You Had To Be There
Iconic Moments in Pop Culture History! Each episode, You Had To Be There gives our host, Julia Thompson an assignment: Find and interview an eyewitness to a specific iconic moment in pop culture history…in just 48 hours. Listen to the inside stories on the biggest moments in pop culture history from the people who were there!
Episodes
March 25, 2025 • 75 mins
On Sunday, June 1st, 1980, Ted Turner pressed a button—and CNN went live, beaming 24/7 news into homes across America and changing the media landscape forever, while shrinking time and space forever.
In this episode, we sent Julia Thompson to track down and interview people who were at CNN’s Atlanta headquarters on day one. What follows is the story of a visionary who dared to build a 24-hour news network on a tight budget—in a wo...
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March 4, 2025 • 72 mins
In May 1997, the world watched as Garry Kasparov, the greatest chess player of all time, faced off against IBM’s supercomputer, Deep Blue. It was man vs. machine—a defining moment in the evolution of artificial intelligence and a turning point for chess.
To revisit this historic showdown, we’ve given producer and director Julia Thompson a 48-hour challenge: track down and interview someone who was there when technology changed the ...
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February 18, 2025 • 75 mins
To celebrate the 45th anniversary of Team USA’s stunning ice hockey upset over the Soviet Union, better known as the ‘Miracle on Ice,’ we’ve given producer and director Julia Thompson a 48-hour challenge: find and interview someone who was at that historic game in Lake Placid on February 22, 1980.
This episode features interviews with:
Curt Chaplin
Gerald Eskenazi
John Harrington
Denice Fredericks
CREDITS
'You Had To Be The...
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February 4, 2025 • 52 mins
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jaws, we've given producer and director Julia Thompson a 48-hour challenge: track down and interview someone who was on set during the famously chaotic production of Spielberg’s groundbreaking film on Martha’s Vineyard between May and October 1974.
This episode features interviews with:
David Bolen
Bill Petrotta
Jude Villa
CREDITS
'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr production.
Created by Hi...
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January 21, 2025 • 60 mins
Producer and director Julia Thompson takes on a 48-hour challenge to track down and interview someone who witnessed the iconic September 19, 1985 Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing where Twisted Sister's Dee Snider, Frank Zappa, and John Denver defended their lyrics before Congress and the PMRC.
This episode features interviews with:
Larry Stein
Mark Weiss
Chuck Eddy
Kembrew McLeod
CREDITS
'You H...
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December 17, 2024 • 57 mins
Producer and director Julia Thompson sets out on a 48-hour mission to track down and interview someone who attended Fleetwood Mac’s iconic reunion concert, The Dance, on May 23, 1997—the show where Stevie Nicks’ unforgettable Silver Springs performance became a meme for the ages.
This episode features interviews with:
Maureen Ryan
Bruce Rodgers
Stacy Burcham
Analese Alvarez
CREDITS
'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr prod...
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December 3, 2024 • 66 mins
Producer and director Julia Thompson embarks on a 48-hour mission to track down and interview someone who was on the field for the historic 1999 Women’s World Cup Final at the Rose Bowl, where the United States defeated China in a dramatic penalty shootout, capped by Brandi Chastain’s iconic game-winning shot.
This episode features interviews with:
Michelle Akers
Robert Beck
Anthony DiCicco
Lindsay Bruno
CREDITS
'You Had To B...
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November 12, 2024 • 66 mins
Producer and director Julia Thompson goes on a 48-hour journey to find and interview someone who was at DJ Kool Herc and Cindy Campbell's Back to School Jam at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx on August 11, 1973—a moment that is commonly known as the birth of hip-hop.
This episode features interviews with:
Frantz Barosy
Paradise Gray
Joe Conzo
CREDITS
'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr production.
Created by Hi Barr.
'DJ Kool...
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October 29, 2024 • 58 mins
Producer and director Julia Thompson embarks on a 48-hour journey to find and interview someone who attended the midnight premiere of The Blair Witch Project at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 1999.
This episode features interviews with:
Allison Rose Carter
Michael C. Williams
Rachel Cohen
Hilary Brougher
CREDITS
'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr production.
Created by Hi Barr.
'The Blair Witch Project Premieres ...
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October 15, 2024 • 51 mins
Producer and film director Julia Thompson goes on a 48 hour journey to find and interview an eyewitness to Apple's introduction of the Macintosh computer by Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984.
This episode features interviews with:
Colette Askeland
Steven Levy
D. Griffin Jones
CREDITS
'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr production.
Created by Hi Barr.
‘Steve Jobs Introduces the Macintosh in 1984’ was written and hosted by Julia Tho...
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October 1, 2024 • 49 mins
Producer and film director Julia Thompson goes on a 48 hour journey to find and interview an eyewitness to Nirvana's iconic performance on MTV Unplugged in New York City on November 18, 1993.
This episode features interviews with:
Alex Coletti
Jon Vesey
Jim Ahearne
Bill Toce
Web Barr
CREDITS
'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr production.
Created by Hi Barr.
‘Nirvana: MTV Unplugged in New York’ was written and hosted by Jul...
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September 17, 2024 • 58 mins
Producer and film director Julia Thompson goes on a 48 hour journey to find and interview an eyewitness to the legendary 2008 Wimbledon final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal—a match widely hailed as the greatest in tennis history.
This episode features interviews with:
Jon Wertheim
Donna Floyd Fales
Ingrid Löfdahl Bentzer
Sally Phillips
Elise McCave
Scott Milnor
Lucy Malone
CREDITS
'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr...
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April 9, 2024 • 63 mins
Producer and film director Julia Thompson goes on a 48 hour journey to find and interview an eyewitness to Kerri Strug's gold medal-winning vault at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
This episode features interviews with:
Katherine Lieberson
Teeny Lieberson
Alice Thacker
Stacy Cook
Jon Sigger
John P. Lopez
Charlie McCullors
Linda Wyatt
Molly Wyatt
CREDITS
'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr production.
Created by Hi...
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March 26, 2024 • 70 mins
Former professional skateboarder and filmmaker Monihan Monihan goes on a 48-hour journey from Seattle to Kathmandu to find and interview someone who was at the 1979 NCAA Basketball Championship game featuring Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
This episode features interview with:
Joan Mills
Aimee "LeeLee" Monihan
Judy Monihan
Dan Cherry III
Wez Wezenheimer
Dr. Ryan Ernst
Mark Perry
Mike Clark Sr.
Tom Steel
CREDITS
You Had ...
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March 12, 2024 • 59 mins
Artist, actor, writer and musician, River Ramirez goes on a 48-hour journey to find and interview someone who was at WrestleMania I in 1985.
This episode features interview with:
Keith Elliot Greenberg
Brett Davis
CREDITS
You Had To Be There is a Hi Barr production.
Created by Hi Barr.
“WrestleMania I” was hosted by River Ramirez.
Produced by Julia Thompson and Web Barr.
Story written and produced by Julia Thompson.
Edit, Soun...
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February 27, 2024 • 54 mins
Journalist and writer, Brandon Sneed goes on a 48-hour journey to find and interview someone who was at the final tribal council in the first season of the blockbuster reality show Survivor in the summer of 2000. This episode features an interview with Survivor: Borneo winner Richard Hatch.
Timestamps
(00:00): Introduction
(06:48): Test
(14:35): Test 2
(19:09): Test 3
CREDITS
‘You Had To Be There’ is a Hi Barr production.
C...
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February 20, 2024 • 58 mins
Musician and artist Jen Goma goes on a 48-hour journey to find and interview someone who was in one of the hotel suites during one of John Lennon & Yoko Ono’s Bed-Ins for Peace in 1969.
This episode features interviews with:
Jerry Levitan
Nico Koster
Hana van der Kolk
Jillian Goma
Ethan Kiermaier
Casey Coleman
Louise Mittelman
Betta de Boer van der Kolk
Linda at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Montreal
CREDITS
‘You Had T...
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February 13, 2024 • 43 mins
In celebration of Pulp Fiction’s 30th anniversary, Hollywood producer, Adam Karp is sent on a 48-hour journey to find and interview someone who was in attendance at the Cannes Film Festival in 1994 when Pulp Fiction took home the Palme d'Or.
This episode features interviews with:
Rory Kelly
Howie Movshovitz
CREDITS
You Had To Be There is a Hi Barr production.
Created by Hi Barr.
'Pulp Fiction Wins the Palme d'Or at Cannes' ...
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February 6, 2024 • 54 mins
Comedian Naomi Karavani goes on a 48-hour journey to find and interview someone who was in NASA's Mission Control when Apollo 11 landed on the moon in 1969.
This episode features interviews with (in order of appearance):
Jeff Simmermon
Lois Rosson
Rick Sternbach
John M. Logsdon
Rushmore DeNooyer, Producer-Director-Writer
CREDITS
'You Had To Be There' is a Hi Barr production.
Created by Hi Barr.
“The Moon Landing” was writte...
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January 30, 2024 • 50 mins
Actor and comedian Tommy Kang, goes on a 48-hour journey to find and interview an eyewitness to the night when Garth Brooks hosted Saturday Night Live and performed as Chris Gaines.
In 'Saturday Night Live-Garth Brooks', Tommy talks to 30+ year old SNL vet, Wally Feresten aka SNL's "Cue Card Guy" about Garth Brooks, Sinéad O'Connor, Ashlee Simpson and more!
This episode includes interviews with: Sam Haft, Nicole McCormick, Mike Dic...
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