Landline

Landline

Live, unfiltered conversations with real people. Call in, share your stories, give advice, or pitch a fit every Wednesday at 7 PM CST. Hosted by Inga Headland, Landline captures the raw, funny, and unexpected moments that only live talk radio can deliver. thelandlineshow.substack.com

  1. The Line Is Going Quiet

    12/22/2025

    The Line Is Going Quiet

    This is the final episode of Landline. Not because the questions ran out.Not because the conversations stopped mattering.But because this particular season of listening is complete. When I started this project, I didn’t know what would happen if I picked up the phone and let strangers speak into the dark. I only knew that silence had stopped being helpful, and that something honest might live on the other side of a dial tone. Over the past year, Landline became a place for confessions, jokes, grief, boredom, hope, relapse, restraint, longing, and the occasional absolutely unhinged voicemail. It became proof that people are still willing to say real things if you give them a little space and a little time. Some of you called.Some of you listened quietly.Some of you never touched the phone but stayed anyway. All of that counted. This final episode is not a “best of” in the polished sense. It’s more like the feeling at the end of a long conversation when no one wants to hang up, but you know it’s time. We talk about the holidays, about favorite moments, about what stays and what doesn’t. We let the room settle. After December 31, Landline will be archived. The episodes will remain, but the line itself will stop ringing. There will be no new calls, no new recordings, no next episode waiting around the corner. And that’s okay. Not everything meaningful is meant to run forever. Some things exist to prove something to you, then gently step aside. Thank you for trusting this strange little experiment. Thank you for your voices, your patience, your curiosity, and your willingness to sit with uncomfortable pauses. Thank you for letting this be what it was, not what it was supposed to be. For now, the receiver goes back on the hook. With gratitude,Inga Get full access to Landline: The Essays at thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe

    19 min
  2. New Episode Drop! Landline Episode 25

    11/23/2025

    New Episode Drop! Landline Episode 25

    Featuring Claire, a rogue estrogen patch, and one absolutely enormous turkey cutout We tried a new set up this week. Of course we did. We try a new set up every week, which is probably why the algorithm looks at Landline and thinks, “I’m sorry, who are these people and why are they in a different hostage situation every episode.” In case anyone was worried, the Band-Aid on my arm is covering my estrogen patch. Is it working. Mostly. Did it fall off again. Yes. Did I tape it down with a child’s waterproof bandage because I’m an adult woman hanging on by a thread. Also yes. This week’s episode covers: * Thanksgiving chaos * Whether little kids dressing up as pilgrims and Indians is sweet or deeply offensive * Childhood crafts that should have been red flags * What prayer actually is * Why gratitude is harder than it sounds * The spiritual equivalent of glue-bean candle holders * Plus, a brief detour into whether Christopher Columbus was at Thanksgiving (he was not) But the heart of the episode is this: What does it mean to pray, and why does it feel complicated. I asked listeners what prayer means to them. Some people said they love it. Some said they hate it because of what it “used to mean.” Some were raised on fear-based prayer. Some had no idea where to start. Claire and I talk through our own practices, missteps, and the surprising simplicity of gratitude when life is at its weirdest. And in the spirit of Thanksgiving, we talk about what it means to give thanks as adults who have been through a pile of life already. Bodies falling apart. Recoveries. Careers that swing between “thriving” and “hair on a biscuit.” Holidays that feel tender, funny, or just plain confusing. Landline is almost at the finish line We have one episode left this year. Depending how life shakes out, this may be the end of Landline for now. A beautiful, unhinged, heart-forward little season that went from a real studio to my living room floor with a tripod that hates me. If you want Season 2, here is the deal: We need to hit:• 10K YouTube subscribers• 500 Substack followers If you have ever enjoyed this show, this is the moment to help keep it alive.👉 Tap “follow” here on Substack It takes two seconds and it legitimately matters. Thank you for listening, calling, writing, praying, disagreeing, and showing up for this show.We love you. See you for the Christmas finale. And someone please remind me to fix my lighting situation. Twice. Maybe three times. Inga Get full access to Landline: The Essays at thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe

    28 min
  3. Episode 21: Ask Me Anything (about Loneliness)

    07/13/2025

    Episode 21: Ask Me Anything (about Loneliness)

    This week’s Landline is brought to you by: * A single unmoving camera angle of my unflattering upper arm * Overhead fluorescent lighting * A possibly sedated cohost (Kyle, bless him) * And the realization that our loyal tech director can’t do the show anymore It’s a lo-fi episode in the truest sense. The first 20 minutes are just a static shot of me, slowly becoming aware of how bad overhead lighting is for women over 40. Then Kyle sort of wakes up, and we close with an emotionally stirring 12-second sign-off. Production at public access is now officially… a mystery. Our beloved technical director won’t be working on Landline anymore. Why? Because another show has seniority and films live at the same time: Heartland Liberty, a right-wing variety hour hosted by a dude who makes Alex Jones seem chill. That’s why we’ve been stuck in Studio B for months, making the best of it with limited crew and gear. So we may be moving to a new location. Or a new format. Or possibly filming the next episode on my phone duct-taped to a ring light. What do we think about moving? We’re figuring it out. But I love this show and I want to keep it going. Thinking of starting a GoFundMe so we can rebuild a scrappy little setup that actually works. If that’s something you’d support, hit reply and let me know. Your encouragement genuinely helps. For now: here’s the latest episode, in all its unfiltered glory. 👉 Watch episodes here👉 Call in or leave a voicemail👉 Light the torch and ask Public Access to put Landline in Studio A Love y’all, Inga Get full access to Landline: The Essays at thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe

    33 min
  4. Landline Episode 19: I Don’t Know Who I Am, But I Know I Want Cheesy Fries

    05/23/2025

    Landline Episode 19: I Don’t Know Who I Am, But I Know I Want Cheesy Fries

    This week on Landline, we spiral. Gently. Dramatically. In a bowling alley. I talk about the kind of identity crisis that only comes from getting married and going viral for an animation where you shoot Mr. Rogers. You know, classic bride stuff. If you’ve ever posted something online and immediately felt like you broke the internet in the bad way, or if someone’s told you “That doesn’t seem like you,” and you suddenly doubted your entire existence—this one’s for you. Highlights: * Why I don’t know my brand and maybe never will * How my “support group” is weirdly the best wedding planning committee I’ve got * What the Muppets boarding house has to do with Landline * And why it’s totally fine (good even!) to want your wedding celebration to smell like rental shoes and nacho cheese You’ll also hear about our pilot experiment leaving a real landline phone at the Dive Motel bar in Nashville. We got one voicemail. It just said “I hope” over and over again. Honestly? Same. 🎧 Listen to the episode above or wherever you get your podcasts. 📞 Want to call in? You can still leave a message anytime at (615) 212-5437. Or catch me live next Wednesday at 7 PM Central. 🎈 Episode 20 drops next week and I’ll be joined by my chaotic genius cohost Claire. If you know, you know. Thanks for listening. Thanks for letting me be a little bit Gonzo, a little bit Piggy, a little bit human. —Inga Get full access to Landline: The Essays at thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe

    19 min

About

Live, unfiltered conversations with real people. Call in, share your stories, give advice, or pitch a fit every Wednesday at 7 PM CST. Hosted by Inga Headland, Landline captures the raw, funny, and unexpected moments that only live talk radio can deliver. thelandlineshow.substack.com