, the wildly popular podcast exploring architecture and design, for which he produced the most successful crowdfunding campaigns for a podcast in Kickstarter history. Fast Company named Mars one of the 100 Most Creative People in 2013 and he was a TED main stage speaker in 2015. His book is The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design, co-written with Kurt Kohlstedt. Twitter
Kurt Kohlstedt
Producer, 99% Invisible
Kurt Kohlstedt is the digital director and producer of 99% Invisible. Before joining the show, he founded a series of successful online magazines on cities and design, starting with WebUrbanist in 2007. He holds a graduate degree in architecture from the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments. His book is The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design, co-written with Roman Mars. Twitter
Shayla Lawson
Poet & Essayist
Shayla Lawson is the author of three books of poetry — A Speed Education in Human Being, the chapbook Pantone, and I Think I’m Ready to see Frank Ocean — and the essay collection This Is Major: Notes on Diana Ross, Dark Girls, and Being Dope. She was born in Rochester, Minnesota, grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, studied architecture in Italy, and spent a few years as a Dutch housewife — milkmaid braids and all. She teaches at Amherst College and lives in Brooklyn, NY. Website • Twitter
Colin Hay
Singer-Songwriter
Distinguished singer-songwriter and philanthropist Colin Hay is widely known for his intimate live shows and natural gift for expressing struggle in a style that resonates with a wide variety of people. He rose to fame as the lead vocalist of his former band Men at Work, which had five top hits in 1982, including the single “Down Under.” Hay has been cited as an influence by various artists including James Hetfield of Metallica, Jeremiah Fraites from The Lumineers, Troy Sanders of Mastodon, and The Infamous Stringdusters. He has performed on several shows including The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and ABC’s Greatest. But that's not all! Hay has a knack for giving back and his most recent philanthropic efforts have helped raise funds to aid Australia in its fight against the devastating bushfires. Website • Twitter
