Not Lost
When both his popular culture podcast and long-term relationship come to an end, journalist Brendan finds he has the time — and freedom — to pursue his dream: a travel podcast where he goes places and learns about them by getting invited to a stranger’s house for dinner. A friend joins him at each destination and they drink, dance, and eat their way from Montréal to Mexico City, often learning as much about themselves as the place they’re visiting. Not Lost is both a delightful travel escape and an insightful look at people — locals and visitors alike — trying to make sense of a constantly changing world.
Not Lost is a co-production of Pushkin Industries, Topic Studios and iHeartMedia. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.
Our Editor's Take
Not Lost is like two travel podcasts in one. Journalist Brendan Francis Newnam hosts the main program and Not Lost Chat. In each episode of the podcast, Brendan is in a new city with one of his friends. The main goal is to get invited to a dinner party by someone local. They try to experience as much of the city as possible along the way.
On Not Lost Chat, Brendan has conversations about travel. He talks to writers, comedians, and other creatives. These folks often travel for work, so their expertise is valuable.
Brendan started Not Lost after the end of a serious relationship. He had also stopped doing a popular long-running radio show. Brendan had time to do what he wanted and sought the resources. The idea was to travel across North America and have dinner with strangers.
The podcast has since gone international. One episode finds Brendan and his friend Danielle in Mexico City. Listeners hear them enjoying the view from the back of their Uber. They meet a local college professor who tells them anything can happen in Ciudad de México. He says that painter Salvador Dalí envied the place for being more surreal than his paintings.
On Not Lost Chat, Brendan and comedian Jay Pharoah answer listener-submitted questions about air travel. They discuss the best way to dissuade a seat neighbor from starting a conversation. Meanwhile, travel writer Pico Iyer tells Brendan about his unironic search for "Paradise." He says that travel agents market many destinations as being like paradise. Pico also notes that a place tourists consider paradise is not always so for the residents.
Both versions of the podcast share wit and camaraderie. Listeners looking for something lighter and more conversational might prefer Not Lost Chat. The original Not Lost podcast may appeal more to folks who enjoy listening to unpredictable stories.
Episodes
