# What are your favorite podcast? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 8, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546 "2008-03-08T01:09:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546/1 "2008-03-08T01:09:30Z")
I just started a new job at which I can literally listen to my iPod through all eight hours of my shift. The job is mind-numbingly tedious, but with the help of some entertaining podcasts it becomes quite tolerable. I’ve been scouring iTunes’ selection for the last week, and I’ve found a few gems and a few duds. I’m finding it difficult to locate a good news program. I’m looking for something that’s updated daily (or at least Monday through Friday), lasts at least thirty minutes, and covers the main news stories for that day. That’s my only request. Other than that, feel free to just throw 'em out there. ---
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546/2 "2008-03-08T03:56:14Z")
I like Hugh Hewittt: [http://townhall.com/TalkRadio/Show.aspx?RadioShowID=5](http://townhall.com/TalkRadio/Show.aspx?RadioShowID=5) It’s probably about 50% conservative commentary and the rest is a discussion of the news and various other topics. I paricularly like his interviews with David Allen White, a literature professor specializing in Shakespeare. If you don’t want to hear a conservative point of view you probably won’t like him. If you find it interesting you might want to try some of the others at [townhall.com](http://townhall.com). For instance, Dennis Prager: [http://townhall.com/TalkRadio/Show.aspx?RadioShowID=3](http://townhall.com/TalkRadio/Show.aspx?RadioShowID=3) ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546/3 "2008-03-08T05:23:39Z")
No newscast recs, sorry. [Ask A Ninja](http://www.askaninja.com/taxonomy/term/20/0) - By this point, a classic of podcasting. [This American Life](http://www.thisamericanlife.org/) - The NPR show. A classic of radio. [CBC Radio 3](http://radio3.cbc.ca/) - Canadian independent music. I’m not Canadian, but it’s the best music podcast I’ve found, period. [Sex Is Fun](http://sexisfunradioshow.blogspot.com/) - NOT PORN. Falls somewhere between education and pro-sexuality advocacy. [Podiobooks.com](http://www.podiobooks.com/) - Original novels by dozens of writers. [The Geek Survival Guide](http://gsguide.blogspot.com/) - Gives advice for the everyman about surviving werewolf attacks, rampaging Godzillas, etc. Updates rather irregularly, unfortunately. [JapanesePod101](http://www.japanesepod101.com/) - Really excellent Japanese course featuring an American host living in Japan, and lots of native speakers. You don’t need to buy the extra content (flashcards, etc.) to learn quickly and easily. The same people offer some other languages that I can’t recall at the moment. [Farpoint Media](http://www.farpointmedia.net/) has several good ones - depending on your tastes, Kick Ass Mystic Ninjas, Slice of SciFi, Winging It 3D, and Calls for Cthulu are all excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546/4 "2008-03-08T05:31:11Z")
These are the only podcasts I have, so they are by default my ‘favorites’. [Me (us)](http://www.google.com/reader/view/feed/http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2FRockhoppersDailyGrind). Since I write somewhat more than half of this one (our blog), I only subscribe to check the RSS content. [Postsecret](http://www.google.com/reader/view/feed/http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2FPostsecret). The only way to get the archives of this site. [The Vinyl Cafe](http://www.google.com/reader/view/feed/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbc.ca%2Fpodcasting%2Fincludes%2Fvinylcafe.xml). The only way to get this, other than the radio broadcasts, and the only way to get the archives. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546/5 "2008-03-08T05:32:36Z")
Tech: [Buzz Out Loud](http://reviews.cnet.com/8300-11455_7-10.html) is amusing, as usually is [This Week In Tech](http://twit.tv/) (although Leo and company have done some amazingly tedious casts the last couple of months). If you’re into real geek science, [AStronomy Cast](http://www.astronomycast.com/) is awesome. If you aren’t, its not. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546/6 "2008-03-08T06:06:51Z")
[QUOTE=Risha] [Farpoint Media](http://www.farpointmedia.net/) has several good ones - depending on your tastes, Kick Ass Mystic Ninjas, Slice of SciFi, Winging It 3D, and Calls for Cthulu are all excellent. [/QUOTE] I like [A different point of view](http://www.farpointmedia.net/shows/adpov/) Star Wars as seen by an Imperial Storm Trooper TD-0013 If you do video Bikini news is pretty funny. Make sure you check out Goth bikini news. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546/7 "2008-03-08T06:18:35Z")
NPR has some good ones. I’m partial to Car Talk and Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546/8 "2008-03-08T06:59:50Z")
Would you consider paying for a podcast? There are two podcasts I pay for. The [Rachel Maddow Show](http://www.airamerica.com/maddow/) (via [Air America Premium](http://www.airamerica.com/premium/)) is an excellent show, mostly news and commentary - no listener call-ins. The other one, the [Stephanie Miller Show](http://www.stephaniemiller.com/), is a more conventional political talk radio. Both have liberal bias. I haven’t really found a _free, daily_ podcast worth listening to, except a couple of short NPR clips (hourly news and the Story of the Day). ---
**Author:** ![meenie7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@meenie7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meenie7)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546/9 "2008-03-08T08:28:55Z")
I love podcasts! No news, but here are some goodies: [Downloadable Content: The Penny Arcade Podcast](http://feeds.penny-arcade.com/padlc) : The two guys that make the awesome Penny Arcade comic strip talk about stuff while they come up with comics. So funny! [QuackCast](http://www.quackcast.com/) : Infectious disease physician Dr. Mark Crislip talks about “alternative medicine” modalities and how all the evidence they present is not backed by rigorous scientific data. He presents real cites and is very thorough. [The Skeptic’s Guide to The Universe](http://www.theskepticsguide.org) : A weekly show about skeptical topics, with a lot of really interesting interviews with people about science or skepticism topics. So much fun to listen to 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![XaMcQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/f9ae1b/32.png) [@XaMcQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XaMcQ)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546/10 "2008-03-08T20:19:48Z")
I listen to podcasts about 4-8 hours a day while pet sitting. Here are some of my iTunes faves, by catagory. **News, politics, current events:** Carnegie Council Podcast Commonwealth Club Radio Program From Our Own Correspondent KCRW’s Left, Right and Center National Press Club NPR: It’s All Politics PRI: The Changing World Supreme Court Watch /Newshour with Jim Lehrer To The Point **Educational** All in the Mind American Experience / PBS American History before 1870 CBC Radio: The Best of Ideas C-SPAN - After Words Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History History 7B: From the Civil War to the Present The History Network (military) The History of Rome Philosophy Bites UChannel Podcast Vanderbilt University Podcast We The People Stories WNYC’s Radio Lab The World Beyond the Headlines from the University of Chicago WPSU - Penn State Forum **Just for Fun!** Broken Sea - Doctor Who (podcast serial drama) The Classic Tales Podcast Common Sense with Dan Carlin The Ethicist Joe Frank Radio Legal Lad’s Quick and Dirty Tips for a More Lawful Life NPR: In Character NPR: This I Believe NPR: Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! The Onion Radio News Savage Love Podcast Skeptoid: Critical Analysis of Pop Phenomena This American Life Wormwood: A serialized mystery and several serial dramas from Darker Projects. I also urge you to go check out [http://librivox.org/](http://librivox.org/) for a huge library of free audiobooks of all kinds, all works in the public domain, read by volunteers. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546/11 "2008-03-09T02:21:04Z")
I have three news podcasts to recommend - BBC Global News - a half-hour round-up of the best stories from around the world. Updated every 12 hours. CBC Hourly News - a five minute recap of the top Canadian stories, updated every hour CBC The World at Six - a half-hour of the top stories from Canada and around the world, updated daily I’ve been listening to Lars Brownworth’s 12 Byzantine Rulers, and a set of lectures from Berkeley by Thomas Laqueur on European History. One of my favourite music based podcasts is the Traneumentary, following the life and music of John Coltrane through excerpts and interviews. Sonny Rollins has a video podcast available as well. NPR Jazz profiles is also a great source about jazz. I don’t mean to hijack your thread , but if anyone knows of any other jazz documentary/history podcasts, I’d love to hear about them. Happy listening… ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-podcast/440546/12 "2008-03-09T13:06:00Z")
Gay Pimpin’ with Jonny McGovern The Ben & Dave Show here! with Josh and Sara All LGBT-oriented, if you’re into that sort of thing. If you like old time radio, iTunes has a ton of OTR podcasts. The Big Broadcast seems to have the greatest variety of any I’ve found. There are also show-specific podcasts for a number of the old serials. Second the recommendation above for Wormwood. The Slate daily podcast is usually pretty good, although only 5-10 minutes in length. They do have weekly “gabfests” which usually run about a half-hour.