The Moth
The Moth
On Tuesdays and Fridays The Moth’s podcast feed presents episodes of the Peabody-Award Winning Moth Radio Hour and original episodes of The Moth Podcast. Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.
Episodes
Mentioned books
14 snips
Feb 27, 2026 • 45min
I Survived the Unsurvivable | From A Slight Change of Plans
Javier Zamora, poet and memoirist who at nine crossed from El Salvador to the U.S., recounts a harrowing childhood journey and the people who kept him alive. He revisits fear, endurance, small acts of care, and the bittersweet reunions that shaped him. Short, powerful stories explore memory, survival, and the beginnings of healing.
14 snips
Feb 24, 2026 • 54min
The Deep End: The Moth Radio Hour
Ianna Banfield, a young storyteller and student testing independence after a hotel fire scare. Mi-Trang Nguyen, a public interest lawyer who cared for elderly bearded dragons during lockdown. Claire Walder, an Australian storyteller who learned grit in a swimathon. Gary Sizer, a writer who navigates caring for a mother with ALS. Mukosi Shimaka-Mbasu, a first-generation American who found voice at a science fair. They each dive into moments that forced growth.
12 snips
Feb 20, 2026 • 21min
American Dreams: Icons - The Moth Podcast
Lynn Swisher Spears, storyteller and retired musician, recalls a Midwest farm community rallying to give a neighbor dignity in his last days. John Garcia, storyteller and performer, shares a father-son Bigfoot tale that becomes a ritual of connection. Short, vivid personal stories about myth, belonging, and quiet acts of care.
Feb 17, 2026 • 55min
Can't Help Falling in Love: The Moth Radio Hour
Matthew Mercier, storyteller who uncovers his parents' secret religious past. Auburn Schaefer, urban school principal who turns caregiving into a first home after her husband’s injury. Eva Santiago, parent advocate who reconnects and marries a man in prison. They share stories about unlikely romance, devotion across barriers, and how love reshapes ordinary places.
18 snips
Feb 13, 2026 • 26min
What's YOUR Story: The Moth Podcast
Adelle Onyango, Kenyan media personality and activist who channels family influence into public storytelling, and Maxwell Pearce, award-winning artist and Harlem Globetrotter who blends art with basketball legacy. They share memories of protests and family courage. They also recount grandmothers, modeling pasts, creative projects, and the moments that shaped their bold pursuits.
10 snips
Feb 10, 2026 • 55min
Live from New York: The Audacity! Global Stories of Daring: The Moth Radio Hour
Gracia Violeta Ross, Bolivia-born health advocate who fought for HIV treatment access. Korto (Cuttoe) Momolu, Liberian-born designer and Project Runway finalist who rose from refugee roots to mentor others. Semaye Michael, Nigerian social justice organizer who made a wrenching caregiving choice for his mother. They tell bold, life-changing stories about risk, care, survival, and daring to change their paths.
11 snips
Feb 6, 2026 • 41min
Love Hurts: The Moth Podcast
Rita Brent, musician, veteran and comedian from Mississippi, tells a story of marriage, divorce and coming out. Peter Aguero, longtime storyteller from South Jersey now in Queens, revisits awkward college flirting and a surprising long night that changed his life. Patricia Dunphy, two-time StorySlam winner, recounts decades of love and deep loss and how memory shapes grief.
Feb 3, 2026 • 55min
Punks, Blessings, Burlesque and Lotus Flowers: The Moth Radio Hour
Pauline Nguyen, author and entrepreneur, recounts fleeing Vietnam and a fraught reconciliation with her father. Louise Newton-Keogh, student advocate and writer, shares a childhood ritual using rosary beads to cope with family illness. Christopher Brune-Horan, playwright and educator, finds sanctuary in all-male burlesque. Eddy Laughter, storyteller and student, discovers belonging at a punk show.
6 snips
Jan 30, 2026 • 16min
Puppies and Football: The Moth Podcast
Alex Hyen, software designer and storyteller, shares a reflective tale about family expectations, a Mickey Mouse football toy, and reconnecting with his grandfather. Eliana Smith, artist and longtime animal foster-volunteer, recounts training a puppy named Juniper for the Puppy Bowl and the bittersweet moments around her selection. The conversation centers on pageantry, personal identity, and unexpected connections.
14 snips
Jan 27, 2026 • 54min
Truth and Consequences: The Moth Radio Hour
Harold Cox, a university professor and longtime storyteller, confesses a childhood car wreck he hid for decades. Gabby Fernandez-Sanchez, an immigrant theater artist, recounts fleeing Venezuela and reuniting with her father after 17 years to walk her down the aisle. Brad Yule, a police officer-turned-storyteller, discovers he was adopted, meets his incarcerated biological father, and follows his journey to parole.
