Giulietta (Julie) Nardone, local artist, author, and civics enthusiast, has launched a fun, educational podcast, The Bad Girls Guide to Government. Its opening tagline, “Of the People, for the People, by the People,” invites conversation between cohosts and encourages listeners to ponder topics such as earning the public’s trust and the importance of checks and balances. 

Nardone is known in MetroWest for her long-running cable show on WACA TV, “What’s Really Going On?” with her former neighbor and collaborator, Jim Hanna, an Ashland native known for his witty, sage remarks at Town Meetings and for his long-time service on the Zoning Board of Appeals. The monthly podcast features a discussion of topics relevant to local government and includes an honorary seat for Hanna, who died in 2021. He serves as the guiding beacon for the podcast due to his legendary commitment to speaking up. Nardone and other knowledgeable residents serve as co-hosts.

Nardone explains, “With the loss of robust local newspapers, municipal governments often use taxpayer funds to spread one-sided messages, leaving everyday residents without a platform to express themselves.” She firmly believes there are many sides to every issue and all need witnessing to have an engaged, informed, and activated public.

“The podcast has a unique structure that includes inspiration, cultural references, and in-depth research on local issues. I’m a big movie and motivational book buff and manage to cite at least one in every conversation,” Nardone further adds. “It will be also useful to residents in other MetroWest towns.

She works closely with Barbara Chisholm, executive director, and Paul Beaudoin, technology director, at WACA TV in Ashland, Mass, to produce the podcast.

The Bad Girls Guide to Town Government podcast is available 24/7/365 on Apple and Spotify and on the WACA YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/c/wacatvashland. The podcast welcomes questions and comments via email, [email protected].

About Giulietta (Julie) Nardone

A Renaissance creative, Giulietta Nardone leads a variety of writing and painting classes and has exhibited her artwork locally. In addition to numerous published essays in places like Psychology Today and the Boston Globe Magazine, she authored “Feel More Alive: Thirty Brilliant Ways To Reignite Your Inner Spark,” a part-memoir, part art gallery, and part feel better guide about cultivating self-hope. In the early 2000s, she was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia, a rare neurological voice condition that left her barely able to speak. In the intervening years, she has managed through voice/singing exercises and a big dose of self-help to get her voice usable. She firmly believes, “If I can speak up with my crazy voice, imagine what you can do with yours!”