Sign in
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.
Clothing Optional Gay Resort (Live from San Francisco)
Where does one put their room key and vax card at a nude resort? Our caller reveals the answer to Geth live from San Francisco. He shares his theory on why older gay men are drawn to Palm Springs. Later on, he tells the bizarre story of temporarily losing his hearing and sense of balance. He also talks about losing his brother to addiction, making his friend go to rehab, and helps an audience member choose their next tattoo.
01:09:5822/03/2022
Hiked the Appalachian Trail
A man discusses the biggest challenges of hiking the trail and the scariest thing of all: Lyme disease. He describes legendary (and sometimes creepy) people known along the trail including the shirtless “hammer man” and the hospitality of “trail angels.” He also shares a story with Geth about a stranger’s kindness and how it gave him the strength to go on.
01:08:3915/03/2022
Divorced at 25
A young woman describes living life backwards after buying a home at 22 then moving in with roommates post-divorce with her baby. She also opens up to Geth about coming from a family of 8 and the fact that her son is only 1 year younger than her sister.
01:02:3308/03/2022
Warrior Shaman
Years of PTSD nearly destroyed this former Green Beret's life, until he found a new path. He speaks with Geth about the Ayahuasca retreat that changed everything and how he became a shaman. He also shares how he's been helping other veterans cope with trauma and why psychedelics should be more easily accessible.
01:05:2401/03/2022
First Burp, First Kid (Live From Omaha)
Geth speaks with a new dad who recently got surgery to help him burp. Will the live crowd in Omaha get to hear the caller belch? Only time will tell. He and Chris also talk about favorite sodas, like/dislike of plant-based meat, and the sudden urge to protect your kid once they’re born.
01:04:5222/02/2022
Dating and Disabled
A woman with cerebral palsy and a dark sense of humor tells the story of how her fiancé proposed. She discusses dating as a disabled person, "chair chasers", and why laughing is so important. She also bonds with Geth over a shared dislike of "Cotton Eyed Joe." Plus, more of Chris' favorite Valentine’s Day stories submitted by B/A listeners.
01:05:2515/02/2022
Engaged, But In Love With Someone Else
In honor of Valentine's Day, we're releasing some funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking episodes about dating and romance. Either she gets married in 3 weeks or disappoints 160 Greek people. A woman opens up about having feelings for someone else and the fact that she has a baby with her fiancé. Plus, check out some of Geth’s favorite Valentine’s Day stories submitted by B/A listeners.
01:03:4508/02/2022
I'm a Sugar Baby
A graduate student getting her PhD in engineering talks about joining a sugar baby website to help pay for school. She speaks with Geth about how some of her clients just want companionship and what it was like living in “The Villages” for 6 months during the pandemic with her grandparents.
01:06:5301/02/2022
Bonus: Dad On Pills
We're bringing you a special bonus release of Chris Gethard's new audiobook Dad On Pills! This book is about Geth's relationship with being a dad coupled with his relationship with being mentally ill, growing up in the '80s/'90s, and so much more. You can listen to it for free by signing up at try.scribd.com/gethard60.
16:0328/01/2022
Traditional Mexican Parents
Turning 21, leaving home, and a terrible secret. A young woman opens up to Geth about her mother’s reaction to a traumatic event that caused a rift between them.
01:08:1725/01/2022
Bread-sexual (Live From Rochester)
Sex or a “wee piece of toast?” A Brit opens up to Geth about being less horny during the pandemic and more into hobbies. She shares her love of bread and somehow it gets sexual. They also find commonality between the Rochester garbage plate and an English Breakfast.
01:08:0318/01/2022
Met My Fiancé at Her Wedding
She went from notarizing her now fiancé’s divorce papers to falling in love. A woman shares with Geth the story of meeting her partner and getting past their 13 year age difference.
01:10:0111/01/2022
300 Episodes, 300 Minutes
On the 300th episode of Beautiful/Anonymous, Chris stays on the line for 5 hours. The only rule? The caller decides when it's time to hang up. Geth speaks with a Gen Z guy about his complicated love triangle and catches up with a woman he met in an AOL chat room 20 years ago.
05:04:3004/01/2022
2022 New Year's Resolutions
From having more sex to writing a musical to leaving an abusive marriage, this year’s callers have some big goals for 2022. Geth also talks with someone who really doesn’t like bananas and a woman calls in from her bubble bath.
01:54:3428/12/2021
Borderline Caricature of an Alaskan
Building an airstrip, fighting bears, and grieving in the wilderness of Alaska. A woman tells Geth about life in her home state and about hiking to the middle of nowhere in the freezing cold after her dad passed away.
01:06:0721/12/2021
Ex-Husband Was A Pastor
Pregnant at 16, a whirlwind marriage, and exorcisms. A woman describes the disturbing practices her ex performed to “fix” someone’s mental illness. She also opens up to Geth about what it was like getting divorced from a pastor.
01:08:2314/12/2021
Adopting as a Trans Person
A trans man opens up about having to use his dead name on legal documents and other complexities of adopting as a trans person. He also talks about his love of video games and what it's like being married to a Wiccan.
01:02:2407/12/2021
Sexual Dungeons and Dragons
Robots and superheroes and spanking, oh my! A 'NiteFlirt' phone sex operator talks about her job and diverse group of clients. Later on, Geth gets a taste of her phone flirt style with a little role play.
01:06:2330/11/2021
Frog Bog and A Porn Closet
A former carny talks about the time she taught a former president how to play Frog Bog. She also shares other crazy job stories with Geth including working for a tech company that had a giant porn closet.
01:04:2623/11/2021
Mom Fell In Love With a Scam Artist
A daughter tells Geth the story of a scam artist who manipulated her mother. She gets into the details of how this young man took advantage of many other divorced women.
01:09:3516/11/2021
Crisis Hotline Worker
Chris speaks with a licensed therapist about what it’s like talking people through a crisis and how their jobs overlap. They also get into the strange joys of having kids and the weird things that they do learning boundaries.
01:03:5709/11/2021
Met My Husband on Tinder
A woman opens up about going from Tinder match to marriage. She and Geth also discuss body positivity and geek out over marching band.
01:03:2702/11/2021
Honor Among The Barbers Of Kansas (Live From Philly)
Live from Philly, it's Beautiful Anonymous! A barber and middle school football coach reveals the weirdest thing someone said to him in the chair. He also shares haircut horror stories and his admiration for Geth's wardrobe.
01:05:4126/10/2021
Got a Squatter
A young woman let someone stay at her place, and now he won’t leave. She opens up to Geth about her social anxiety and an affair with a married man.
01:02:5319/10/2021
Most Isolated City In The World
Sunshine, self-made billionaires, and almost no COVID-19 cases. A woman from Perth, Australia lists the many reasons Geth should come visit her hometown. She also tells the story of getting locked out of her house by toddlers.
01:06:3512/10/2021
Used To Be A Monk
A former monk now mailman talks about why he joined the monastery and why he left. He and Geth also discuss the complicated history of the Catholic Church and memorable moments during his time as a monk.
01:04:2605/10/2021
An Italian Living In The US
Self deprecation, immigration, and pizza. A woman from Italy talks to Geth about coming to America and NYC’s roots to pizza. She also explains why she thinks people in her country are more self deprecating than Americans.
01:04:1928/09/2021
Famous In Richmond
Stay in Richmond or move to New York? A guy working for his family's meat business contemplates whether he should move for law school. He also shares with Geth how he became friends with his childhood bully.
01:03:2521/09/2021
Selling Sex Toys in Vegas
Ben Wa Balls and steel dildos and butt stuff, oh my! Geth talks with a sex toy designer living in Vegas. They also discuss how one gets into designing and selling sex toys.
01:08:0414/09/2021
Psychiatric Nurse
A psychiatric nurse opens up to Geth about how the pandemic has affected people mentally and the uptick in patients she's seen. She also shares what she loves about her job despite the challenges.
01:03:3607/09/2021
The Funeral Industry vs. Disneyland
A former funeral director explains why she quit during the pandemic. She also talks to Geth about the surprising similarities between the funeral industry and her previous gig working at Disneyland.
01:03:3731/08/2021
A Real Life Rom-Com
She’s in Canada and he's in Australia. They haven't seen each other in months, but they're about to be married. A bride-to-be tells Geth how she found love in Tuscany.
01:05:5424/08/2021
Quit My Job, Now I Sell Crossbows
Years of sexism at her corporate job led this thirty-something woman to quit and become a Twitch streamer. She also started selling crossbows and finds it invigorating.
01:05:1917/08/2021
Porno Disco Parties
Oil wrestling with lube, drugs, and "porno disco" themed parties. A caller shares with Geth what it's been like living in a Victorian mansion with 13 people.
01:03:5210/08/2021
Losing DACA
A young woman opens up to Geth about losing her DACA status. She also shares what it's been like for her family and trying to stay under the radar.
01:08:5003/08/2021
Diagnosed with Parkinson's At 30
A woman with Parkinson's talks about how getting brain surgery changed her life. She also educates Geth on the definition of masking and how medical marijuana has helped her. We decided to make a special t-shirt in honor of today's caller. Go to Podswag.com/beautiful to grab your new favorite shirt, available in blue or red. All proceeds will be donated to The Michael J. Fox Foundation.
01:07:4627/07/2021
Hippie Dippie Public Speaking Consultant
A former Peace Corps volunteer explains to Geth what being a public speaking coach for Reiki healers and dentists entails. She also opens up about the strange journey that led to her current role.
01:06:4420/07/2021
A Posh Liver Transplant
The 'Posh Perspective' caller updates Geth on a recent liver transplant. She talks about the difficulty of processing that someone had to die for her to survive. Her girlfriend also shares what the experience was like advocating for a loved one in the hospital.
01:07:3213/07/2021
Dating During COVID
What’s it like to fall in love during lockdown? A thirtysomething aspiring gardener shares the pros and cons of dating during the pandemic. He also opens up to Geth about his journey to body positivity as “the big guy.”
01:04:2206/07/2021
Odd Duck Trucker
The deregulation of the US trucking industry led to major changes including the decline of unions over the last few decades. A Minnesotan truck driver tells Geth about his experience, how immigrant truck drivers are being taken advantage of, and how he feels as a liberal "odd duck trucker.
01:01:0929/06/2021
It Happened For A Reason
A mom calls in from the hospital after her baby’s abdominal surgery. She opens up to Geth about the ups and downs of having 2 kids with the same genetic condition.
01:01:0322/06/2021
Marijuana Mansion
A stand up comedian reveals to Geth why her AA group calls her “the real Mrs. Maisel.” She also talks about her time in the “marijuanna mansion” and what it’s like hanging out with hard partying symphony musicians.
01:05:4915/06/2021
Love Addict
A woman opens up to Geth about being a love addict and why it's different from sex addiction. She also talks about her struggle with only being interested in unavailable men.
01:03:0108/06/2021
Mr. Postman
Geth finds out whether dogs actually dislike postal delivery workers from an actual mailman. The postman also opens up about his dreams of becoming a chef and the weirdness of having to deliver penis pumps.
01:00:3901/06/2021
Native American Biological Engineer
A young woman opens up to Geth about having imposter syndrome as one of the few WOC biological engineering students in her program. She also describes being rejected by NASA and her dream of growing plants in space.
01:03:3025/05/2021
Saved By The Meow
A man opens up to Geth about being abused by a family member. It's a difficult conversation, but his meowing cat has strangely good therapeutic timing. If you've been affected by sexual violence or abuse, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, operated by RAINN. Call 24/7: 800-656-HOPE
01:13:1818/05/2021
The Real Netherlands
A Dutch woman shares her feelings about being from a “progressive country” and her thoughts on the United States. She also opens up about the difficulty of losing her dad to an illness that spanned 12 years.
01:05:2911/05/2021
Apple Watch Saved My Life
A 52 year old woman explains how her Apple Watch alerted her to a serious health issue. She also opens up to Geth about how she became such a positive person despite a difficult childhood in Colombia.
01:05:0004/05/2021
Black Teacher In Minneapolis
A teacher from Minneapolis opens up about what life in his hometown has been like since the murder of George Floyd. He also shares with Geth what he thinks others can do to combat systemic racism.
48:4327/04/2021
27, Dating A 53 Year Old
A woman shares what it’s been like dating a man almost twice her age. She also talks about what led to her making it to a 30 under 30 list.
01:04:4820/04/2021