Weird Work

Weird Work

By Sam Balter & Matthew BrownSociety & CultureDocumentaryPersonal Journals
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Weird Work episodes

  • “I created The Museum of Selfies.”
    Tommy Honton has a familiar story. Aspiring screenwriter who sets out to make it big in Hollywood. But eight years later, he found himself disillusioned and unhappy with his job. Rather than let the fear of complacency settle in, Tommy pursued another form of storytelling. This week, Sam talks with Tommy about designing immersive and experiential spaces like The Museum of Selfies and an unconventional escape room. Plus, he offers some advice for how to break out of the 9 to 5.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
  • “I perform with cats and rats for Cirque Du Sewer.”
    Melissa Arleth always loved rats. But she was also fond of her feline pets, too. So she took them both onstage with her and created Cirque Du Sewer, the world’s only cat and rat circus. Sam talks with this acrobat about working with acro-rats… and one confused cat. And he finds out that nature’s mortal enemies can not only get along, but put on a damn good show.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
  • “I’m a professional hand model.”
    You can spot Ashly Covington out in public or on the subway pretty easily. She’s the one wearing long black gloves, a sunproof hoodie, and playing an invisible horn. Such is the life of a professional hand model. In today’s episode, Sam and Ashly talk about the dedication it takes to cut it as a hand model, how Ashly broke into the business, and why the industry term for hand model work is perhaps the most unprofessional name out there.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min
  • “I’m a dungeon master for Dungeons & Dragons.”
    You’re stranded on a desert island. What do you do? If you’re Timm Woods, you find the nearest rock and start carving away at your latest Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Timm is a dungeon master, the game wizard who meticulously crafts each game. He tells Sam how he turned his lifelong passion into a profession, and why he still can’t accurately describe the game to his own parents.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min
  • “I’m a professional mom.”
    Nina Keneally is the founder of NeedaMomNYC, where for $40 an hour she’ll give you the full mom experience. Nina offers sage advice, helps you battle your landlord over security deposits, and weighs-in on big life decisions. But how do other moms feel when a stranger gives their child advice? Sam calls his own mom to get a second opinion.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
  • “I write obituaries for The Economist.”
    Ann Wroe writes obituaries for The Economist. And she knows what you’re thinking: Writing about death must be terribly depressing, right? Maybe, but not for Ann. Sam gets Ann’s take on how she deals with death, and Ann shares her unique approach to writing about those who live on in the pages of the magazine.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
  • “I turn accidental fur into high fashion.”
    Pamela Paquin may have grown up on a farm, but she never thought her life would forever be linked with animals. She was living in Denmark with a high-paying job when her life was completely upended. That’s when Pamela began to notice inefficiencies in the fur industry. And after seeing the amount of fur going to waste on the side of the road, she grabbed a knife and got to work. She now creates high fashion from accidental fur for her company Peace Fur.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min
  • “I’m a professional gamer.”
    Peter “PPD” Dager is one of the winningest professional gamers in history. But we’re not just talking about trophies. Peter has made millions (and millions) of dollars as a professional gamer.Sam talks with Peter about his journey from being on top of the gaming world with Evil Geniuses, to becoming the team’s CEO, only to return once more to the lights, camera, controller with his new team, OpTic Gaming.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/weird-work/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/weird-work/support

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min
  • “I uncover conspiracy theories.”
    Katelyn Hempstead is a comedian and the host of Lizard People: Comedy & Conspiracy Theories, a podcast where her brilliant friends try to convince her to believe different conspiracy theories. You can even find Sam on there talking about the rogue artificial intelligence that created Bitcoin. Today, Sam and Katelyn peel back the podcast curtain to reveal how anyone (even the Illuminati) can get into the podcast game and grow an audience.

    --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/weird-work/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/weird-work/support

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min
  • “I’m a professional wingman.”
    Thomas Edwards is a real life Hitch. And after nearly a decade of work, he’s helped over 150 people find love and get married. But this self-proclaimed hopeless romantic wasn’t always the ideal wingman.Thomas’ journey starts with Gary Vaynerchuck, hits a potential detour courtesy of Mark Cuban, and ends with the founding of a global wingman empire.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/weird-work/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/weird-work/support

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min

About Weird Work

From the publisher's feed

Not everyone is fit for the 9 to 5. Weird Work celebrates all the folks who've pursued their passion and made a living -- no matter how weird it might sound. Hosted by Sam Balter & produced by…

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