Shoga Speaks — First Person Tue, 26 May 2026 17:56:14 -0400 https://shogafilms.buzzsprout.com en-us © 2026 Shoga Speaks — First Person yes 0109990a-b5f2-56d8-9566-23d2ad52d93f Robert Philipson episodic false Join Filmmaker Dr. Robert Philipson as he explores stories from his personal life.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Robert Philipson https://storage.buzzsprout.com/pzopvl8xg6b7l66wrwwkkex4gak7?.jpg Shoga Speaks — First Person https://shogafilms.buzzsprout.com Zanzibar 88, Part Two Zanzibar 88, Part Two Three months after his first visit, Robert Philipson returned to Zanzibar in July of 1988 and reconnected with his friends: Haroub, the object of infatuation; Abou, the civil servant with a wild streak, and his former teacher, mwalimu Jecha. During this visit, each revealed a new side. Haroub’s tenderness towards his ailing mother, Abou’s outrageous antics in front of the baraza boys,, Jecha taking him to an ancient ceremony of Persian origins that mystified him with no explanation. 

The magic was still there, from the ridiculous (heated discussion about whether an octopus was a fish or not) to the sublime (silent communing of the Zanzibaris men with the ocean). Because his Swahili had so improved. Philipson dove ever deeper into the life of this extraordinary island. “Muslim without being fanatic, racial without being racist, at least on the surface, modern without being Western, Zanzibar is so secure in its own culture that it has suffered the depredations of history and the loss of its empire with grace and even humor.”

Yet in spite of his extraordinary welcome, Philipson knows that he must leave and that these friendships, so vivid and generous, are ephemeral. He had yet to learn the wisdom of Zanzibar: family, friends, home . . . the drill.


Music:
"Adagio from Clarinet Concerto in A Major" – Mozart
"Bomwanzani Wa Mahaba" – Bi Kidude
"Culture Musical Club - 1 - LIVE at Afrikafestival Hertme" — Bi Kudude and the Culture Musical Club
"Kothbiro" – Ayub Ogada
"Kulumbu" – S.R. Mwinamila
"Love" – Bin Seif
"Mapenzi Matamu" – the Culture Musical Club
"Mgeni siku ya Kwanza" – Swahili Entertainment TZ
"Mimi Simtaki Wako" – Fatuma Dogodogo
"Nuru" – Culture Musical Club
"Yakety Sax" – Boots Randolph

]]> Three months after his first visit, Robert Philipson returned to Zanzibar in July of 1988 and reconnected with his friends: Haroub, the object of infatuation; Abou, the civil servant with a wild streak, and his former teacher, mwalimu Jecha. During this visit, each revealed a new side. Haroub’s tenderness towards his ailing mother, Abou’s outrageous antics in front of the baraza boys,, Jecha taking him to an ancient ceremony of Persian origins that mystified him with no explanation. 

The magic was still there, from the ridiculous (heated discussion about whether an octopus was a fish or not) to the sublime (silent communing of the Zanzibaris men with the ocean). Because his Swahili had so improved. Philipson dove ever deeper into the life of this extraordinary island. “Muslim without being fanatic, racial without being racist, at least on the surface, modern without being Western, Zanzibar is so secure in its own culture that it has suffered the depredations of history and the loss of its empire with grace and even humor.”

Yet in spite of his extraordinary welcome, Philipson knows that he must leave and that these friendships, so vivid and generous, are ephemeral. He had yet to learn the wisdom of Zanzibar: family, friends, home . . . the drill.


Music:
"Adagio from Clarinet Concerto in A Major" – Mozart
"Bomwanzani Wa Mahaba" – Bi Kidude
"Culture Musical Club - 1 - LIVE at Afrikafestival Hertme" — Bi Kudude and the Culture Musical Club
"Kothbiro" – Ayub Ogada
"Kulumbu" – S.R. Mwinamila
"Love" – Bin Seif
"Mapenzi Matamu" – the Culture Musical Club
"Mgeni siku ya Kwanza" – Swahili Entertainment TZ
"Mimi Simtaki Wako" – Fatuma Dogodogo
"Nuru" – Culture Musical Club
"Yakety Sax" – Boots Randolph

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-19232658 Tue, 26 May 2026 17:00:00 -0400 1576 Other Lives 4 2 full false Zanzibar 88, Part One Zanzibar 88, Part One In March 1988, Robert Philipson, working on a dissertation about an untranslated Swahili playwright, arrived in Zanzibar for a two-week intensive language course at the Swahili Institute, but the island had other lessons to teach. Within hours of landing in Stone Town, he found himself adopted by the baraza called "Jaws," a gathering of men who socialized in one of the public squares on a nightly basis. Very quickly he developed a special friendship with two of them: Haroub, the self-proclaimed Rasta who became an object of fascination, and Abou, the devout Muslim with a true heart. He also developed a friendship with Mwalimu Jecha, his language teacher at the Swahili Institute who put him through his linguistic paces four hours a day but also invited him into his home.

Philipson also discovered Zanzibar during Ramadan, when the island's rhythms shifted—restaurants closed during daylight; he ate surreptitiously in his rented house; and he was invited to elaborate futari, feasts that were both spiritual observances and expensive domestic obligations. 

Philipson's homosexuality, which he'd had to submerge while conducting research at the University of Dar es Salaam, flared up through his friendship with Haroub, where a mutual sexual tension simmered beneath the surface. The magic of Zanzibar revealed itself in episodes: an expedition to Prison Island, swimming in calm waters with Stone Town's yellowing houses rising against the sky, the exotic beauty of sunset over the Indian Ocean, and the realization that speaking Swahili allowed him not merely to visit but to inhabit a place secure enough in its own culture to weather history's depredations with grace and even humor.

And then . . . the sexual tension finally broke through.

Music:
"Bahati" — Shikamoo Jazz
"Culture Musical Club - 1 - LIVE at Afrikafestival Hertme" — Bi Kudude and the Culture Musical Club
"Jamba Bwana" — Them Mushrooms
"Malaika" — Fadhili William
"Muziki Asili Yake Wapi" — Remmy Ongala
"My Angel (Malaika)" — Harry Belafonte and Miriam Makeba
"Ramadan" — Hurairah and Rahma Tashtitiy
"Ramadan (Arabic-Malay/Bahasa Version)" — Mostafa Abo Rawash
"The Fisherman’s Life and Gratitude to the Sea" — Crejo Studio
"Three Little Birds" — Bob Marley

]]> In March 1988, Robert Philipson, working on a dissertation about an untranslated Swahili playwright, arrived in Zanzibar for a two-week intensive language course at the Swahili Institute, but the island had other lessons to teach. Within hours of landing in Stone Town, he found himself adopted by the baraza called "Jaws," a gathering of men who socialized in one of the public squares on a nightly basis. Very quickly he developed a special friendship with two of them: Haroub, the self-proclaimed Rasta who became an object of fascination, and Abou, the devout Muslim with a true heart. He also developed a friendship with Mwalimu Jecha, his language teacher at the Swahili Institute who put him through his linguistic paces four hours a day but also invited him into his home.

Philipson also discovered Zanzibar during Ramadan, when the island's rhythms shifted—restaurants closed during daylight; he ate surreptitiously in his rented house; and he was invited to elaborate futari, feasts that were both spiritual observances and expensive domestic obligations. 

Philipson's homosexuality, which he'd had to submerge while conducting research at the University of Dar es Salaam, flared up through his friendship with Haroub, where a mutual sexual tension simmered beneath the surface. The magic of Zanzibar revealed itself in episodes: an expedition to Prison Island, swimming in calm waters with Stone Town's yellowing houses rising against the sky, the exotic beauty of sunset over the Indian Ocean, and the realization that speaking Swahili allowed him not merely to visit but to inhabit a place secure enough in its own culture to weather history's depredations with grace and even humor.

And then . . . the sexual tension finally broke through.

Music:
"Bahati" — Shikamoo Jazz
"Culture Musical Club - 1 - LIVE at Afrikafestival Hertme" — Bi Kudude and the Culture Musical Club
"Jamba Bwana" — Them Mushrooms
"Malaika" — Fadhili William
"Muziki Asili Yake Wapi" — Remmy Ongala
"My Angel (Malaika)" — Harry Belafonte and Miriam Makeba
"Ramadan" — Hurairah and Rahma Tashtitiy
"Ramadan (Arabic-Malay/Bahasa Version)" — Mostafa Abo Rawash
"The Fisherman’s Life and Gratitude to the Sea" — Crejo Studio
"Three Little Birds" — Bob Marley

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-18977817 Sun, 10 May 2026 23:00:00 -0400 1523 Other Lives 4 1 full false "Skinny"—The Black babysitter narrates her life with the Philipsons "Skinny"—The Black babysitter narrates her life with the Philipsons Meet Doris Hale, the most intimate and important African American that my famlly knew and trusted, in her own words. Dr. Philipson conducted and transcribed the interview back in the early 90s. In anticipation of releasing the manuscript of the family memoir, we present certain chapters as podcasts performed by voice actors. "Skinny" was recorded and mixed by Joyce Licorish.

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Meet Doris Hale, the most intimate and important African American that my famlly knew and trusted, in her own words. Dr. Philipson conducted and transcribed the interview back in the early 90s. In anticipation of releasing the manuscript of the family memoir, we present certain chapters as podcasts performed by voice actors. "Skinny" was recorded and mixed by Joyce Licorish.

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-14591110 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:00:00 -0400 1090 Mishpoche of the Golden West 1 3 full false Still Life Still Life "I have concluded from the melancholy nature of my subsequent development that the artifacts hung up on a child's wall can have a permanent effect on his life."

So begins the essay on the role the Art played in my formation, an evolution spanning Southern California, France, the groovy Sixties, Africa. "Still Life" will reveal the malefic influence of "the original Joe Vogel," plumb the mysteries of “Ten Nights in a Barrel,” revel in the salvation of Dutch realism -- and picture this, so much more!

If you didn't grow up in a family of visual artists or art collectors, the prints and paintings that adorned the walls of your house were probably reproductions of the Beautiful (landscapes! Impressionist paintings! photographs from that amazing trip to South America!). What effect might this art which you took in consciously or not every day have upon whatever taste you developed as you became your own person?  Welcome to the Philipson Museum of Eclectic and Accidental Art! 

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Music 

“What I’ll Do” - Chet Baker

“Vincent” - Daniel Champagne 

“Lute Music - Netherlands: Courante” - Konrad Ragossnig 

“Magnetic Rag” - Scott Joplin

"Pictures at an Exhibition" - Khatia Buniatishvili-Mussorgsky

“Pictures at an Exhibition” The Piano Guys

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> "I have concluded from the melancholy nature of my subsequent development that the artifacts hung up on a child's wall can have a permanent effect on his life."

So begins the essay on the role the Art played in my formation, an evolution spanning Southern California, France, the groovy Sixties, Africa. "Still Life" will reveal the malefic influence of "the original Joe Vogel," plumb the mysteries of “Ten Nights in a Barrel,” revel in the salvation of Dutch realism -- and picture this, so much more!

If you didn't grow up in a family of visual artists or art collectors, the prints and paintings that adorned the walls of your house were probably reproductions of the Beautiful (landscapes! Impressionist paintings! photographs from that amazing trip to South America!). What effect might this art which you took in consciously or not every day have upon whatever taste you developed as you became your own person?  Welcome to the Philipson Museum of Eclectic and Accidental Art! 

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Music 

“What I’ll Do” - Chet Baker

“Vincent” - Daniel Champagne 

“Lute Music - Netherlands: Courante” - Konrad Ragossnig 

“Magnetic Rag” - Scott Joplin

"Pictures at an Exhibition" - Khatia Buniatishvili-Mussorgsky

“Pictures at an Exhibition” The Piano Guys

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-15145328 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:00:00 -0400 1544 Mishpoche of the Golden West 1 7 full false The Goops The Goops What's in a bedtime story? More than you might imagine. As we were growing up, my father introduced his version of imaginary creatures, the goops, into our household and family life. Created as negative role models to teach manners to Victorian children, the goops first saw life in books of moralistic doggerel published in 1900 and after. "But it was their bad behavior that led my father to adopt them for his own." In this episode you will also be treated to one of my father's Prince Bagel stories, a world he invented whole cloth for his children as we piled on our parents' beds to listen in wonderment.

"This was the mystery of the goops, and, in fact, the mystery that I never had understood about storytelling before.  The goops did not spring ex nihilo from my father's head.  They were an expression of his love.  The stories were told to somebody."

Best to listen to this episode in your jammies. 

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Music

“Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)” - Billy Joel

“Gymnopédie No. 3” - Martin Hederos

"My Blue Heaven" - Artie Shaw

"Spiegel im Spiegel" - Arvo Pärt

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> What's in a bedtime story? More than you might imagine. As we were growing up, my father introduced his version of imaginary creatures, the goops, into our household and family life. Created as negative role models to teach manners to Victorian children, the goops first saw life in books of moralistic doggerel published in 1900 and after. "But it was their bad behavior that led my father to adopt them for his own." In this episode you will also be treated to one of my father's Prince Bagel stories, a world he invented whole cloth for his children as we piled on our parents' beds to listen in wonderment.

"This was the mystery of the goops, and, in fact, the mystery that I never had understood about storytelling before.  The goops did not spring ex nihilo from my father's head.  They were an expression of his love.  The stories were told to somebody."

Best to listen to this episode in your jammies. 

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Music

“Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)” - Billy Joel

“Gymnopédie No. 3” - Martin Hederos

"My Blue Heaven" - Artie Shaw

"Spiegel im Spiegel" - Arvo Pärt

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-15776154 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:00:00 -0400 1033 Mishpoche of the Golden West 1 4 full false A Salvage Job, Part One A Salvage Job, Part One America 1968. Everything was up for grabs. All passion and creativity seemed to gush from the counterculture. "Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive/But to be young was very heaven." I was young, 18, and enrolled as an undergraduate in the fourth year of the great experimental campus of the University of California at Santa Cruz. The spirit of the 60s was everywhere, in our music and our politics. and our firm belief that the Establishment promoting the war in Vietnam and threatening us with the coercion of the draft was so wrongheaded that it would have to collapse in its own excrement.

Out of this oppositional stew of radical politics, how did I, a thoroughly assimilated Jew with an identity I could barely point to, end up in a slide towards Israel? In this first part of "A Salvage Job," you will meet the barefooted young man dancing the hora in the picture above. It's his fault. 

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Music

"Am Yisrael Chai" - Eyal Golan

"Hinei Ma Tov" - Canto Hebraico

“For What It’s Worth” - Buffalo Springfield 

"Hatikvah(התקווה) Across the Globe - Acapella Israeli Anthem for Hope" - Various Artists

"Am Yisrael Chai" - Shlomo Carlebach

“Mama Told Me (Not To Come)” - Three Dog Night

“The End” - The Beatles

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> America 1968. Everything was up for grabs. All passion and creativity seemed to gush from the counterculture. "Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive/But to be young was very heaven." I was young, 18, and enrolled as an undergraduate in the fourth year of the great experimental campus of the University of California at Santa Cruz. The spirit of the 60s was everywhere, in our music and our politics. and our firm belief that the Establishment promoting the war in Vietnam and threatening us with the coercion of the draft was so wrongheaded that it would have to collapse in its own excrement.

Out of this oppositional stew of radical politics, how did I, a thoroughly assimilated Jew with an identity I could barely point to, end up in a slide towards Israel? In this first part of "A Salvage Job," you will meet the barefooted young man dancing the hora in the picture above. It's his fault. 

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Music

"Am Yisrael Chai" - Eyal Golan

"Hinei Ma Tov" - Canto Hebraico

“For What It’s Worth” - Buffalo Springfield 

"Hatikvah(התקווה) Across the Globe - Acapella Israeli Anthem for Hope" - Various Artists

"Am Yisrael Chai" - Shlomo Carlebach

“Mama Told Me (Not To Come)” - Three Dog Night

“The End” - The Beatles

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-15914988 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:00:00 -0400 2674 Mishpoche of the Golden West 2 2 full false A Salvage Job, Part Two A Salvage Job, Part Two Sam and Daniel are in Israel, circa 1969. They are on a kibbutz, learning Hebrew in the morning and working for their room and board in the afternoon. Sam follows Daniel in his effort to deepen his Jewish identity. They go to Mount Tabor, site of a battle between the Israelites and the Canaanites, spend a weekend at a Chassidic yeshiva where Daniel is ardently proselytized by a recent convert. Finally they make pilgrimage to the Western Wall, the holiest shrine in Judaism, where Sam confronts his Jewish destiny. And still the revelations are not over because the first-person narrator -- me -- discovers the real motivation behind the writing. 

It may not be what you think. It certainly wasn't what I thought at the time. "Even the outpouring of my story had been an act of cowardice. I had written what green authors so often write about, a territory so worn and worked over that it could serve only as an apprenticeship." 

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Music

“Theme of Exodus” Ernest Gold

“He AIn’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” - The Hollies

“Jerusalem of Gold” - Ofra Haza

“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” - U2

"Where is Love" - Acapella Arrangement from Oliver!

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Sam and Daniel are in Israel, circa 1969. They are on a kibbutz, learning Hebrew in the morning and working for their room and board in the afternoon. Sam follows Daniel in his effort to deepen his Jewish identity. They go to Mount Tabor, site of a battle between the Israelites and the Canaanites, spend a weekend at a Chassidic yeshiva where Daniel is ardently proselytized by a recent convert. Finally they make pilgrimage to the Western Wall, the holiest shrine in Judaism, where Sam confronts his Jewish destiny. And still the revelations are not over because the first-person narrator -- me -- discovers the real motivation behind the writing. 

It may not be what you think. It certainly wasn't what I thought at the time. "Even the outpouring of my story had been an act of cowardice. I had written what green authors so often write about, a territory so worn and worked over that it could serve only as an apprenticeship." 

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Music

“Theme of Exodus” Ernest Gold

“He AIn’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” - The Hollies

“Jerusalem of Gold” - Ofra Haza

“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” - U2

"Where is Love" - Acapella Arrangement from Oliver!

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-15958156 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:00:00 -0400 3333 Mishpoche of the Golden West 2 3 full false HIV Negative HIV Negative The phrase "HIV Negative" implies the diagnosis "HIV positive," a precursor to the AIDS epidemic which decimated the gay male population in the 1980s and beyond.  The stigma, still a force in some sectors of our society, delayed the mobilization for effective treatment when the epidemic first appeared in the early 80s. It took Ronald Reagan five years to even mention the word "AIDS," although the disease had been ravaging our community. His presidency set the tone of the national response: stigma and marginalization, insufficient funding, avoidance of public discussion, delays in research, funding, and education. As the epidemic conducted its scorched earth assault on gay America, the most at-risk population spun about in anger, despair, disbelief, and denial. The last of these, sanctioned by the federal attitude of indifference, was the deadliest. Victims participated not only in their own destruction but -- wittingly or no -- brought about the death of others. (Religious condemnation played its evil part as well.)

You might think that being HIV negative during the awful years before retrovirals made the disease a manageable condition rather than a death sentence felt like a deliverance, but you'd be wrong. "HIV Negative" portrays the terrible toll the disease took on all of us through the lens of a prequel to our short, "The Knowing." It covers the span of time from the early 80s, the honeymoon of Adam and Peter in first love and ignorance of the disaster that was about to befall, to the end of the decade which saw the dissolution of their relationship, the descent of catastrophe on their community, and their differing responses.

And yet, it is not a tale of unrelieved darkness. The bond between the two ex-lovers remains.

Narrated by: Sanford E. Gaylord

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> The phrase "HIV Negative" implies the diagnosis "HIV positive," a precursor to the AIDS epidemic which decimated the gay male population in the 1980s and beyond.  The stigma, still a force in some sectors of our society, delayed the mobilization for effective treatment when the epidemic first appeared in the early 80s. It took Ronald Reagan five years to even mention the word "AIDS," although the disease had been ravaging our community. His presidency set the tone of the national response: stigma and marginalization, insufficient funding, avoidance of public discussion, delays in research, funding, and education. As the epidemic conducted its scorched earth assault on gay America, the most at-risk population spun about in anger, despair, disbelief, and denial. The last of these, sanctioned by the federal attitude of indifference, was the deadliest. Victims participated not only in their own destruction but -- wittingly or no -- brought about the death of others. (Religious condemnation played its evil part as well.)

You might think that being HIV negative during the awful years before retrovirals made the disease a manageable condition rather than a death sentence felt like a deliverance, but you'd be wrong. "HIV Negative" portrays the terrible toll the disease took on all of us through the lens of a prequel to our short, "The Knowing." It covers the span of time from the early 80s, the honeymoon of Adam and Peter in first love and ignorance of the disaster that was about to befall, to the end of the decade which saw the dissolution of their relationship, the descent of catastrophe on their community, and their differing responses.

And yet, it is not a tale of unrelieved darkness. The bond between the two ex-lovers remains.

Narrated by: Sanford E. Gaylord

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-17492294 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:00:00 -0400 1831 Other Lives 2 10 full false The Wine of Remembrance The Wine of Remembrance Host Dr. Robert Philipson guides listeners through a lyrical meditation on memory, identity, and the lasting imprint of Paris. Framed by a moment of reflection on the banks of the Oubangui River in the Central African Republic, Philipson recalls the two years of his childhood spent in Paris—an experience that profoundly shaped both him and his mother, despite their outward return to American life. The episode captures the sometimes bittersweet reality of living with beauty, displacement, and the “Baudelairean longing for ailleurs” (elsewhere). As Paris fades into the past, it emerges again—through memory, art, and the riverbank reverie—as a defining and indelible presence.

Host Info:
Dr. Robert Philipson
Former professor of African-American studies and Harlem Renaissance scholar. Filmmaker and founder of Shoga Films, with a focus on the intersection of race, sexuality, and culture.
Website: shogafilms.org

Music

"J'ai Deux Amours" - Josephine Baker

"Easter" - Francis Bebey

"À la claire fontaine" - Baby Petons

"À La Tour Eiffel" - Melody Gardot & Philippe Powell

"Les rues de Paris" - Nicolas Godin

"Les Champs-Elysées" - Joe Dassin

"Sous Le Ciel De Paris" - Karrin Allyson

"Camille" - George Delerue

"Flower Duet from Lakmé" - Leo Delibes

"J'ai Deux Amours" - Dario Muller

"Les Champs-Elysée" - Igor Baranovskiy

"Sous le Ciel de Paris" - Rustem Mustafin

"Sous le Ciel de Paris" - Yves Montand


Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Host Dr. Robert Philipson guides listeners through a lyrical meditation on memory, identity, and the lasting imprint of Paris. Framed by a moment of reflection on the banks of the Oubangui River in the Central African Republic, Philipson recalls the two years of his childhood spent in Paris—an experience that profoundly shaped both him and his mother, despite their outward return to American life. The episode captures the sometimes bittersweet reality of living with beauty, displacement, and the “Baudelairean longing for ailleurs” (elsewhere). As Paris fades into the past, it emerges again—through memory, art, and the riverbank reverie—as a defining and indelible presence.

Host Info:
Dr. Robert Philipson
Former professor of African-American studies and Harlem Renaissance scholar. Filmmaker and founder of Shoga Films, with a focus on the intersection of race, sexuality, and culture.
Website: shogafilms.org

Music

"J'ai Deux Amours" - Josephine Baker

"Easter" - Francis Bebey

"À la claire fontaine" - Baby Petons

"À La Tour Eiffel" - Melody Gardot & Philippe Powell

"Les rues de Paris" - Nicolas Godin

"Les Champs-Elysées" - Joe Dassin

"Sous Le Ciel De Paris" - Karrin Allyson

"Camille" - George Delerue

"Flower Duet from Lakmé" - Leo Delibes

"J'ai Deux Amours" - Dario Muller

"Les Champs-Elysée" - Igor Baranovskiy

"Sous le Ciel de Paris" - Rustem Mustafin

"Sous le Ciel de Paris" - Yves Montand


Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-16083631 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:00:00 -0400 2363 Mishpoche of the Golden West 2 4 full false The Old House The Old House Dr. Robert Philipson reflects on the layered history and personal meaning of his childhood home in Southern California, weaving together Indigenous displacement, colonial conquest, and postwar suburban life. As he moves room by room through The Old House, Philipson unpacks memories of joy, loneliness, family ritual, and quiet grief, transforming the house into a central character in a story about belonging, loss, and the passage of time. A meditation on memory and change, this episode speaks to anyone who has tried to hold on to the past while facing the inevitability of letting go.

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.
shogafilms.org/podcasts

Music:

"A House is Not A Home" - Luther Vandross

"Home in Pasadena" - Tony Martin

"The Folks Who Live on the Hill" - Peggy Lee

"This Ole House" - Bette Midler

"El Rey" - Vicente Fernández

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Dr. Robert Philipson reflects on the layered history and personal meaning of his childhood home in Southern California, weaving together Indigenous displacement, colonial conquest, and postwar suburban life. As he moves room by room through The Old House, Philipson unpacks memories of joy, loneliness, family ritual, and quiet grief, transforming the house into a central character in a story about belonging, loss, and the passage of time. A meditation on memory and change, this episode speaks to anyone who has tried to hold on to the past while facing the inevitability of letting go.

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.
shogafilms.org/podcasts

Music:

"A House is Not A Home" - Luther Vandross

"Home in Pasadena" - Tony Martin

"The Folks Who Live on the Hill" - Peggy Lee

"This Ole House" - Bette Midler

"El Rey" - Vicente Fernández

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-16651695 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:00:00 -0400 2581 Mishpoche of the Golden West 1 1 full false Which Road Did You Come From?, Part One Which Road Did You Come From?, Part One Dr. Robert Philipson reflects on the emotional limbo of post-college life in 1970s Pasadena, where returning home sparks a spiral of depression, existential doubt, and a search for meaning. Amid the decay of suburban sprawl and family disconnection, a psychedelic night with friends offers a vision of communal living rooted in shared purpose and simplicity. Philipson explores internal disillusionment with the external collapse of American ideals, crafting a powerful meditation on adulthood, authenticity, and the yearning to build a life beyond inherited expectations.

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Music

“Yesterday Once More” - The Carpenter

“Time (Darkside)” - Pink Floyd & Tom Stoppard

“I’m Fixing a Hole” - The London Starlight Orchestra

“Sunshine Superman” - Donovan

“Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, B.178: III Scherzo” - London Symphony Orchestra

“Aubrey” - Bread

“Big Yellow Taxi” - Joni Mitchell

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Dr. Robert Philipson reflects on the emotional limbo of post-college life in 1970s Pasadena, where returning home sparks a spiral of depression, existential doubt, and a search for meaning. Amid the decay of suburban sprawl and family disconnection, a psychedelic night with friends offers a vision of communal living rooted in shared purpose and simplicity. Philipson explores internal disillusionment with the external collapse of American ideals, crafting a powerful meditation on adulthood, authenticity, and the yearning to build a life beyond inherited expectations.

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Music

“Yesterday Once More” - The Carpenter

“Time (Darkside)” - Pink Floyd & Tom Stoppard

“I’m Fixing a Hole” - The London Starlight Orchestra

“Sunshine Superman” - Donovan

“Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, B.178: III Scherzo” - London Symphony Orchestra

“Aubrey” - Bread

“Big Yellow Taxi” - Joni Mitchell

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-16993826 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:00:00 -0400 3287 Mishpoche of the Golden West 1 5 full false Which Road Did You Come From?, Part Two Which Road Did You Come From?, Part Two In the conclusion of The Artificial Grandma, Dr. Robert Philipson continues his journey through post-college drift, emotional illness, and the disillusionment of returning home. Set against the backdrop of a failed commune dream, an acid-laced revelation, and the oppressive weight of family history, Philipson navigates his internal crisis from the smoggy mountaintops of Southern California back to the bedroom of his childhood home in Pasadena. 

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Music

“Fun Fun Fun” - Beach Boys

“Four Strong Winds” - Ian & Sylvia

"Nuvole Bianche" - Ludovico Einaudi

"New World Symphony Scherzo" - Antonin Dvorak


Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org



Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> In the conclusion of The Artificial Grandma, Dr. Robert Philipson continues his journey through post-college drift, emotional illness, and the disillusionment of returning home. Set against the backdrop of a failed commune dream, an acid-laced revelation, and the oppressive weight of family history, Philipson navigates his internal crisis from the smoggy mountaintops of Southern California back to the bedroom of his childhood home in Pasadena. 

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.

Music

“Fun Fun Fun” - Beach Boys

“Four Strong Winds” - Ian & Sylvia

"Nuvole Bianche" - Ludovico Einaudi

"New World Symphony Scherzo" - Antonin Dvorak


Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram: @shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org



Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-17040755 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:00:00 -0400 2284 Mishpoche of the Golden West 1 6 full false Shylock, Uncle David and Me Shylock, Uncle David and Me In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Robert Philipson traces the intertwined threads of family, faith, and identity, beginning with his great-uncle, Reform Judaism leader Rabbi David Philipson, and winding through his own complex upbringing in mid-century America. From the unlikely honor of portraying Shylock in a high school English class to confronting assimilation, antisemitism, and inherited legacies, Philipson reflects on what it means to be Jewish in a world that often demands forgetting. At once humorous, poignant, and historically rich, this episode explores the weight of ancestry, the power of literature, and the unfinished work of defining oneself.

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.


RESOURCES

Literature:

The Jewish Encyclopedia (Vol. X, 1905) 

Philipson, David. My Life as an American Jew 

Philipson, David. The Reform Movement in Judaism 

Philipson, David. The Jew in English Fiction 

Philipson, David. Max Lilienthal, American Rabbi

Encyclopedia Judaica

The Pittsburgh Platform (1885) 

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice

Dr. Seuss. Horton Hears a Who! 


Music: 

A Gesang Fun’m Berditchever Rebbe - Mordechay Hersman

Oboe Concerto In D Minor: 1. Andante e Spiccato - Marcel Ponseele & Il Gardellino

La Rosa Enflorece - The Jewish Starlight Orchestra

Misirlou & The Flatbush Waltz - Budapest Cafe Orchestra

Due Tramonti - Ludovico Einaudi


Follow Shoga Speaks shogafilms.org/podcasts

Sign up for our newsletter at our website shogafilms.com

Instagram: @shogafilms

Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms

Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms


Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Robert Philipson traces the intertwined threads of family, faith, and identity, beginning with his great-uncle, Reform Judaism leader Rabbi David Philipson, and winding through his own complex upbringing in mid-century America. From the unlikely honor of portraying Shylock in a high school English class to confronting assimilation, antisemitism, and inherited legacies, Philipson reflects on what it means to be Jewish in a world that often demands forgetting. At once humorous, poignant, and historically rich, this episode explores the weight of ancestry, the power of literature, and the unfinished work of defining oneself.

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.


RESOURCES

Literature:

The Jewish Encyclopedia (Vol. X, 1905) 

Philipson, David. My Life as an American Jew 

Philipson, David. The Reform Movement in Judaism 

Philipson, David. The Jew in English Fiction 

Philipson, David. Max Lilienthal, American Rabbi

Encyclopedia Judaica

The Pittsburgh Platform (1885) 

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice

Dr. Seuss. Horton Hears a Who! 


Music: 

A Gesang Fun’m Berditchever Rebbe - Mordechay Hersman

Oboe Concerto In D Minor: 1. Andante e Spiccato - Marcel Ponseele & Il Gardellino

La Rosa Enflorece - The Jewish Starlight Orchestra

Misirlou & The Flatbush Waltz - Budapest Cafe Orchestra

Due Tramonti - Ludovico Einaudi


Follow Shoga Speaks shogafilms.org/podcasts

Sign up for our newsletter at our website shogafilms.com

Instagram: @shogafilms

Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms

Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms


Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-14141105 Sat, 14 Mar 2026 16:00:00 -0400 1991 Mishpoche of the Golden West 2 1 full false The Artificial Grandma The Artificial Grandma Host Dr. Robert Philipson reflects on the life of his maternal grandmother, Jeanette, tracing a family legacy shaped by mismatched love, unspoken expectations, and the emotional weight of generational silence. From her immigrant roots and ill-fated marriage to her slow decline into senility, Jeanette’s story becomes a lens through which Dr. Philipson explores maternal power, cultural identity, social aspiration, and the personal cost of dreams deferred. With wit, sorrow, and deep insight, he unpacks how the stories we inherit shape who we become.

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.
shogafilms.org/podcasts

Music:

"21 Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No. 11 in D Minor" – Johannes Brahms / Budapest Symphony Orchestra

"Symphony No. 7" – Ludwig van Beethoven / Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

"Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 66" – Frédéric Chopin / Nikita Magaloff

"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (Instrumental Version)" –Ivy Ravenwood

"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" – Karrin Allyson

"Old Folks" – John Denver

"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" – Judy Garland

"Les Vieux" – Karaoké Playback Français

"When You Are In Love" – Mario Lanza

"Stouthearted Men" - Mila Magno

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram:@shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Host Dr. Robert Philipson reflects on the life of his maternal grandmother, Jeanette, tracing a family legacy shaped by mismatched love, unspoken expectations, and the emotional weight of generational silence. From her immigrant roots and ill-fated marriage to her slow decline into senility, Jeanette’s story becomes a lens through which Dr. Philipson explores maternal power, cultural identity, social aspiration, and the personal cost of dreams deferred. With wit, sorrow, and deep insight, he unpacks how the stories we inherit shape who we become.

Host Info
Hosted by Dr. Robert Philipson
Robert is a former professor of African-American studies with a passion for jazz and art. A published author and Harlem Renaissance historian, he has produced multiple films about the intersectionality of race, music, and sexuality.
shogafilms.org/podcasts

Music:

"21 Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No. 11 in D Minor" – Johannes Brahms / Budapest Symphony Orchestra

"Symphony No. 7" – Ludwig van Beethoven / Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

"Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 66" – Frédéric Chopin / Nikita Magaloff

"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (Instrumental Version)" –Ivy Ravenwood

"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" – Karrin Allyson

"Old Folks" – John Denver

"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" – Judy Garland

"Les Vieux" – Karaoké Playback Français

"When You Are In Love" – Mario Lanza

"Stouthearted Men" - Mila Magno

Connect With Us:
Website: shogafilms.org
Instagram:@shogafilms
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms
Sign up for our newsletter at shogafilms.org

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-16756721 Sat, 14 Mar 2026 16:00:00 -0400 2590 Mishpoche of the Golden West 2 5 full false The Family Dog The Family Dog Our choice of pets says a lot about who we are … and we are all very different. There are cat people; there are dog people; there are bird people; there are reptile people and on and on. The famlly pet can mark a child’s development for better or worse, but if a dog or cat lives out the full term of its life, it is a part of that family for 12 or 14 or 19 years. These days most marriages don’t last that long. 

Growing up in the relative innocence of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the Philipson family dog — a female basset named Hamlet — progressed through the same stages of life as we did — puppyhood, socialization, taking place in the family constellation, motherhood … death. She even accompanied us on our two-year Paris sojourn.

And since we find ourselves in France, let us heed the wisdom of Anatole France. “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” 

Music
"Gnossienne No. 1" - Satie
"(How Much Is That) Doggie in the Window" - Patti Page
"(How Much Is That) Doggie in the Window" - Patti Broussard
"I Ride an Old Paint" - Van Dyke Parks
"It Must Be Jelly ('Cause Jam Don't Shake Like That)" - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
"Little Boys Grow Up And Dogs Get Old" - Luke Bryan
"Mon Chien" - Claude Chichon
"Old Paint" - Linda Ronstadt
"Promenade (Walking the Dog)" - George Gerswhin

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Our choice of pets says a lot about who we are … and we are all very different. There are cat people; there are dog people; there are bird people; there are reptile people and on and on. The famlly pet can mark a child’s development for better or worse, but if a dog or cat lives out the full term of its life, it is a part of that family for 12 or 14 or 19 years. These days most marriages don’t last that long. 

Growing up in the relative innocence of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the Philipson family dog — a female basset named Hamlet — progressed through the same stages of life as we did — puppyhood, socialization, taking place in the family constellation, motherhood … death. She even accompanied us on our two-year Paris sojourn.

And since we find ourselves in France, let us heed the wisdom of Anatole France. “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” 

Music
"Gnossienne No. 1" - Satie
"(How Much Is That) Doggie in the Window" - Patti Page
"(How Much Is That) Doggie in the Window" - Patti Broussard
"I Ride an Old Paint" - Van Dyke Parks
"It Must Be Jelly ('Cause Jam Don't Shake Like That)" - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
"Little Boys Grow Up And Dogs Get Old" - Luke Bryan
"Mon Chien" - Claude Chichon
"Old Paint" - Linda Ronstadt
"Promenade (Walking the Dog)" - George Gerswhin

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-17598152 Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0400 2126 Mishpoche of the Golden West 1 2 full false Cousin Marion, Part One Cousin Marion, Part One Dr. Philipson looks back at the life of his cousin Marion, a fiercely independent anti-colonialist and socialist documentary filmmaker, known for her work with Dutch filmmaker Joris Ivens. Philipson explores how, from an unpromising bourgeois Jewish background in Cleveland, she lived in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and beyond, surrounding herself with artists and progressive intellectuals, how her relationship with Ivens led her across the globe to Asia and Europe. As he weaves the story of her career and love life, Philipson also reflects not only on his relationship with her, but on his beloved time in Paris, a time they shared as family, and, by that token, a time of closeness and keeping secrets.


Music

“Bali Bali” – Doug Maxwell and Jimmy Fontanez
“Die lustige Witwe, Act 2: Vilja-Lied. "Es lebt' eine Vilja, ein Waldmägdelein" (Hanna)” – Karita Mattila
“I Had The Craziest Dream” – Harry James & His Orchestra
“I Had The Craziest Dream” – Les Elgart
“I Love Paris” – Ella Fitzgerald
“I Love Paris” – Instrumental 101 Orchestra
“Internationale” – A Magyar Rádió és Televízió Szimfonikus Zenekara
“Poliushko Polie” – André Rieu
"Song of the Plains” – Paul Robeson
“The Internationale” – Utah Phillips & AniDiFranco
“The Last Time I Saw Paris” – Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
“The Last Time I Saw Paris” – Dénes Dosztán
“Vilja” – Franz Lehár

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Dr. Philipson looks back at the life of his cousin Marion, a fiercely independent anti-colonialist and socialist documentary filmmaker, known for her work with Dutch filmmaker Joris Ivens. Philipson explores how, from an unpromising bourgeois Jewish background in Cleveland, she lived in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and beyond, surrounding herself with artists and progressive intellectuals, how her relationship with Ivens led her across the globe to Asia and Europe. As he weaves the story of her career and love life, Philipson also reflects not only on his relationship with her, but on his beloved time in Paris, a time they shared as family, and, by that token, a time of closeness and keeping secrets.


Music

“Bali Bali” – Doug Maxwell and Jimmy Fontanez
“Die lustige Witwe, Act 2: Vilja-Lied. "Es lebt' eine Vilja, ein Waldmägdelein" (Hanna)” – Karita Mattila
“I Had The Craziest Dream” – Harry James & His Orchestra
“I Had The Craziest Dream” – Les Elgart
“I Love Paris” – Ella Fitzgerald
“I Love Paris” – Instrumental 101 Orchestra
“Internationale” – A Magyar Rádió és Televízió Szimfonikus Zenekara
“Poliushko Polie” – André Rieu
"Song of the Plains” – Paul Robeson
“The Internationale” – Utah Phillips & AniDiFranco
“The Last Time I Saw Paris” – Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
“The Last Time I Saw Paris” – Dénes Dosztán
“Vilja” – Franz Lehár

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-18175442 Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:00:00 -0400 3123 Mishpoche of the Golden West 2 6 full false Cousin Marion, Part Two Cousin Marion, Part Two Part Two continues the story of Marion's unbroken involvement with the Philipson family, maintained over the next four decades in spite of the distance that separated Paris from Pasadena. Dr. Philipson, whose development through French culture and language was the deepest and most sustained, reunited with Marion at age 27 and formed a relationship that lasted the rest of her life, one the witnessed the traumatic scene of his coming out, the heartbroken condolence note he wrote upon the occasion of his mother's early death, the sad and joyful bonds of family, and the French side of his personality that luxuriated in the food, bonhomie and intellectual stimulation that Marion's city never failed to provide. 

"I had always looked upon Marion with the eyes of a child, even after I had supposedly become a man.  She had no age, no sex life, no inner turmoil that I was privy to.  She was my mother's cousin, my surrogate parent, my French family when I was in Paris, an essential fixture in my life but with no affective existence outside my needs and perceptions.  I was forty, and Marion was my only Adult left." 

This was to change by the end of the story.

Music

"An American in Paris (2017 Remastered Version)" - Leonard Bernstein

"How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" - Patty Loveless

"How Can I Help You Say Goodbye (Instrumental Version)" - Hit Co. Masters

"Kaokokokorobo" - Papa Wemba

"A Theme From 'A Summer Place'" - Percy Faith & His Orchestra

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Part Two continues the story of Marion's unbroken involvement with the Philipson family, maintained over the next four decades in spite of the distance that separated Paris from Pasadena. Dr. Philipson, whose development through French culture and language was the deepest and most sustained, reunited with Marion at age 27 and formed a relationship that lasted the rest of her life, one the witnessed the traumatic scene of his coming out, the heartbroken condolence note he wrote upon the occasion of his mother's early death, the sad and joyful bonds of family, and the French side of his personality that luxuriated in the food, bonhomie and intellectual stimulation that Marion's city never failed to provide. 

"I had always looked upon Marion with the eyes of a child, even after I had supposedly become a man.  She had no age, no sex life, no inner turmoil that I was privy to.  She was my mother's cousin, my surrogate parent, my French family when I was in Paris, an essential fixture in my life but with no affective existence outside my needs and perceptions.  I was forty, and Marion was my only Adult left." 

This was to change by the end of the story.

Music

"An American in Paris (2017 Remastered Version)" - Leonard Bernstein

"How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" - Patty Loveless

"How Can I Help You Say Goodbye (Instrumental Version)" - Hit Co. Masters

"Kaokokokorobo" - Papa Wemba

"A Theme From 'A Summer Place'" - Percy Faith & His Orchestra

Website: www.shogafilms.com;
Instagram: shogafilms;
Facebook: facebook.com/shogafilms;
Twitter: twitter.com/shogafilms

]]> Robert Philipson Buzzsprout-18582970 Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:00:00 -0400 2435 Mishpoche of the Golden West 2 7 full false