Podcasts!

A couple of folks have asked what podcasts I listen to so I thought I would document them somewhere…

  • Ask Me Another – An enjoyable and sometimes silly quiz show, with extra geek cred courtesy of Jonathan Coulton
  • CBC’s Under the Influence – A look into the hows and whys of advertising. There’s a lot of great back stories presented here.
  • Kevin and Ursula Eat Cheap – Take two very smart and funny people, add terrible food and a lot of alcohol. Hilarity does indeed ensue.
  • My Dad Wrote a Porno – Exactly what it says it is. A son does a straight-faced reading of the (egregiously terrible) erotica his father has written, with commentary provided by his sometimes-bewildered friends. It’s notable that his father is in on the joke (and even does a Q&A at the end of Season 1!), which removes any concern of mean-spiritedness.
  • NPR’s Planet Money – A collection of pieces run on various shows, this always has a smart, accessible explanation of matters financial
  • NPR’s Politics Podcast – A bit more free-wheeling than the usual on-air discussion. If you’re a political wonk, you’ll enjoy this weekly podcast.
  • Pop Culture Happy Hour – My favorite! A discussion of all things pop culture by a group of hilarious writers and reporters. Bonus for NPR fans – occasional appearances by folks like Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro that show they’re interesting and engaging people. (Also: Glen Weldon is my Gay Nerd Hero!)
  • Pop Rocket – Comedian Guy Branum hosts this sister-in-spirit to Pop Culture Happy Hour. It’s a little looser, a little more profane, and a lot of fun.
  • Sampler – A meta-podcast? This shouldn’t work, but it succeeds spectacularly. An overview of all kinds of podcasts out there with clips and interviews with the creators. A great way to find podcasts you never would have heard otherwise. Brittany Luse is a fantastic host for this one.
  • Switched on Pop – The combination of pop culture know-how and a little music theory features in this podcast that deconstructs the music out there in a very engaging fashion. Their breakdown of Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” and tracing it back to Pharrell, Michael Jackson, Gregorian chant, and Handel was amazing.
  • The Memory Palace – Short (<10 minute) episodes on obscure historical facts. Nate DiMeo’s writing and delivery make this podcast absolutely hypnotic.
  • The Nerdist – Chris Hardwick and company interview famous people. Interview podcasts usually don’t do it for me, but they have a way of getting their interviewees to open up and just chat comfortably, not the usual stilted same-old-same-old. Their interview(s) with Jon Favreau was quite revealing, and showed that Jon is a guy I would absolutely have a beer with.
  • Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! – Just listen to it if you haven’t before. You’ll laugh, a lot. Trust me.
  • WBEZ’s Curious City – Amazing investigations into what makes Chicago tick. This is exceptionally well-researched and presented.

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