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 himself? Host: Brian Phillips Producers: Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins, and Vikram Patel Sound Design: Kaya McMullen Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville For more from Tyler, check out his hilarious and heartbreaking first novel, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-little-blood-and-dancing-tyler-parker/18965426?ean=9780771002090">A Little Blood and Dancing</a>, which Brian once described as “the funniest novel about Oklahoma since The Grapes of Wrath—only Tyler is doing it on purpose.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

9. Putting Down the Cheese, With Simon Rich

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.