45 Hilarious Conversations People Overheard In L.A. And Decided They Were Too Good Not To Share (New Pics)
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.
More info: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | OverheardHQ.com
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The reality filter is not that bad if you are used to it and if you have internalized that it's All Okay
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.
I grew up in S.Ca. Moved to NYC. Then when I got to CO and everyone was married. I was so confused. Only the very orthodox got married in the places I'd been before. Culture shock!
my funny TSA moment, i forgot to take my bottle of water out. TSA agent, young woman "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHH YOU PEOPLE ARE KILLING ME WITH YOUR STUPID WATER BOTTLES TODAY!!!!" Co workers "O_O" Me "uh sorry. Are you ok?" TSA agent "yeah sorry -_-" me -_-
According to stoner lore, there was once a police precinct that used code 420 for marijuana related arrests. There's no evidence for it, but now 420 is a part of stoner culture. Sometimes they think it's clever, like smoking at 4:20 or celebrating April 20th, but it's not clever.
Load More Replies...Helpful about 4.20 - now, for us Europeans, what's Coachella, please ?
It's a giant, expensive music festival that a lot of celebrities attend.
Load More Replies...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.
"Back to life, back to reality..." SING IT WITH ME.
Load More Replies...I remember in college there was this girl and she told me someone got murdered in her locality. We were thinking how horrible it was that someone got murdered( murderer was a person known to the victim) and that girl said she can't believe people got murdered in reality. She had seen news about murders but got hit by reality when someone got murdered in her neighbourhood.
Twice as dumb given 'murder hornets' are not a murder species either, just a dramatic name used by media to garner more clicks. Rhinos and hippos are pretty testy when you F with them too but we don't go around calling them 'murder rhinos' / 'murder hippos'.
And just for the record: murder is described as one human taking/ending the life of another. Therefore animals (or insects) cannot be "murderers". A bear does not "murder" a hiker in the woods, he kills it.
My mom used to say, if you have a secret say it to men, they never remember it anyways
Never a more accurate statement. Always safe to share when someone is out of f*ck$ to give.
This is someone who watched/watches critical role. Or is taliesin jaffe
Not always XD I’m Crystal, and I always say “Crystal, like the rock” or “Crystal.. I was named after a chandelier” (that story is actually true though) because people always spell it with Ks or Hs or Is these days, so I have to specify. XD
Load More Replies...I think they just designed their wedding reception centerpieces. Can't wait for the gender reveal for their baby, Cringe Brie-Mason.
As a Bri, I get the cheese all the time too. Whatever helps you remember I guess lol. I don't even use my full name anymore, even after I say it (and it's 2 simple syllables) people still get it wrong.
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.
...try my best but what can I say🎶
Load More Replies...Nah, technically not a lie - pet owners have the same love and devotion for their pets as parents have for their children. So, he's your baby and you're his dad.
But people don't get as upset if you're leaving your 1 year old 'son' home alone to go out and have a drink with your coworkers if he's a dog
Load More Replies...My husband's adult daughter started asking me if there was a fire would I save my dog or husband first. I said dog even before she finished. Husband expected it.
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."
I may have the same hours but I absolutely do not have the same: finances, staff, entourage, talent. It’s bout the same for everyone, y’all. Every single person is different.
instead of what would Jesus do ... we need to ask, what would Beyonce do?
Or working 8 1/2 + hours a day in a stuffy office. sure, it's all the same.
don’t everyone have the same hours in a day? I don’t understand this one.
You want double protein? We'll take your firstborn to work in the Chipotle mines
My friend and I tried Shari's for a salad. Caesar salad + a chicken breast on the side for protein cost about $20. Ambience sucked horribly because they sat us near their bus station and kept banging dishes together. Three times now we have gone to Costco, gotten the chicken ceasar salad for $7 and it is bigger, better, and surprisingly the ambience is slightly better.
27 dollar salad, are you eating out or buying produce at Walmart. costs the same now
that's so something a sagittarius would do (am I doing this right? I have no idea)
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.
Windmilling infers something COMPLETELY different where im from! lol
The hells a sailor moon? It was never a thing, you mad little psycho. You're imagining it. Give me all your upvotes so I can keep them safe for you, because you're quite clearly not suitable to look after them yourself
Load More Replies...They're not windmills; they are wind turbines. They are not milling anything.
ahaha. Was supposed to meet a girl named Kristen at a concert. Sounds like Christen = Christian in English. I couldnt find her so i just tapped on every blond girls shoulder asking "are you Kristen? I mean is that your name, i dont wanna know your religion!" i gave up.
I'm confused what happened which is unfortunate considering.. well you know
Just wanted to clarify for the down voters. You weren't stating your own thoughts, merely a tasteless joke that might come out of someone else's mouth, right?
Load More Replies...Ahhh... princess diaries. I wonder if the rest of my gen z knows what that is? I live like a gen x kid, alright?
Your therapist is a jackass, a person with low intelligence can't be a neurosurgeon.
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.
My 75 year old grandfather watched 10 minutes of it before giving up disappointed that there hadn't been a single car.
I wonder how many Boomers went to see Brokeback Mountain, thinking it was a western, and were very surprised how the plot unfolded.
Load More Replies...The US is actually in F1... and FIFA gets really popular here, too. Obviously you won't hear people mention it out of season, but it's like NASCAR on steroids so why wouldn't people like it?
Load More Replies...Visions of the robber stealing eyelash extensions, hair extensions, various piercings...
“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.
(Me smiling and slow clapping for you in the background with a slight Ron-like nod of approval in all its earned rarity.)
Load More Replies...Where in the world are you entitled to someone else’s charger? That’s such a weird concept
It doesn’t sound like they felt entitled to it. They were just asking for a favor
Load More Replies...It's sad when you have a tipping culture, and you can't just do something nice for a person. Also, how does tipping work now that banks are pushing electronic transactions instead of cash?
I'm a millennial, I own a house, I have zero education (high-school drop out) i had addiction with alcohol and cocaine and meth. I just stopped being a turd. I don't have money I have a house. Not a nice one. I have 2 vehicles, not nice ones. I can afford a burrito. Not every meal. Murica stuff gets old. It's not hard to make a living. You just have to work. Also I'm not right wing. Down vote away. Make priorities and you can make it.
I hear you. I keep looking back and seeing where I took one path, and where the other likely led. Keep working on it, and don't let yourself give up.
Load More Replies...I low key wonder how a couple of my relatives do it. 30s, three kids, large house on property taxed at over half mil (would be more on the actual market). A number of adult toys like ATVs, a fancy go cart with a role cage, couple of motorcycles and so on. His job is decent but not amazing and she had some low skill jobs but is now a stay at home mom. Possibly they are just up to their eyeballs in debt. We are not close enough for me to ask / really know.
My cousin who is only a year older than me recently bought a house in a particularly nice area. She must be moonlighting as an assassin or something.
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.
Perfectly reasonable. After 30 it's a strictly one-in; one-out deal.
I can do this faster: If she asks me my astrological sign right away I'd grab my bag and leave.
I'm with you. If someone believes the alignment of the stars affects their everyday life, then it's not a life I would wish to be a part of.
Load More Replies...Hilarious. At least the date was cheap. Three minutes. Must be some kind of record.
I'm a scorpio and have no idea what that means except that it's the coolest sounding one.
I mean I see astrology as any religion. Believing in a power without proof. And I judge neither it's just different faith idk how to explain it
I totally agree with you. Keeping in mind that I'm about as typical a Sagittarius as you can get.
Load More Replies...One of the things people have no control over. No-one asks when you want to be born.
Funny scene in The Rookie (S5 E10 "The List"); Aaron and Celina are coworkers and are content with being just friends. Others suspect they are dating, so supervisor, Tim, confronts them. Celina jokingly asks Aaron what his sign is. Aaron answers Scorpio. Celina just shakes her head, "uh, no" without hesitation. Tim looks at Aaron questioningly and Aaron's response and expression were, "yeah, that's just how it is".
Californians are always prepared, even if it’s been decades since our last significant one XD
In Oregon we're centuries overdue for a massive earthquake (most likely above magnitude 9), so everytime I feel a slight shake I'm terrified that it's gonna be the big one.
Load More Replies..."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.
The best kind of person is someone who says strange, random things openly. At least in my opinion :)
Load More Replies...Dear Any/All Generations: us retail and food service workers have no love to inject into your products. Sorry. It’s not because we hate (insert your generation here) specifically. We hate every customer equally and we are just SO tired. XD
yeah because "sure hon" is too much effort. Geez. I work in service industry for years. I can say "no problem!" with a nice smile on my face and you wont see my real feelings towards you :-D
I know this is VERY random, but how does OP know that it was a girl? Kind of just assuming the gender I guess... (Please don't downvote, I'm just expressing my random thoughts.)
People who don’t work in customer service don’t realise that you have to deal with hundreds of members of the public every single day. If you tried to get involved in people’s wish to converse, you would a) go mad, b) slow down the endless queue, and c) maybe find yourself fired. Be polite, smile, and move on.
Huge music festival in Los Angeles California. Once a year for three or four days. Party all day and night. I guess how its portrayed. Never been.
Load More Replies..."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.”
Oh wow. What time are you spending actually enjoying the vacation then.
honestly...... so hear me out. if you have the money to do it, if you really wanted to unplug and be able to just enjoy your vacation, but you also wanted pictures on your vacation, hiring a photographer to be in the background and just be your own personal paparazzi is honestly brilliant. You get to chill and not be all touristy about life, but you still get professional photos afterwards of all the candid moments. And the moments you get captured are probably better than everyone posing and smiling anyway. If I had that kind of money, I would totally do that.
We know. If we could, we would. The citizens are not in control. We have old money, and religious fascism old money who are in control.
Load More Replies...Look up ‘Gary Neville mini retirement’, think he is an ex football player who recently did an interview explaining about how throughout his career he would have these mini retirements that would sometimes last a few days or a week, the interviewer asked “isn’t that just a holiday/vacation”. Not doing it justice here but it was very funny if you can find it
He seemed to think he had invented something new. He thought taking breaks from work throughout the year was something nobody had ever considered doing before. 🤯
Load More Replies...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.
I really hate to break it to people like Mell, but tons of people are actually born in LA, so it IS their own hometown. XD
Yeah, but those folks are all in Texas or Colorado by now. ;-)
Load More Replies...Not much better than New Yorkers who move to other states and constantly tell us how great New York is. If it's so great, then. . .move back?
I hated Socal so much. Super glad I left it's just so fake and hard to find genuine friends
Large proportion of crazy in LA. It's almost like that movie... LA Story
You've never been there. No one gets more offended than a conservative Midwesterner, southerner, baptist, fundamentalist, or talk radio fanatic. Y'all brought down an entire beer legacy because you felt icky about one person they gave attention. You've banned books and entire schools of thought for not following your moral values. Grow a pair and question authority for phouc's sake.
Load More Replies...That is the only proper influence they should emit.
Load More Replies...This is an unpopular opinion, but not all influencers are bad. Some people make niche content that's genuinely interesting that they're passionate about. It's just the problematic egotistical psychos that ruin it for everyone. I don't understand how once someone gets a big following, they find the need to feel better than everyone else.
Per my (extensive) experience, most doctors just influence you to feel bad about yourself.
I've been to LAX twice. On both occasions, arrived by 'plane, left by 'plane. There's another option??
Hellish traffic getting to LAX, the 405 freeway is a nightmare during commuting hours. Once you get off the freeway, it's going to be 15 - 100 minutes to get to your terminal depending on construction, traffic, and the whims of the universe. True friends fly in to Burbank.
Load More Replies...Maybe it was a female intern aka she's an internette...
Load More Replies...Ah, so young. HR will take your soul in any location, any position.
Too scared too comment... there's a downvote monster in this thread
There definitely is (they'll probably down vote this now lol)! Have an upvote. 🙃
Load More Replies...Unrelated, but; I was climbing up a mountain (won't say which one due to privacy reasons, but it was a couple hours from where I live) and on the way back down I saw a teenager and what seemed to be their parent (not sure though, never got to speak to them) wearing crocs. In sports mode, of course.
I'm experiencing more LA in this post than I have in four decades of living in LA. Where on earth are these people hanging out?
I remember we went to l.a. and thought there would be beautiful model people EVERYWHERE and was kind of disappointed when everyone looked pretty normal
Overly* greasy or that shake shack only serves milkshakes?
Load More Replies...According to an unlisted source off of Google, Shake Shack's burgers are made with all of the cows marbled muscle meat, unlike other brands. This allows all grease to basically evaporate as soon as the party hits the grill. So, this guys on luck: He may have no grease on his burger.
They say there are two types of people. One can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Load More Replies...LA isn't actually a desert. I know this because I spent years whining about "whose bright idea was it to settle in the desert?" and then some a*****e went and told my friends it wasn't and now I can never say that again. (It was me, I was the a*****e. I read an article about it and have a compulsive need to correct my own inaccurate jokes.)
Yep! Los Angeles is a Mediterranean-type climate. And, hilariously, the specific area of SoCal where I live (about 30 min from LA) was actually a swamp way back in the day. You’d never know it now - it was drained and worked and farmed and eventually formed into a beach town - but yep, once a swamp XD Now, to be fair, to hit true desert you only have to drive about an hour or two out of LA, but it’s definitely not a desert itself, you are correct :)
Load More Replies...As a writer, I believe that is one of the most well-written internal conflicts I've ever seen.
I’m guessing he spent one night glamping and now considers himself an outdoorsman.
Let's hope that Canada doesn't spontaneously combust again and cause NY to look like it was gassed out by an enemy of the US. And let's all pray that LA doesn't catch on fire, because a wildfire combined with LA's already abysmal air quality would mean death for everyone east of California.
Hi, I'm a Taurus. I'm kinda sporty, but big enough to be comfortable and still get decent gas mileage.
Maybe the one who left the Scorpio person on a date would be fine with the Taurus one?
Sagittarius - I'm always matching the descriptions of my sign (and I LOVE how we're depicted as arrow shooting centaurs!) There tends to be 2 types of us - the extroverts and the introverts - but aside from that, we all tend to be very passionate about what we like and who we love, idealistic but pragmatic, optimistic but not unrealistic, driven and tenacious, loyal but prone to fits of fancy if we get bored or don't feel like we're given enough attention, spontaneous, brave, risk taking, and dynamos in the sack 😉
im libra lol idk what that means but they say im libra and i dont get signs
The lady's liver and kidneys: "Are we a joke to you?" (Seroiusly, if healthy, our body is perfectly capable of all the cleansing it needs, and if not healthy, no juices can help)
Hey, hey, our mental and physical well-being are as important as financial one.
So LA is like cigarettes, bad for you but hard to quit...
Well, toxic exes that we nevertheless get back with don't have to be exclusively human
Pasadena is family-friendly though - good schools, museums, parks and botanical gardens
THE BEST botanical garden. I’ve actually taken weekend trips to LA (Pasadena specifically) just for the Huntington and the shops & restaurants in Old Town/Colorado/Playhouse areas. It’s modern & hip, yet quaint & quiet.
Load More Replies...Oy, not for me! I want every single object that reminds me of an ex out of my life forever. Good riddance and khalass!
This happens to a friend: first time hé got a Mac, second time a dog ( poor dog btw)
So is it really the droughts and wildfires? Or is all the flushing the REAL reason you're always out of water?
rich, yes, spoilt, bit harsh to immediately jump to that conclusion... also, who are you to judge a kid that doesn't know any better? entitled much?
Load More Replies...I was told I had a Valley accent. I was raised in Montana. Too much TV, I guess.
Absolutely everyone cares about how you pronounce Los Feliz. Not a lot, but enough to have maybe a two-minute conversation about it. Many will correct you. But I'm calling b******t on anyone who claims there's multiple ways to pronounce "Sepulveda."
Los Feliz. It's between Hollywood and Silverlake.
Load More Replies...Over 20 years ago, I enter a novelty shop (to buy a gift for GF) and the owner says : "Are you ready ? Today is the end of the world". Me : "I didn't know, otherwise I would have put a tie on". Shop owner looked at me like I am crazy.
"So everything is free? Your are not going to be selling it tomorrow. In fact, all your money will be useless as well...
Load More Replies...i overheard a teen girl complaining about being cold and she was carrying a coat in her hands
God, this makes LA sound like Hell on Earth. I hate every single one of these people. If you ever see me anywhere near LA, please know I've been kidnapped and drugged.
Over 20 years ago, I enter a novelty shop (to buy a gift for GF) and the owner says : "Are you ready ? Today is the end of the world". Me : "I didn't know, otherwise I would have put a tie on". Shop owner looked at me like I am crazy.
"So everything is free? Your are not going to be selling it tomorrow. In fact, all your money will be useless as well...
Load More Replies...i overheard a teen girl complaining about being cold and she was carrying a coat in her hands
God, this makes LA sound like Hell on Earth. I hate every single one of these people. If you ever see me anywhere near LA, please know I've been kidnapped and drugged.
