Recently, Goulash confidante P-Diddy got an iPod. He wanted to get into listening to podcasts, but he didn't really know where to start. He asked me and, like a jackass, I told him the name of a solitary podcast that I enjoy. Well, let the record show that I only waited a week and a half before correcting that! Following are my favorite podcasts available on the iTunes for free.
1. The Sound of Young America. This show is usually just a weekly interview, but I like it for a couple of reasons. First, the host, Jesse Thorn, is very amusing. Second, Jesse almost always selects an excellent guest (as the whitest man alive, I'm not such a fan of the hip-hop centric episodes). If you're looking for a good intro to the show, get the one with Paul F. Tompkins from late August.
2. This American Life. Lots of people already know about this one, and for a good reason: it's great. In case you're unfamiliar, it's a weekly show where a few different people share stories of things that happened to them in real life. This is my gym podcast, and it's why I'm the only dude giggling on the ellipticals. Sometimes, it's a bit depressing. For a good intro to this one, get the one entitled Break-Up from late August. I loved the story on there about a lady writing a break-up song who then sends it to THE Phil Collins for feedback.
3. It's All Politics. If I listen to political news for anything longer than 15 minutes each week, I want to coat myself in bacon grease and leap into a lion cage. Luckily, It's All Politics is exactly 15 minutes each week. The hosts do a good job of making the week's political news entertaining and informative, and they're not afraid of a pun or two. Dean Zyvarb introduced me to this one. No need for a gentle intro on this one.
4. KEXP Live Performances. I'll admit that I don't know half of these bands, but I consider that a good thing. The archives are definitely worth perusing. I also like how short these are.
5. Hanselminutes. This one is more for the developer crowd; it's just Scott Hanselman picking a topic each week and doing an interview on it. I skip a fair number of these, but he does a good job of covering a ton of ground from week to week, from the ultimate development machine to Iron Ruby. In case you're wondering, there's no show on sex robots yet.
And what about podcasts that I scorn? Yes, there's actually a podcast that I actively despise.
1. All Songs Considered. Half of these shows, where they're sampling the new releases of the week, are great. The other half of the shows, where Bob Boilen decides to fondle himself while only featuring Portuguese music, are a complete waste of time. Also, some of the concerts they distribute are insanely long -- over three hours, sometimes. Who, besides Bob Boilen, has an entire afternoon to devote to Femi Kuti, whoever the hell that is?
Aaaaaaaaand that's it. Did I miss any?
Posted by Cody at September 27, 2007 7:25 PM