Hotel, Motel, Whatchu Gonna Listen Today?
Sayyyyy More! +Transracial adoption, Trevor and just added!
Hey Poddy People,
It’s a Friday edition of the newsletter! I am almost done editing this one original video for Great Pods Instagram and YouTube. Follow and comment because I’m going out on a limb here. Eeek.
I went to campus yesterday and one student without knowing much checked out the website and validated it. It wasn’t an ego boost, but a feel-good moment to keep going. I needed that.
Let’s GOOO!
The Round-Up
Ashley Flowers (Crime Junkie) was making the press rounds along with a lot of SiriusXM on their roadshow. As I was sitting at the dentist with Kelly Clarkson’s show in the waiting room, Ashley showed up! Kelly is also on SiriusXM. Watch her segment here.
Speaking of Ashley, she was on HGTV personality, Mina Starsiak Hawk’s (Good Bones) podcast Mina AF. Probably a better episode on learning about Ashley than a quick 10-minute TV segment. Especially the hardships and building a business from your passions (I gravitated towards) alongside the social media crap they have to deal with. Episode here.
Mina AF critic review: “same warm and inviting persona that she revealed for years on HGTV’s Good Bones.”
I was looking into more on Trevor Noah’s podcast history with Luminary and noticed Dave Chappelle, Talib Kweli, and Yasiin Bey’s podcast, Midnight Miracle is now being released on all platforms. It was formally exclusive on the Luminary platform. Does that mean Talib and Yasiin’s Black Star album which was ONLY released on the podcast will be available everywhere?!
The Kid Mero, formerly of Desus & Mero, is leaning more into the audio business with his new podcast Victory Light with The Kid Mero, and now with NBA star Carmelo Anthony, called 7PM in Brooklyn produced by Wave Sports + Entertainment. Swifties should know about Wave Sports + Entertainment because they produce New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce. I will admit the 7PM in Brooklyn show art kind of goes hard. Trailer soon.
Entries for The Ambie Awards are closing TODAY. If you have a podcast, get to it here.
Tosh 2.0? Comedian Daniel Tosh (Tosh.0), one of the early commentary viral video clip shows on cable, launched a podcast with iHeart this week called The Tosh Show. Skimming through the first episode it’s definitely Daniel Daniel Tosh's brand of comedy.
Pod Meets World is on tour. Check out information for your city here. Tonight, they are in LA tonight with special guests, Mr. Feeney, Kimmy Gibler, and Stephanie Tanner. A TGIF crossover I didn’t know I needed. Yes, I’m using their character names.
And That’s Why We Drink has announced its Spring 2024 tour. More info here.
Side note: I use “love” a lot in this edition.
On to my picks this week…
Podcast: Say More with Dr? Sheila
Genre: Comedy, Improv
Publisher: Amy Poehler, Audacy, Paper Kite Podcasts
About: In the world of feelings, there are winners and losers, and somebody has to be the judge. World-renowned, self-proclaimed couples therapist Dr? Sheila invites you to sit in on her private sessions with clients. (For legal reasons, Dr? must be said in the form of a question.) Each week, a new couple…and a new puzzle to crack. You’ll get to hear, and benefit from, many of her famous techniques as she counsels patients on overcoming disagreements, dealing with an overstepping mother-in-law, navigating open relationships, and much more. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show, because the best way to feel better about yourself is to compare your problems to the problems of others.
It’s a star-studded comedy cast of friends with Amy Poehler in this LOL comedy pod. In under 30 minutes, I ripped through 3 hilarious episodes in no time. At least once per episode, Amy breaks character with her guests because the improv is just too ridiculous, and the podcast is better for it. At the end of each episode, there are behind-the-scenes funny discussions on how they thought a comedy bit was going to go.
One comedy bit, it’s a small one, but I love, is poor producer Liz. She always has to validate Dr? Shiela’s parking.
I was reading comments on one of the posts for the podcast and everyone was pointing out Lisa Kudrow’s character in Web Therapy. It is hilarious and probably true, however, in podcast land, it sure looks like a straight parody of the real couple’s therapist Esther Perel, and her podcast, Where Should We Begin?
Just in the first episode and you’ll know the context when you listen, is the website rabbit hole Dr? Shiela goes down: “love.net to love.com to love.nut to nut.but(t)s.” She also references it in episode two as a sponsor. I love call-back jokes!
Giacomo Bagni / Chiara Sagramola •
Original review in Italian: "Say More with Dr? Sheila non è il classico podcast pieno di celebrity invitate solo per macinare ascolti senza curarsi del mezzo audio, ma è piuttosto un contenuto squisitamente pensato per il mondo dei podcast...creando cortocircuiti di involontaria comicità che Poehler e i suoi ospiti sono bravissimi a ricreare.
English Google Translation: Say More with Dr? Sheila is not the classic podcast full of celebrities invited just to rack up listeners without worrying about the audio medium, but rather it is content exquisitely designed for the world of podcasts...creating short circuits of involuntary comedy that Poehler and his guests they are very good at recreating.
Random tangent: When I hear the name Sheila, I always think of the Bollywood song that was all the rage a decade ago. I dare you not to bob your head.
Podcast: DAWTA The Podcast
Genre: Personal, Society
Publisher: Dionne Draper
About: Dionne Draper and Lisa Marie Simmons are both black, transracial adoptees and the hosts of 'DAWTA The Podcast'. Dionne Draper is the writer, actor and producer of 'DAWTA' a semi-autobiographical multi-media work that centres the experiences of Sarah a transracial adoptee. Lisa is a multi-disciplinary storyteller born in the US, adopted by a white family, subsequently re-homed to a white adoptive mother and her Black husband, and raised in Boulder, Co. DAWTA The Podcast centres on themes in Sarah’s transracial adoption, with special guests and a 'Therapists View'. Each episode covers complex, challenging and always heart-warming stories of the transracial adoptee experience, and the powerful path to self-actualisation.
Yes! This is the educational and perspective podcast that checks the boxes. Learning something new and terms I’ve never heard about. I didn’t know adoptees from different races and adopted into white families were considered transracial adoptees. There’s also a thing called The Fog (episode one) where adoptees come to realization and ownership of their life, their culture,
Fascinating to learn about transracial adoptees, the term, and what it means to them.
The first episode is titled “The Fog” where transracial adoptees break out of their white upbringing and take ownership of their culture. I mean, there’s more to it than what I am saying. Regardless, this is great, open, and honest.
Reviewer Gregg(who is white), mentioned that Dionne is in his extended family and didn’t really see her race being a problem from his view as a kid.
Gregg Stockdale • The Podcast Geek
"To say it is eye opening is an understatement. There are things discussed here that would never have crossed my mind. Ultimately, it is as funny as it is heartbreaking. Even the sadder parts of their life stories are met with humour and strength."
This is the growth in us I love.
Podcast: What Now? with Trevor Noah
Genre: Conversational
Publisher: Spotify
About: Hear Trevor Noah in a way you’ve never heard him before. “What Now? with Trevor Noah” is a show wherein each episode Trevor will go deep with a special guest, including entertainers, CEOs, actors, athletes, and thought leaders. These are the kind of conversations that happen behind the scenes, full of radical candor, authentic back-and-forths, and honest reactions, with Trevor bringing to bear his classic, effortlessly playful and equally probing style.
“Hear Trevor Noah in a way you’ve never heard him before.” No, I’ve heard him this way before. The podcast industry really needs new words for the description of podcasts. It’s giving me “we talk about anything and everything” vibes. Sorry, I had to get that off my chest.
I was looking for an example of his previous podcast with Luminary, but they scrubbed the podcast. Except I found some episodes here on Google podcasts.
The good stuff: Trevor Noah is always great and even-handed in conversations, even now. The first 10-minute introduction was by far my favorite of the podcasts because it’s him chatting about his life and thoughts. This is good stuff. Like his behind-the-scenes at The Daily Show when he thinks through an audience question.
Paraphrasing: He brought up an experience at a gala where he heard conversations that started with “I wouldn’t say this in public, but…” and his response “If we can’t have these difficult conversations in public, what hope do we have.” That’s my Trevor.
The rest of the episode with The Rock is standard conversation. You do get some tidbits, but overall, we know it already. The retelling of Trevor’s first time on stage in Johannesburg was great.
Fiona Sturges • Financial Times
“the advantages of celebrity-led podcasts that the hosts can bring in big-name interviewees.”
Just Added This Week…
Due volte che sono morto - RAI
Say More with Dr? Sheila - Amy Poehler, Audacy, Paper Kite Podcasts
ODB: A Son Unique - Novel, USG Audio
Salad With a Side of Fries - Jenn Trepeck
28 Dates Later - iHeartPodcast Network, Novel
Crime Waves: Cold Truth - Faceplant, QCode
Moriarty: The Silent Order - Audible
Sound Judgment - Elaine Appleton Grant
Boss Class from The Economist - The Economist
What Now? with Trevor Noah - Spotify
Where It's At: A Short History of Girlbands - BBC
Top of the Pods this past week on greatpods.co (November 6th-12th):
5. Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers - Josh Meyers, Seth Meyers - New
4. The Wedding Scammer - The Ringer - New
3. Ghost Story - Wondery/Pineapple Street Studios
2. Moriarty: The Silent Order - Audible
1. The Kids of Rutherford County - Serial, The New York Times
Did I miss a professional review to be added? Submit it here.
Did you want to add YOUR podcast to the database, especially for a new podcast or season? Submit it here.
Hang in there, take a breath, and be kind to one another.
Listening with you,
Captain Ron
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