For 17 years, Mary Lucia was the voice of The Current, MPR’s music-first radio station. Her afternoon drive shifts were beloved for their rock-and-roll vibes, unpredictable humor and human connection.

But then a stalker exploited Lucia’s on-air vulnerability, and everything changed.

In her new memoir, “What Doesn’t Kill Me Makes Me Weirder and Harder to Relate To,” Lucia tells the full story of how she dealt with escalating harassment in private while she tried to maintain a very public life.

Along the way, Lucia retraces her path to becoming a DJ, how she kicked a drug addiction cold turkey and why she felt completely forsaken by law enforcement, friends and colleagues during the years she was being stalked.

This week, Lucia’s familiar voice returns to MPR’s airwaves when she joins Kerri Miller on Big Books and Bold Ideas. The self-described “cilantro of radio” shares memories, stories and frustrations from her memoir. Ultimately, she shares herself — one of the things she’s best at doing.

Guest:

• Mary Lucia is a broadcast media personality, writer, actor and voiceover artist. She was a DJ at The Current from 2005 to 2022. Currently, she’s program adviser for Radio K, the University of Minnesota’s student-run radio station. 

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