Decisions, Decisions, Decisions🥴
Sue Knight and Bombing on stage + just added and charts
Hey Poddy People!
Welcome back to the weekly Great Pods podcast recommendations newsletter, where we curate podcasts from professional podcast reviewers/critics. If you didn’t know they existed, well, now you do.
I just came back from one of the biggest podcast conferences, Podcast Movement, which was held in Denver. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Did the elevation bother me? Also, yes.
Let’s go!
The Round-Up:
The first of many picture recaps of Podcast Movement-Denver is on Great Pods Instagram.
Disney announced a new Frozen podcast at Podcast Movement. The original stories will take place after the storyline of Frozen 2. Launching in October. Trailer here. That’ll be great for my nephew and nieces.
Nickelodeon announced Are You Afraid of the Dark? official companion podcast exclusively on Audible. Launching end of September. Trailer here. This will be great for me.
More kids? Yes! The Cat in the Hat is launching a new podcast with Wondery. Launching mid-September. Trailer here. That’ll be great for all of us.
Broccoli Productions (Human Resources, We Were Always Here), is giving out five £1,000 grants for your potential podcast. The BUILD GRANT is open globally except in certain countries. (I read the terms and conditions). Check it out here.
Indie Sci-Fi, Hell Gate City’s new season launched today. Listen here.
Small Town Dicks is branching out one of their podcasts and the new season started yesterday: The Briefing Room. Trailer here.
Strike Force Five is firing up on the US charts including Great Pods with no reviews yet. Strike Force Five is cohosted by Late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers. During the Hollywood strikes, the non-exclusive Spotify-produced podcast will support each of their TV staff. Trailer here.
The Kid-Friendly news podcast, The Ten News marks its new season this week. If Tracy (creator and ex-colleague of mine) is reading this, I’m ready for that million-dollar vacation. There was a get-to-know-the-team episode. Listen here.
Podcast Critic, James Marriot from the Times UK, was a guest on an episode of Quick Book Reviews. He discusses his review process within the podcast and book review space. If he ever writes a 4 out of 5-star review, consider it amazing. Listen here.
Next week is the 3-year anniversary special of the Great Pods newsletter. What should I do?
On to my picks this week…
Podcast: Bombing with Eric Andre
Genre: Comedy
Publisher: Big Money Players Network, iHeartPodcasts
About: Join stand-up comedian Eric Andre every week as he hangs with his friends to talk about BOMBING. They talk about their worst moments bombing on stage, in public, in life, under the influence and many more gnarly stories that may or may not involve audience members throwing a punch.
Storytime: I was co-hosting a Bhangra (South Asian) dance competition in Downtown LA many years ago. On this occasion, I thought maybe I should do a parody of a song right before intermission. The song was Cuban Pete from I Love Lucy. Unfortunately, I didn’t workshop it and the instrumental music didn’t extend throughout the bit. Long story short, among 2,000+ audience members, I started the song, and I will tell you, it was a disaster. You could hear a pin drop when I did the song, and see my friends’ faces in the middle of the theatre shaking their heads in embarrassment. I bombed royally. Worst night ever.
This podcast is 100% relatable to everyone who has felt that way regardless of being on stage or in class. It could be, that you took a chance in front of an audience and it didn’t pay off. However, we are 100% stronger for it. This podcast is funny too, because like myself, years later you are able to look back and laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.
It is NSFW with stories of road trips to comedy clubs and some classic Eric Andre potty humor shenanigans are sprinkled in.
Stephen O. • Podcast Delivery
“The balance of shock humor and intimate chit-chat is what makes this podcast absolutely worth it.”
Side Note: I have the DVD of me bombing and no one will ever see it.
Podcast: Under Cover of Knight
Genre: True Crime
Publisher: Apple/Spoke Media
About: In 1996, Sue Knight was found dead in her Athens, TX, home. Her will named a loose acquaintance as the executor of her estate, but after an alleged phone call from the CIA and a dire warning from the local sheriff, the executor stopped asking questions. More than 25 years later, Sue’s memory haunts the town of Athens and the people who knew her. Who was Sue, really? Why did this English expat settle in small-town Texas? And could she still be alive?
The structure of the narrative style is different. Taking over most of the episodes of the podcasts are the townspeople who knew Sue meanwhile an occasional host chimes in to direct questions. I get a feeling it’s a little like influenced by Song Exploder in that way, Hrishikesh Hirway always does the intro and edits himself out for the majority of the podcast. Similarly, Under Cover of Knight makes its way in that direction. I really enjoyed the reporters gathering at the end to discuss what happened in that particular episode. Ties up any questions.
Lucy White • Independent.ie
“...it transpires Knight had “a bunch of aliases”, with several different documented surnames before arriving in Athens. All good reasons to binge this 10-part puzzle...”
Side Note: Shoutout to BBS’s (Bulletin Board Services) of the 90s. #Nostalgia
Podcast: Tiny Huge Decisions
Genre: Society, LGBTQ
Publisher: APM Studios
About: This is a story about two people – best friends Mohsin and Dalia. And one potentially life-changing decision: will she carry his baby? It’s emotional, intimate, and more than a little complicated.
The initial two episodes have me thinking this is a normal podcast about surrogacy so far. I am of South Asian descent and know all too well of religious restrictions. Mohsin, a Gay British Pakistani man, is sharing his story of becoming a Dad in an intriguing and important listen. However, I am invested in and waiting for the Muslim society/community's reaction. How does Mohsin & Dalia deal with it? I hope there is an episode of it. Society has its way of rearing its ugly head around these topics.
Hollie Richardson • The Guardian
“...a long discussion spread over six fascinating episodes about the big question...”
MVP (Most Viewed Podcasts) Aug 21 -Aug 27:
5. Scamanda - Lionsgate Sound
4. The Witch Trials of JK Rowling - The Free Press
3. Under Cover of Knight - Apple/Spoke Media
2. The Retrievals - Serial
1. Dear Alana - TenderfootTV (2nd week at #1)
Just Added This Week
The Trial of Lucy Letby - Mail Metro Media
Weight For It - ohitsBigRon Studio
KaBrazen - The LAM Sisterhood
Handsome - Fortune Feimster, Mae Martin, Tig Notaro
Ticket 2 Anywhere - Ticket 2 Anywhere Podcast
Over My Dead Body (Gone Fishing) - Wondery
The Big Flop - Wondery
Ad Lucem - QCode
The Bones Brigade Audio Show - Larry Ransom
Blowback - Blowback
The Santiago Boys - Evgeny Morozov / Chora Media
The Metallica Report - Metallica
Headlong: Missing Richard Simmons - Dan Taberski, Pineapple Street Studios, Topic Studios
Late Night Whenever - WNYC
Night Call - iHeartPodcast Network
The Habitat - Gimlet
A Gay and A NonGay - Dan Hudson, James Barr
Fall of Civilizations Podcast - Paul Cooper
The Nocturnists - The Nocturnists
Stay safe, drink water, and remember, you’re doing great!
Listening with you,
Captain Ron
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