Backseat Rider

Two months after surviving a brutal attack at the hands of her ex-fiancee, "Amira" returns to Backseat Rider with an update on her life, her struggles, and her message to others who may be in abusive relationships. To donate to Amira, please visit https://www.gofundme.com/amira039s-next-chapter

A passionate special education teacher gets blindsided by a mysterious health condition. Join the Backseat Rider community on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2tNYiak Promo code ($50 ride credit) for new Lyft users: BACKSEATRIDER

A handsome stranger walks into an upscale cafe and says to the woman behind the counter, "You have two doors. The first door is you get a $100 cash tip. The second door is, you get the [one] THING that you need." In this episode, the woman behind the counter tells us the true story of what happened after she chose Door No. 2. Join the Backseat Rider community on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2tNYiak Promo code ($50 ride credit) for new Lyft users: BACKSEATRIDER

A passenger reveals the shocking reason he ran away from boarding school at age 12, hitchhiking hundreds of miles back to his home. Another man tells Anthony how he escaped a South Side shoot-out as a teenager. Join the Backseat Rider community on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2tNYiak Promo code ($50 ride credit) for new Lyft users: BACKSEATRIDER

Minutes into this car ride, Anthony's passenger reveals she had, hours earlier, been the victim of a vicious physical attack by her fiancee. This is the recording of their car ride to the police station. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 or www.thehotline.org Join the Backseat Rider community on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2tNYiak Promo code ($50 ride credit) for new Lyft users: BACKSEATRIDER

"When you get to the 5th grade, that's when the cliques start to form." On today's episode, the father of an 11-year-old who is currently being bullied after school tells Anthony how the bullying started, what measures he and his son have taken to stop it, and how it's stirring up a tragic incident from the father's own past. Join the Backseat Rider community on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2tNYiak Promo code ($50 ride credit) for new Lyft users: BACKSEATRIDER

Time to put Backseat Rider back in your regular podcast rotation. To kick off the new season, Anthony dusts off the Lyft app and gets reacquainted with passengers via the following question: of the recent news stories, which one has had the biggest impact on you? Join the Backseat Rider community on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2tNYiak Promo code ($50 ride credit) for new Lyft users: BACKSEATRIDER

"Alex Honnold's free solo climb of El Capitan should be celebrated as one of the greatest athletic feats of any kind, ever," said the New York Times. In this 30-minute conversation, Honnold and filmmaker/climber Jimmy Chin answer all of Anthony's questions about their new film 'Free Solo,' which depict's Honnold's historic, ropeless climb of "the most impressive wall on Earth," including: what was going through Alex's mind during his aborted attempt at El Cap? What did his mom think of the film? Is he still together with his girlfriend? What did he say to the guy in the unicorn costume he encountered halfway up? And also...is there anything left for this pair to conquer? -'Free Solo' trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urRVZ4SW7WU -Jimmy Chin instagram: @Jimmy_Chin -Alex Honnold instagram: @alexhonnold -BACKSEAT RIDER FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://t.co/qaFOi6W0Zl -NEW LYFT USERS: use promo code BACKSEATRIDER for up to $50 in free ride credit -Episode sponsored by Geico (www.geico.com), and Pluto T

Anthony updates the status of the podcast.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson are this week's backseat riders. When Anthony poses a question about impactful movies, it leads to unusually personal conversations with two of the most influential men in Chicago. -BACKSEAT RIDER FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://t.co/qaFOi6W0Zl -NEW LYFT USERS: use promo code BACKSEATRIDER for up to $50 in free ride credit -Episode sponsored by TrueCar (www.truecar.com), Geico (www.geico.com), and Quip (getquip.com/rider)

Anthony drives a self-described psychic/medium who claims to be communicating with Anthony's deceased grandparents during the car ride. Is he legit? Listen for yourself. -BACKSEAT RIDER FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://t.co/qaFOi6W0Zl -NEW LYFT USERS: use promo code BACKSEATRIDER for up to $50 in free ride credit -Episode sponsored by TrueCar (www.truecar.com) and Geico (www.geico.com)

With Father's Day almost here, Anthony & his passengers explore the experiences that have defined their relationships with their dads, including: why a rabbi hasn't spoken to his father in months, a dad's reaction after his daughter was kicked out of college for plagiarism, the "academic contract" one teenager signed with her dad, and the story of how a certain beverage brought one father and son together after years. At the end of this week's episode: a surprise guest. This episode originally aired in June of 2017. -BACKSEAT RIDER FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://t.co/qaFOi6W0Zl -NEW LYFT USERS: use promo code BACKSEATRIDER for up to $50 in free ride credit -Episode sponsored by TrueCar (www.truecar.com)

In this episode, Anthony seeks input from passengers after his wife's decision to get a tattoo sparks a tense conversation. This episode originally posted in January 2018. Join the Backseat Rider Facebook Community at https://t.co/qaFOi6. New Lyft users: use promo code BACKSEATRIDER for up to $50 in free ride credit. Tattoo artist Mike Ramos Instagram: Ramsies and www.blackatlasstudios.com This episode is sponsored by Truecar (www.truecar.com) and Geico (www.geico.com)

What is the biggest risk you've ever taken? A big question that leads to some big results: including a woman who dropped her career to open a used bookstore and a man attempting to scale the tallest mountain on each of the seven continents. -Alex Pancoe website: www.peaksofmind.com -Alex Pancoe Instagram handle: peaks_of_mind -Heirloom Books: https://www.facebook.com/heirloombookschicago/ -BACKSEAT RIDER FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://t.co/qaFOi6W0Zl -NEW LYFT USERS: use promo code BACKSEATRIDER for up to $50 in free ride credit -Episode sponsored by TrueCar (www.truecar.com) and Geico (www.geico.com)

This week, Anthony introduces you to two members of America's "Greatest Generation" - a 90 year old woman who's been waiting tables since 1951, and a WW2 veteran who was honored at a Blackhawks game. This episode is an intimate portrait of two American treasures...complete with their thoughts on love, loss, and longevity. -DONNA FENTON ON FOX 32: http://www.fox32chicago.com/mornings/backseat-rider/backseat-rider-chicagos-loveliest-hostess-reflects-on-decades-of-service -BACKSEAT RIDER FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://t.co/qaFOi6W0Zl -NEW LYFT USERS: use promo code BACKSEATRIDER for up to $50 in free ride credit -Episode sponsored by TrueCar (www.truecar.com) and Geico (www.geico.com)

Anthony goes out with some friends and the conversation turns to: when each of their parents embarrassed them the most. Everyone had a tale, so he decides to take this topic to the passengers. Resulting stories range from low-grade embarrassment (her dad wore WHAT to drop her off at school?) to life-altering humiliation ("I could feel the Earth move beneath my feet.") GRAND FINALE: Anthony shares his own story, then ambush-interviews his own mother. This episode originally aired in April of 2017. -BACKSEAT RIDER FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://t.co/qaFOi6W0Zl -NEW LYFT USERS: use promo code BACKSEATRIDER for up to $50 in free ride credit -Episode sponsored by TrueCar (www.truecar.com) and Geico (www.geico.com)

With Mother's Day around the corner, Anthony's passengers recount the moments that have defined their relationships with the women who brought them into this world. From the amusing ("Uh, mom? Are you smoking weed?")...to the epic ("she showed up to the delivery room...unannounced")...this week, you'll hear from a young makeup artist, a small business owner, a lawyer, a "former cubicle dweller," and a Chicago visitor who lost her mom way too early in life. -BACKSEAT RIDER FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://t.co/qaFOi6W0Zl -NEW LYFT USERS: use promo code BACKSEATRIDER for up to $50 in free ride credit -Episode sponsored by TrueCar (www.truecar.com) and Geico (www.geico.com)

What is the biggest lesson you've learned from a personal failure? Some things aren't truly "learned" unless they're born of personal experiences; oftentimes that means a mistake or a failure. This week, hear from a tae kwon do black belt, a high-performing doctor, two new parents, and a famous Hollywood actor. -BACKSEAT RIDER FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://t.co/qaFOi6W0Zl -NEW LYFT USERS: use promo code BACKSEATRIDER for up to $50 in free ride credit -Episode sponsored by TrueCar (www.truecar.com) and Geico (www.geico.com)

When in your life have you felt a great sense of accomplishment? From sports feats and career milestones to break-ups and breakthroughs, this episode is a peek into just how different an "accomplishment" can be, from one passenger to the next. Additional music provided by ESCP (www.escpsound.com) This episode originally aired in July of 2017. -BACKSEAT RIDER FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://t.co/qaFOi6W0Zl -NEW LYFT USERS: use promo code BACKSEATRIDER for up to $50 in free ride credit -Episode sponsored by TrueCar (www.truecar.com) and Geico (www.geico.com)

Think for a moment: what's the difference between envy and admiration? When have you felt each emotion...and why the distinction? In this week's episode, you'll hear from a woman who grew up the only black girl in an all-white neighborhood, a former college athlete, a shoe-loving college student, and an aspiring competitive eater. -BACKSEAT RIDER FACEBOOK COMMUNITY: https://t.co/qaFOi6W0Zl -NEW LYFT USERS: use promo code BACKSEATRIDER for up to $50 in free ride credit -Episode sponsored by TrueCar (www.truecar.com) and Geico (www.geico.com)