Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Ray Morris.
Hi Steven Ray, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is Steven Ray Morris (Ray is my middle name) or STEVEN! as most Murderinos enjoy yelling out when they see me around town (It’s very sweet). I am a typical millennial Aries with a soft heart (Selena and I are basically birthday twins) and a penchant for never ever sleeping (only napping). Even though I grew up in Southern California, I took a few detours along the way (Santa Barbara, New Zealand, The UK) before landing back in Los Angeles in 2011. After finding after-work laughs in comedy shows, I discovered this ‘thing’ called podcasts, and with a film school background, I quickly took to the immediacy and intimacy that it had to offer. I started my own podcast in 2015 with my college buddy Sara Iyer, The Purrrcast (talking to cat people because they can’t talk to their cats), that we only recently retired in 2024. Through that show, I met and started doing production duties for dozens of comedians and creative folks’ podcasts in apartments, homes, and studios across Los Angeles. Fatefully, I worked up the courage to ask podcaster Georgia Hardstark to be a guest on The Purrrcast in 2016, which turned into a blossoming collaboration while she was starting a new show with comedy icon Karen Kilgariff, a ‘little’ true crime comedy podcast called My Favorite Murder.
A whirlwind and life-changing SEVEN years later (hundreds of episodes produced/engineered/and edited by yours truly, gracing the stage of the Sydney Opera House, the podcast being an inspiration for one of the greatest albums of the 21st century, Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher, consistently number one each week on the Apple Podcasts charts, and ushering in this new wave of true crime obsessed), I left the show in 2023 to continue forging my own path and following my own passions: interviewing interesting friends, scientists, and filmmakers on my podcast, See Jurassic Right, a podcast about Jurassic Park, dinosaurs, science and natural history, sci-fi movies, and anything else that keeps adults curious. I also owe a great debt of gratitude to my time working on Ologies with Alie Ward (listed as one of The 100 Best Podcasts of All Time by Time Magazine in 2025) for my present day passion for science communication and science activism on my podcast. See Jurassic Right is currently in the middle of the second Back To School series where I chat with scientists and science educators about all the cool shit they are up to and why it matters.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s really hard to know what’s working at any given time. I love sharing what I’m passionate about and trying to empower others to express their creativity too. Whether that is financially viable remains to be seen, BUT, the best days are when I’m interviewing someone or editing an interview or conversation and I feel like a genuine connection is happening; that beyond the nihilistic malaise of living in the internet, there is still true joy that is authentic and real. Waking up every day and trusting I will find those moments is something I have to actively work on even when being discouraged by ever-changing algorithms and cruelty in the world. One day at a time, baby!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am podcast producer, audio engineer, and editor with a passion for research and a love of hosting, too. Whether generating my own podcasts (See Jurassic Right, The Purrrcast ) or collaborating with others (Jordan, Jesse, Go!, Keanan And Lakin Give You Déjà Vu, My Favorite Murder, Ologies), I really strive for integrity and authenticity in my work. I’m all about balancing professional polish with independent grit to make my work and work with others stand out and have a personality. As an engineer, it’s all about making the hosts of shows feel comfortable and free to be themselves and take risks. As an editor, it’s NOT about fixing anyone’s mess but about shaping the hosts’ vision and allowing their voices to sing, being the truest version of themselves. My background as a writer, both fiction and non-fiction, keeps my sights on the big picture of any project, its themes, and the ‘why’ of the project. Genuinely proud of the seven years of My Favorite Murder recording, editing, and releasing episodes twice a week, in real-time, to massive success. In recent years, I am passionate about hosting and moderating live panels or live podcasts at conventions. I love to be a conduit for enthusiasm, to get a crowd excited to learn, make my guests feel like they can be themselves and speak with authority, and most importantly, relax and have fun. That’s why we’re all here right?
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I really hope in an industry constantly chasing its audience that we can learn to trust that audience more. Ultimately, people want something to connect to regardless of the format or medium (Sorry video!), so ideally if we stay true to ourselves, we can not only make a living doing what we love, but thrive as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/stevenraymorris
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevenraymorris
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/see-jurassic-right/id1239538917
Image Credits
CourtneyLindbergPhotography
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Abigail Ervin-Penner
CatCon Worldwide
Paige Margulies
Mandee Johnson Photography
