
Normal Gossip
Normal Gossip delivers juicy, strange, funny, and utterly banal gossip about people you’ll never know and never meet. Host Rachelle Hampton discusses reader-submitted comedic gossip with guests, diving into the lives and decisions of complete strangers. The second-hand truth really is stranger than fiction. Produced by Se'era Spragley Ricks and Jae Towle Vieira. Created by Kelsey McKinney and Alex Sujong Laughlin. Show art by Tara Jacoby. https://normalgossip.komi.io/
Latest episodes

Apr 5, 2023 • 1h 16min
Every Peach is a Miracle with Samin Nosrat
We are back for season 4! Samin Nosrat (author of Salt Fat Acid Heat and host of Home Cooking) joins us for a tale about fruit, #vanlife, and forbidden love.
This is the first of ten episodes this season, which will release every Wednesday for the next nine weeks!
Follow Samin on IG @ciaosamin.
You can support Normal Gossip directly by buying merch or becoming a Friend or a Friend-of-Friend at supportnormalgossip.com. Our merch shop is run by Dan McQuade. You can also find all kinds of info about us and how to submit gossip on our Komi page: https://normalgossip.komi.io/
Episode transcript here.
Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at normalgossip@defector.com or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.
Normal Gossip is hosted by Kelsey McKinney (@mckinneykelsey) and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs).
Diana Moskovitz is our story editor. Justin Ellis is Defector's projects editor. Jae Towle Vieira is our production assistant. Show art by Tara Jacoby.
Normal Gossip is a proud member of Radiotopia.
Credits recorded by Marielle Cabe.
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Feb 26, 2023 • 35min
S3 Ep9: Big Business Announcement Episode (new partner and new season!!!)
We're back with some big announcements and answers to your questions, like:
Where have you been?
Who is your new partner?
What does it mean that you have a new partner?
What will change about the podcast?
Will you please have a live show in my city pleasseee?
WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK
You can support Normal Gossip directly by buying merch or becoming a Friend or a Friend-of-Friend at supportnormalgossip.com. Episode transcript here. Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at normalgossip@defector.com or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP. Normal Gossip is hosted by Kelsey McKinney (@mckinneykelsey) and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs).
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Oct 26, 2022 • 1h 22min
S3 Ep8: Steampunk-Ass Murder Mystery with Tuck Woodstock
Gender Reveal host and producer Tuck Woodstock joins us for an epic love story from another time .... the early aughts.
Follow Tuck on Twitter @tuckwoodstock.
Get your tickets to our live show in D.C. at Sixth & I here!
You can support Normal Gossip directly bybuying merch or becoming a Friend or a Friend-of-Friend at supportnormalgossip.com.
Episode transcript here.
Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at normalgossip@defector.com or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.
Normal Gossip is hosted by Kelsey McKinney (@mckinneykelsey) and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs).
Credits recorded by Theodore Sidell.
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Oct 19, 2022 • 1h 23min
S3 Ep7: The Science Behind Gossip with Eshin Jolly
Dr. Eshin Jolly joins us this week to teach us about the science of gossiping!!! Eshin is a post-doctoral researcher in the Computational Social Affective Neuroscience Laboratory at Dartmouth College.
Follow Eshin on Twitter @Eshjolly.
You can support Normal Gossip directly bybuying merch or becoming a Friend or a Friend-of-Friend at supportnormalgossip.com.
Episode transcript here.
Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at normalgossip@defector.com or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.
Normal Gossip is hosted by Kelsey McKinney (@mckinneykelsey) and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs).
Credits recorded by Ben Sattinger.
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Oct 12, 2022 • 1h 2min
S3 Ep6: In Defense of Children with Youngmi Mayer
Comedian and host of Feeling Asian and Hairy Butthole Youngmi Mayer joins us to get to the bottom of a decades-old crime haunting one family: WHO flushed the hot dog down the toilet?
Follow Youngmi on Instagram @ymmayer.
You can support Normal Gossip directly bybuying merch or becoming a Friend or a Friend-of-Friend at supportnormalgossip.com.
Episode transcript here.
Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at normalgossip@defector.com or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.
Normal Gossip is hosted by Kelsey McKinney (@mckinneykelsey) and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs).
Law & Order sound effect created by Mike Post.
Credits read by Jessie Xiao.
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Oct 5, 2022 • 1h 14min
S3 Ep5: You Can't Fight with Heiress Tongue with Matt Bellassai
Comedian, writer, and host of Unhappy Hour Matt Bellassai joins us for sojourn into the messy world of queer kickball leagues!
Follow Matt on Instagram @mattbellassai.
You can support Normal Gossip directly bybuying merch or becoming a Friend or a Friend-of-Friend at supportnormalgossip.com.
Episode transcript here.
Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at normalgossip@defector.com or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.
Normal Gossip is hosted by Kelsey McKinney (@mckinneykelsey) and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs).
Thanks to Georgie Du for reading the credits.
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Sep 28, 2022 • 1h 2min
S3 Ep4: Christmas is Cancelled with Laurel Bristow
We're thrilled to welcome everyone’s favorite guide to infectious diseases, Laurel Bristow. She's the program director for Emory’s TB Research Advancement Center and she's the first Laurel to be on the show!
Follow Laurel on Instagram @laurel__bristow.
You can support Normal Gossip directly bybuying merch or becoming a Friend or a Friend-of-Friend at supportnormalgossip.com.
Episode transcript here.
Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at normalgossip@defector.com or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.
Normal Gossip is hosted by Kelsey McKinney (@mckinneykelsey) and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs).
Credits recorded by Jenn Pritchard.
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Sep 21, 2022 • 1h 17min
S3 Ep3: Loud Cats and Thin Walls with Sabrina Imbler
Defector staff writer and creature correspondent Sabrina Imbler joins us for a story about the lives we lead on the other sides of extremely thin apartment walls.
Follow Sabrina on Twitter @aznfusion and pre-order their book, How Far the Light Reaches!
You can support Normal Gossip directly bybuying merch or becoming a Friend or a Friend-of-Friend at supportnormalgossip.com.
Episode transcript here.
Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at normalgossip@defector.com or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.
Normal Gossip is hosted by Kelsey McKinney (@mckinneykelsey) and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs).
Credits recorded by Emma Waldner.
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Sep 14, 2022 • 1h 7min
S3 Ep2: The Adventures of Flat Margaret with Jessica Goodman
Writer Jessica Goodman joins us for a tale of a One Direction concert weekend gone wrong.
Follow Jessica on Instagram @jessicagoodman and buy her books!
You can support Normal Gossip directly bybuying merch or becoming a Friend or a Friend-of-Friend at supportnormalgossip.com.
Episode transcript here.
Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at normalgossip@defector.com or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.
Normal Gossip is hosted by Kelsey McKinney (@mckinneykelsey) and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs).
Credits by Shira Belén Buchsbaum.
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Sep 7, 2022 • 1h 4min
S3 Ep1: Righteous Lesbian Energy with Samantha Irby
Welcome to season 3! We're kicking it off with writer and comedian Samantha Irby for a story about a misguided move to the South and a rogue HOA president.
You can support Normal Gossip directly bybuying merch or becoming a Friend or a Friend-of-Friend at supportnormalgossip.com.
Episode transcript here.
Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at normalgossip@defector.com or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.
Normal Gossip is hosted by Kelsey McKinney (@mckinneykelsey) and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs).
Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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