Today, we’re bringing you an episode of Try Hard,a new podcast hosted and produced by one of our very own dowager queens of gossip, Alex Sujong Laughlin.

This episode is the second episode of the season, and it features a familiar face, Erika Casupanan, the winner of the 41st season of Survivor, and a guest from the fifth season of Normal Gossip. 

Erika spent her life being the person she thought she "should" be. It turns out that doing her own thing doesn't rock the world the way she thinks it will. It's actually pretty cool.

Check out Erika's podcast, Happy to See Me.

Episode transcript here.

Send me voice memos about the things YOU'RE trying at [email protected], or you can message me or tag me on Instagram @alexlaughs.

Try Hard is hosted and produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin. Editorial and production support from Audrey Mardavich, Tom Ley, and Jae Towle Vieira. Justin Ellis is Defector's projects editor. Mixing by Samantha Gattsek. Our show art is by Lille Allen and our theme song is "Photo Booth" by Avery Friedman.

Try Hard is a proud member of Radiotopia.

Today's treat: an episode from our secret feed vault. If you'd like to get in on these monthly extra episodes, subscribe as a Friend or a Friend-of-a-Friend. Our guest this time is Sabrina Imbler! After catching up on Sabs' latest project—a series of interviews with federal workers fired by the Trump administration—Rachelle and Sabs partake in a batch of gossipy voice memos from our inbox.

Sign up to watch SPLITSVILLE with Rachelle on August 16th here.

You can find Sabs' interview with fired CDC Health Communications Manager Sarah Boim here.

You can find the rest of the interviews in this series here.

You can subscribe to Sabs' newsletter Creatures NYC here. 

Get your tickets for the Normal Gossip Live tour here!

Subscribe to our newsletter for writing from Rachelle, Se'era, Jae, Alex, and Kelsey, plus blog recommendations and secrets!

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 [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.

Normal Gossip is hosted by Rachelle Hampton (@heyydnae) and produced by Se'era Spragley Ricks (@seera_sharae) and Jae Towle Vieira (@jaetowlevieira). Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs) is our Supervising Producer. Justin Ellis is Defector's projects editor. Show art by Tara Jacoby.

Normal Gossip is a proud member of Radiotopia.

Surprise! In today's bonus episode, Alex Sujong Laughlin and Patrick Redford join Rachelle for some delectable morsels of gossip and not one but TWO big announcements! 

Try Hard premieres July 28th! Subscribe here or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Look out for Only If You Get Caught this fall! 

Get your tickets for the Normal Gossip Live tour here!

Subscribe to our newsletter for writing from Rachelle, Se'era, Jae, Alex, and Kelsey, plus blog recommendations and secrets!

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 [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.

Normal Gossip is hosted by Rachelle Hampton (@heyydnae) and produced by Se'era Spragley Ricks (@seera_sharae) and Jae Towle Vieira (@jaetowlevieira). Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs) is our Supervising Producer. Justin Ellis is Defector's projects editor. Show art by Tara Jacoby.

Normal Gossip is a proud member of Radiotopia.

It is the season 8 FINALE and we've got the iconic Shea Couleé here with us for a tale of love and ambition amongst polyamorous bee farmers. Watch Shea in IRONHEART on June 24th and follow her on Instagram here. 

Get your tickets for the Normal Gossip Live tour here!

Subscribe to our newsletter for writing from Rachelle, Se'era, Jae, Alex, and Kelsey, plus blog recommendations and secrets!

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.

Order Kelsey's book, You Didn’t Hear This From Me, here!

Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.

Normal Gossip is hosted by Rachelle Hampton (@heyydnae) and produced by Se'era Spragley Ricks (@seera_sharae) and Jae Towle Vieira (@jaetowlevieira). Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs) is our Supervising Producer. Justin Ellis is Defector's projects editor. Show art by Tara Jacoby.

Normal Gossip is a proud member of Radiotopia.

Our editor Brandy Jensen joins us for a good old fashioned neighborly feud. 

Read Brandy's essay, which she wrote for the Yale Review, called the Polycrisis here.

Get your tickets for the Normal Gossip Live tour here!

Subscribe to our newsletter for writing from Rachelle, Se'era, Jae, Alex, and Kelsey, plus blog recommendations and secrets!

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.

Order Kelsey's book, You Didn’t Hear This From Me, here!

Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.

Normal Gossip is hosted by Rachelle Hampton (@heyydnae) and produced by Se'era Spragley Ricks (@seera_sharae) and Jae Towle Vieira (@jaetowlevieira). Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs) is our Supervising Producer. Justin Ellis is Defector's projects editor. Show art by Tara Jacoby.

Normal Gossip is a proud member of Radiotopia.

Vinson Cunningham accompanies us to a fancy private school where the parents tend to get a little too involved in the yearly fundraiser. Follow Vinson on Instagram here. 

Get your tickets for the Normal Gossip Live tour here!

Subscribe to our newsletter for writing from Rachelle, Se'era, Jae, Alex, and Kelsey, plus blog recommendations and secrets!

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. 

Order Kelsey's book, You Didn’t Hear This From Me, here!

Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.

Normal Gossip is hosted by Rachelle Hampton (@heyydnae) and produced by Se'era Spragley Ricks (@seera_sharae) and Jae Towle Vieira (@jaetowlevieira). Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs) is our Supervising Producer. Justin Ellis is Defector's projects editor. Show art by Tara Jacoby.

Normal Gossip is a proud member of Radiotopia.

Sam Sanders returns for some gossip about a case of "accidental" love-bombing in a hostel. Follow Sam on Instagram here and check out The Sam Sanders Show for more hot takes on entertainment and culture. We recommend you start here.

Get your tickets for the Normal Gossip Live tour here!

Subscribe to our newsletter for writing from Rachelle, Se'era, Jae, Alex, and Kelsey, plus blog recommendations and secrets!

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.

Order Kelsey's book, You Didn’t Hear This From Me, here!

Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.

Normal Gossip is hosted by Rachelle Hampton (@heyydnae) and produced by Se'era Spragley Ricks (@seera_sharae) and Jae Towle Vieira (@jaetowlevieira). Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs) is our Supervising Producer. Justin Ellis is Defector's projects editor. Show art by Tara Jacoby.

Normal Gossip is a proud member of Radiotopia.

Nadira Goffe comes with us to a shared rental house simmering with tension over roaches, cats, and a very special stew. Follow Nadira on Instagram here. 

Get your tickets for the Normal Gossip Live tour here!

Subscribe to our newsletter for writing from Rachelle, Se'era, Jae, Alex, and Kelsey, plus blog recommendations and secrets!

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.

Order Kelsey's book, You Didn’t Hear This From Me, here!

Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.

Normal Gossip is hosted by Rachelle Hampton (@heyydnae) and produced by Se'era Spragley Ricks (@seera_sharae) and Jae Towle Vieira (@jaetowlevieira). Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs) is our Supervising Producer. Justin Ellis is Defector's projects editor. Show art by Tara Jacoby.

Normal Gossip is a proud member of Radiotopia.

Rebecca Jennings accompanies us to LARP Camp for a tale of dice, ghosts, and forbidden love. 

Pre-order Rebecca's book Be The Bombshell: What Love Island Teaches Us About Dating here and follow her on Instagram here. 

Get your tickets for the Normal Gossip Live tour here! 

Subscribe to our newsletter for writing from Rachelle, Se'era, Jae, Alex, and Kelsey, plus blog recommendations and secrets!

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. 

Order Kelsey's book, You Didn’t Hear This From Me, here!

Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.

Normal Gossip is hosted by Rachelle Hampton (@heyydnae) and produced by Se'era Spragley Ricks (@seera_sharae) and Jae Towle Vieira (@jaetowlevieira). Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs) is our Supervising Producer. Justin Ellis is Defector's projects editor. Show art by Tara Jacoby.

Normal Gossip is a proud member of Radiotopia.

Alanna Bennett joins us to explore what happens to you—physically and metaphysically—when you get into a fight with a magician. 

Subscribe to our newsletter for writing from Rachelle, Se'era, Jae, Alex, and Kelsey, plus blog recommendations and secrets!

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. 

Order Kelsey's book, You Didn’t Hear This From Me, here!

Follow the show on Instagram @normalgossip, and if you have gossip, email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 26-79-GOSSIP.

Normal Gossip is hosted by Rachelle Hampton (@heyydnae) and produced by Se'era Spragley Ricks (@seera_sharae) and Jae Towle Vieira (@jaetowlevieira). Alex Sujong Laughlin (@alexlaughs) is our Supervising Producer. Justin Ellis is Defector's projects editor. Show art by Tara Jacoby.

Normal Gossip is a proud member of Radiotopia.