JCC Where's the Subscribe Button? A Podcast Discussion Thread!

Extra Hot Great
Studio: Previously.TV
Category: TV & Film

What It Is
A group of critics discuss current & historical TV shows.

Technical Details
The show puts out its main episodes once a week; they run around an hour & a half in length. In between those, they put out Mini episodes that typically run five to ten minutes and are dedicated to a single topic. There are around three of those a week, so quite a bit of content on this one. The show incorporates a lot of clips and such from the shows it talks about. The iTunes archive has almost the entire run of the show, all the way back to episode 6; if you’re going that far, I’m not sure why you don’t just put the whole run up there. Well, whatever.

What About It
I actually like this show a lot. I don’t keep up with television, so I typically have to fast-forward through their discussions of shows I do intend to watch once they come out on blu-ray. But they talk about a lot of shows and news that I do listen to since I don’t plan on watching those shows and they’re always funny and insightful. I particularly enjoy when they talk about really bad shows. The minis are fun as well; they’re typically focused on some theme or other, like shows that ended before their time or best season finales or best theme songs, etc. It’s the historical segment of the long show that I like the most, I should say. In that section one of the roundtable brings an episode to the show and nominates for canon status; there’s then a lengthy discussion of said episode, which might be a few years old or maybe a few decades old. Those are always interesting. I would like it even more if I kept up with some of the big series, like Game of Thrones or whatever, and could thus always listen to the entire episode, but even with copious fast-forwarding, it’s a good time, every time.

3 stars.

Essential If
You are never behind on your favorite shows.

Avoid Like the Plague If
You just enjoy Animal Planet and you’re not ashamed, dammit.

Best Entry Point
One of my favorites is EHG 25: Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve & Trip, mainly because of the canon segment; it features a lengthy discussion of the coming-out episode of Ellen and it was an episode I knew really nothing about other than “yeah, it happened.” So it was cool to hear a lot of clips and get a real in-depth look at this historically significant episode. Very interesting.

Podcast Reviews!

 

I really like TWiT's output but I can never seem to fit any of their stuff into my podcast rotation without sparking an archive morass. It's a shame because I grew up on The Screen Savers back when TechTV was good... which was before G4 bought them out (what a coincidence!), so I'm a fan of Leo LaPorte.

 

NSFW was the only TWiT show I just really loved; it was also, of course, the least techie which might be why its defunct now, I don't know. I liked The Giz Wiz with Dick DeBartolo a lot, but I haven't listened to that one in ages. It was always funny though. But I've got a lot more TWiT shows to try; they're a network that rakes in the awards/nominations, so I'm going to be trying some others.

Speaking of NSFW, this next one is probably the most vulgar show I've yet encountered. I'm not even sure if the TOS allows me to post their logo; it features a couple of letters of the alphabet engaged in a very obvious and specific sex act.

Bend Over & Take It!
Studio: Brad G & Gerry S
Category: Comedy

What It Is
A bunch of Pittsburg “**** & ***-adjacents,” in the words of the show itself, get together and talk about pop culture and politics.

Technical Details
The show comes out weekly and typically runs around forty-five minutes to an hour. The show’s been on since 2009 and the entire archive is available on iTunes.

What About It
As you might guess from the title, this is an extremely vulgar show. I don’t mind vulgarity, but this show always opens with a fake commercial for some sort of fake product and, here’s a clue for you, I listened to somewhere around five to eight episodes of the show and the commercials/products are so obscene that there’s not a single one that I heard that I can even describe for you and stay within the ToS. Or, well, that would have been true once upon a time, but, frankly, of the ones that I remember I really think you’re better off not having those thoughts in your head. I know, everyone’s going to think I’m a prude, but I’m really not; I’m listening to a lot of sex podcasts for this project and these are beyond the pale, even by the standards of sex podcasts. Okay, well, homophobe? I say I’m not, but this podcast didn’t do anything for me. It isn’t just that I don’t watch Project Runway; they do talk about pop culture things I’m interested in. I just didn’t find them particularly funny or insightful. Plus, when they had a Katy Perry vs. Miley Cyrus debate, they said Miley Cyrus was better. What. The. Hell. Katy Perry isn’t the new Madonna or anything, but I simply cannot support such a ridiculous decision. I get the feeling there’s a Katy Perry backlash currently, but I am not part of it. The One That Got Away is a pop masterpiece and I am not being ironic. Okay, no, her eye of the tiger song is not as good as the original Eye of the Tiger song, but I actually don’t think it’s that bad. I really find it annoying that she started that one song with a ringtone. I mean, I hear that ringtone enough, you know. I don’t need to hear it in songs. But she’s building up a wonderful back catalogue of . . . oh my God . . . the Republicans were right all along! This podcast TURNED ME GAY!!!!!! No, but seriously, if you’re looking for a show that overturns gay stereotypes, this is not it.

0 stars.

Essential If
You have ever talked about Project Runway for more than twenty minutes at a stretch.

Avoid Like the Plague If
You can be seen onscreen throwing a chair at the climax of the movie Bruno.

Best Entry Point
Okay, I am going back through the iTunes archives and looking at the summaries for the episodes (since the titles are completely unhelpful) in order to see if I can pick out an episode that I liked better than the others by refreshing my memory on each episode. I can’t even figure out which episodes I listened to. I guess about the only thing that stuck in my mind from this one is those filthy, often disturbing commercials. So, you know, grab the latest one, if you want.

Podcast Reviews!

 

Be Our Guest WDW Podcast
Studio: beourguestpodcast.com
Category: Places & Travel

What It Is
Discussions about Walt Disney World, featuring everything from anecdote-riddled trip reports to incredibly detailed answers to practical questions.

Technical Details
Episodes clock in at thirty to forty-five minutes in general. There’s a new episode three times a week; Mondays you can hear guests tell stories about their trips, Wednesdays you can hear questions from listeners answered, Fridays you can hear helpful, practical tips about planning and executing the most positive WDW vacation possible.

What About It
Well . . . I mean, what can you say? I loved Walt Disney World. I don’t know that I want to hear people talk about it for over two hours a week; I’m not entirely sure it’s psychologically healthy to want that. Well, God knows I have my own obsessions. I suppose for someone who’s obsessed with Walt Disney World, which is definitely pretty awesome, this is a nice way to get a fix without having to actually go to the park three times a week. It initially seems weird that a podcast about one vacation spot is up to almost nine-hundred episodes, but once you think about everything there is to do at WDW, it makes more sense. Listening to a few episodes of the show made me realize just how much falls under the WDW umbrella; all the rides, events, restaurants & resorts are eligible to be talked about and when the episode begins, you have no idea where the show is going. Also on the positive side, or perhaps not, the show always has a slate of highly energetic guests/hosts. As you might expect of people who are obsessed with the happiest place on earth, these folks are incredibly hyper and irrepressible, given to fits of hysterical laughter and incredibly high-pitched hyperbole and lots of loud screaming about how awesome everything is . . . well, okay, yeah, this is a negative for sure, the longer I think about it. Well, it’s up to you; it wins awards, but it just ain’t in my wheelhouse. Maybe it’s in yours.

0 stars.

Essential If
*insert joke about Mickey Mouse ears*

Avoid Like the Plague If
Your abiding memory of Epcot Center is vomiting into a planter from heat exhaustion.

Best Entry Point
Geez, I dunno, I didn’t care enough to pick a best one out of the handful I listened to. Just get the most recent one.

Podcast Reviews!

 

Spilled Milk
Studio: Matthew Amster-Burton & Molly Wizenberg
Category: Food

What It Is
A couple of comedians get together and talk about a particular food item or sometimes sample items and give their live responses.

Technical Details
A new episode comes out every week or so and they’re pretty short; episodes that hit thirty minutes are pretty rare. Fifteen to twenty seems a pretty good average length. The entire run of around two-hundred episodes can be found at the iTunes page.

What About It
I was interested in this one. I enjoy the simple concept of a couple of comedians getting together and chatting about, as a couple of examples, fried eggs or gum or prunes. I like the broadness of the topic and the simplicity of it; these aren’t foodies, just a couple of people that enjoy chatting about how they like their cornbread, where you can get the best pot-stickers and that time their mom made them eat a crepe instead of a pancake. But I didn’t find this one all that great. Humor is subjective, of course, and I have to admit that I just didn’t find these guys that funny. They’re not annoying or stupid, but just kind of . . . bland, I guess. It’s not a show that I would recommend against or one that I would recommend particularly. I don’t have time for it in my podcast rotation, trust me, but you may feel more generous than I do.

2 ½ stars.

Essential If
Your autobiography is broken up in food titled chapters.

Avoid Like the Plague If
You have achieved nirvana.

Best Entry Point
Of the handful, I heard, I think I’d give Episode 173: Sack Lunch LIVE! a try. It’s a live episode and the discussion isn’t about a specific food item, but rather about the very specific kinds of food that would get packed into a school lunch.

Podcast Reviews!

 

Best of the Left Podcast
Studio: Wizzard Media
Category: News & Politics

What It Is
Leftist compiles clips of political commentators from television & podcasts, with each episode grouped around a different theme.

Technical Details
Each episode runs between seventy-five & eighty minutes and features clips that all address a particular theme or issue. The show drops every four days or so, which is really quite remarkable, given how long the episodes are and all the clips they contain. The show doesn’t carry an Explicit Tag on iTunes, but there’s often a fair amount of salty language. How much (or how little) just depends on the commentator clips chosen for the show. The show’s been around since 2006, so there’s a huge archive at the show’s website. iTunes always has the 40 most recent episodes.

What About It
I really enjoy this show. Some of the shows the show takes clips from are shows I listen to already when I have time: Democracy Now, Citizen Radio, Common Sense with Dan Carlin. A lot of them are from shows I don’t already listen to, but probably should, like The Young Turks. The occasional television personality shows up, most notably Rachel Maddow, who I don’t get a chance to watch much, but I have a totally embarrassing and nerdy crush on. (It’s hopeless too since she’s a lesbian; not that my heterosexual crush on Kate Mara is exactly hopeful.) Anyway, I really enjoy hearing the discussions on the show; the show is totally honest about its bias, which is refreshing, and the podcast curator does a great job choosing clips – they usually are worthy of being called the best of leftist commentary. I like that the show isn’t like a weekly roundup; it sometimes has pretty old clips mixed with the new ones since the show is grouped around themes and issues. Some themes are broad, like Feminism or Racism; others are specific, like Ed Snowden or the Confederate Flag.

4 stars

Essential If
You need a clearing house because you can’t listen to more political podcasts.

Avoid Like the Plague If
You are currently wearing a tri-corner hat.

Best Entry Point
This one’s pretty hard actually. It’s just so consistently excellent that I’m looking back through some of the older episodes and I just honestly can’t even decide. Just subscribe. You’ll thank me later.

Podcast Reviews!

 

The Dan Patrick Show on PodcastOne
Studio: PodcastOne
Category: Professional

What It Is
Host Dan Patrick and his sidekicks discuss sports at length among themselves and with notable guests.

Technical Details
This show’s a real monster; subscribing is a leap of faith. The show posts three forty-five minute episodes every weekday. Monday through Friday, that’s getting close to three hours of content every day. Patrick used to be on ESPN; this show is the successor to the show he ran there for almost ten years. This one’s been going since 2007. The two-hundred & fifty most recent episodes are on the iTunes page. If you need more than that, though I can’t imagine why you would, check out the website.

What About It
I’m not really a sports fan. I find sports interesting but I’m no fanatic. There are sports podcasts I really love (Slate’s Hang Up & Listen is my favorite; and I enjoy the Best of Mike & Mike podcast as well) but this isn’t one of them. I don’t find Patrick to be that interesting or charismatic and his team of sidekicks have really no chemistry at all. And this seems like the kind of show that could stand to be edited down for the podcast; the Best of Mike & Mike podcast takes the Mike & Mike show and pulls the best bits in order to release a solid hour to hour twenty every weekday, which is a far cry from this show’s epic three hours a day strategy. That’s just too much even if I liked the show. Which I don’t. Pretty dull & uninspired, at least for me.

2 stars.

Essential If
You listen exclusively to people with two first names that post three hours of sports talk every day.

Avoid Like the Plague If
You listen to podcasts on double speed.

Best Entry Point
I think we all saw this coming: I have no idea. iTunes archive is here.

Podcast Reviews!

 

Between the Sheets with Lora Somoza
Studio: Between the Sheets with Lora Somoza
Category: Sexuality

What It Is
Sex columnist/author Somoza discusses topics related to sex in a freewheeling conversation.
Technical Details
New episode every week; episodes run right about an hour. The show’s entire run of around two-hundred & fifty episodes is available at the iTunes page.

What About It
I find this podcast really entertaining. Somoza is a compelling & charming host and the guests are always interesting & witty. The guests run the gamut of sex bloggers to fetish models to mainstream journalists to sex-toy business owners. Each episode typically has a theme of some kind: exhibitionism, oral sex, the always reliably hilarious sex in the news, etc. and the discussion is freewheelingly raucous while also being well-informed. The show is as graphic as shows get, obviously, and often outrageously funny. If you have the slightest doubt in your mind about whether this show might be too explicit for you, then it is definitely too explicit for you, right? But I’ve listened to other sex podcasts for this project and this isn’t just a show about being shocking for its own sake or being needlessly crude & vulgar in an exploitative or offensive way. It’s just a show about talking about the myriad issues around sex and doing so in a genuinely funny and informative way. And it’s always a laugh riot and often quite interesting to boot.

4 stars.

Essential If
There’s never a bad time to talk about the structural integrity of vibrators.

Avoid Like the Plague If
You would have loved Happy Feet if only those one penguins hadn’t been so gay.

Best Entry Point
I mean, I don’t know how you can really do better than Episode 192: Bizarre Sex Toys. I mean, how can you do better than that?

Podcast Reviews!

 

Build & Analyze
Studio: 5by5
Category: Software How-To

What It Is
Dan Benjamin hosts a mildly free-wheeling discussion about all things Apple, etc. with Marco Arment, co-founder of Tumblr.

Technical Details
Show is defunct as of December 2012, but the entire archive of 108 shows can be found at the iTunes page. Episodes run around an hour and, like most of 5by5’s shows, just revolves around a free-flowing conversation.

What About It
Well, you may recall that I love 5by5’s Back to Work and really disliked 5by5’s Amplified, so what happens here? Well, I’d say Build & Analyze is better than Amplified, if only because, unlike Jim Dalrymple, Arment seems to understand that speaking above a mumble is required to be a good podcaster. But there’s nothing here to really distinguish this show; it’s pretty dull, frankly. I get what Benjamin’s up to with 5by5, but in many ways it feels like Back to Work is just a once in a lifetime thing. The chemistry between Benjamin and Merlin Mann sets that show way, way apart from every other show on the network. This show is just dull with no real energy to it. Too bad; after stumbling on Back to Work I thought perhaps I’d found a new network filled with great shows. Not so far. Back to Work, I’m afraid, is a one-off. This one? It’s just off.

½ star.

Essential If
You’re a 5by5 completist.

Avoid Like the Plague If
The words “co-founder of Tumblr” left you trembling with rage.

Best Entry Point
I feel like I’m kind of doing this dodge a lot lately, but I don’t know what else to do in cases where I found the show to just be uniformly dull: So, yeah, go the archive and pick one.

Podcast Reviews!

 

Manager Tools
Studio: Mike Auzenne & Mark Horstman
Category: Careers

What It Is
A couple of business experts talk pragmatically about the realities of being a manager and how to become a better one.

Technical Details
Show’s been around for a whopping ten years now; the iTunes page has the last five years. The show drops an episode a week, typically around thirty minutes in length or so.

What About It
This, I think, actually a pretty good podcast. I’m not a manager so it isn’t exactly the case that I can get anything really “useful” out of this show, though there are certainly principles that work for anyone. The hosts are intelligent and articulate if not particularly compelling. They talk about real topics and often spend weeks at a time really refining things, like giving an entire month (four episodes) to the topic of clearing space on your calendar. It’s a show that I feel like has genuine insights, but it’s not one I can afford to give the time to, especially since it isn’t exactly in my wheelhouse. If you’re a manager though, I’d certainly recommend giving it a shot.

2 ½ stars.

Essential If
You’re a first time manager with a staff of complete psychos.

Avoid Like the Plague If
You think the baby Jesus was born in a manager.

Best Entry Point
I’ll actually recommend one this time. It functions as a good entry point for two reasons. First, it’s really good; second, it’s actually a really old episode that they reposted as part of their Hall of Fame series. Anyway, it’s Hall of Fame: One on Ones – Part 1. As someone who has been managed a lot, I know one of my great frustrations is the lack of one on ones; this episode makes a strong case for them, which I liked.

Podcast Reviews!

 

CAGcast
Studio: CheapAssGamer.com
Category: Video Games

What It Is
Three video gamers get together and talk about video game things.

Technical Details
Episodes are typically between an hour and an hour and a half. A new episode drops approximately every week. Show’s over four-hundred episodes. The most recent one-hundred or so are available at iTunes. For more, go to the official page.

What About It
The title of the show stands for Cheap Ass Gamer and the website is a kind of hub for finding video games at more affordable prices than you might be able to by just buying brand new off the shelf. The podcast doesn’t particularly deal with that side of things a whole lot; it’s mainly just focused on gaming related news and games the guys have been playing. I like this show a lot; it’s no 4Player Podcast, but it’s entertaining and fun. The guys are different from one another and they have a great group dynamic/chemistry (which is very easily proven by listening to one of the episodes where one of them is gone). The show has an explicit tag, but there’s very little in the way of profanity. Anyway, it’s a show I like a whole lot. Not a great show, but a good one.

3 stars.

Essential If
You’re cheap, an ass & a gamer. I think that’s what means.

Avoid Like the Plague If
The only time you use the word ass is when Jesus is riding one into Jerusalem.

Best Entry Point
Kinda feel like you can just leap into this one wherever or get the newest one; it’s consistently solid. Just avoid the ones where one of the three guys is missing; those are awkward somehow. But I’ll recommend one: CAGcast 390: Worst Infinity Pool Ever. It features a fair bit of personal talk that’s quite entertaining; in this episode, the host of the show has just completed a move from Japan to New York so there’s some good material about that. And I’m always ready for a good “Best Buy Employees Are Dumb” story.

Podcast Reviews!

 

Film Sack
Studio: Scott Johnson
Category: Film & TV

What It Is
A group of friends get together to discuss a bad, weird or cheesy movies.

Technical Details
Episodes go from an hour to an hour and a half, with a new episode every week. The show is at over 250 episodes, with all of them available in the iTunes archive. Show does not have an explicit rating, but if you intend listening with your kids or whatever, pay attention. The show is, as Johnson once said, rated the same as the film being discussed.

What About It
If you know me very well, you’ll guess that this show is right in my wheelhouse. I’m a huge movie buff and I’m also into people making fun of bad art. So, this show is always fun. It doesn’t transcend its genre in the way that some bad movie shows, like How Did This Get Made?, do, but it’s always got some laughs. The hosts go through the plot in some detail and also play particularly egregious clips. Anyway, it’s not reinventing the wheel and it’s not genius, but it is what it is: a bunch of guys making fun of bad movies. And that’s really enough for me.

3 stars.

Essential If
You do, in fact, put DVDs that you hate into a sack in order to throw them in the river.

Avoid Like the Plague If
You still can’t believe Stop or My Mom Will Shoot was snubbed at the Oscars.

Best Entry Point
There’s one that just leaps instantly to mind. It’s Film Sack 190: Road House. This is a show where you listen to the episodes even though you haven’t seen the movie in question, just because most of them are so bad you’ll prefer listening to this show to actually sitting through the movie. But we’ve probably all seen Road House one time or another, so it’ll be fun to start with one you have seen. And the reason this one leaps immediately to mind is that this episode gave me one of the biggest laughs I’ve had in I don’t know when. I was literally clutching my stomach and convulsing with tears coming out of my eyes and just thinking about the clip and the comments made about it makes me laugh even right now. Anyway, it’s just good stuff.

Podcast Reviews!

 

Call Chelsea Peretti
Studio: Chelsea Peretti, Feral Audio
Category: Comedy

What It Is
Comedian Chelsea Peretti takes calls from her fans.

Technical Details
The show is in the dictionary next to sporadic; sometimes episodes come at a fast pace, like one every week or so and sometimes, it’ll be a couple of months with nothing new. Peretti’s busy, that’s all, and with someone this funny, that’s a good thing, so whatever. The show’s at around seventy proper episodes, with several mini-episodes along the way (which are typically very funny, which I need to point out since a lot of mini episodes on other podcasts aren’t). The entire archive is on the iTunes page.

What About It
My introduction to Peretti was via a couple of other comedy podcasts that predated this one, Doug Loves Movies and Comedy Bang Bang. She’s a consistently hilarious, silly & acerbic presence whenever she’s on those shows so I decided to check this out. You may know Peretti from her role as Gina on Brooklyn 99. But anyway, whether you know her or not or whatever, you’ll want to check this podcast out. Peretti sometimes has a guest on and sometimes does a solo show, but every proper episode features her taking calls from her fans to chat about whatever she’s thinking about at the moment. Each episode is a kind of absurdist trip down the rabbit hole; Peretti’s got a way with silliness that just comes out of nowhere and she’s quick to drop a sound clip or a phone call. Yes, the sound clips are actually hilarious; that’s maybe a first for a call-in show. And there is probably nothing as hilarious as Peretti hanging up on someone in midsentence as they’re begging her not to hang up on them. Timing is everything. Yes, there’s occasionally some genuinely interesting discussion of some topic or other, but I listen for the laughs. Just as a matter of personal taste, Peretti kind of crosses the line sometimes and gets a little too silly even for me and occasionally she’ll get fixated on some topic that just doesn’t interest me at all, like some reality show or other, and just talk and talk about it until I kind of check out, but those things happens only rarely. Most of the time, this show is right in my wheel house. If you enjoy laughing, it’s in yours too.

3 stars.

Essential If
You have long fantasized about reality shows where comedians talk to their fans over the telephone.

Avoid Like the Plague If
A woman’s place is in the home, dammit!

Best Entry Point
This one’s actually pretty obvious. Well, number one, I’ve enjoyed just about every episode I’ve ever heard and number two, the show comes out so sporadically that you should probably just go ahead and subscribe so you get the new content whenever it starts up again. But, that said, let me recommend two favorites. First up, 46 – A PRAYER. Brendon Walsh drops by as a guest on this one and the episode begins with . . . well, a prayer of thanksgiving and dedication to the Lord God and let’s just say I have maybe never heard such a lengthy and sidesplittingly hilarious riff on anything in my life. I genuinely don’t remember much else about that episode, but that opening is genuinely amazing and life-altering. Then there’s 40 – GAYDOG & GARLEEN WITH PETE HOLMES. Pete Holmes is another genuinely genius comedian that is, I think, at his best on podcasts; Doug Benson once said of him that he does the “most focused, most intense riffing” of all time and that’s kind of fair. So, he & Peretti are perfect together; they’re close friends and the chemistry comes across in this unbelievably wacky and hilarious episode. Oh, okay, fine, one more . . . 59 – AC + EATING DISORDERS. Peretti’s friend, indie film-maker Tchaiko Omawale, guests on this one and at the climax of the episode, one of the greatest things ever happens, which is that Peretti & Omawale call Omawale’s mother at home and the resulting conversation is non-stop hilarity (and provides some great sound-clips for the following episodes). Anyway, enough. You will know for dead certain by the time you’ve listened to those three episodes if the show’s for you. Hopefully it is, because that will mean you are a person of good taste.

Podcast Reviews!

 

I assume the strength of my renowned impeccable good taste won't need me to justify my current podcast selections.

Criminal. detective. Snap Judgement. This American Life. Love and Radio.

 

Earwolf Challenge
Studio: Earwolf
Category: Comedy

What It Is
Matt Besser & the guys behind Earwolf allow comedy podcasts to compete for a year-long contract with Earwolf.

Technical Details
This show ran from July to September of 2011; it was structured very much like a reality television competition show with the competing podcasts have to compete in challenges, etc. This was originally touted as the first season, but the show never came back for a second season. But the entire archive of 31 episodes is available at the iTunes page.

What About It
I love Scott Aukerman & Earwolf so I was very interested in this podcast when I heard about it. But unfortunately, much as I like Earwolf and Matt Besser I found this to be pretty underwhelming. It would be more interesting, I think, if I was in to the mechanics of podcasting; there’s a lot of shop talk in other words. And I simply didn’t think any of the podcasts chosen were all that great; some of them were just painfully unfunny. Luckily, Besser was on hand to be his usual acerbic self and he managed to get some laughs out of me, but the format of the show was just intended to be more serious. That wouldn’t be a problem if I was invested in the contestants, but I really just wasn’t, not finding any of them particularly interesting. So it’s not comedy, but neither is it compelling as a competition show. It’s not that it’s awful; the Earwolf folks are too smart for that. But it just didn’t grab me and ultimately, I’d say, isn’t worth your time. Does the failure of the show to have a second season indicate that the Earwolf folks agree with me? Maybe.

2 ½ stars.

Essential If
You’ve wondered why there hasn’t been a reality competition show for podcasts yet.

Avoid Like the Plague If
The word “podcast” tends to send you into allergic shock.

Best Entry Point
Well, if you’re going to listen to it, obviously, you start with Meet the Podcasts, Day 1, the first episode.

Podcast Reviews!

 

Because I never tire of posting into the void!




Career Tools
Studio: Michael Auzenne & Mark Horstman
Category: Careers

What It Is
The people behind Manager Tools bring you a similar podcast for all workers, a pragmatic look at productivity and success.

Technical Details
New episode drops every week. Like Manager Tools, this show has episodes that run around thirty to forty minutes. The most recent 300 episodes are available on the iTunes page. For more, hit up the show’s website.

What About It
I found Manager Tools to be interesting if not compelling enough to get into my rotation. I feel about the same way about this one; it’s slightly more useful for someone like me, in a non-managerial position. It has pragmatic, very specific discussions about the real-life issues surrounding building a career. The hosts are articulate and intelligent. The insights here are far from ground-breaking, but then common sense isn’t what it used to be, so there’s probably a lot of value here for some people. Anyway, it’s fine, not particularly outstanding.

2 stars.

Essential If
You’re currently focused on building your career.

Avoid Like the Plague If
Your career as a supervillain only requires two tools: a shark and a laser.

Best Entry Point
Eh, this one’s hard for me. I pretty well found the episodes I heard to just have a pretty consistent level of quality. Just check out the archive and see if you see one that piques your interest.

Podcast Reviews!

 

Now that it's going off the air, can you please do Wiretap?

 

I assure you I read all of these; I just don't have that many comments.

 

Indeed. Even though I usually just post to harangue you about reviews you haven't done, it's because I really love reading these, and want to imagine a day where you do something I actually know of.

 

Some of my favorites:

Carnegie Council Audio Podcast​

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By Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs​

Listen to events at Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs. Speakers and interviewees include distinguished authors, government and UN officials, economists, policymakers, and businesspeople. Topics range from the ethics of war and peace, to the place of religion in politics, to issues at the forefront of global social justice. To learn more about our work and to explore a wealth of related resources, please visit our website at http://www.carnegiecouncil.org.



Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates

By IQ2US Debates


Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates bring Oxford-style debate to America – one motion, one moderator, two panelists for the motion and two against. From clean energy and the financial crisis, to the Middle East and the death of mainstream media, Intelligence Squared U.S. brings together the world’s leading authorities on the day’s most important issues. Join the debate online and cast your vote for each topic at www.iq2us.org.

Intelligence Squared


By Intelligence Squared


Intelligence Squared is the world’s leading forum for debate and intelligent discussion. Live and online we take you to the heart of the issues that matter, in the company of some of the world’s sharpest minds and most exciting orators. Join the debate at www.intelligencesquared.com and download our weekly podcast every Friday.

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History


By Dan Carlin


In "Hardcore History" the very unconventional Dan Carlin takes his "Martian", outside-the-box way of thinking and applies it to the past. Was Alexander the Great as bad a person as Adolf Hitler? What would Apaches with modern weapons be like? Will our modern civilization ever fall like civilizations from past eras? This is a difficult-to-classify show that has a rather sharp edge. It's not for everyone. But the innovative style and approach has made "Dan Carlin's Hardcore History" a New Media hit.

Common Sense with Dan Carlin


By Dan Carlin


Common Sense with Dan Carlin is an independent look at politics and current events from popular New Media personality Dan Carlin. Carlin's self-described "Martian" viewpoints infuse each episode with a political alien's take on the world around us and the problems it faces. It's a smart, unique (and admittedly U.S.-centric) program that doesn't dumb down the information or analysis for the slowest person in the room. Carlin's rapid-fire staccato voice has been compared to William Shatner after too many espressos. That, plus his penchant for making everyone in the audience mad at him eventually, makes for a witch's brew of a podcast that is not for everyone. But for those craving a deeper intellectual analysis, a less partisan approach and unpredictable outside-the-box revelations, Common Sense with Dan Carlin is a feast for the mind.

History Extra podcast


By Immediate Media


The latest news from the team behind BBC History Magazine - a popular History magazine. To find out more, visit www.historyextra.com

Sorry if some of them have been mentioned before -- I looked back in the thread and saw that Dan Carlin had already been recommended by a number of people.
They're all free on iTunes. I copied and pasted the descriptions.

 

Have I written about Common Sense yet? I don't think I have. Yes, that's a show that I wish every person in America would listen to. Would make the world appreciably better. Carlin's such a genius. Love the Hardcore History show as well. His current series on World War I is just brutal and draining.



My Daily Phrase Italian
Studio: network@radiolingua.com
Category: Language Courses

What It Is
A one-hundred episode beginner’s course in Italian from the award-winning Radio Lingua folks.

Technical Details
The main show wrapped up its hundred episode run in 2008. All one-hundred main episodes and a few extra one-offs here and there are all available at the iTunes page.

What About It
This project is occasionally just pure folly; so, yes, this is one of those times. My project is this large list of award-winning podcasts – I sample a handful of episodes from each one and decide whether it goes in my rotation. So, I sampled a few episodes from this one. I am not trying to learn Italian; I have had no experience with learning Italian; this podcast is meaningless to me.

0 stars.

Essential If
Your name is Tom Hagen.

Avoid Like the Plague If
Well, you’re not learning Italian; I mean, duh.

Best Entry Point
I mean, Episode 001.

Podcast Reviews!

 

Caustic Soda
Studio: Caustic Soda
Category: Comedy

What It Is
Three comedians and, usually, a guest host discuss disturbing topics.

Technical Details
Episodes run somewhere between an hour and an hour-and-a-half. A new one drops every week or so. Around the most recent fifty episodes or so can be found on the iTunes page. For the rest of the extensive archive, check out the official website.

What About It

So, this show has a really great premise. These three Canadian comedians take a topic with a lot of really disturbing elements to talk about, like say shipwrecks or torture or abortion, and they talk about it with a guest expert while attempting to be funny. And basically always succeeding. The three hosts are all quite different in personality type and they have great chemistry. They usually talk in a more general way about the subject, then move into historical events tied to the topic, then into a pop culture segment where they talk about movies or books that include the subject in some way. Some of these episodes are just insanely hilarious and often very disturbing as well and also really interesting and surprising in terms of the facts they find out. If you can listen to the episode on lice without feeling like things are crawling on you for the rest of the day, you’re better than I am. All in all, this is one of my favorites. Your mileage may vary depending on how squeamish you are.

4 stars.

Essential If
You can’t get enough of Canadians saying “sorry.”

Avoid Like the Plague If
You have ever been offended by any joke about anything.

Best Entry Point
I want to highlight a couple here. First of all, the show often does episodes focused on particular people or even couples. It’s the Evil Dudes or Dames or Duos From History series. Best one for my money? Well, they had do to a two-parter to cover him. Yup, it’s Stalin; part one & part two. But I think the test for you is going to be their episode on infanticide. Yeah, dead babies. Murder, accident, recent, throughout history, human, animal, all kinds of dead babies. So, yeah, if you’re down to spend an hour or so laughing about dead babies, this is the show for you.

Podcast Reviews!

 

CBSSports.com Fantasy Football Today Podcast
Studio: CBSSports.com
Category: Professional

What It Is
A podcast about fantasy football.

Technical Details
When things are really hopping during the football season, the podcast drops a new episode daily or nearly so. Some 230 episodes are available on iTunes. If you think listening to podcasts from three years ago is going to help you dominate your league this year, I guess.

What About It
Well, we all know I’m not a big sports guy, but I do find sports interesting. There are a couple of sports podcasts I listen to on a fairly regular basis. But if sports itself is kind of on my periphery, let me tell you, fantasy sports leagues are just a bridge (or five) two far. This podcast might as well have been in a foreign language for all I was able to understand.

0 stars.

Essential If
Your name is Rafi. Or is that baseball?

Avoid Like the Plague If
You’re imagining some sort of Lord of the Rings/football crossover.

Best Entry Point
Throw a dart.

More Podcast Reviews!

 

Citizen Radio
Studio: WeAreCitizenRadio.com
Category: News & Politics

What It Is
Journalist Alison Kilkenny & comedian Jamie Kilstein discuss the news of the day in a typically angry, but hilarious style.

Technical Details
Episodes are an hour long and a new one drops approximately every day. Explicit tag is decidedly earned. Last seventy-five episodes are available via iTunes. For more, hit up the official site.

What About It
The show is a real winner in my book, though the extreme release schedule coupled with the episode lengths means I simply cannot come anywhere close to keeping up with it. The show is extremely progressive and so the news coverage is liberally (lol) supplemented with angry commentary. That works for me and should for you too, frankly. Because these guys are hilarious. I have to tell you that like the biggest draw for me, since one can get progressive to moderately progressive podcasts all over the place on the internet, is the rapport and chemistry between Alison & Jamie. They’re apt to go from angrily talking about a news story to Jamie throwing down an improv bit: “Okay, I’m Ted Cruz and you’re a, um, a some kind of . . . a voter.” And then they’re off on a real tear. Jamie is often hilarious simply because his bits misfire and turn out rather dumb and because he is constantly sniggering at his own jokes. Seriously though, this show is a masterpiece and a great example of why independent media is the future. Bottom line: you need to be listening to it.

4 stars.

Essential If
You prefer for your political commentary to be interspersed with incredibly sloppy improv.

Avoid Like the Plague If
You know, he’s not perfect, but Ben Carson makes a lot of sense sometimes.

Best Entry Point
Obviously, subscribe and listen to the newest one. It’s a news show. Listening to older ones can be a blast as well, if you spot an episode about a subject you’re interested in. But start with the most recent one. Oh, the most recent one with both Alison and Jamey; occasionally one of them is gone and a guest will fill in. These fill-in shows are also worth listening to; they certainly aren’t bad. But for the full experience, you’ve got to have both Alison & Jamie.

Podcast Reviews!

 

Locked On Jazz
Studio: David Locke
Category: Professional

What It Is
Utah Jazz play-by-play announcer David Locke talks about sports, often with a specific focus on the Jazz.

Technical Details
The show drops pretty regularly. There are short episodes, sometimes under ten minutes, released after Jazz games; the rest of the time, every couple of days, you’ll get a longer podcast, twenty to thirty minutes, of Locke talking about broader issues in sports. The iTunes archive only has the ten most recent episode, so you’ll probably want to hit up the official website on this one. I have no idea why this is considered a “Professional” podcast. It’s obviously a sports podcast.

What About It
I feel like I’m just beating the everloving **** out of every sports podcast I talk about. I guarantee you, there are two sports podcasts that I listen to quite often. I don’t just hate sports podcasts. But this one is not good. I mean, maybe part of my antipathy toward it stems from the fact that when I saw the title on my list of podcasts to try out, I assumed it was a program focusing on jazz music. Which makes, frankly, more sense than there being a team named Jazz in the least jazzy state in America. But anyway, David Locke seems to know his stuff and his stats, but he just talks about things in a pretty humorless and non-colorful way. So this one gets a big miss.

0 stars.

Essential If
You play on the Utah Jazz.

Avoid Like the Plague If
Your first reaction is to think that a Lost character is going to be talking about music.

Best Entry Point
iTunes archive.

Podcast Reviews!