On this show, host Meg Wolitzer gets friendly, and shares three stories about friendships of all kinds. Kelly Stout’s zinger “Let’s Get Drinks,” offers up the perils of conducting a social life via hyperbolic texts, which are hilariously performed by Jane Curtin and Jane Kaczmarek. Next, “True Friendship,” by Jorge Hernandez, describes a life-long friend who’s almost too good to be—true. The reader is Michael Urie. And three misfits fit together in Anthony Marra’s “The Last Words of Benito Picone,” performed by John Turturro. A brief interview with Turturro follows the story.

Host Meg Wolitzer presents three stories about perfect pairs, and what happens if and when they split up.  A friendship unravels in “Mrs. Carrington and Mrs. Crane,” by Dorothy Parker, performed by Mia Dillon and Rita Wolf.Writer Toure feels that there ought to be a corresponding ritual to marriage and commitment celebrations, and has created “The Breakup Ceremony,” performed by Maulik Pancholy.  And in “Twins,” by Philip Graham, siblings rediscover one another.  It’s performed by Michael Tucker.

Host Meg Wolitzer hands off to stage and film actor Teagle F. Bougere, our guest host for a show that celebrates the protean literary master and social activist Langston Hughes (1901-1967). It features three of his most striking works.  In “Passing” Hughes reflects on a difficult aspect of the Black experience—the need some felt to “pass” as white.  Program host Teagle F. Bougere is the reader.  Pauletta Pearson Washington reads the humorous and much anthologized “Thank You, M’am." And Joe Morton performs one of Hughes’ most celebrated works, “The Blues I’m Playing,” which charts the long and complex relationship between a brilliant young Black pianist and her white patron.  All three stories reflect Hughes’ explorations of questions of race, identity, and personal destiny. 

Host Meg Wolitzer presents two stories from a live evening at Symphony Space celebrating the prolific writer Stephen King.  It was hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead.

The program presents King in two different modes: the legendary scare-master who entered the horror genre with Carrie, and the author of stories that draw on memory and family like “The Last Rung on the Ladder.”  An excerpt from Carrie is read by Carrie Coon, and “The Last Rung on the Ladder” is read by John Benjamin Hickey. Colson Whitehead speaks briefly from the stage.

Host Meg Wolitzer presents two stories in which some things are saved and some are left behind. In Haruki Murakami’s “Lederhosen,” performed by Aasif Mandvi, the traditional German shorts become a singular obsession for one half of a married couple. In Elizabeth McCracken’s “Robinson Crusoe at the Waterpark,” a couple and their son find themselves in over their heads. Mike Doyle is the reader.

Host Meg Wolitzer presents stories that were presented as part of an evening with the writer Judy Blume that explored the issues around book banning, and featured works by two authors whose works have been banned. (Blume’s works have also frequently been banned.). First, Xu Mason’s witty “Finally a Book that Cannot be Banned,” imagines what it would take to write a work that could escape all censure.  It’s read by Troy Iwata.  Celebrated children’s author Roald Dahl cooks up the perfect murder in “Lamb to the Slaughter,” read by Catherine O’Hara. And David Sedaris recounts a challenging encounter with a young man in “Bruised,” read by Maulik Pancholy.  Some of Blume’s onstage remarks are included. 

Meg Wolitzer speaks with author Judy Blume about her life, her writing and the challenges of book banning.

On this Selected Shorts program, host Meg Wolitzer presents stories about journeys—physical and emotional—that end in unexpected places.  In “A Woman Driving Alone,” by Marie-Helene Bertino, the main character travels s long way to see a friend, but seems also to be escaping a challenging moment in her life.  The piece was commissioned for Selected Shorts’ anthology Small Odysseys, and is read by Amber Tamblyn.  In Tom Perrotta’s “Nine Inches”, a teacher drives only across town, to chaperone a middle school dance, but almost gets into trouble himself.  The story is performed by Santino Fontana.

This piece is by writer Maeve Dunigan. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker and in McSweeney's; and her first collection of humor pieces and essays, Read This to Look Cool, will be published in 2025.  Our reader was none other than Susie Essman, the longtime stand-up comic who spent many years yelling at Larry David while playing Susie Green on Curb Your Enthusiasm. She has also had recurring roles in series including Broad City and Hacks. After the story, Host Aparna Nancherla talks to Meg Wolitzer about this story; she's a novelist and the regular host of Selected Shorts—the show which provides Too Hot with its cornucopia of highbrow demi-smut. On top of all this, she is an avid Scrabble and Words with Friends player; so she surely knows about the feeling described in the story.

Host Meg Wolitzer presents three stories in that look at some of the ways we “keep score” in life even though we know it’s not a game.  Simon Rich explores the game as intergenerational competition in “The Tribal Rite of the Strombergs,” read by John Hodgman.  In Dylan Marron’s “Some News,” a man carefully tracks an old friend on social media, while eyeing his own accomplishments.  Marron is the reader. And Joanne Harris’ “Fule’s Gold,” a teacher tries to put himself on the board—by stealing points from an unwitting student. The reader is Gildart Jackson.