Podcast

Sing Sing is going on hiatus. John updates us on where he’s been transferred and what he has in store for the future.

Author/Journalist/Professor Ted Conover talks about his 2000 award winning book Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing and recounts his experience with the New York State correctional system by becoming a correctional officer for nearly a year.

John chats with award-winning poet/memoirist/teacher Reginald Dwayne Betts about their shared familiarity with the worlds of journalism and incarceration – as well as their thoughts on restorative justice and a reading from Reginald Dwayne Betts.

Opera composer-inmate Joseph Wilson tells how the Carnegie Hall Music Program inside Sing Sing sparked his love of classical music. He shares about being sexually abused as a child – the events that led him to incarceration – and his ongoing musical collaboration with his sister.

Veteran musician/producer/EAR HUSTLE contributor David Jassy talks about being released from prison during a pandemic – the difference between Swedish and American prisons – and developing the Y.O.P. Mixtape Program inside San Quentin State Prison.

John invites the voices of three men currently serving sentences inside Sing Sing: Self – Reginald “Arif” Stevens – and Abdul Aleem. They share their thoughts on systemic racism, the circumstances they grew up in, incarceration during the pandemic – and the current social and political climate in the United States.

Executive director of the Sentencing Project – Marc Mauer – discusses racial disparities in the US criminal-justice system – the high rate of American incarceration – and the 20 year sentence cap proposed in his book, Race to Incarcerate.

Author/lecturer/former inmate Shaka Senghor shares his journey from an abusive home in Detroit to spending seven years in solitary confinement to having his book listed on Oprah’s Super Soul 100.

PVO. Burgeoning musical artist Jack Morris talks about having a father inside Sings Sing prison and how it has impacted his songwriting.

John shares his mixed feelings about winning an Ellie award from the American Society of Magazine Editors for his part in the Washington Post 2019 prison issue The Apology Letter https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2019/10/28/ive-built-career-prolific-prison-journalist-so-why-did-it-take-me-so-long-write-letter-family-man-i-killed THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGAZINE EDITORS ANNOUNCES WINNERS FOR 2020 NATIONAL MAGAZINE AWARDS https://www.asme.media/the-american-society-of-magazine-editors-announces-winners-for-2020-national-magazine-awards

Criminal justice reform advocate Alice Marie Johnson talks about her time in prison for a non-violent drug crime – the viral video that caught the attention of Kim Kardashian – being pardoned by President Trump – and her book After Life: My Journey From Incarceration To Freedom.

This podcast dives into the story of John’s life in Hell’s kitchen and how the consequences of his actions affected those closest to him – including his childhood friend Kenny Gonzalez and his mother Laura O’Connell.

Comedian/podcast juggernaut Adam Carolla chops it up with John J Lennon about criminal justice reform – the role of government – and life during Corona.

Today marks the official launch of John’s podcast, This is a Collect Call from Sing Sing. Rapper/actor/entrepreneur Tip “T.I.” Harris joins incarcerated journalist and Prison Journalism Project advisor John J. Lennon to discuss the role of storytelling in redemption and shares a personal story about a close friend who passed away in prison.

Marshall Project staff writer KERI BLAKINGER joins John to talk about how prisons across the US are managing the COVID outbreak – as well as Keri’s own story of serving time in federal prison. Follow Keri on Twiter @keribla Read her work at https://www.themarshallproject.org/staff/keri-blakinger

John shares how the COVID outbreak is affecting behavior in Sing Sing and the contrasting perspectives between older and younger inmates. READ JOHN’S LATEST ARTICLE HERE: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/covid-breached-wall-and-killed-man-yesterday/609952/

John shares a quick update on his condition inside and how its affecting his fellow inmates.

John J Lennon interviews A Better Life Recovery Chief Clinical Psychologist – DR. MEGHAN MARCUM … when he receives word that Sing Sing is going on lockdown. If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse or need to speak with someone about mental health services, you can go to www.abetterliferecovery.com and be…

John interviews human rights attorney and REFORM Alliance Chief Advocacy Officer Jessica Jackson in the newest episode of his podcast. They discuss COVID, Kim Kardashian’s work for prison reform, and her dedication to reducing America’s incarceration rate.

John gives an update on the situation in Sing Sing and pleas to Governor Cuomo to take further action to protect prisoners, especially the elderly.

John J. Lennon talks to actress Simone Missick about All Rise, TV judges, and criminal justice. Recently, Vulture feature and excerpt of John’s interview with Simone Missick. Read the excerpt on Vulture or listen to the podcast below:

John discusses the impact the coronavirus has had on the prison population at Sing Sing. This is an expansion on John’s recent Esquire article The Day the Coronavirus Came to Prison. Listen below, on Spotify, or your podcast player of choice.

In the newest episode of John’s podcast he speaks to Simone Missick about her role as Judge Lola on the show All Rise. You can listen below, on Spotify, or your podcast player of choice.

John chats with actor Daniel Webber about his new film Escape from Pretoria. Webber portrays Stephen Lee, a political prisoner who escaped from Pretoria prison during Apartheid. John also speaks to Tim Jenkin, the real life escapee from the film. Listen below, on Spotify, or your podcast player of choice.

John chats with Esquire Style Director Jonathan Evans about clothing allowances within the New York state prison system. John also chops it up with his producers Jeff and Steve about his latest Esquire article You Haven’t Given Up: How Prisoners Are Finding a Place for Personal Style on the Inside. Listen below, on Spotify, or…

In this episode of his podcast “This is a Collect Call from Sing Sing,” John speaks to his producer about his Sports Illustrated piece on sports gambling inside prison. Listen below or on your podcast player of choice:

The first two episodes of John’s podcast This is a Collect Call from Sing Sing have been posted. The episodes feature interviews with documentarian Lynn Novick and Atlantic staff writer David A. Graham. Check out the podcasts on PodcastOne’s website and subscribe so you can be notified of the newest episodes: Interview with David A.…

Produced by PodcastOne, the trailer for John’s new podcast This Is A Collect Call From Sing Sing is now available for streaming.