Normal Gossip

Last updated

Normal Gossip
Normal-Gossip-official-logo.jpg
Presentation
Hosted by Kelsey McKinney (seasons 1–7)
Rachelle Hampton (season 7–)
GenreConversation
Created byKelsey McKinney
Alex Sujong Laughlin
LanguageEnglish
Length~1 hour
Country of originUnited States
Production
Production Defector Media
Radiotopia (since 2023)
No. of seasons7
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 and hosted since 2024 by Rachelle Hampton, the program features listener-contributed gossip stories that are anonymized and narrated alongside a guest, usually a comedian or journalist.

Contents

Named one of the best podcasts of 2022 by Vulture, Time, The Atlantic and Here & Now, [2] [3] [4] [5] Normal Gossip has released seven 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 colleagues. [11] Producers vet the submissions for basic fairness and accuracy, then remove identifying details such as locations and organizations. [10]

The host 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]

McKinney hosted Normal Gossip for its first seven seasons; she announced during the seventh season's finale that she and Laughlin were both leaving the show with the intent to keep it fresh and move on to other projects. (Both retained their staff positions at Defector.) The new production team consisted of host Rachelle Hampton and producer Se’era Spragley Ricks, both formerly of the Slate internet culture podcast ICYMI. [12]

Seasons

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
110January 5, 2022May 3, 2022
210May 17, 2022August 23, 2022
38September 6, 2022October 25, 2022
410April 4, 2023June 6, 2023
510October 18, 2023December 19, 2023
610April 17, 2024June 19, 2024
710October 9, 2024December 10, 2024

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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. December 29, 2022. 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.
  12. ↑ Quah, Nicholas (December 10, 2024). "Why Normal Gossip's Creators Are Stepping Away". Vulture. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
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