podcast friday

 This week's podcast is something completely different from my usual intense political stuff. Someone told me about "Normal Gossip" with Kelsey McKinney, and I have been burning through the episodes in order. It's a show where Kelsey and a guest discuss a low-stakes, anonymous bit of gossip, as well as the role that gossip plays culturally in cementing relationships, community safety, entertainment, and social norms. But mainly it's about a hilarious story that happened to someone, but not someone you know. The situation has already blown up and the gossip has been ethically sourced, so you're not harming anyone by hearing about it. And it's always extremely funny.

The podcast fills a highly specific need that I have, which is unstructured hangout time with a few friends where we just shoot the shit. I am more social now than I was during the last few years, but my fun is still mainly organized, and tense because everyone has different levels of risk tolerance, and the whole "well, let's just get together and talk" thing doesn't happen organically like it used to. It's just nice to laugh about a funny story, you know?

My favourite episode so far is "Can I Say Something Bitchy? with Rachelle Hampton," wherein our heroine moves to a small town and tries to make new friends during the pandemic. What could possibly go wrong? What could be more wholesome than a knitting circle? We all know knitters are friendly, welcoming sorts who just want to help new knitters learn how to knit better. Surely there is no drama to be found there.

Well.

Enjoy.