Skip to main content

Support WBUR

Terminally online: Finding humor and TikTok fame in an ALS diagnosis

30:41
Brooke Eby at a Washington Nationals Game, wearing Lou Gehrig's jersey. (Courtesy of: Brooke Eby)
Brooke Eby at a Washington Nationals Game, wearing Lou Gehrig's jersey. (Courtesy of: Brooke Eby)

"Should I be joking at a time like this?"

That's the question then 33-year-old Brooke Eby asked herself when she uploaded her first piece of TikTok comedy in 2022, about being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Brooke's since built an audience of hundreds of thousands of people who are rooting for, and laughing with, her. Sometimes it gets weird. Brooke talks to Endless Thread hosts Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson about how facing death changed her relationship with social media and online community.

Show notes:

This content was originally created for audio. An auto-generated transcript is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Heads up that some elements (i.e. music, sound effects, tone) are harder to translate to text.

Headshot of Grace Tatter
Grace Tatter Producer, WBUR Podcasts

Grace Tatter is a producer for WBUR Podcasts.

More…
Headshot of Amory Sivertson
Amory Sivertson Host and Senior Producer, Podcasts

Amory Sivertson is a senior producer for podcasts and the co-host of Endless Thread.

More…
Headshot of Ben Brock Johnson
Ben Brock Johnson Director, Digital Audio

Ben Brock Johnson is the director of digital audio at WBUR and co-host of the podcast, Endless Thread.

More…
Headshot of Emily Jankowski
Emily Jankowski Sound Designer

Emily Jankowski is a sound designer for WBUR’s podcast department.

More…

Support WBUR

Support WBUR

Listen Live