Help! What Podcasts Do You Like?

Minnie questions with Minnie Driver is my new obsession!

So surprised I have not seen Ologies with Alie Ward on this list! For anyone who is loves to learn a little about a lot, Ologies is a collection of interviews with experts (ologists) from a diverse array of fields. Alie just started releasing bite sized, child-friendly episodes in addition to her full size, somewhat irreverent ones.

Check out The Magnus Archives – brilliant,if you like mystery and a bit of horror!

LeVar Burton Reads! He was the host of Reading Rainbow back in the day. I loved that show growing up, so hearing his voice on this podcast feels nostalgic, yet grown-up now!

Criminal, by Phoebe Judge!So so good.

So so so late to this post but couldn’t help myself! Pods that I LOVE but didn’t see listed:

Judge John Hodgman: gentle, funny, family-friendly dispute resolution with some very thoughtful dudes. A road-trip go-to. (60ish mins)

Lovett or Leave It: if you need your (left-leaning) political discussions to be very funny, fairly diverse, and only once a week, this is the pod for you (75 mins)

Hall of Shame: 2 passionate sports journalists unpack sports scandals from a feminist perspective. Not usually my genre but fun, refreshing & engrossing. (40ish mins)

Bullseye with Jesse Thorn: Jesse Thorn is the best interviewer there is. Warm, amiable, tough, thoughtful, and he does his research. Give this man all the shows. (30ish mins)

Deeply Human: musician & rapper Dessa interviews experts to explore the human condition with trademark style & wit (20 mins)

Hit Parade: deep dives from the world of Billboard music charts – so many great and strange stories. Check out the two-parter on music producer, Meatloaf collaborator, and the powerhouse behind “Total Eclipse of the Heart” Jim Steinman, who recently passed away. (60 mins)

Dead Pilots Society: table reads of tv scripts that were green-lit but never shot. Fun and fascinating. (60 mins, double if you listen to the accompanying interviews)

Let’s Make a Music: 3 friends (plus their producer) build a song from scratch using tweet suggestions and freeform discussion. Just the best nonsense. (30 mins)

I always go back to Goop – I really enjoy the conversations. The most recent one with Gabrielle Union was so good. Literally with Rob Lowe is fun. Brene Brown-of course. Dolly Parton’s America was excellent. Conan O’Brien always makes me pee my pants.

Call Your Grandmother! Hosted by two Jewish grandmothers with New York accents, they interview grandparents and their grandchildren about their relationships, which is wholesome and sweet…but most importantly they are HILARIOUS and I find myself cracking up and smiling the whole time I’m listening :)

Absolutely love the podcast Positive Anger (https://soundcloud.com/positive-anger), it’s done by a Canadian comedian in NYC, who’s insanely funny,

I’d like to recommend ‘Two’s company’ with Sophie Hellyer and Grace Kingswell! It’s brand new and lovely to listen to. These two (having been friends for some time) are comfortable with one another, even on topics they tend to disagree on. It’s educative, warm-hearted and hails from Cornwall/or Devon (sorry, not quite sure). They cover subjects like politics, nutrition, the merits of cold-water-swimming, feminism and so much more :) I learn a ton during each episode!

My go tos:

Mysterypedia: For all things mysteries! They cover history mysteries like the fountain or youth, cryptids, myths, and some true crime.
Call your girlfriend: great commentary from two girl friends
Oologies: they dig into the passions of different scientists!

I have been WFH since March of last year and desperately miss listening to podcasts during my commute. Here are a few of my favorites:

*Ear Hustle (for a humanizing look at the life of incarcerated people)
*Where Should We Begin? (for a fascinating peek into the inner workings of couples’ relationships)
*Unlocking Us (for Brene’s warmth and the wisdom of the impressive people she interviews)
*Modern Love (for stories that tug at my heartstrings without fail)
*On Being (for inspiration and a feeling of connection with the world)
*Tara Brach (for meditations and wisdom to guide me through tough times)
*Moonface (for a fascinating story full of heart)
*Table Manners (for laughs and yearnings to attend a really good dinner party post-covid)

(Joanna, you MUST listen to “Where Should We Begin?” if you haven’t already–I see a post about it in our futures!)

Dolly Parton’s America!
An old one but I’ve listened to it twice already and I absolutely adore it.

A Thing or Two! It’s like the podcast version of this blog.

Two best friends, talking about shopping, motherhood, cooking – everything. It’s warm and funny and wonderful.

You’re Wrong About and Maintenance Phase are my go-to pods, plus Keep It!

I have been loving “Sentimental Garbage” ‘s mini-series on Sex and the City with special guest Dolly Alderton. I love Dolly Alderton from her previous podcast, “The High-Low” as well her books and essays, and was excited she was teaming up with Caroline O’Donoghue on this SATC series (they are very close friends).

They are both hilarious and very thoughtful on their comments and personal takes on the show. It’s not an episode-by-episode recount but more of a wholistic take on what each season meant.

Since they are both writers, they point out themes and character analyses that are very in-depth and thought provoking. Plus, since they’re both British (Dolly, English and Caroline, Irish) their thoughts on America and NYC are both funny and enlightening.

Each week is a new season so if you start now, you have 6 delectable episodes to listen to…they are releasing the second half of season 6 this week!

Disclaimer: I think to really enjoy this podcast you have to be a pretty die-hard SATC fan. They go DEEP into episodes and characters. I think if you’ve only watched a few episodes here and there you wouldn’t get a lot of the references.

My favourite is The Bittersweet Life! Two friends, one in Seattle, one in Rome. It’s for everyone who has ever thought about living abroad, likes to travel, loves Rome, art, or interesting stories. I started at the beginning and it basically helped me through last year’s lockdown. ?

For something that isn’t just talking, I love the Lost & Found Podcast. It’s billed as “The best music you’ve never heard.” The host picks several songs each week that he feels are worth listening to but were mostly overlooked. He spans genres and his picks are always so enjoyable to listen to.

You’re Wrong About!!! The hosts return to big stories in history like the Tuskegee Experiment or the news like the O.J. Simpson trial and show what was miss understood. They go deep with a lot of 90’s topics like moral panic, afterschool specials, they did a two-part series on Vanessa Williams. Very good Info-tainment. Lost Hills is also good. It’s true crime set in the Malibu hills.

I really like Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd! So many great interviews!

Would be interested to hear of any good podcast series offering pep talks/mental health/happiness tips/free therapy!

Kelly Corrigan Wonders is my new favorite.

So many great ones has been mentioned, but I would also recommend Sibling Revelry with Kate and Oliver Hudson and Literally with Rob Lowe.
I’m a sucker for celebrity podcasts, but the one podcast that has really made me love podcasts is Armchair Expert. And not just for their amazing guests and unrelenting honesty from the hosts, but they have so many experts on that teach me so much about myself!

Maintenance Phase, which breaks down the science/pseudo science and histories of different health fads (BMI, President’s Fitness Challenge, and Dr. Oz, to name a few).

Busy Phillips is Doing Her Best. LONG but worth the listen. In one episode you will laugh your behind off, probably cry, and learn something new. It mostly focuses on pivots in people’s lives and is a good reminder that we ALL go through the same things as humans.

How My Grandmother Won WWII is an awesome listen!! “A granddaughter’s journey to uncover the secret life of her hero grandmother during WWII in Budapest.”
https://enidzentelis.com/work/how-my-grandmother-won-world-war/