About
This is a podcast about the lies people tell. Science says that 60% of people can’t get through a 10-minute conversation without telling at least one lie. (Ten minutes!) These lies, told by normal people, provide the backbone of this show. Truthless is a curiosity-driven storytelling show, featuring one central interview in each episode. Together, Brian and the guest will retell the story of a lie, and in the process try to make sense of the insecurities, desires and vanities that drove the guest to tell that lie in the first place. Season 1 will feature a wide spectrum of stories, including: catfishing; lying to your parents; inventing your family when talking to strangers; and faking your own death to get out of a job. The guests will include a few celebrities (Malcolm Gladwell, The Kid Mero), a few Ringer colleagues (Katie Baker, Rob Harvilla, Tyler Parker), some great stories told by less well-known names. The takeaway: everybody lies, and it’s worth hearing about.
Creators
The Ringer
host
The Ringer
host
Reviews
Episodes(8)
10. Changelings
When Claire was in her late 30s, she found herself telling strangers on airplanes stories about her kids—which is a pretty normal thing to do, except that Claire didn’t have any kids. She also didn’t know why she was doing it. Why would a successful, accomplished, and happily married woman start mak
10. Changelings
When Claire was in her late 30s, she found herself telling strangers on airplanes stories about her kids—which is a pretty normal thing to do, except that Claire didn’t have any kids. She also didn’t know why she was doing it. Why would a successful, accomplished, and happily married woman start mak
9. Putting Down the Cheese, With Simon Rich
The Strokes. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Interpol. New York’s indie rock scene of the early 2000s was a hive of creativity, and Simon was one of the most gifted young bassists in Manhattan. But when his new band signed up to play his high school talent show, his increasingly bizarre lies threw his entire i
9. Putting Down the Cheese, With Simon Rich
The Strokes. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Interpol. New York’s indie rock scene of the early 2000s was a hive of creativity, and Simon was one of the most gifted young bassists in Manhattan. But when his new band signed up to play his high school talent show, his increasingly bizarre lies threw his entire i
8. The Big Stick, With Tyler Parker
Tyler was the biggest, baddest slugger on his small-town Little League team—until the day he realized he was scared of the ball. To get out of facing an intimidating pitcher, 8-year-old Tyler told a lie that made him feel guilty for decades to come. Has the time come for adult Tyler to forgive himse
8. The Big Stick, With Tyler Parker
Tyler was the biggest, baddest slugger on his small-town Little League team—until the day he realized he was scared of the ball. To get out of facing an intimidating pitcher, 8-year-old Tyler told a lie that made him feel guilty for decades to come. Has the time come for adult Tyler to forgive himse
7. The Artist’s Way, With Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Before he was a star on the smash sitcom ‘Modern Family,’ Jesse was a young actor struggling to make it in New York. When he landed an audition for a role that could change his life, he was ecstatic—until he realized he was going to have to forge his entire résumé. Host: Brian Phillips Producers: Mi
6. The Lower Depths, With Sarah Bunting
In college, Sarah and her friends were obsessed with the tabloid talk-show queen Ricki Lake. So they cooked up a scheme to appear on the show—and all Sarah had to do was tell the most twisted lie you’ve ever heard in your life. (But rest assured: No dogs were harmed in the making of this episode. At