Podcast Review: Charlie's Place
In the mystery of who Charlie Fitzgerald was, there was a piece of what could be in Myrtle Beach, and only at Charlie's Place. It's a "could be" that has been remembered, and should continue to be remembered.
This podcast came to me in a few ways. One, it was in Podcast The Newsletter back in August, and it was the Podcast Advertiser Innovator Award for the 2026 Ambies. Truthfully, I had no idea what that award specifically meant - it was a reminder of the fact that I wanted to listen to that podcast.
I usually half pay attention to the producing bodies of podcasts. I have some studios I will priortize, as I like their work, but for the most part it's more of an orientation. Who is making the podcast tells me about maybe the tone, quality, or the length of the series. The way that these organizations run, though, doesn't mean that a podcast will automatically be a success to my ears. Sometimes the name on the podcast has more to do with distribution and advertising, sometimes it has more to do with the style and final production. At times, both of these elements will be impacted and it's somewhat hard to keep track of what elements are impacted where - and by whom.
When I saw four names on this podcast, though, my first thought was a question of "are there too many cooks in this kitchen?" Pushkin, Atlas Obscura, Rococo Punch, and Visit Myrtle Beach are all named as producing entities for this podcast. Usually, one or two entities might join up to collaborate on a show, but four was a little much. After listening to the podcast and learning more about the Podcast Advertiser Innovator Award - this podcast makes more sense.
Wrapped up in a heartening and hopeful story out of the Jim Crow South, we have a long winded, and mostly subtle advertisement for Myrtle Beach. Which should not be a turn-off at all. It's one of those things where I think it worked, and an important story was told through this podcast. Sometimes important stories can't find homes because they might be hard to sell. What this podcast is showing is that with a smart collaboration, we can still tell these stories and more importantly connect them to a legacy of now.
Charlie's Place tells a tale of a nightclub in Myrtle Beach that was famously integrated long before segregation was legally put down. It dives into the mystery of Charlie Fitzgerald, his legacy, and the legacy of this place where Black and White community members danced together to Black musicians in a place where by day that sort of thing was absolutely unheard of.
It's an uncomfortable story, twisting and turning through elements of United States history. Showing through the evil and hatred there is a shimmer of something more. In the mystery of who Charlie Fitzgerald was, there was a piece of what could be in Myrtle Beach, and only at Charlie's Place. It's a "could be" that has been remembered, and should continue to be remembered. Even in places with conflict and heavy Klu Klux Klan activity, beacons of humanity and hope were buried in music, art, and community. Sometimes it took fights to protect it, and sometimes all you needed was the music and the bold declaration that people just needed to act right to be allowed to stay.
The story of Charlie is told best as it can be through the memories of those who knew him and his club. Many of the people who were interviewed directly for this series were children, whose memories are peppered with those of their parents and those of the official records. The storytelling takes you on a journey, with a supportive design and a unique and deliberate reflection on this story in 2026 from host and reporter, Rhym Guissé. There are layers of time, place, and perspective that a first-generation immigrant would have to this story - and every moment of this podcast leans into the reality of what is, what was, and still what can be.
I say this is a long-winded advertisement for Myrtle Beach, but in a way that makes sense. Woven through Charlie's story is the legacy of his club and the people he and his wife, Sarah, helped to nurture and protect. With a legacy of business ownership and music, Myrtle Beach now holds a small business incubator in the hotel Charlie kept near his club, as well as a music festival on the land of the Black Community that was once confined to certain streets. Myrtle Beach is advertising what they have now, by reflecting on a story of what they had then. It's a clever way to get someone interested in a music festival, or a museum, or even an incubator program. It might not be a direct one-to-one return on the investment, but this podcast will stay in a feed for hopefully decades, and maybe trickle a few more people into Myrtle Beach becuase they heard the story of Charlie's Place and wanted to see its legacy for themselves.
Listen to Charlie's Place Here
TLDR:
Episodes: Five
Episode Length: 30-40minutes
Genre: History
Vibes: Heartening, documentary, interesting
If you want to check out more critical reviews of Charlie's Place, check out Greatpods.co
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