Behind the Scenes: Celebrating 10 years of CuriosiD

CuriosiD has proven itself to be a fan-favorite over the last 10 years, but have you ever wondered what it takes to put an episode together?

A collection of photos from past CuriosiD episodes. WDET is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the listener-centered podcast this year.

A collection of photos from past CuriosiD episodes. WDET is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the listener-centered podcast this year.

WDET’s CuriosiD podcast answers your questions about everything Detroit. Subscribe to CuriosiD on Apple PodcastsSpotifyNPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

For the past decade, CuriosiD has captivated WDET listeners with its unique take on Detroit-centric stories. But what does it take to bring an episode of this beloved series to life?

CuriosiD is a listener-focused podcast about Detroit, where listeners guide the content by asking questions that we provide the answers to.

“Our listeners write or call in with questions they have about Detroit or the metro area,” explains WDET reporter and CuriosiD host Amanda LeClaire. “They’re just curious about things.”

The process begins by exploring a continually evolving list of listener-submitted questions. LeClaire says she carefully selects the most compelling topics for each episode.

Nike missile family and other missiles on display at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Detroit and the surrounding area housed more than a dozen Nike bases before the program came to an end in the 1970s.
Nike missile family and other missiles on display at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Detroit and the surrounding area housed more than a dozen Nike bases before the program came to an end in the 1970s.

Each question requires extensive research. In some cases that means examining hard to find historical and archived documents, or researching Nike missile sites from the 1950s.

Sometimes that means physically investigating locations on-site, like visiting Detroit’s underground steam tunnels.

“It takes a great deal of time, energy, and planning,” LeClaire says. “We’re always thinking about how to keep the high level of creativity and thoughtfulness that CuriosiD is known for.”

a person wearing an orange vest and a headlamp stands at the other end of a narrow brick tunnel with a pipe running through it
A Detroit Thermal worker walks along a steam pipe in an underground Detroit tunnel.

Former CuriosiD producer and host Laura Herberg agrees.

CuriosiD actually takes a lot of work,” she said. “The stories sound light-hearted, but they’re little mysteries that can take a lot of time and energy to tell well.”

WDET’s Pat Batcheller, a frequent contributor, recounts one of his favorite episodes, which answers the question of how the Detroit Lions chose the iconic Honolulu Blue as a team color.

“George Richards, the original owner of the Lions, saw the hue of the ocean in Hawaii and said, ‘That’s the color I want for my team,’” Batcheller said. To tell the full story, Batcheller consulted football historians and even tracked down historical recordings of the team from the 1930s.

Journalist and Lions memorabilia collector Bill Dow displays a vintage Detroit Lions sweater in Honolulu Blue.
Journalist and Lions memorabilia collector Bill Dow displays a vintage Detroit Lions sweater in Honolulu Blue.

The digital side of storytelling also plays a significant role in CuriosiD’s success, leveraging the power of social media to reach new audiences — and new potential questions from listeners. WDET Digital Manager Dave Kim says one of his favorite social videos for the series was about the origins of Superman ice cream, which became a hit on TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Whether it’s unraveling the history of Detroit’s Boston Cooler or exploring who Lewis Cass was, CuriosiD remains committed to bringing listener questions to life.

Batcheller emphasized that it’s the listeners who keep CuriosiD moving forward, calling it “an opportunity for our listeners to have an impact on what we do and guide our journalism.”

Since the series launched in 2014, CuriosiD has produced 70 episodes, with more in the works.

Listeners are encouraged to continue sending their questions, because the future of CuriosiD is in your hands.

We want to hear from you! 

Do you have a question about Detroit? Let us know here or fill out the form below.

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Author

  • Jerome Vaughn
    Jerome Vaughn is News Director at 101.9 WDET. His interest in news reporting began when he was five years old, after his mom bought him a yellow Panasonic ball and chain radio.