You know what we need? To celebrate the happy little things keeping us going. So let’s do that. Every day this week let’s pick a topic and share some of our new or old favorites that are saving us in wonderful ways. I’ll share some of my faves and you share yours and then maybe we’ll discover new (to us) wonderful things.
So today? Let’s do podcasts.
I love podcasts because they distract me from the voices in my own head and also it feels like I’m having long talks with people where I don’t actually have to hold up my side of the conversation and since I am inherently lazy this works out well. I tend to lean toward darker podcasts and it is not unusual for me to listen to them when I walk Dorothy Barker late at night up and down my street. I am aware that listening to headphones while out in the dark is dangerous because you can’t hear cars or serial killers so I play my true crime podcasts on high volume in my pocket and have gotten used to the stares I get from neighbors who happen outside as “AND THEY FOUND HER TORSO IN THE CRAWLSPACE” echoes through our quiet street.
My newest fave is In Another Room, a scripted psychological horror podcast my sister recommended that I binged entirely within 24 hours.
A few of my other favorites:
True Crimey: The Poisoners’ Cabinet, My Favorite Murder, Dateline, Ghost Town, Rusty Hinges, Twisted, True Crime Island, Criminal, Scam Goddess, The Grift, GURU
Scripted horror: In Another Room, Relic Radio’s Science Fiction, Tales of Horror, Strange Tales, The Horror
Talk related: The Michelle Obama Podcast, Unlocking Us with Brené Brown, David Tennant Does a Podcast
Fascinating and true: Incredible Feats with Dan Cummins, LORE, One Strange Thing, The Secret Life of Prisons, Sidedoor (Smithsonian), Supernatural with Ashley Flowers, Strange Year, Radio Diaries, Pretend Radio, The Memory Palace, Hidden Brain, TRUE, Disgraceland, Love & Radio, Radio Lab, This is Love, Ear Hustle, Reply All, Snap Judgement, This American Life, SPOOKED (WNYC Studios)
Makes me laugh: Wooden Overcoats, OH, HELLO (the P’dcast), Burns & Allen Show, No such thing as a Fish, Conan O’Brien needs a friend, Off Book, Hello from the Magic Tavern, Done Disappeared, Mission to Zyxx, Unhappy Hour
Your turn. What podcast are you loving right now?
Morbid is a MUST for true crime!
99% Invisible, Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, Sawbones (medical history), Short Wave (science podcast), Witch Please (scholarly look at Harry Potter), The Indicator (economics), Planet Money (economics), The Good Place Podcast
Also audiobooks borrowed from the library.
History: Uncivil, Throughline
Stupid Reality TV: Rose Pricks Bachelor Roast
Journalism: The Daily from NY Times, On the Media
Big MFM fan, and have been to one of their tour events. Also listen to Jensen and Holes: The Murder Squad, waiting for more Oh, Hello episodes, and love the Golden Ratio.
And That’s why we drink.
My favorite podcasts (currently) are: Ear Hustle, Supernatural with Ashley Flowers, Fresh Hell, My Favorite Murder, The Murder Squad, I Survived, Start Here, Dale Jr Download, Glass Case of Emotion, Off Track with Hitch & Rossi,
I miss the Hilarious World of Depression.
Plan on listening to: War Porn, Purrcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Scientology: Fair Game, and Creepy Caffeine.
– Leslie
I will always recommend My Brother, My Brother, and Me because it makes me laugh so much. I also just discovered a podcast Gamb Forces Deer to Watch and Enjoy Doctor Who. It is basically what it sounds like. The two watch old episodes of Doctor Who and Deer gives her opinion on each episode having never seen it before.
This podcast will kill you, Cabinet of Curiosities (Same guy that does LORE) American Hysteria. The rest of the ones I’d recommend are already in your lists! 🙂
I’ve been listening to Code Switch, bingeing from their first (2016) episode. I’m up to mid-2018. It’s painful sometimes to remember how little progress we’ve made in the past four years. But I love the energy and the topics make me think and Shereen and Gene have dreamy voices.
Smart less with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett for a good laugh
Pod Save America – political but very humorous. Patriot Acts with Trevor Noah, Seth Myers, John Oliver, etc – another political but very funny.
The Dollop (comedic/horrifying history); Armchair Expert (Dax Sheppard interviews people); The Bright Sessions (scripted – it’s like if the x-men were on the CW, but way better); Wolf 359 (scripted space adventure); Up & Vanished (true crime)
What happened to the Hilarious World of Depression?
Let’s Have The Talk is a podcast by 2 sex therapists who are also mother and daughter. They are hilarious and brilliant and cover all the things. Only 3 episodes so far but worth checking out on Spotify.
The Unconventional Gal with The Cherry Dollface. She covers two unconventional topics each podcast, such as how to travel alone safely as a women, living with chronic health issues…She’s intelligence and funny!
Armchair Expert (Dax Shepherd), replays of “The Hilarious World of Depression ” and “Tremendous Upside,” “Stuck in the ’80s,” “The Losers’ Club” (Stephen King related), “Mobituaries.”
No such Thing as Fish, Ologies, The Drop Out (older but worth the listen!), Stop Podcasting Yourself, Smartless and Evil Genius
John Moe got laid off so the show ended. Boo pandemic budget cuts.
I love podcasts. Some of my all-time favourites:
History: throughline, revisionist history
Comedy: Conan (probably the one I look forward to the most – never fails to cheer me up and make me laugh)
Current events: deep background, NPR politics, Radiolab
Food history and science: Gastropod
There are many others I binge and cycle through, but these are the ones I go back to for interesting/ enjoyable content. Can’t wait to read other recommendations!
I’d recommend Something You Should Know for fascinating information, Mortified for humor, The Moth for true stories, Typology, and The Enneagram Journey (if you’re into the Enneagram) and For the Love (Jen Hatmaker on various topics). These keep me company when I walk or do chores around the house! Enjoy!
Do You Need A Ride?, This Podcast Will Kill You, The Fall Line, Murder In The Rain, Ologies, Don’t Ask Tig, How to Money, and Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness
John Moe got laid off so the show ended. Damn pandemic budget cuts.
I love MFM.
For true (and harrowing) stories — This is Actually Happening
Prison related — Ear Hustle (run by the inmates at San Quinten in CA)
For people who like true crime and history and who are also snarky and funny, I can highly recommend “Fat, French and Fabulous”. Jessica and Janelle present weird history, bizarre crime, and stuff you never knew you needed to know while giving each other lots of shit. They are both Canadian (Though Janelle is currently working in NYC) so episode 1 featured “Petty Feuds of the Maritimes” which included the Great Lobster Trap Murders and a land dispute that ended up involving a pile of manure large enough to be photographed from space!
WTF with Marc Maron. He’s made crabbiness an art form. He is a sympathetic listener and engaged interviewer; I appreciate when he can get people to open up about their childhoods and how they got to be where they are now. He also lost his partner, Lynn Shelton, early in the pandemic crisis and is open about his grief. And he’s been doing his podcast for over ten years so it is a treasure trove of interviews.
Best friends w/Nicole Byer & Sasheer Zamata is delightful!
This Sounds Serious will scratch the comedy AND crime itches, i promise!
Speaking of Racism is a great one for anti-racism info & resources.
If you like Conan needs a friend, may i recommend The Three Questions w/ Andy Richter? Fun, smart,
insightful, funny, heartfelt.
Sorry, I’ve never listened to a podcast. But I’m enjoying watching The Vow on HBO about the NXIVM organization.
You’re Wrong About, and In the Dark season 2 about Curtis Flowers <3
Bones and Bobbins: a creepy podcast for makers/crafters hosted by two self-proclaimed witches (not Wiccans)
Stuff You Missed in History Class for a wide variety of historical topics
Let’s see – BBC Sounds did a great reinterpretation of The Case of Charles Dexter Ward and The Whisperer in Darkness that are pretty cool.
The Morbid Curiosity Podcast
Stuff You Missed In History Class
The guy who does LORE and Cabinet of Curiosities also has a longer-form podcast called Unobscured where they deep-dive into a weird historical event, interview experts, and in general tell you more than you ever thought you needed to know about it. Season 1 did the Salem Witch Trials (Lots of info on the family squabbles, land disputes, and church politics that informed the whole mess) and Season Two is doing Jack The Ripper (Episode 1 dropped last week)
Oh No Ross and Carrie – they investigate claims of cults, so-called religions, etc. and report back. They did a whole series on Scientology, ionic foot baths, Eckankar, and many many others. It’s fascinating and fun!
The Magnus archives is an excellent horror podcast. It’s in its final season right now.
Ok I have only listened to a few… I enjoyed This American Life #646 – The Secret of My Death – makes you think…
https://www.thegoldenghouls.com/
Not quite a podcast, but Steve Earle is going through his guitar collection and taking about them, then signing a song he recorded using the instrument. It’s and interesting history/ music lesson, even if Americans isn’t your thing.
Looking at the lists (David Tennent! Michelle Obama! Yay!) and thinking “someday maybe I will be a podcast person, because these sound awesome!” I have tried, but I have discovered that I am a blog person, not a podcast person- with audio things my mind tends to wander and I miss stuff, have to keep rewinding (does when I’m reading too, but the pages don’t keep turning without me), plus sometimes I just can’t handle one more thing that makes noise when I want the world to just Shush.
The Friendlier Podcast (conversational and about friendship, books, food, and families); Home Cooking (SO CHARMING), the West Wing Weekly, Pop Culture Happy Hour, Show Your Work.
I find myself laughing through the entire podcast Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone. In a world where it’s hard to find anything even remotely humorous, they somehow manage to find levity in the absurdity.
For true crime, Going West is good. Stays on topic, mostly, with non annoying voices.
If you like Snap Judgement you should try The Moth. Also everyone should listen to Judge John Hodgeman
As a rule I try not to dedicate any of my spare time to listening to white men talk… and yet I find myself listening to “Smartless” over and over and over again.
Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman, and Will Arnett all talking over each other along with a surprise guest each time.
True Crime Obsessed and Red-Handed are my favorites.
Big MFM fan for the reason you stated-just a conversation with my friends. Don’t usually like cold case podcasts because nothing comes of them, but I enjoyed the CBC podcast Uncover. Also enjoy Radio Rental. TAL, of course.
Dear Hank & John, the Green brothers answer questions, give dubious advice, and discuss the latest news from mars and afc wimbledon. The Dollop – an American History podcast where one guy reads a story (always very WTF) to another from history
I wish I had time for podcasts. I miss our VA NPR station, which had a lot of the programs you listed, but these days I just don’t seem to find the time. You’ve already got some of my favorites: Radio Lab, Snap Judgment, SPOOKED, and I’ll add The Moth.
Nerdradio 101 on the WRIF. It’s, as titled, all about nerd stuff. The three hosts do it live on twitch on Wednesdays, and then they release the recording on Fridays.
I am loving Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, Literally! with Rob Lowe, Armchair Expert, Real Crime Profile, Small Town Dicks, Best Case Worst Case, Smartless, Glow Girl, Getting Curious, You and Me Both, The First Degree, The Murder Squad, and Bob Saget’s Here For You. I listen to A LOT of podcasts you guys
I am loving Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, Literally! with Rob Lowe, Armchair Expert, Real Crime Profile, Small Town Dicks, Best Case Worst Case, Smartless, Glow Girl, Getting Curious, You and Me Both, The First Degree, The Murder Squad, and Bob Saget’s Here For You. I listen to A LOT of podcasts you guys
My new favorite podcast: SMARTLESS with Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes. I love it!
Also Duncan Trussell Family Hour
You’re Wrong About is one of my most favorite things in the entire world. Also Take to the Sky–the Air Disaster Podcast is fascinating and 100% less depressing than the title would suggest.
I second the suggestions for Conan Obrien and Smartness and add “Phobe reads a mystery” & her original show “Criminal”
My favorite podcasts, not yet mentioned, are
The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos (data-driven happiness!)
Quinn Cummings Gives Bad Advice (what it says on the tin)
The Rewatchables (deep dive into movies that are ‘rewatchable’)
For True Crime, there’s “Paper Ghosts.” Three young girls went missing in a rural part of Connecticut in the 1970’s. M. William Phelps is the investigator and narrator. A new episode every Wednesday.
Two podcasts I absolutely LOVE!! “Mobituaries” with Mo Rocca (CBS Sunday Morning) and “Revisionist History” with Malcolm Gladwell (wrote “Outliers” and “Tipping Point”)
Also recommend: “Without Fail,” “Code Switch,” “Stuff You Should Know,” “Twenty Thousand Hertz”
A lot of my favs have been mentioned, but I didn’t see the History Chick (done by 2 hilarious women in a very fun conversational style), Venture Maidens (all woman D&D Podcast that gives you plenty of feels with your mayhem), and Flash Forward (where they jump to a hypothetical future and then discuss how it might come about).
Seconding The Bright Sessions and Sawbones! If you like Magic Tavern, you might like Dungeons & Daddies (not a BDSM podcast) and We’re So Bad At Adventuring. I also really like This Is Uncomfortable (stories about how money can mess with people).
Hmmm. I didn’t realize there were so many fun podcasts. I have been absorbed by more nonfiction and news oriented programs, especially those that include humor such as Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me and Car Talk, but also This American Life, Radio Lab, The Happiness Lab, Fresh Air and Hidden Brain. Now I’m inspired to listen to some lighter weight programs!
I am way behind on the podcast thing and need to get started; lots of ideas here. I do really like Selected Shorts, where actors, some famous, some not, read great short stories. I Was there Too is also fun, where people with small roles in famous films talk about what it was like to work on them – fun to hear from The Girl in the Well from Silence of the Lambs!
Ologies is amazing. Science and humor. Learn more about the world but not in a dry and boring sort of way. I also really enjoy Story Collider, it’s also science based but more about the person and their story. I have a ton more on my list but these are the two I listen to most often. I am always on the hunt for things that that are engaging though, so I’ll have to go through and read a of the responses.
I, too, am obsessed with true crime podcasts, and one I’m shocked that wasn’t mentioned is Someone Knows Something. (A CBC broadcast) It is positively addicting, especially the Kerrie Brown season (5).
We Got This with Mark and Hal is my favorite when I want a laugh. The first podcast I started listening to was Welcome to Night Vale. It’s super creepy fun. Also sorry if I’m posting this a million times. I keep getting an error on my WordPress log in (Thanks Mercury Retro)
ok folks…you are going to love me when you start listening to this one: RISK
http://risk-show.com/
What is it about you ask?? True Stories People Never Thought They’d Dare To Share In Public
“jaw-dropping, hysterically funny, and just plain touching.”
Each biweekly podcast centers on a theme (e.g., “Why Did I Do That?,” “Secrets Revealed,” “Regrets,” “Revenge,” “Jealousy”) meant to elicit serious and humorous revelatory stories from the tellers, who are both comedians (such as Janeane Garofalo, Michael Ian Black, and Rachael Dratch) and regular folk like you and me.
But the Risk podcast is not merely a parade of freaks to point at and laugh (cause we NEVER do that because that is our TRIBE DAMN IT!!). What’s truly marvelous about it is that it does what all good art should do—allow us to relate to other people, reminding us that we are not the only weirdos on the planet; in fact, it’s our weirdness that makes us just like everyone else.
It should be mentioned that this can be ummm…somewhat triggering and/or sexual in nature (which can be what makes it so doggone interesting – S&M, Polyamory, kink camp, etc) or just downright gasp worthy (did i mention flesh eating?)….these are stories that make you laugh, cry and just take in your soul and make you wish you could be here for a long, long time with these friends.
XOXOXO XStacy
Are you a fan of “Scrubs”? Do you miss the show so much it hurts sometimes?? Fret no more, the “Fake Doctors, Real Friends” podcast is a Scrubs re-watch show with none other than your favorite (fake) doctors, J.D. and Chris Turk! Ok, it’s actually hosted by REAL friends Zach and Donald, and it’s awesome!
I’ve been liking Someone Knows Something. Each season is about a different missing person cold case.
Slightly Foxed. It’s about books and publishing. It’s incredibly soothing.
I only just started listening to podcasts about a year ago. I’m not even sure why I fought against it for so long. I am especially hooked on LORE, Unobscured, Haunted Places, Suspense (an old time radio podcast, playing every episode of Suspense in existence and in the order originally broadcast), The Great Gildersleeve (another old time radio podcast), Noble Blood, American Shadows, PseudoPod, Escape Pod, The Moth, My Dad Wrote a Porno, The Magnus Archive, and They Walk Among Us. It’s a pretty random bunch, from true crime to supernatural to scripted horror to comedy to nostalgia for an era before I was born with the Golden Age of radio, but I’m pretty random myself.
I’ve been listening to Feelin’ Guru-vy with the Pain Guru by Julie Hodges, and Eat Drink Write, an urban fantasy whiteboard by Sherry and Taylor. Both are informative and both take me out of my own head for a little while.
Bagman about Spiro Agnew by Rachel Maddow. I love her take on the world.
I’ve never listened to a podcast. I do, however, love old radio broadcasts esp Jack Benny.
Sawbones. It’s a podcast about medical history. Super interesting
You and Me Both with Hillary Clinton, Pod Save America, Black Frasier with Phoebe Robinson (and 2 Dope Queens), the Sarah Silverman podcast, Office Ladies with Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, Late Night with Seth Meyers
Radio Rental by Payne Lindsey and narrated by Rainn Wilson. Spooky stories told by the people who experienced them.
Levar Burton Reads is amazing but maybe not technically a podcast? He reads short stories and there’s sound effects and it’s spectacular.
Jenny, I’m really surprised Box of Oddities isn’t on your list! It’s right up your alley.
Other ones I like:
One of my friends recently introduced me to DUST, it’s a science fiction story podcast that’s really good!
Writing Excuses is my favorite podcast, it’s funny and helpful as a scifi/fantasy writer.
The Inforium is a couple of geeks talking about practical information and life hacks. They’re likeable and well researched.
The Adventure Zone is a silly DnD podcast I like. The Amnesty arc is my favorite 🙂
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe is a really engaging podcast about the true but surprising stories of well known figures.
And of course, Welcome to Night Vale is always fun ^^
I’m relatively new to the world of podcast but so far I’m enjoying:
LORE
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Unlocking Us with Brené Brown
The Way I Heard It with Mike Row
Heaving Bosoms is terrific–two best friends hilariously and lovingly recap a romance novel (or occasionally a movie) every week. They’ve been really good company in the current “alone times.” You absolutely don’t need to be a romance fan, or to have read the books they cover, to listen. (However, it unsurprisingly is explicit, so it may need to be an earbuds-in listen depending on your surroundings.)
Family Ghosts is wonderful. The I Survived podcast is excellent for true crime junkies (plus it’s all female survivors telling their own stories). And Risk! for true stories that run the gamut on topics from great storytellers.
The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos is a wonderful revelation every time I listen. We can actually make ourselves happier when we know how. Life changing.
Small Town Murder…. comedy about true murders! Start with Vampire Pyramid Scheme. Love it!
I love Cast on with Brenda Dayne. She has a lovely voice, and while there is knitting content, it is the most soothing podcast. Janey Godley’s podcasts from Scotland are hilarious and rude, and I laugh a lot. Check out the archives.
One of my favorites is Take It or Leave It, a parenting podcast from “two struggling moms who have no idea what we’re doing.” Always a good laugh and truly helping me stay sane right now. Also loving Currently Reading which has my TBR list so full I will never run out of something great to read.
Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay is amazing! Also, The Magnus Archives, Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd and Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness are faves.
Morbid Podcast is my favorite. “Fresh air is for dead people.”
I love MFM! Also How Did This Get Made is another favorite. Lime town was incredibly compelling.
I feel like an elderly person having never listened to a podcast. People, I am not yet 50. I feel like I am missing something big here. And these lists are never ending. Now I feel overwhelmed and do not know where to begin.
Office Ladies Pod cause I am geek and like to pretend that I could totally be friends with Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. Also, who doesn’t like talking about the painful awkwardness of The Office?
I’m so glad The Tobolowsky File by Stephen @Tobolowsky, the Russian spelling, is back. Ned Ryerson talks about his long acting career and life.
Never got into podcasts much until this past summer, when I started working a job I can do while listening! A few of my favs:
Buffering the Vampire Slayer (and its offshoot, Angel on Top) – discussing and celebrating an iconic series (which happens to be my favorite ever!) from a modern queer feminist (which happens to be what I am!) perspective
Invisibilia – Each episode explores some kind fascinating scientific phenomena, and ties it into personal stories and insights into life and being human. It’s hard to sum up, but so so good!
Old Gods of Appalachia – Atmospheric, poetic, gritty horror. It will suck you in and not let go!
The Art of Asking Everything – Amanda Palmer has deep-dive conversations with People about Life and Things. Two episodes have been released, with many more already recorded and in the pipeline. Wide ranging topics but sure to always be interesting!
Levar Burton Reads – Reading Rainbow for adults! Levar reads hand-picked short fiction… just delightful!
Up First – NPR’s daily 15 min national news digest is a small enough dose to not be too overwhelming, but still keeps me informed about what’s going on
Amanda Palmer’s The Art Of Asking Everything, Spooked (first hand weird true tales -SO GOOD), This is Actually Happening, and Ear Biscuits. I also use Sleep With Me when I’m having a very hard time falling asleep.
Over the Fence and Once Upon a Crime are my favs
Murderbook by Michael Connelly
These are Their Stories: A Law & Order Podcast, Sawbones, Brought to You By, Office Ladies, Business Wars, American Scandal, American Elections: Wicked Game, What a Creep, Trashy Divorces, Bizarre Albums, POP Culture Happy Hour, The Golden Ratio.
Chat 10 Looks 3, which is 2 Aussie media personalities discussing books, podcasts, movie and tv.
Someone has already said this, but I can’t recommend You’re Wrong About highly enough. It would fit into the “Fascinating and True” category. The podcast hosts debunk cultural reactions to and social trends based on real events from the near-ish past (the 90s mostly). They cover incorrect perceptions of specific people (Tonya Harding, Jessica Simpson, etc), specific events (the Challenger explosion, Y2K), and belief or conspiracy trends (murder- not usually true crime!, gangs, human trafficking, etc). I’m NOT a podcast listening person, but I really love this one.
Dark Poutine! Awesome True Crime and the most amazing community too.
Loremen
love this. Couple of British comedians telling tales of yore….and they’re so much fun.
Jamie
I’m surprised I haven’t seen And That’s Why We Drink listed! Two female hosts talk true crime. One does a supernatural story, one does a regular true crime story. I’m not sure if all the episodes are like that (ECT brain makes me not remember what I listened to beforehand), but the most recent episodes are anyway. They’re quite funny!
Malcom Gladwell’s Revisionist History and Karina Longworth’s You Must Remember This-about forgotten history of Hollywood.
Dear Hank and John, The Anthropocene Reviewed, This Might Get Weird
I like nature/science and travel related podcasts. My favorite is “The Wild” and I also like “Clear and Vivid” with Alan Alda. There are others I listen to occasionally but these are my constants. I always learn something.
There is a great one now with Will Arnette, Sean Hayes and Jason Bateman called Smartless. Very funny. Also Sibling Revelry with Kate Hudson and her brother Oliver Hudson is interesting and funny.
That’s Spooky (for spooky gay bullshit), Real Life Ghost Stories ( for real people’s ghost stories and discussions of drop kicking demonic children down stairs), and This Podcast Will Kill You (for cool/scary diseases and medical things).
Where is Gary Lum? He’s usually in the top 10 replies, if not the first to reply. Where are you Gary?
The Hidden Djinn is fascinating! This one is from the creator of Lore and is just as good in my opinion.
We Fix Space Junk, Wolf 359, Brimstone Valley Mall, Cry Power, Gastropod, Radiolab, ars PARADOXICA, The Far Meridian, Star Tripper, The Bright Sessions
Whenever I listen to a podcast that’s based in storytelling, like In Another Room, I feel like it’s the late 1800’s, pre-tv, and I’m sitting around a big radio in my living room. It’s so full circle!!
I really LOVE the Full Bloom Podcast. For anyone who has ever been a child with body image issues or is raising a child whilst also trying to create a body positive, food neutral, (as in, ice cream isn’t morally bad unless you eat it along with a live puppy- not sharing it with the puppy, but bite of ice cream, bite of puppy- that’s morally wrong. Everything else is twinkies and toaster strudels) home environment that innoculates your kids against the toxicity of diet culture and ideally helps protect them from developing an eating disorder. I’ve never been hired to write copy. I’ve just made a fascinating podcast about how entwined our sense of selves, relationship with food, the media and the idiodacy of weight centric modern medicine are insinuated into our lives. So it’s fascinating, good for you and I was interviewed for it but I have too much stage fright so asked Zoe and Leslie not to air my episode so they didn’t! They are brilliant and also so kind. Give it a try. You might prevent an eating disorder in somebody somewhere (every hour in the US someone dies as a direct result of their eating disorder) but it’s not preachy or boring. Fascinating. Please check it out.
Full Bloom Podcast!
I’m not an MFM fan, although I know I’m in the minority: what was offputting was that within the first 5 minutes there is mean-girl cackling about things that aren’t funny, a tone-deaf joviality and lack of respect for murder victims and their families (the name of the podcast alone should have clued me in), and a gross inaccuracy (it was *never* claimed that “the owl did it,” you morons, only that an owl attack to her scalp may have contributed to her being in shock and physically or mentally compromised), so I’ve been reluctant to try any other podcasts since. However, Conan O’Brien is so funny and one of the most adorable humans on the planet, so I may give him a go. Also old time radio sounds promising.
My Dad Wrote a Prono, is older but makes me laugh out loud every episode. Voyage to the Stars has my nerd hero Felicia day. About a ship names Sorry and her crew travel and do things in a funny and horrible way. It is partly improv.
“You must remember this” it’s a great podcast that does mini series looking back at lesser known Hollywood stories and people.
And That’s Why We Drink covers paranormal and true crime stories. I’m almost caught which is a little scary. The Office Ladies. “Pam and Angela” are going through behind the scenes of each Office episode. https://possumscatsthingsgnawingatme.wordpress.com/2020/10/07/how-to-find-me/
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week. It’s from Popular Science and each episode has three weird facts (with back story) and the hosts really enjoy their facts and conversation with each other. And there are some very weird facts.
My newest find is Smartless with Jason Batman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett. And this past summer when I made the cross-country move from Illinois to Texas in the car with 3 cats, I binged on My Dad Wrote a Porno which was hysterical.
Oh and also Risk! It’s like the unrated/uncensored version of The Moth. Individuals telling stories and anecdotes on a wide range of topics, often shocking or taboo, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, but always intimate and true.
Bones & Bobbins! It’s creepy + crafty!
I Said No Gifts, 2 Knit Lit Chicks (knitting and reading!) Throwing Shade, American Scandal, and various true murder podcasts. The Moth, Snap Judgement and Snap Judgement Spooked.
Bright and funny women chatting, laughing, sometimes interviewing other bright women and occasionally men – Fortunately on BBC Sounds. Also Older and Wider for similar, less high-brow, sometimes startlingly relatable/revealing.
I love Make Me Smart, funnyparentspodcast, Radio Headspace, Don’t Ask Tig, HBR’s The Anxious Achiever; for true crime: In the Dark. Also love Hidden Brain! Freakonomics Radio and Selected Shorts (for stories) are also excellent!
Ologies – great science podcast whose tag line is “ask smart people stupid questions”!
For True Crime it’s Undisclosed for me. They really know how to investigate a crime, and the number of cases they’ve broken is pretty impressive.
Also, for writing and comedy – I am always shocked just how insightful the interviews for Good One are. Each week they break down how a joke was written. The one with Tig Notaro is pure gold.
And for recent one-offs, I’m fascinated by Short Creek.
So many… Scam Goddess, Throughline, iweigh, The Allusionist, Invisibilia, Politically Re-active, Unladylike, 99% Invisible, Imaginary World, Twenty Thousand Hertz, Every Little Thing, Getting Curious with JVN, Jackie Kashian’s The Dork Forest, The United States of Anxiety
Current fav: The Magnus Archives. Scripted horror.
Judge John Hodgman
Pop Culture Happy Hour
Watch What Crappens
I listen to work-related podcasts because I’m boring but my favorite podcasts are Hot Copy and Recipe for SEO Success.
Back Issue. Call Your Girlfriend. (plus some previously mentioned – This Podcast Will Kill You, Ologies, Judge John Hodgman, Unhappy Hour)
If you like MFM, All Killa No Filla is excellent. I was a little annoyed with the style of MFM in the beginning, especially the lack of fact-checking, but it’s an entertainment podcast first and it’s definitely grown on me. The ladies at All Killa get their facts a little straighter and bring a lovely British humor to it. Their sound mix was terrible in the first few episodes, but it’s worth enduring that to hear them pick apart Dennis Rader so thoroughly.
My new favorite is Zack Braff and Donald Faison on Fake Doctors Real Friends. It’s a scrub rewatch party. Super funny and so interesting. My favorite used to be The Hilarious World of Depression but I’m all caught up. Also caught up on Chelsea Handlers Life will be the death of me and I really enjoy Terrible, Thanks for Asking cause apparently crying at my desk is fun for me.
Crime: another MFM fan, but also Redhanded the Pod, This Podcast Will Kill You, & the always offensively hilarious Last Podcast on the Left
Sewing: Love to Sew, Modern Sewciety, & the perfect Clothes Making Mavens
Knitting: the Knitmore Girls, Teaching Your Brain to Knit, & the Yarniacs
The odd one out is Hidden Brain, which I find fascinating
Ooo- do YouTube subscriptions, too!
Love Unlocking Us with Brene Brown! Please say you’ll join her for an episode when you release your new book!
Try Radio Rental, Borrasca, The Amelia Project, How Did This Get Made.
The History Chicks and Levar Burton Reads are my go to. Nothing Much Happens for when I can’t sleep
Have you tried Scared to Death with Dan Cummins and his wife Lynze?
I so love the My Favorite Murder ladies. They crack me up. I’m going to try quite a number of new podcasts after seeing your list and a lot of the other readers favs. Thank you.
Whew, it took some scrolling but I made it to the comment box! I looooovvvveeee And That’s Why We Drink. Just started listening to Ologies with Alie Ward who is such a great interviewer and is wonderfully strange. I listen to the Horror Virgin, which is a guy who doesn’t like scary movies having to watch them and then they talk about them (with spoilers). I have FOMO but I hate scary movies so it’s my go-to. I’m going to start listening to Gossip Mongers for giggles. The gossip is mortifying in a fun way. Cabinet of Curiosities is decent if you like Lore. Also, Unhappy Hour with Matt Bellassai, Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata, and Why Won’t You Date Me are wonderfully inappropriate. North’s and Monsters give you warm and fuzzy feel good feelings and is family friendly. Reply All is also funny and sort of pop culture/tech but in a cool journalistic way. Thirst Aid Kit focuses on thirsting after men, but in a thoughtful way. And I like 10 Things That Scare Me because it’s short and simple and makes you feel not so alone in your fears. But also, maybe backfires and gives you more things to worry about.
Sorry, MIRTHS and Monsters, not Norths
My two favorite podcasts are Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, and WellRED with Trae Crowder, Drew Morgan, and Corey Ryan Forester. Dax Shepard’s podcast is always incredibly interesting and the WellRED guys are hilarious.
I truly cannot think of anything worse than listening to another voice during my downtime. I spend so long on calls and in meetings that I can’t stand being “talked at” in my leisure time. Its why I’ve never got into audio books either. But it is lovely to see how many weird and wonderful options are out there …. I’ll stick with my paper books and birds tweeting and trees treeing 🙂
Ones I haven’t seen mentioned:
Behind the Bastards – About the many, many bastards of the world. The Zuckerberg editions got me off FB. And who knew Saddam wrote novels?!?!
American Scandal – Different scandals, from Enron to Tuskegee Syphilis experiment
Hysteria – Current events discussed by a panel of women. Same group that does Pod Save America.
iWeigh with Jameela Jamil – She talks to a variety of really interesting people and is an incredibly funny, interesting woman herself.
Invisible Not Broken – For all the Spoonies out there, all about living with chronic illness.
American Jihadi – Relationship between a reporter and an American-born jihadi on the FBIs most wanted list.
Bear Brook – Bodies are found in oil drums in a NH forest. Mystery ensues.
Cold – The Susan Powell case. Fucking heartbreaking, but incredibly interesting true crime.
Dying for Sex – A podcast by two friends, one chasing love after a cancer diagnosis. Definitely NSFW.
Last Seen – The mystery around oe of the largest (still unsolved) art heists in US history.
Root of Evil – The family of a doctor in LA believed to be the killer of the Black Dahlia explores their history, and it is DARK.
The Dream – Multi-level marketing investigation.
The Missionary – A white woman goes to Africa on a mission trip. Now she’s accused of killing children. Fasinating story and a look at the missionary movement.
The Thread – One thing, leads to the next, which leads to the next. How people and events are intertwined through history.
White Lies – How Selma of the present deals with the Selma of the past, centered around the murder of Dev. James Reeb in 1965.
Aftermath – How survivors of gun violence go on with their lives.
Battle Tactics for Your Sexist Workplace – If you have read Feminist Fight Club, you’ll love this. If you haven’t, this podcast will make you want to, right after you use their advice to cut the legs out from under your mansplaining coworker.
if you like fun science podcasts:
– BBCs The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry
– BBCs The Infinite Monkey Cage
Not a podcast fan. Wish I was though. *shrugs*
Oh my God. I can’t believe I forgot to recommend
“Welcome to Night Vale.”
We even got to see a live presentation of it. Totally worth the overwhelming anxiety!
The curious cases of Rutherford and Fry from BBC radio 4 – bitesized, sciency and at times downright hilarious
Heavyweight, This is Love, The Lincoln Project, Mea Culpa, Room 20, The Shrink Next Door
Death, Sex and Money, Family Ghosts,
I have been binging on “Answer Me This” ever since I heard one of the hosts (Helen) recently on the Judge John Hodgman podcast. I never knew of its existence before and now I can’t stop listening to the backlog. Its pure delight.
This makes me happy!!! I have been NEEDING a list like this!
My 2 cents’ worth is Real Crime Profile (a really FBI BAU guy is behind it with a British counter-part; they dissect real crimes and the behavior behind them). And Truth and Justice with Bob Ruff (he looks at criminals who are potentially wrongfully convicted and the really screwed up investigations that got them in prison).
Crime Junkies with Ashley Flowers if it hasn’t been recommended. I love her.
MFM is one of my favorites! The Morbid Curiosity Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, LORE, and ADHD For Smart Ass Women are all ones I like as well. Sawbones for questionable medical history is good for a cringy laugh. Right now, I’m obsessed with Dead Bodies, by 2 journalists out of Australia.
I loved Dying for Love. I listen when I walk and at one point I realized i was sobbing and was grateful to see that no one was near to see my drama. Most of the podcast is funny but some is very touching. I also like Crimetown, American Skyjacker, American Justice, By the Book, Wrongful Convictions and Down the Rabbit Holes. I’m going to try some of the funny ones you listed, I need a laugh.
The Dollop has been mentioned and I would especially recommend the Ghosts episode. You will learn and choke yourself laughing at the same time!
I love Dax Shepherds PODCAST and i go for any true crime podcast.
Voices for Justice is a great true crime podcast, it’s the story of a woman trying to find out what happened to her sister who disappeared when she was a teenager. The first episode audio isn’t great, but the journey is amazing
I’m currently really enjoying A Strong Sense of Place. It’s a husband and wife who love reading and traveling and decided to combine them both into a podcast. Each week they focus on one location (the last one was New Zealand) and share the books that they read that have a strong sense of place for that location. It’s light and fun and my to be read book list has gotten very long!
I’m fascinated by cult stories lately so Zealot with Jo Thornley is my current fav. It’s not that well known, but SO good, and bonus Australian accents! I also loved The Dream, Bear Brook, and The Clearing and wish they’d all do another season.
Bananas!
Finally news stories that make me laugh. Total absurdity, in a good way.
I have a true crime podcast you’ll love. Its called Morbid.The hosts talk about the grisly details of some of the most terrible murders.There’s another one called Solved which is about murder cases that were solved when it seemed like they were going to be cold.Also for scripted horror, try The No Sleep podcast. Its one of my favorites.
I love reality tv so I listen to After Buzz TV recaps of all the Housewives shows, Seinfeld, Golden Girls, Frasier,and Ru Paul’s Drag Race. I’m a bookworm as well so book podcasts: Moms Don’t Have Time To Read, So Many Damned Books, The Reading Women Podcast, What Should I Read Next, All The Books, Like A Real Book Club, By The Book, Book Riot podcast, Overdue, and Literary Disco.
Dark Poutine. Canadian podcast about true crime. Tackles some heavy themes with empathy and their facebook page is full of good eggs.
Looking forward to reading the comments! May I suggest Quinn Cummings Gives Bad Advice?
Thanks for all of the great suggestions! I love falling asleep listening to spooky podcasts and I cannot believe no one has mentions Ghosts in the Burbs! https://www.ghostsintheburbs.com/ You can also just listen on your phone app. Every now and again the host takes a writing break, but there are plenty up there to keep you entertained. Some stand alone, but some are part of a series, so start at the beginning, and enjoy!!!
Than Antique Shop, The Left Right Game, The McIlraith Statements, Radio Rental, Tanis, Camp Monsters, Ghosts in the Burbs, The Six Disapperances of Ella McRay. Most of these are scripted (slightly) scary stories with fantastic narrators, all of them binge-worthy!
Oooh, if you like horror podcasts you need to try “Old Gods of Appalachia”!!! It’s really well written and narrated, so much fun!
Newcomers with Lauren Lapkus and Nicole Byer
Ghosts in The Burbs by Liz Sower is amazing and scary 👻👻👻👻
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard. Some of the best celebrity interviews you’ll ever hear –and HUGE celebs at that. Plus his “Experts on Expert” segments have interviews with incredibly fascinating people I’ve never heard of but always end up obsessed with. Check out the Yohan Hari one for sure. Remarkable
Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them- skip the first episode, but they read (bad) Harry Potter fanfiction to each other and it is like being in a room with your best friends giggling. It’s not entirely safe for work. They swear and the fanfictions are…well… fanfictions, so. The Veela one is my favorite, but they’re all pretty great.
I also love Spooked Podcast, for scary things.
NADDPOD is a DnD podcast with amazing storytelling and roleplaying. Even if you don’t completely understand DnD, if you like elves and dwarves and epic adventure, this is a GREAT story told in a DnD format.
The Feminist Survival Project 2020. Sex educator extraordinaire Emily Nagoski and her twin sister choral director Amelia Nagoski team up to talk about ways to get through 2020. They also partnered to write a book called BURNOUT, and they have some *spectacular* insights to things like how stress lives in your body and how to deal with feelings. It has been a real game-changer for me.
“When you feel you need more discipline… what you need is more HELP. When you feel like you need more grit… what you need is more KINDNESS”
Since you like Twisted and Pretend Radio, check out Criminal Conduct! The hosts teamed up for a look into the murder of a guy who was looking into another likely murder of a woman in Florida I think it was.
The Twenty Percent True podcast is my go to. It’s cute and just what we need in 2020. There are a few seasons and each one has a different spin which is really neat. 🙂
I am a D&D player and love Critical Role!! I also love all thing McElroy Brothers (MBMMBAM, etc). Love Spooky Stories From The Pod. Shameless plug for theater fans: I have a podcast: EnTrance Theatre Talk. We haven’t been recording in pandemic, but our content is evergreen!!
ReplyAll, Science Vs., and Motherhood Sessions from Gimlet
True Crime: Crime Junkies, Red Handed & Root of Evil. All three are binge worthy!
For fun: Dolly Parton’s America (same host as radio lab), Very Presidential (same host as
Supernatural). Each is a 8 or 9 part series and they are so, so good!!
Spooky: Dr. Death, Full Body Chills (same host as Supernatural)
Yes to Dolly Parton’s America — In the Dark (both seasons are excellent, and the case ended up at the Supreme Court) and for laughs – so many laughs – My Dad Wrote a Porno (a man and his friends read aloud the erotic novel his father has written).
I love the Sporkful (it’s not for foodies, but people who love to eat) it’s a food podcast that isn’t cooking tips, it’s so good.
Endless Thread – stories from Reddit — this one is like mixed nuts – because they are finding things in Reddit – you never know what will come up. And b/c the stories are independent, no stress if you miss an episode or just start listening now.
More Perfect (from Radio Lab) is about the Supreme Court cases/rulings — Along the same lines – Make no Law – is all about the first amendment
Revisionist History (Malcom Gladwell) – is also good.
True Crime(ish) I don’t have much of a stomach for it really – but The Thing About Pam, Dirty John were really good.
I love learning about diseases/illness and germs – This Podcast Will Kill You is really good.
You’re wrong about — things we think we know about….but maybe we don’t really.
Forgot to add Criminalia – a newer podcast about lady poisoners (so far all ladies)
I recently discovered and binged Old Gods of Appalachia. It’s so good! Also, big fan of Camp Monsters and Thirteen. Pleasing Terrors is another favorite.
Southern Fried True Crime, Unexplained (Richard Maclean Smith version, there might be others called this), Hidden Djinn, Gone Cold (this is Texas true crime… so might be too close to home?), Family Secrets, Family Ghosts, Mens Rea (irish true crime), The Allustionist, Answer Me This
“How Did This Get Made” with Paul Scherer, June Diane Raphael and Jason Mantzoukis lifts my spirits and makes me laugh endlessly while making me want to watch decidedly terrible movies, and Whitney Cummings’ podcast “Good For You” can be so funny and insightful it’s hard to stop listening.
My Dad Wrote a Porno. It is hilarious.
Looks like Killer Queens and its sister podcast Oh, Snapped have not been mentioned yet for true crime. Tori and Tyrella are hilarious!
My friends have a dating podcast called My Worst Date that is like dishing over horrible dates with your 3 best friends and a bottle of wine. Listeners write in their stories or they get them off Reddit or FB and it never fails to make me laugh 7 or 8 times. They finish off with a “Crazy in Love” story, which is a true crime story with a bad relationship focus. VERY NSFW! But super fun!
Pod Save America and Lovett or Leave It from Crooked Media – among other reasons, they give you specific actions you can take about whatever mess is going on in Washington.
Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend – laugh, laugh and laugh some more
Everything is Fine – aimed at Girls of a Certain Age, which I most definitely am.
I don’t see my favorites yet. Turn on player.fm. It has many categories. But my favorites are scary stories, knifepoint horror, let’s not meet, no sleep, etc. Scary stories galore for those of us that like to be scared!
Desert Island discs. Doesn’t get more relaxing and soothing than this.
Most of my favorites have been listed, but for science fiction fans I highly recommend Sayer (living on a space station where the AI isn’t exactly trying to kill you, but it’s not not trying to kill you either) and Wolf 359 (absolutely brilliant sci-fi humor/thriller). Alexandria Archive has that whole “radio show in a messed up town” vibe that NightVale has, but it’s a bit different. It gets campy sometimes, but it’s fun and had some genuinely good scares.
I’ve been looking for podcasts to listen to but haven’t come across any that I intrigued me enough. But now this…In Another Room, is definitely something I’m gonna enjoy listening to and I’m hoping to find more as well. thank you for sharing!
I started my own podcast during lockdown and it’s been a lot of fun! It’s called “The Millennial Agenda” and you can find it everywhere! Or at http://www.millennialagenda.com!
Hardcore History with Dan Carlin is a must for history buffs. Lots of asides but is a great deep dive into the subject in question.
Also liking Tides of History and You’re Dead to Me right now. The last one is done by the bloke who does Horrible Histories and he gets a guest historian and a guest comedian every week to talk about that week’s subject.
And the Infinite Monkey Cage is a good mix of science and comedy with Professor Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince.
I’m OBSESSED with You’re Wrong About and Sarah Marshall’s spinoff with Alex Steed called Why Are Dads. Michael Hobbes also now has a spinoff which I haven’t listened to. Noble Blood is also good and I also love David Tennant.
Read the whole list thinking someone would recommend Two Girls, One Ghost but no one did! Jenny, it is WONDERFUL. I think you would love it!
Don’t Ask Tig with Tig Notaro. Tig and guests give advice you may or may not want to take.
The Matt & Kim podcast. They hilariously debate random hypothetical situations.
The Confessional and Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd
I struggle with podcasts but I’m trying again. A few seem to stick more than others.
The Clearing (daughter of a serial killer, limited series which works better for me)
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, but I skip the fact check part and just enjoy the guests.
The Golden Ratio (DOGS! 🙂 but also drinks and funny stories and just people )
(they also have Muders in Paradise which was fun)
You’re Wrong About
Wow what a list! Now I’ve got even more choices. My own faves are No Such Thing as a Fish , non stop British wit and fun. Endless Thread, Science vs., Freakonomics, Sleep to Strange, The Allusionist. Podcasts that revive now and then to my ecstasy are The Boring Talks and Everything is Alive. The Guilty Feminist I adore. And I’m secretly proud of my own poetry podcast, How to be Old— it’s an acquired taste, though!
The Box of Oddities and Killer Queens are my current favorites!
Desert Island discs. Doesn’t get more relaxing and soothing than this.
Omnibus: John Roderick and “tv’s Ken Jennings” talk about strange but true stories as they compile a time capsule for future generations/species.
Newcomers: Nicole Byer and Lauren Lapkus watch a giant movie franchise they’ve never seen before and comment, invite guests, etc. season 1 Star Wars, season 2 Lord of the Rings. Hilarious!
Also another vote for The Tobolowsky Files, The Allusionist, Judge John Hodgman, and Go Fact Yourself!
I’ve been listening to The Art of Wargaming and Lore and Fat Feminist Witch for nonfiction, and Tanis and Old Gods of Appalachia for horror (though Tanis is like metaphysical sci fi, tbh). I can’t recommend OGoA enough. It’s incredible, especially for spooky season.
Dark Poutine. Canadian podcast about true crime. Tackles some heavy themes with empathy and their facebook page is full of good eggs.
Horror/true crime/comedy: Last podcast on the left
Comedy/dirty: My dad wrote a porno
Informative: This podcast will kill you
So I’m super late to this party, but I have to recommend Let’s Not Meet. It’s a true horror podcast about chance meetings with people who set off red flags.
A truly great Pod is ‘You’re Not Your Effin Chair’; the host was paralyzed at 17 and it tells how she learned to live with her chair and her and her husband tell how she (they) manages in a ‘handicap-cap’ accessible world that isn’t as much as it seems. It’s fairly new, but definitely eye opening!