I know she won’t enjoy the stuff I listen to, like **Atheist Bitches **or Marc Maron’s WTF or Naive London Girl.
Mom is 79 and on her own. I’ve given her an iPod and have set her up with an iTunes account, have made her playlists with her favorite old songs. I’d like to subscribe her to some podcasts that might interest her.
She enjoys content about the WWII era, 1950s and 60s–more pop culture than newsy. She is smart and reads a lot, but I don’t think **Wait, Wait **would be her cup of tea.
Stuff You Missed in History Class is squeaky clean and informative. Personally I don’t like it because one of the women on the show has a stupid-sorority-girl voice that gives me seizures, but it’s one of the most popular podcasts out there.
I much prefer Stuff You Should Know. which is being considered for a TV show and has some of the most interesting useful and useless info of any podcast. However, while there’s no profanity or really politically charged conversation the show might be a little edgy if your mom’s really conservative (e.g. occasional alcohol/sex/pot jokes- nothing worse than PG-13 if that).
This American Life Podcast? Its an NPR show featuring the weird and wonderful of American life. Most are lighthearted (Chicken fanciers! 24 hour puppy channel! The funniest production of Peter Pan, ever!) but or serious but not profane (conspiracy to frame a cop? Power-crazy school official? Hamlet in a prison.). A few are extremely informative (How Toyota-GM partnership turned a factory around. explanation of the housing crisis. How did we get the health insurance system we have today?) The few disturbing episodes usually say so in the 2-minute prologue. Basically I can see it being a mixed bag for your mom, but sometimes offer something she’d really enjoy.
individual downloads are a buck, but the podcast is free and sends an hourlong episode from the archives every week.
