If you’re calm, patient, and actively listening, there are so many weird and wonderful things that you can overhear strangers talking about. From time to time, you’ll hear something that you can’t help but share with your friends… or the entire internet.
That’s where the ‘Overheard LA’ Instagram page comes in. A massively popular social media project, it invites the denizens of the City of Angels to anonymously share the funniest and most bizarre conversations that they’ve ever overheard. And they capture the essence of living in Los Angeles so well, we couldn’t wait to share the newest posts with you. Check them out below.
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Founded by New York-born Los Angeles native Jesse Margolis all the way back in 2015, ‘Overheard LA’ has practically grown into a household name. Now, the Instagram account is part of a sprawling network of similar social media pages that document the different cultures and atmospheres of other cities, from San Francisco and New York to London in the UK.
At the time of writing, ‘Overheard LA’ boasted a jaw-dropping 1.6 million followers on Instagram, as well as 350.6K loyal fans on TikTok.
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Bored Panda got in touch with Los Angeles-based entertainment, pop culture, and lifestyle expert Mike Sington to get his thoughts on facing setbacks in show business, and how to get along better with the LA locals. He argues that setbacks are a natural part of any creative journey and that it’s important to stay resilient and passionate when you don’t succeed in reaching your goals as quickly as you hoped that you would.
“Remember that success takes time. Many famous individuals faced failures before achieving their goals,” he said. In the meantime, aspiring entertainment industry professionals can use this downtime from their upcoming fame to hone their craft, improve their skills, and gain new knowledge. What’s more, they can also focus on networking and building connections in the industry.
According to Mike, these connections “can open doors and provide valuable advice.” What also helps is keeping a positive outlook and thinking about all the progress that you’ve made so far. Having your friends, family, community members, as well as mentors support you can be invaluable here.
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Of course, if you find yourself in a rut, you can try to diversify your approach and try to adapt to the circumstances as best as you can. “Explore different avenues within the industry,” the entertainment expert said. “Be open to adjusting your approach and strategies as you learn from your experiences.”
Meanwhile, Bored Panda wanted to get Hollywood’s Ultimate Insider’s thoughts on how to get along with the locals in LA better. Mike was kind enough to shed some light on this. “Angelenos are generally welcoming to newcomers,” he told us that smiling, being open and friendly, and initiating conversations is the way to go. LA locals are also very diverse, so it’s important to respect different backgrounds and perspectives.
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What also helps is if you show genuine interest in the local culture, from learning about the city’s history to delving deep into finding out more about its landmarks and events. Next, you should visit the local hotspots and community events where the other Angelenos are gathering. These are the perfect places to connect with them. Though if you’re particularly friendly, you can strike up a conversation practically anywhere—even among the hustle and bustle of public transportation.
Above all, Mike urged everyone to avoid stereotypes. “LA is more than just Hollywood. Recognize its multifaceted aspects and engage accordingly,” he told Bored Panda. “Genuine curiosity and respect go a long way in building positive connections with locals in any community.”
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The founder of ‘Overheard LA,’ Margolis, previously told the New York Times how the idea to create the account popped into his head in the first place. “I was sitting around this health food store in West Hollywood, and these two women were having this long, rambling conversation that led from egg freezing to pit bulls. I wrote it down and posted it. Instead of the usual 12 likes, it got 30, and a screenwriter friend of mine said, ‘You have to do a page!’ A couple of weeks later, Ireland Baldwin, who is Alec Baldwin’s daughter, found it and reposted it. It just took on a life of its own,” he shared how the project was an instant hit.
“A lot of the trends start here—hot Pilates, aura photography—and a lot of culture gets exported from here. Or anti-culture. People all over the world see the Kardashians in Calabasas, ‘The Price Is Right’ from the CBS studios on Beverly Boulevard. At the end of the day, they care about Los Angeles because it represents an ideal reality. It’s where the myths have been made for the last hundred years,” Margolis shared his thoughts with the NYT on why so many people around the globe follow the page.
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According to him, the material posted about LA “tends to be from another planet: fantasy stuff about your ‘social media brand,’ or about longevity fads or your dog’s zodiac sign. One quote we recently posted was an effusive dog owner telling her friend, “I was reading my dog his horoscope the other day and I was like ‘Oh, my God, Bronson, this is so you.’”
“I wasn’t part of the Instagram culture, and I didn’t even really know what an influencer was. But I knew this was a cool thing, a reflection of me making fun of the city I love,” Margolis told the Los Angeles Times about the roots of his project.
Though the entire project is very popular, he himself likes to stay off the radar. “I think assigning an ego and a personality to the brand just diminishes it. It’s just a much bigger idea if it’s not about a person,” he explained.
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“One of the things that bothers me about the account is that it’s satirizing a certain bubble and then sometimes finds itself in that bubble. It might have to be a different account we launch as we grow, but I would love it if it represented a more diverse part of the city,” Margolis said at the time that he doesn’t believe that the ‘Overheard LA’ account fully depicts the nuances of life in the City of Angels.
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As we’ve covered on Bored Panda recently, most of us can’t help but overhear other people’s conversations. It’s how we’re wired! “Research in social neuroscience reveals that our brains have something akin to an ‘autopilot’ setting, referred to as the ‘default mode network.’ This part of our brain becomes active when we’re resting or not focused on another task. Intriguingly, it plays a significant role in processing social information, suggesting we are naturally inclined towards contemplating social situations and interactions,” social psychologist Alison Jane Martingano, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay told us during a previous interview.
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“This includes what others are doing or saying. If we find ourselves on an airplane with little else to do, it is likely that our thoughts will default to people, people we know, or those around us. Additionally, you might find a research study of interest which indicates that, from infancy, human brains are highly attuned to human voices, demonstrating our inherent curiosity in others’ conversations,” the social psychologist said.
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“Studies suggest that guilt tends to emerge when we believe we’ve infringed upon social norms or expectations. Although eavesdropping can offer insightful information about our social environment, it can also be perceived as a violation of these norms, particularly those pertaining to privacy,” she said, adding that “eavesdropping can help us practice identifying norms and behavioral cues, ultimately enhancing our ability to navigate social interactions.”
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Do we have any Los Angeles locals here today? We’d love to hear the strangest things you’ve overheard as well, Pandas, whether you’re based in LA or elsewhere.
In the meantime, feel free to check out Bored Panda’s earlier features about the popular ‘Overheard LA’ project right here, here, and here.
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