In today's social media age, street shows seem to be having a bit of a resurgence, in large part fueled by the fact that literally anyone without shame can pick up their phone and make one. Whether it's the unhinged chaos of Sidetalk with its unapologetic New York hustle or the borderline performance-art concepts of Anything Can Be a Podcast, I've found myself fascinated by this breed of homegrown entertainment, and Max Klymenko's Career Ladder is no different.
The core conceit is simple: find an interesting-looking stranger, get them onto an actual ladder (hence the name) and try to suss out what it is they do for work. Sometimes you might even run into someone famous!
The guessing game itself is fun, but the appeal for me is the amount of insight it gives into the lives of strangers. The world is a rich tapestry, after all, and every single person you pass on the street has something they're good at — that, I think, is what Career Ladder is all about. It wouldn't have more than 200 episodes if it wasn't working!
