Studio 360’s Sideshow: Lakshmi Wears the Hat
After five months of his #lakshmeme, Sean Rameswaram succeeds in getting NPR's Lakshmi Singh to wear the hat
Tribute comes in all shapes and sizes, especially on social media. Since mid-December, Sean Rameswaram, host of Studio 360’s Sideshow podcast, has been taking photos of public radio personalities, producers and strangers on the street wearing a hat that makes an obviously false claim: “I AM LAKSHMI SINGH.”
The so-called “#lakshmeme,” a tribute to the NPR newscaster who inspired Rameswaram to pursue a career in public radio, has amassed hundreds of portraits, posted and shared on Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr.
The meme drew to its satisfying, crazy conclusion – piñatas were involved – live in The Greene Space on May 26 when Lakshmi Singh finally wore the now-famous hat, talked about her career in public radio, and discussed the importance of diverse voices, names, and faces in media. They were joined by current This American Life and former Snap Judgment producer Stephanie Foo and “The Whiteness Of Public Radio Voice” author and Clemson University communications professor Chenjerai Kumanyika.
Watch video of the entire event:
