I first started listening to podcasts in earnest back in 2015 and the habit endured. I only listen to Soundcloud while working, but podcasts and audiobooks are essentials for dog walks and metro rides.
Here are my favorite recent and current podcasts, in no particular order.
Missing Richard Simmons
This brief six-episode podcast is creepy as it is fascinating. Host Dan Taberski looks into the disappearance of fitness guru Richard Simmons and interviews a wide array of Simmons’ friends and fans (including Willam!)
Although I didn’t get the ending that I hoped for, this podcast was a riveting part of my Dallas dog walks at the beginning of the year.
S-Town
Around the same time that Missing Richard Simmons came out, This American Life released S-Town. This seven episode podcast focuses on the life of John B. McLemore and his strange hometown of Woodstock, Alabama. I was initially hesitant to listen to this podcast because the reviews had an icky slum tourism vibe, but I eventually gave it a whirl and it didn’t disappoint.
You Must Remember This
My favorite history podcast graced us with three different seasons last year:
- Dead Blondes (Jan. 31 – April 25) – The 2017 kickoff season covered the lives and deaths of Hollywood’s most famous blonde actresses including Thelma Todd, Peg Entwistle, Grace Kelly, and of course Marilyn Monroe.
- Jean and Jane (June 26 – Aug. 21) – The next season covered the parallel lives of American Actresses Jane Fonda and Jean Seberg – two actresses that I knew little about. I’ve seen Barbarella, but mostly only know Fonda as an old woman and I was completely ignorant of her superstar past. I was also entirely unaware of Jean Seberg’s fascinating story which involves trips to France and the Black Panthers.
- Bela and Boris (Oct. 16 – Nov. 26) – The final 2017 season of the podcast looks at actors Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. These middle-aged foreign actors became huge horror movie stars by playing Dracula and Frankenstein. Although both actors found stardom through horror films, their careers had dramatically different outcomes.
The Daily
This highly popular podcast from The New York Times generally focuses on one major story every day. The 20-minute length makes it perfect for commutes to school or morning dog walks.
The Daily occupies the same spot that MPR did in Minnesota — so many people listen to this podcast that you can start a conversation with the assumption that the person will be familiar with the stories covered on the podcast.
Washington Capitol Building
Political Gabfest
A hilarious take on the week’s political news, Slate’s Political Gabfest contains at least one LOL moment per episode. It’s not a comedy show per se – but rather the type of political conversation that you’d have with well-informed friends who weren’t afraid to call bullshit out and drop the occasional f-bomb to prove a point.
Amicus
Dahlia Lithwick’s podcast about the Supreme Court is a little more reserved than Political Gabfest, but still completely fascinating.
As someone who doesn’t breathlessly keep up with SCOTUS Blog, this podcast allows me to maintain a minimum level of competency about what’s going on in the nation’s highest court (which happens to be down the street from my current school.)
The Weeds
This twice-weekly Vox podcast is very similar to the Political Gabfest but covers a broader range of topics. My favorite segment is the white paper discussion where the hosts usually talk about research that I would never have taken the time to read about myself.
Dirtcast
Finally, a new guilty pleasure of mine is Jezebel’s Dirtcast, which is a profanity-laced celebrity gossip podcast by two journalists with very little patience for celebrity shenanigans.
Much celebrity coverage can feel like glorified PR, but the Dirtcast hosts are like the belligerent brunch friends who happen to watch way more movies than I do.
That’s All! There are plenty of podcasts that didn’t make the list — I am not shy about dropping a podcast because of inconsistent production quality, crappy topics, or rambling episodes.
I am however always up for recommendations if you have any!
Photo: Enrico Bettella.
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