Summary — Introducing: Origin Stories (Wondery | Campside)

Overview

This episode introduces Origin Stories, a new Wondery/Campside podcast in which host Matt (of Suspect) interviews writers and directors about how their well-known works were made. The episode features Dan Taberski (creator/host of Hysterical) in a conversation about his career, storytelling approach, and the creation of his award‑winning podcast Hysterical — which investigates a baffling outbreak of neurologic symptoms among teenagers in Le Roy, New York.

Key points & main takeaways

• Origin Stories’ mission: deep, candid conversations with creators about the full process of making a work — the frustrations, joys, setbacks, and successes.
• Early guests on Origin Stories include Noah Hawley, Stephanie Foo, John Hoffman, and Patrick Radden Keefe.
• Hysterical (Taberski’s podcast) examines a cluster of sudden tics and vocal outbursts among Le Roy teenagers; the mystery raises questions about contagion, environmental causes, and mass psychogenic illness.
• Dan Taberski’s career trajectory:
  • Began in TV (NBC News, then a producer at The Daily Show).
  • Ran a production company making nonfiction TV and comedy.
  • Transitioned toward directing documentary shorts and eventually podcasting.
  • Finding Richard Simmons became his breakout audio project and led to a sustained focus on narrative podcasts.
• Skills transfer from TV to audio:
  • Writing in other people’s voices (learned at The Daily Show) is key for narrative audio.
  • Doing “scratch tracks” (practice voiceovers) helped Taberski become comfortable with his own voice and crafting a conversational yet authoritative tone.
• Hysterical’s recognition: Podcast of the Year at the Ambies and a Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting finalist.
• Taberski emphasizes persistence and acceptance of high failure rates for personal films, and explains why podcasting can be a more feasible medium for certain documentary storytelling.

Notable quotes / insights

• From Hysterical’s opening: “I felt like Linda Blair in The Exorcist.” (evokes the shock/fear when symptoms appear)
• On interviewing and voice work: Taberski highlights the importance of scratch tracks and practicing intonation — either “phone it in” or commit to doing it like the voice that will appear.
• On career shifts: Taberski notes films can be “harder to make, harder to get funded,” so podcasts became a practical outlet for personal, investigative stories.

Topics discussed

• Podcasting as a documentary medium
• Investigative storytelling and narrative structure
• Mass neurologic symptom outbreaks / mass psychogenic illness (Le Roy, NY)
• Career evolution from TV production to podcasting
• Interview technique and voice work (scratch tracks)
• The creative process: persistence, setbacks, and personal investment in projects
• Recognition and industry awards for audio journalism

Action items / recommendations

• Listen to Origin Stories for in-depth creator conversations — available wherever you get podcasts.
• If interested in narrative audio: practice scratch tracks, learn to write in other voices, and develop a conversational yet authoritative hosting style.
• Check out Dan Taberski’s Hysterical (and his earlier work Finding Richard Simmons) for examples of investigative narrative podcasting and storytelling craft.
• For creators considering format: weigh podcasting as a more accessible way to produce personal documentary work versus the higher cost/longer timelines of film.

Origin Stories positions itself as a behind‑the‑scenes look at creativity; this preview episode uses Taberski’s path and Hysterical as a concrete case study in how investigative, character‑driven audio gets made.