Cover art for podcast Weird Work

Weird Work

56 EpisodesProduced by Sam Balter & Matthew BrownWebsite

Not everyone is fit for the 9 to 5. Weird Work celebrates all the folks who've pursued their passion and made a living -- no matter how weird it might sound. Hosted by Sam Balter & produced by Matthew Brown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

56 Episodes | 2017 - 2024

Farewell

February 22nd, 2024

0:39

An important message from RadioPublic

"I'm a monster truck driver."

August 20th, 2023

33:18

Sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY! Time to fuel those carbureted dreams of crushing cars and breaking hearts because today we have Monster Jam's Entertainer of the Year, the driver for team Megalodon, Bernard Lyght.


Bernard tells …

"I'm the trivia master for Learned League."

March 16th, 2023

30:05

You may know him as Thorsten A. Integrity. Around here, we know his true identity, Shayne Bushfield. And after leaving behind his secure life at Microsoft, Shayne pursued his passion to create one of the biggest …

"I'm a professional butler."

February 7th, 2023

32:37

If you own a castle on a secluded island, can you really expect to dress yourself? When you're cruising the Mediterranean on a super yacht, can you really be expected to make your own shrimp cocktails? The world needs …

"I'm a pet psychic."

August 9th, 2022

26:55

Martha talks to animals. Martha Malone – pet psychic, pet communicator - surfs the astral plane to telepathically connect with animals living or deceased. She communicates between animal and human to help vocalize …

"I'm a financial dominatrix."

June 17th, 2022

42:27

Whether your kink is karma or carnage, there’s always something out there for you. And our guest sure found her sweet spot - financial domination.

"I'm a location scout."

June 2nd, 2022

29:37

Lori Balton has been a location scout with over IMDB credits to her name. She’s scouted locations for every type of film. 

From big budget action movies like Heat, Armageddon, The Dark Rises, and Godzilla: King of the …

“I’m The Points Guy.”

December 4th, 2019

29:44

Brian Kelly has been known to the world as The Points Guy since launching his blog in 2011, but he started slinging credit card reward points long before then. And today, the man with 25 credit cards is the guru of all …

“I preserve vintage TV art.”

November 20th, 2019

24:47

Chi-Tien Lui is known the world over as one of the last people who can repair and preserve TV art. Because the video art by the likes of Andy Warhol …

“I teach kids to be YouTube stars.”

November 6th, 2019

26:38

Summer camp usually brings to mind outdoor sports and campfire songs. But the idea of camp that so many people have come to know has evolved into …

“I’m a pet influencer agent.”

October 23rd, 2019

27:24

Colleen Wilson was a top private mortgage banker in New York City. She was also the youngest. No small feat. But after rescuing a deaf pooch named …

"I'm a dream analyst."

October 9th, 2019

27:38

Jane Teresa Anderson knows how to get inside someone’s head. And her work as a dream analyst has helped countless people better understand their waking lives. That way, the subconscious becomes reality. She even reaches …

“I’m a conlanger.”

September 25th, 2019

23:36

David J. Peterson is a creator of languages -- otherwise known as a conlanger. And he’s behind some of the most iconic languages ever heard on television and films. Maybe his most well-known conlang is Dothraki and High …

“I’m a podcast librarian.”

September 11th, 2019

25:18

Ma'ayan Plaut is the podcast librarian at RadioPublic. But she’s not like the typical master of the Dewey Decimal System you know from your local public library. And she just so happens to be the only podcast librarian …

“I’m a surf therapy dog.”

August 28th, 2019

24:41

Ricochet is a champion surf dog, who’s ridden giants with the likes of Rob Machado, and starred in films like Superpower Dogs. But it’s her surf and therapy work that makes this pooch a real surf legend.Judy Fridono, …

“I’m an Elvis impersonator and wedding official.”

August 7th, 2019

29:11

Brendan Paul grew up as a young punk living in LA. But after one fateful haircut and a handful of paying impersonation gigs around town, he found …

“I’m an international pizza consultant.”

July 31st, 2019

38:12

Anthony Falco is the reigning pizza czar of New York. And he’s taken his expertise around the world to help others realize their own dreams of opening up a pizza shop. We crawl the streets of New York in search of the …

“I’m bringing Weird Work back for Season Two.”

July 24th, 2019

2:06

Weird Work returns on July 31 with all new episodes every Wednesday. See you soon, you beautiful unicorn star children.

Hosted on Acast. See

“I make ramen that helps people find their dreams.”

May 24th, 2018

28:18

You’ve been listening all season long to how people turned their passions into professions. And want to make the jump, too. But what if you don’t know what your passion is? How do you pursue your dream if you don’t know …

“I’m a comic book inker.”

May 17th, 2018

27:01

Mark Morales has probably worked on all of your favorite comic book characters. But the job of comic book inker is not only one of the most ambiguous in the industry, it’s an increasingly rare position.


Mark takes Sam …

“I created The Museum of Selfies.”

May 10th, 2018

27:35

Tommy Honton has a familiar story. Aspiring screenwriter who sets out to make it big in Hollywood. But eight years later, he found himself …

“I perform with cats and rats for Cirque Du Sewer.”

May 3rd, 2018

27:44

Melissa Arleth always loved rats. But she was also fond of her feline pets, too. So she took them both onstage with her and created Cirque Du Sewer, the world’s only cat and rat circus. Sam talks with this acrobat about …

“I’m a professional hand model.”

April 26th, 2018

30:30

You can spot Ashly Covington out in public or on the subway pretty easily. She’s the one wearing long black gloves, a sunproof hoodie, and playing an invisible horn. Such is the life of a professional hand model. In …

“I’m a dungeon master for Dungeons & Dragons.”

April 19th, 2018

28:16

You’re stranded on a desert island. What do you do? If you’re Timm Woods, you find the nearest rock and start carving away at your latest Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Timm is a dungeon master, the game wizard who …

“I’m a professional mom.”

April 12th, 2018

29:51

Nina Keneally is the founder of NeedaMomNYC, where for $40 an hour she’ll give you the full mom experience. Nina offers sage advice, helps you battle …

“I write obituaries for The Economist.”

April 5th, 2018

29:48

Ann Wroe writes obituaries for The Economist. And she knows what you’re thinking: Writing about death must be terribly depressing, right? Maybe, but not for Ann. Sam gets Ann’s take on how she deals with death, and Ann …

“I turn accidental fur into high fashion.”

March 29th, 2018

24:57

Pamela Paquin may have grown up on a farm, but she never thought her life would forever be linked with animals. She was living in Denmark with a …

“I’m a professional gamer.”

March 22nd, 2018

30:05

Peter “PPD” Dager is one of the winningest professional gamers in history. But we’re not just talking about trophies. Peter has made millions (and …

“I uncover conspiracy theories.”

March 15th, 2018

32:34

Katelyn Hempstead is a comedian and the host of Lizard People: Comedy & Conspiracy Theories, a podcast where her brilliant friends try to convince her to believe different conspiracy theories. You can even find Sam …

“I’m a professional wingman.”

March 8th, 2018

29:42

Thomas Edwards is a real life Hitch. And after nearly a decade of work, he’s helped over 150 people find love and get married. But this self-proclaimed hopeless romantic wasn’t always the ideal wingman.Thomas’ journey …

“I’m a professional garbage picker.”

March 1st, 2018

23:33

Martin Gregory scours the streets looking through people’s trash and sells his garbage finds on eBay. He writes about them on his website, Things I Find in The Garbage.Sam talks with Martin about teacups, the growing …

“I’m a professional cosplayer.”

February 22nd, 2018

29:19

Cosplay is a world of transformation, where art meets performance. And no one knows that better than Riki LeCotey. You might’ve seen her on SyFy’s reality tv show Heroes of Cosplay, or maybe you’ve seen her judging …

“I make props for Hollywood.”

February 15th, 2018

27:25

Em Schulz is the co-host of And That’s Why We Drink podcast. But Em’s resume runs the gamut: Clown school graduate, professional Segway tour guide, …

“I repair vintage arcade games.”

February 8th, 2018

42:34

Gary Vincent is a vintage arcade game technician at Funspot, the world’s largest arcade. He’s also the president of the American Classic Arcade Museum where he works to preserve and promote the history of arcade …

“I’m a weed nun.”

February 1st, 2018

30:17

Sister Kate isn’t your average nun. She’s a self-declared nun who owns Sisters of the Valley, a cannabis-based healing products company. But after her early days in the Occupy movement, she now answers to a higher …

“I’m the listeners’ favorite episode.”

January 25th, 2018

36:35

We asked you to tell us your favorite Weird Work episode of 2017 and man did you guys deliver. You mentioned Jen Glantz, the professional bridesmaid, …

“I’m The New York Times crossword puzzle editor.”

January 18th, 2018

48:11

Will Shortz is the crossword puzzle editor at The New York Times. But he’s also the only person in history to receive a degree in Enigmatology -- the …

“I’m a Vodou priestess.”

January 11th, 2018

33:01

Voodoo conjures up pin-pricked dolls and black magic spells. But it’s all just a product of Hollywood, not an actual religion. Everything down to the …

“I’m a professional scent maker.”

January 4th, 2018

27:45

Kevin Elkins is a scent maker. He’s crafted custom scents for luxury hotels like The W Hotels and Hotel Emma. For Kevin, the perfect scent is all about the romance.Today, Sam talks with Kevin about what it takes to be a …

“I’m a space psychologist.”

December 28th, 2017

30:48

Iya Whiteley always dreamt of becoming an astronaut. Only, there was a slight hitch. Iya grew up in the USSR where women were not allowed to become pilots.So she pursued her other passion of studying human behaviors and …

“I’m the Saturday Night Live bandleader.”

December 21st, 2017

27:49

It’s an iconic sound. Lenny Pickett’s saxophone solo during Saturday Night Live’s opening credits has become a hallmark of the show.Lenny talks with …

“I’m an intimacy choreographer.”

December 14th, 2017

29:00

For some actors, finding the line between intimacy on stage and in real life can be a bit murky. It takes strong direction and training in a safe environment. But like any good fight scene, it can’t be left up to the …

“I’m an LSD microdosing coach.”

December 7th, 2017

33:16

When Paul Austin looks back on the first time he dropped LSD, he remembers the shame and fear associated with it. So when he created Third Wave, a …

“I’m the head knight at Medieval Times.”

November 30th, 2017

35:35

Chivalry. Strength. Romance. There’s quite a few things knights are world renowned for. Only, knights died out centuries ago, right? If you’ve ever heard of Medieval Times, then you know the knightly tradition is alive …

“I’m a nude model.”

November 23rd, 2017

31:52

For some, the nude body is taboo. But for artists, it’s been a constant source of training and inspiration. Ruby Magic has travelled around the world as a nude model. She tells Sam how she’s become more empowered in her …

“I’m Hollywood’s resident bug wrangler.”

November 16th, 2017

30:12

Let’s say you’re a director, and you need to film thousands of locusts descending upon a group of people. It’s a major production, but CGI just won’t cut it. What do you do? Well, there’s really only one person to call. …

“I’m a professional mystery shopper.”

November 9th, 2017

27:57

It’s likely that at some point in your life, while you were out shopping at your favorite store, you were standing next to a fake customer. An imposter. These people are called mystery shoppers, and they act as quality …

“I’m the Bachelor in Paradise bartender.”

November 2nd, 2017

56:10

What’s life really like behind the bar of a reality dating show? Wells Adams made the jump from radio show host to The Bachelorette contestant a few years ago. But it’s his recent gig as the bartender on ABC’s Bachelor …

“I’m a professional cuddler.”

October 26th, 2017

29:08

In a previous life, Kassandra Brown was a parenting coach. Then one day, about six years ago, she was cuddling with a friend of hers when she had a personal breakthrough. So when she was searching for what to do next in …

“I’m a mermaid.”

October 19th, 2017

26:50

When you’re a kid, you can be anything. You can be a firefighter, a police officer, hell even a robot. The thing is, we rarely get to grow up and …

“I’ve written 18,728 songs and counting.”

October 12th, 2017

30:42

Go on Spotify right now. Type your name, or the name of someone you know. Chances are a strange band has a song about that name. And chances are the man who wrote that song is actually named Matt Farley.Matt’s written …

“I press human ashes into vinyl records.”

October 5th, 2017

26:38

Jason Leach founded Andvinyly as a way to face his own mortality. He heard Hunter S. Thompson had his own ashes set off in fireworks, and Jason …

“I’m a professional bridesmaid.”

September 28th, 2017

24:10

If you’ve ever been to a wedding where the bride is considering grabbing an Uber and leaving, the ring bearer is missing, and the groomsmen are blackout drunk, you’ve seen what Jen Glantz calls a “normal weekend.” Jen …

"I make ASMR videos."

September 28th, 2017

32:55

Heather Feather first realized the slight tingling sensations long ago. Years later, she realized the feeling was called ASMR. Today, there’s an …

“I write dinosaur erotica fiction.”

September 28th, 2017

22:15

Alara Branwen’s author page on Amazon says that she’s a “typical college student by day, but by night she is a crafter of sexy, hot, sensuous, …

"I host a podcast about people with weird jobs.”

September 11th, 2017

2:09

Starting September 28, Weird Work fills your ear holes with stories from the creative and inspiring people who work some of the weirdest jobs out …

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