Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People

Should this week's caller quit his lucrative corporate job to pursue his passion? His dream is to purchase a small business but he's nervous that he'll lose his financial stability. Chris chats with him about the plusses and minuses at play in this big life decision. This episode is brought to you by Squarespace (www.squarespace.com code: CG), Subaru (www.meetanowner.com), ZipRecruiter (www.ziprecruiter.com/beautiful), and Uber (www.uber.com/drivenow).

Gethard has a threesome! Okay, okay...it's just a three-way phone call, but this week's callers are a married couple who talk to Chris about their swinging lifestyle. Find out how they meet other swinger couples, what the proper etiquette is in an 8-person orgy, and how they make sure their babysitter doesn't find out. This episode is brought to you by Squarespace (www.squarespace.com code: CG), Subaru (www.meetanowner.com), Blue Apron (www.blueapron.com/beautiful), Uber (www.uber.com/drivenow).

Chris asks a midwife some real questions: has she ever seen someone in labor punch someone else? And, what happens to the schmutz left behind after a birth? Politically divisive topics are covered and important lessons are learned (like, never tell a family that the baby looks just like the dad). This episode is brought to you by Subaru (www.meetanowner.com), Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Warby Parker (www.warbyparker.com/stories), Casper Mattresses (www.casper.com/beautiful), and Bombas (www.bombas.com/stories).

It's a story like something out of a surreal American novel, with wealth and poverty intertwined. On the phone while hiking a mountain, this week's caller tells Chris about his youth, spent experimenting with every drug known to man. Chris was reminded of the famous quote from professional wrestler Dusty Rhodes: "I have wined and dined with kings and queens and I've slept in alleys and dined on pork and beans."This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Subaru (www.meetanowner.com), ZipRecruiter (www.ziprecruiter.com/beautiful), Bombas (www.bombas.com/stories), Uber (www.uber.com/drivenow).

Assigned as a female at birth, this week's caller has been socially and medically transitioning for close to four years. He answers some of the most common questions cis people have for trans people. He also tells Gethard what questions you probably should not ask a trans person. And somehow, this involves the Italian ham known on The Sopranos as "gabagool."This episode is brought to you by Squarespace (www.squarespace.com code: CG), Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), and Bombas (www.bombas.com/stories).

After graduating from the actual (pre-Jack Black) School of Rock, playing with the likes of Peter Frampton, this week's caller found himself traveling the world as a cruise ship musician. Get the behind-the-scenes details on life at sea and its secret black market economy, plus hear a very special Springsteen sing-a-long between two Jerseyites. This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Seeso (www.seeso.com/beautiful), Casper Mattresses (www.casper.com/beautiful), and Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful).

For the one-year anniversary episode, Chris reunites with the very first Beautiful Anonymous caller: Ron Paul's Baby. Find out if having his story told to millions of people has changed him for better or worse. Did the spotlight destroy him or save him? Most importantly - has it gotten him some dates?This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Seeso (www.seeso.com), ZipRecruiter (www.ziprecruiter.com/beautiful), and Blue Apron (www.blueapron.com/BEAUTIFUL).

A chance encounter at a coffee shop unearthed difficult experiences from this caller's high school years. The troublesome nature of the call brings out Chris's anger and rarely-seen "North-Jersey-guy-ready-to-break-bones" side.This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Squarespace (www.squarespace.com code: CG), Seeso (www.seeso.com code: BEAUTIFUL), and Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful).

Having a reformed criminal kingpin for a dad has made it difficult for this week's caller to find his path in life. At his father's urging, he studied water systems engineering, which means he can answer a serious question that's been on Geth's mind: Why does the tap water smell so weird in Florida? The answer to that question may be a bit hard to grasp, but understanding will be found in the idea that a good father will respect his child's hard work and dedication.This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Squarespace (www.squarespace.com code: CG), Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), and Warby Parker (www.warbyparker.com/stories).

The caste system, religion, arranged marriages and bisexuality are on the mind of this caffeinated caller. Raised in Kenya and India, educated in California and currently living on the East Coast, he opens up about dealing with his conservative religious family. The conversation spans from breaking down western stereotypes about Indian culture, to the amazing dosa place that Gethard goes to in Queens. This episode is brought to you by Seeso (www.seeso.com code: BEAUTIFUL), Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), and ZipRecruiter (www.ziprecruiter.com/beautiful).

Interested in the intricacies of how the US electrical grid functions? No? Well, you will be interested in hearing about how the caller wants to "disconnect from her ex-boyfriend's power grid". Love, in the language of electricity. Sit back and soak up the metaphors. This episode is brought to you by Squarespace (www.squarespace.com code: CG), Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Blue Apron (www.blueapron.com/beautiful), and Casper Mattresses (www.casper.com/beautiful).

Today's caller is recovering from a serious illness acquired while working on peace building in East Africa. He likes to give Chris a hard time but also talks about some deep stuff, like contemplating how to maintain one's idealism and passion when suffering from chronic illness. Also, he hopes the Beautiful Anonymous community can help him find a permanent home for a dog he's currently fostering.This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), and Match.com (www.match.com/beautiful).

At a young age, he found himself a divorced father of four. Battling depression, all he wanted was to find a nice girl to take on a date for some spaghetti and meatballs. Recovering from the low point in his life, and from career stagnation, this college dropout wants to finish his degree and become a teacher. This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), Warby Parker (www.warbyparker.com/stories), and ZipRecruiter (www.ziprecruiter.com/beautiful).

Addicted to heroin for ten years, this week's caller got clean because she wanted to be a good mother to her new son. She tells Chris about how she started using when a high school boyfriend introduced her to pills. Eventually she was living in her car and spending time in jail, where she networked with other addicts and dealers. She hopes that by speaking with Chris she can help those who may be dealing with addiction themselves or have friends or family who need help by making clear that they are not alone. If you're looking for a place to get help, some have found na.org and aa.org to be helpful.This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Squarespace (www.squarespace.com code: CG), and Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/BEAUTIFUL).

Raised by parents who moved from Vietnam to the United States in search of a better life, this week's caller is her family's first American-born child. She talks about defying stereotypes and asserting her independence by dying her hair. Find out how her "Tiger parents" reacted when she embraced a goth punk identity in middle school and later when she went to work for a non-profit.This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com), Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), Secrets, Crimes and Audiotape podcast from Wondery, and Blue Apron (www.blueapron.com/beautiful).

How horny are high school marching band kids? Is it appropriate for a boy to dye his hair in the girls bathroom? This week's caller drank a sh**-ton (sorry Sally) of coffee and raises these very important questions. She also uses her practiced 'compassionate teacher' voice on Chris, and gets him to open up about his feelings on creativity, fame and success.This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp ( www.mailchimp.com ), Squarespace ( www.squarespace.com code: CG), Blue Apron ( www.blueapron.com/BEAUTIFUL ), and Casper Mattresses ( www.casper.com/beautiful ).

Growing up as a black woman in rural Appalachia wasn't easy. She was different, and she was bullied. But punk rock saved her, and helped her form her own identity. Chris interrupts her Snapchatting at the start of the call, which leads to a discussion about their experiences with social media around the election.This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp ( www.mailchimp.com ), Mack Weldon ( www.mackweldon.com code: BEAUTIFUL), Adam and Eve ( www.adamandeve.com code: STORIES), and Texture.

Brainwashed into a religious cult. Our caller escaped 10 years ago, but she's only now starting to process the trauma: from sexual manipulation and poison, to hallucinations and "mind melding". Chris talks about therapy (and discovers a mutual love for go kart rides). This episode is brought to you by Mack Weldon ( www.mackweldon.com code: BEAUTIFUL), Mailchimp ( www.mailchimp.com ), HUAWEI ( www.huawei.fit/AnonymousPeople ), Stamps.com ( www.stamps.com code: BEAUTIFUL), and Texture ( www.texture.com/beautiful ).

Today's caller discusses beating cancer and raising her son as a single mom. Through all of her struggles, big and small, she's stayed relentlessly positive. Let's just hope she doesn't get fired for talking to Chris for an hour while at work!This episode is brought to you by Mack Weldon ( www.mackweldon.com code: BEAUTIFUL), Mailchimp ( www.mailchimp.com ), Harry's ( www.harrys.com code: BEAUTIFUL), and Stamps.com (code: BEAUTIFUL).

A "dolphin" personality type. Betrayal. Anger. Lunch at a buddhist temple. This week's caller has it all. This episode is brought to you by AMEX, Mailchimp, Stamps.com, Harry's, and Talkspace.

A small town police officer chats with Chris about the current state of policing in the United States. They try their best to reconcile a divisive issue that incites a lot of passion on all sides. And this is all going on while our caller is on his couch watching Fail Army videos on YouTube.This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp, AMEX, HUAWEI, Casper Mattresses, and Joyable.

Hannibal Buress joins Chris on a call with a college freshman who is a lover of comedy struggling to find romance in his life. Should our caller ditch school and try his hand at comedy? Why were Chris and Hannibal crying last night? Is it normal to be aroused by stealing? These questions and many more will be answered.This episode is sponsored by Mack Weldon, Mailchimp, Totes, Stamps.com, and Talkspace.

Adopting a child from a foreign country takes a lot of time, patience, and passion. This week's caller has all of these things. He also has the hope that his son-to-be will have the opportunity to experience virtual reality toilets.This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp, Mack Weldon, Stamps.com, Talkspace, and Grommet.

Burner, fire-performer-hoola-hooper-grinder-girl, and maybe, a modern-day Shakespeare (on molly) are a few labels we could ascribe to this week's caller. She's been through a lot, including the very shocking breakup of her up-and-coming band. Oh, and on a lighter note: heard of shirt-cocking? Guys, just don't do it.This episode is brought to you by AMEX, Mailchimp, Stamps.com, Casper Mattresses, and Joyable.

Just in time for Halloween, Chris and this spirited artist trade spooky stories...until they are rudely interrupted by the ghost of an angry biker. But the corporeal beings prevail, if only for the caller to give Chris his least favorite nickname ever: Chris Giraffe-Herd.This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp, Talkspace, and Totes.

Did someone say "brain orgasms??" Today's caller did! She gives Geth a lesson in how to whisper in just the right way to make Beaut/Anon listeners' brains tingle & feel the stress melt away. ASMR me ASAP! This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp, Grommet, Psychic Source, and Stamps.com.

Dear Tom Waits, we look forward to hearing the song you write about this week's caller: falling in love with a stripper, skipping town in a blizzard, a christmas dinner in the demimonde of Boca Raton. This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp, Mack Weldon, Psychic Source, Stamps.com, and Joyable.

London Calling! (or somewhere in England) Our caller works in the film industry, and in general she's a pretty happy person...except when her phone is being monitored by Jar Jar Binks, or when 10,000 pounds disappear. (That's GBP, y'all!)This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp, Stamps.com, Grommet, and Insecure on HBO.

This week's caller is a linguist who teaches Geth all about the "corpora." In case that's too nerdy for you, hang around for the story about a first date that was captured on a Coast Guard thermal camera. And if you're still not satisfied, we'll take you shopping at the Face Depot. This episode is brought to you by Mailchimp, Talkspace, Audible, and Stamps.com.

Chris Gethard's Mom, Sally, is the kind that doesn't like her son swearing so much. Our caller's Mom is the kind that cheers when her daughter gets a penalty in a youth hockey game. She's also the kind of Mom that picks up the phone at work to be on a podcast she's never heard of. This episode is brought to you by Blue Apron, Casper Mattresses, and Talkspace.

Sure, there's stories about fighting neo-nazis, deranged tree-house guests, and a mom fetching her son's busted teeth. But peel back all the sensational layers and you'll find a man. A man trying to make sense of his childhood while trying to be a good father to his own child. This episode is sponsored by Blue Apron, Stamps.com, and Talkspace.

What is a Chronotope? And what does it have to do with time, space, love and sex? Come, walk with us through the streets of Paris, and everything will be explained. This episode is sponsored by DKMS, Mack Weldon, Stamps.com, and Talkspace.

Poo-tiful stories flow freely from this anonymous caller. And Geth steps in it.This episode is sponsored by Magoosh, DKMS, Talkspace, and Blue Apron.

Morrissey sings, "It takes strength to be gentle and kind." Well, Geth hasn't eaten all day, and this self-avowed "Noodlebody" is about to find out if the two hard-boiled eggs Gethard bought from the midtown 7-11 will provide enough strength for gentleness & kindness.This episode is sponsored by DKMS, Magoosh, Stamps.com, Stitch Fix, and Talkspace.

"You're about to hear me have more fun than I've ever had in the history of Beautiful/Anonymous." So sayeth Chris Gethard about this call, which moves from over emotional long distance running, to emo & screamo music, to a jaw dropping medical emergency. Chris is having so much fun that he invites a couple of the caller's friends to join the party. This episode is sponsored by Magoosh, DKMS, Talkspace, and Casper Mattresses.

For generations her family has been preaching fire and brimstone in the Pentecostal church, but this caller had to find her own way. A self-described, "Anglican bipolar black sheep," she is now preaching a much different message, dedicated to the treatment of mental illness. This episode is sponsored by DKMS, Magoosh, Blue Apron, Stamps.com, and Squarespace.

This former professional soccer player's life hasn't turned out anywhere close to what she planned -- but she's happy. And as she tells Chris, she's learning how to tap into her competitive spirit every day.This episode is sponsored by Mack Weldon, Talkspace, and Magoosh.

She's a mother of two and domestic abuse survivor who wants to talk about Trump. After hearing her life story Chris understands why she supports The Donald. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, Talkspace, and Stamps.com.

He loves animals! But kids? Not so much. This caller delves into his own childhood, his dislike of hardware megastores, and though there's a little darkness, this is one of the more lighthearted calls we've ever had.

A lot of people call up and share stories from their past. But today we are very much living in the present. It's almost like we're experiencing this caller's life with him as it is happening. All aboard the SEPTA train.This episode is sponsored by Seat Geek, Stamps.com, and Squarespace.

Loves hashtags & millennial abbreviations? Check. Has a deep knowledge of RomComs? Check. Found love in a hopeless place? Check. Name drops J-Lo and inspires Chris to sing some Peter Gabriel? Check.This episode is sponsored by Mack Weldon.

She's just 25, but her mother has early onset Alzheimers. This is a call about remembering those who can no longer remember themselves.This episode is sponsored by Ibotta and Audible.

It's the first ever taping of Beautiful/Anonymous from the Vulture Festival in NYC. The caller is a creative Canadian looking to sail her cardboard boat in the rough waters of daily life. Luckily the audience is on her side.This episode is sponsored by Mack Weldon, Casper Mattresses, Ibotta, and AMEX.Photos courtesy of The Vulture Festival.

This 25 year-old Californian is in the midst of a quarter-life crisis and turns to Chris for help. So they form a mutual appreciation society. #MAS This episode is sponsored by Ibotta, Chirpy, and AMEX.

A questioning Mormon and family man calls Chris up exactly 1 hour and 15 minutes before his final law exam of the semester. But this phone call is more important to him than the test.This episode is sponsored by AMEX, Mack Weldon, Chirpy, Stamps.com...

Two years ago a note came in the mail with surprising and horrifying news about her husband. But despite all the darkness that's crept into her life she is shining with positivity.This episode is sponsored by AMEX, Ibotta, Stamps.com, Chirpy, and...

We get our first hangup and it's pretty rattling. Let us know what you think. This episode is sponsored by AMEX, SundanceNow Doc Club, Framebridge, and Stamps.com.

This entrepreneur seems like he's got it all figured out. But there are certain things he will never reveal to Chris. Plus: how a volcano inadvertently caused the best trip he's ever had in his life.

After 8 years and 4 kids he is more in love with her than ever. But she may not be in love with him. This is the first time he's talking to anyone about it. This episode is sponsored by Mack Weldon, Squarespace, and Framebridge.

This nurse has been up for 24 hours. Chris has the chance to ask her some questions that have been on his mind for a while.