Sia’s story is a powerful exploration of what it means to grow up under the gaze of family, community, and self. From childhood, Sia learned to navigate a world where being watched—and judged—was constant, shaping her choices and sense of self. She reveals how she turned the pressure of always being observed into a tool for self-reflection, imagining her life as a story she could edit, rewrite, and ultimately own. In this episode, Sia opens up about the challenges of being the only queer person ...
Jul 21, 2025•29 min•Ep. 49
Born into a world where justice feels like an illusion, this week’s guest has spent a lifetime questioning the stories we’re told—and the systems that shape our lives. Raised by a mother who filled their home with books and hard truths, he grew up seeing firsthand how the odds are stacked against Indigenous and Black communities, and how the so-called “American Dream” often leaves the most vulnerable behind. In this episode, we dive deep into the hard realities of growing up as an outsider: the ...
Jul 14, 2025•41 min•Ep. 48
Amy’s story is a raw look at the double-edged sword of early success and the realities behind the spotlight. From a childhood spent performing on national stages to becoming an XFL cheerleader at 20, Amy chased fame and found herself on top of the world—until it all came crashing down. When the applause faded, addiction took hold, forcing Amy to rebuild her life from the ground up. In this episode, Amy opens up about the intoxicating power of attention, the ego’s rise and fall, and the life-savi...
Jul 07, 2025•39 min•Ep. 47
FD Brisco III’s childhood was a study in contrasts—carrying a real gun for protection at age 11, but still finding peace and escape in GI Joes and Hot Wheels. In this episode, he shares how he balanced survival in a dangerous world with a powerful belief that “the world is good,” a mindset that shaped his journey through adversity. From becoming a father at 15 to becoming a leader in his high school, FD’s story is about taking responsibility, refusing to be defined by circumstance, and daring to...
Jun 30, 2025•31 min•Ep. 46
Raised in a blue-collar family and expected to follow the safe path of factory work, our guest spent years wrestling with the weight of other people’s stories—until everything fell apart. At 32, facing heartbreak and depression, and considering ending it all, he made a bold decision to leave behind the life he’d settled for and chased his true passion: broadcasting. In this deeply honest conversation, he shares how growing up in a working-class neighborhood shaped his beliefs, why it took him de...
Jun 23, 2025•34 min•Ep. 45
What happens when you marry a stranger for money — and end up mourning them as a widow? This week on Earth Monster Jen tells a raw, haunting (and surprisingly funny) tale about how she married a complete stranger for a good story... and some cash of course. A legally binding, secret-filled friendship that ended in a real life tragedy. From a catfished Tinder date to a wedding officiated at a strip mall, while the groom was on acid, Jen takes us through the messy, dark, and strangely beautiful tw...
Jun 16, 2025•32 min•Ep. 41
Born with spina bifida and told he’d never walk, talk, or live independently. Against every expectation, Peter Rico has forged his own path—drawing strength from his family, his love of storytelling, and a relentless determination to overcome both physical and environmental obstacles. Peter opens up about growing up in a neighborhood surrounded by drugs and gang violence while navigating the challenges of a disability, and the “necessary delusions” that fueled his grit and resilience. From child...
Jun 09, 2025•35 min•Ep. 43
In this episode of the Earth Monster podcast, we connect with Jacob, a man who has escaped the digital world through living in his van without a smart phone for nearly 5 years. Jacob shares the realizations that led to him changing his life and how ditching his smartphone and stepping away from the internet has led to profound personal growth, deeper relationships, and a renewed sense of self. But it has also challenged him greatly in the areas of his family, friendships, and sense of belonging ...
Jun 02, 2025•36 min•Ep. 42
In the premiere episode of the Earth Monster podcast, we dive deep into the story of Shannon Kringen, an artist and storyteller who discovers the impact that one song had on shaping her identity and helping her to heal after her parent's divorce. As a child caught between two worlds, Shannon found solace and identity in Tom Petty’s “Refugee,” a track that became her anthem of survival and self-discovery. Through candid conversation, Shannon reveals how music helped her navigate the emotional tur...
Jun 02, 2025•28 min•Ep. 41
Welcome to Earth Monster, the storytelling show that celebrates vulnerability and speaks to the darkest messiest little parts of your heart about the lies that we tell ourselves every day. The stories that we used to get out of bed, the fantasies that we let propel our lives. I called these things necessary delusions, and I am really interested in talking about the biggest ideas that we have had about ourselves and the world around us that have helped to shape and mis shape the path that we've t...
May 30, 2025•2 min
**Season Two Finale** The complicated delusions of parenthood unpacked by 10 storytellers who have lived it. Featuring my very pregnant wife, my mom, my dad, my unborn child, my best friend the shrink and many more.
Jul 05, 2022•56 min•Season 2Ep. 40
Regrets. We all have them and we all use a delusion to live with them. We speak with 8 storytellers about the regrets that haunt them.
Jun 08, 2022•51 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Patterns don’t change in a day, Bobby returns to discuss the baby steps he has taken towards being upfront with women and Matt shares a time when he turned a marriage into a divorce in just 3 short months.
May 31, 2022•38 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Michael buries his true identity with vices and delusions alike, until a hook up dating app reveals the path to his dreams.
May 23, 2022•47 min•Season 2Ep. 17
In an attempt to flee the mess that she has made for herself in NYC, Rosie follows her secret crush to the wilderness of Alaska hoping to make a connection.
May 16, 2022•55 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Rosie marries a stranger that needs citizenship in a secret attempt to make his friend fall in love with her.
May 09, 2022•48 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Grace never thought about the ways they might have experienced trauma, until the answer became so obvious it made them rethink everything.
Apr 25, 2022•38 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Your necessary shrink, Marcus returns with life long delusions to be a secret agent and all of the unexpected ways that he has manifested this fantasy.
Apr 18, 2022•43 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Eric’s desire to be in control began in 4th grade when his mom left him by himself to live in West Africa.
Apr 11, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Devon’s dad went away to prison when she was only 2 years old and the ideas that grew in his absence changed the way that she saw herself.
Apr 04, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 11
It has taken her a long journey to get here but Kenni has known there was something different about her since she was a very small boy.
Mar 14, 2022•47 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Ben navigates friendship and science with an uncontrollable twitch that happens when he imagines his greatest fantasies coming true.
Mar 07, 2022•36 min•Season 2Ep. 9
While Gillian aims to find fame as a singer, she learns every lesson life has to offer through music along the way.
Feb 28, 2022•42 min•Season 2Ep. 8
After years of receiving threatening emails from an anonymous harasser, Madison tries to take back control by turning the troll into a friend.
Feb 21, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Jasper hates sports; always has, and yet he has lived his whole life compulsively watching them, playing them and collecting memorabilia, in fear of what might happen if he doesn’t.
Feb 14, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Colleen thrives as a tomboy with a razor sharp wit until she’s faced with something that can’t be joked away.
Feb 07, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Dan walks a narrow path between obligation and leisure, in doing so he taps into the heart of a universal human experience. Look for yourself in this episode.
Jan 31, 2022•32 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Sam isn’t afraid and he always cares. This perspective leads to varied results when attempting extreme physical stunts and (even more dangerous) socializing with coworkers.
Jan 24, 2022•42 min•Season 2Ep. 3
What’s in a name? Reyna unpacks the unexpected delusional baggage acquired from holding a name that means royalty.
Jan 17, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 2
A naturally occurring chemical imbalance fuels Peter’s greatest fantasies and drives him to the edge.
Jan 10, 2022•47 min•Season 2Ep. 1
