Moises “MO” Santizo is testing a new future for interviews—one that moves beyond algorithms and into physical space. The creator and host of the UNSHUT Podcast has launched a vinyl-exclusive spoken-word release, positioning long-form conversations as collectible objects, rather than disposable streams.
The project debuts with a limited-edition vinyl interview featuring former Disney child actor Chez Starbuck, signaling a rare crossover between podcast culture and record collecting.
While spoken-word records have existed before, Santizo’s approach of building a podcast episode specifically for vinyl distribution — rather than adapting an existing episode — pushes against the streaming-first logic that dominates interview media today.
At a time when podcasts chase speed, scale, and constant output, this release moves deliberately in the opposite direction. It slows the format, demands attention and treats the interview as something meant to be revisited, owned and archived, rather than scrolled past. That shift alone makes the project notable within today’s entertainment landscape.
Santizo’s path to this experiment has been anything but linear, and his career trajectory helps explain the thinking behind it. Born in Guatemala and raised in Los Angeles, he grew up navigating financial instability, language barriers and immigration restrictions.
When college doors closed after high school due to application requirements, he redirected his ambitions into choreography and coaching. Moises “MO” Santizo eventually became an award-winning choreographer working across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
That chapter culminated in Las Vegas, where he founded a performing arts company, partnered with the City of Las Vegas on consulting and recreation programs. He also helped pioneer virtual choreography feedback through digital platforms.
He stepped away from the performing arts industry in 2022 and launched UNSHUT the following year. Since then, the podcast has reached listeners in 44 countries and hosted guests ranging from Grammy winners to independent creatives.
The vinyl release with Starbuck reflects that same long-form ethos. The interview revisits Starbuck’s breakout role as Disney’s first live-action merman in The Thirteenth Year, and his time working alongside Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Christy Carlson Romano. It also reflects on his personal fallout of early fame, including addiction, family strain and fatherhood.
Pressed locally by Gold Rush Vinyl and recorded at Santizo’s home in Austin, Texas, the release includes a double-sided record, a vinyl-exclusive alternate ending, and a QR code unlocking extended video footage and original photography.
Rather than scaling outward, Santizo’s vinyl release turns inward, focusing on durability, authorship and form. As interview media increasingly prioritizes feeds and fleeting attention, the project restores physical weight to conversation.
By resisting the pull of virality, it reframes long-form interviews as artifacts rather than data points, quietly challenging an industry that often values volume over permanence. The shift is subtle, but it points toward how storytelling formats may evolve when intention outweighs immediacy.
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