# Favorite Podcasts??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2017, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428 "2017-08-23T01:50:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/21 "2017-08-23T13:09:43Z")
**The Allusionist** a fascinating a humorous look at words and language **West Wing Weekly** and episode-by-episode discussion of one of the best shows of its time. They are nearing the end of season 3 right now. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/22 "2017-08-23T13:59:41Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I pretty much only listen to podcasts from comedians. Tuesday’s with Stories from Mark Normand and Joe List. Kevin Pollacks Chatshow. The Nerdist. WTF. Bill Burr’s Monday Morning Podcast. Jay Mohr Mohr Stories. You should check out Jim Norton’s Chip Chipperson’s Pod-A-Cast, particularly the youtubed version. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSp-bhJRRxA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSp-bhJRRxA) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/23 "2017-08-23T14:18:30Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Here’s what I’m subscribed to: > (I obviously don’t listen to every episode of every podcast; especially not the current affairs ones - I mean, especially with the Trump presidency, a few days out is no longer “current.”) > > **Lovett or Leave It** - Obama speech-writer John Lovett > **Comedy Bang Bang, The Podcast** - Scott Auckerman > **The Diane Rehm Show** - which I never listen to; I was trying to show my mom how to stream podcasts and this was my in with her. > **Pod Save America** - Obama staffers (Lovett, Tommy Vietor, Jon Favreau, Dan Pfeiffer > **The Majority Report with Sam Sede** r > **Politically Reactive with Kamau Bell** > **Slate’s Political Gabfest** - I never listen to this one either; usually too wonky and boring > **The Dana Gould Hour** - he only posts one a month though > \*\*Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast \*\*- the best podcast in the history of the internet > **Kevin Pollack’s Chat Show** - “I am as always, Chat Show.” > \*\*Real Time with Bill Maher \*\*- I subscribed to this one on the off chance I wanted to listen to the HBO show. I never do. > **NPR Politics Podcast** > \*\*WTF with Mark Maron Podcast \*\*- one of my longest subscribed pods. > **The Joe Rogan Experience** - hit or miss. He can go pretty far off the rails sometiems. > \*\*The Young Turks \*\*- Progressive with a capital P. They even hate Democrats. > \*\*You Made it Weird with Pete Holmes \*\*- great show, but heavy on the spiritual. > **The Nerdist** > \*\*Monday Morning Podcast \*\*- Bill Burr. The first one I ever subscribed to. I’ve been a steady listener for at least six or seven years - however long he’s been doing it… I forgot about Gilbert. That’s a great one. I agree about Joe Rogan. He may be the best at this medium when he’s one but he falls down too many rabbit holes. I get it, you like pot. There is nothing more tedious than pot talk. Except maybe conspiracy theories while high which is another one of his low points. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/24 "2017-08-23T14:22:23Z")
I only listen to podcasts on road trips. My wife is the podcast listener and follows a few others, but when we’re driving somewhere she’ll put on **My brother, my brother and me** - a joke advice show that picks absurd questions from Yahoo Answers (or whatever it’s called now) and give very funny answers, when they’re not off on a tangent. **The Adventure Zone** - an AD&D campaign with the hosts of the aforementioned show and their father. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/25 "2017-08-23T14:27:19Z")
> [@edwards\_beard](#): > > You should check out Jim Norton’s Chip Chipperson’s Pod-A-Cast, particularly the youtubed version. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSp-bhJRRxA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSp-bhJRRxA) I’m in. I only saw the first couple. Chip is much better when you can see his face. ---
**Author:** ![spjork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@spjork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spjork)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/26 "2017-08-23T14:53:41Z")
> [@LVBoPeep](#): > > This American Life - it stays on the list having been the first one I got in to though I don’t listen as much as I used to. > > Stuff You Missed in History Class > > Casefiles - Very straightforward, detailed but respectful (to the victims) true crime. > > My Favorite Murder- funny true crime and 80’s/90s nostalgia mixed into one show. > > Criminal > > Strangers - for when I get tired of true crime and want to think better of people for a moment. > > Hardcore History- I cannot recommend this enough for history buffs. It only releases maybe 2 times a year but about 6 hour episodes. My favorites are the recent episode on Julius Caesar & the Gauls and the Genghis Khan series- the host really gets in to every perspective and how both the aggressors and the affected populations would have perceived what was happening to them. My Favorite Murder!!! “Stay sexy, don’t get murdered.” ---
**Author:** ![spjork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@spjork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spjork)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/27 "2017-08-23T14:55:12Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > \*\*This American Life \*\* - Almost never disappoints Hard to go wrong with Ira Glass and crew, I find! ---
**Author:** ![spjork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@spjork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spjork)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/28 "2017-08-23T14:57:07Z")
> [@Unabashed\_Fascist](#): > > If you like horror, and it sounds like you do, check out the Magnus Archives. > > It’s a really compelling horror audio-drama thing. Each episode is different written statement in the Mangus Institute, an academic institution dedicated to studying the supernatural. > > Each story is self contained, but as the series progresses as much larger narrative comes into focus; if you’re paying attention you’ll be able to piece together the mysteries before the protagonist does. There are currently something like 80 episodes, and each is about 20-30 minutes in length. > > Give it a listen, I guarantee that you’ll be hooked by the second episode. Ooooh. Sounds intriguing. I went off Night Vale a while back and it might be nice to dip my toes back into this kind of narrative thing. ---
**Author:** ![spjork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@spjork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spjork)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/29 "2017-08-23T15:03:12Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Here’s what I’m subscribed to: > (I obviously don’t listen to every episode of every podcast; especially not the current affairs ones - I mean, especially with the Trump presidency, a few days out is no longer “current.”) > \*\*Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast \*\*- the best podcast in the history of the internet He certainly has a radio face but difficult to imagine him having a radio voice. Can I invoice you if I give this a try and end up with hearing loss? ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/30 "2017-08-23T15:38:48Z")
**Cooking Issues** Dave Arnold discusses modern cooking techniques, food, or whatever. **Econ Talk** Russ Roberts interviews guests about economics. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/31 "2017-08-23T15:42:04Z")
Serial – I listened to the second season featuring the story of Bowe Bergdahl. Interesting look at all the angles involved. Savage Love – Sex, politics, relationship, and current event commentary (but mostly sex) by gay sex advice columnist Dan Savage. WTF – Mentioned upthread. I was pulled in when Maron took Gallagher to task for his hacky, racist jokes. Maron is great at interviews, very conversational while able to direct the conversation and get to questions he wants to get to. We Hate the Simpsons/90s Percentile – Two guys who love the Simpsons review and rate the subpar episodes/ Same two guys talk about 90s stuff. Mission Log – Review and commentary on Star Trek, episode by episode. ---
**Author:** ![Reluctant\_A](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@Reluctant\_A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reluctant_A)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/32 "2017-08-23T16:12:41Z")
> [@Reluctant\_A](#): > > The Black Guy Who Tips > The Evening Jones > The Insanity Check > The Interracial Jawn > This Week in Blackness Oh yeah, I’ve also recently become a fan of Misandry with Marcia and Rae. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/33 "2017-08-23T16:13:07Z")
> [@spjork](#): > > My Favorite Murder!!! > > “Stay sexy, don’t get murdered.” “Get a job, buy your own shit, stay out of the forest.” I really like **My Favorite Murder** , and new episodes go to straight to the top of my “Up Next” queue. However, it’s not hard-hitting or super-accurate. The show is mostly two women with a shared interest in true crime talking about real murders like a couple of girlfriends gabbing over coffee. There’s a “stream of consciousness” feel to it sometimes, and they don’t do a lot of intense research. On the other hand, they’re careful to make corrections when it’s pointed out that they’re wrong about something, and they’re also fastidious about never blaming the victim. If you want a good feel for what it’s like, start with episode 18, the one about Mary Vincent, for an amazing story of survival. I also highly recommend **The Dollop**. It’s a comedy podcast about American history (unless it’s a live show in Australia or Iceland, in which case it’s about Australian or Icelandic history), usually the little-known and forgotten bits of it. Dave Anthony does the research and reads the story to his friend, Gareth Reynolds, who has no idea what the topic is that week, and usually has never heard of the topic at all. Hilarious and educational. The first episode I heard was a good one, and probably a good place to start: episode 193, “When The Cars Came”. Apparently, when cars started appearing on roads, there was almost a class war about them, since mostly only rich people had cars. There was a huge push for, “Streets are for pedestrians!” with parades and demonstrations and such. Anyway, great podcast. And Episode 200 is a crossover with the ladies from **My Favorite Murder**! Another good one is **The Moth**. The Moth Project puts on open-mics, story slams, and such all over. The idea is basically one person, one spotlight, one microphone, telling a story from their life. Sometimes sad, sometimes uplifting, but there’s always a good variety. Example funny story: the math grad student who told the story of when he decided to [reverse-engineer OKCupid’s match algorithm](https://themoth.org/stories/data-mining-for-dates) and become the #1 match for something like 20,000 women overnight. Stories are about 10-15 minutes each, usually 3-5 per episode. Recently I added **Sawbones** into the mix. It’s a husband and wife team: she’s a medical doctor, he’s her goofy husband. They talk medical stuff, usually historical, but sometimes about modern concerns, medical oddities, or even answering questions like “why do doctors work 24 hour shifts” and such. The first show was about trepannation, the ancient practice of drilling a hole in your head that has picked up some interest among modern crackpots. Mike Rowe of **Dirty Jobs** fame has a little podcast called **The Way I Heard It** that feels like the heir to Paul Harvey’s old “The Rest of the Story” broadcasts. Episodes are maybe 10 minutes usually, so it breaks up the other stuff I listen to. There are some other little horror movie podcasts I listen to and such that you probably wouldn’t be interested in. If you’re interested in performed horror fiction, I’m still subscribed to **The No Sleep Podcast** , though I haven’t listened in ages. **Knifepoint Horror** appears to be making new episodes after a hiatus; the author reads his own stories, and his voice is creepy enough all on its own. And there’s also **We’re Alive** , a scripted show about surviving after the zombie apocalypse. That one will take hours and hours to get through. Whew. Hope all that helped. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/34 "2017-08-23T16:44:35Z")
**Vinyl Café Stories** - It’s a CBC (Canadian NPR) podcast and sadly, Stuart McLean passed away, but he is amazingly funny, with a heart-warming wit. If anyone wanted to know what a “Canadian” sense of humour sounds like, this is a great example. **Under The Influence** - another CBC product, about marketing and advertising. Interesting and very thought-provoking. **You made it Weird** - Pete Holmes - I haven’t listened to this yet, but he’s very funny, so I have high hopes! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/35 "2017-08-23T17:31:49Z")
I only regularly listen to three, and sometimes a fourth. All but one I listen to because I like the people (the fourth I listen to because I like the people and the story). I don’t know if they are your cuppa tea, but I’ll describe them anyways. [Hello Internet](http://www.hellointernet.fm/): Huge fan of CGP Grey and Brady Haran (who makes Numberphile, Computerphile, Sixty Symbols, and many other channels). I also really just like their dynamic. Grey is kinda straight laced with a view of the world I find interesting, even if I don’t always agree. But he’s there with Brady to challenge him, as he’s more empathic and world knoweldgeable. Both value intellectualism, but they go about things in different ways–sometimes having a sort of Odd Couple vibe. They talk about interesting things, and are often amusing (after the first few episodes and they loosened up a bit). [Cortex](https://www.relay.fm/cortex) - the one I sometimes listen to. Also by Gray, along with another podcaster. This is just sometimes interesting because they get into Gray’s workflow and offer tips on how to work for yourself. And they discuss a lot of the tech they use. Not something I like enough to listen to all the time, but interesting enough at times. [Word Funk](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgZH7ItxQVn6uSsPh5k3OFiRdYVjEvtpX) - this one is just for the people. They’re just long distance friends who get together and talk once a week, and they record it for us. And it’s fun. They also include listeners by taking questions. Leon Thomas, the writer and performer of the YouTube Channel Renegade Cut, also with his friends from back when he was part of Channel Awesome. There’s no rhyme or reason to why it should be so much fun, but it is. Their humor is just what I love. (Also sometimes has "law corner since one of them is going to law school, and has the others guess what the law would say.) Leon is very curmuggeonly, while Austin is very chatty, and Johnny is very, well, Johnny. [Dice Funk](https://austinyorski.podbean.com/) (YouTube [S1-S2](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgZH7ItxQVn5a03VCNkhMvlpgs8Fei5mE), [S3](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC7OB3QR2K_Dbr4gnQ7ax7A)): started by one of the people in Word Funk named Austin Yorski, and originally had the other cast also involved (and at least one is just on a break due to personal issues). It’s a combination anthology drama/comedy radio play and D&D podcast. It’s very different from most D&D podcasts. To get an idea of whether you’ll like it, go with Season 2 or 3 when they found their footing a little more, and streamlined the role playing a lot better. Though a lot of people do like the first season better where they have a more Lovecraftian campaign with a DM who does a whole lot more prep than improv. Since you like horror, OP, you might like that season better. It’s amazing how they can be doing something so unplanned and yet create such narratively satisfying content. It really feels more like an old time radio show that just happens to also be them playing D&D. It’s also very strongly shipped and very “gay.” Honorable mention to some [Geekvolutions "commentary podcasts,](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO4TMPdUd-6OJ7htZCXV7e_XSxfZu)" which I don’t think fit the normal concept. What they are is them watching a movie and commenting on it as they go. You can watch along with them, or you they try to make it where you can also just listen as a podcast–if you’ve seen the movie before. ---
**Author:** ![sohvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sohvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sohvan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/36 "2017-08-23T17:46:27Z")
[Astronomy Cast](http://www.astronomycast.com/) ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/37 "2017-08-23T17:53:22Z")
I’m surprised I haven’t seen **99% Invisible** mentioned yet: > [@](#): > > Ever wonder how inflatable men came to be regular fixtures at used car lots? Curious about the origin of the fortune cookie? Want to know why Sigmund Freud opted for a couch over an armchair? > > 99% Invisible is about all the thought that goes into the things we don’t think about — the unnoticed architecture and design that shape our world. With over 150 million downloads, 99% Invisible is one of the most popular podcasts on iTunes ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/38 "2017-08-23T18:21:58Z")
[**Gastropod**](https://gastropod.com/) - food topics with a science and history slant. I also listen to **Radiolab**. And I can see I’ll be adding a few more from this thread, soon. ---
**Author:** ![Peanut\_Gallery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Peanut\_Gallery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut_Gallery)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/39 "2017-08-23T20:17:20Z")
If I could only have one podcast, it would be Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. No contest. On my list, but not already mentioned: Radiolab Presents: More Perfect - Supreme Court specific shows. 30 for 30 - ESPN’s How I Built This - business people’s stories Detective - ~8 part interview/stories with a single retired detective. Three seasons, three subjects. Dude Soup - video games Revolutions - history Explain Things To Me - interviews of an expert in a field Common Sense - Dan Carlin’s current events show. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428/40 "2017-08-23T20:42:34Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Recently I added **Sawbones** into the mix. It’s a husband and wife team: she’s a medical doctor, he’s her goofy husband. They talk medical stuff, usually historical, but sometimes about modern concerns, medical oddities, or even answering questions like “why do doctors work 24 hour shifts” and such. The first show was about trepannation, the ancient practice of drilling a hole in your head that has picked up some interest among modern crackpots. The guy is Justin McElroy who is part of the My Brother, My Brother and Me podcast that naita mentioned. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-podcasts/794428.md?page=3)