Every Podcast I Try And Listen To
For a while now, you've probably seen me take really dumb selfies with these things that look like a douchey Bluetooth Headset with the bands that should belong to eyeglasses for boomers at the beach.
Obviously, they aren't airpods or beats headphones but those from a company called “Opium” (which is very unfortunate). They are, to sum it up gracefully, very cheap headphones, but ones that are perfect in that I don't worry if they get damaged or lose the bass over time. It's just sorta, there.
Anyway, any normal human would be listening to Spotify, maybe the Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift maybe whatever anime soundtrack is going on at the moment.
But most of the day. I'm listening to voices in my head. And those voices, are podcasts!
Statically, there are more podcasts in the world than there is the population of Australia. Some of which are podcasts in Australia!
Hell, I have two podcasts myself, Game Shows I Suppose and A Podcast With Jordan Hass, the almond joy of listening, sometimes you want to ramble about game shows, sometimes you don't.
But I just wanted to take the time right now to promote and shout out a few podcasts I ACTUALLY listen to. And want to give the quick plug to.
Most people, don't really listen to podcasts they plug, but it's really nice they want to promote.
If you're a friend of mine who has a podcast, SORRY I FORGOT ABOUT YOU, I'll be sure to check it out some other time.
First, I have to continue plugging STRUGGLE SESSION. Leslie Lee III and Jack Allison have continued to be one of my favorite listens when they update. It's easy to just say “leftist media critique”, but it's one of the podcasts that's actually not afraid to actually add a cultural impact to every movie, video game, or television series. It's not afraid to take a contrarian stance that “HBO Watchmen isn't good” while at the same time, be with the mass populi over the importance of Metal Gear Solid and Blade.
It's not a movie review show, it doesn't try and be this big research project. It's a really well thought out, series about the truthful nature of Hollywood, and the geek culture it manipulates.
Jack also has a book coming out soon with Kate Shapiro called Kill The Rich, check it out!
Next is TV SHOW AND TELL. And, look, I'll be honest. Game Show Podcasts are all over the place, most of the time you get the “Reality Show” recap types, or you get great interviews like “Tell Us About Yourself”. I like to think those shows are for the more serious professional. And I'm merely a jackass saying “WOW, I REALLY LIKE PRESS YOUR LUCK, HERE'S WHY!”.
But, television is a business. And TV Show and Tell Us hosted by two professionals in the industry. David J. Bodycombe and Justin Scroggi. Both have written, produced, designed, formatted multiple game shows, reality shows and competition shows to know the inside-out of how it works.
Everything from how a game show gets made, from early idea, to pitch, to selling it to test pilots to casting contestants and hosts, to sound design and even post production edits, season changes and yes, tie-in board games and video games and apps are documented.
It shows the human side of the toughest business in town, and how the sausage gets made in any distribution outlet, from broadcast to cable, streaming to YouTube. It's not for the faint of heart who aspires to be a game show host or wants to sell “the next big game show sensation” - you'll hear about crashes, bad breaks, ideas not landing, dreams being shattered, and real tests of determination and success when it comes to that bizarre world.
Continuing my Game Show fascination, I want to quickly talk Under Consoletation a lovely podcast by Ash Versus and Luke Owen about a 90s Video Game Competition Show in the UK called Gamesmaster.
I've talked about Gamesmaster in a GSIS episode, to me, this show was gaming for “90s kids” in the UK the same way people want to talk about Nick Arcade, Video & Arcade Top 10, Video Power, Starcade, or even G4 shows like XPlay and Arena.
While each episode is a recap of what happened in the episode, what games were played, reviewed, or “in the consolation zone” (the shows tips, tricks and cheats section) it serves as a starting off point about gaming in the Tony Blair years, and the big jumping off point from Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo to the PlayStation One and Top Skater cabinets in the end.
The podcast is a love letter to video games, game shows, and just those kids in their 30s who have nostalgia, but understand that not everything “holds up well”.
And while they have rebooted the series, there is another reboot in process.
Continuing my “British Podcast” list, one of the most clever, and long running comedy podcasts is that of CHEAP SHOW the “economy comedy podcast” that goes to charity shops, dollar stores (or Pound stores), and thrift stores to sort the trash from the treasure. Hosted by Paul Gannon (Digitiser) and Eli Silverman (Barshens) each episode has, cold opens where the hosts hate each other, colorful scatological improv characters like “Richard Brandoff”and “Jimmy Biscuits”, and various segments where they taste test snacks, sodas, noodles, sauces, candy or enjoy strange vinyl finds (which Eli should play as a DJ, if he knows what's good for him!) and even odd board games based on game shows, outdated trivia and other niche that makes it unique, the highlight is “The Price of Shite”, a recurring segment where they try and guess the Goodwill Value of various bizarre items audience members brought in, or that Paul and Eli bought against each other, all to win elusive “P’twings”. My favorite episodes are the “Urinevision” send up of Eurovision (duh) and the occasional “Gannons Golden Quests” where Eli, Paul and a Guest get lost in the woods in an effort to play more “outdoor” challenges.
There is so much effort for a show where they say cum within two minutes.
A guilty pleasure podcast favorite of mine, is Bryan Quinby’s “Guys: A Podcast About Guys”. The best way to describe the show quickly is “a comedy podcast about guys and their subcultures”
The Jordan in me wants to say it's probably the best cultural anthropology podcast around, based on the cultures of the Internet, and in real life, and what happens when people take their hobbies and obsessions and make them their Identity to the point of taking things away too seriously. From comedy nerds who are obsessed with “Chive”, to bowling addicts who fell Bowlero is the downfall of a sport, to people who keep reptiles as pets leaving yelp reviews of pet stores for not having foreign creatures.
Along for the ride is Chris James from “Not Even a Show” a live comedy show where he gets into hot water every week with brilliant prank calls and ways to troll the Internet. As he tries to figure out at the end of the episode, when is Bryan going to flub a “South Pork” or bring up AEW.
It feels like a show that Comedy Central would have made in 2006 in the vein of Tough Crowd.
Purple Stuff Podcast is a monthly podcast hosted by Matt from Dinosaur Dracula and Jay from Sludge Central as they go through all that Nostalgia they remember from the 80s, 90s and even 2000s.
When you were a child of the 2000s and remember their websites being the first to talk He-Man, Count Chocula, McBoo Buckets and more, you feel obligated to join them on the podcast ride as they now compete against each other in a draft-style format over the best “Discounted Sodas”, “Halloween Costumes” and “Saturday Morning Cartoons” as they remember sucking on TasteTations, renting WWF PPV Tapes at Mom & Pop video stores and try and decipher what Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades are all about.
I try and limit the podcasts from Podcast Companies, because I REALLY HATE AD READS, but one of my favorites, to the point I pay AD FREE on Patreon is Podcast the Ride. A lovely podcast by three comedy writers and actors who have a love of theme parks and the stupidity that comes with IP based attractions.
Each episode focuses on a ride, an Attraction, a memory of Disney/Universal/SixFlags or theme parks from around the world and America that guests want to share.
Highlights include a 19 part series exploring universal city walk, and it's sequel, downtown disney, it's usually switch to “Hauntcast the Fright” exploring Halloween Horror Nights, Oogie Boogie Bash, Haunted Houses at SeaWorld, Knott's and Six Flags, and it's continuous multi part series looking at The Haunted Mansion, each yearly episode a new part of the ride and JUST that part of the ride, from the moving hallway, to the gallery, to the dance hall, maybe they'll get to the basement!
And yes, they have covered who wants to be a millionaire play it, fear factor live, and Spiderman Turn Off the Dark.
Wrestling Podcasts are weird, and yes Wrestling Observer is one of the long running ones. Of course you could take time talking Dave Meltzer.
And while I am a VERY ACTIVE Listener of Bryan and Vinny show for it's retro reviews, and fun comedic review template.
I need to showcase my favorite member, Jim Valley. I'm not a professional wrestler, I'm not even one that likes that “smart mark” booking bonanza online. Wrestling is a live theater stunt show. And Jim Valley has continuously, every chance he has had to get on the microphone, been essentially my voice in the matter.
From the outlook of how children might view this live action cartoon series, to the powers the Internet has on accessing the history of wrestling all over the world, to how most viewers are more “casual” and are willing to break logic if it means having a fun time.
Jim knows it's about fun, Jim comes from the travel and theme park world as well. I'm pretty sure he's the only other person that probably said hi to Christopher Daniels when he was working the Waterworld Stunt Show.
While yes, I listen to follow up on the news of this bizarre entertainment, Jim’s perspective brings optimism when necessary, and shows a huge heart to all wrestlers who perform every night, television or otherwise.
Parasocial Relationships suck ass, and it's sort of wild to still consider The Jeff Gerstmann Show a part of my weekly adventure. I grew up GLUED to GameSpot every week with On The Spot, and later, Giant Bomb (but not so much anymore), so when Jeff left to try going solo, I was curious. From Energy Drink Reviews to Playing Every NES Game, he's trying to cover everything.
The Jeff Gerstmann Show is a very lengthy podcast about video games and the industry. From games that are out, to the news of the week to emails about what lies ahead with Game Pass, Overselling Features, and Casting.
But, for me, my favorites are the monthly “Jeff Gerstmann Hall of Fame” showing off an important game in history, and “Game Boyz 2 Men” a podcast where Glenn Reubenstein take a HUGE TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE as they talk about converting video games while teenagers, the fast growing side of gaming in the early 90s, moving from magazines to websites, and how low payimg, overtime playing games, and how it breaks people physically and mentally. They also talk about great places in Penaluma, CA, which, as a Southern California kid myself, makes the experience even more enjoyable.
Alex Ptak and Jeremy Kaplowitz are two VERY FUNNY FRIENDS O’MINE and I'm one of the few SCRAMBLED EGGS that tune into Quorators. While other, VERY LAZY BROTHER THEMED PODCASTS look towards Yahoo Answers Reddit, and Emails, only one podcast dares to ask “what the fuck is Quora?” with the craziest questions, answers and stories every week. It's by far one of my favorite series that come up every week.
It's Goku Jewish? What should I do if I piss my pants? Can a teacher get arrested for confiscating my Pokemon Cards? And so much more, really dumb questions left to explore. IN THE NAME OF EDUCATION!
I know, I listen to WAY TOO MANY PODCASTS, well WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE is a classic “weird news story” podcast, as they count down five news stories that make you say the title of the podcast, but the secret sauce - THE SOUNDBOARD. that's it. They have ads, I skip them.
I will be honest, there is a huge backlog of doughboys episodes and I will probably never listen to them. That being said. I LIKE TO MUNCH, and this podcast is all about Chain Restaurants. Hosted by MIKE MITCHELL (and Nick Wiger) each week, a new restaurant is covered, a guest stops by to talk their guilty pleasure foods and ultimately review the chains to see if they belong in “the golden plate club”
Reality TV Warriors is a long running reality television podcast. If you're ever wondering how I got interested in game shows from all over the world. It was through Michael and Logan. My favorite things to go into are the active recaps of The Mole as they have catalogued EVERY challenge from the series. And go back into archives.
They were the first to yell me about The Traitors, and The Genius before it got that Internet Cult appeal from the weird Survivor Sociopaths.
And Lastly, I'll save my PROBLEMATIC FAVE FOR LAST, and talk about the recent Spotify Podcast, Strike Force Five a podcast hosted by all five remaining late night talk show hosts to benefit the writers and crews that are suffering from the strikes.
Each episode has a different “main host”, rather it's Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, Jon Oliver, Stephen Colbert or Jimmy Fallon, and they are all in the call together essentially talking over each other, and trying to heckle each other in one giant roast.
While it's fun to hear Kimmel talk retirement, Fallon hating podcasts, Oliver hating everybody, Seth feeling ignored and Colbert having the wildest time with the U.S. Judicial System, it does have TONS of ads for Pepsi and Mint Mobile and Casa Migos and I'm glad that money is going to the staff, but HOLY SHIT, the anecdotes break every so often that is like “oh that reminds me, so after a show i—” “PEPSI IS CELEBRATING 125 YEARS BY HAVING A DINER IN NEW YORK, AND BRINGING BACK CRYSTAL PEPSI”
On one hand, it's the rarest time in television history with all these strikes, but it's another that everybody is together, You would never see Jay Leno and David Letterman do this stunt. Hell, the last writers strike involved WHO MADE MIKE HUCKABEE (something I suspect Colbert, Stewart and Conan are all going 1-2-3 NOT IT these days)
Instead, you get Jon Oliver being very scorched earth, and Jimmy Fallon being the dumbest guy alive (he thinks rivers are like Water Park lazy rivers) but also, admittedly the funniest version of Fallon I've witnessed. It's honestly a very charming podcast that I know the second the strike is over, they will continue being buddy buddy and be friends.
Or, snap each other's neck.
FUN FACT: Colbert has nicknames on his phone for everybody. Steve Allen for Fallon, Joliver for Oliver, Boom Chicago for Meyers and Crank Yankers for Kimmel.
And that's it. Yes, I'll get around to going back to Chapo Trap House, Talking Simpsons, and whatever other podcast you want. But for now, GIVE ME A BREAK THIS IS A HUGE CHUNK OF PODCASTS THESE DAYS.
