Morgan Elliott finds backyard treasure in "Potty Town"

From Talking Documentary Podcast by Scott

June 21, 2023 · 37 min

About this episode

Morgan Elliott discusses his documentary about Potsdam's unique toilet garden and the community's mixed reactions to it.

Morgan Elliott is a documentary filmmaker and long-time resident of New York’s “North Country.” Going back to his childhood, Elliott had heard the story of Potsdam’s famous toilet garden, a self-styled protest by a Potsdam resident in response to perceived mistreatment by the village’s government. The toilets are revered by some, and reviled by others. Elliott waded into the dispute during the pandemic’s early years and emerged in 2022 with a feature documentary that captures a story that is at once quirky and profound. Intro and outro music: Podington Bear This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.talkingdocumentary.com

People in this episode

Host: Scott

Guest: Morgan Elliott

Topics covered

documentary filmmaking
local culture
community protest
quirky stories
New York history

Keywords

documentary
Potsdam
toilet garden
Morgan Elliott
North Country
protest
community

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Potty Town

Places: New York’s North Country, Potsdam