Five favorite podcasts
Mar 20th, 2008 by jeremy
I gave up on the radio years ago, I’m pretty sure I haven’t turned on the radio in my car since Sidney started school, maybe 3 years? It’s all iPod all the time now. No more commercials, no more guessing what’s on a station, or wondering if the station is going to be clear, and no more awful music(unless that awful music happens to be the awful music I like). Well something that has come along with that is podcasts. It’s like a radio show, but you download it when it’s ready and listen to it on your computer, burn it to cd, or listen to it on your mp3 player. I listen to a wide variety, and there’s always something interesting if I can’t find a book on tape that I like.
- This American Life. Link to website, link in iTunes - It’s the podcast version of the weekly show that also plays on NPR. It’s the greatest radio program ever made. First person stories and works of fiction all based on a theme for the week. Hosted by Ira Glass. You must give this one a shot. It’s weekly
- 1Up Yours. Link to website, link in iTunes - A games podcast with a roundtable discussion on video games. Very funny, occasional harsh language. Weekly.
- KCRW’s Left, Right and Center. Link to website, link in iTunes - Great political show that prides itself on not being full of screaming pundits like the type you see on CNN or Fox News. Very smart, very honest. The only show I’ve heard in a while that a Republican will actually admit when a Democrat is doing something right or a Democrat admitting when a Republican is doing something right. 1/2 hour a week.
- They Might Be Giants Friday Night Family Podcast. Link to website, link to iTunes. - Great free music and videos to go along with TMBG’s excellent children’s music. Wekly
- Filmspotting. Link to website, link in iTunes. - Great film reviews, top ten lists and DVD reviews. Weekly
More lists of five here.
Try “Wait, Wait! Don’t Tell Me” on NPR. It is a weekly news program that is hilarious. Jordan introduced us to it a few years ago. We sat around the computer and listened to it, just like my parents used to sit around the radio and listen radio programs. I usually listen to it via the internet because I am always busy on Saturdays. We have even gone to a live broadcast at Kingsbury Hall.
I love This American Life. I discovered it in college, and have listened ever since. It has something intriguing every week. They also have a TV show, but without cable, I’ve never caught it.
Jen, the first season is now available at Amazon to download, and I think the DVD is coming out in June. The Showtime series s just as good as the radio show. I occasionally listen to Wait, Wait, but I find some of the people like Paula Poundstone and Tom Bodet extremely grating to listen to (though I enjoy Mo Rocca).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SW16AS/ref=amb_link_5126332_2?ie=UTF8&redirect=true