I love a good embarrassing story. It’s human nature to want to laugh or cringe on someone else’s behalf to keep from remembering our own blush-worthy or cringe-worthy moments. Because of this, I’m a sucker for people channeling these events into performance. Lucky for me (and for you), people perform these stories enough that multiple podcasts have been created out of it. Needless to say, they’re all intriguing and addictive in their own ways. To give a few examples, here are four of my absolute favorites.
The hilarious documentary Mortified Nation has not only been turned into a Netflix series, but it has now taken the form of a podcast. The Mortified Podcast is a collection of brave souls getting up in front of crowds and reading aloud from their childhood diaries, whatever they may hold. It’s exactly as hilarious as you’d expect- not only because kids say the funniest possible things, but because with every story, you’ll be thinking that you were once that same brash child coming out of those pages.
Unlike Mortified, the performances on this podcast come straight from the heart. On Risk!, hosted by Kevin Allison, storytellers from all over use the stage to share their most hilarious, heartwarming OR heartbreaking parts of their lives. It’s impossible not to hang onto every word as you listen, whether you’re laughing or crying along with the live audience. One thing’s for sure- you won’t be able to stop listening.
Whether you love or love to hate Tinder, you’ll be completely fascinated by their step into the podcast world. Tinder and Gimlet Media have come together to create DTR, a podcast where people share the intimate details of their struggles and confusion with dating and seek help. It’s eye-opening, it’s charming, and at times, it’s wildly relatable for anyone attempting to date in this day and age.
If you’re looking for people who are just as confused as you are, look no further. On I Don’t Get It, the Iaconetti sisters have no shame in sharing their mutual confusion by dating expectations, modern cosmetic practices and even just men in general. You’ll be dying the entire time, from the humiliating dating/first kiss stories to the embarrassing journal entry read-alouds. Trust me, the rest of the world “doesn’t get it” either.