Awkward

ce matin, un lapin in middle school

ce matin, un lapin (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Original Air Date: 
December 20, 2015

When was the last time you said something so mortifying that all you wanted to do was crawl under a rock and hide? We've all been through plenty of uncomfortable moments, but it seems like we rarely talk about them. From teenage angst to cringe comedy, this week we're setting aside the shame and reveling in all things awkward.

Awkward Moments Read Out Loud

“Mortified SF” by rick is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Audio

For years, the Mortified stage show and podcast has brought people together from all walks of life to share their most painfully awkward teenage moments. Participants open up their diaries and recount their most embarrassing stories.

Length: 
10:58

Our Awkward Age

“awkward phase 5” by J E Theriot is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Audio

What is it about awkwardness that we can't seem to get enough of? Philosopher Adam Kotsko says our fascination with awkwardness is more than about entertainment — it defines our modern era.

Length: 
7:34

Jesse Eisenberg Imagines An Awkward Introduction

Bar time.
Audio

For a true case study of an awkward situation, just head to the nearest pick-up bar. Here's what not to say when introducing yourself to a potential mate, in the words of actor and writer Jesse Eisenberg.

Length: 
3:29

Blogger Jenny Lawson On Building Community Through Mortifying Stories

flight board
Audio

When blogger Jenny Lawson tweeted about an awkward exchange with a cashier at an airport, she couldn't have imagined the flood of responses she'd get from fans recounting their own mortifying moments.

Length: 
10:39

Jennifer Jacquet On 'Last Chance To See'

Bookmarks

Environmentalist Jennifer Jacquet recommends "Last Chance to See" by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine.

Length: 
3:19

Rediscovering Alexander Von Humboldt, The Largely Forgotten Father Of Environmentalism

Audio

Before John Muir and Charles Darwin, there was Alexander von Humboldt, the German scientist who shaped our understanding of nature. Now, he’s largely forgotten, but biographer Andrea Wulf says he was once the world's most famous scientist. 

Length: 
13:27
Show Details 📻
Airdates
March 17, 2018
August 12, 2017
December 20, 2015
September 14, 2019
Guests: 
To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Dave Nadelberg

writer, producer, host
getmortified.com
To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Adam Kotsko

Jesse Eisenberg

Actor and Author
To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Jenny Lawson

thebloggess.com
Jennifer Jacquet

Jennifer Jacquet

Author, Professor
jenniferjacquet.com
Andrea Wulf

Andrea Wulf

Historian
andreawulf.com
Categories: 
Culture
Social Trends
Nature
Last modified: 
September 10, 2019