Reeling from a bad breakup and a lifelong battle with depression, Jeff Ragsdale made a desperate plea for a sympathetic ear.

Last October, he plastered Manhattan with a forlorn message printed on neon flyers: "If anyone wants to talk about anything, call me (347) 469-3173. Jeff, one lonely guy."

Ragsdale expected to get maybe 20 calls. He figured half of them would be "weirdos."

On the first day, he received about a 100 calls and text messages. Then his note went viral.

Ragsdale has since received more than 60,000 phone calls and texts from people as far away as Saudi Arabia and Taiwan and as diverse as pimps, cancer survivors and Wall Street traders.

Although it was Ragsdale who initially needed to vent about his problems, he quickly became a sounding board for thousands of strangers.

He's heard stories of abuse and tumultuous childhoods like his own, and commiserated with those who are struggling with depression, relationships and jobs.

"I've become like a relationship counsellor, a confession booth, a probation officer. It's amazing," the 40-year-old actor and stand-up comedian told CTV News Channel on Wednesday.

"One phone call will be a 13-year-old kid asking me about his soccer game, then yesterday a woman called me from Boston who has diabetes," Ragsdale said. "It's just incredible – you never know who is calling and what they're going through. I mean, people want to talk."

While many people call him with sad, even disturbing stories, there is usually a glimmer of hope in most of his phone conversations, he said, adding that he's "much happier" now than six months ago.

"(People) can call me and tell me things they can't tell their family or friends. A lot of people can't afford therapy, too, so they can just call and vent," he said.

"It's completely reciprocal."

It also helps that Ragsdale has an unlimited cell phone plan.

He is now sharing those phone calls and texts in a book published this week, "Jeff, One Lonely Guy," on Twitter and on his website jeffonelonelyguy.com.

Ragsdale's flyer experiment may have produced a cacophony of voices that he admits can be emotionally draining, but he said he's made lasting friendships along the way.

"I've made about 25 strong friends whom I still speak with every other day or so," he said.

"I had an immediate connection with some of these people."