I was a little slow in coming to the podcast revolution, mostly because a lot of the podcasts I like are radio shows, and I can just listen to those when they air, or else on the computer. However, now that there are some that are podcast only, and not only that, some podcasts that are unexpected favorites of mine, it’s time to share the love. So what are the best ones out there?
10. The Moth
Frequency: Weekly.
The Moth started out in New York as a live “essay” show in which anyone who wants to can pitch his or her name into a hat (literally) and, if chosen, stand up in front of the crowd and tell a real story on a predetermined theme, all live and without notes. Stories are supposed to be limited to about five minutes each, but the weekly selected podcast story (picked from Moth shows in New York, LA, Chicago and Detroit) often goes longer.
9. Sound Opinions
Frequency: Weekly.
The only thing that keeps my musical taste even vaguely up to date as I enter the perilous mid-thirties. The rock critics from The Chicago Sun Times and The Chicago Tribune review new albums, interview artists, and so on. It sounds rock-snobby, but is surprisingly accessible and interesting.
8. This American Life
Frequency: Weekly.
The mother of all podcasts, it’s basically like The Moth, but it came before. Interesting stories guided by the mellifluous tones of Ira Glass. Yes, you can probably listen to this one on the weekend NPR broadcast wherever you are, but the podcast works, too.
7. Fresh Air
Frequency: Daily.
Who here is noticing that NPR dominates not only my fave podcasts, but the top podcasts in general? I don’t love this nearly as much as I love TAL, but Teri Gross is a good interviewer. I pick and choose with this one — skip the ‘boring’ subjects, and mostly just listen to the celeb interviews.
6. The B.S. Report with Bill Simmons
Frequency: Varies, usually a couple a week.
As any guy will tell you, Bill Simmons is “the sports guy” for ESPN. I find sports boring, but Bill Simmons loves TV and movies, so half of his podcasts are about “Mad Men” or “The Real World/Road Rules Challenge,” which I do like. And he sometimes (often) gets celeb guests to yap about that stuff with him, too. See also: Adam Corrolla.
5. Car Talk
Frequency: Weekly.
Yes, yes. NPR. Again. And yes, cars sound boring, but the Magliozzi brothers are cute and make it fun. I can thank my grandmother for introducing me to this one.
4. The Ricky Gervais Podcast
Frequency: Varies, infrequent.
This one is sort of defunct, sort of not, in that Gervais will come up with a random podcast here and there when the mood strikes or he has something to plug. And he’s more into video ones now. But the old ones were funny as all get out — so much so that I decided to buy his Ricky Gervais Guide audiobooks, which are basically hour-long podcasts with his friends Karl and Steve all yelling at each other. It’s awesome.
3. Stuff You Missed in History Class/Stuff You Should Know
Frequency: Varies, usually a couple a week.
These podcasts from HowStuffWorks.com sound a little dorky. Okay, they are a little dorky. But they’re not bad. The girls who do the history one aren’t as good as the guys who do the other one, but they can all be decently interesting.
2. Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me
Frequency: Weekly.
Yup, NPR again. Weekly news quiz. Funny and good guests. Way better than that horrid Whad’Ya Know? — Yuck!
1. Savage Love Podcast
Frequency: Weekly.
Awesome podcast from America’s favorite sex advice columnist, Dan Savage. Call in and ask about your orgasm questions or if you should date a Frisbee fetishist. Saucy!
