Podcast Summary: Creative Pep Talk Presents: Origin Stories — Dan Taberski on Hysterical

Host: Andy J. Pizza
Guest Host: Matthew Scher (Origin Stories)
Guest: Dan Taberski (Host of Hysterical)
Date: September 15, 2025

Overview of the Episode

This episode is a crossover featuring the podcast "Origin Stories," hosted by Matthew Scher, with acclaimed podcaster Dan Taberski as the guest. The conversation dives into Taberski's recent podcast "Hysterical," which investigates the baffling case of a neurological illness outbreak among high school girls in LeRoy, New York. The episode explores Taberski's creative process, his approach to reporting sensitive stories, and broader reflections on the challenges of narrative audio journalism.

"Origin Stories" focuses on the behind-the-scenes journeys of creative works, delving into the frustration, complexity, and joy that underpin outstanding projects, offering actionable insights for anyone on their own creative path.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dan Taberski’s Creative Path (05:13–07:22)

• Career Journey: Taberski started in TV and news before transitioning into podcasting, initially seeking more creative control than the TV industry allowed.
  • “I kind of didn't want to make what TV people wanted to make anymore, and TV people didn't really want to make what I wanted to make anymore.” (05:13)
  • Documentaries and failed attempts led him to try podcasting with the "Missing Richard Simmons" project.
• Transferable Skills: Experience at The Daily Show (producing segments, working with correspondents like Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert) helped him learn to write in others' voices and embrace his own on-mic style.

2. The Dan Taberski Style (07:45–08:13)

• Interview Approach: Taberski attributes his conversational yet authoritative tone to his personality—being “a little too familiar with people.”
  • “I've always been a little too familiar with people...sometimes it makes people really comfortable.” (07:45)
• He avoids rigid, scripted interviews, aiming for authentic, engaging conversations.

3. Thematic Threads Between Projects (09:03–09:49)

• While his work covers diverse topics ("Missing Richard Simmons," "the Y2K," "The Line"), common threads emerge.
  • “A lot of the things that I talk about are about what it is like to be an American in the 21st century…disappointments and possibilities…navigating large systems.” (09:03)

4. Genesis of “Hysterical” & Mass Psychogenic Illness (10:03–11:23)

• Investigating “mass psychogenic illness” (like “Havana Syndrome”) led him to the LeRoy story.
• Addresses the tension between honoring subjective illness experiences and exploring psychological explanations.
  • “It is a physical thing. You cannot control it...but...where those symptoms would be coming from might not have an organic cause.” (11:51)

5. Approach to Creative Development and Pitching (13:00–14:42)

• Thorough Pre-reporting: Extensive reading and informal conversations precede the formal pitch process.
• Selective Pitching: Taberski focuses on pitching only when he is deeply invested, ensuring authenticity and avoiding “making a show I don't want to make.” (13:51)
• Collaboration: Works with Pineapple Street to refine ideas before taking them to distributors like Wondery.

6. Story Structure and Mystery (16:09–22:39)

• Avoiding True Crime Clichés: While “Hysterical” contains a core mystery, it’s not true crime—its real propulsion comes from thematic questions.
  • “What happens when people tell you it's all in your head? ...That was sort of the thing that really drove me.” (21:46)
• Starting Points & Structure: Taberski rarely knows his story’s opening scene in advance.
  • “God, no. No, no, no. I would never. No, I never know where it's gonna start.” (18:47)

7. Crafting the Story—Process & Philosophy (23:46–28:18)

• Physical and Digital Organization: Uses outlines, mind maps, physical cards, and visual organizers to repeatedly handle the story structure.
  • “You need to handle a story, like, over and over and over and over and over, over and over again.” (23:57)
• Tape-First Audio Journalism: Letting powerful tape guide the narrative, rather than imposing pre-written framing.
  • “The conversation is what happened. And now I'm trying to tell you the story of what happened.” (27:54)
• Interview Goals: Prioritizes drawing out subjects’ reflections and wisdom over mere retellings.

8. Ethics, Experience, and Care for Subjects (25:42–26:44; 30:11–30:33)

• Seeks to provide a meaningful experience for interviewees, avoiding “line reads” or manipulation.
  • “I'm not going to ask them to repeat things...Because you're not respecting the fact that they're here to like to do something too, and it's not to do line reads.” (26:44)
• Focuses on depth over breadth when representing sources, opting to “lock onto a couple of their stories.” (29:23)

9. Creative Demands & Recognition (30:41–34:06)

• Taberski invests himself “whole self” in one major project at a time.
• Discusses the pressures and emotional swings of intense creative work and the rare moments of public recognition.
  • “I've been doing this long enough to know that something will happen that will alleviate the pain that I'm in right now. But it hasn't happened yet, and that's frustrating.” (31:50)
  • Being a Pulitzer finalist: “That was sort of a shocker and amazing and, like, yeah, but fucking amazing. I have no chill when it comes to that, being a finalist with Pulitzer.” (33:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the LeRoy Outbreak:
  “I just wanted to give that feeling of what it felt like for one girl to have these weird symptoms and then another…and then they're all coming to the doctor's office.”
  — Dan Taberski (20:34)

• On Interviewing:
  “What I'm often looking for...I'm not looking for somebody to retell the story. I'm looking for people to...give me something that...how did they put it in their lives? Like, what was that experience like as a person?”
  — Dan Taberski (25:42)

• On Creative Process:
  “[W]hen you start, you start.”
  — Dan Taberski (25:27)

• On Audio vs. Print Journalism:
  “The conversation is what happened. And now I'm trying to tell you the story of what happened. What actually happened is the most important stuff, if that makes any sense.”
  — Dan Taberski (27:54)

• On Being Recognized:
  “There's something about that that's great, but a lot of it's just a function of making my next project possible...Any recognition goes into, like, somebody else giving me another chance to do it and allowing me a little breathing room to sort of make it happen.”
  — Dan Taberski (32:48)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Dan’s TV/Film Background and Jump to Podcasts: 05:13–06:27
• Distinctive Interview Style: 07:22–08:13
• Recurring Project Themes: 09:03–09:49
• Origin of Hysterical & Mass Psychogenic Illness: 10:03–11:23
• Handling Sensitive Medical Narratives: 11:51–12:43
• Taberski’s Pre-Reporting and Pitching Process: 13:00–13:51
• Philosophy on Project Selection: 14:42–15:19
• Crafting Mystery Without True Crime Tropes: 16:09–22:39
• Story Structure Habits: 23:46–24:39
• Tape-First Writing in Audio: 27:28–28:18
• Managing Multiple Subjects in the Series: 29:23–30:33
• Creative Focus and Recognition: 30:41–34:06

Final Thoughts

Dan Taberski’s appearance on “Origin Stories” is a rich exploration of not just a specific project, but the philosophy and methodology of narrative audio storytelling. Enthusiastic, vulnerable, and self-aware, Taberski stands out for his deep respect for subjects, his “mystery plus meaning” approach, and his ability to synthesize personal curiosity with larger cultural questions. This episode is an instructive listen for any creative searching for ways to balance discipline, empathy, and experimentation in telling difficult but vital stories.