Which Podcasts Fuel Your Listening Pleasure?

[Athena]

What's type of podcast is it?

 

Sleep with Me podcast is a podcast that puts you to sleep with stories, TV show recaps (they are doing Breaking Bad at the moment), and odd tangents to distract your brain before bed. It's mostly in the way the host narrates and speaks. I don't know what it is about his voice and narrating style, but it is relaxing. Some nights when I want to unwind, I put it on the sleep timer before bed. I've also used it on flights too. I've only ever made it through a full episode (usually about an hour) a couple of times. However, I don't have a big insomnia problem compared to others, but I am a light sleeper.

[smrou]

I am struggling with the Gilmore Guys podcasts.  On the one hand, they've interviewed much of the cast and crew of one of my favorite shows of all time with interesting results.  On the other hand, the programs regularly run to 90 or more minutes and are more often than not idiotic.  I have to dig through a lot of bullcrap to get to the diamonds...

Gilmore Guys is a podcast I listen to when I have no unheard episodes of other podcasts and a lot of time. And even then, when I see an episode that's like 2.5 hours (or sometimes THREE!) I groan. And I end up hitting the 15-second skip a lot. Large portions of the podcast are idiotic, I agree, and while Kevin and Demi seem like really nice, genuine guys...they're not funny people for the most part.

 

On the other hand, it was through that podcast that I learned of the Best of Friends podcast, and I like that one a lot better. It's every bit as idiotic, I guess, but I just find the hosts more amusing and they don't tend to go on for 2-3 hours.

[A Boston Gal]

I've been really enjoying the Mystery Show podcast by This American Life contributor Starlee Kine.  I can tell it's probably one that's either a "love it or hate it", but I find it very charming.  Episode 5, with a special appearance by Jake Gyllenhaal, is particularly fun.

I loved this one, too, then it took a long hiatus, and made a big deal about coming back...lots of promos, Starlee Kine was a guest star on "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me", etc. And then, it returned...for ONE episode. Granted, it was a great episode, but that was it. Does anyone know what happened to Ms. Kine and her intriguing podcast?

[Skyline]

The Mystery Show is so good. I cried on the train while listening to the "Belt Buckle" episode. 

[Fukui San]

Has anyone listened to The Message fictional podcast?  Despite it being heavily advertised on all of the Slate podcasts I listen to, I've never been moved to give it a try. It sounds hokey as hell.  "We're going to follow a group of elite cryptographers as they try to decode a top secret message from the 1940's. In a word... Extra terrestrials."

 

I've been hearing that ad for weeks, now.  Is it actually any good?  I'd support fictional podcasts in theory, but this one doesn't appeal to me from it's ads.  Maybe it's actually good but I haven't heard anyone who's listened to it with an opinion one way or the other. 

 

Edited December 14, 2015 by Fukui San

[A Boston Gal]

Has anyone listed to The Message fictional podcast?  Despite it being heavily advertised on all of the Slate podcasts I listen to, I've never been moved to give it a try. It sounds hokey as hell.  "We're going to follow a group of elite cryptographers as they try to decode a top secret message from the 1940's. In a word... Extra terrestrials."

 

 

 

I might have had an interest if all the ads hadn't drummed it out of me.  I'm finishing up Limetown now, and the "actorish" performances take me right out of the conceit that it's supposed to be a news podcast. Don't care to go through that again, although, like with most stories, once you get started, it takes a lot to give it up midway. No listener wants to admit they've completely been wasting their time.

[Kromm]

My Dad Wrote A Porno is hilarious.  It's British, but perfectly accessible (in how equally uncomfortable it's likely to make anyone, Brit or American).  It's pretty new (only running since October) so it's easy to catch up.

[AndreaK1041]

I listened to The Message. It's fine. It's 8 episodes and some are not even 15 minutes, so not much of a commitment.  I think it's the 1st fictional podcast I had listened to before, so that was new and interesting, but it's not going to be winning any awards.

 

I also listen to You Must Remember This. Karina Longworth's voice is so strange and hypnotic to me.  I probably only hear 50% of the content of any given episode because I listen at work and her voice turns into sounds and not words if I am concentrating elsewhere.  Still, the content is super interesting (old Hollywood stories) and her research seems extremely thorough and excellent. The more modern series she did about the effect of the Manson murders on Hollywood culture was especially enjoyable to me.

[ElleBee]

My Dad Wrote A Porno is hilarious.  It's British, but perfectly accessible (in how equally uncomfortable it's likely to make anyone, Brit or American).  It's pretty new (only running since October) so it's easy to catch up.

 

Thanks for the recommendation--so far I've marathoned through ep 5 and I can't remember the last time I've laughed so much. Totally hilarious, and each episode is funnier than the last. The friends' comments are just as good as the cringe-worthy book.

 

(As the name indicates, totally NSFW for anyone thinking of checking it out.)

[Kromm]

Thanks for the recommendation--so far I've marathoned through ep 5 and I can't remember the last time I've laughed so much. Totally hilarious, and each episode is funnier than the last. The friends' comments are just as good as the cringe-worthy book.

 

(As the name indicates, totally NSFW for anyone thinking of checking it out.)

Yeah, and to be clear to others reading this, it's not actually a "porno" as in a film, it's a 50 Shades of Gray type dirty book. Like... the utterly least likely thing you'd think some British senior citizen might write.

 

Indeed, the biggest source of comedy is probably how the son and his co-podcasters react to all of this.  The Dad's writing is utterly ridiculous, and they play off of that.

[stillshimpy]

So I've looked through the entire thread, and feel like I have to have missed someone else recommending this, but here goes:  We Have Concerns .  It's not a super long one and it's not for people seeking a sedate listening experience.  These guys can sound sort of....manic, I guess would be the fair way to categorize that.  But they're very, very funny. 

[JessePinkman]

So I've been listening to How Did This Get Made for however long and pretty much hating like 60% of it because Paul can't seem to formulate a sentence that makes sense and he stutters A LOT, Jason is a dick and June is gone way too much of the time. Anyway, my point is that I've discovered We Hate Movies today and I absolutely love it, I can't tell the guys apart and they could use some female energy but they're all smart and don't talk over it each other and can form complete sentences! It's wonderful!

[Kromm]

Yeah, We Hate Movies is one of the ones on my list way uptopic somewhere. It's pretty good.

Lately I've been listening (and watching their return to videos on YouTube) to a lot more Red State Update--that totally cartoonish (in a good way) mockery of conservative America.  If it's good enough for Mark Hamill, it's good enough for me. 

[spaceytraci1208]

So I've been listening to How Did This Get Made for however long and pretty much hating like 60% of it because Paul can't seem to formulate a sentence that makes sense and he stutters A LOT, Jason is a dick and June is gone way too much of the time. Anyway, my point is that I've discovered We Hate Movies today and I absolutely love it, I can't tell the guys apart and they could use some female energy but they're all smart and don't talk over it each other and can form complete sentences! It's wonderful!

I'd also recommend the Bad Movie Fiends podcast...very similar in tone to We Hate Movies and it regularly cracks me up

[Kromm]

Bad News--the amazingly hilarious Dead Authors podcast is no more. Or rather it being FREE is no more. On the last episode, Chapter 50, our pal H.G. Wells announces it's going away in favor of a version requiring "a nominal fee".

 

I do understand it's done for charity, but I wonder if the quality will be maintained if the audience is suddenly a fraction of the size. 

[funkopop]

So I've been listening to How Did This Get Made for however long and pretty much hating like 60% of it because Paul can't seem to formulate a sentence that makes sense and he stutters A LOT, Jason is a dick and June is gone way too much of the time. Anyway, my point is that I've discovered We Hate Movies today and I absolutely love it, I can't tell the guys apart and they could use some female energy but they're all smart and don't talk over it each other and can form complete sentences! It's wonderful!

 

I have to agree with your assessment of HDTGM, Jason is  too aggressive with his snark and he comes off very bullyish.  

[funkopop]

I don't think this podcast has been mentioned but Uhh Yeah Dude has been a staple for me for years. John Laroquette Jr (son of John Laroquette of Nightcourt) and Seth Romatelli, the hosts, describe it as a weekly roundup of America through the eyes of two American Americans. They discuss popular culture, crazy news items , surveys, advice columns in a hilarious way.  I have had tears in my eyes listening to them from laughing so hard.

Edited January 4, 2016 by funkopop

[Kromm]

I don't think International Waters has been mentioned. It's kind of unique.  I mean the Panel Show is by and large long gone from America, although still wildly popular in the UK, so this show basically does a British-style Panel show as a podcast.

 

For those who don't know, a Panel Show is basically a comedy celebrity gameshow (although the interpretation of "celebrity" is pretty loose). Think "@Midnight". Then take away Chris Hardwick's enormous ego/need to dominate the show rather than let the guest comedians talk. Then make it a podcast, with subject matter that's half American and half British, with a team of American comedians going against a team of British comedians.

 

Really if you think about it, Podcasts should be a natural match for gameshows in general, and Panel shows in particular, so it's shocking this is about the only one (I think there are one or two other podcast gameshows, but I.W. is probably the only Panel show). 

Edited January 17, 2016 by Kromm

[Kromm]

Been a long time since I just did a data dump of what's, in total, on my Podcasting list. This repeats what's spread around in 20 different posts into one, basically (the short version). I've pruned stuff out though.

 

Listen to every episode:

 

Mike & Tom Eat Snacks - Michael Ian Black & Tom Cavanaugh Eating Snacks. Hilariously.

International Waters - US vs. UK comedy panel gameshow

Dead Authors Podcast - They just stopped making new episodes. The 50 that exist are gold however.

My Dad Wrote A Porno - Screamingly funny show about a British man who's Dad started writing erotic novels.

 

 

Listen frequently:

 

Spontaneanation - Paul F. Tompkins main podcasting project recently. Basically it's improv.

Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast - When Gilbert is "on" he's really on, but really it depends on the guest.

WITS - I listen to most episodes, but haven't played out the whole backlog. Very good public radio show out of the same theater as A Prairie Home Companion.... but funnier.

Topics - Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter parodying NPR. I don't know if it's made anymore but there was a nice backlog.

Red State Update - satire of err... Red State political views.

The Tobolowsky Files - Genius stories told by Hey It's That Guy actor Stephen Tobolowsky. Mostly old shows (he's doing a different podcast now).

Big Problems - Tobolowsky's current show. More advice giving than the carefully crated word poems/stories the other podcast was.

No Such Thing As A Fish - the writers of the British comedy panel show QI talk about all kinds of trivia.

 

Listen occasionally, but enjoy:

 

Here's The Thing - Alec Baldwin can be a real blowhard, but he gets guests nobody else seems to be able to land.

Joshin' Around - The voice of Geoff Peterson does a podcast. Mostly old shows.

We Hate Movies - like "How Did This Get Made" but less tiresome.

I Was There Too - "Hey It's That Guys"/minor actors from really big movies get interviewed about what went on behind the scenes.

The Bugle - John Oliver's podcast (with fellow Englishman Andy Zaltzman

The Dollop - Just discovered this recently. It's quite unique--a comedy podcast about HISTORY. You read that right. History.

 

And many others where I just listen rarely/to one-offs (I won't link to them): You Made It Weird, Tiny Desk Concerts, Denzel Washington is The Greatest Actor of All Time Period, Never Not Funny, Race Wars, The Larry Miller Show, Maltin On Movies, Call Chealsea Perretti, The K Ohle, Penn's Sunday School, Mohr Stories, The Thrilling Adventure Hour

[SVNBob]

Really if you think about it, Podcasts should be a natural match for gameshows in general, and Panel shows in particular, so it's shocking this is about the only one

In the vein of the Panel show, there's The Technical Difficulties.  Which is a group of mates that met at Student Radio in university and still occasionally get together to record goofy shit.  They did one podcast that was a Reverse Trivia game (think Trivial Pursuit meets Jeopardy), recording several episodes before changing both format and format. 

 

Currently, they do a show called Citation Needed, which is a Panel show with each episode centered around a single Wikipedia article.  This show is released on YouTube, but it looks like they may be cutting the audio off the videos and releasing that show as an audio podcast as well.

 

Definitely worth a listen and/or a watch.

[Princess Sparkle]

Really if you think about it, Podcasts should be a natural match for gameshows in general, and Panel shows in particular, so it's shocking this is about the only one (I think there are one or two other podcast gameshows, but I.W. is probably the only Panel show).

It's definitely not the only one; Doug Benson has been doing this with Doug Loves Movies for 10 years. He was a really early adopter of podcasts, even in the comedy realm, and probably doesn't get enough credit for it. And it's been successful enough that there will now be a spinoff with Rory Scoval called "Rory Loves Music".

Edited January 19, 2016 by Princess Sparkle

[Qoass]

Surely Wait Wait Don't Tell Me and Ask Me Another are on every game-show fan's podcast list!  Also, Says You is finally available by subscription.

[Fukui San]

I'll reiterate my recommendation of You're The Expert, a game show-ish panel show in which a real life scientist/researcher is featured and three comedians have to guess what he or she does and then are quizzed about aspects of their work. Someone sincerely guessing that a Forensic Pathologist's job is "Necrophiliac" and not understanding what was wrong was perhaps the heartiest laugh I had in all of 2015. 

[Qoass]

I'm really getting into Death, Sex and Money.  It's similar to This American Life but mercifully shorter.  It's like hearing first-person answers to all those personal questions you're afraid to ask.

[Kromm]

Since my last post I've been listening to a lot of the backlog of Maltin On Movies episodes. I'd forgotten how much I like Maltin. He was always my favorite of those 80s/90s era movie reviewers (far more than Siskel & Ebert, for example). Podcasts are a great format for him. So I'm raising this up from my "rare/one-off" list to my "frequent" one.

 

Also The Dollop, which was on my "occasional" list has also moved up to my "frequent" list. This show is SO darn funny. I doubt this is the only podcast that takes History and turns it into comedy, but it's certainly one with a really high hit rate on how funny it is.

 

I've been trying out NPR's Ask Me Another (another of those rare podcast gameshows--which I didn't know about until recently--and I now see Qoass mentioned it upthread too). Undecided on if I think it really works.  There's also apparently Good Job, Brain, which I have earmarked but not listened to yet.  So I'm mentioning those, but don't take those as recommendations yet.

Edited January 28, 2016 by Kromm

[starri]

True Crime fans:  Criminal.  It's bi-weekly (I think, they were monthly when they started out) spotlighting of unusual true crime stories, both historical and contemporary.  Their most recent episode was about a former Chicago courtroom sketch artist who got her start sketching the Chicago Seven with the high point being covering John Wayne Gacy's trial.  It was just fascinating.  It also doesn't hurt that Phoebe Judge, the host, is an NPR contributor for North Carolina's WUNC and has just a fantastic radio voice.

[dusang]

I also listen to You Must Remember This. Karina Longworth's voice is so strange and hypnotic to me.  I probably only hear 50% of the content of any given episode because I listen at work and her voice turns into sounds and not words if I am concentrating elsewhere.  Still, the content is super interesting (old Hollywood stories) and her research seems extremely thorough and excellent. The more modern series she did about the effect of the Manson murders on Hollywood culture was especially enjoyable to me.

 

I just listened to a Pop Culture Happy Hour where she interviewed the guys behind Welcome to Nightvale and one of them strongly recommended the Manson episodes of You Must Remember This.  (That was an intensely meta sentence.)

 

I just finished S1 of Limetown.  I think I took too long to listen because I had forgotten who all the characters were by the end but I still enjoyed the drama of it.

 

I have to reiterate my enjoyment of Denzel Washington is the Greatest Actor of All Time Period, which has really grown as a show since its inception and has a strong running discussion of diversity and representation in Hollywood.  The most recent episode was a review of the 1999 classic The Bone Collector, where Denzel plays a quadriplegic detective, with special guest Alice Wong of The Disability Visibility Project. It was both entertaining and informative and just really great listening.  (Also, Kamau, Kevin, and past guest J. August Richards have all responded to various Twitter comments I've made regarding the show, so I feel like we're buddies and I need to big them up.)  (KIDDING!)  (...sort of.)

 

I sometimes wonder what a crossover between DWitGAoATP and The Read would be like.  Hilarious I imagine.

[funkopop]

I just discovered a new podcast called How It Got In Your Mouth. Its hosted by two food writers, Katherine Spiers and Erin Mosbaugh. Each episode they discuss a popular food creation. They give a little history about how it came to be and where to find the best versions of the food. There are 4 episodes so far discussing cheeseburgers, cheesecake, Cioppino, and chicken & waffles.  I have really enjoyed it so far. 

[topanga]

 

I have to reiterate my enjoyment of Denzel Washington is the Greatest Actor of All Time Period, which has really grown as a show since its inception and has a strong running discussion of diversity and representation in Hollywood.  The most recent episode was a review of the 1999 classic The Bone Collector, where Denzel plays a quadriplegic detective, with special guest Alice Wong of The Disability Visibility Project. It was both entertaining and informative and just really great listening.  (Also, Kamau, Kevin, and past guest J. August Richards have all responded to various Twitter comments I've made regarding the show, so I feel like we're buddies and I need to big them up.)  (KIDDING!)  (...sort of.)

Cool. Which comments have you made? Are you one of the people who doesn't like the way Kamau teases Kevin? The thing about podcasts is that it makes you feel like you're best buddies with the hosts. I'd love to hang out with Kevin and Kamau. 

 

I'll have to check out The Read, given your recommendation. 

[dusang]

Cool. Which comments have you made? Are you one of the people who doesn't like the way Kamau teases Kevin? The thing about podcasts is that it makes you feel like you're best buddies with the hosts. I'd love to hang out with Kevin and Kamau. 

 

I'll have to check out The Read, given your recommendation. 

 

Honestly, I'm not super-active on Twitter so the fact that every comment I've made related to the show has been acknowledged demonstrates, to me, that these guys are on their social media game.  Admittedly, most of  my comments are a compliment of some form -- like saying that I've been #MattWhitlocking it my whole life without knowing it -- so it is not like they would avoid me.  But yes, I think if I ever ran into these guys I would start talking like we were old friends.  And they would back away slowly.

[Athena]

Here are some podcasts which have not been mentioned (much?) in this thread:

 

Surprisingly Awesome - Discovering awesomeness in everyday things like broccoli and glue. Very fun.

 

Only Human - Health podcast from WYNC mainly focusing on American health industry issues.

 

This Won't Hurt a Bit - Health podcast with two doctors and one lay person as host.s Quite entertaining with the topics they cover.

 

Question of the Day - I tried listening to Freakonomics, but I prefer Stephen J Dubner on this podcast with his friend James Altucher. I don't necessarily agree with the guys or find this podcast particularly informative. However, they have good friend chemistry so I find it easy to listen to them banter about random things.

 

I just discovered a new podcast called How It Got In Your Mouth. Its hosted by two food writers, Katherine Spiers and Erin Mosbaugh. Each episode they discuss a popular food creation. They give a little history about how it came to be and where to find the best versions of the food. There are 4 episodes so far discussing cheeseburgers, cheesecake, Cioppino, and chicken & waffles.  I have really enjoyed it so far. 

 

Thanks for the rec. I do like food podcasts.

 

Here are some that I have been listening to:

 

The Food Chain - BBC food podcast covering food trends. On hiatus but done in classic BBC style.

 

Gastropod - Food podcast with science and history.

 

Food Non-Fiction - Another food podcast. Shorter podcasts. A bit more trendy and less scientific, some history.

[Princess Sparkle]

Upon the recommendation of a friend, I've started listening to Anna Farris is Unqualified, and have been really enjoying it.  In it, Anna Farris and a celebrity friend of hers call up people who have submitted questions that they want her to answer.  She is really funny, and is genuinely trying to be helpful, as are the people on the show - I think this is the only show where I've heard TJ Miller be even remotely serious.  

[Kromm]

Upon the recommendation of a friend, I've started listening to Anna Farris is Unqualified, and have been really enjoying it.  In it, Anna Farris and a celebrity friend of hers call up people who have submitted questions that they want her to answer.  She is really funny, and is genuinely trying to be helpful, as are the people on the show - I think this is the only show where I've heard TJ Miller be even remotely serious.  

Interesting recommendation. I like Anna Faris herself (one R by the way in the last name), even if I don't like all of her work (she's been in some REAL shit), so I'll check it out. 

[Sarahendipity]

My Dad Wrote a Porno is absolutely hilarious. Listening in the car and was in tears laughing.

[stillshimpy]

Okay, I'm going to link to a specific episode of We Have Concerns, because it was one of the funniest things I've ever heard, in my life.   

Ignore the entirely gruesome picture that goes with this link, by the way, this is not at all about animal welfare (it's also not safe for work, lots of swearing) ....it's about how Switzerland solved their rabies problem with chicken heads.   

 

My neighbors  -- if they hadn't been worried about me before -- must think I'm a drunk, or a drug user and that I am the happiest drunk, drug-user ever, because I was listening to this as I walked my dogs and had to keep stopping because I couldn't walk, because I was laughing that hard.  At one point I had to support myself against someone's fence and just heehaw up a damned storm.   It starts out relatively sane and by the end, I swear to you I thought I was just going to have sit down on the sidewalk in 25 degree weather, in order to stop laughing long enough to move.  Cluck Bait, from We Have Concerns.  

 

Sorry if it isn't anyone else's cup of laughter tea, but it damned near killed me. 

Edited February 4, 2016 by stillshimpy

[Kromm]

My Dad Wrote a Porno is absolutely hilarious. Listening in the car and was in tears laughing.

Evening Standard: Meet the My Dad Wrote a Porno posse (and prepare to laugh a lot)

[Fukui San]

The KCRW family of podcasts are pretty uniformly good. For entertainment news I recommend "The Business" and it's TV spinoff, called "The Spinoff". Also good news and music performance podcasts as well.

[Blakeston]

No new episodes are being made of Professor Blastoff, but I heartily recommend listening to the archives. It's three comedians - Tig Notaro, Kyle Dunnigan, and David Huntsberger - who talk about a different subject each week (usually something related to science, art or human behavior.) They often have experts and/or celebrities as guests, and the guests are usually great.

 

It's often hilariously funny, and very interesting at the same time. The episode "Cheating" is probably my favorite - the guest was Michael Creed, who was on a cycling team with Lance Armstrong, but was never found to have been involved in the blood doping ring.

 

It's a really fascinating look at the world of doping in cycling. And when I was listening to it, there were times when I was doubled over with laughter, which undoubtedly made my coworkers think that I'm nuts.

[topanga]

I was sad to see Professor Blastoff end. It was one of my favorite podcasts 

 

I've started listening to Allegedly, a podcast with two guys--they're actors, I think--who interview a celebrity. I think someone on this thread recommended it, but if so, I can't find your post. What makes the podcast different is that the episode is divided into three sections. First each co-host tells a funny story about their lives in Hollywood--encountering celebrities, surviving the industry, etc. The second section is when they interview the guest. Finally, they each debate a topic that the guest chooses. It's a hilarious podcast that's also very informative. The hosts are great interviewers and have interesting conversations with their guests.

 

My favorite episodes so far have been Lou Diamond Phillips and Jerry O'Connell. But Denise Richards and Kevin Powell (Twofer on 30 Rock) were also good. 

 

For Book Lovers: I've also recently started listening to What Should I Read Next?, a podcast where the host asks guests to name three books they love, one they don't like, and what books they're reading now. And then the host makes book recommendations to the guest based on the guests' answers. I absolutely love it. I get to hear other people discussing books I like (or don't like), and I get new ideas for books to read. 

[Sharpie66]

Based on Kromm's recommendation, I started listing to Maltin on Movies over the weekend. Loads of fun! The standard format is that he and his co-host (Baron Vaughn, now playing Lily Tomlin's adopted son on the Netflix show she's on with Jane Fonda) choose three films from a genre arising from a current film (Into the Woods inspired two musical episodes, etc.)--a great film, a turkey, and a sleeper, and then talk about them and the genre for about 35-50 minutes.

 

There are also other more specialized themes, and they had a few episodes from last year that were co-hosted by Leonard Maltin's daughter Jessie when he had an extended illness. She is also very entertaining to listen to, and has a completely geeky perspective on films, being whose daughter she is. I'm currently listening to the Baseball movies episode, with special guest Fred Willard, who has spent the first several minutes talking about his experience with Christopher Guest and also doing voice work on animated films/tv shows. Looking forward to them getting into baseball, specifically Bull Durham. 

[Kromm]

Based on Kromm's recommendation, I started listing to Maltin on Movies over the weekend. Loads of fun! The standard format is that he and his co-host (Baron Vaughn, now playing Lily Tomlin's adopted son on the Netflix show she's on with Jane Fonda) choose three films from a genre arising from a current film (Into the Woods inspired two musical episodes, etc.)--a great film, a turkey, and a sleeper, and then talk about them and the genre for about 35-50 minutes.

 

There are also other more specialized themes, and they had a few episodes from last year that were co-hosted by Leonard Maltin's daughter Jessie when he had an extended illness. She is also very entertaining to listen to, and has a completely geeky perspective on films, being whose daughter she is. I'm currently listening to the Baseball movies episode, with special guest Fred Willard, who has spent the first several minutes talking about his experience with Christopher Guest and also doing voice work on animated films/tv shows. Looking forward to them getting into baseball, specifically Bull Durham.

I kind of love the relationship the show exposes between Leonard and Jessie. I'd always had him pegged as a good guy, but you can tell from their interactions he's been a good Dad too. If you google search her name (her maiden name--Maltin--I don't know what her married one is if she uses it), you get these rather surprising images of a (literally) blue-haired woman, with visible tattoos and a leaning towards a goth mode of dress (not quite though--she wears a lot of black, but also some weird pastels). Anyway the point is that the very conservative seeming Maltin (who's been known to disapprove of movies just because they're too senselessly violent or gory) has this kind of counter-culture-appearing daughter, but if you listen to how they interact on the podcast it's certainly not based on any kind of rebellion.

 

Cluck Bait, from We Have Concerns.  

 

Sorry if it isn't anyone else's cup of laughter tea, but it damned near killed me.

If you enjoy We Have Concerns, I'd specifically recommend The Dollop. It takes a very similar approach. There's some sub-genre of podcasts without a name yet that I think and they're both part of, where you have one guy that reads out some kind of story, or is some kind of researcher of the moment on a certain topic, and a second guy who's totally uninformed reacts. These shows both seem to be that thing. Edited February 22, 2016 by Kromm

[Sharpie66]

In the first episode she appears in, she says that she was always drawn to films about outsiders and those who just don't fit into society. I gather from her comments that she always felt a bit culturally removed from her peers just because of the exposure she got to older films/tv shows through her parents, who raised her on old Republic serials, Buster Krabbe as Flash Gordon, and George Reeves as Superman. She got frustrated when friends would say that so-and-so (modern-day) was the funniest person ever, and she would reply that he/she couldn't be, because person-from-the-1930s was so much more hilarious.

[Kromm]

In the first episode she appears in, she says that she was always drawn to films about outsiders and those who just don't fit into society. I gather from her comments that she always felt a bit culturally removed from her peers just because of the exposure she got to older films/tv shows through her parents, who raised her on old Republic serials, Buster Krabbe as Flash Gordon, and George Reeves as Superman. She got frustrated when friends would say that so-and-so (modern-day) was the funniest person ever, and she would reply that he/she couldn't be, because person-from-the-1930s was so much more hilarious.

So it's a rebellion against her peers in a way instead of one against her parents, I guess. Not that blue-dyed hair and a weird dress sense doesn't go exactly down a fairly cliched path of self-expression that ironically winds up having a real sameness to it between the many people who do it, but I guess there are only a limited number of ways to express that stuff.

I am puzzled what her actual career is. There's no way Leonard is super-rich, but between being on ET in it's heyday and his dominance with movie guide books for about 10-15 years... before ALL such books disappeared due to The Internet probably built at least a decent cushion. Her LinkedIn has her labeled as "Media/Researcher/Production" and elaborates...

 

Summary

Jill of All Trades, Master of Some

wardrobe stylist, researcher, driver, art director, painter, jazz singer, film critic, writer, editor, public relations

Experience

Media/Researcher/Production

Present

Leonard Maltin

Which if fine. She even mentions on one episode that her father has a standard joke about nepotism.  So I guess she mainly works for him.  IMDB has her as a Costume Designer on at least one Independent Film as well. 

 

That said, she's got a good "radio voice"--a good patter in an audio-only format.   She needs a little work with actual on-camera work though:

 

And yes, it's hilarious that her first interview there is Dear Old Dad.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Kromm

[Tabbyclaw]

I have recently discovered Wolf 359, an addictively entertaining science fiction audiodrama. The crew of the USS Hephaestus has been orbiting the titular star for a little over a year, and things are getting...tense. Pop-culture-overdosed slacker communications officer Eiffel is constantly reaching new heights in his efforts to get out of doing any actual work, head (and only) scientist Dr. Hilbert is doing god-knows-what in his lab and keeping his interactions with everyone else as minimal and creepifying as possible, hardassed by-the-book Commander Minkowski has her hands full keeping the station running, and even ever-pleasant ship's AI Hera is starting to develop some quirks of her own. How do you keep yourself sane in deep space? What does Command actually expect them to find out here? And has anyone else noticed that this station seems really large for a four-person* crew...?

 

The show is alternately hilarious and heartrending, with an excellent mix of action, character study, and intrigue. All the acting is stellar, the production quality is high, and it's just well-made all around. It takes a couple episodes to find its feet, and a couple more to go from slice-of-life to the serial adventure that it's become, but once it gets there it hits the ground running. It's a biweekly podcast that just started its third season (29 episodes + 3 minisodes in total as of this writing), and it's available on iTunes, its official site, and several other platforms linked from there.

 

*God help you if you so much as imply to Minkowski that Hera isn't a person and a member of the crew.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Tabbyclaw

[Fukui San]

John Oliver and Andy Saltzmans The Bugle podcast has a new episode up after a long hiatus! I think they have some material to work with with regards to current events. They say they want to do monthly podcasts going forward. I'll take what u can get.

[Kromm]

I've been listening lately to Harry Shearer's "Le Show": http://harryshearer.com/le-show/

It's an interesting sub-category of the current podcasting scene: things that are outright radio shows but that are also co-broadcast as podcasts. It relies I think on two things: that it's a show between 15-90 minutes (some radio broadcasts can be hours long). And that there are no rights issues involved (in other words, public broadcasting).

I've gotten the sense in recent years that Shearer can be a bit of a jerkoff, but that said, Le Show is quite good listening. It's a fairly unique (to podcasts at least) mix of news reading/commentary, skits and music. It's kind of a one-man variety show--and not a bad one.

[Princess Sparkle]

If anyone is a true crime junkie like me, I highly recommend the My Favorite Murder podcast. It's hosted by two women, which in the true crime genre is pretty unique, and they choose a theme every week (recently they've done cannibals, murderers hiding in plain sight, and unsolved murders) and each host picks one to talk about. It's quite funny, and it's a lighter take than a lot of the true crime podcasts out there, but you can tell both hosts are really into what they talk about. I will say ,If you're looking for an in depth discussion of the crimes, they don't really do that so something like Sword and Scale might be better if that's what you're looking for. However, Sword and Scale can be really hit or miss for me; I much prefer My Favorite Murder.

[ooh.boo]

If anyone is a true crime junkie like me, I highly recommend the My Favorite Murder podcast. It's hosted by two women, which in the true crime genre is pretty unique, and they choose a theme every week (recently they've done cannibals, murderers hiding in plain sight, and unsolved murders) and each host picks one to talk about. It's quite funny, and it's a lighter take than a lot of the true crime podcasts out there, but you can tell both hosts are really into what they talk about. I will say ,If you're looking for an in depth discussion of the crimes, they don't really do that so something like Sword and Scale might be better if that's what you're looking for. However, Sword and Scale can be really hit or miss for me; I much prefer My Favorite Murder.

I'm going to second this recommendation. The hosts are Georgia Hardstark, of Alie & Georgia, and Karen Kilgariff, who was on Mr. Show. I think they strike a good tone as far as being funny but also respectful of the crimes and their victims. They've also requested listeners email their hometown murders, and sometimes the hosts read those emails, so it's a little bonus crime information. I just wish there were more episodes since I've binged all the archives!

[Fukui San]

Added My Favorite Murder to my download list.  Thanks for the Rec, it sounds fun.

 

Caustic Soda, the science/comedy podcast examining gross or extreme science phenomena, recently abruptly had it's last episode after 7 (I think) years. I haven't yet listened to the 3 hour final ep which wraps up loose ends with many of their scientist guests.  I'll miss it.

 

Have I or someone else mentioned:

Retail Nightmares - Stories about working in retail by comedian Alicia Tobin, musician Jessica DeLisle, and their weekly guest.

Trash, Art, & The Movies - Two film lovers compare a highly regarded movie with a related (sometimes tenuously related) "trash" movie and vote on which won the week. One of the hosts also does a podcast with her partner called "Bollywood is for Lovers", which I haven't listened to but I like her.

How It Got In Your Mouth - Two food writers examine the origin of one dish each episode.

Funemployment Radio - Easygoing daily show from Portland, OR.  Banter, weird news, sports, etc.

[funkopop]

For fans of the Denzel is the Greatest podcast  the latest episode with Gary Whitta of the Book of Eli is filled to the brim with funny, insightful Denzel anecodotes. I'd say on par with the David Allen Grier ones.