Otherppl with Brad Listi Podcast
Hosted by Brad Listi
In-depth, unscripted conversations with contemporary authors, exploring the stories behind their books and the realities of a literary life.
A long-running, interview-based literary podcast known for its raw and thoughtful feel. Host Brad Listi engages in long-form, one-on-one conversations with contemporary writers, from debut novelists to literary stars. The show is notable for Listi's personal, often lengthy, opening monologues that frame the conversation, and a focus that goes beyond a guest's latest book to explore their career path, creative process, and personal history.
“The show's unscripted, raw quality, often compared to Marc Maron's 'WTF' podcast, sets it apart from more formal, NPR-style author interviews. Listi's use of personal reflection to frame questions and his willingness to let conversations pause and wander create a uniquely intimate and thoughtful atmosphere.”
Who hosts this show
Brad Listi is an American author and the host of the Otherppl podcast, which he launched in 2011. He is the author of novels including "Attention. Deficit. Disorder." and "Be Brief and Tell Them Everything". Listi is also the founding editor of the online literary magazine The Nervous Breakdown and the founder of the audio course platform DeepDive. He holds an MFA from the University of Southern California and has taught creative writing at Santa Monica College.
Credentials & credits
- Author, "Be Brief and Tell Them Everything" (2022)
- Author, "Attention. Deficit. Disorder." (2006)
- Founding Editor, The Nervous Breakdown
- MFA, University of Southern California
- BFA, University of Colorado at Boulder
- Founder, DeepDive audio courses
Other ventures
- The Nervous Breakdown (online literary magazine)
- DeepDive (audio course platform)
- Otherppl Book Club
- TNB Books (publishing imprint)
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01The Struggle for Conscience in Authoritarian RegimesJun 23, 2026 · 4 min
- 021041. Erin Van Der MeerJun 23, 2026 · 1h 20m
- 03Excerpt from 'The Scoop,' by Erin Van Der MeerJun 20, 2026 · 18 min
- 04The Golden SacrificeJun 18, 2026 · 1h 23m
- 051040. Ben FountainJun 16, 2026 · 1h 06m
- 06Brad vs. The VolcanoJun 11, 2026 · 1h 28m
- 071039. Anne EnrightJun 9, 2026 · 1h 05m
- 081038. Tracy Lynne OliverJun 6, 2026 · 1h 05m
Notable episodes
- 011041. Erin Van Der Meer
A representative example of the show's core interview format, blending discussion of a debut novel with the author's real-world journalism experience.
- 02Excerpt from 'The Scoop,' by Erin Van Der Meer
Demonstrates the recurring "Storytime" format, where an author reads an excerpt from their work, offering a different kind of content.
- 03The Struggle for Conscience in Authoritarian Regimes
Highlights the show's capacity to veer into deep political and philosophical territory, using a guest's expertise as a lens for broader societal questions.
What you'll be asked on this show
Brad Listi's interviews are marked by a pensive and personal style. He often opens with a detailed, sometimes rambling, monologue that connects his own life experiences or recent thoughts to the themes in his guest's book. He uses a guest's biography and professional history as a bridge to discussing their work, frequently asking about their origins and how their industry has changed. Questions are framed by his own reflections, and he often connects a guest's specific work to broader philosophical or political ideas. The pacing is unhurried, with a conversational flow that blends craft talk with personal history.
The primary format is a one-on-one author interview, often prefaced by the host's solo monologue. The podcast also features other recurring formats, including "Storytime" episodes where an author reads from their work, and "Brad & Mira For the Culture," a pop culture discussion show with co-host Mira Gonzalez. Listi frequently promotes his newsletter and the Otherppl Book Club.
Questions Brad Listi keeps coming back to
7 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Brad Listi reaches for it.
industry
1- Q.01
“How has your industry changed since you started?”
He often asks this to contextualize the guest's career within a larger professional landscape.
origin
1- Q.01
“What were your original career aspirations when you started out?”
This question is used to explore the guest's early ambitions and the path that led them to their current work.
process
1- Q.01
“What was the titling process like for your book?”
A process-oriented question to get a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the work.
backstory
1- Q.01
“Tell me about your personal background in [guest's field of expertise].”
Listi uses this to directly connect the guest's life experience to the subject matter of their art.
personal
2- Q.01
“What was the cultural transition like moving to [city/country]?”
This question explores the personal and professional impact of a significant geographical move.
- Q.02
“Have you lost friends or had conflicts over your political stances?”
Asked after sharing a personal anecdote, this seeks to find common ground on contentious issues.
future
1- Q.01
“How do you see the political future unfolding?”
Towards the end of more political conversations, he asks for a forecast or prediction.
Signature segments
- · "Okay, here we go again" opening
- · "Storytime" author reading episodes
- · "Brad & Mira For the Culture" episodes
- · Otherppl Book Club
- · Host's introductory monologue
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
The show features a wide range of contemporary writers, including debut novelists (Erin Van Der Meer, Tracy Lynne Oliver), award-winning literary figures (Ben Fountain, Anne Enright), and bestselling authors. Guests are typically on tour for a new book.
- Erin Van Der Meeron 1041. Erin Van Der Meer
- Ben Fountainon 1040. Ben Fountain
- Anne Enrighton 1039. Anne Enright
- Tracy Lynne Oliveron 1038. Tracy Lynne Oliver
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Sponsors include book publishers like Flatiron Books and Grand Central Publishing, mental health services like Rula, and the host's own literary ventures (Otherppl Book Club, Deep Dive audio courses). The ideal sponsor targets an educated, literary audience interested in arts, culture, and self-improvement.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Brad Listi
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People also ask
- What is the format of the Otherppl podcast?
- The main format is a weekly, long-form interview with a contemporary author. The show also has other formats, including "Storytime" author readings and a pop culture show called "Brad & Mira For the Culture."
- Is the Otherppl podcast still active?
- Yes, the podcast has been running since 2011 and continues to release new episodes weekly.
- Who is the host of Otherppl?
- The host is Brad Listi, an author and the founding editor of the literary magazine The Nervous Breakdown.
- What kind of guests appear on the show?
- The show primarily features contemporary writers, from debut novelists to established, award-winning authors, who are typically promoting a new book.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- Otherppl is available on its official website, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Brad Listi - Official Websitebradlisti.com
- [02]Otherppl with Brad Listi - Official Websiteotherppl.com
- [03]Brad Listi - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [04]Brad Listi | Official Publisher Page - Simon & Schustersimonandschuster.com
- [05]Brad Listi - The Creative Independentthecreativeindependent.com
- [06]The Nervous Breakdown (magazine) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [07]Otherppl with Brad Listi - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
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