Favorite Podcasts - 2022 Edition
In March of 2017 some folks did a thing called “Try Pod.” It was an effort to get more people listening to podcasts. I shared my favorites, then and have now published updated lists for 2018, 2019, everything went on hold in 2020, picked it back up in 2021, and now I realize I’m due for my annual blog post. (I should really post more often.)
When I listen
When I first wrote this list, I was sitting in traffic, commuting to an office multiple times per week. I’d literally have hours to listen - and at 1.5x speed, I’d get through a lot. Today, I leave the house a few times a week, and often for very short trips. When the sun’s not trying to kill everything in its path, I’ll walk or ride my bike and I’ll often listen to a podcast or an audiobook then. But we’ve hit our 37th day over 100 degrees F this summer, and we’ve not seen a high temperature below 90 since before Memorial Day. What I’m saying is, it’s hot, and my time for listening to podcasts has slowed greatly. So I’m down to primarily listening during chores.
In Memoriam
We said goodbye to a few podcasts this year. Reply All and Ask Me Another both had their final episodes since I last posted. Ask Me Another was cancelled by NPR, and Reply All was cancelled by their own toxic culture
Weekly Listens
So, in no particular order, are the podcasts I still listen to.
New to the list this year is Majority 54, a politcal podcast focused not just on liberal politics, but how we can pursuade others to join our majority. It’s hosted by Ravi M. Gupta and Jason Kander, and their analysis and interviews with subject matter experts. (Sometimes NSFW)
This Week in Google (TWiG) is largely about consumer technology, and how that impacts our lives. TWiG is hosted by Leo Laporte, as part of the TWiT Network, and features cohosts Jeff Jarvis and Stacey Higginbotham as they cover the latest news about Google, Facebook, Journalism, and connected smart home devices.
Judge John Hodgman (of The Daily Show and Apple’s Mac vs PC ads) is a fake internet judge. People bring him disputes - from who should drive during a road trip to whether or not a husband should take up taxidermy as a hobby to how often a couple should eat at the in-laws house. It’s funny, and honest, and a great listen.
Stuff You Should Know is one of the most informative shows I’ve ever listened to. Josh and Chuck take on a topic, do their own research, and then sit down in front of microphones and share their takeaways from their research. I’ve learned about serial killers, microscopic organisms, anesthesia, and even DB Cooper.
Oh No Ross and Carrie They try out fringe science (healing crystals, electric brain stimulation, cults) so you don’t have to. (NSFW)
A few more of my favorites
I may not get to them every week, but I listen as often as I can.
- Pop Culture Happy Hour - NPR writers and a rotating series of guests discuss pop culture - movies, tv, books, comic books, and more.
- All About Android - Weekly show about Android phones and apps
- Dead Pilots Society - comedy tv shows that were written, sold to networks, but never made it to the pilot. They get a staged reading on this podcast (Potentially NSFW)
- Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me - NPR’s weekly news quiz show