Why I’m launching a weekly live show documenting the Minnesota Moment

All eyes are on Chicago, Illinois, this week as Democrats put on a show to remember. If you watched Lil Jon perform excerpts from both “Turn Down for What” AND “Get Low” last night – you know what I’m talking about.?

But all eyes will also be on another Midwestern blue state with a vibrant urban metro, an incredible arts scene, a strong business ecosystem, and some excellent restaurants: my home state of Minnesota.?

Thanks to our governor’s recent rise to national prominence, there’s been a vibe shift in Minnesota matching that of the national one. If you know literally any Minnesotan, they have likely discussed this with you. For a state that is generally known for its cold weather, “Minnesota nice” affect, and cultural exports like Bob Dylan, Prince, and the Post-it note, our home state is getting a closer look than it usually does, from all corners of the chattersphere. Journalist Michele Norris penned one of my favorite threads on this new spotlight, political rhetoric, and also Spam.?

But it’s also more than just chatter. Earlier this week, Chris Morgan , communications manager for Explore Minnesota, told the Pioneer Press that the state’s tourism website has seen a 91% increase in organic sessions on the “Move to Minnesota” page.?

That energy is palpable. At least, it is for me. And so, I’m going to try to document this moment – the Minnesota Moment, as I’m calling it – as best as I can.

Which leads me to this: I’m launching a new weekly live show about Minnesota affairs called Lazer Loons. It kicks off this Friday and will run through the election.?

Listen live: Lazer Loons Live | Episode 1 | Friday, August 23 at 12 PM central

Sign up for updates: lazerloons.com

Each week, I’ll convene a panel of journalists, commentators, and experts to offer perspectives on issues both local and national that matter to Minnesotans – and increasingly non-Minnesotans – alike. We’ll take on the week's news, decode the Minnesota memes, and perhaps even prognosticate if we are feeling bold. And because we’ll be live, we’ll take questions from those who can join us live on Twitter (X) Spaces. My friend Leonard Lee , the veteran radio broadcaster, PR consultant, and head of communications for Swyft Cities , commented to me over lunch the other week when I described it: it’s a bit like Almanac but on Twitter.

That’s right, Twitter, also known as X. I’ll be candid – this part is an experiment. While the platform has changed ownership in the past few years, gotten objectively worse, and also now holds the record as the worst buyout for banks since the global financial crisis, it’s still an incredibly important platform for media, news, politics, and entertainment. And Spaces is a decent tool (like Clubhouse, YouTube, Facebook Live, etc.) to incorporate elements of community into media – something I’m passionate about as well. For those who aren’t on Twitter – if there’s enough interest we will also post the recording on other platforms.?

So, I hope you’ll join me! All I can guarantee is what I promise for any of the media projects I take on: That we’ll have fun, try our best, and do what we can to add value to your life.?

If you have any questions, pitches, ideas, or comments, do drop me a line. See you on Twitter!

BTW: If you made it this far, thank you! I so appreciate your support, even just by reading this. You may have noticed that this newsletter has a new name. Formerly known as Shrug Diaries, this newsletter is now called Connection Request, the same name as my podcast, which will be coming back for its third season very soon.