Sinéad Burke
Sinéad Burke is the host of Lemonada’s As Me. Follow her on Twitter here, follow Lemonada on Twitter here.
Tell us how As Me came about!
About two years ago, I was interviewed by DeRay for his incredible show, ‘Pod Save the People’. We spoke about my experiences of a disabled woman and the advocacy that’s required to make the world more equitable and accessible for disabled people. I loved speaking with him, but had no idea what it would lead to. Jessica Cordova Kramer is the producer of that show and now, the co-founder of Lemonada Media. She listened to that episode and thought that I would make a great host - surreal. This led to a conversation earlier this year about the possibility of facilitating empathetic conversations with the people that I admire most about who they are and what it’s like to live in their bodies. The show is called ‘As Me with Sinéad’ and it’s possibly the project I’m most proud of!
As Me feels different than any other interview podcast I've heard. What sets it apart?
As a disabled woman, I live in a world that was not designed for me and in many ways, that’s cultivated an empathy in me and a genuine understanding that vulnerability is a strength. The show gives guests a safe space to be vulnerable and to narrate who they are - as their whole selves. My role is to listen, to ask ‘why’ and to connect our experiences in empathy.
What does the show remind you of? It doesn't have to be a podcast, it could be a TV show or app or food or place!
The show reminds me of those powerful conversations that you have with your best friends or a loved one, in your darkest or most celebratory moments. You leave those coffee dates feeling better about the world and better about yourself. The show is that experienced magnified and amplified, but at its heart, it’s just two people speaking about what worries them and what gives them hope in an intimate setting.
Why are you the perfect host for this show? (As I believe you are.)
Ha! Thank you. I’m curious and kind. I value kindness, probably because it’s a pre-requisite for my own independence. But pairing curiosity and kindness together has instigated an honesty with my heroes that’s barely imaginable. I don’t think it’s been done before, because people like me haven’t been granted permission to be in the rooms where such conversations happen.
What kind of people are you looking for to interview? What do the guests have in common?
The guests each have an understanding that vulnerability can both be a burden but an opportunity. They understand that the power of the human story can change hearts, minds and legislation. They understand that by sharing the parts of ourselves that we often conceal, can genuinely change the world.
What do you hope the show does for people?
I hope that the show encourages honest conversations about who we each are around our family dining room tables, at our workspaces, in our group chats and possibly, even in the internal monologue that we each perform. I hope that people do not feel alone with what worries and concerns them and realize that within the human complex, we each desire to be seen, loved and feel connected to something that is more than ourselves.
Can you give us a tidbit from an upcoming episode that will get us excited to listen?
As a little person, I use humor to try to endear people to me and to help them understand my unique perspective on the world. But in Jamie Lee Curtis’ episode, she talks about self-deprecating humor as a vehicle for self-harm. I haven’t stopped thinking about it and it’s changed how i package myself and how I perform who I am.
Are there too many podcasts?
The freedom of podcasts for people to narrate who they are and what they are interested in, outside of transitional platforms and systems, is a real gift. There’s never enough!
Women podcasters get criticized for their voices all the time, but your voice is inarguably beautiful! What is your relationship to it?
I rely on language and words to challenge society’s definition of what someone like me is and can do. At a very early age, I had to get comfortable with my voice because it was my opportunity for change and for advocacy.
In podcasts, I find the lack of visual cues to be liberating but it magnifies the biases that women are constantly challenged by and unfortunately, it’s logical that if we cannot critique a woman for how they look on a podcast, we must critique them for how they sound. It’s wrong and unjust. We should be allowed to be ourselves. That alone is valid and is enough.
What podcasts do you listen to? Can you give us a recommendation or two?
I am obsessed with Jenna Wortham at the New York Times and await every new episode of Still Processing with huge enthusiasm. I also love Terry Gross and Fresh Air. I might as well put it out there, but I really want to be on that show.
Can you give us any insight into what's coming up from Lemonada? I am in love with what's coming out of that studio and I'm so excited to see what's next.
Lemonada is a company that I am so inspired and honored to be part of. Their mantra is making life suck less and the future is simple: they’re honoring the human experience in the most beautiful, painful and challenging way to make the world a better place.
Do you think As Me could ever find a life on a Broadway stage, in a book, or on another form of media?
I have contemplated the idea of taking it to the stage and a coffee table book. Maybe even a Netflix Special.
Why should people add As Me to their queues?
The first question that every guest answers is: how do you describe yourself, personally and professionally? For the responses to that question alone - it’s a must-listen!
Have you recorded all the episodes?
No, which is very exciting. I’m still molding who I am as a host and it’s so thrilling now to see what people think of the show, every week and shaping As Me with Sinéad based on those perspectives.
How long did it take for you to feel comfortable behind a microphone?
I guess, as a little person, I’ve always been the center of attention - mostly without my consent. When I was a kid, I had a real understanding that it people were going to stare, I was going to give them a reason to look at me and listen to me.
Thanks, Sinéad!