‘Factual America’ is a podcast tackling the biggest news stories from the states, through the lens of documentary filmmakers.
It is no secret that American popular culture has long-dominated news channels across the globe, often overshadowing the news in our own countries. In the past few months, we’ve seen the US deal with everything from the mistreatment of pop icon Brittany Spears, to the political demise of Donald Trump, to broadcast of the Royal expose and more. Though turbulent at times, the news from the states has gone far to quell our boredom during these long months of lockdown.
For many of us, however, American news is slightly overwhelming, and the American point of view is hard to wrangle. This is where Matthew Sherwood’s Factual America podcast steps in. Produced by Alamo Pictures, the podcast offers a unique look inside the American psyche, interviewing cultural experts and fellow documentary filmmakers as they cover the country’s wide variety of hot topics. Your average episode may consist of investigating the rise of Billie Eilish, spotlighting McDonald’s Monopoly Fraud, spelling out the history of Miles Davis’ musical innovations or even exploring the disappearance of the Kentucky hillbilly. Nothing is off the cards, and everything is up for discussion.
“Understanding [America’s] global impact on our daily lives poses challenges in the wake of ‘fake news’,” explains Sherwood of The Endeavor, which recently marked its 50th episode. “But with the help of documentary filmmaking and its current resurgence, the search for truth and authentic stories can continue.”
We caught up with Sherwood below, and got to grips with his affinity for Texas: dealing with dodgy conspiracy theorists his dreams of stepping up to the mic. Take a look…