We hunt the absurd. Strange laws no one repealed. Animal facts that read like fan fiction. Bureaucratic decisions that survived a vote and are still on the books. The Absurdists is a podcast about the world’s weirdest true stories — explained, unpacked, and laughed at. No takes. No agenda. Just curiosity, laughs, and zero pretense.
Mary Murphy and Marlo Anderson got into an argument about a news headline so ridiculous neither could stop thinking about it. A week later they had a podcast. Three seasons in, the supply of absurdity has not run out — turns out the world is generous with this stuff. We make the show because the world is weird, and most podcasts are still pretending it isn’t.
A podcast plus listicles, deep dives, and interactive bits. Everything we make is built to land you in a group chat with the words “wait, really?”
Listeners send us the wildest stuff they have found. We read every submission. Some of our best episodes started in our inbox.
Every story comes with the context. The history, the law, the why. We do the homework so you can sound smart at dinner without having to read a single article.
Host. Founder of National Day Calendar — yes, the place that gives every day its strange holiday. Brings the encyclopedia of weird, a tech-business lens, and a working theory that the strangest stuff in the world is hiding inside the most ordinary places.
Co-host since Season 3. Brandi is a North Dakota content creator and influencer who loves highlighting local businesses, bringing people together, and sharing fun events and experiences throughout the community. A self-proclaimed professional oversharer, she uses social media as a way to step outside her comfort zone, overcome social anxiety, and connect with people along the way. She’s all about making connections, trying new things, and finding any excuse to have a good time! Marlo met her on a riverboat during North Dakota Music Hall of Fame weekend, and she’s been calling out the everyday things we all pretend are normal ever since.
Co-host, Seasons 1–2, and occasional guest. Journalist, fashion writer, and the household authority on whether something is “a little bit haunted.” Brings the cultural radar, the deadpan, and an unreasonable amount of context on royal scandals.
We are not just a podcast. We are a slow conspiracy to make the world feel weirder and a little funnier. Subscribe, send us your absurdities, and let us know what made you do a double take this week.
“Switzerland never actually banned flushing after 10 PM. Some apartment buildings just ask for quiet at night, and the internet did the rest.”