
Conversations with people who have lived through extreme events. Some stories are dark and twisted, others are light and funny. In all cases, we get an intimate portrait of 'what it was like' to be there.
Find us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcast
Find us on Youtube: @whatitwaslikepodcast
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Hosted by Julian Morgans
This is a Superreal production
Hosted o... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 194 | Founded | 4 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | DocumentarySociety & Culture | |||

In 1981, an Israeli backpacker named Yossi Ghinsberg met a man in Bolivia who told him about a lost city of riches buried in the jungle. Four of them went into the Amazon to search for the city. Two came out. Yossi tells us how he survived and what h... more
On the eve of his 38th birthday in 1998, a lawyer named Stanley Alpert was plucked off the street by three armed men. For the next 25 hours he sat blindfolded in a corner of their Brooklyn apartment, listening to their strange lives play out around h... more
In May 1999, police found eight bodies decaying in barrels in a disused bank vault in Snowtown. Four men were eventually jailed for 12 murders. Former senior constable Gordon Drage was the first to discover the vault and tells us what he saw.. We're ... more
Todd Maguire was happy-go-lucky Australian policeman until his girlfriend died by suicide and everything changed. From there, Todd became a heavy drinking undercover cop chasing life-and-death situations to bury his trauma. This is Todd’s story of go... more
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I may have missed something as I was cleaning whilst listening to the school shooting episode. But how on earth did a psychologist, a psychiatrist and a mum think it was a good idea for this boy to go out shooting guns with the older brother who had sexually assaulted him?????? No wonder months later he did what he did.
This guy gets some really incredible guests to come on, and asks great questions. There’s a lovely inquisitive nature without it being invasive. The guests all seem totally up for it too. Which considering some of their situations, is what really makes this special.
Amazing stories and often helpful in considering about my own life and how I chose to face things
I’m enjoying this podcast so sincerely! Every episode is compelling and eye opening. I went to school to learn how to connect with people, and Julian inspires me to perform better in my job. One of the best podcasts out there!
Has potential. But the style with the host feels so awkward and outdated and performative.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
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Apple Podcasts | #37 | |
Apple Podcasts | #97 | |
Apple Podcasts | #180 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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The show centers on intimate conversations with people who have endured extreme events, offering a human-centered view of trauma, resilience, and survival. Episodes blend first-hand policing, journalism, survivor narratives, and behind-the-scenes professionals, often highlighting ethical questions, media impact, and the psychology of adversity. A notable attribute is the host's calm, curious interviewing style and the breadth of guest backgrounds—from law enforcement to writers, athletes, and trauma survivors—creating a mosaic of hard-hitting real-life experiences told with empathy. Potential listeners may be drawn to meticulous storytelling, serious inquiry into difficult topics, and the opportunity to hear personal perspectives that illum... more
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These podcasts share a similar audience with What It Was Like:
1. True Crime Conversations
2. Secrets We Keep
3. Australian True Crime
4. This Is Actually Happening
5. Unravel
What It Was Like launched 4 years ago and published 194 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on What It Was Like include:
1. Gordon Drage
2. Todd Maguire
3. Patrick Tomlinson
4. Matt Thomas
5. Jon Romano
6. Jayson Blair
7. Judy Stropus
8. Edna Cowell Martin
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.