Lumenskir
05-30-2011, 08:35 AM
So I've recently taken up running which also happens to be the most boring activity ever. To combat this I started to increase my podcast intake but I'm rapidly burning through the archives of the ones I like, so I figured we could use this thread to discuss podcasts and I could surreptitiously harvest leads to new things to listen to.
The ones I'm listening to now are pretty much divided into Comedy Bullshittin' and Entertainment Bullshittin'
Comedy Bullshittin'
-Doug Loves Movies - Normally I'm not a fan of Doug Benson's standup (and he recently inserted a free episode of his standup/Interruption routine that hasn't made me change my mind), but the format he has on the podcast is pretty great. Usually it's just minor comedy celebrity + alternative standup comic + vague stabs at talking about movies, but it's always funny. And the Leonard Maltin game (which is the real star of the podcast) is sort of sublimely genius.
-Comedy Death Ray(/Bang Bang) - Just really funny. Don't attempt to listen if you don't find purposefully bad puns and lots of impressions/wacky characters funny.
-Nerdist and WTF - I'm listing them together because they've reached the "Only listen to episodes where I care about the guest" status. Nerdist is ok, but the hosts are steadily creeping into an annoyance quotient that tends to overwhelm the guests contributions, and Marc Maron has pretty much honed his "Funny people break down their sad pasts" schtick. BUT, a good guest, or even one I just like from other things, can still overpower them and produce a good show.
-How Did This Get Made - Four comedians rip apart bad movies after watching them (it's more of a post mortem evisceration of the movie than a MST3K snark fest). Pretty great, if a little short for some reason. The 'discussion' of the rapey Sucker Punch is amazing.
Entertainment Bullshittin'
-Pop Culture Happy Hour - It's an NPR show, so it's a little too laconic and enamored of its own smelly farts at times, but they're all funny guys and all of them have a great way with describing things.
-Extra Hot Great - The trashy PCHH, I guess, but a lot more hectic and fun. Game Time is usually great, and the Canon discussions (TV episodes that are the Best) are very interesting. They do tend to fall into the annoying "Things I like = Objectively Good; Things I don't like = Objectively Bad" false dichotomy, but they do acknowledge that they're usually wrong anyways and it's a small part of the overall show.
-TV on the Internet - A TV reviewer from the AV Club and his girlfriend or whatever (actually his wife) talk about TV. Pretty much only required if you like TV reviews and discussions about the art form.
NOTE: Yes, the term 'podcast' is a little stupid, and I'm sure if you care enough about it you could find alternative terms that aren't stupid. However, nobody really cares.
The ones I'm listening to now are pretty much divided into Comedy Bullshittin' and Entertainment Bullshittin'
Comedy Bullshittin'
-Doug Loves Movies - Normally I'm not a fan of Doug Benson's standup (and he recently inserted a free episode of his standup/Interruption routine that hasn't made me change my mind), but the format he has on the podcast is pretty great. Usually it's just minor comedy celebrity + alternative standup comic + vague stabs at talking about movies, but it's always funny. And the Leonard Maltin game (which is the real star of the podcast) is sort of sublimely genius.
-Comedy Death Ray(/Bang Bang) - Just really funny. Don't attempt to listen if you don't find purposefully bad puns and lots of impressions/wacky characters funny.
-Nerdist and WTF - I'm listing them together because they've reached the "Only listen to episodes where I care about the guest" status. Nerdist is ok, but the hosts are steadily creeping into an annoyance quotient that tends to overwhelm the guests contributions, and Marc Maron has pretty much honed his "Funny people break down their sad pasts" schtick. BUT, a good guest, or even one I just like from other things, can still overpower them and produce a good show.
-How Did This Get Made - Four comedians rip apart bad movies after watching them (it's more of a post mortem evisceration of the movie than a MST3K snark fest). Pretty great, if a little short for some reason. The 'discussion' of the rapey Sucker Punch is amazing.
Entertainment Bullshittin'
-Pop Culture Happy Hour - It's an NPR show, so it's a little too laconic and enamored of its own smelly farts at times, but they're all funny guys and all of them have a great way with describing things.
-Extra Hot Great - The trashy PCHH, I guess, but a lot more hectic and fun. Game Time is usually great, and the Canon discussions (TV episodes that are the Best) are very interesting. They do tend to fall into the annoying "Things I like = Objectively Good; Things I don't like = Objectively Bad" false dichotomy, but they do acknowledge that they're usually wrong anyways and it's a small part of the overall show.
-TV on the Internet - A TV reviewer from the AV Club and his girlfriend or whatever (actually his wife) talk about TV. Pretty much only required if you like TV reviews and discussions about the art form.
NOTE: Yes, the term 'podcast' is a little stupid, and I'm sure if you care enough about it you could find alternative terms that aren't stupid. However, nobody really cares.