Normal Gossip
Presentation
Hosted byKelsey McKinney
GenreConversation
LanguageEnglish
Length~1 hour
Country of originUnited States
Production
ProductionDefector Media
Radiotopia (since 2023)
No. of seasons4
Publication
Original releaseJanuary 5, 2022

Normal Gossip is a podcast produced by Defector Media and Radiotopia.[1] Created by Kelsey McKinney and Alex Sujong Laughlin, the program features listener-contributed gossip stories that are anonymized and narrated alongside a guest, usually a comedian or journalist.

Named one of the best podcasts of 2022 by Vulture, Time, The Atlantic and Here and Now,[2][3][4][5] Normal Gossip has released four seasons and garnered more than 10 million listens.[6]

History

McKinney, a writer and cofounder of Defector, was inspired to create the podcast during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she missed "the fizzy thrill of overhearing a good story at a bar." The pitch was not picked up by any major podcast platforms, so Defector hired Laughlin to produce the show as a freelancer.[6]

The show launched in early 2022, quickly attracting thousands of listeners per episode.[7] In April 2023, it joined Radiotopia, a network of indie podcasts administered by PRX.[8] In summer 2023, the show produced a series of live events across the United States.[9]

Format

Episodes originate with stories of interpersonal conflict submitted by fans, referred to as the show's "friend of a friend";[6] Laughlin has said she prefers they be contributed by a bystander rather than one of the subjects.[10] The stories lean light-hearted rather than serious, addressing topics such as romance, friendship, roommates, neighbors and work colleagues.[11] Producers vet the submissions for basic fairness and accuracy, then remove identifying details such as locations and organizations.[10]

McKinney begins episodes by interviewing guests about their relationship to gossip, then tells them a story, soliciting reactions as the narrative progresses. Guests are encouraged to be judgmental and joke about the people involved.[10]

Seasons

Season Episodes Originally aired
First aired Last aired
1 10 January 5, 2022 May 3, 2022
2 10 May 17, 2022 August 23, 2022
3 8 September 6, 2022 October 25, 2022
4 10 April 4, 2023 June 6, 2023
5 10 October 18, 2023 TBA

References

  1. ↑ "All The Gossip About Normal Gossip's New Partner". Defector Media. February 27, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  2. ↑ Quah, Nicholas (December 6, 2022). "The Best Podcasts of 2022". Vulture. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  3. ↑ Dockterman, Eliana (November 14, 2022). "The 10 Best Podcasts of 2022". Time. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  4. ↑ McQuade, Eric; Standley, Laura Jane (December 30, 2022). "The 35 Best Podcasts of 2022". The Atlantic. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  5. ↑ "The best podcasts of 2022: 'Mother Country Radicals,' 'Normal Gossip' and more". Here and Now. WBUR. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Greenberg, Zoe (May 30, 2023). "Kelsey McKinney is building a (socialist) gossip empire from Queen Village". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  7. ↑ Scire, Sarah (June 8, 2023). "You didn't hear this from me, but Defector is getting a subscriber boost from its podcast Normal Gossip". Nieman Lab. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  8. ↑ ""Normal Gossip" from Kelsey McKinney, Alex Sujong Laughlin, and Defector Media Joins Radiotopia from PRX". podnews.net. February 27, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  9. ↑ Rosenthal, Abigail (August 10, 2023). "How Texas Tall Tales Became 'Normal Gossip,' the Favorite Podcast of Snoops and Blabbermouths". Texas Monthly. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Quah, Nicholas (September 7, 2022). "The Best Gossip You've Never Heard". Vulture. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  11. ↑ Evans, Erin (October 2, 2022). "'Normal Gossip' podcast is an alternative to desensitization". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
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