Join voices of New College of Florida through the years as we share our stories and reflections on the cultural movement that has emerged from the small, quirky, public liberal arts college in Sarasota, Florida. Dig deeper into the history and meaning of the college that's been pulled into the Culture Wars being fought on U.S. campuses in these polarized times.
Booze, Bands, The Lorax, and a Crazy Riker’s Story with Ken Klehm
How can a New College education prepare you for a brief sojourn in Riker’s … and a long career making legal (and delicious) liquor? Ken Klehm discusses the beauty of the New College network – whether it’s bands, lawyers, or roadside assistance – and the pitfalls of growing up a chemistry prodigy and peony heir on an experimental campus with a shortage of guidance and support …
Referenced in the episode:
igetothersdrunk.com
Klehm peonies are lovely
Paul Scudder, emeritus
Erowid became important
Sung-Yoon Lee, Korean scholar
David Dunn’s suicide was mentioned in Mike Campbell’s ep
Harry Monkhorst has been in bands
Klehm, craft distiller
We don’t discuss Bruce Beresford-Redman
White chartreuse is treasured
Asheville is not easy for cocktail godparents
Bands: Frontier and Hum.
Novo bands: Actionslacks (Marty), Jellyfinger (Ken, Christian & Eugene Lowe), Passerine (David), The Get Right Band (Silas) and Paul Kennedy
Stephen Miles, emeritus, provost
Tracy Rahn (investments), Josh Benjamin (law)
The Q100 bus
Measure Twice Stationery in Brooklyn
How to Fix Damn Near Everything
Callbacks: Surf Füx, Mann, White, Schickler
Please send stories, pictures, audio: palmcourtpodcast@gmail.com
24 Jun 2026
Catching Up with Ginger Lyon
What was it like when the Pei Dorms were new and the Uplands were untamed? We get into the heritage of the physical campus, crime novelist John D. MacDonald as NCF president, the lost Ringling dauphin, dream architecture, disco, and the occasional tasteful nudity in a remote Florida outpost.
Ballyhoo: a tiny swordfish.
Lovejoy’s Guide
Tom Todd with Dallas Dort and President Elmendorf
Landmark Hotel
1974 movies
Pasolini's Theorem
David Pini
“Occasional pornography”
In 1969, Pine View was Florida’s first school for the gifted.
Dallas Dort, rancher and presidential poker player.
John D. MacDonald
Club Mary and Cheetah merged & fought the law.
Bahi Hut, National Landmark of Tiki (no lie!)
Corcoran’s classroom-turned-cigar lounge.
Bruce Abramson, director of admissions.
East Campus alone is 20 acres.
Edgar Cayce
“I said hey, babe…”
The Mailroom became the Gender & Diversity Center around 2000.
Chad Goldberg
Callbacks: F Clayton, Ronca & Bender, Campbell, Waldman, J. Miller
Please send stories, pictures, audio: palmcourtpodcast@gmail.com
Time Stamps:
00:00 Meet Ginger Lyon
01:10 Finding New College
05:43 Charter Class Lore
10:56 Seventies Campus Culture
12:36 Contracts and Evaluations15:20 Film Thesis Era
19:23 Sarasota Arts Scene
22:54 Community Hosts and Jobs
26:44 Tamiami Trail Memories
28:32 Protecting Place and Legacy
32:06 Returning During Troubles
33:19 Corcoran’s Vision
35:02 Dystopian Rebrand Fears
36:42 Public Land Stakes
37:47 Campus Overbuilt Shift
40:28 Crossing 41 Memories
43:25 Dreams and Numinous Places
47:36 Music and Palm Court Parties
53:31 Favorite Places on Campus
58:36 Pei Dorms and Architecture
01:03:20 Tunnels and Farewell
28 May 2026
Libby Harrity Goes to Law School
Mike, Megan, and Grant catch up with Libby Harrity as she kicks off her studies at Rutgers Law School in Newark. We hear tales from Hampshire College recorded before its closure was announced. But mostly , we hear what Libby's been up to and what she's looking to do next.
Show Notes
Since we recorded this episode, Hampshire announced it would be closing.
LSAC: Law School Admission Council
Raiders are pirates; the Scarlet Raider is a fox
Aimé Césaire, Martinican poet, theorist, and politician
“Super yachts” is a reference to an infamous alum.
The recent Truthout cameo
The People’s Electric Law School
Emma Curtis’ On Site/Sight mural depicting sandhill cranes was painted over
CAFA: Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas
Florida’s state government used to be considerably different
DeSantis loyalists aren’t in every university presidency in Florida – just most of them
Betty Osceola and the Miccosukee Tribe have staunchly opposed the Everglades Detention Facility
Callbacks: Libby Harrity, Amy Reid
Please send stories, pictures, audio: palmcourtpodcast@gmail.com
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
16 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 33 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
37
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
71
Host of Palm Court Podcast?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
