The Nightly

Wils Pelton and Josh Gondelman trace the strange path from birthday party hopping to the tweets and internet posts that permanently rewired their brains.What You’ll Hear:A Very Social Evening: Wils and Josh compare notes on the oddly satisfying art of bouncing between parties, catching trains, grabbing bodega snacks, and somehow ending the night feeling more alive than exhausted.Posts That Became Philosophy: From the Babadook party tweet to “milkshake duck” and “girl dinner,” they unpack the internet jokes that quietly became shared cultural language.Top Three Lately: Fresh flowers, city biking, basketball playoffs, literary re-reads, long dog walks — a cozy inventory of the small things currently making life feel good.CHAPTERS00:00 Ophelia audio drama intro01:05 The night of endless birthdays04:20 Multi-stop socializing strategy11:08 What’s your top three lately13:00 NBA playoffs and Widow’s Bay15:05 The Babadook party tweet17:35 Favorite internet posts of all time22:10 Bean soup theory explained25:05 Three drinks at once goes viral31:40 Josh’s current top three35:12 Goodnights to the Babadook

Wils Pelton and Josh Gondelman swap stories about tiny home disasters (the disasters are tiny, and the homes aren't too big either), expensive furniture decisions, and the deeply comforting feeling of knowing a guy who can fix things.What You’ll HearThe Great AC Search: One new bedroom air conditioner sends Wils and Josh into the emotional maze of appliance shopping, online reviews, and trying to trust a recommendation from an actual human being.Furniture Anxiety Spiral: A Facebook Marketplace chair becomes a full emotional support group activity, complete with second opinions, budgeting pep talks, and a passionate defense of mid-century furniture.The World’s Smallest Screw: After a gym accident leaves Wils carrying a microscopic glasses screw home between two fingers, a very kind optician saves Survivor night — and restores everyone’s faith in repair people.CHAPTERS00:00 Ophelia audio drama intro01:05 New air conditioner celebrations06:50 The impossible search for a good AC unit11:15 Mid-century chair shopping anxiety18:10 Why office chairs cost so much22:45 The tiny glasses screw emergency29:00 A surprisingly easy glasses repair33:10 Knowing a guy for everything and saying goodnight

Wils Pelton and Josh Gondelman chat youth trend reports, nostalgic toys, and surprisingly romantic anniversary gifts.What You’ll HearThe Dumpling Craze: Wils reports back from a very cool Bushwick roller rink show and introduces Josh to the latest mystery-box obsession: collectible dumplings.Parachutes, Viewfinders, and Other Childhood Treasures: The two revisit gym-class parachutes, sticker sheets, and the strange joy of realizing your favorite childhood objects are actually available for regular adults to buy.Anniversary Gifts That Actually Mean Something: Josh shares his thoughtful anniversary gift idea. Then the conversation drifts into custom Viewfinders, ceramic traditions, and the art of giving sentimental presents... without filling your house with clutter.CHAPTERS00:00 Welcome & late-night trend reporting 03:10 Kreayshawn in Bushwick 09:25 The dumpling collectible craze 16:40 Bubble kits and gym class parachutes 24:05 Viewfinders and nostalgic gifts 31:15 Anniversary traditions and Fusilli Jerry 39:50 Ceramic gift brainstorming 43:30 Goodnight to the dumplings

Our friends at Hatch just released a new original series we think you'll love.OPHELIA is an original romantasy audio drama, a sweeping trilogy inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet where Ophelia finally takes center stage. Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, ACOTAR, and enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance. Thoughtfully produced to help you unwind for sleep. Book 1 begins in a kingdom where magic is outlawed and the land itself is dying. Ophelia has always been expected to stay silent—agreeable, invisible, safe. But on the eve of her twenty-first birthday, something within her awakens.As she reconnects with Prince Hamlet, heir to a crumbling throne, and his brilliant, guarded friend Horatio, Ophelia is drawn into a dangerous world of court intrigue, hidden power, and forbidden attraction. Caught between love, loyalty, and a magic she cannot deny, she must decide: remain hidden… or risk everything for freedom, desire, and the fate of her kingdom.Narrated by Genevieve Gaunt, this immersive audio drama blends fantasy romance, forbidden magic, and slow-burning desire into a richly cinematic listening experience, perfect for unwinding at the end of the day. Ideal for fans of romantasy, fantasy romance, Shakespeare retellings, and narrative fiction podcasts, OPHELIA is a bold reimagining of a classic story told across a sweeping trilogy, thoughtfully designed for sleep.Discover more at Hatch.co/ophelia.

KP Parker and Matt Bragg break down the Survivor 50 final five (well, mostly KP).What You’ll HearThe Rise of Rizgod: KP walks Matt through the final five, including the surprisingly charming player formerly dismissed as “just a guy trying to invent a catchphrase.” Somehow, it’s working.Good Gameplay or Total Menace?: The duo debate Survivor ethics, strategic lying, and why being too likable might actually ruin your chances of winning $2 million.Reality Show Brain Rot: From MrBeast cameos to fake babies on Squid Game, things spiral into a loving appreciation of the deeply strange people who thrive on competition TV.CHAPTERS00:00 Survivor finale excitement03:05 Meet the final five09:40 The Rizgod strategy breakdown16:20 Jonathan Young hammock politics21:10 Aubrey’s legendary bad attitude27:35 MrBeast enters Survivor33:15 Squid Game casting stories39:40 Fake babies and reality TV lies45:00 Saying goodnight to the Rizgod

KP Parker and Matt Bragg swap stories from two very different weekend adventures — one sweaty and spooky in Tucson, the other delightfully nostalgic in Milton Keynes.What You’ll Hear:Tiny Museums and Big Regrets: KP explains why the Museum of Miniatures never happened, how desert heat defeated her plans, and why focusing on tiny chairs suddenly felt impossible.The Waiter Who Declared War: A birthday dessert request turns into a baffling restaurant saga involving tiny sodas, mysterious vibes, and cake for every table except theirs.A Sitcom Convention in Milton Keynes: Matt shares what it was like attending a fan convention for a beloved British comedy, complete with props, nostalgia, and one almost-purchased souvenir.CHAPTERS00:00 Ophelia audio drama recommendation 01:02 Tucson trip recap continues 04:45 The museum of miniatures debate 07:10 Watching Hokum in theaters 12:40 Horror movies and bad dreams 16:25 What does hokum mean 19:10 The waiter who never brought cake 28:40 Matt’s sitcom convention weekend 35:50 Only Fools and Horses fandom 42:15 Goodnight to the waiter

KP Parker and Matt Bragg swap stories from a very warm Tucson adventure, complete with missile silos, historic churches, and one deeply impractical desert vehicle.What You’ll HearThe Nuclear Codes Experience: KP tours a real Cold War missile silo and discovers that even fake missile launches can go straight to someone’s head. There’s also a surprisingly soothing amount of mint green paint involved.A Desert Road Trip Reality Check: From 108-degree heat to a roofless three-wheeled “sports car,” Tucson proves both fascinating and aggressively sunny. Churches, Construction, and Burger King: A conversation about Spanish missions turns into a detour through Barcelona’s Sagrada Família and the strange beauty of famous landmarks sharing a block with fast food chains.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro & Tucson arrival01:13 Surviving 108-degree heat02:56 Touring a missile museum05:44 The bathroom-less RV cabin06:43 Tucson tacos & desert driving08:37 Visiting the San Xavier mission10:00 Why was the missile silo mint green15:12 The Sagrada Família update18:58 Goodnight Arizona & Gaudí!

Wils Pelton and Josh Gondelman trace the unexpected return of hacky sack and revisit the playground games that shaped them.What You’ll Hear:The Teens Are Alright: Josh brings shocking cultural news from the youth front: hacky sack is back. Wils helps unpack the surprisingly timeless energy of crunchy outdoor games, Tevas included.Gym Class Flashbacks: From wall ball to knockout to strategically getting eliminated as fast as possible, the conversation drifts through schoolyard memories, competitive streaks, and the fine art of sitting on the sidelines chatting.Naming Things Correctly: A brief but deeply satisfying detour into Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me!, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and the joy of finally figuring out what exactly you’ve been thinking of all these years.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro & hacky sack returns02:17 Spikeball and playground culture04:10 Are kids actually playing hacky sack07:21 She’s All That and makeover movies11:25 Wils on avoiding gym class forever14:35 Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me! nerves16:00 Whose Line confusion resolved16:56 Spotify comments and listener shoutouts