My favorite podcasts

Recently I wrote on Facebook about the Nerdist Podcast.  I've been listening to it for about 9 months -- cannot even remember why I started downloading it -- but it quickly became my favorite.  Here's why, followed by a shortlist of other favorites that I download and listen to regularly as I jog around London's parks or do the dishes.


The Nerdist podcast  -- Hosted by comedian Chris Hardwick and sidekicks, Jonah and Matt, this is 1 to 2 hours of interviews and banter devoted to nerd culture and nerd humor.   Hardwick often has comedians on -- Adam Carolla, Sarah Silverman, Doug Benson -- but quirkier choices too like Chris Anderson from Wired, Weird Al Yankovic, Jon Hamm.  The key to the show's appeal, imho, is that Chris Hardwick is such a naturally good interviewer and really funny and nice to boot (yes, I'm crushing a bit -- sorry!).  The dynamic with his friends is hilarious.  They are sweet nerds (with a lot of swearing) who talk about their weight and back problems and struggles with doing standup.


http://www.nerdist.com/category/podcast/



Slate Political Gabfest --  Slate editors Emily Baselon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss current political news.   Good discussion and analysis.  Emily covers legal and Supreme Court stuff interestingly; David is abrasive but funny and passionate free speech advocate; John is more middle-of-the road, wonky, and poll-citing.


http://media.slate.com/media/slate/Podcasts/Gabfest/gabfest1.xm


KCRW's Left, Right, and Center -- Format and tone similar to above but panelists are 20 years older and thus tend to cite the New Deal and Eisenhower a little more. :).   Matt Miller (Center) moderates panel of Robert Sheer (die-hard lefty), Tony Blankley (Right winger with charming personality and irritating accent --  cross between Boston Brahmin and posh British) and Arianna Huffington (LOVE the accent) of the blogosphere (replaced temporarily by guest panelists including Mary Matalin during the AOL acquisition of HuffPo).  Things can get pretty heated, especially between Bob and Tony.


http://www.kcrw.com/news/programs/lr


Slate Culture Gabfest -- Slate editors Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner (?).  Same as Political Gabfest but for culture.  Veers interestingly and chaotically from high-brow to low-brow -- Justin Bieber, foodies, Gwen Stefani, post-modernism, Huck Finn controversy, the Academy Awards, etc. 


http://media.slate.com/media/slate/Podcasts/Culturefest/culturefest1.xml


Real Time with Bill Maher -- More political talk and/but quite funny as well (Maher's a comedian).  His monologues at the end can be quite profound.  Guests, usually three, have included Cornel West, Arianna Huffington, Janeane Garofalo, Eliot Spitzer, Paul Begala, Michael Steele and lots more conservatives whose names I can't remember.  Maher, used to be more of a libertarian, asks panel frustrating questions so many liberals are always asking themselves:  why is Democratic party such a bunch of weenies?  Why do so many poor Americans consistently vote against their own best interests?, etc.


http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/real-time-with-bill-maher/id98746009




In Our Time with Melvyn Bragg -- British intellectual/commentator Melvyn Bragg in discussion with three specialists -- historians or literary critics or philsophers -- on questions of historical import and/or about historical phenomena:  The Oracle of Delphi in Ancient Greece; the Dao, the Industrial Revolution in Britain, Cleopatra.  Really fun.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/iot


WTF with Marc Maron  -- This podcast got a recent write-up in the NYT, but please note I was listening well before!  Maron is a standup comedian who also did a stint on Air America for a bit.   Deeply insecure, wears his heart on his sleeve in a big way about his life, relationships, foibles, angst. etc.  He invites fellow comedians on (some of them his friends and former friends), using part of the time to process his relationship with (and often jealousy and resentment of) them as well as just shooting the shit about comedy and fellow comedians along the way.  He is frequently laugh-out-loud funny. 

http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/wtf-with-marc-maron-podcast/id329875043


Slate Double X Factor -- Three Slate female editors -- Hannah Rosen, Jessica Gross, and usually a rotating third one, talk about issues specifically affecting women.  They are particularly good on media moments like the Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, female pols -- Nicky Haley, Sarah Palin, and Hilary Clinton, issues like bullying and reproductive rights, etc.  They also do a spin-off book club which is incredibly good -- heard them on Jonathan Franzen's Freedom recently. 


http://media.slate.com/media/slate/Podcasts/doublex/doublex1.xml


Rachel Maddow Show -- I discovered her later than most.  Like Bill Maher, she scratches your outraged liberal itch and it's great to hear a strong woman's voice after so many male voices on politics.


http://podcastfeeds.nbcnews.com/audio/podcast/MSNBC-MADDOW-NETCAST-MP3.xml