Your Necessary Delusion

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The storytelling show that celebrates vulnerability and speaks to real people about the fantasies that have led them to their greatest successes and their greatest failures.

Matt LeBlanc


    • Jun 2, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 38m AVG DURATION
    • 46 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Your Necessary Delusion podcast is a captivating and thought-provoking exploration of everyday people's inner narratives. Hosted by the talented Matt LeBlanc, this podcast delves into the delusions individuals have about themselves and others, leading to misadventures, heartbreak, growth, or success. The storytelling in this podcast is on par with other great narrative podcasts like This American Life and Serial, keeping listeners engaged from start to finish.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is Matt's exceptional editing skills. He masterfully weaves together the stories of his guests, subtly pointing out their delusions and challenging their perceptions. His insightful and provocative questions lead to compelling narratives that give listeners plenty to chew on. It is evident that he puts a great deal of care into the production of each episode, resulting in a professionally made program that feels authentic and invested.

    Additionally, Matt's ability to connect with his guests and make them feel valued shines through in each episode. This investment allows listeners to feel connected and invested as well. The relatability of the stories told makes it easy for listeners to see pieces of themselves in each person's story, evoking feelings of nostalgia and empathy.

    While there are not many negative aspects to highlight about this podcast, some listeners may find the theme song to be a minor drawback. However, given all the incredible storytelling and engaging content throughout each episode, the theme song can easily be overlooked as a minor aspect.

    In conclusion, The Your Necessary Delusion podcast is an addictive and must-listen show for fans of great storytelling. Matt LeBlanc (not "the Friends one") does an outstanding job at capturing the delusions people have about themselves and exploring how these delusions shape their lives. With its relatable stories, insightful questions, and professional production quality, this podcast is sure to continue growing in popularity. So grab your headphones and get ready for an immersive experience into the inner narratives of everyday people.



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    Latest episodes from Your Necessary Delusion

    Why I escaped the digital world and found myself

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 35:37


    In this episode of the Earth Monster podcast, we connect with Jacob, a man who has escaped the digital world through living in his van without a smart phone for nearly 5 years. Jacob shares the realizations that led to him changing his life and how ditching his smartphone and stepping away from the internet has led to profound personal growth, deeper relationships, and a renewed sense of self. But it has also challenged him greatly in the areas of his family, friendships, and sense of belonging in modern society.Through candid storytelling, Jacob explores the hidden costs of digital life: the erosion of attention, the outsourcing of our cognition, and the loss of authentic human connection. He also discusses the unexpected benefits of isolation, the importance of truth-seeking, and how living offline has strengthened his marriage and sharpened his mind.He also unexpectedly stumbles on the origin of his necessary delusion, which reveals WHY he feels these sacrifices are so necessary. Listen along and find a piece of yourself in his story as we celebrate vulnerability, question the true impact of technology, and uncover the stories that shape or misshape our lives. If you've ever wondered what life is like beyond the screen, this episode is for you.

    How one song shaped my identity (child of divorce)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 28:16


    In the premiere episode of the Earth Monster podcast, we dive deep into the story of Shannon Kringen, an artist and storyteller who discovers the impact that one song had on shaping her identity and helping her to heal after her parent's divorce. As a child caught between two worlds, Shannon found solace and identity in Tom Petty's “Refugee,” a track that became her anthem of survival and self-discovery. Through candid conversation, Shannon reveals how music helped her navigate the emotional turbulence of family separation, code-switching between parents, and the ongoing journey to find her authentic self.Listen along and find a piece of yourself in her story as we celebrate vulnerability, explore the messy truths that shape us, and discover how the right song at the right moment can transform a life. If you've ever felt lost, divided, or searching for your voice, this episode is for you.

    Earth Monster Trailer: Craigslist Interviews

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 2:27


    Welcome to Earth Monster, the storytelling show that celebrates vulnerability and speaks to the darkest messiest little parts of your heart about the lies that we tell ourselves every day. The stories that we used to get out of bed, the fantasies that we let propel our lives. I called these things necessary delusions, and I am really interested in talking about the biggest ideas that we have had about ourselves and the world around us that have helped to shape and mis shape the path that we've taken in life.

    Expecting Parents

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2022 56:21


    **Season Two Finale** The complicated delusions of parenthood unpacked by 10 storytellers who have lived it. Featuring my very pregnant wife, my mom, my dad, my unborn child, my best friend the shrink and many more.

    Know Regrets

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2022 51:28


    Regrets. We all have them and we all use a delusion to live with them. We speak with 8 storytellers about the regrets that haunt them.

    Nothing to Lose

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2022 37:32


    Patterns don't change in a day, Bobby returns to discuss the baby steps he has taken towards being upfront with women and Matt shares a time when he turned a marriage into a divorce in just 3 short months.

    Draw the Clouds

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2022 47:06


    Michael buries his true identity with vices and delusions alike, until a hook up dating app reveals the path to his dreams.

    How To Erase Your Past (Part 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2022 54:31


    In an attempt to flee the mess that she has made for herself in NYC, Rosie follows her secret crush to the wilderness of Alaska hoping to make a connection.

    How To Erase Your Past

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2022 48:06


    Rosie marries a stranger that needs citizenship in a secret attempt to make his friend fall in love with her.

    Adopted Anger

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2022 37:39


    Grace never thought about the ways they might have experienced trauma, until the answer became so obvious it made them rethink everything.

    Suits Everyday

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2022 42:40


    Your necessary shrink, Marcus returns with life long delusions to be a secret agent and all of the unexpected ways that he has manifested this fantasy.

    Ghana Control It All

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2022 44:10


    Eric's desire to be in control began in 4th grade when his mom left him by himself to live in West Africa.

    Daddy's Got Issues

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2022 45:47


    Devon's dad went away to prison when she was only 2 years old and the ideas that grew in his absence changed the way that she saw herself.

    Transgender Forever

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2022 46:34


    It has taken her a long journey to get here but Kenni has known there was something different about her since she was a very small boy.

    Science Twitch

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2022 36:03


    Ben navigates friendship and science with an uncontrollable twitch that happens when he imagines his greatest fantasies coming true.

    The Noise Maker

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2022 42:00


    While Gillian aims to find fame as a singer, she learns every lesson life has to offer through music along the way.

    A Manic Pixie, Me Too

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2022 37:18


    After years of receiving threatening emails from an anonymous harasser, Madison tries to take back control by turning the troll into a friend.

    Fear of Missing Sports

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2022 39:19


    Jasper hates sports; always has, and yet he has lived his whole life compulsively watching them, playing them and collecting memorabilia, in fear of what might happen if he doesn't.

    Funny Girls Don't Cry

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2022 48:50


    Colleen thrives as a tomboy with a razor sharp wit until she's faced with something that can't be joked away.

    The Pressure To Be Enough

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2022 32:20


    Dan walks a narrow path and taps into the heart of a universal human experience.

    Militant Thrill Seeker

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2022 41:36


    Sam isn't afraid and he always cares. This perspective leads to varied results when attempting extreme physical stunts and (even more dangerous) socializing with coworkers.

    Deconstructing: Queen

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2022 36:50


    What's in a name? Reyna unpacks the unexpected delusional baggage acquired from holding a name that means royalty.

    Free the Riddler

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2022 46:43


    A naturally occurring chemical imbalance fuels Peter's greatest fantasies and drives him to the edge.

    Come In Earth Monster

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2021 5:17


    Join the conversation. We check in about Season 2 and invite you to reach out to us for a list of themes we're discussing in Season 2. yournecessarydelusion@gmail.com OR Call our voicemail. 323-540-4540

    LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2021 3:20


    Join the conversation and leave us a message with your own necessary delusion or feedback for the show at 323-540-4540

    Imaginary Friends

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2021 43:43


    **Season One Finale** Imaginary friends from literal to figurative. Featuring the Shrink, the Guru and Special Guest my Mom.

    Flirt Practice

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2021 32:51


    Despite being smart, beautiful and ready for a relationship, Pao found herself single because she believed the way to get a man was to act completely disinterested.

    Plan to Worry

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2021 49:16


    If Abby doesn't plan to worry about catastrophes, then how is she ever suppose to respond to them if they ever come true?

    My Mess, My Mission

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2021 21:00


    Make your mess your mission.

    Brooklyn Time Capsule

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2021 31:53


    Marcus has been a New Yorker for nearly 20 years, but in a week he and his family will move to their new home in the suburbs in Scarsdale. So then who is he suppose to be?

    Goal Weight

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2021 51:21


    **Trigger Warning** Phoebe is “gifted” with a harmful delusion from the time she's a child. She knows it's wrong but it can be very hard to change your story.

    I AM DOBOY

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2021 52:01


    We all use dreams to create ourselves, but most of us don't have the guts to chase them as boldly as Anthony from Sacramento.

    Handful of Bees

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2021 37:55


    Leo is fascinated with bees. He dreams of one day being a bee keeper, if only he could push passed the research phase.

    Marathon Liar (Part 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2021 44:52


    Will Travis get to keep the girl of his dreams? Will he be driven enough to run the marathon, or is this whole new life a quickly fading fantasy?

    Marathon Liar (Part 1)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2021 41:16


    Travis finds his whole life changing when he follows a momentary impulse and signs up to run a marathon to impress a girl.

    Dangerous Laziness

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2021 47:21


    Janie is threatened with physical harm when she ignores all warning signs to indulge in her usual nightly routine.

    Tenacious Drinker

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2021 43:17


    Russell‘s career as a drinker... The delusions that got him into it, the ones he used to keep going and how he eventually changed his story to quit.

    Mormon Curiosity (Part 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2021 35:30


    Having recently been secretly baptized and feeling more desperate than ever to fill the hole inside of himself, Bobby drives 12 hours from home not sure if it will get him any closer to his goal.

    Mormon Curiosity (Part 1)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2021 38:12


    Bobby is searching for a sense of belonging when one day the answer literally knocks on his door.

    Dancing In Peanut Butter

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2021 43:27


    Jackie follows a dangerous delusion that if she ignores a problem it will go away, unfortunately that’s hardly ever the case.

    Comedy Dropout

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2021 37:39


    Reyna follows a necessary delusion that makes her change careers, move cities and risk everything on an idea.

    Love Game (Part 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2021 40:18


    In the midst of divorcing her first husband, Devon thinks she may have found her true soulmate online, now she just needs to meet him in person.

    Love Game (Part 1)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2021 32:50


    Devon believes if she doesn’t get married and have children before she is 30, then she is a complete failure. So she goes after her goal by any means necessary.

    Tiny Gangster

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2021 38:21


    Dave was only a kid when he decided he wanted to be a gangster. While he excelled towards his necessary delusion, his actions changed the course of his life.

    1: Reptile Mind

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2021 36:32


    Host, Matt LeBlanc explores the origins of his own necessary delusion of believing he was the funniest kid in his 2nd grade class. Don’t miss the SURPRISE GUEST!

    Your Necessary Delusion: Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2021 8:15


    Creator, Matt LeBlanc introduces the storytelling show that celebrates vulnerability.

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