Time to get downloading
We all thought that podcasting had peaked after Serial took us all for a spin back in 2014, however there's been a massive surge in newbies well worth tuning into. From sordid one night stands to barbed criticisms of the most powerful people on earth, there's a whole world of internet talk shows to explore below.
Celebrity Podcasts
Podcasts aren't just an everyman's game anymore, a number of famous names have started getting involved. Lena Dunham's Women of the Hour is basically sixty minutes of the Girls actress fangirling over her formidable female guests, while Anna Faris doles out relationship advice on the widely popular Anna Faris is Unqualified. (She recently touched on her separation from her husband Chris Pratt, in a heartbreaking message to a listener.) We're also 150% here for Broad City's Abbi Jacobson's ten episode series with MoMA A Piece of Work, where she takes listeners around one of the most prestigious art galleries in the world and asks the most accomplished artists, curators and celebrities everything you thought was too dumb to ask.
2 Dope Queens
Subscribe to 2 Dope Queens on iTunes.
If you’re at all familiar with The Daily Show, then you’ll know it was a hard day when the programme lost snarky queen Jessica Williams. However if you still want a dose of her signature wit (and deep dives into feminism, racial identity, sex, hair, romance and more), then 2 Dope Queens is absolutely the place to be. Hosted by Williams and her best friend Phoebe Robinson, the royal New York residents release an episode every Tuesday and they’ve amassed such a fanbase that they’ve started doing live shows too.
Girlboss Radio
Subscribe to Girlboss Radio on iTunes.
While you may know Girlboss more for the cancelled Netflix series or Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso’s biography, it’s actually become a thriving website for young women trying to become badasses in their own way. It didn’t take long before they launched an inspiring career-oriented podcast hosted by Sophia, where she talks to women making their mark in the world in whatever way possible. With an aim towards ‘redefining ‘success’’, the show does exactly what it says on the tin with everybody from feminist Roxane Gay to Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe speaking about their personal journeys. More recently, the podcast was pulled into the limelight after Gwyneth Paltrow admitted on air she ‘fucked it up’ with Brad Pitt so there’s some salacious tidbits to be had.
Pod Save America
Subscribe to Pod Save America on iTunes.
Every time I talk to somebody about podcasts, I always bring this one up. Hosted by Jon Favreau (no, not that Jon Favreau), Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor, each episode is a ‘no-bullshit conversation about politics’ with a few shenanigans thrown in. They’re not your average podcasters though - the main hosts Jon Favreau and Jon Lovett both worked as speechwriters for the Obama administration so they really know what they’re talking about. Now that Trump’s taken office, the podcast has become a go-to resource for explanations about the unsettling developments behind the seemingly jokey Donald Trump quotes, covfefe tweets and memes - providing a deep dive into American politics with silly comedy, informed insights and an occasional glimpse of what it was like working for Obama behind the scenes. You’ll also want to marry Favreau and Lovett almost immediately.
My Dad Wrote a Porno
Subscribe to My Dad Wrote a Porno on iTunes.
Okay, so just hear me out. A guy called Jamie found out his father moonlights as an erotica writer called Rocky Flintstone, so he called up his friends and they decided to do dramatic readings of it for an audience. It’s even more hilariously awkward than it sounds, as Flintstone’s epic Belinda Blinked is quite possibly the worst thing ever written and the best thing ever read aloud with other people. Following the sordid tale of Steeles Pots and Pans sales director Belinda, Jamie and his friends James and Alice spend most of their time figuring out how human anatomy works and cracking up as she sleeps her way to the top of the ladder. For some reason, the little podcast that could has now amassed a gigantic international audience and regularly bring on celebrity fans like Elijah Wood and Daisy Ridley. One thing’s for sure: you’ll never look at pomegranates the same way again.
Guys We Fucked
Subscribe to Guys we Fucked on iTunes.
Described as an ‘anti-slut shaming podcast’, stand up comedians Corinne Fisher and Krystyna Hutchinson definitely kiss and tell. It sounds like it’s fodder for the worst podcast ever and started off as conversations between the girls and a special guest - who’s somebody that one of the girls has slept with. Naturally, the podcast is hilarious and also hilariously embarrassing at times but since its early episodes, they’ve attracted big names such as Stoya, Amber Rose, Dan Savage and more. While sometimes it might be hard to keep it together on your commute, they’re doing good work by doing away with the stigma around sex with a handful of jokes in tow.
