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 identity as a musician into doubt. Host: Brian Phillips Producers: Mike Wargon, Conor Nevins, and Vikram Patel Sound Design: Kaya McMullen Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville You’re going to want to listen to the Vigils after hearing this episode, but you can’t, because the Vigils were far too artistic to do anything as pedestrian as make a recording. You can buy Simon’s latest short-story collection, ‘Glory Days,’ or check out his TV series, ‘Miracle Workers.’ (Simon is still artistic, but these days he does occasionally like to leave a record of his work.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Om Podcasten

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.