I'm packed and I'm stacked 😇❤️
for podcasts in the Round-Up! Top 5!
Hey Poddy People!
Exciting times ahead. No, not the Techstars-USC program we were vying for. I don’t think we got in. My exciting news was that I was able to create a form that cut my time of work of adding a podcast from 5 minutes to 30 seconds. This is for anyone adding their podcast to Great Pods or even announcing a new season. This version searches the database to see if there are duplicates. I can’t tell you, copying and pasting podcast information for a long time. This is a relief. Updates will happen on the fly and feedback is welcome! https://podcastscreener.com
Next up: Adding a brand-spanking new landing page.
All that chatter about me tightening up the newsletter is out the window. This one is stacked.
Let’s goooooo!
The Round-Up
The Top 15 Critics List, yes, Critics, that was the most clicked on from 2024 is live! Read the full list here. Get to know a professional reviewer, ya?
TL;DR: James Marriot from The Times UK was number one for another year.
The Telepathy Tapes reviews are still coming in and the initial wonder and amazement is starting to wear off.
Gone from Coming Soon (they launched):
The hit true-crime scam podcast, Scamanda, is now live on ABC/Hulu in a 4 episode documentary. I’ve started watching, like with any updated documentary, we get to see past interviews with Amanda and various appearances. Spicy.
The hit true-crime scam stories podcast, Laci Mosley’s Scam Goddess, is also live on Freeform/Hulu. We see Laci going to the towns where each episode takes place and is doing her best getting-to-know-you impressions of the town.
Think Big, Buy Small from Harvard Business School launched its latest season. I’ve heard of the Baby Boomer generation increasingly hitting retirement and therefore, selling their small business versus passing it down over the last two years. It’s a great way to get a head start.
There are a lot of videos, reactions, and podcast episodes dissecting Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Performance. I thought Vibe Check’s high-level discussion of the performance was a good start. Listen here.
On Air Fest 2025 is going off next week with a stacked lineup. Check it out here. I’ll be there running around. Catch me if you can on GP Instagram.
Podcast Evolutions, March 31st, is being held in Chicago, announced their first featured speakers in journalist Ronan Farrow and Audible’s Rachel Ghiazza. More info here.
I was going to attend, but it is literally at the end of Ramadan when we celebrate. I am planning on having someone participate on behalf of GP.
Speaking of Podcast Evolutions, The Ambies Award, Award in Audio Excellence ceremony will be hosted by Handsome’s costar comedian, Tig Notaro, and will be held in Chicago right before Evolutions begins.
Nominees include friends of GP, the news podcast for kids, The Ten News with some of the usuals like Conan and SmartLess. Looking at the list, holy moly, there’s a lot to explore…Full list here.
One of my favorite pieces of content from Tig is a past show with Funny or Die where Tig doesn’t know the celebrity guest and tries to guess who they are. Like she really doesn’t know who they are in a face-to-face interview.
I attended LAist’s newest podcast live recording post-LA fires in Pasadena, Nobody Knows Anything. A light, fun, Hollywood-showbiz game show dedicated to families and firefighters in the community. Hosted by The Black List founder Franklin Leonard, he and his team run fun games to quiz writers, actors, directors, etc. in the industry. Leading to a mad-libs conclusion. The episode I attended included director Jason Reitman, actor and Dungeons & Dragons fan Joe Manganiello (and his pet Chihuahua), and writer Lennon Parham. Listen here.
Pic #2 Left to Right (Franklin, Joe, Lennon, and Jason) Thanks to Katie (Lippin Group) for the invite.
On to my quick picks this week…
Podcast: CRAMPED
Genre: Women’s Health
Publisher: Kate Downey
About: One nerd’s quest to find out why we know next to nothing about period pain. Tired of suffering from "death cramps" with no diagnosis for 20 years, Kate Downey has to look for her own answers. She interviews top doctors and researchers, and delves into topics from Greek history to sitcoms to TikTok wellness scams, all to figure out why menstrual pain is so often dismissed and untreated. What she finds will change how you think about your own body and the medical system. Because having a microphone gets you more answers than having a uterus.
This podcast is relatable to me and I am a guy. I sweat, all your men do need to listen to this podcast. Even if it’s just the first two episodes. It’s packed with pain, knowledge, experience, understanding, and probably more I can’t describe. I know after listening to the first episode I got out of the car and let out a big sigh. A family member was and is going through Women’s health challenges for the last 3 years.
That’s why this podcast is relatable to me. Even doctor-patient relationships are tried, and knowing what your period pains are telling you? Sometimes it can be even worse than a period. For example, emergency room-level pain.
CRAMPED is a great podcast for everyone to start unlearning the bias from our past and start relearning about women’s health. I wasn’t cringing at any of the descriptions of pain Kate or the stories shared. I was more disappointed in the system and past education we had. I could feel the frustration. Kate is quick and clear throughout the podcast with her expert interviews.
My challenge is how do I get more men to listen to this podcast.
• Ear Worthy
“...empowers listeners with knowledge, builds a sense of community for those who have felt isolated by their experiences, and pushes for systemic change. In essence, listeners will be able to laugh and cry at the podcast.”
Podcast: The Severance Podcast with Ben Stiller & Adam Scott
Genre: TV
Publisher: Pineapple Street Studios, Audacy
About: Hi, we're Ben Stiller and Adam Scott. We have severed ourselves from the world for 5 years, making the workplace thriller Severance. While we have no memory of what happened during that time, we thought we should make a companion podcast for all the Innies who will have no recollection of watching, in an attempt to reintegrate them with their memory of the show. This is the Severance Podcast with Ben Stiller and Adam Scott, an episode-by-episode, behind-the-scenes breakdown with the creators, cast, crew, and fans of the Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning TV show.
The podcast logo itself is funny because of the recent talk show appearances of Adam Scott chatting about the running. Clip below.
Regarding the podcast, I am doing what we are supposed to do. Watch an episode then listen to an episode of the podcast on that specific episode. I’m at episode 4 now of the first season. For a podcast or a companion podcast, it’s excellent and satisfies some of the why or what they were thinking. As mentioned in the review below, Adam is knowledgeable in the world of podcasts, and Ben is a tad more reserved, however, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t talk. He definitely does. I think it was special to hear the cast talk about how they all met Ben in the Red Hour production offices and how they all felt emotionally leading up to being cast and filming season 1 during COVID times. This is a good one.
I do like how aware they are of their podcast surroundings. Ben gave a shout-out to all the Severence fan podcasts and teased potentially doing guest spots on those podcasts proactively. Nice.
Cory Barker •
“Stiller and Scott...are passionate and collaborative hosts. Their rapport helps facilitate a good conversation with guests…Stiller is a bit of a revelation to me on this pod…a fascinating look into how stories go from the page to the screen.”
Podcast: Hyperfixed
Genre: Self-Help, Society
Publisher: Radiotopia, Hyperfixed
About: Maybe it’s just a quiet annoyance you’ve grudgingly learned to put up with, or a life defining issue that makes it hard to move forward. Whatever it is, Alex Goldman — reporter, radio producer, and overconfident idiot — will get to the bottom of it (if there’s a bottom to be found. Results may vary). Follow Alex as he figures out not only the vast hidden mechanisms that create these problems, but works with you, the listener, to find a solution. Or at least enough of an explanation that you’re ok with the annoyance. He’s not perfect.
Curiously told, I couldn’t find myself annoyed at some of the challenges people have never done, like driving a car at a later age. Not that late, but not 16. Alex sets up the premise and conversation with podcastable guests. I ended up rooting for the normal, uneventful episode. Maybe that’s what I needed. A low-stakes podcast that I could root for.
Storytime: Speaking of driving, I learned to drive a stick at a later stage. However, I was only in 3rd or 4th gear in my education. I had gone to Bombay to visit, and a friend asked me to drive. Firstly, on the other side of the road! Secondly, manual stick on the left hand! Thirdly, IN INDIA!?!? Non-US driving is another level. I managed, but only going to 3rd gear and never leaving it. I probably ruined my friend’s engine.
There will be a live podcast taping Hyperfixed at On Air Fest this year and I think major tears are going to flow based on the topic. I’ll report back.
Chiara Sagramola, Giacomo Bagni •
Italian: "Spirito investigativo e umorismo caustico permeano Goldman… Hyperfixed è insomma un riuscito tentativo di tornare a trovare, nello spazio audio, quella modalità narrativa tutta incentrata sulla potenza delle storie raccontate con cura, per solleticare la mente e la curiosità delle orecchie di chi ascolta.
English: Investigative spirit and caustic humor permeate Goldman … Hyperfixed is a successful attempt to return to find, in the audio space, that narrative mode entirely focused on the power of carefully told stories, to tickle the mind and curiosity of the listener's ears."
‘Top of the Pods’ time this past week on greatpods.co!
Bed of Lies - The Telegraph
The Rest is Classified - Goalhanger Pods
Sidebar: A Suits Watch Podcast - SiriusXM
The Telepathy Tapes - Ky Dickens
The Severance Podcast w/ Ben Stiller & Adam Scott - Audacy
Stay safe, be kind, and feed the needy.
Listening with you,
Captain Ron
Great Pods is your best friend in podcast discovery. Get immersed in engaging critic reviews and ratings to help you decide on your next podcast listen. Tell a friend!
I can’t keep it a secret much longer- new podcast Surviving Trump launching mid March. Stay informed, have a few laughs, avoid the insane asylum
No evolutions? Weezer: https://youtu.be/ENXvZ9YRjbo?si=FSKhTJrO06gr3lnJ