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Society & Culture
Chris Gethard
1 phone call. 1 hour. No names. No holds barred. Thats the premise behind Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, hosted by comedian Chris Gethard (the Chris Gethard Show, Broad City, This American Life, and one of Time Outs 10 best comedians of 2015). Every week, Chris opens the phone line to one anonymous caller, and he cant hang up first, no matter what. From shocking confessions and family secrets to philosophical discussions and shameless self-promotion, anything can and will happen! Theme song by Shellshag.
Lean, Mean, and Serene
A 62-year-old Mexican American woman pitches hosting the Spanish language version of Beautiful/Anonymous to Geth and explains why she wants to live to 120. She also discusses practicing Judaism and having a wild Bat Mitzvah in her forties. Later on, she opens up about how her eating disorder affected her relationship with her daughters.
01:01:4407/03/2023
School Bus Mafia (Live from Phoenix)
What could a bunch of 10-year-olds do to make a bus aide quit after 20 minutes on the job? A teacher describes what happened when he was running his family's school bus company and an aide ditched the kids in Times Square. He opens up about leaving the family bus business and why it drove him to drink at Gogo bars by night. He and Geth also discuss the school bus mafia, best Jersey bars, and how one knows if they're a good person.
01:01:2828/02/2023
My Dad Was An Axe Murderer
Imagine growing up with a secret so big, you had to change your name. A young man opens up about finding out that his father was an axe murderer. He describes what it was like meeting his dad for the first time in prison. He shares what happened when he realized that his college professor had picked up a hitchhiker that turned out to be his father. He and Geth also discuss America’s fascination with true crime and coming to terms with his trans identity.
01:00:4621/02/2023
Valentine's Day (Live from Sirius XM)
Naked at a Tai Chi retreat, online playing Counter-Strike, at karaoke, and the Home Depot. Geth learns the unexpected ways people have found love on this special Valentine’s Day episode. Live from Sirius XM in NYC, Chris speaks with callers about getting dumped, spicing things up with a bidet, what it’s like to date a party clown, and more.
01:07:2514/02/2023
Diarrhea In Burning Buildings (Live From Pittsburgh)
A former volunteer firefighter describes to Geth what happened when she needed to poop while a building was on fire. She also discusses her love of driving fast, the benefits of a good ass scratch, losing and gaining friends during her transition, and what makes a good dick pic.
01:03:3607/02/2023
Americanize My Accent
A 26-year-old social worker explains how she “Americanized” her Indian accent by watching “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.” She opens up to Geth about assimilating to the U.S. and why her opinions on arranged marriage did not sit well with her parents. She also shares how undiagnosed Lyme disease led to her becoming immunocompromised.
01:05:1231/01/2023
Tales From A Timber Faller
Bears, mountain lions, and a lost pinky toe. A logger from Montana shares crazy stories about animal encounters, broken legs, and "Lucky one nutted Norm." He explains why his sons aren’t allowed to be loggers and educates Geth on the dangers of an Idaho jammer. He also discusses why after 41 years on the job and many injuries, he still can’t imagine retiring.
01:04:5624/01/2023
Dating 3 People At Once
Is it ok to date multiple people at the same time? A 25-year-old asks Geth to help her choose between 3 guys that are interested in her. She opens up about getting dumped, becoming a serial Hinge dater, and not wanting to hurt other people. They also discuss the importance of having fun while you're young and how to stop thinking so hard.
01:05:3017/01/2023
Sex As a New Mom
Between recovering from a difficult childbirth and taking care of an infant, sex is the last thing on this new mom's mind. Though weed helps get her get in the mood, she wonders if she's relying on it too much. She opens up about concerns over her husband's attitude towards fatherhood and feeling guilty for not having much sex since the birth. Later on, Geth reflects on his time as a dad and shares tips for new parents to stay sane.
01:03:3510/01/2023
2023 New Year’s Resolutions
Hike to the mesosphere. Be a better partner, but most importantly, stop being apologetic about your farts. New year's resolutions are serious business in 2023! Geth speaks with someone who's preparing a 5 minute clowning act, a woman who intends to complete an 18,000 piece puzzle, a college student addicted to collecting fountain pens, and resolutions from former callers.
01:17:4603/01/2023
Snoop Dogg Stole My Xbox (Live from Asheville)
A lighting console programmer describes starting his career on the set of Snoop Dogg’s “Hood of Horror” and moving on to work for Marvel and DC. He discusses the pressure to succeed in the film industry as a person of color who is on the spectrum. He also reveals to Geth how some lighting designers add Easter eggs into their films via lighting “morse code” including a scene in “Black Panther.”
01:04:1827/12/2022
Boujee Dirtbag
What's Kim Kardashian like? A 25-year-old shares wild stories about living and working in a boujee Colorado ski town teaching wealthy people (including Kim and Kanye) how to ski. She opens up about being the daughter of diplomats wondering if she'll move to Europe to be closer to her parents. She describes moving between worlds hanging out with billionaires by day and "dirtbag hippies" by night. She also explains why her father feels safer in Europe than he does in the U.S. as a black person.
01:02:2720/12/2022
Saving Feet, Saving Souls (Live from Durham)
If you heard a blood curdling scream, what would you do? A man tells the story of what he did for a stranger who severed his foot mowing the lawn. He also describes his annual camping trip where he invites 100+ people and doesn’t tell them where they’re going. Later on, he shares with Geth what his cat Santa taught him about love.
01:06:1713/12/2022
Fell In Love With My Therapist
What started as therapy turned into obsession and betrayal. A mother of 4 explains how her therapist manipulated her into thinking she was in love with him. She describes to Geth how he blurred the lines of their relationship with 8 hour sessions and drunken, late night voicemails. She also shares what happened after she reported him to the police and what investigators found when they showed up to his office.
01:05:3606/12/2022
Great Grandma Was A Serial Killer (Live From Chicago)
Rat poison, pill overdose, and tripping over a shotgun. A young woman describes the suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths of her great grandma’s many husbands. She also opens up about overcoming a tumultuous childhood and what it’s like having 16 siblings. Later on, she reveals to Geth how she found love at IHOP and the dumbest way to get a concussion at a theme park.
01:04:3529/11/2022
Brain Surgery Changed My Boyfriend
They were planning their life together, but a traumatic brain injury changed everything. A woman shares what happened when her boyfriend woke up from brain surgery with a different personality and no memory of their relationship. She opens up about moving to a big city, becoming a DJ, and how in a way, they both became different people. Later on, she and Geth discuss getting sober, sexual compatibility post brain surgery, biking to Mexico, and the beauty of life now.
01:09:2922/11/2022
Gay Zombies (Live From Edinburgh)
A zombie fan explains to Geth why ‘Night of the Living Dead’ meant so much to him growing up as a closeted Mormon. He also shares his own dreams of writing a zombie movie and breaks down his favorite films in the genre. Later on, he opens up about processing religious trauma and how leaving the faith has changed his relationship with his family.
01:05:2815/11/2022
Let’s Talk About Grief
A 33-year-old reflects on losing her first love in Afghanistan at 18 and dating his best friend after the tragedy. She opens up to Geth about the mental and physical abuse she endured in the second relationship and the fallout it caused with friends and family. She also shares the surprising way she found closure after her boyfriend’s passing with a psychic medium.
01:09:3908/11/2022
The Putty Man (Live from Madison)
Just in time for Halloween, a 47-year-old horror fan shares the premise of the spooky novel she's writing. She and Geth get nostalgic over trick-or-treat traditions and she explains how scary movies help her cope with anxiety. Later on, they attempt to make contact with the ghost (aka "The Putty Man") that haunts Madison's Majestic Theater in front of the live audience.
01:05:1701/11/2022
Library Boy (Live from Cudahy)
Anonymous notes in the library and a will they/won’t they story spanning years. A woman shares the epic tale of her own “You’ve Got Mail” situation and what she learned from the experience. She explains how hiding letters in books turned into 8 months of back and forth with a mystery guy otherwise known as “library boy.” Geth and the live audience ask all your burning questions including, “what happened?!” Later on, she reveals the fate of her mystery man and why she’s happy now.
01:04:2625/10/2022
From Slinging Bibles to Slinging Knives
What's easier to sell: God or knives? A father of 2 speaks to Geth about going from pastor life to selling knives out of a van. He explains why some ministers end up leaving and moving into sales. He also opens up about adultery in the church, getting into therapy, trying weed, and how his marriage improved after switching careers.
01:05:1618/10/2022
Could You Beat a Raccoon In a Fight? (Live from Edinburgh)
Chris speaks with a young woman about her psychic abilities, putting them to the test in front of the live audience. She explains her fascination with astrology TikTok and analyzes Geth's birth chart despite his skepticism. He presents some thought provoking questions about raccoons, favorite berries, and the existence of ghosts. Later on, she opens up about doing EMDR therapy and how it's benefitted her.
01:05:1911/10/2022
Succeeding At Failure (Live from Edinburgh)
Chris speaks with a young woman who purposefully set herself up for a year of failure to develop a thicker skin. She shares her experiences trying stand-up comedy, MCing a parade, and getting rejected by a dating show. She also wrote a letter to Jason Sudeikis asking if he’d go bowling with her. Did he ever receive her request? Geth texts Jason to find out. She also opens up about getting divorced and how a year of rejection helped her deal with anxiety and depression.
01:05:3504/10/2022
Ranger Danger
Elephants are overrated. At least that's what this former zookeeper thinks. A park interpreter opens up to Geth about her experience working at the zoo including the struggle to earn a decent wage. She describes her love of working with hippos and the dangers of "scary smart monkeys." She discusses her frustration with people in her state being allowed to own exotic animals and her issues with "Tiger King." She also shares her thoughts about keeping animals in captivity and details about her current position helping people connect to nature.
01:06:5827/09/2022
Pole Dancing & A Talking Bird (Live from Portland)
Chris GethardA hairstylist from Canada explains how she went from powerlifting to pole dancing recreationally. She introduces the live audience in Portland to one of her three birds. Will he squawk his signature line, "did you poopie?" You'll have to wait and see! She also shares with Geth the story of being proposed to by her high school sweetheart in a hotel bathroom. Later on, they debate if she has a Canadian accent and discuss their scariest bird moments.
01:06:1620/09/2022
Pharmacy Technician to Welder
Getting arrested on New Year's Eve was a blessing in disguise. A woman describes how working as a pharmacy tech led to pill addiction. She opens up to Geth about starting detox in prison and healing her relationship with her son. She also shares what it's like welding "space crap" with lasers and what she's learned in recovery about empathy.
01:04:4813/09/2022
Wedding Season (Live from Michigan)
Everyone lied to her about what it’s like to plan a wedding. A bride-to-be opens up about stress, making tough decisions, and wedding crashers leading up to the big day. She and Geth bond over how great it feels not to invite someone you don’t actually like. Later on, Chris and the audience help write her vows and pick out a wedding song.
01:08:2106/09/2022
The Nerd That Becomes the Bully
He didn’t become the person he wanted, so he took it out on her. A young woman speaks with Geth about her abusive ex and the red flags she realized in retrospect. She opens up about how he used pity as a manipulation tactic, threatened "social blackmail," controlled how she dressed, and ended the relationship while they were tripping on acid. She also describes the eventual fallout between their mutual friends and how much better her life is now.
01:10:0630/08/2022
Dodging Bombs & Tornados (Live from Boston)
A gum covered dog, a bomb threatened hospital, and a tornado warning. A woman describes the cartoonish obstacles she had to overcome to visit her ailing father. She opens up to Geth about navigating family drama and the weirdness of getting emails about Father’s Day. Later on, the audience welcomes her to the “dead dad club” with no shortage of dark jokes.
01:05:1823/08/2022
Big City To The Middle of Nowhere
The nature is good, but the isolation and no pizza delivery? Not so great. A lawyer speaks with Geth about transitioning from big city living to farm life. She opens up about her discomfort “presenting as wealthy,” growing up working class, and raising her kids not to be spoiled. Later on, she shares what happened when her baby needed brain surgery and her deep appreciation for Canada's healthcare system.
01:06:0116/08/2022
Cocaine Lady Is Also a Scorpio (Live from Pittsburgh)
She got ghosted by a guy with a pet rabbit named Bun Bun, but not before he gave her covid. A painter explains to Geth why she moved into an RV with a crystal-selling-hippie and how she confronted him at his mom's house. She also discusses the time her dad talked her down during an acid trip, why she quit drugs during the pandemic, and how different her life is now.
01:07:0009/08/2022
Young Guy With A Positive Attitude
Wrist surgery turned into something more serious and his dog lost a leg to cancer, but that won’t keep this caller down. Geth speaks with a 25-year-old about how growing up without a ton of money and selling homemade yarn balls to pay for summer camp shaped his positive outlook on life. He shares stories about delivering Peloton bikes to billionaires, working in real estate, and growing up in a religious household. He also opens up about getting married young and proudly describes his wife as “badass” for becoming a commercial pilot.
01:04:3902/08/2022
Nothing But Threesomes (Live from Woodstock)
A 24-year-old woman keeps getting hit on by couples, but she's never had a threesome. Geth and a live audience help her decide if she should go on a throuple date for the free food. She also opens up about moving from a small island to NYC to escape the fighting between her mom and grandma. She wonders if her dysfunctional family is the reason she attracts engaged women, married men who claim to be in the secret service, and other "crazy people."
01:07:3226/07/2022
Quitting Journalism
A queer journalist opens up to Geth about the pressure to be active on social media and feeling traumatized covering the news. They discuss the complicated relationship between comedy and journalism and what happened when he got called out in someone's special. He also talks through his frustrations with clickbait headlines and famous comedians making jokes about trans people.
01:13:4119/07/2022
Solo Traveler (Live From Sirius XM)
Live from Sirius XM studios in New York, it's Beautiful/Anonymous!A 31-year-old single Californian shares the pros and cons of traveling around Europe alone. She speaks with Geth about how she kept the trip a secret from her job and the perks of crying with a mask on at Euro Disney. She also discusses feeling guilty as the daughter of Indian immigrants for wanting to renounce her U.S. Citizenship after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
01:07:4112/07/2022
Heart Attack At 42
A woman describes the surprising events that led to her heart attack. She opens up to Geth about the fact that her brother died last year of a heart attack at 42 under completely different circumstances. She also shares the letter she wrote to her husband detailing her final wishes, including that he not sprinkle her ashes on their garden and grow "death tomatoes." Later on, she discusses planning a booze cruise funeral, the pros of not having kids, and feeling at peace with her life.
01:06:0505/07/2022
Foster Parents Who Love D&D (Live from Seattle)
A married couple who recently became foster parents talk about what motivated them to foster and how it’s dramatically changed their lives. They open up about how everyday is "emotional limbo" because they don't know if the kids will return to their birth parents. They also share their love of D&D, revealing character names such as Trina Tinkleberry the gnome.
01:07:1828/06/2022
Two Married People Have An Affair
Chris speaks with a man about having an affair with a married woman he met at work and the aftermath of his decision. He opens up about getting divorced and losing friends. He also shares how his bipolar disorder affected the marriage and the importance of focusing on his mental health now.
01:09:0621/06/2022
Big Time Goof (Live from Ann Arbor)
A self described “big time goof” with a laugh you won't forget opens up to Geth about his dreams of becoming a traveling musician. The former children's librarian discusses his favorite children's book "Everybody Poops" and explains why he calls himself "the king of cats." He also plays a song inspired by his life loosely titled “Narrow Urethra.” You can guess what that’s about.
01:06:2414/06/2022
Queerness and Faith
In order to keep her faith, she had to accept who she really was. A woman speaks with Geth about going through a breakup and bringing her queerness and spirituality into alliance. She opens up about being part of a church that did more harm to her than good and finding a higher purpose. She also discusses moving back in with her parents post breakup and a potential autism diagnosis.
01:06:2407/06/2022
Drug Money For Law School
A law student shares how he ended up paying for school selling weed on the dark web. He explains why he thinks college is a scam and how dealing drugs is a study in human behavior. He also confirms Geth's suspicions that law students like to party with a story about a mimosa brunch gone awry.
01:06:2831/05/2022
Improvisational Jazz
A piano playing jazz musician improvises songs with Chris about his son's tummy troubles, art, and life. She also opens up about doing a stand-up set for her musical hero and experiencing harassment as a woman in the jazz world.
01:06:0824/05/2022
Raising a Son With Autism
A father in Portugal opens up to Geth about fatherhood and raising a child with Autism. He explains how his son’s diagnosis made him start to question if he too might be on the Autism spectrum. He also discusses where to vacation in his home country and some things you might not know about Portugal.
01:09:5517/05/2022
Mixed-Orientation Marriage
After 20 years together, her husband told her that he was attracted to men. Now they're in an open marriage and still best friends. A woman opens up to Geth about being honest with their kids, sex after menopause, and her husband’s Parkinson’s diagnosis.
01:08:0210/05/2022
The Land Of Smiles (Live from Denver)
A native Texan opens up to Geth about leaving everything behind after her mom’s death and moving to Thailand. She shares a crazy story about the time she got robbed then moved in with a Muay Thai fighter. She also talks about the complicated relationship she had with her mom including the fact that she slept with several of her friends. This episode includes a conversation about suicide, so please keep that in mind before you listen. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
01:04:5003/05/2022
Identical Twins
Geth speaks with charming, identical twin geniuses about “twin hopping,” fraternal twin frauds, and who would play them in a film. They get into twin shenanigans like convincing people that identical twins don't have belly buttons. Chris pitches ideas for a twin hosted podcast. They also discuss their jobs including working in national security and creating virtual reality textbook illustrations.
01:02:4426/04/2022
Attacked By Birds Listening to Beautiful/Anonymous (Live from Sacramento)
An ornithologist speaks with Geth about studying skuas and the time she almost punched a penguin. She opens up about how working in the field has affected her love life. She also describes the special bond that comes from living with a small group in a remote area and the joy of eating ice cream in Antarctica.
01:05:5119/04/2022
Autopsy Technician
An autopsy technician explains the origins of his dark sense of humor and why he wants a career change. He also opens up to Geth about the importance of emotionally detaching during an autopsy, the hardest he’s laughed a work, and how playing guitar helps him unwind. This episode includes graphic talk about autopsy work and mentions of sexual assault. So please keep that in mind before you listen and if you find these topics distressing, you might want to join us next episode instead.
01:02:0712/04/2022
New Job, Dead Dad
A daughter opens up about losing her dad and going through a big career change at the same time. She shares the strange way she got her new job and how it felt to plan a funeral for someone she never really knew.
01:06:1005/04/2022
Monogamish
A woman opens up about being a closeted bisexual during her marriage. She shares with Geth how infertility issues and getting divorced led to coming out as polyamorous. She also discusses having Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and what it’s like being in a throuple.
01:06:1829/03/2022