*A note – these are conversations, totally unscripted conversations, and not interviews. So keep that in mind that these are not polished, pointed, focused interview style videos. Sometimes we ramble. We say a lot of “ums” and “uhhs”. We usually end up talking at least another half hour after we stop taping and could probably go on for much more because I really enjoy the convos.
Also, Pete is blogging along with Serial and our conversations, check out his blog.
Conversation #6 : In which there is no Serial episode to talk about but we discuss the documents I released on Thanksgiving day, three transcripts of Jay and Jen’s police interviews so that people could get a taste of the extent of the crazy, the level of incoherency. Susan did an excellent job on her blog articulating the crazy. By the way, I don’t know Susan, have never spoken to her or met her, but might be her number one fan.
Anyway, here is my chat with Pete. I’m happy to report I do not cry in it.
Conversation #5 about Serial Episode 9, in which we hear from Adnan at length. This chat happens to also be the one in which I have a bit of a breakdown. The past few days were a bit tough. On Thursday the episode came out, on Friday I put up my blog and had lots and lots of feedback and messages, on Saturday I met with Sarah for a few hours for more interviewing and talking about the case, and on Sunday I again had the pleasure of meeting the Sufi shaykh I had mentioned in a previous post.
It was a small private gathering, and I needed a spiritual boost – so I sat there for a while as the group recited prayers and sang songs together. It was beautiful. Afterwards I approached him and he remembered me – and said he listened to the podcast and gently said “he’s innocent you know”. I said, “I know”.
So after four intense days, when I finally got around to talking to Pete, my emotions were on edge, and it showed. Good conversation nonetheless, and I thank Pete for it.
That’s Sh. Hisham sitting in the chair on the left in the glasses and white beard. There was a drummer, and people sang and recited together. It was full of love and peace. Take that, ISIS.
Now here is my latest convo with Pete, in which I make an utter display of myself:
Conversation #4: Chatting with Pete and Adam Bonnifield, a moderator of the Serial subreddit on Reddit.com. Reddit has been tough for me, and overwhelming. A day or so before this conversation I decided to just get out and stop engaging on the platform. Better for my health! It was great to talk to Adam and Pete, and thoroughly enjoyed our conversation.
Conversation #3: A discussion with Pete and my brother Saad. I thought it would be good to hear from my brother because this case is about lots of other people and I really don’t want to turn it into a “Rabia show”.
Conversation #2: This was the conversation after the Serial episode that stressed me out the most: number 6, The Case Against Adnan. It ended up actually showing how weak the state’s case was, and how it relied on things that, without Jay’s unreliable testimony, were mostly meaningless.
Conversation #1: When we started having these convos, we were already at Serial episode 5. So this was our first discussion about it. We discuss why we’re doing these conversations, how I’ve been related to the case, what the reaction to Serial has been, and what my reaction to their reaction has been.
