Monocular
Monocular
Toro Town Storyworks
Monocular is a storytelling podcast that offers you a one-eyed look at the distant and not-so-distant past. Each episode presents a complete story in the form of an autobiographical essay written by Mikkel Elbech, a professional writer and Danish expat living in Durham, North Carolina. For well over a decade, he has worked as a professional copywriter, journalist and interviewer, having probably written millions of words over the years. But the vast majority of these have had the goal of satisfying editors, clients, and project managers. With Monocular, he’s writing for his own pleasure and sharing his own stories. Here, he truly has the final word. Monocular is a Toro Town Storyworks production, and for more information about the company – a one-stop shop for all kinds of storytelling – please visit torotown.com.
Checking in at the Tokio Hotel
Angry Danish teenagers clash with older music fans who try to lecture them on why they will eventually grow out of their obsession with a certain German emo band. A story about the concert review that generated more discussion than any other in the history of Denmark’s biggest music magazine.
Dec 30, 2020
30 min
Yes, today, Satan (part 3)
When you’re 17 years old and have just left satanism behind, what comes next on the long road of intellectual self-discovery? Regular old atheism? Nihilism? Or something else entirely? This is part three of a three-part episode about my journey to the Dark Side.
Aug 29, 2020
21 min
Yes, today, Satan (part 2)
A newly minted 16-year-old satanist goes to highschool. His teacher, who will be forced to read all of his devilish essays, is an older woman, who also happens to be a former priest. Now, there’s a match made in heaven – or is it hell? This is part two of a three-part episode about my journey to the Dark Side.
Aug 22, 2020
20 min
Yes, today, Satan (part 1)
Satanism can be surprisingly appealing to a white, middle-class teenage boy in Denmark, if he’s sufficiently ripe for taking a stand against the hypocrisy of Christianity. Part one of a three-part episode about my journey to the Dark Side.
Aug 15, 2020
17 min
Sunny Down Snuff, I'm Alright (part 2)
How do you discover a band that you thought you already knew and had maybe even written off as an uncool oldies band? That’s one of the main questions I ponder in the second part of this marathon episode about the Beach Boys. The episode contains an exclusive performance by Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle.
Jul 25, 2020
26 min
Sunny Down Snuff, I'm Alright (part 1)
This is a story about the Beach Boys. But it’s also a story of how identities are formed. About how music is not simply the soundtrack to your life, but also something that influences it and offers many new and inspiring perspectives on it. It’s also a story about friendships and, not least, love. Part one of a two-part episode.
Jul 18, 2020
29 min
Dark Sarcasm in the Classroom
It’s one thing to be bullied by the other kids in school. But it’s quite something when your teacher decides to join in. This story serves as an account of my relationship with a teacher that I endured for nine years of public school. It’s not just a tale of woe, however, as it also covers how I finally confronted him many years later.
May 17, 2020
20 min
4th of July, 2011
It’s the 4th of July, and you’re going to a party. Snacks are out, decorations are up, spirits are high. What should y’all be talking about? Well, at this particular party the topic of choice was everyone’s various sexual fetishes – from domination and submission to the joy of getting peed on. But, above all alse: Puppy play. So tune in, take part in this peculiar party – and you just might learn a thing or two along the way.
May 9, 2020
17 min
“Starbucks is Satan”
Wander the streets of New York with a cup of Starbucks in your hand – and you just might encounter someone trying to convince you to get your coffee from a different company. That is, a company that does not embrace the devil. PS: This story is so short that this episode actually contains a bonus story.
May 2, 2020
6 min
The Teaching Prowess of That First Circle
What kind of adventures and struggles do you face when you’re learning how to swim as a 37-year-old? That’s what you’re going to find out in this story. It will take you on a journey that spans three decades and transports you all the way from the wild west coast of Jutland, Denmark, to the hot November sun over Sarasota, Florida.
Apr 25, 2020
24 min
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