Valentine’s Day has earned a bit of a bad reputation. Perhaps it’s the chalky conversation hearts, or the swirly foam lattes, or the fairly awful 2010 film of the same name — whatever it is, the holiday has fallen out of favour. (Was it ever in favour? Debatable.) But I find that there’s something charming about it. Like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, it celebrates something that is — or should be — universal. As much as we kvetch about love, it's fascinating. There is a reason why the Modern Love column is such a success. Hint: Love’s got something to do with it.
Which isn’t to say that love can’t be terrible and devastating. It absolutely can be. When I’m down with love, as Renée Zellweger would say, I turn to podcasts. Meditations on love in the newish medium exist somewhere between absurdly salacious tales on 60 Minutes and the bubblegum proposals you see in feature films and television. Podcasts can capture the mundanity of romantic life. You can listen to a conversation between two lovers and notice the details that bind the conversation. You can hear a recently engaged couple talk through their differences. You can hear a single person explain why they’re so fascinated with their current partner. (I’m already crying.)
As a dedicated podcast listener, I have pulled together the podcast episodes that, in my life, have led me to believe that Love, real Love with a capital "L," truly exists. When I’m looking down the barrel of an empty carton of guacamole, these are the 15-minute (or 60-minute) segments that keep my romantic furnace burning.
"The Heart Wants What It Wants," This American Life
This American Life has a bit of a monopoly on great stories about love. The first episode I ever heard involves a married couple struggling to define their long term relationship. This episode, though, released only recently, contains stories of unrequited love — unconditional love that knows no boundaries. Not in a creepy way, either. The first story features a 70-year-old man who plans to propose to a woman who, by all accounts, will likely say no. But the heart wants what it wants.
Photo: Courtesy of NPR.
"Tig Notaro," You Made It Weird
Tig Notaro became famous for doing stand up about her cancer diagnosis. (If you haven't heard the 15-minute set, I encourage you to listen.) But in the midst of her medical turmoil, the Mississippi-born comedian fell in love with Stephanie Allyne, a comedian and improv performer based in Los Angeles. In this episode of You Made It Weird, Notaro describes how she met and fell in love with Allyne. At the beginning of the episode, Notaro explicitly states she doesn't want to talk about her romantic life. And then, somehow, she's talking about her love life for the next two hours. The topic, it seems, in unavoidable, and that in and of itself is pretty damn romantic.
Photo: Courtesy of Nerdist.
"How We Love " Ted Radio Hour
Want to believe in love on a literal, chemical level? The Ted Radio Hour will take you into the math and data behind love. And not just romantic love — filial love, paternal love, and love between friends.
Photo: Courtesy of NPR.
"Chris Evans and Jenny Slate, Parts 1 & 2 ," Unqualified with Anna Faris
Want to listen to the tender beginnings of a relationship? Head on over to Anna Faris' episode with Jenny Slate and Chris Evans, who, shortly after the episode aired, entered into a relationship. If you listen closely to their dialogue, you can hear the beginning of a soon-to-be romance. (Evans and Slate have reportedly split, but that doesn't negate their burbling chemistry on this episode.)
Photo: Courtesy of Unqualified.
"The Curse " The Moth
The Moth, a storytelling podcast, is a hive for love-themed stories. It attracts both the humorous and the tragic. In this 14-minute story, Dame Wilburn, a decorated storyteller, recounts how she met her wife through witchcraft in Michigan. The story is wickedly funny, to boot.
Photo: Courtesy of Public Radio Exchange.
"Dating and Mating " Hidden Brain
Not for the faint of heart, this science-based episode examines the behaviors behind love that matter — for better or for worse. Because there's the emotional side of love, and there's the minutiae of love. Details such as, how much an engagement ring should cost and how that money will affect a relationship.
Ultimately, though, this episode disproves itself. In a way, the cost of an engagement ring matters. But in most respects, it really doesn't.
Photo: Courtesy of NPR."No Coincidence, No Story!" This American Life
This American Life strikes again with an episode for the books. The romantic story here entails a dollar bill scrawled with a woman's name — yes, just like in the movie Serendipity. I cried when I listened to this story. My best friend's father cried when he recounted this story to me. My best friend cried when I recounted it to her. Tears all around here.
Photo: Courtesy of NPR.
"Between The Bars," Modern Love
Okay, this one is cheating a little bit. Nearly every episode of The New York Times podcast will make you weep and clutch your chest. But this episode in particular will punch you in the feely spot. Joshua Fattal was detained in Iran for 26 months. When he returned to the States, he reunited with his middle school girlfriend, Jenny. Now, if that isn't better than any Nicholas Sparks film, I don't know what is.
Photo: Courtesy of WBUR.
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