Step aside, binge-worthy TV shows and doom-scrolling social media, there’s a different kind of storytelling addiction sweeping the nation, and it doesn’t require a screen, just your willing ears and perhaps a tissue or two (or twenty, depending on the episode).
“The Moth” podcast, the audio equivalent of peeking through strangers’ emotional windows without the restraining orders, has been serving up raw, unscripted, note-free stories since before most of us knew what a podcast even was.
From the hilariously catastrophic blind date tales that make your worst romance seem charming by comparison to the gut-punching life journeys that somehow leave you simultaneously sobbing and inspired, these true stories told live have a magical way of making you miss your subway stop and arrive at work with mascara streaks because “just one more episode” turned into an hour-long emotional rollercoaster.
For those new to this addictive form of audio voyeurism or longtime listeners looking to revisit the cream of the storytelling crop, I’ve compiled the absolute can’t-miss, most unforgettable Moth moments that prove truth isn’t just stranger than fiction, it’s infinitely more entertaining.
The Best of Times, The Worst of Times
Listen on: The Moth Website
A comic must earn his living as a clown while suffering the ultimate heartbreak.
Pocket Knives, Warts and Refrigerators
Listen on: The Moth Website
A lie befuddles a camper..
DNA Doesn’t Lie
Listen on: The Moth Website | Episodes.fm | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast
This hour explores the digital world’s impact on family ties in real life. From online shopping to collective thinking and data gathering, it bridges gaps across time and distance. Meg Ferrill grapples with her anxieties about parenthood while browsing for sperm online. Anaïs Bordier finds an unexpected bond through social media. Trina Robinson uncovers a startling family secret during an online search.
Regrets, I’ve Had a Few
Listen on: The Moth Website | Apple Podcasts
This hour features stories of hindsight: a lie spirals out of control, a haircut goes wrong, dreams fade, and a bold move is made without regret.
- Alfonso Lacayo deals with a disastrous haircut.
- Noreen King’s lie goes too far.
- David Watson Mwabila reflects on his culture’s view of disability.
- Megan McNally makes a mistaken assumption about her grandmother.
- Nadia Hakim recalls her final moments in Iran.
- Robert Hallett receives a life-changing call from NASA.
How to Draw a Nekkid Man
Listen on: The Moth Website
A burnt-out corporate executive tries to shake her A-type personality at art school.
Whatever Doesn’t Kill Me
Listen on: The Moth Website
A violent encounter causes a man’s life to spiral out of control.
Fameishness
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube
The star of a children’s television show grapples with the meaning of fame.
Fog of Disbelief
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube
A man is working at a nuclear power plant when disaster strikes.
Hatpin Mary
Listen on: The Moth Website
A wrestling-obsessed grandmother has a nasty surprise for the contenders.
The Lost Bookbag
Listen on: The Moth Website
A young cadet is entrusted with vital records at a military academy.
Franny’s Last Ride
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube
Mike struggles with how to give support to his wife, who is dying in hospice.
Made to be Broken
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube
An Iraq veteran is surprised to find himself suddenly at odds with a military law.
All At Sea
Listen on: The Moth Website
Tim FitzHigham is a record breaking adventurer who sets off to cross the English Channel in a bathtub.
Yes Means Yes?
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube
A young woman recounts the difficulty of being a Mormon in New York City.
Quiet Fire
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube
Phyllis Bowdwin takes on a silent assailant.
Good News Versus Bad
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube
A daughter realizes how naïve she’s been when she learns the truth about her mother’s pregnancy.
Eye Spy
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube
Michaela Murphy endures a family beach vacation.
Guiding Lights
Listen on: The Moth Website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
This episode shares stories of the voices that guide, reassure, and shape our paths—even when they defy science or logic.
The House That Sherman Didn’t Burn
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube
A Georgia woman goes to war when her family’s mansion is slated to be turned into a golf ‘clubhouse’.
Fear of Squat
Listen on: The Moth Website
An 80’s obsession gets a window dresser into trouble.
Follies of Youth
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
This hour features tales of the ups and downs of growing up—in caves, on ball fields, and during camping trips. Hosted by Jay Allison, producer of this show.
- Trevor Nourse finds himself lost in a cave.
- Susan Rohde gets a chance to play wiffle ball with the popular crowd.
- New camp counselor Martha Cooney is set on earning “rookie of the year.”
- Self-proclaimed nerd Usra Gahzi embarks on a coed camping trip.
- Sivad Johnson and his friends aim to push their limits on their bikes.
- Jim Hasson grows up with a strong wariness of strangers.
- Eighth grader Nadia Hakim learns a memorable lesson involving depilatory cream.
Ski, Poe, Spa, and Towers
Listen on: The Moth Website
A passionate skier steps up in a crisis, a caretaker becomes immersed in the world of a renowned 19th-century poet, a woman enjoys a luxurious clothing-optional spa retreat, and a daughter attempts to surprise her mom at the World Trade Center on a September morning.
- Bobby Stoddard rescues a runaway baby on the ski slopes.
- Matthew Mercier serves as the live-in caretaker for The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage in the Bronx.
- Jennifer Kohnhorst discovers self-acceptance during a visit to Santa Fe.
- Earlyne Alexander searches for her mother after trying to surprise her on the morning of September 11th.
Fireworks from Above
Listen on: The Moth Website
A flight attendant describes how she adjusts her attitude while up in the air.
Not That Kind of Gay
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube
A father comes to terms with his new role as a dog owner.
A Chat on the Stoop: Hasna Muhammad and In Deep Water
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube
This special episode examines the relationship between swimming and the Black community. And they hear from one of their favorite podcasts, The Stoop.
Listening to Lips
Listen on: The Moth Website
David Litt channels his alter ego, “Lips,” while working as a presidential speechwriter.
Empathetic Subway Screaming
Listen on: The Moth Website
Jeff Simmermon has a run in with a grouchy straphanger on the subway.
Wake Up Call
Listen on: The Moth Website | YouTube
An actress makes a disturbing discovery about her beau and gets some glorious, though unglamorous, revenge.
Read our review of The Moth