# The Great Straight Dope Podcast Recommendation Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** radio-podcast\ **Created:** [July 18, 2023, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222 "2023-07-18T17:28:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RickG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rickg/32/5174_2.png) [@RickG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickG)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/41 "2023-10-03T03:33:04Z")
I listen to a _lot_ of podcasts. Some of my favorites: - _Gastropod_ - History and science of food. Fave episodes: citrus, fish & chips, olive oil, coconut, taro, and breadfruit (the latter 3 a kind of trio from Hawai’i) - _You’re Dead to Me_ - UK-based, history plus a little comedy - _The Bugle_ (tagline: “Audio Newspaper for a Visual World”) News/politics based comedy (host Andy Zaltzman, with rotating guests from the UK and its former colonies) - _The Gargle_ - the “Glossy Magazine” companion to _The Bugle_. News-based comedy, but no politics. Similar rotating format with host Alice Fraser - _In the Scenes Behind Plain Sight_ - a parody of episode rewatch podcasts. The hosts, Mike and Ian, rewatch a show they starred in many years ago. The show never existed, but the commentary is very funny. Some of the almost-but-not-quite-real-sounding podcasts sponsorship slots are pants-wettingly hilarious - many of the Slate podcasts are good, especially _Hit Parade_, _Decoder Ring_, _Slate Money_, and the "Political Gabfest\* - and I’ll put in a plug for a very tiny podcast by my friend Derek and his friend Chris called _Risking Damnation_. They’re very liberal Christians with a very liberal, but scholarly, take on Biblical text. I’m a semi-observant and more-than-half-atheist Jew, so I have _major_ theological differences with them, but we agree on a lot of the textual interpretation of Bible: The Original Series (not personally into the sequel) ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/42 "2023-10-03T04:03:44Z")
I listen to **Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend** – if you like Conan, it’s very Conan. But I did want to particularly recommend a recent episode where he has on Jim Downey, who was a writer for Saturday Night Live over the course of decades and wrote classic sketches like Quien es Mas Macho, First Change Bank, as well as most of Norm MacDonalds’ Weekend Update stuff (and got fired alongside him for making too much fun of OJ). It’s a great episode and particularly interesting for the conversation about the craft of comedy writing. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/43 "2023-10-03T08:16:11Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > …Quien es Mas Macho… That’s going way back. There was a song by Laurie Anderson in her concert film that riffed on the “who is more macho” idea. I always kinda wondered if she was inspired by the SNL sketch; it would be odd whether she was, or wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/44 "2023-10-03T15:41:25Z")
One of my very favorite podcasts is **[Everything Is Alive](https://www.everythingisalive.com/)**! The concept of the show is that the host interviews anthropomorphized, otherwise inanimate objects — which are actually voiced by comedians. My only complaint is that there aren’t more episodes to listen to, though they just came back from a break, beginning a series on animals _(which, yes we all know are already alive, but the whole “giving amusing voice to the voiceless” premise still works)._ For those of you who listen to podcasts with kids, this is definitely one to check out! ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/45 "2023-10-04T05:25:16Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I also wanted to give a shout out to _Stuff You Should Know,_ a clean show with funny hosts informing you about random topics of interest. These guys aren’t dumb but they definitely have an unassuming Everyman quality which I imagine makes them pretty popular. 100% agree! I feel like this podcast should be part of a “podcast starter pack”. Moreover, I think their approachable and palatable communication style is a great model for anyone trying to communicate complex or difficult or contentious subjects. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/46 "2023-10-04T16:31:33Z")
> [@B.Serum](#): > > Chiming in to co-sign **Behind the Bastards**. > > The host, Robert Evans (not the movie producer), was/is a conflict reporter and has reported from war-torn conflicts around the world. He also wrote for _[Cracked.com](http://Cracked.com)_ back before it sucked. For fans of the old Cracked videos, Soren Bowie and Daniel O’Brien do a podcast together called “Quick Question.” Bowie writes for _American Dad_ and O’Brien has three Emmy’s writing for _Last Week Tonight_, but the podcast is basically about whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/47 "2023-10-04T19:31:06Z")
The Future of Agriculture [https://www.futureofag.com/podcast-1](https://www.futureofag.com/podcast-1) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/48 "2023-10-04T19:38:21Z")
More: **Death, Sex & Money** - the host interviews people about these often taboo subjects. Sometimes random people, sometimes famous people. Memorable interviews I’ve listened to include actress Ellen Burstyn; the husband of a guy who immolated himself as an act of climate change protest; and just today, a guy whose moving company helps domestic violence survivors in NYC move out of their houses. **Stronger by Science** If you’re a data nerd who wants to maximize fitness and nutrition gains, this is the podcast for you. I find the host really funny. He’s got this very deadpan sense of humor where it takes a minute to realize he’s putting you on. I’m sure I’ll think of more. I have a long list of podcasts. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/49 "2023-10-04T19:54:53Z")
I’m digging **History for Weirdos** right now. It’s very much a low budget, vaguely haphazard, “one take no editing” sort of podcast, where a married couple, Andrew and Stephanie, regale you with a story about some weird thing that happened in the past. I like it because I like the hosts, they seem genuinely interested in whatever odd little thing they researched for the week, and have a nice rapport with each other. Just about anything from the past is fair game, from the Bronze Age Collapse, Ancient Rome, to a lady who was the premier Horse Diver during the early 20th century. Light and fun. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/50 "2023-10-04T19:57:30Z")
Added! ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/51 "2023-10-04T20:06:28Z")
I enjoy **Mobituaries** by Mo Rocca. His obits cover the ‘deaths’ of both people and things. Topics have included Billy Carter, the Orphan Train, John Denver, baby names, and the station wagon. Highly entertaining and informative. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2023, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/52 "2023-10-21T22:29:24Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Thirded. Robert Evans is great – he does serious research on his subjects and presents the material in a way that’s both thought provoking and gut-bustlingly funny. I think his latest effort, the six part series on G. Gordon Liddy, is a great place to jump in. It’s some of the funniest material he’s presented because oh, my, Liddy was batshit pretty much from birth, and it’s clear from his memoir that everyone knew it but him. But it also contains highly informed diversions about how incompetent the SS was and wraps up with Evans’ take on healthy masculinity as opposed to this pathetic facade of toughness embodied by Liddy but very much present in modern culture. It’s amazing to me how he can move so seamlessly from ragging hard on a guy to deep history lesson to insightful takeaway. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2024, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/53 "2024-07-30T13:20:29Z")
I’m always on the lookout for new podcasts. A few I’ve added to my rotation relatively recently: - **Something Rhymes With Purple** - A long-running (but recently ended) podcast out of the UK discussing interesting word origins and other bits related to English words. Hosted by Gyles Brandreth and Susie Dent, who are associated with the TV game show Countdown (among other things). - **Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers** - Seth Meyers and his brother Josh interview celebrities about the family trips they’ve taken over the years. I really like Seth as a podcast host. - **The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast** - Seth Meyers discusses SNL Digital Shorts with The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Akiva Schaffer). This is my clear favourite recently; it’s hilarious and everyone brings something different to the table in terms of personality and humour. - **I Was There Too** - Matt Gourley (the master of podcasts) discusses film roles with people who had minor parts in major movies. - **The Great Debates** - Steve Hely and Dave King have impromptu mini-debates on a variety of weird and wonderful topics (e.g. “Fourth of July food is better than Christmas food”, “Sneezing is a pleasant experience”). I’ve only listened to a half-dozen episodes so far, but I’ve laughed out loud many times. - **Nateland** - Nate Bargatze and his comedian friends discuss their opinions on various subjects (while admitting they basically don’t know anything about anything). I’ve also listened to David Cross’s podcast **Senses Working Overtime** and **Entry Level** with Brooks Whelan, but I find that celebrity interview podcasts sometimes start out strong with the hosts chatting with their close friends, and then kind of peter out when the guests start turning to strangers with something to plug. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2024, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/54 "2024-07-30T13:29:30Z")
I’ve been binging **The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast** recently. The host/narrator Scott Miller pulls old science fiction short stories that are public domain. I think he’s doing about 3 stories a week, really good stuff mostly from the 30’s to early 60’s. He has a good voice for this era of science fiction, researches any new authors being presented, what magazine the story was published in, and altogether makes it a fun experience. I’m almost caught up, and will check this thread for other podcasts to fill my commute. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2024, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/55 "2024-07-30T18:51:38Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > **Something Rhymes With Purple** - A long-running (but recently ended) podcast out of the UK discussing interesting word origins and other bits related to English words. Hosted by Gyles Brandreth and Susie Dent, who are associated with the TV game show Countdown (among other things). You might want to check out **The Allusionist** , which also deals with language and linguistics. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/56 "2025-03-28T19:26:54Z")
It’s hard to know where to put this one, but: on my daily walks I listen to the Ulysses-focused podcast “Blooms and Barnacles”, which really is excellent if you like to read Joyce’s book. Today as they were wrapping up an episode on potatoes (Leopold Bloom carries one around in his pocket), the main host asked the second one “have you heard of a column called The Straight Dope”? And then she went on to talk about Cecil’s answer to “Could I survive on nothing but potatoes and milk?” A strange moment, as my head was more in Dublin than it was here. Funny old intersecting world. [Could I survive on nothing but potatoes and milk? - The Straight Dope](https://www.straightdope.com/21343924/could-i-survive-on-nothing-but-potatoes-and-milk) ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/57 "2025-03-28T19:45:07Z")
The only podcast I listen to regularly is “Left, Right & Center” which is a weekly political news discussion from the KCRW in Santa Monica. There’s usually three people, with occasional guests, who come from the political left, political right, and a host who doesn’t really fit either bin. > **[Left, Right & Center | Political Discussion & News | KCRW](https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/left-right-center)** > > Left, Right & Center is KCRW’s weekly politics show where we take on the tough, divisive issues you’re afraid to talk about with your own family. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/58 "2025-03-28T19:49:38Z")
A few I’ve added to my list since the last time I posted in this thread: - **Bonanas for Bonanza** – Andy Daly hosts a Bonanza rewatch podcast in character as “Dalton Wilcox”, the ridiculous self-appointed cowboy poet laureate of the West. Co-hosted by Matt Gourley (with the occasional guest). Mostly just an opportunity to make fun of how corny Bonanza was. There’s only 431 episodes of Bonanza, so listen to it while it lasts! - **Second in Command** – A rewatch podcast for the TV show Veep with Tim (“Jonad”) Simons and Matt Walsh. Lots of good guests from the cast of Veep (writers, actors, crew, you name it). ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/59 "2025-03-28T21:02:48Z")
Hearty second for **History of Rock Music in 500 Songs.** If you enjoy the depth of Andrew Hickey’s research, then you’ll love Tyler Mahan Coe’s [“Cocaine and Rhinestones.”](https://cocaineandrhinestones.com/) It’s a _very_ deep dive into country and western music. Andrew Hickey himself has said C&R is the gold standard to which music podcasts, indeed ALL podcasts, should be held. It’s especially eye-opening if you think you don’t like country music! ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222/60 "2025-10-21T12:30:33Z")
I’ve been listening to a few CBC podcasts that I like. - **On Drugs** , a podcast series thoughtfully discussing the impact of drugs, the history of drugs, drugs and culture, etc. Everything from caffeine to psychedelics to heroin. - **Under the Influence** , a radio show where raconteur Terry O’Reilly tells stories from the world of advertising and marketing, usually around a theme (e.g. car ads, candy ads, library marketing, public service ads). Quite amusing. I’m also listening to the new-ish SNL-alum celebrity interview shows **Good Hang** (with Amy Poehler) and **What’s Our Podcast?** (with Beck Bennett and Kyle Mooney). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-straight-dope-podcast-recommendation-thread/987222.md?page=4)