Can a story be true even when most of its details are false? In 2005, Malcolm told a story at the Moth about his early days as a journalist. When he was accused of falsifying the facts, he admitted he’d made a lot of them up—but he insists the story wasn’t a lie. Host: Brian Phillips Producers: Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins, and Vikram Patel Sound Design: Kaya McMullen Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville You can check out Malcolm’s Moth story in full on ‘This American Life’ here: “<a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/348/tough-room/act-four-1">Tough News Room.</a>” And if you want to take a really deep dive into this episode, you can read Jack Shafer’s Slate story here: “<a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2008/03/separating-bunk-from-fact-in-malcolm-gladwell-s-performance-at-a-new-york-storytelling-forum.html">The Fibbing Point.</a>” But don’t click on these links until after you’ve listened to this episode—unless you love spoilers. Which would be weird, frankly. Just press play! Good grief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

Can a story be true even when most of its details are false? In 2005, Malcolm told a story at the Moth about his early days as a journalist. When he was accused of falsifying the facts, he admitted he’d made a lot of them up—but he insists the story wasn’t a lie. Host: Brian Phillips Producers: Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins, and Vikram Patel Sound Design: Kaya McMullen Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville You can check out Malcolm’s Moth story in full on ‘This American Life’ here: “Tough News Room.” And if you want to take a really deep dive into this episode, you can read Jack Shafer’s Slate story here: “The Fibbing Point.” But don’t click on these links until after you’ve listened to this episode—unless you love spoilers. Which would be weird, frankly. Just press play! Good grief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can a story be true even when most of its details are false? In 2005, Malcolm told a story at the Moth about his early days as a journalist. When he was accused of falsifying the facts, he admitted he’d made a lot of them up—but he insists the story wasn’t a lie. Host: Brian Phillips Producers: Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins, and Vikram Patel Sound Design: Kaya McMullen Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville You can check out Malcolm’s Moth story in full on ‘This American Life’ here: “<a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/348/tough-room/act-four-1" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tough News Room.</a>” And if you want to take a really deep dive into this episode, you can read Jack Shafer’s Slate story here: “<a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2008/03/separating-bunk-from-fact-in-malcolm-gladwell-s-performance-at-a-new-york-storytelling-forum.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Fibbing Point.</a>” But don’t click on these links until after you’ve listened to this episode—unless you love spoilers. Which would be weird, frankly. Just press play! Good grief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

4. The Little Bird, With Malcolm Gladwell

How far would you go to watch your favorite TV show? During the heyday of ‘Game of Thrones,’ Zito was working late hours as the assistant manager of a video store, which made it hard to keep up with the action in Westeros. His solution? A lie so diabolical it was worthy of a ‘Thrones’ episode unto itself. Host: Brian Phillips Producers: Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins, and Vikram Patel Sound Design: Kaya McMullen Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville For more from Zito, check out his remarkable first book, ‘The Minotaur at Calle Lanza.’ For more on the latest trends in adult wands and toys, use a search engine. Or maybe just drive through New Jersey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

How far would you go to watch your favorite TV show? During the heyday of ‘Game of Thrones,’ Zito was working late hours as the assistant manager of a video store, which made it hard to keep up with the action in Westeros. His solution? A lie so diabolical it was worthy of a ‘Thrones’ episode unto itself. Host: Brian Phillips Producers: Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins, and Vikram Patel Sound Design: Kaya McMullen Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville For more from Zito, check out his remarkable first book, ‘The Minotaur at Calle Lanza.’ For more on the latest trends in adult wands and toys, use a search engine. Or maybe just drive through New Jersey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How far would you go to watch your favorite TV show? During the heyday of ‘Game of Thrones,’ Zito was working late hours as the assistant manager of a video store, which made it hard to keep up with the action in Westeros. His solution? A lie so diabolical it was worthy of a ‘Thrones’ episode unto itself. Host: Brian Phillips Producers: Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins, and Vikram Patel Sound Design: Kaya McMullen Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville For more from Zito, check out his remarkable first book, ‘The Minotaur at Calle Lanza.’ For more on the latest trends in adult wands and toys, use a search engine. Or maybe just drive through New Jersey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

3. The Land of the Dead, With Zito Madu

This is a podcast about lies and the people who tell them. Which means this is a podcast about you. Welcome to ‘Truthless,’ a new series that goes deep into the dark, and often very funny, world of human deception. Host: Brian Phillips Producers: Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins, and Vikram Patel Sound Design: Kaya McMullen Audio Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville Voices Featured in the Trailer: The Kid Mero, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Malcolm Gladwell, Katie Baker, and more Animation: Claudia Dillard, Lindsay Kilbury, Tate Gibson and Alex Popkin of Ingenuity Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

This is a podcast about lies and the people who tell them. Which means this is a podcast about you. Welcome to ‘Truthless,’ a new series that goes deep into the dark, and often very funny, world of human deception. Host: Brian Phillips Producers: Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins, and Vikram Patel Sound Design: Kaya McMullen Audio Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville Voices Featured in the Trailer: The Kid Mero, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Malcolm Gladwell, Katie Baker, and more Animation: Claudia Dillard, Lindsay Kilbury, Tate Gibson and Alex Popkin of Ingenuity Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is a podcast about lies and the people who tell them. Which means this is a podcast about you. Welcome to ‘Truthless,’ a new series that goes deep into the dark, and often very funny, world of human deception. Host: Brian Phillips Producers: Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins, and Vikram Patel Sound Design: Kaya McMullen Audio Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville Voices Featured in the Trailer: The Kid Mero, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Malcolm Gladwell, Katie Baker, and more Animation: Claudia Dillard, Lindsay Kilbury, Tate Gibson and Alex Popkin of Ingenuity Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

Introducing ‘Truthless’

This is a podcast about the lies people tell.

Science says that 60% of people can’t get through a 10-minute conversation without telling at least one lie. (Ten minutes!) These lies, told by normal people, provide the backbone of this show.&nbsp;

Truthless is a curiosity-driven storytelling show, featuring one central interview in each episode. Together, Brian and the guest will retell the story of a lie, and in the process try to make sense of the insecurities, desires and vanities that drove the guest to tell that lie in the first place. Season 1 will feature a wide spectrum of stories, including: catfishing; lying to your parents; inventing your family when talking to strangers; and faking your own death to get out of a job. The guests will include a few celebrities (Malcolm Gladwell, The Kid Mero), a few Ringer colleagues (Katie Baker, Rob Harvilla, Tyler Parker), some great stories told by less well-known names. The takeaway: everybody lies, and it’s worth hearing about.

Society & Culture

This is a podcast about the lies people tell. Science says that 60% of people can’t get through a 10-minute conversation without telling at least one lie. (Ten minutes!) These lies, told by normal people, provide the backbone of this show.  Truthless is a curiosity-driven storytelling show, featuring one central interview in each episode. Together, Brian and the guest will retell the story of a lie, and in the process try to make sense of the insecurities, desires and vanities that drove the guest to tell that lie in the first place. Season 1 will feature a wide spectrum of stories, including: catfishing; lying to your parents; inventing your family when talking to strangers; and faking your own death to get out of a job. The guests will include a few celebrities (Malcolm Gladwell, The Kid Mero), a few Ringer colleagues (Katie Baker, Rob Harvilla, Tyler Parker), some great stories told by less well-known names. The takeaway: everybody lies, and it’s worth hearing about.

Share Truthless

Sign up to save your podcasts

Truthless

Truthless episodes

About Truthless

More shows like Truthless

Blank Check with Griffin & David