The podcasts that cured my train rage
Kaye Ford
If you take a look at my Twitter feed, it’s mostly full of memes and tirades against the London underground. Coming from a city like Hong Kong where all the transport is blisteringly efficient (okay, maybe not right now but we’ll not go into that), it was a real shock and still stresses me out. I honestly think podcasts are the only things that have prevented me from having a meltdown on my work commute.
Given that there’s no phone signal on the tube, I usually download a whole stack of podcast episodes before entering the piss-scented world below the surface. In fact, Spotify dropped their Year Wrapped feature for 2019 today and - according to the data they took from my account and definitely have not sold onto some shady targeted ads agency - I spent 10,709 minutes listening to podcasts on the train.
My Spotify Wrapped 2019 podcast data
That’s 178 hours. That’s over a week spent listening to Harry Potter geeks, true crime podcasts and Conan O’Brien’s nasally voice.
For more on which podcasts have kept me from fighting someone shoving into an overstuffed train carriage, here ya go.
Keep It
Last year, I was really into this political podcast called Pod Save America - a show centred around three former Obama staffers (one of which is a man named Jon Favreau I learned DID NOT direct Iron Man).They had launched a spin off show under their network Crooked Media this year called Keep It!, which is a show about the intersection of pop culture, politics and social issues. So, my jam.
Run by entertainment writers Ira Madison III, Louis Virtel and a rotating third guest host, it’s covers ridiculous entertainment news in the week while delving into American politics, as well as issues of race, sexuality and more. Each episodes features a weekly rundown of the week’s biggest entertainment topics, funny and sometimes intense interviews with stars as well as their eponymous segment Keep It - where they talk about things/people/topics that are truly Trying. I still miss Kara Brown.
Start with:
Catch and Keep It (with Ronan Farrow) - Friend of the Pod Ronan Farrow (one of the three journalists who cracked MeToo wide open) talks about his reporting, how Hollywood’s changing plus Martin Scorsese’s anti-Marvel vitriol
The Queer World (with Karamo Brown) - where Ira gets into an intense debate with Queer Eye star Karamo over the politics of using the N word and what it means to black culture
Basically any episode with Louis Virtel covering Awards season because the man is an e n c y c l o p a e d i a.
Listen to Keep It! here.
Potterless
My love for Harry Potter has always been lukewarm at most, but this podcast was such a joy to listen to - so much so that I binged all one hundred of its episodes. The premise of the show is simple but brilliant: a 24 year old man named Mike Schubert has never read Harry Potter before and decides to read it for the very first time. Each episode covers Schubes’ snarky and hilarious observations about the Harry Potter world (including where are the adults? Is Dumbledore kind of a monster?) as well as some of his way off base theories on how each book ends. Spoiler: he is only sometimes right.
Besides his velvety voice and assertions that he really, truly, did take Latin in high school, each episode also features a rotating Harry Potter-obsessed guest - ranging from the organisers of Leaky Con through to his girlfriend (now fiancee) Keli Beckman who inspired him to create the show. The podcast starts off incredibly rough audio-wise and is a little stilted to start, but once Mike finds his groove it’s impossible not to binge. Plus, it’s way more fun than rereading the books in my opinion.
Start with:
Honestly, you might need to start with the very first episode? If you’re keen to get a taste of it, any episode starring Mike’s best pal Eric Silver honestly had me in laughing fits. If you’re looking for some hot geeky Harry Potter knowledge, whenever Spirits podcasters Julia Schifini or Amanda McLoughlin are on they also bring a cool academic quality to the show while being pretty funny.
Listen to Potterless here.
Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend
There’s something hilariously melancholy about talk show host Conan O’Brien’s podcast. It ended up being one of the most pleasant surprises this year: for me and for him, as he says multiple times that he didn’t think the podcast would actually go anywhere. Claiming that he has no friends, he explains regularly that the podcast is actually a bid for him to make some. Each episode sees him get into a super deep conversation with a number of incredible comedians, stars and one time even Michelle Obama - meaning not only is each episode hilarious, but it also makes it easier to be more selective if you see a comedian you like.
Since he’s (ironically) mostly interviewing his friends or comedians he already knows, there’s an awesome manic improv energy to most episodes - sprinkled in with a few pretty deep conversations. Given that he’s also a former SNL writer, whenever he has an SNL alum on there’s always a few fun anecdotes from their days at Rockefeller. His assistant Sona Movsesian and podcast producer Matt Gourley are also recurring hosts, who Conan regularly torments and give as good as they get.
Start with:
His Lisa Kudrow episode is one of my favourite interviews ever. It turns out that they have a long friendship dating back to when they were both doing improv classes (way before she even landed Friends) and it’s a really wholesome, hilarious chat that’ll make you wonder why the hell Kudrow isn’t drowning in comedy work all the time.
Other great episodes include his Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Stephen Colbert, Bill Hader, Kristen Bell and Will Ferrell episodes. And, duh, Michelle Obama.
Listen to Conan O’Brien needs a friend here.
The Catch and Kill Podcast with Ronan Farrow
Ronan Farrow’s made an appearance on this list as a podcast guest, but the man has somehow found the time to launch his own podcast series. Hosted by the Pulitzer prize winning journalist himself, Ronan talks about the process of him uncovering Harvey Weinstein’s darkest secrets complete with recordings he actually took at the time; plus interviews with key players and sources at the time.
There’s only a couple of episodes out at the moment, but the first one is a total shocker - it’s an episode where he interviews the Ukranian spy who was hired by Harvey Weinstein to tail him, who ended up flipping and becoming one of Ronan’s sources/friends.
Start with:
Not a lot choice here as it’s only just started, so go with the first one.
Listen to The Catch and Kill Podcast with Ronan Farrow here.
You Must Remember Manson
This is actually an older podcast, but I started listening to it in the lead up to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as I had to write a few things about Sharon Tate. Forget the controversial Tarantino film - this deeply researched crime podcast is both parts gripping and devastating. Detailing everything from the lead up to Manson even moving to California through to his eventual imprisonment, the show spends each episode unpacking different aspects of the horrific story that might get overlooked.
From illuminating Sharon Tate’s life (and not just her death) through to unpacking why The Beatles were so important to Manson - plus what its band members even thought of the Helter Skelter murders - it’s a twelve episode series well worth listening to.
Start with:
It’s only twelve episodes and you can’t exactly miss out chunks, so start with the first one.
Listen to You Must Remember Manson here.
Slow Burn (Season 2)
Like You Must Remember Manson, I started listening to this podcast primarily for work research and it’s hard not to binge. I was too young to remember the Bill Clinton impeachment scandal, but that’s exactly what this entire podcast is about.
Delving into the events leading up to the Clinton scandal, the show actually hits on a lot of topics that feel quite prescient today in light of Me Too, the current Trump impeachment cycle and the fact that both Monica Lewinsky and Hillary Clinton have made their comebacks. Plus, there’s a few interviews with some pretty interesting people that were involved with the whole mess.
Start with:
The first one.
Listen to Slow Burn (Season 2) here.
Comedy Bang Bang
An oldie but a goodie, Comedy Bang Bang is the improv comedy podcast. Run by host Scott Aukerman, each episode features a rotating cast of actors/comedians. At some point however, another person improvising a character is thrown into the mix - sending the studio into chaos as comedy gold is made in real time (though sure, there are some duds).
Start with:
Any episode that has Ben Schwartz or Jason Mantzoukas on, as the pair of them have insane comedic chemistry with Scott - with an emphasis on the insane.
Listen to Comedy Bang Bang here.
Fat Mascara
If you’re a beauty geek, this is one for you. Run by two beauty editors, it’s a fun deep dive into what’s happening right now in the world of make-up, skincare and haircare - full of witty expert commentary. From unpacking some pretty wild beauty trends through to what it’s actually like being a beauty journalist at fashion week, this is more of a niche one but well worth it.
Start with:
Ep 143: When Are You More Than Just an Influencer
Ep 152: Obsessed with Glow with Patrick Ta
Ep 155: Red Lipstick Rules
Listen to Fat Mascara here.
Podcasts I’m excited to listen to in 2019
There’s a ton of podcasts I still haven’t gotten around to yet - and I also really want to start trying out some podcast dramas, since there’s apparently a huge world of them! Here’s a few podcasts I’m going to be listening to in the coming months:
The Last Days of August - a podcast centred around the dark side of the pornography industry and the events that led to August Ames suicide
Moonface - a drama about a gay Korean man struggling to connect and come out to his family in California
Shagged Married Annoyed - I’ve been recommended this by so many people
Spirits with Julia Schiffini and Amanda McLoughlin - a classical literature podcast which unpacks all your favourite epics with a modern day twist
Happy Place with Fearne Cotton - anybody who interviews Mary Berry is golden to me
Slow Burn (season 3) - the new season focuses on the death of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G.
The Adam Buxton podcast - I found out about his Hamilton parody and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since