Podcasts

Here's what I'm listening to these days:

On Being
Krista Tippett interviews various people about being. Previously "Speaking of Faith." Sometimes a little too middle-of-the-road for me, but I do appreciate the interfaith nature of it.

Counterspin
Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR)'s podcast. A cutting, often snarky take on the week's mainstream media junk reporting. Also features one or two substantive interviews on important issues that the mainstream news misreports or fails to report on.

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
Kind of a mixed bag. They showcase different programs each week. My favorite is The News Quiz, featuring dryly hilarious Danish lesbian host Sandy Toksvig. The past month, however, has been this awfully dull interview show, Chain Reaction.

Get-Fit Guy's Quick and Dirty Tips to Slim Down and Shape Up
What can I say, I'm still questing after the body perfectible. One day I will take seriously in my own life Judith Butler's question, "what can a body do?"

On The Media
Another snarky media analysis program. Less progressive than Counterspin, but often funnier. I think they also have a bigger budget, so can do longer features on special subjects, and sometimes do theme shows on trends in the media. They also have a broader conception of "media," including reporting on social media and not-strictly-news internet media, like blogs.

The Moth Podcast
Live storytelling show. Generally high caliber stories, but of course they have different people each time. I've heard some pretty moving and funny stuff, but once in a while there's some sentimental pablum.

Wait Wait Don't Tell Me
Comedy News show based in Chicago, with a rotating panel of guest journalists and comedians. My favorite regular personalities are Paula Poundstone and Mo Rocca. One time they had Maz Jobrani (who did the Axis of Evil comedy tour) on, which was great.

Latino USA
News magazine program on issues of relevance to Latinos. I really appreciate their coverage of immigration issues, though sometimes I get too emotional and I have to stop listening.

Snap Judgment
Another storytelling podcast, hosted by Glynn Washington, based in Oakland. I really like the show, but sometimes I find Glynn's hosting personality gets in the way. He does it in this conspiratorial whisper that is a bit over the top. Great featuring of stories from people of color and Bay Area folks.

Philosophy Bites
A connection to my undergrad. I love geeking out on discussions of consequentialism, especially.

Selected Shorts
I don't listen to this all that often, but it's good for airplane rides, when I have a long hour without interruption or other distractions. Famous and famous-ish people (usually actors or authors) reading great short stories, often (or always?) to a live audience, which adds something special.

To The Best of Our Knowledge
Magazine program featuring authors and other thinkers on a variety of subjects. Each week they have a theme. One recurring subject is the intersection of science and faith, I think because one of their big sponsors is the Templeton foundation. Pretty middle of the road, politically, which means in America it's kind of left-y.

RISK!
Another storytelling podcast - more sexual and dirty than either the Moth or Snap Judgment. They get some big names on sometimes, I think maybe because host Kevin Allison was pretty famous as a comedian, and gets comedian pals to come on sometimes. His hosting does get in the way, and he usually tells a story or two. I like that he is super openly gay and talks about that in his stories. I do NOT like when he talks about his Asian guy fetish - I think it's pretty much straight up racist and alienating. Still, some good LGB representation in the storytellers, which I appreciate.

The Sporkful
This is a new one for me. An irreverent take on food. So far I'm enjoying it, mainly because the hosts don't feel the need to gush about food they enjoy. How many ways, seriously, can a radio host find to say "this tastes good"?

Studio 360
Arts magazine show. The host, Kurt Anderson, is spiky, quirky and amusing. I like his interview style. They feature some good musicians, too. Pretty accessible and fun take on the art world. Shows generally do not have a theme, but have a feature story. They did a great series of shows on American Icons, where each show had a certain theme. My favorite was the entire show on "I Love Lucy."

Stuff You Should Know
Ridiculously addictive random science (and other trivia) podcast, featuring co-hosts Chuck and Josh, with Josh being the kidder and Chuck sort of playing the straight man (though he sometimes does voices, which amuses Josh to no end). Really what I enjoy about the show is their dynamic - it's two male best friends just hanging out. It kind of reminds me of hanging out with my college roommate Evan. If one gets a voyeuristic thrill from witnessing friendship, this show is the one to listen to. Also, I have a crush on Josh's voice.

This American Life
Ira Glass is sort of the Lady Gaga of the NPR aging hipster set. Apparently I am in this set, because for me, this show reaches heights of magnificence other radio shows can only dream of. They broadcast every Sunday, and the podcast comes out soon after. I listen religiously. Many of their episodes have made me cry. I used to listen to this show on my bike ride to my therapist, and I realized I would then just spend half my session talking about the show and how it made me feel.

A Way With Words
A show about language, mainly English. The hosts are lovely, though kind of corny. They have a regular segment with a Quiz guy or "Quizzicist," when they play word games, which is quite enjoyable. I do love finding out trivia about this weird thing we call the English language.

Radiolab
Kind of a nerdier, science-ier This American Life. I wish they had longer seasons - they seem to only do a handful of shows per season, on a certain theme. The co-hosts, Jad and Robert, have a great dynamic going on. They also do some really great things with music and voice, transmuting one into the other in virtuosic feats of technoradio wizardry.