Helga Recommends: Podcasts

This blog features my opinions, but I don't talk too much about individual things that I like beyond rating and reviewing the books I read and occasionally other things as well. I spend a lot of time in the car, so in addition to my dependency on audiobooks to help pass the time (and actually cross books off the TBR list), I have developed a rotation of podcasts that I listen to every week. Podcasts are more portable than audiobooks, which I listen to on CD, and I listen to them while doing chores, or at the grocery store, or any time I want to tune out reality. This requires subscribing to many podcasts.

My podcast rotation includes:

Pop Culture Happy Hour: All of the credit/blame for this weekly NPR offering goes to PCHH evangelist and my dear friend Margaret (@MrsFridayNext), who repeatedly referenced it until I had to listen in order to make sense of her effusions. I didn't start at the beginning, and it wasn't until later that I finally figured out Linda Holmes was also the Television Without Pity recapper Miss Alli, whom I had diligently followed through many TARcon and other recaps. It was truly a moment of squee. The show is a minefield of music, book, comic, and movie recommendations that you will want to follow through on (AT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY).

Extra Hot Great: Tara Ariano and Joe Reid are also ex-TWoP gurus. EHG is a forum in which they--and designer Glark (David T. Cole)--weigh in on pop culture with a variety of delightful (usually TWoP-related) guests. They have several regular segments, but my favorite is inevitably Game Time, in which Tara and Joe face off and answer pop culture trivia questions. They often talk about shows I don't know or care for, and despite this I find myself listening attentively.

Slate's Culture Gabfest: This podcast is hosted by Slate talking heads (usually Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner) and features three segments each week, followed by a round of endorsements. As with PCHH, the endorsements usually lead directly to interlibrary loan requests. Unlike the first two podcasts I listed, the Gabfest emphasizes "culture" rather than "pop culture," and the subject matter ranges from insanely popular to rarefied. One of my favorite recent moments was when they went to see the Justin Bieber movie and dissected it as seriously as possible.

Only a Game: Every time I listen to this WBUR show, which features interesting, journalistic stories about different sports, I end up wishing it were twice as long. Bill Littlefield is a knowledgeable and gracious host, and I often ending up purchasing the featured books for the library. I also enjoy the weekly review of sports news that Littlefield does with the always-gregarious Charlie Pierce, derailed as it often is by Charlie laughing at his own jokes. Also known as: The Sports Show for People Who Don't Really Care About Sports.

Hang Up and Listen: Another Slate offering, this time with a sports angle. Hosted by Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and the always verbose Mike Pesca, Hang Up and Listen offers three loosely-themed segments a week, plus a trivia question hosted through their facebook page. The segments are hit-or-miss for me; sometimes I just don't care about the NHL playoffs (sorry!) or the Masters, but I do appreciate the panel's insight into sports in which I have an investment.

Judge John Hodgman: You know those longstanding arguments that you have with your friend or spouse over what is the correct way to do something (such as whether one should have dish soap in the sink dispenser, or hand soap) or pronounce something? Neither of you are going to budge, and it's not something you could ordinarily go to court to resolve. Enter Judge John Hodgman, who is prepared to rule however he sees fit. Usually neither party seems quite satisfied with the results of his ruling, but his extemporaneous pronouncements and dry humor make this podcast well worth listening to. Its shorter running time is also ideal for a quick commute or trip to the store.

I could go on for much longer, but I will try to just quickly mention a few more in the interest of having an awake audience at the end of this post. I also listen to classics like This American Life and Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! (shows I would listen to on the radio if I were ever actually near a radio at the time they're on) and have been experimenting with Radiolab, Book Lust, and the SF Signal podcast. The latter is a bit heavy on the male commentators, but has some interesting panel discussions about SF. If you have a podcast recommendation for someone who likes pop culture, books, and sports (not necessarily all at the same time), please leave it in the comments!

I am going to finish with a short comment about donating. These shows aren't produced without some cost, and I try to donate when I can. I've supported NPR, of course, as well as This American Life and Judge John Hodgman. If you find yourself spending a lot of time listening to podcasts, I suggest that you do the same!