Night Stories LIVE is your late-night, audio-first storytelling companion for nostalgia, reflection, Midwest memories, and the strange little moments that hit different at night.

In tonight’s live episode, we dive into American buffet nostalgia and ask a bigger question: Can you trust your memories?

We revisit the magic of Sizzler, Ponderosa, Golden Corral, Old Country Buffet, and the legendary local Chinese buffet. Were they really better… or were we just sixteen?

We also cover:
• Top 5 American Buffet Chains and what made them unforgettable
• The psychology of nostalgia and memory
• Cooking with Cori featuring a budget-friendly sloppy joe recipe
• Weather reports from across the country
• A live read-through of local classifieds
• And we close with a calming story, “Grandpa Joe’s Advice,” about resilience, anchor memories, and the moments that shape us

Put the lights low, grab your headphones, and let this one play in the background while you wind down.

🌙 Night Stories LIVE
🎧 An audio-first radio experience for the YouTube age
💬 Join the conversation in the live chat

If you’re catching the replay, you can also listen on demand as a podcast:

Pre-Show Music by Autopolitan:
https://autopolitan.bandcamp.com/

🎙 Listen to Aaron’s award-winning podcast 7 Minute Stories, the number one short-form extemporaneous storytelling podcast in the world:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/7-minute-stories-w-aaron-calafato/id1372615640

📬 Subscribe to Stories in a Snap, Aaron’s weekly written short stories adapted from the 7 Minute Stories podcast. Crafted for a two-minute read and delivered directly to your inbox: https://www.7minutestoriespod.com/storiesinasnapweekly

Night Stories Live — Live Storytelling, Humor, Nostalgia and Late-Night Radio Energy

What do a broken gumball machine, a real human skull donated to Goodwill, and a suburban deer keeper have in common?

In this episode of Night Stories Live, storyteller Aaron Calafato and co-hosts Cori and Lisa deliver a live story-filled show with strange-but-true headlines, humorous banter, nostalgia, and late-night radio energy.

This episode includes:

• The Gumball Philosopher — a true story about trash, art, minimalism, and generosity
• A real human skull discovered at Goodwill
• Victorian-era shoes from a 19th-century shipwreck washing ashore
• A woman who said she was “trying to be a mermaid”
• The premiere of Cooking with Cori — simple, budget-friendly recipes from a real Midwest kitchen
• Small-town classifieds commentary
• Live audience weather check-ins
• The Deer Keeper — a moving story about suburban life, loss, and quiet compassion

Subscribe to Night Stories Live on Apple Podcasts or where you get your podcasts.

Full Recipe for Cori’s Bourgeoisie Sloppy Joes

On this episode of Night Stories Live, Aaron, Cori and Lisa explore the television crushes of their youth. Then, they dig into a strange and human story involving actor Mickey Rourke. Between winter blizzard forecasts, local classifieds, and late-night tangents, the night ends on a reflective note with a powerful story of hope from Japan’s “Wind Phone,” where grief finds a voice and silence carries meaning.

Join Aaron, Cori and Lisa for the livestream recording of Night Stories Live! on YouTube Thursday's @ 9:30PM EST.

More at nightstorieslive.com

Welcome to the first Night Stories Live episode of 2026! In classic Night Stories fashion, things quickly went a little off the rails—in the best way.

Aaron Calafato is joined by regular co-hosts Cori and Lisa for a late-night conversation centered on snow days, blizzards, and winter memories, past and present. What starts as nostalgia turns into a spirited debate about how much time should exist between dinner and dessert—one that somehow leaves Aaron sounding like he’s food-shaming Cori. Lisa and Cori don’t let him forget it, and the moment becomes an instant Night Stories classic.

This episode also introduces a new recurring segment, The Classifieds, where Aaron and Cori read classified ads and hyper-local stories from their weekly paper, The Medina Weekly, highlighting the small, strange details that only seem to matter late at night.

To close the night, Aaron shares a Story of Hope about a pay-what-you-can restaurant with no prices on the menu—founded by a rock star and his family—and what it quietly offers people beyond a meal.

From snow-day nostalgia to winter storms today, this episode drifts through easy laughter, unexpected moments, and unfiltered late-night conversation. It’s designed for hunkering down, staying warm, and letting your mind slow.

Listen now to the on-demand podcast, and welcome to Night Stories in 2026. ❄️

If you like Night Stories and love short stories, make sure you listen to Aaron's award-winning podcast 7 Minute Stories. Follow and listen to hear why it's one of the most popular short form storytelling podcasts in the world.

Welcome to Night Stories Live!

Welcome to Night Stories LIVE — an audio-first, late-night radio show built for the YouTube and podcast age. Award-winning storyteller Aaron Calafato brings classic radio energy into a modern space with real-time storytelling, conversations with friends and special guests, and a nostalgic late-night vibe that feels like settling into your favorite chair. If you love storytelling, podcasts or the comfort of old-school radio, you’ll feel right at home.