Listen, watch, and read the three versions of this true story. Â For you, which did the best job of communicating what happened? Why was it more effective than the other two? Which had the greatest impact on you? Why, compared to the others? What does this show/ tell you about different genres approaching the same subject?
- Listen: Robbie Brown, “21 Chump Street” ( podcast-scroll down for link to it )
- Watch: Lin Manuel Miranda “21 Chump Street” (short musical)
- Read: Alexia Campbell, “30 Students Arrested in Palm Beach County Drug Sting”
To me the podcast communicated to me best because it was the actual person’s voice and not a play, and he told us how it affected him. The other two examples either lacked some sort of emotion, in the article, or some sort of information, in the musical. This shows me that different genres can produce radically different reactions for people.
In my opinion the best was the musical. I read a fourth source on the story to see what the case was about and I believe that the musical pretty much covered everything in chronological order.The musical did an amazing job at not only getting the story across but adding deep emotion into it. And the acting was amazing for this musical. I believe that this source was the most effective because it is entertaining and keeps the audience focused on the storyline. The play sounded like a robot in my opinion. There was no emotion in the storyteller whatsoever. The article was just fact after fact which I believe anyone could have easily gotten by googling the key point to the case. This shows me that the way a story is told can grab an audience’s attention depending on how it’s told. Everyone is different, some people rather be hit with direct facts while other people like me prefer a more storyline based source.
For me, the podcast was the best form of communication. Everything was clear from the beginning to the end. You can use your imagination to know the scenes. The article and musical didn’t grab my attention. For the article, you don’t feel the presence; you’re just reading the news. For the musical, you get distracted from the music and usually forget the plot.
Personally, I think the musical did a better job at portraying the story because you can physically see the people’s emotions and reactions. The singing also made it easier for me to engage in the story, it made it more interesting. This showed me that different genres bring different things to to table.
Im gonna be a little biased but the musical was my favorite, it reminded me of Miranda’s work in Hamilton. Also the fact that it what a musical allowed me to be more captivated and allowed me to pay more attention to the story. I searched up some sources to see if it was accurate and i couldn’t find any horrible mis-accounts. I found the witty writing and actor movements to be the most attention grabbing for me compared to the others. The different genres showed me how you can approach the same topic with different ways, lines, people, and storytelling.
The podcast stood out to me the most because it was the actual person’s voice, not a performance, and he explained how his experience affected him. It felt more personal and real, which made it easier to connect with his story. The other two examples didn’t have the same impact as the podcast did to me. Plus, musicals just aren’t my thing, and I don’t really like reading a lot, so neither of those formats worked as well for me. This made me realize how much the way a story is told can affect how people understand and connect with it.
After listening to the This American Life podcast by Robbie Brown, watching the musical 21 Chump Street by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and reading both the article by Alexia Campbell and the piece from The Palm Beach Post, I think The Palm Beach Post did the best job overall in telling the story clearly and fairly. It gave a straightforward breakdown of what happened with with the Florida students, why the undercover operation happened, and how it affected students. What made it stand out to me was how balanced and informative it was. It didn’t lean too heavily on one side it gave space to both the emotional impact on the students and the justification the police gave for the operation.
The podcast by Robbie Brown helped bring Justin’s voice into the story, which made it feel more personal and real. But it didn’t provide as much background or wider context. The musical was definitely the most emotional and engaging in terms of storytelling it brought the drama and really captured Justin’s heartbreak and how he felt deceived but since it was a performance, it focused more on the feelings than the full facts.
Alexia Campbell’s article was also strong because it looked deeper into how these undercover operations work and raised important questions about whether they’re fair or effective, especially for students of color but didn’t include direct quotes from students so I still felt like The Palm Beach Post piece was the clearest and easiest to follow.
I think the musical version by Miranda had the best performance in shhowing what happened. It approached more emotional aspects and made the story feel real because of the music and the acting. I also feel like it had the biggest impact on me since I could see the characters and feel what they were going through. When compared to the podcast and article, it felt more personal overall as a summary. This shows that different genres can tell the same story in unique ways and affect people differently depending on what methods or how the the story is told or is portrayed.
It’s interesting to see the same story of the 30 students arrested in the drug sting told through a podcast, a short musical, and a news article. I’m curious which version people found most impactful. Each format likely brings a different element to the narrative. The podcast might offer a more intimate, auditory experience, while the musical could amplify the emotions through song and visuals. The news article would likely focus on the factual details. It really makes you think about how the way a story is told can shape our understanding and how different genres can highlight different aspects of the same event. Personally, I think the musical version is better because it offers a unique emotional side to the story.
In my opinion, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical short film conveyed the message best. It had a greater impact because, through the acting, music, and visuals, it made the viewer feel more connected to the action and kept them engaged. This allowed the video to show more details of what was happening, helping the viewer connect better with the situation and understand it more deeply. Furthermore, it wasn’t boring, but rather entertaining, so the viewer—that is, me—felt a connection to the moment depicted. In contrast, of the two genres, the podcast seems robotic because it doesn’t convey emotions, only sounds and explanations, while the journalistic article only provides sources of information that help to understand what happened, but doesn’t offer an emotional connection.
I think the musical had more of an impact than the other sources. The news article lacked pathos. It just told us what had happened and nothing more. While the podcast and musical gave more pathos and intel on what exactly was happening in the schools with the undercover cops. Also, the news article lacked the perspective of the students, which the podcast and musical gave. The musical had more emotion and made the message louder. The podcast gave us pathos, but it didn’t give us visuals like the musical did. I think being able to see the character’s facial expressions and body language gives off a stronger message and understanding of what happened.
I agree, the article definitely lacked pathos. It didn’t talk about what happened at the school and Justin’s experience which the podcast and musical were able to do.
For me, Lin Manuel Miranda musical did the best job of communicating what happened. It was more effective than the other two because I was able to see a depiction of how the story went instead of just reading or listening about it. The music and acting really helped me see more of the emotional aspect of students. The article focused strictly on stating the quick facts about students being arrested for selling drugs. Meanwhile, the podcast allowed me to hear directly from Justin’s perspective and the officer who went undercover as a student. The musical encompassed all of these things and added the visual aspect which made me think more about if Justin would have sold the drugs to someone else if he didn’t like her. This shows me that different genres relay information to the viewers differently and evoke different emotions. Thus, depending on how you want the viewer to feel or take away from the story, you should pick a genre that best fits that.
For me, the one that did the best job of communicating what happened was the podcast. Compared to the article, essentially everything that was stated in the news report was went over in the podcast. The podcast added a more engaging element and storytelling that reminds me that the law isn’t black and white. Additionally, the podcast was also able to get interviews from one of the cops and one of her victims. The musical interpretation was more engaging but it exaggerates and changes certain parts of the story, also leaning more into a single good and bad entity. Seeing how this story was changed across the 3 genres, it shows me how there is a fair balance between entertainment and accurate reporting.
The musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda was the best way of communicating what happened. I feel like the musical was more effective because you can see what happened in the situation, and the music and acting keep you engaged and interested in the story. The podcast was a good way to gain a perspective from the teenager’s experience, but it is easy to lose attention when you are just listening to people talk. The article was short, it didn’t give you all the information, and it lacked emotion to connect to the reader. This shows that using the same story with different genres, it will tell the story differently and will attract different people with what they prefer.
I’ll start with my least favorite: Lin Manuel Miranda’s short musical. How different genres appeal to one is subjective, solely dependent on the viewer/consumer, my personal opinion is that I dislike musicals. Now I don’t like using the word I’m about to use to describe the musical but it’s the best fitting term: cringe. The retelling was alright but adding humor makes too much light of the manipulation of a child and the appeal to a younger crowd by “rapping” didn’t sit right with me. I think it would repel younger crowds. Hearing the story from the kid’s point of view was also cringey (I do hate that word), but you know he’s being his authentic, awkward, teenager self and don’t we all remember that?
Reading about “operation D minus” made me laugh just at the name of the operation itself and the premise that I immediately thought of 21 jump street. Since I’m more of a reader, I actually prefer getting facts to salacious details. I feel like one could easily understand that these types of operations would affect the youth involved in them without personal stories. Again, this is just my preference.
For me I think the short musical had the best communicating, because it was engaging and forced me to want to pay attention and listen to what they were saying. With reading It was nice when somebody is reading it to you but if I was to read it on my own I don’t think I would’ve been as interested in the subject as I would’ve liked too. Then the voice audio was just as engaging I like that I could hear narraition with more background. So I think the musical had the best impact because it not only gives you a picture in your head what’s going on but it shows you, like when they gave the police officers perspective instead of hearing just the boys side of the story.
I think the podcast was the best because even though it sounded like the kid held back lot he gave alot of useful information on the topic simply because it happened to him. I didnt really like the play because it was just corny to me. Maybe because i never like hamilton plays but thats just me.
For me, the podcast version communicated the story the best. Hearing the reporters voice and real emotions made the situation feel more human and immediate. The musical was also catchy and emotionally strong but because it’s stylized, some details gets lost. The news article gives the clearest facts but it feels the most distant and doesn’t hit as hard emotionally.
In my opinion the podcast did the best job at communicating what was happening and it actually had the individuals which were involved in the situation. In the podcast the people which were actually involved in the situation. They Justin Laboy, the high school student and the undercover officer which went by the name of Naomi Rodriguez. The undercover officer went on an operation which was called operation “D-minus” tracking the usage of drugs in high schools. This took place in Park Vista high school where the officer involved in this situation essentially became a student and was allowed to go into classes take exams and even had a fake facebook profile. The only people who knew about this were the principals of the school. She then made a friendship with Justin and even requested drugs form him which Justin gave to her by asking his friends. He was then arrested because of this which is why the situation became so well known. And in my opinion having an interview of Justin in a podcast communicated the situation much more effectively to me as it gave me an idea of the experience Justin had and what he was thinking at the time. While the reading wasn’t as effective as it didn’t really show Justin’s own first hand experience on the situation and it didn’t have a connection that was as direct as the podcast to it. On the other hand the musical was not as effective either as it made the situation more comical rather than really showing what was going on and what Justin actually experienced.
In my opinion I felt the Watch: Lin Manuel Miranda “21 Chump Street”, short musical was the best in communication because I felt it more in my emotions of what was happening and being able to see it. Justin’s experience of music and acting, you felt it right there with him and the actors to see their interactions, expressions and song. It flowed in order of the story being depicted to the audience. The musical made it feel like Justin was a real person and not just an actor. I felt from the 3 Listen, Watch and Read, the Watch had the greatest impact on me. Even though I listened to it from the podcast, it did not have that impact for me like the musical did, although I did feel emotion and it did provide facts from the podcast form. In the read version you don’t get to know more of the character Justin as he is portrayed in the musical watch version. I think the short musical genre gives a connection and also makes me feel empathetic to Justin.
For me, the musical version of 21 jump street communicated the story best because the songs and performances made the emotions and feel clear and helped the audience feel exactly what is going on in a short amount of time. The podcast also explained the events in more detail, but it felt more slower and less powerful. The news article was informative, but it focused mostly on facts and did not show any personal impact of the story. This shows that different genres shape how a story feels.