💌Podcast The Newsletter💌

Bonjour.

It's the last week of the swap I'm doing with Paul Kondo of Podcast Gumbo. ICYMI, each week we're getting a podcast recommendation from one of our pals at Bello Collective. Paul and I then listen on our own, and answer the same four questions about our experiences listening. My notes are below, but if you want to read Paul's, you should read them here and subscribe to Podcast Gumbo here.

THIS WEEK'S RECOMMENDER: Galen Beebe, editor at the Bello Collective, recommended the Hidden Treasures episode of American Submitter.

Snippet of Paul’s review: “Honestly, the ‘experimental’ nature didn’t resonate with me at all. I have to admit that when I read Lauren’s review, I began to question if we listened to the same episode. To me, I didn’t feel it was any different than any other interview show. Sure, the daughter was a big part of the episode and following them during the course of their day was interesting. But what was so experimental?”

My review: I recommend going into this episode without knowing much about the show. Just know that it's very experimental and you may enjoy taking some time placing yourself in the story. This episode is an audio documentary that explores the way children see the world. At first, I thought it seemed like random blabbering I couldn't bring myself to care about. It seemed like the kind of stories I hear from my friends about their kids, but when my friends tell me these stories I care because they are my friends. But the more I listened, the more intrigued I became. By the end, I was really invested in the people speaking, and I found myself thinking about them long after the episode was over. I recommend listening to this the whole way through. It's an interesting project and worth a listen. I'm grateful Galen sent it my way because I'm not sure I would have listened to it on my own. And I really appreciate the creative approach to what a podcast can be.

What stood out to you the most?
There was an anecdote I have been rolling over in my mind. One of the voices, a working mom, worries about not spending enough time with her daughter. But then she remembers that as a child, her mom was a working mom, and the rare times she was home felt more special because it wasn't all the time. When her mom was in the house, she said, it felt like an extra light switch was turned on. Her mom turned on a memorable kind of energy when she was there. It made me think a lot about how a) I hope that someone, anyone, will ever say this about me and b) my mom was a stay-at-home mom and we were always together, and I somehow always felt like she was turning the fun light on in the house. It never went out. How did she do it?

How was this different or similar to what you usually listen to?
I think this is different than what everyone is listening to. It's not following typical rules of a story. It's like a hybrid piece of multi-media art.

Who would you recommend this show to?
People who are excited to try out a few podcast format.

Are you adding this show to your listening library?
Yes. I want to see what other episodes of American Submitter are like.

xoxo lp
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👋q & a & q & a & q & a👋

Pod People's Rachael Greening King

Rachael Greening King is Founder and CEO of Pod People. Follow her on Twitter here, follow Pod People on Twitter here.

Hi! Tell us what you do.
I run Pod People, a hybrid staffing agency for audio professionals & podcast production company. We 1) consult, 2) staff up and build teams for audio projects, 3) do full-service podcast production.

Who do you work with?
We work with anyone who wants to make a podcast and has budget for professional help. Sometimes it's an indie show who just needs help from a freelance Editor, staffing up a project for another podcast production company, or creating an entire show start to finish, like we've done for Twitter, Medium, Samsung NEXT, and Brit + Co/L'Oreal.

Are there too many podcasts?
I can't help but laugh when people say this. There aren't even 1M yet! There are 23M YouTube channels alone. And sure, it might seem like there's a podcast for everything, but that doesn't mean they're GOOD. If you consider only quality podcast content, we're still just at the beginning—so many niches are still out there for the taking, if the right show comes along.

Who do you wish had a podcast?
Andre the Giant, Robin Williams, Anthony Bourdain... (sensing an unfortunate trend here.)

What do you love about the podcast community?
They're creative, collaborative, curious, and kind. People who love finding—and sharing—a great story, are my favorite people.

💎BTW:💎

A lot of people have been asking me what they should listen to over the holiday weekend. So if you're looking for something to binge, I hope that this list is helpful. It goes without saying that all of these can be enjoyed alone, but I've sorted my recommendations into categories for FAMILY (old people will like,) KIDS, and FRIENDS. Calm down, I don't know what the emojis mean, either.

I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for you! Quick note: please follow me on Twitter. Starting Dec 1, I'll be tweeting my podcast advent calendar, a carefully chosen podcast episode for every day leading up to Jesus's birthday.

LISTEN WITH YOUR FAMILY WHILE YOU ARE COOKING OR IN LIEU OF WATCHING THE GODDAM THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE
🎙️PodcastPodcast—Listen, if you like me, you will like my show, and you will like my co-host Eric way more. PodcastPodcast is a podcast about podcasts. We have ton of silly segments, like "podcast challenge," where we challenge each other to listen to something new, Jingle Jangle, No Comment, Seggie Stealer, Segment Segment, and more. Eric is the best human being who has ever lived, be prepared to fall in love with him. He will make you laugh your ass off. And you'll get tons of podcast recommendations, which is the whole reason I think you're here in the first place. There is some swearing, but for the most part it's family-friendly. I'd start with the most recent episode (we are on hiatus) and work your way back.😂🥰🎙️👫

🎙️Gravy (Adaptation, Survival, Gratitude: A Lumbee Thanksgiving Story)—Here's a Thanksgiving story that reminds us that not all Native American stories include pilgrims. The Lumbee Indians in North Carolina celebrate the holiday with a hybrid of Native American and Southern cuisine—cornbread, collards and pork. (I am a vegetarian but some of the dishes sound deeeeeelicious.) This is a Thanksgiving story you're not hearing about on all those other podcasts, and it's a reminder of just what Thanksgiving can mean. (h/t Ma'ayan Plaut!) 🍽️🥰📖

🎙️Bad Science (Planes, Trains and Automobiles)—If you're a walking stereotype like me, you watch Trains, Planes and Automobiles every Thanksgiving. (It has my favorite movie quote of all time, "We’d have more luck playing pick-up sticks with our butt-cheeks than we will getting a flight out of here before daybreak."—Del Griffith) Bad Science is a show that brings together a comedian and scientist to break down the scientifically inaccurate elements of popular movies and TV shows. On this episode Sean Tracy and Dr. Jeff Silverman break down one of the best holiday films of all time. Listen before you re-watch the movie for the millionth time. 🦃😂🧪✈️🚂🚗🍿

🎙️Scattered—Comedian Chris Garcia has produced an audio documentary diving into his late father's life and wish to have his ashes scattered in Cuba. It's about a lot more than that. This was my experience listening to Scattered: "Oh wow, how interesting. Oh no! Now I'm laughing! But now...crying. Laughing again! Oh what a good story!" 😂😢🇨🇺

🎙️Finding Fred—a 10-part series about the life, thinking and work of Fred Rogers, and what he can tell us about how to get by in today's chaotic world. If you have memories watching this show, or just are in the mood for some feel-good content, listen to this with your loved ones. And during the sad and moving parts, for which there are many, gather those loved ones in a big hug. This show is a big hug. 😢🥰👵🏰👞

🎙️Mija—Each episode tells the story of how members of narrator Mija's family experience immigration. It's beautiful storytelling that's masterful in its ability to profile characters in tiny bits. If your family speaks Spanish or French, you're in luck. This show is multi-lingual and there are feeds in those languages, as well as English. 🥰🇨🇴🗽

🎙️Deadly Manners—A 10 episode, dark comedy murder-mystery series set in the winter of 1954 that kind of reminds me of a game of funny Clue. Star-studded (voices include Kristen Bell, Denis O'Hare, RuPaul, Anna Chlumsky, LeVar Burton, and more.) Your grandparents will feel like they are listening to old-timey radio, you will feel like you are listening to a new, cool podcast. I think you'll all have fun figuring out whodunnit. 😂🔎👵🔫☠️

🎙️You Must Remember This—Dedicated to exploring the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood's first century. It's extremely well-produced (guest stars have included John Mulaney, Fred Savage, Patton Oswalt, Dana Carvey, and more) and will tell you everything you want to know (and don't) about your favorite movies and movie stars. Suggestions: Star Wars, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Joan Crawford, an entire series dedicated to Charle Manson, and this one on tales of celebrity drunkness. Pick a family favorite (please tell me it's celebrity drunkenness) and dive in. (Many of the subjects are more than one episode.)🎬👵📖🍿

Podcast The Ride—If your family has spent time going to Disney World, or other amusement parks together, allow me to recommend Podcast The Ride, where comedians Mike Carlson, Jason Sheridan, and Scott Gairdner do deep dives into amusement park rides and attractions. Funny, nostalgic, and sometimes informative. I love Disney, and the Disney episodes pull at my heart-strings. 😂🎢🥰

LISTEN WITH FRIENDS
🎙️Santa University Part 1 AND Part 2—Kick off the Christmas season with this table read for Jamie Loftus's screenplay "Santa University." It's hysterical, meta, detail-oriented, and truly brilliant, and some people I LOVE (Jack, Miles, Anna, and Sophie from The Daily Zeitgeist) have offered their voices to the project. Jamie is one of my favorite podcasters, but listening to "Santa University," you really are able to appreciate what a talented writer she is. 😂🎅🎬

🎙️MOONFACE—A fiction show about a Korean American son who wants to come out to his mom, but can't because they don't speak the same language. It's a great story about family and friends, and figuring out who you are. I would say it's great for the whole family, but only if you have a super cool family. There are SEX NOISES. I do not want to be responsible for subjecting anyone to listening to this with their conservative parents. 😂😢🍆👫🎙️

🎙️Doughboys—Nick Wiger and Mike Mitchell perform comprehensive reviews of chain restaurants with other comedians. It's the funniest food podcast, maybe the funniest podcast in general. The best are the ones with Jon Gabrus, but if you haven't started this show you are in for a TREAT because they're all wonderful. Because Thanksgiving is a food holiday, I consider all of them relevant. If you're at the airport and want to stay on theme, listen to the Delta Sky Lounge episode with John Hodgman. 😂🍔😽

🎙️Urgent Care—If your family sucks, listen to Mitra Jouhari and Joel Kim Booster's new show, Urgent Care. Mitra and Joel have a friendship that is so tight you'll want to be a part of it, and the way they help answer listener questions makes you feel like you are. Mitra and Joel find the funny in everyday problems, many of them family-related, so they may help you find humor in the bad family conversations you're having around the Thanksgiving dinner table. 😂👫💕🏥

🎙️Hills I'd Die On—If you're less than thrilled about Thanksgiving, Hills I'd Die On with Taylor Cox has an episode for you—Thanksgiving Stinks with Mike Schur! It breaks down all the holiday's problems, from celebrating colonization to the food that can be bad. It will validate you and make you laugh. 😂🦃

🎙️Punch Up The Jam—One of my favorite podcasts of all time. Host Mel Bredouw invites funny people to bring a song they love (or love/hate) onto the show. They then listen the whole way through, adding hilarious commentary. This show always gives me new appreciation for songs I used to think were annoying. Mel wraps up with a "punch up," where she remasters a funny version of the song. The punch ups are always funnier and often better than the originals. (I cannot believe Mel is able to do this every week.) Start with Amy Miller's episode on Love Shack, or find a song the whole family loves. 😂🎼

🎙️Natch Beaut—Even if you're like me and you don't give a hoot about beauty, you will love Jackie Johnson's hilarious show about it. The holidays can feel like a lonely time for some people, and Natch Beaut always makes me feel loved. Jackie is positive and kind and is all about people doing whatever they need to do to feel better about themselves. If you're super skeptical about beauty, try Atsuko Okatsuka's episode about dancing, Dancing with Grandma. 😂💄💕

🎙️The Dream—Dives into the world of pyramid schemes, multi-level marketing, and all the other businesses that require their members to recruit their nearest and dearest in hopes of a commission. It's a fascinating exposé into companies like LuLaRoe and the havoc it has wreaked on anyone involved. 😱💰

🎙️The Bechdel Cast—Join comedians Jamie Loftus and Caitlin Durante as they put your favorite movies through The Bechdel Test, a measure of the representation of women in fiction that asks whether a work features at least two named women who talk to each other at some point about something other than a man. You will be surprised which movies pass (Mean Girls) and the ones that don't (Star Wars.) Pick a movie you love, or a comedian you know. They're all great. I also recommend watching the movie afterward, for a Podcast and a Movie night. 🎬🦸‍♀️😱

🎙️Running From Cops—I was hesitant to listen to Running From Cops because I wasn't wild about Dan Taberski's project Missing Richard Simmons. But my dad suggested I try this investigative series on COPS (the longest-running reality show in TV history) and it was excellent. It explores the show's cultural impact on policing in America. 👮‍♂️📺🔍

🎙️The Last Days of August—Jon Ronson, author of So You've Been Publicly Shamed, delves into the pornography industry again as he unravels the never-before-told story of what caused a beloved 23-year-old actress’s untimely death. When I first started listening I must admit I thought, "is there really a story here?" But shit gets twisty, what Jon unearths is fascinating, and I quickly realized that yes, there was a real story here, and Jon is the perfect person to take us through it. 🔍🤳😡😦🤯

LISTEN WITH KIDS
🎙️Dr. Gameshow—Jo Firestone and Manolo Moreno play extremely silly listener-created games with other guest comedians and callers from all over the world. It's totally kid friendly, and many of the people who call in are kids themselves!👶😂🎲

🎙️Science Rules! With Bill Nye—On Science Rules!, Bill Nye tackles your curliest questions on just about anything in the universe. I think this show might go over the heads of little kids (the people who call in are fucking smart, and their questions often go way over my head but that's not saying much.) Bill Nye's enthusiasm for science is contagious, plus listening to him hits me in the nostalgia. I, too, have nightmares about climate change, but Bill Nye makes me feel like everything is going to be okay, even though it obviously isn't. 👶🧠👩‍🔬🌈

🎙️Ologies—Another fun science show hosted by someone with a contagious enthusiasm for science. Explore fun topics like wolves, pumpkins (a personal favorite,) dinosaurs, and wizards, with the loveable and hilarious Alie Ward, who does her fucking research and puts on a goddam show every time. I love that she is interviewing non-celebs, just experts who you probably haven't heard from before. God bless this show. 👶🧠👩‍🔬😂

🎙️I Know Dino—If the kiddos love dinos, scoop them up and listen to this show that is full of news, interviews, and discussions about dinosaurs. Husband and wife team Garret and Sabrina are full of facts and fun. Start here.👶🧠🦖

🎙️Everything Is Alive—An unscripted interview show in which all the subjects are inanimate objects. In each episode, a different thing tells us its life story. Start with Maeve (Higgins), Lamppost, Louis, Can of Cola, or Dennis, Pillow. It's a curious, creative show that will get older kids (and you) thinking and laughing.👶💕

🎙️I love you!