Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People

Having dealt with mental health issues and an eating disorder this caller now helps others confront those problems. She tells Chris about the repercussions of coming out in a small town, and the two discuss their strategies for dealing with anxiety, including the best funny animal videos on YouTube. This episode is brought to you by Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), Casper Mattresses (www.casper.com/BEAUTIFUL), Stamps.com (www.stamps.com code: BEAUTIFUL), and Book of The Month: Bound to Delight (www.bookofthemonth.com/STORIES).

Sasquatch. Bigfoot. Skunk-Ape. Yeti. Whatever you want to call it, this week's caller is on the hunt. A homeschooled paranormal enthusiast, he tells Chris about some of the things he believes in. This episode is brought to you by Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson (www.audible.com/butterfly), Brooklinen (www.brooklinen.com code: BEAUTIFUL), and Honest Tea (www.honesttea.com/podcast).

An Aussie opens up about his family's history which includes tales of drug dealing, substance abuse, mental illness, sex addiction and trying to find God in a hot yoga studio. Something really special clicks between Gethard and the caller, and not just because Americans love an Australian accent. Recorded in front of a live audience in Baltimore, Maryland on June 11, 2017. This episode is brought to you by ZipRecruiter (www.ziprecruiter.com/BEAUTIFUL) and Book of the Month: Bound to Delight (www.bookofthemonth.com/STORIES).

What college major could possibly involve writing an academic paper comparing the 1968 film "The Parent Trap" with the 1998 remake starring Lindsay Lohan? It could only be Gethard's major, American Studies! This week's caller chats about what it's like to be an American Studies major during the Trump era and Chris shows off his talent for generating a good thesis. This episode is brought to you by Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), Redbox (www.redbox.com/games code: STORIES5), Brooklinen (www.brooklinen.com code: BEAUTIFUL), Blue Apron (www.blueapron.com/beautiful), and Bound to Delight (www.bookofthemonth.com/STORIES).

In this episode, a caller shares wild tattoo stories from a tattoo parlor. Secret family drama, rumors of the mafia, and internet stalking are unpacked. The speaker also discusses their dark humor, strange tattoo requests, and discovering a half-sibling through Ancestry.com.

A mother calls in from a children’s hospital discussing tragedy, sickness, pain and suffering. Birthday parties, gelato, Disney World and other awesome things come up. The high cost of healthcare and the impact of insurance coverage are discussed. A single mother of five children showcases her strength and resilience. The challenges of dealing with fame are explored. The speaker expresses concern and well wishes for someone about to have a conversation. The hosts of Cracked Movie Club introduce their new podcast analyzing films from a single director.

Gethard chats with a Soprano. As in the highest of the four singing voices in Opera, not a character from a popular HBO show. The caller speaks about troubled relationships from her past and, even more troubling, a serious childhood trauma. (Trigger warning: discussion related to childhood sexual abuse.) This episode is brought to you by Redbox (www.redbox.com/games), Honest Tea (www.honesttea.com/podcast), Away (www.awaytravel.com/stories), Thumbtack (www.thumbtack.com).

On her lunch break, today's caller engages in some light hearted chit chat about office gossip and her (sometimes frustrating) side gig as a wedding photographer. But then, when a hot button political issue comes up, things start to get heated. This episode is brought to you by Redbox (www.redbox.com/games code: STORIES), Subaru (www.meetanowner.com), Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), and Hulu Plus (www.huluplus.com).

Ever wonder what it's like to be paid to secretly watch shoppers on camera? This week's caller works in the retail field of "loss prevention." He tells Gethard about the time he confronted a shoplifter and got punched in the face, and discusses how the American heroin epidemic is directly correlated with retail theft. Plus, Gethard hears a little bit about the caller's unorthodox personal life. This episode is brought to you by Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), Hulu Plus, Blue Apron (www.blueapron.com/beautiful), Squarespace (www.squarespace.com code: CG).

This week's caller is a somewhat unconventional podcast fan. He loves Beautiful/Anonymous even though he's never technically heard an episode. Hmmm. Mysterious. He shares his unique experience with the medium, his outlook on life, and his best party tricks.  This episode is brought to you by Talkspace (www.talkspace.com/beautiful), Hulu Plus, ZipRecruiter (www.ziprecruiter.com/BEAUTIFUL), Casper Mattresses (www.casper.com/BEAUTIFUL), Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel (www.audible.com/Esther), and Detour (www.detour.com/BEAUTIFUL).