Podcast Beautiful/Anonymous with Chris Gethard - Anyone listen to it?

This is a pretty new podcast that I’m still deciding whether it is worth my time or not.

The premise: The host, Chris Gethard, speaks with a single anonymous caller for one hour (or less, if the caller chooses to end it early) on whatever topics the caller wants. The conversations typically have a main theme but invariably branch out into a wide variety of side topics.

From Wikipedia:

I’ve only listened to 3 episodes, and I’m still getting used to the podcast’s (and Gethard’s) style. One caller was a guy, calling from work, who hated his job and his life. Another was a guy who is married with 4 kids, has a good life, but his wife has zero interest in sex. The third caller I heard was a young woman who had trouble finding/keeping the right guy.

If you are into podcasts, it’s definitely a bit different and certainly worth seeking out. I’d be interested in hearing others’ opinions.
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I listen. I generally enjoy it so far but it grates on me how he says “you are definitely the most interesting caller I have had yet” or some variant in every single call. With only a handful of episodes so far that’s a low bar but it still sounds disingenuous.

I also think it’s important to mention that I don’t particularly like his voice. There’s a very loud movement to say that listeners who complain about vocal fry and upspeak and any number of other impediments and affectations are blowing a misogynistic dog whistle and would never criticize a man’s voice. Although Gethard isn’t nearly a bad as Altucher he still sounds like he has nerve damage in his throat and a malformed tongue and he’s struggling not to drown in his own saliva.

I guess that sounds pretty harsh but as I said, overall I generally enjoy it so far.

Gethard’s voice is a bit irritating, yes, but it alone wouldn’t drive me away.

What really annoys me is how often he says ‘wow’, as if the caller’s statement was way, way beyond belief.

Caller: “I have 4 kids”.

Gethard: “Wow. You have 4 kids??”

Caller: “Yes”.

Gethard: “Wow. Wow.”
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