Normal Gossip

{{Infobox podcast | italic = yes | image = Normal-Gossip-official-logo.jpg | host = Kelsey McKinney {{small|(seasons 1–7)}}<br> Rachelle Hampton {{small|(season 7–)}} | genre = Conversation | creator = Kelsey McKinney<br>Alex Sujong Laughlin | language = English | length = ~1 hour | country = United States | production = ''Defector Media'' <br> Radiotopia (since 2023) | num_seasons = 9 | began = January 5, 2022 }}

'''''Normal Gossip''''' is a podcast produced by ''Defector Media'' and Radiotopia.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 27, 2023 |title=All The Gossip About Normal Gossip's New Partner |url=https://defector.com/all-the-gossip-about-normal-gossips-new-partner |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Defector Media |language=en}}</ref> 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.

Named one of the best podcasts of 2022 by ''Vulture'', ''Time'', ''The Atlantic'' and ''Here & Now'',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quah |first=Nicholas |date=December 6, 2022 |title=The Best Podcasts of 2022 |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-podcasts-of-2022.html |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Vulture |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Dockterman |first=Eliana |date=November 14, 2022 |title=The 10 Best Podcasts of 2022 |url=https://time.com/6219470/best-podcasts-2022/ |access-date=2023-09-24 |magazine=Time |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=McQuade |first1=Eric |last2=Standley |first2=Laura Jane |date=December 30, 2022 |title=The 35 Best Podcasts of 2022 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2022/12/best-podcasts-2022/672613/ |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The best podcasts of 2022: 'Mother Country Radicals,' 'Normal Gossip' and more |url=https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2022/12/29/best-2022-podcasts |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Here and Now |date=December 29, 2022 |publisher=WBUR |language=en}}</ref> Normal Gossip has released nine seasons and garnered more than 10 million listens.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Greenberg |first=Zoe |date=May 30, 2023 |title=Kelsey McKinney is building a (socialist) gossip empire from Queen Village |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |url=https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/pop/normal-gossip-kelsey-mckinney-philadelphia-20230530.html |access-date=September 24, 2023}}</ref>

== 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.<ref name=":0" />

The show launched in early 2022, quickly attracting thousands of listeners per episode.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Scire |first=Sarah |date=June 8, 2023 |title=You didn't hear this from me, but Defector is getting a subscriber boost from its podcast Normal Gossip |url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2022/06/you-didnt-hear-this-from-me-but-defector-is-getting-a-subscriber-boost-from-its-podcast-normal-gossip/ |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Nieman Lab}}</ref> In April 2023, it joined Radiotopia, a network of indie podcasts administered by PRX.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 27, 2023 |title="Normal Gossip" from Kelsey McKinney, Alex Sujong Laughlin, and Defector Media Joins Radiotopia from PRX |url=https://podnews.net/press-release/normal-gossip-radiotopia |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=podnews.net |language=en}}</ref> In summer 2023, the show produced a series of live events across the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosenthal |first=Abigail |date=August 10, 2023 |title=How Texas Tall Tales Became 'Normal Gossip,' the Favorite Podcast of Snoops and Blabbermouths |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/normal-gossip-podcast-kelsey-mckinney/ |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Texas Monthly |language=en}}</ref>

== Format == Episodes originate with stories of interpersonal conflict submitted by fans, referred to as the show's "friend of a friend";<ref name=":0" /> Laughlin has said she prefers they be contributed by a bystander rather than one of the subjects.<ref name=":1" /> The stories lean light-hearted rather than serious, addressing topics such as romance, friendship, roommates, neighbors and colleagues.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Erin |date=October 2, 2022 |title='Normal Gossip' podcast is an alternative to desensitization |url=http://www.michigandaily.com/arts/b-side/desensitization-entertainment-and-the-role-of-normal-gossip/ |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=The Michigan Daily |language=en-US}}</ref> Producers vet the submissions for basic fairness and accuracy, then remove identifying details such as locations and organizations.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Quah |first=Nicholas |date=September 7, 2022 |title=The Best Gossip You've Never Heard |url=https://www.vulture.com/2022/09/normal-gossip-podcast-interview.html |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Vulture |language=en}}</ref>

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.<ref name=":1" />

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.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quah |first=Nicholas |date=2024-12-10 |title=Why Normal Gossip's Creators Are Stepping Away |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/normal-gossip-host-change-interview.html |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=Vulture |language=en}}</ref>

== Seasons == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="padding: 0 8px;" |Season ! rowspan="2" style="padding: 0 8px;" |Episodes ! colspan="2" |Originally aired |- !First aired !Last aired |- | style="background: #A62821;" | |1 |10 |{{Start date|2022|1|5}} |{{End date|2022|5|3}} |- | style="background: #3A54A1;" | |2 |10 | style="padding: 0 8px;" |{{Start date|2022|5|17}} |{{End date|2022|8|23}} |- | style="background: #D9C300;" | |3 |8 | style="padding: 0 8px;" |{{Start date|2022|9|6}} |{{End date|2022|10|25}} |- | style="background: #013220;" | |4 |10 |{{Start date|2023|04|4}} |{{End date|2023|06|06}} |- | style="background: #4AA8A7;" | |5 |10 |{{Start date|2023|10|18}} |{{End date|2023|12|19}} |- | style="background: #83439B;" | |6 |10 |{{Start date|2024|04|17}} |{{End date|2024|06|19}} |- | style="background: #ce602f;" | |7 |10 |{{Start date|2024|10|9}} |{{End date|2024|12|10}} |- | style="background: #6c0;" | |8 |10 |{{Start date|2025|4|9}} |{{End date|2025|6|11}} |- | style="background: #f9f;" | |9 |10 |{{Start date|2025|11|12}} |{{End date|2026|1|28}} |- |}

== References ==

Category:Radiotopia Category:Audio podcasts Category:2022 podcast debuts