When Susan Ruth launched Hey Human in July 2016, she wasn’t setting out to become a podcasting powerhouse. She was trying to make sense of the world. A series of shootings across the United States had left her shaken, frustrated, and searching for a way to bridge divides. What began as a project born from heartbreak has since blossomed into an award-winning, internationally recognized podcast with more than 460 episodes and 350,000 listeners worldwide.
“I was concerned about all the ‘other-ing’ taking place among my fellow humans,” Ruth recalls. “I decided I would start talking with people and, better yet, start listening more deeply with them.”
That philosophy—listening more deeply—is at the very heart of Hey Human. Described best as a human-interest podcast, it has welcomed an astonishingly diverse range of guests: scientists, musicians, activists, actors, gang members, cult survivors, chefs, veterans, and even a former heavyweight champion. From household names to everyday people, each episode explores the vast and fascinating spectrum of human experience.
“Because every human has a story,” Ruth says simply.
The Mission: Connection, Growth, and Understanding
The mission of Hey Human is clear: to create space for empathy, understanding, and connection. Episodes unfold not as stiff interviews, but as organic conversations that allow guests to be seen in all their complexity.
Ruth explains: “My hope was, and is, when people hear an episode, even if it’s with someone they don’t agree with or feel a sameness-kinship with, there is space for them to hear some part of themselves in the voice and story of my guest. The moment that happens, growth happens. Understanding happens. Communion happens. And, in some cases, healing happens.”
It’s this commitment to curiosity and compassion that sets the show apart. Hey Human doesn’t shy away from tough topics or controversial perspectives. Instead, it invites listeners to lean in, to listen without judgment, and to find the threads of humanity that tie us all together.
Notable Voices and Stories
Over the years, Ruth has sat across from a stunning lineup of guests. Neuroscientist Dr. Moran Cerf, trans-activist Kate Bornstein, music legends Jewel and A.J. Croce, original Beatle Pete Best, and activist-physician Dr. Patch Adams are just a few of the well-known names who have shared their stories. But the show is just as likely to feature someone you’ve never heard of before — a prison reform activist, a first responder, or a survivor whose story hasn’t yet been told.
These episodes embody Ruth’s belief that wisdom, resilience, and beauty can be found in every corner of life. “Hey Human began as a project to find hope and connection,” she says. “It has since grown to include people and ideas changing the world through creativity, research, tenacity, and understanding.”
About the Host: Susan Ruth
To understand Hey Human, you have to understand its host. Susan Ruth is an accomplished singer-songwriter, painter, and filmmaker with a career spanning multiple disciplines. Born in Seattle, she made her mark as a recording artist before moving to Nashville to write songs for artists such as Reba McEntire and Lonestar. Her music has appeared in film and television, and she has released four studio albums.
Ruth is also an abstract painter — continuing the legacy of her great-grand uncle, noted American Symbolist painter Carl Gutherz — and an award-winning filmmaker, with her short film The First garnering accolades. Today, she resides in Los Angeles, California, where she continues to balance her creative pursuits with her work as a podcaster.
Her artistic sensibility infuses every episode of Hey Human. She approaches her guests with the same curiosity and openness that fuels her art, creating a space where stories unfold naturally and meaningfully.
An Ongoing Conversation
Ruth consistently releases a new episode of Hey Human across all major platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and iHeart. Ad-free and completely independent, the show’s steady growth speaks to its resonance with listeners hungry for authentic, thoughtful dialogue.
The show has received recognition along the way, including the 2018 Valerie J. Hoffman Award, but for Ruth, the true reward is simpler. “When people hear themselves reflected in someone they thought they had nothing in common with—that’s the real success,” she says.
Blubrry’s September Spotlight
Blubrry Podcasting is proud to name Hey Human with Susan Ruth as September 2025’s Podcast of the Month. In a world where it can feel easier to divide than to unite, Ruth’s work reminds us of the extraordinary power of listening
For those seeking a podcast that challenges, enlightens, and heals, Hey Human is essential listening.