Which Podcasts Fuel Your Listening Pleasure?

[SoMuchTV]

2 hours ago, Fukui San said:

Here's a story about podcasts I heard about when it blew up on Twitter a while back. Gimlet's Reply All podcast was doing an in depth series on the America's Test Kitchen video fiasco, in which the people of color cast members of the video series revealed that they weren't being paid while the white cast members were, and other such indignities. That prompted former employees of Gimlet to speak out about how the people behind Reply All were the cause of a similar atmosphere of hostility towards people of color at Gimlet, going so far as to oppose unionization and attempts to address issues brought up by POC employees.

The resulting kerfuffle has caused the Reply All Bon Appetit series to be paused.

https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-media-bba049051ae9187b6db6889eb2996801

I saw that “message” come into my feed. So many questions!

[Fukui San]

I forgot to post this related podcast story:

Slate Suspends Podcast Host After Debate Over Racial Slur

Mike Pesca of “The Gist” said he was suspended after defending, in a Slack discussion with colleagues, the use of the slur in some contexts.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/22/business/media/slate-mike-pesca-suspended.html

I listen to a good number of Slate podcasts regularly, but never wanted to listen to the Gist, a daily rehashing of current events. Now, because the host just loves to lecture people on why he should be allowed to say the N word, I no longer have to delete those episodes daily.

[Sharpie66]

I recently subscribed to American Scandal, another Wondery production. They just finished their latest scandal, Bernie Madoff, and announced the next will be McCarthy. I like the range of topics, from the Unabomber to the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. They even have a single episode on the Comiskey Park Disco Demolition fiasco, which as a Chicagoan of a certain age, I really loved listening to!

They usually cover the topic over five to eight episodes, with the final one being an in-depth interview with an expert on the topic. 

Edited March 9, 2021 by Sharpie66

[biakbiak]

As most people who have listened to podcasts for a gazillion years, I only dabble in Maron but for reals his convo with Yo-Yo Ma was such a delight! Mostly because of Yo-yo but also he brought something out of Mark. 

Edited April 15, 2021 by biakbiak

[Avabelle]

I quite like Maron. He’s a little edgier than other actor/comedien turned podcasters. 

[SVNBob]

A podcast I recently discovered that I've been enjoying a lot: Escape this Podcast.

It's self-described as a show that's a mix between tabletop RPGs and escape room puzzles.  Each episode consists of a virtual escape room described  in audio form (with occasional pictures) and someone, either the guest(s) or the Australian hosts, need to solve the puzzles and escape.  There's a big play-along element as well, as the notes and images for all the rooms are available to look at while listening, or for you to run on your own later.

The show, currently on season 8, has an alternating structure for the seasons.  Odd seasons are entirely stand-alone rooms/episodes, while the even seasons have an over-arcing story connecting the rooms.  And starting in season 4, they also do a sister podcast on the same feed; Podcast this Escape, where they do a post-mortem of the room and talk about where the guests think the story is going in the even seasons.

There's also quite a variety in the guests.  Lots are from other podcasts or the escape room community.  But there's also a few celebrity names; Peih-Gee Law and Adam Klein from Survivor, Alex Horne, Ed Gamble, and Rose Matafeo of Taskmaster fame, and someone named Neil Patrick Harris.

From what I've listened to, you can really start with any episode in an odd season (although there could be potential spoilers if the guest has been on before or someone makes a reference to a past room/story) or the first episode of any even season.  But given this site, I'll recommend the first episode of season 5 as an entry point, as it's one of NPH's appearances.

[Kromm]

Hank Azaria took a page out of Will Ferrell's book and decided to do a podcast as a fictional character. 

In Azaria's case, it's his Jim Brockmire character. Which previously had a TV show, but certainly not the built in huge fandom of Ferrell's Ron Burgandy. 

The first episode is nuts.  Because Azaria, intending Brockmire to be over the top, got a guest who makes Brockmire look sane. A real person mind you, not a fictional one. Charles Barkley. 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/charles-barkley/id1558873755?i=1000516113630

Edited April 22, 2021 by Kromm

[Kromm]

I want to recommend people listen to the latest round of Business Wars episodes (subtitled "Vaccine Wars"). And I want to do so for totally the wrong reasons. 

Because it's so klunky and inept, it's hilarious. 

I've liked, even recommended, the podcast as a whole, but this one shows the weaknesses of it to an extent I personally chose to find hilariously bad. 

They always disclaim that the dramatizations of private conversations are fictional. But in Vaccine Wars, the WRITING of them has screaming stupid lines where drug company execs utter phrases like "it'll be hard, but it's the right thing to do!", "we've got to get this done to save lives!", and many many more like that. 

So (unintentionally) funny. 

[Danny Franks]

 

12 hours ago, Kromm said:

I want to recommend people listen to the latest round of Business Wars episodes (subtitled "Vaccine Wars"). And I want to do so for totally the wrong reasons. 

Because it's so klunky and inept, it's hilarious. 

I've liked, even recommended, the podcast as a whole, but this one shows the weaknesses of it to an extent I personally chose to find hilariously bad. 

They always disclaim that the dramatizations of private conversations are fictional. But in Vaccine Wars, the WRITING of them has screaming stupid lines where drug company execs utter phrases like "it'll be hard, but it's the right thing to do!", "we've got to get this done to save lives!", and many many more like that. 

So (unintentionally) funny. 

I've listened to a couple of Business Wars series before, and some of the Sports Wars ones that have the same formula. They are very... narrative driven. I find it curious that they're often so sure of what was said in unrecorded conversations, particularly when the dialogue is as tropey and cheesy as those examples.

Small Town Murders is still making me laugh a lot. The dark humour of the hosts is fantastic, and I'll never not think it's funny when they make fun of hillbillies and southerners. When they get a killer who's inept it's an absolute hoot. The last episode I listened to was about an old farmer in Arkansas who was having an affair with his meth-addicted stepdaughter and they conspired to kill his wife and dispose of her body.

Okay, not remotely funny. But the humour comes from this farmer constantly trying to throw police off by telling them he "heard a rumour" about his wife. First that she had run away, then that she got into a fight with someone, then that she might have been shot and finally that she was dead and her body was near a river in Oklahoma. And he'd tell the police weeks after supposedly hearing these rumours, while also being unable to remember who told him. The fact he wasn't immediately arrested is an indictment on that police force.

[Kromm]

18 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

particularly when the dialogue is as tropey and cheesy as those examples.

Tropy and cheesy generically, but at the same time hilariously, obviously inaccurate.  Pandemic or no Pandemic, no drug company executive in a private (non P. R.) setting has ever waxed rhapsodically on about "doing the right thing". 

[lasu]

I've been listening to 60 Songs That Explain the 90s on Spotify and it's excellent.  I'm definitely the right age for some 90s nostalgia, but at about an hour an episode, it's the perfect deep dive into the background of the band and song.  And especially once the guest/s comes on, it tends to get hilarious.  I know sometimes I look like a fool walking through the neighborhood cackling my head off, but I don't care.  😵

[SoMuchTV]

if you listen to way too many podcasts, and one of them is occasionally "Welcome to Nightvale", you may want to catch the latest episode (6/15/21).

[RealHousewife]

Krystal, Kyle & Friends

Better Together with Maria Menounos

Love Your Life + Law of Attraction Jennifer Bailey

[SomeTameGazelle]

So disappointed to learn that Ask Me Another is ending.  I love the vibe Ophira and Jonathan have,  and their nerdy games and songs and anagrams. 

[ABay]

That's a shame. Although I admit I stopped listening months ago because I wasn't enjoying the quarantine version. The show relied on non-celebrity contestants and without them, it didn't work for me.

[merylinkid]

I'm looking for deep dive, long form podcasts.   Something like the Mysterious Mr. Epstein or Over my Dead body.    True crime or sports scandals.   but just one that is several episodes on the same topic.    Not you know, true crime and is a new crime every episode.   

Oh and if anyone has a good long form one on the NXIVM cult that would be great.   I've listened to episodes on it but nothing really deep dive.   

 

Thanks.

[Danny Franks]

On 7/28/2021 at 3:10 AM, merylinkid said:

I'm looking for deep dive, long form podcasts.   Something like the Mysterious Mr. Epstein or Over my Dead body.    True crime or sports scandals.   but just one that is several episodes on the same topic.    Not you know, true crime and is a new crime every episode.   

Oh and if anyone has a good long form one on the NXIVM cult that would be great.   I've listened to episodes on it but nothing really deep dive.   

 

Thanks.

Slow Burn is good for political scandals, and Rabbit Hole was an interesting look at online radicalisation.

Bill Simmons just did a multi-part look at the tragedy of Len Bias, who died of a cocaine overdose the day after being drafted by the Boston Celtics, and Shattered is a good look at the decline of the New York Knicks since the 1990s.

[Fukui San]

My favorite Inside Hollywood type book is The Devil's Candy, in which the author sat in on every aspect of the making of the famous flop The Bonfire of the Vanities. It's now been converted into a podcast, season 2 of The Plot Thickens podcast by Turner Classic Movies. The author Julie Salomon tells the story aided with candid interview tapes she made during the filming, talking to people from director Brian Depalma, stars like Melanie Griffith, executives, down to the script supervisor, steadicam operator, and the PAs. 

https://theplotthickens.tcm.com/

Season One was about Peter Bogdonovich but I haven't listened to that yet.

 

[PRgal]

Who listens to business podcasts?  I basically have a bunch of WSJ and Economist podcasts on a daily basis.  I suppose I'm becoming some old lady.  LOL

[Liamsmom617]

SO MANY!

1. Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend

2. SmartLess (Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes)

3. Armchair Expert (Dax Shepherd and Monica Padman)

4. WTF (Marc Maron)

5. The Rewatchables

6. Totally 80s

7. You Made It Weird With Pete Holmes

8. Tig and Cheryl: True Story

9. The Square Peg Podcast with Andrew Lawrence

10. Literally! With Rob Lowe

11. Pretty Lies and Alibis

12. Good For You (Whitney Cummings)

13. TV Literate

14. Pod Save America

 

[Avabelle]

On 8/21/2021 at 5:51 PM, Liamsmom617 said:

SmartLess (Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes)

I feel like this show is 85% adverts.

[Danny Franks]

On 8/25/2021 at 10:45 AM, Avabelle said:

I feel like this show is 85% adverts.

I tend to only listen when the guest is someone I like a lot. Arnett, Bateman and Hayes are all funny people, but they're so deep inside the bubble of 'hey, we all know the same famous people' that I can't relate to them.

But even when it's someone I like, the three hosts take up way too much time. I listened to the Daniel Ricciardo episode and feel like I learned absolutely nothing about him, thanks to the hosts constantly chiming in and cutting him off just as he was about to say something interesting.

The Friendship Onion, with Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan is a 'celebs chat about stuff' podcast that works much better, because Billy and Dom are far more engaging and fun to listen to, and seem far less disconnected with the real world.

[Avabelle]

2 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

tend to only listen when the guest is someone I like a lot. Arnett, Bateman and Hayes are all funny people, but they're so deep inside the bubble of 'hey, we all know the same famous people' that I can't relate to them.

I agree I actually think Marc Marin and Michael Rosenbaum are the only Hollywood personalities with podcasts who aren’t afraid to ask their guests awkward questions. 
 

 

[ABay]

Maintenance Phase is my current favorite, after You're Wrong About and Podcasters Guide to the Conspiracy.

[Kel Varnsen]

On 8/21/2021 at 12:51 PM, Liamsmom617 said:

Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend

I don't commute any more but I have been trying to get out for walks at least once a week so I can listen to podcasts. And I have definitely realized that Conan is my favourite podcast. It is so funny, he has great guests and his banter with Sona and Matt works so well. I just listed to the Weird Al one and where else are you going to get a long interview with Weird Al where both people are really being hilarious.

Also if anyone is looking for a good music podcast I really like The Ongoing History of New Music with Alan Cross. He is a Canadian radio guy who knows a crazy amount about music. It generally focuses on alt rock type stuff and will have histories and facts about bands.  But there are also some great general music episodes like the history of vinyl or the rise and fall of the CD. I just listened to one about how 1991 was a year that changed music. The only negative is that it was a radio show first so he will reference songs and in the radio version he can play the whole song, but on the podcast he can only play clips.

[SnarkShark]

I saw Mike and Tom Eat Snacks recommended way up thread.  I'm a longtime listener of that too (actually the running joke on the podcast would be confusion on if they're allowed to call us "viewers").

It just came back into production after a whopping five year hiatus.  I guess Tom Cavanaugh and Michael Ian Black finally had some simultaneous downtime.

Here's a link, so nobody has to scroll back:  http://matescast.com/

[ABay]

Dan Taberski has a new podcast called 9/12 that I'm enjoying right now.

Edited September 15, 2021 by ABay

[Conotocarious]

On 9/15/2021 at 2:29 PM, ABay said:

Dan Taberski has a new podcast called 9/12 that I'm enjoying right now.

It is excellent. I binged it in a day.

[Danny Franks]

On 9/15/2021 at 7:29 PM, ABay said:

Dan Taberski has a new podcast called 9/12 that I'm enjoying right now.

I listened to this recently and really enjoyed it. A relatively novel, interesting take on the aftermath of 9/11 that gets away from all the usual geopolitics and War on Terrorism stuff.

I quite like a lot of these short, 'miniseries' type podcasts. The Wind of Change one was a lot of fun too.

[SoMuchTV]

I'm not sure if I should make this comment here or in "pet peeves", but seems like more and more podcasts I listen to invite listeners to comment by "emailing us a voice memo".  What?  That makes about as much sense to me as "fax us a screenshot".  Email is for writing.  If you want an audio clip, set up a phone# with voicemail.  I know it's technically possible, and maybe there's some newfangled reason that it makes sense now, but it just sounds odd to me.

[Irlandesa]

On 10/16/2021 at 9:34 AM, SoMuchTV said:

Email is for writing.  If you want an audio clip, set up a phone# with voicemail.  I know it's technically possible, and maybe there's some newfangled reason that it makes sense now, but it just sounds odd to me.

So many phone systems go through emails now.  At my work, all voice mails I get are sent via email and transcribed decently except for the names.  The names are never right.

But the reason podcasts want an audio clip sent via email is because sound quality is typically better in recorded audio clips or memos recorded directly into a phone or computer than it is via phone calls.

Edited October 19, 2021 by Irlandesa

[MargeGunderson]

A new one for me: Spooked. People telling stories of spooky and strange encounters. The handful that I have listed to are well done and engaging. It’s not over the top; even some of the people telling the stories seem a bit skeptical about their experiences. 

[laughs]

1. On Being with Krista Tippett - She's knowledgeable, gentle, and a great listener.

2. Philosophize This with Michael West - He's thought-provoking and funny. Tries really hard to make philosophy less academic, which is not something we can say of public intellectuals today who tend to hide behind jargon. This is therefore bound to be appealing to the general listener as well as the formally trained philosophy student.

[SVNBob]

A podcast I forgot to mention when it first dropped back in June:

World's Greatest Con.

Brian Brushwood, professional magician, YouTuber and host of other podcasts, takes a deep-dive into some of the greatest "con jobs" in history.  The first season is all about Operation: Mincemeat.  But it's not just a dry telling of the facts.  There's personal anecdotes that relate to the story, comparisons to the principles of stage magic, other clever allusions to explain details, and lots of quality production.

It is only the one season thus far, and only 5.5 episodes long (the .5 is the teaser, and the 5th episode is a Q&A/commentary show about the previous 4 episodes).  But at a total running time of around 5 hours, it's entirely bingeable within a day.

[SomeTameGazelle]

I came across My Mate Bought a Toaster because of Rufus Sewell and have enjoyed other episodes. The guest's Amazon orders are the jumping‐off point for a discussion of their interests. 

[adore]

I really enjoy A Way With Words. 

From Wikipedia:

A Way with Words is an American weekly public radio program discussing the use of language in everyday life, along with linguistics, lexicology and folk etymology from a pool of listener questions from weekly callers into the program, along with a weekly word game with quiz expert and comedian John Chaneski. 

Martha Barnett and Grant Barrett are excellent hosts -- really personable and funny. They answer all sorts of oddball questions like "What is the origin of good two shoes?" and "Who is the 'she' in 'she sells seashells by the seashore'?" and recommend books, websites for language lovers, etc. 

 

 

[wanderingstar]

Quote

Dan Taberski has a new podcast called 9/12 that I'm enjoying right now.

I loved this podcast. Listened to it twice. 

[Danny Franks]

I highly recommend The Flamethrowers, a six episode podcast series about the rise of right wing radio and how it effectively took over Republican politics. Infuriating, but definitely worth listening to.

[Sharpie66]

I’m listening to the latest episode of Leonard Maltin’s podcast Maltin on Movies, which is an interview with Karen Dotrice, who played Jane Banks in Mary Poppins. It is simply delightful, especially for me who’s a lifelong fanatic about that film. She talks about being a child actress, first starting on stage with her father Roy’s Shakespeare productions and then with Disney.

Maltin will get really great interviews with a wide range of entertainment people and he is very good at pulling out stuff I had never heard before.

[PRgal]

I started listening to Andrew Yang podcast/vodcast (as it's also on YouTube), Forward.  So much of what he says is along the same lines as what I've been saying all along.  However, because no one knows who I am/I have no clout (my show's audience peaks at around 20-25 listeners...LOL), I usually get "cancelled" or "Karened" on social media while he has a good following!  Most of his audience is male, but his recent episodes on boys/men and their issues really resonates with me as a mom of a young male child.   

[SVNBob]

On 12/6/2021 at 12:55 AM, SVNBob said:

A podcast I forgot to mention when it first dropped back in June:

World's Greatest Con.

Brian Brushwood, professional magician, YouTuber and host of other podcasts, takes a deep-dive into some of the greatest "con jobs" in history.  The first season is all about Operation: Mincemeat.  But it's not just a dry telling of the facts.  There's personal anecdotes that relate to the story, comparisons to the principles of stage magic, other clever allusions to explain details, and lots of quality production.

It is only the one season thus far, and only 5.5 episodes long (the .5 is the teaser, and the 5th episode is a Q&A/commentary show about the previous 4 episodes).  But at a total running time of around 5 hours, it's entirely bingeable within a day.

Quoting myself because Season 2 has begun.

This season is a little different.  Instead of all the episodes being about the same story, this season is all about cheating scandals on game shows, with each episode looking at a different one.  First episode is about the grand-daddy quiz show cheating scandal on Twenty-One.  Second is about Michael Larson. the infamous Press Your Luck "cheater".

[Milburn Stone]

This one.

[Cranberry]

The best true crime podcast: Who shat on the floor at my wedding?

I've laughed out loud so many times, especially during episode six, when they interview the guy who cleaned up the poo.

[Conotocarious]

On 11/29/2021 at 1:26 PM, MargeGunderson said:

A new one for me: Spooked. People telling stories of spooky and strange encounters. The handful that I have listed to are well done and engaging. It’s not over the top; even some of the people telling the stories seem a bit skeptical about their experiences. 

I freakin love this podcast. It’s a staple for me especially around Halloween when I take my walks.

[Cloud9Shopper]

I’m hardly much of a podcast fan but I love this one for a look back at ER. The hosts are on S7 of their recaps right now and they can be a bit extra sometimes, but they do try to see the show from different angles, even trying to see the other side of people who dislike characters they like, or vice versa. They’ve talked to some cast and crew as well if you’re into behind the scenes stuff.

And fans can hang out with the hosts on Discord if that’s something you’re into. There are show and social channels!  

[chediavolo]

Anyone know of another forum where there is a bit more activity as far as discussing podcasts? It’s pretty dead here. 

[Milburn Stone]

I'm currently loving A Special Place in Hell, in which two woman writers of different generations (Meghan Daum, whom I've loved for some time, and Sarah Haider) examine issues of the idea (and just gab) from a liberal but decidedly non-woke perspective. 

[RealHousewife]

17 hours ago, chediavolo said:

Anyone know of another forum where there is a bit more activity as far as discussing podcasts? It’s pretty dead here. 

Some people get annoyed when people don't go for specific threads, but I do go to chat when I want quick feedback. 

Law of Attraction Changed my Life is one I've enjoyed for awhile.

Girls Next Level is pretty juicy if you ever watched Girls Next Door. 

[chediavolo]

7 hours ago, RealHousewife said:

Some people get annoyed when people don't go for specific threads, but I do go to chat when I want quick feedback. 

Law of Attraction Changed my Life is one I've enjoyed for awhile.

Girls Next Level is pretty juicy if you ever watched Girls Next Door. 

I was looking for a site with specific forums for specific podcasts. 

[RealHousewife]

2 hours ago, chediavolo said:

I was looking for a site with specific forums for specific podcasts. 

Oh I’m sorry. I would try Reddit.