On November 19, 2014

“Makin’ Friends With Ryan Miller” launches second season featuring “high-functioning weirdos” from around the state

Vermont PBS’ web-original series, “Makin’ Friends With Ryan Miller,” announces Season Two on vermontpbs.org.

The series, which launched its first season in May, shadows Miller, a noted film composer and lead singer of the band Guster, in his quest to make friends in his newly adopted home of Vermont. After relocating from New York City three years ago, Miller found himself missing his group of affectionately termed “high-functioning weirdo” friends. In the online series, Miller hits the road (mostly back roads) to meet some of Vermont’s vibrantly creative and entrepreneurial folk.

With boundless curiosity and an irreverent sense of humor, Miller introduces us to some gifted and creative Vermonters whom viewers might not ordinarily meet.

Five new episodes have begun to roll out over successive weeks, which began Oct. 29.

Season two features hot air balloon pioneer Brian Boland of Post Mills; professional wild edible gatherers Nova Kim and Les Hook of Fairlee; Rob Mermin, founder of the internationally acclaimed, Circus Smirkus, in Greensboro; multi-talented Panton homesteaders and artists Eben Markowski and Heidi Mahoney; and Burlington’s Paul Budnitz, the visionary entrepreneur behind Kidrobot, Budnitz Bicycles and the social platform Ello.

Season one is also viewable online. Its four episodes feature: Jaimie Mantzel of So. Royalton, inventor of Attacknid toys and the Giant Robot Project, along with other home-grown endeavors; Bruce Duncan and Bina48 of the Terasem Movement Foundation in Lincoln, Vt., which is working on a futuristic project to create computerized “conscious analogs” of real human beings; design automation wizard, prolific patent holder and IBM Fellow John Cohn of Jonesville, Vt.; and noted architect David Sellers, forward-thinking designer and builder of the Archie Bunker, a concrete house in Warren, Vt.

Guster fans, Ryan Miller followers, and anyone with a curiosity about visionary and unconventional trendsetters will enjoy these short, creative and humor-tinged profiles.

“Makin’ Friends With Ryan Miller” is produced by Hilary Hess of Vermont PBS in collaboration with PBS Digital Studios as part of a nationwide initiative to expand PBS’ national and local online presence, and to better connect with an online audience

Watch the series at vermontpbs.org/makinfriends.

Photo courtesy of Vermont PBS

Ryan Miller makes friends with wild edible gatherers Nova Kim and Les Hook of Fairlee.

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

Local road construction plans for 4th of July week

July 2, 2025
The following is a weekly report that lists its planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of June 30. Most construction projects will pause work for the 4th of July `Local roads in Rutland and Windsor County, include:     I-89 Royalton Construction continues Monday through…

Ribbon cuttings in Ludlow and Proctorsville highlight local business growth

July 2, 2025
A pair of ribbon cuttings on June 20 held by the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce (OVRCC) marked a day of celebration for two local businesses and offered a boost of momentum to the region’s small business economy. In Ludlow, Aubuchon ACE Hardware unveiled its newly renovated store on Main Street with a grand…

Cirque Series celebrates successful Killington debut

July 2, 2025
By Polly Mikula The Cirque Series broke trail in New England with two new races. On June 7, runners raced up Cannon Mountain in Franconia, New Hampshire and this past Saturday, June 28, they tackled “The Beast of the East,” Killington Mountain. Cirque is also adding Crystal Mountain, Washington, to its national lineup of eight…

Rutland Sculpture Trail announces 14th installation

July 2, 2025
The 14th addition to the Rutland Sculpture Trail will honor the community’s giving spirit, volunteerism, and inspiration - and the national record for donating blood. Organizers have commissioned a piece honoring Rutland’s Gift-of-Life Marathon (GOLM), which still holds the one-day U.S. record for blood donations 12 years after setting the record and continues to inspire…