Normal Gossip

Normal Gossip is a podcast produced by Defector Media and Radiotopia. 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,   Normal Gossip has released six seasons and garnered more than 10 million listens.

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.

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

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

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.