
Not Lost
When both his popular culture podcast and long-term relationship come to an end, journalist Brendan finds he has the time — and freedom — to pursue his dream: a travel podcast where he goes places and learns about them by getting invited to a stranger’s house for dinner. A friend joins him at each destination and they drink, dance, and eat their way from Montréal to Mexico City, often learning as much about themselves as the place they’re visiting. Not Lost is both a delightful travel escape and an insightful look at people — locals and visitors alike — trying to make sense of a constantly changing world.
Not Lost is a co-production of Pushkin Industries, Topic Studios and iHeartMedia. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.
Latest episodes

Mar 11, 2024 • 46min
The 25 Most Exciting Places to Travel in 2024 from Unpacked by AFAR
Discover the top travel destinations for 2024 with activities like yoga on the beach and encounters with dolphins. Explore sustainability efforts in Fiji and Norway, cultural richness in St. Kitts, and unique experiences in Estonia. Learn about diverse destinations like San Diego, Bhutan, and Machu Picchu with a new twist, and travel predictions for 2024 including a glimpse into Oman.

Feb 16, 2023 • 42min
Not Lost Chat: Paradise City (Pico Iyer & Reggie Watts)
No piña coladas were consumed during travel writer Pico Iyer’s quest for paradise. Instead he found himself communing with guides and locals in thorny parts of the globe: Iran, Kashmir, and North Korea, among others. Brendan speaks with Pico about his lifetime of exploration and what it’s taught him. Then comedian, musician and self-proclaimed “disinformationist” Reggie Watts talks about growing up in Montana and shares his do’s and don’ts for TSA pre-checkers, wedding guests, and folks in the window seat. Plus, Brendan boards a flight on this last episode of this season of Not Lost Chat. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 8, 2023 • 39min
Not Lost Chat: Wild Sugar (Cheryl Strayed)
Brendan finds the perfect Not Lost Chat guest in author Cheryl Strayed, who not only wrote the bestselling travel memoir “Wild,” but is also a renowned advice columnist. First, they talk about Strayed’s epic trek up the Pacific Coast Trail after losing her mother to cancer, divorcing her husband, and quitting hard drugs. And then Brendan smoothly pivots the conversation to advice, talking about Strayed’s bestselling book of essays “Tiny Beautiful Things” and then getting her to answer listeners' travel questions about everything from what books to read to what shoes to wear on the road.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feb 1, 2023 • 47min
Not Lost Chat: Traveler Not Tourist (Geoff Dyer & Colman Domingo)
Brendan receives a postcard from the only registered US historical landmark outside America and then talks with the great essayist, novelist and occasional world-class complainer, Geoff Dyer about travels to Tahiti, India, Venice and more. Then “Euphoria” star Colman Domingo stops by to answer your travel questions, launch a campaign against babies in business class, and roast Brendan for his brunch-avoidant tendencies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 25, 2023 • 35min
Not Lost Chat: How Do You Say “Love”? (Kristin Newman & Paul Feig)
Brendan speaks with Kristin Newman, author of “What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding: A Memoir,” about falling in love in a different language, plus she provides travel tips for folks who are single and looking. And writer and director Paul Feig (“Freaks and Geeks,” “Bridesmaids”) talks about his civilized approach to shooting movies abroad and why he always travels in a suit and tie …all while answering listener’s travel questions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 18, 2023 • 50min
Not Lost Chat: Further Than They Appear (Marius Kociejowski & Jessi Klein)
Brendan visits Japan on a trip that puts the “junk” in junket. Then he speaks with Marius Kociejowski, author of The Serpent Coiled in Naples, an immersive plunge into the Italian city where skulls are worshiped and blood soaks into the stones. Plus comedian Jessi Klein answers your questions about parent-child separation on planes, and opines about her favorite travel activities: sitting near the ocean and drinking. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 11, 2023 • 35min
Not Lost Chat: Where Am I? (Jessica Nabongo & Tegan and Sara)
Brendan talks with Jessica Nabongo, the author of “The Catch Me if You Can: One Woman’s Journey to Every Country in the World” about the mysterious community of “country counters” and the non-mysterious eurocentricity of most travel media. Then Canadian pop duo Tegan and Sara talk about surviving life on tour, plus answer your burning questions about road trips (good), bed and breakfasts (bad), and guided tours (you’ll just have to listen to find out.) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 4, 2023 • 34min
Not Lost Chat: Road Work (Andrew Sean Greer & Jay Pharoah)
New York Magazine described “Not Lost” as having the “slight energy of Andrew Sean Greer’s Less” so Brendan calls the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the comic, road trip novels “Less” and “Less is Lost” to find out if they should be offended. Plus, a postcard from Hollywood, and stand-up comedian Jay Pharoah answers listener questions about airport and flight etiquette, with a stirring speech on when it’s ok to push the flight-attendant button.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 14, 2022 • 2min
Introducing: Not Lost Chat
Who do we become when we travel? Who are we allowed to be? And where is everyone going? Brendan Francis Newnam is on a mission to find out. Join him as he speaks with travel writers (Pico Iyer, Jessica Nabongo, Marius Kociejowski ), celebrities on-the-go (Jay Pharoah, Tegan & Sara, Colman Domingo), and ordinary misfits like himself for a mini-season of in-studio conversations. Not Lost Chat begins January 4th, 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 16, 2022 • 22min
Postcard from Portugal
After wrapping up Season 1 of Not Lost, and a few odds & ends at home, Brendan heads to Portugal and experiences an emotion he can’t quite explain... so he asks locals to help him out. “Postcards” are an occasional series of shorter Not Lost episodes that Brendan produces when he travels. Not Lost is a co-production of Pushkin Industries, Topic Studios, and iHeartMediaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.