The Big Edition ✍️
5 pod recs + Pod Evolutions + ETC ETC ETC
Hey Poddy People,
Hello to the new subscribers! I hope you enjoy your stay here at Casa de Great Pods. I’ve been MIA from the newsletter. You know when you have something and it’s almost ready to go, but life’s ups and downs come at you? This was me. So we are jumbo-sizing this version from the usual three picks to dropping five podcasts and planning on another edition. Also, it’s Ramadan, so I have Ramadan brain. No promises. On that note, LET’S GOOOO!
The Round-Up
Did you watch the iHeart Podcast Awards? New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce winning Podcast of the Year. Catch the replay and the winners list here.
The Ambies Awards also happened last week. I was there and got red-carpet interviews. Slow Burn: (Season) Becoming Justice Thomas earning Podcast of the Year. Check the replay below and the winners list here.
Here’s a little bit of a preview from The Ambies red carpet coverage with Podcast of the Year winner, Slow Burn host Joel Anderson:
More on Podcast Evolutions in the next edition.
Shoutout to The Podcast Academy for letting me grab content for a second year.
Serial, yes, THE Serial launched season 4 about Guantanamo Bay. More on that in the next edition.
Crooked Media announced their live tour across the states. Long-time readers know I love live podcasts and having seen Lovett or Leave It live, it’s great fun. They just announced their national tour. Tour dates here.
Therapy For Black Girls with iHeart is going with Therapy For Black Girls Healing in Real Time: A Live Podcast Event hosted by licensed Psychologist Dr. Joy Harden Bradford at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, GA on April 12th. Ticket info here.
If you’re like the many people who made Suits #1 on Netflix, then this is for you. SiriusXM announced a new Suits rewatch podcast with the stars, Patrick J. Adams and Sarah Rafferty. No links yet.
If you haven't read this in the podcast news universe, there’s a bit of investigative drama from some top podcasters.
Andrew Huberman from the Huberman Lab podcast has been exposed for having multiple girlfriends in reports. Read the initial New York Magazine piece here. Ariel from Hot Pod had a follow-up from readers who would continue to listen and those who would stop. Read that here.
Jay Shetty (On Purpose), the so-called monk turned self-improvement with celebs while being called out initially for his quote stealing in his early rise to fame, now is the subject of a Guardian piece for not even really being a monk, though he relies heavily on that persona. Read that Guardian article here.
On my picks this week…
Podcast: A Muslim & a Jew Go There
Genre: Spirituality, Current Events, Politics
Publisher: Instinct Productions
About: A Muslim & A Jew Go There is a brand new podcast produced by Instinct Productions, hosted by comedian David Baddiel (author of ‘Jews Don’t Count’) and politician Sayeeda Warsi (‘Muslims Don’t Matter’) who will take on whatever controversy hits the headlines each week, providing context and discussion around current political and cultural events involving and affecting British Muslims and Jews. Covering topics from antisemitism in the Labour party and Islamophobia in the Conservative party to debating concepts like ‘racism hierarchies’, ‘non-visible minorities’ and ‘victim olympics’, as well as tropes and stereotypes, and the Middle East and its impact on Jewish and Muslim communities in Britain, this topical, often funny podcast will go there in a way others might not dare.
Across the board, it’s a pretty decent conversation. In the podcast episodes I’ve listened to, there are few pushbacks and a lot of agreeing. Maybe this is just a reminder of how much we are alike. I was interested in how South Asians in the UK differed from those of us in North America. Outside of pronunciations, it’s quite similar. It’s good that this podcast is out.
James Marriot • The Times UK
“This podcast is good-humoured but serious. It’s almost depressing how weird it feels to hear polite disagreement on this subject.”
Podcast: Stolen: Trouble In Sweetwater
Genre: True Crime
Publisher: Spotify Studios
About: Season 3: Trouble in Sweetwater Violence. Retaliation. Disappearances. The Navajo Nation is 27,000 square miles of remote terrain with just over 200 tribal police officers. This season on Stolen, Connie Walker’s investigation into the cases of two missing women leads her on a search for justice in a place where people say you can get away with murder.
Just like the Pulitzer Prize-winning second season, you have a well-investigated, structured reporting from Connie Walker. She’s interviewing family members and the police along the way. You can sense frustration from all parties. The police showed up two hours late, the police say they showed up on time. There are no police for miles. The detectives were slow. All for the same goal of finding out where these missing women are. Important listen.
Lauren Passell • Podcast The Newsletter
"If I need to even lift a finger to convince you to listen to a Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award-winning investigative journalist Connie Walker podcast, I don’t know what you’re doing here."
Pretty simple!
Podcast: Tosh Show
Genre: Comedy
Publisher: iHeart
About: Tosh Show is a window into the mind of comedian Daniel Tosh. Each week Daniel interviews people from all walks of life that he finds interesting, shares his take on current events, and gives you a little insight into his world. Nothing is off limits and with endless topics to explore, Tosh and his guests will satisfy everyone's curiosity.
Switching gears to some comedy. Sorry Conan, you’ve been replaced by my new favorite, every week I have to listen to/watch Daniel Tosh’s new podcast. When people ask me, and THEY DO, “What’s your favorite podcast?” I am usually timid and mention the usual with some limited series’ in mind. Conan, Case 64, Sweet Bobby, and others depending on the mood and to whom I’m talking. In this case, Tosh is my new favorite podcast. From his producer’s plumber, George Foreman III (the son), Foley artists, and Fyre Festival’s Billy McFarland. Some of these folks have the “I don’t give a F* who you are” in a funny way. Sometimes an emergency pod is released, especially, a rant on Aaron Rodgers which is pretty funny. (Sorry anti-vaxxers) Fans of Tosh.0 can see classic Tosh and more. Stay till the end where Tosh has his toddler son make up a story in 100% adorable mode.
Brendan Menapace • Esquire
“This is the same sarcastic, faux-egotistical Tosh that millennials connected with on the long-running Tosh.0—but in a very bare-bones package. Now, he’s just talking to people and genuinely enjoying himself. Tosh actually pulls it off off by bringing in people he’s already friends with, or is actually interested in, rather than just inviting people with something to plug.”
Podcast: WikiHole with D'Arcy Carden
Genre: Comedy
Publisher: Smartless, Wondery
About: Join host D’Arcy Carden on a wild ride into the internet’s most interesting and interconnected Wikipedia entries. Each episode will feature D’Arcy’s panel of comedians falling down Wikipedia rabbit holes to discover bizarre and intriguing connections by guessing how famous events and random celebrities are linked. What’s the population of Rio de Janeiro have to do with how many beers Andre the Giant can crush in one sitting? That’s for our panel to figure out.
Go through a Wikipedia black hole with Darcy Carden (Good Place) a panel of funny folks while learning something. I listened to the episodes with artists, Muna, and panel of comedians Kumail Nanjiani, Jonah Ray, and Emily Gordon. I will say that the mini-tangents were amusing with the likes of Muna chatting about how Donatella Versace comments on Instagram by just writing Donatella VERSACE and a heart becoming meme material. I wonder if I should start commenting with just Great PODS.
Brian Keller • Brands In Audio
“It’s a fun show, and it’s an interesting brand involvement model that I haven’t seen much of elsewhere!”
Podcast: The Mel Robbins Podcast
Genre: Self-Improvement
Publisher: Stitcher, Mel Robbins
About: You can change your life and Mel Robbins will show you how. In The Mel Robbins Podcast, Mel gets more personal than ever, welcoming you into her life and taking you behind the scenes in real time. Every episode is packed with deeply relatable topics, tactical advice, hilarious screwups, compelling conversations, and the tools and inspiration you need to create a better life. Tune in and buckle up – your life is about to change.
Already well-known in the self-improvement department, I hadn’t listened to Mel Robbins until my sister decided to share an episode with me. Did I learn anything? Yes. Am I repeating some of the advice from the episode to remind? Yes. Thus, I’m spreading the love to you.
More specifically, she sent an episode of confidence. Now running a startup, or even a solo podcast can be a defeating and lonely existence for a while. The episode was about confidence with successful entrepreneur and L'Oreal's first female CEO, Jamie Kern Lima. I did like how they focused a lot on those failures, the panic attacks, and a little bit of family upbringing.
One of those stories from Jamie was when family growing up would sometimes call you crazy growing up or “you’re weird.” You have to unlearn all of that conditioning.
Josie Santi • The Every Girl
“...there’s no shortage of incredible advice...one of the most inspiring motivational speakers...This is an essential to have in your podcast queue.”
‘Top of the Pods’ and Just Added will return in the next edition.
Stay safe, be kind, and donate to a worthy cause!
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!
Great suggestions as always! Thanks for sharing :)