As quarantine continues, people have started to get into the groove of things. But if you’re running out of shows to binge-watch and yeast to bake bread, perhaps try adding a podcast to your quar-routine.
Podcasts are a great way to keep your mind stimulated and hear a new voice outside of the people you’re self-isolating with. Plus, there are podcasts for nearly every niche: news, true crime, entertainment, educational – well, pretty much everything but the kitchen sink.
Our staff has gathered a list of our favorite podcasts that are keeping us sane throughout this quarantine. They’re available on the Apple Podcasts app, as well as Spotify.
The A24 Podcast
If you’re a movie buff like me, watching films is only half of the obsession. What I love about the medium is that it’s a calculated collaboration between directors, actors and everyone else who has a hand in the movie-making process. When I’m not watching a movie, the next best thing is listening to filmmakers speak about their creative processes and hearing how much care goes into each scene.
This is where The A24 Podcast comes into play; produced by the film and TV studio of the same name that brought movies like “Moonlight,” “Midsommar” and “Lady Bird” to life, The A24 Podcast is a conversation-style podcast that brings together two filmmakers in each episode to discuss their current projects, their film industry experiences and more. Episodes include conversations between Sofia Coppola and Paul Schrader, the acclaimed writer of “Taxi Driver,” and a reunion between “Superbad” stars Michael Cera and Jonah Hill.
The best part of The A24 Podcast is its lack of structure that allows guests to go in depth about their filmmaking process or go off on tangents without the confines of an interviewer-guest dynamic. Whether you’re a casual moviegoer or a dedicated cinephile, The A24 Podcast’s engaging dialogue between creatives is always a pleasure to tune into.
Race Chaser
Race Chaser is a podcast hosted by “RuPaul’s Drag Race” rebel Willam, and season five queen and All Stars season two winner Alaska. Every Wednesday, they recap every episode of “Drag Race” that is on at the moment, or they recap episodes from past seasons, which they call “Classique.” It’s fun, wild and filled with references for deep “Drag Race” fans. On Fridays, their “Hot Goss” episode drops, where they discuss issues in politics, current events and take “a deep dive into the DMs” reaching into their Instagram messages and sometimes pulling out questions that need advice from their listeners, as well as sometimes d*ck pics.
This is my favorite podcast, and listening to Alaska and Willam lifts my spirits and laughter levels while I’m taking my neighborhood walk or have it blasting out of my phone speakers as I work from home during this self-quarantine. Follow the dolls on Instagram: @racechaserpod, @willam and @theonlyalaska5000.
Why Won’t You Date Me?
The premise of “Why Won’t You Date Me?” is exactly what it sounds like: a single woman asking why people won’t date her. Hosted by the boisterous but hilarious Nicole Byer, the podcast explores love, sex and just life in general, and the weekly guests typically analyze her online dating profile. Spoiler alert: there’s mentions of big dildos she’s taken photos with. At the end, they answer the question that’s probably been burning in Byer’s mind for years—would they date her? The podcast has featured celebrity guests like Jameela Jamil, Rachel Bloom and drag queen Trixie Mattel, but some guests are even guys who Byer has hooked up with before.
And if Byer’s name sounds familiar, it’s because she’s also the host of the Netflix bake-off show “Nailed It!”
This podcast gives me a look into a variety of dating experiences and outlooks, which I appreciate since I, like Nicole Byer, have been single for a while now (which is kind of awkward for me to admit).
The Joe Rogan Experience
The show’s host is retired martial arts fighter, stand-up comedian and current ringside commentator for the UFC, Joe Rogan. The show is a long-form podcast that is usually a few hours long and is available on most platforms free of charge. In my opinion, the best way to enjoy the show is on YouTube, where you can actually see the guest talking, but can always just listen if your attention is diverted or you just want some background noise.
Rogan interviews guests that come from various backgrounds about a multitude of topics in a relaxed and intimate one-on-one setting. Rogan isn’t pressured by any time constraints, and so he constantly breaks off into tangents about fitness, religion, politics and even aliens in a “highly” intelligent way. The cool thing is that since the show was created in 2009, you can actually browse through tons of episodes that will include your favorite celebrities as guests. At current count, there are up to 1,454 episodes to choose from!
Some notable guests have been Robert Downey Jr., Elon Musk, Wiz Khalifa and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. My personal favorite episodes are Rogan’s interviews with infamous whistleblower Edward Snowden, egyptologist John Anthony West and boxing champ Mike Tyson.
Pack-a-Day
This show was created by Packer fan Andy Herman and can be found on Cheeseheadtv.com, along with iTunes and Spotify. Although Herman does not always host, as a Packer fan myself, I appreciate the daily podcast talking about my favorite NFL team. The show is usually about half an hour long and sometimes has special guests from the industry and even Packers players who join in and chat with the hosts.
When I was growing up, ESPN hardly ever talked about the Green Bay Packers, and the local TV stations in Los Angeles definitely didn’t. I had nowhere to get my fix for Packers football, and this show gives it to me because it’s specifically meant for Green Bay Packers fans. Even in the offseason when I’m suffering from NFL withdrawals, they keep me distracted and always find something to talk about like free agency, what prospects in the draft would fit well in the organization or the general state of the team. My favorite episodes are when the creator and owner of the podcast is the host, because his knowledge of not only the team, but of players all over the NFL and college football, is outstanding. I specifically enjoy the month leading up to the NFL draft because Herman does very thorough research on prospects and talks about who he thinks would make the team better. You don’t have to be a fan of the Packers to enjoy this podcast, but it helps.
