Welcome to The Cultural Hall!

Our show in podcast form* is a community that looks at all things related to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through a faithful lens.

Fans say we have “just the right amount of irreverence.” We’re taking that as a compliment!

We can and do talk about almost anything and all views with respect, with an eye toward understanding one another.

You’ll find three types of episodes:

Interviews: Richie T chats people in the Latter-day Saint news, panels on a specific topic relating to the Church, individuals with fascinating experiences or perspectives, etc.
Articles of News: Richie T and at least one other host go over some of the latest news with Latter-day Saint connections, whether it’s big news or little news, happy news or new of members behaving badly.
Rewind Episodes: After well over a decade doing this, Richie T has a massive log of episodes that aren’t readily available. (That is, unless you’re a Patreon Saint. Get full access by joining us!)

We also do a lot of fun things throughout the year, including live-tweeting every General Conference session and more. Stay tuned!

Come on in, take a seat by us on the back row, and afterward, enjoy some refreshments.

Surely they’re healthy because we’ll bless the sugar out of the cookies, right?

*Tip: Don’t let Richie T hear you calling it a podcast.

Interested in sponsoring a Rewind episode? Reach out! We’ll use just ONE sponsor per month. Contact@TheCulturalHall.com

Find us online in all the places:

Facebook ● Instagram ● X: Place Formerly Known As Twitter ● Pinterest

Join the The Backrow Facebook group.

Join us on Patreon, where you’ll get access to all past episodes and to the Patreon Facebook group (which is secret, not sacred).

Richard T. Steadman, Founder

Richard T. Steadman, affectionately known as Richie T, is a multifaceted figure in the Utah media landscape. He’s a seasoned radio producer who brought his fresh perspective and humor to the popular X96 show “The Radio from Hell” for many years. Richie T’s interests extend far beyond the studio—he’s passionate scholar of Mormon history and a dedicated husband.

Richie T cut his teeth on the airwaves while studying at Southern Utah University. He honed his skills as a DJ and show choir member, laying the groundwork for his future radio and DJ careers.

Richie T’s talents go beyond entertainment. He harbors a deep fascination with Mormon history, delving into its intricacies and sharing his insights with his fellow Latter-day Saints. The Cultural Hall, his show in podcast form, serves as a platform for thoughtful discussions on historical and current church topics, offering a fresh perspective on the Mormon faith.

His infectious enthusiasm, dedication to his craft, and love for learning make him a unique figure in the Utah and broader Mormon community. As he continues to navigate the dynamic world of radio/podcasting and delve into the fascinating tapestry of Mormon history, one thing remains certain: Richie T’s story is far from over.

Interested in his podcasting workshops or having him produce (and/or narrate!) your audiobook? Reach out: Contact@TheCulturalHall.com

For information about The Best DJ in Utah, check out the website or email him at the address above.

Meghan Mitchell, Host

Meghan “The Mitch” Mitchell is a host here and also the creator and host of her own show, The Little Lessons Podcast.

Meghan was born and raised in Beaverton, Oregon until moving to Rexburg, Idaho to attend BYU-Idaho. She started off as a history major and quickly realized that she only likes memorizing pop culture and movie facts rather than facts that would help her get an A in American Heritage. A major in Communications with a minor in modern dance made a lot more sense. Circumstances did not allow Meghan to graduate college the first time around, but she is now a student at Ensign College via BYU-Pathway finishing her degree in Applied Communications.

In 2004, Meghan lived in northwest China as an English teacher at a boarding school. While there, with the help of a friend and modern (for the time) technology, and a lot of long-distance phone calls, Meghan met her husband Carson. They were married in 2005 in the Mesa, Arizona Temple and began their family that same year. They are now the parents of 6 children-3 girls and 3 boys. Each one brings so much joy, laughter and noise. Seriously, the Mitchell household is so loud.

Meghan wears many hats: wife, mother, podcaster, basketball/theater/baseball/dance mom, gospel doctrine teacher and student. Life is busy and chaotic, but Meghan wouldn’t change it for the world.

Listen to The Little Lessons Podcast.

Verlin “The News Wizard” is TCH’s “old guy” host and has lived in NC for 32 of the last 35 years, and three years in the Toronto Canada area. A self-professed church culture nerd, he’s studied “on the job” growing up in the Bay Area, summers on the farm in Lake Shore UT, high school in London UK, mission in Haiti, BYU, worked in New York, grad school in NC, all while serving in every possible calling and assignment below stake presidency, including recent awesome years with YSAs. His wife, kids, sons-in-law, and daughter-in-law, are some of his best friends and strongest critics and he likes it that way. His favorite episodes are anything with Brother Kyle, topics on the “edge” of the church, and anytime you get to hear Richie T laugh.

Annette Lyon, Host and Instagram Manager

Annette Luthy Lyon is a USA Today bestselling author of titles ranging from historical to women’s fiction to a chocolate cookbook to romance. Her national suspense debut, Just One More, was released in 2023. She’s won many awards, including nine Best of State awards for her fiction and a Whitney Award for her for novel Band of Sisters.

She was born and mostly raised Provo, where she was the child of a linguistics professor from Cache Valley (which explains a lot) and a Finnish convert scriptorian (which also explains a lot). She lived in Helsinki, Finland, for three years when her parents presided over the mission, a period that was life-changing.

Since the age of five, she’s known she wanted to be a writer, so she was one of those English majors who had a plan. She graduated cum laude from BYU with a degree in English went on to publish over a dozen books with Covenant Communications, including being a co-author of The Newport Series Book Club. With bestsellers Sarah M. Eden and Heather B. Moore, she co-founded and originally edited the multiple-award-winning Timeless Romance Anthology series and continues to be a regular contributor.

She’s a word nerd, knitter, chocoholic, and migraineur with four adult children who made her a grandmother.

Church-wise, she’s s a lifer with zero Pioneer stock. TCH-wise, she’s a lifer with Pioneer stock. (Meaning she’s listened to every episode, including the early, unnumbered Articles of News ones that are hard to find unless you’re a Patreon supporter.)

Find her online: Twitter ● Instagram ● Facebook ● Website

Andrew Mair, Host

Andrew “The Mayor” Mair is a Utah native living in Texas. When he’s not traveling for work, he’s often writing fiction, including his Christmas book, Tales of a Paperboy.

He’s shared his weight-loss surgery journey with TCH, brings his love of the Tabernacle Choir and the Bells at Temple Square. He’s the one with the occasional Hear Hymn segment, where he reads essays about specific hymns.

Check out his website.

Cory K. Ward, Host

Cory “The Pharaoh Himself” Ward is TCH’s resident temple news expert. He bring us the Temple Ticker segment, with scoops an breaking news about temples, whether they’re under construction or causing city councils to lose their minds.

Check out his Facebook page, where every day you can find something cool about LDS chapels or temples around the world.

Charmaine Wilde, Host

Charmaine “Chow” Wilde is a lawyer and mom who drops in on the show as a host.

She and her husband, Russ, live in Texas with their children.

Russell Wilde, Host

Russ Wilde has a background in television as a producer and reporter. He’s worked as a reporter for Spectrum News 1 Texas, as the news director at SMTX, and currently is a Business News Producer at Atmosphere TV.

He’s Chow’s husband (see above). And yes, that makes three hosts who live in Texas. We’re open to theories as to why.

Matthew Jelalian, Twitter Manager

Matthew Jelalian is a Detroit native who studied Journalism at BYU. In addition to running our Twitter, he’s also been a blogger for The Cultural Hall and has written in the past for The Daily Herald, Deseret News National, Universe, BYUPR, and The Student Review.

He owns a complete set of The Journal of Discourses and Church History but rarely has/makes time to read them and instead wastes too much time on social media.

Janae, Host

“Janaemanite” was born in Utah Valley as the daughter of a professional (Olympian!) athlete and is devoted stay-at-home mother. She has been a member of the Church her entire life and comes from a long line of devout Saints dating back to handcart Pioneers.

Janae grew up playing sports, singing around the country and eventually the world, and dancing competitively. She attended BYU and graduated with a degree in Interior Design & Ballroom Dance in 2008. She is an extremely loyal Cougar.

When not caring for boys, she works as a bridal consultant and wedding florist. (Check out her company, Diamond Tip Design. She enjoys running, sewing, baking, going dancing, and recently committed to becoming a triathlete.

Jenny Noonan Dye, Host

Molly Mormon/Molly Jenny was born in New York as a Catholic. Her parents were baptized when she was very young, but they went inactive after her own baptism. Jenny began attending church on her own at age 12.

At 19, Jenny moved to Provo to play bass guitar and sing in a band (yes, really), and was married within a year. Fast forward more than two decades: she divorced, remarried, and is the mother of six kids—5 Alive, 1 in Heaven—and several stepchildren.

Jenny has worked as a writer and social channel manager for Wake Up World Communications, a digital communications and strategy agency focused on social action campaigns. She’s presented at conferences and events such as e.g., BlogHer, RootsTech, Evo, and Listen To Your Mother. Her work with the United Nations Foundation has brought her to Uganda and to Washington, D.C. to lobby on Capitol Hill. Jenny runs a small cooking business. She’s is an actor (you might have seen her in some Church movies!) and a certified Zumba instructor.

Dylan Mazziotti, Graphic Designer

Dylan grew up in Vernal, Utah, for most of his childhood and was very active in the Church and Boy Scouts. He is an Eagle Scout.

He went on to get two associate degrees in the graphic design industry and enjoys helping small businesses grow. He is currently inactive.

Find his work at LENNON DESIGN

In Memoriam: Brother Kyle, Former Host

Kyle was the oldest member of The Hall and many people’s favorite. His dry humor and quick wit will be forever missed.

In 2022, he was diagnosed with bulbar-onset ALS and given months to live.

He and his sweetheart, Colleen, married weeks later, and he lived long enough to celebrate an anniversary with her. He passed away in August 2023.

More about Kyle:

Though born in southern California, he was raised in Centerville, Utah, and resided in the general area until his death. Kyle’s “real job” consisted of a laundry list of jobs: He sold bikes priced more than most cars. He sold cars priced less than some bikes. He worked as a group fitness instructor at four area health clubs.

(He used to joked that yes, he was a used car salesman and an aerobics instructor . . . his parents were so proud.)

As an avid cyclist and triathlete, he spent most of free time riding a bike, swimming, and running, all activities that he once joked nearly killed him on a yearly basis, but likely extended his life.

For many years, he was a single father, and his son became his rock and the reason for everything he did.

He was involved in radio off and on for over 20 years, which is how he met Richie T, and the rest is history, as they say.

Listen to Brother Kyle and Learn More about Him Below:

Kyle’s Interview Episode (When he thought was coming to chat about news but was interviewed by Richie T.)

Kyle’s Last Episode

Kyle & Colleen’s Wedding Video (Courtesy Meg Cook Film and Photo)

Advice from a Dying Man: Kyle’s YouTube channel, with videos made in his last months.

Kyle’s Iron Man after Diagnosis

Kyle’s Live-streamed Funeral Replay

Brother Kyle’s own words on being part of TCH:

I love being a part of The Cultural Hall. I always look for things to try to strengthen my faith and good people to be around, but I do The Cultural Hall podcast anyway. I’ve been told I joke around WAY too much and in general don’t take things very serious but my faith I do. It’s something I can look at from someone who has been on both sides of the fence. And, it’s one of the few things in this world I believe wholeheartedly in.

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