The Quick Edition 🚗💨
3 picks, Short Round-Up, Ramadan, and Top of the Pods
Hey Poddy People!
It’s the end of Ramadan and you get a special Eid edition. Quick and simple. If you know any Muslims, make sure you tell them Happy Eid or Eid Mubarak! If you don’t know any Muslims, I’m here!
By the way, I think I saw the Muslim version of Billy Joel this morning.
Let’s GOOOOO!
The Round-Up
I was on the Sam Devers Podcast to talk about Great Pods’ and the journey so far. From the ups to the downs, depressing, and the advice from along the way. Clips shared on IG, and the full episode is here. Of course, I’m critical of myself, so I mini-cringe when I watch. Be kind to me!
Acquisition: Sony Music officially acquired podcast producer Neon Hum. They’ve been mostly on a partnership/investment level and now they’ve taken their relationship to the next level. Read more here.
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned Warner Bros. was looking to offload the Roost Podcast Network. According to Ashley Carman (Bloomberg), Night, the talent agency behind MrBeast and Kai Cenak has made the acquisition.
Since we have a kid’s podcast today, it’s perfect timing that Blippi just launched a podcast today with iHeart, Blippi & Meekah's Road Trip. It looks like 5 episodes have been dropped to binge. Trailer here.
On to my picks this week…
Podcast: Culture Kids Podcast
Genre: Society, Kids & Family
Publisher: Kristen & Asher
About: Get ready for a thrilling adventure with Kristen and Asher, as we explore cultures, languages, and traditions around the world! From different greetings around the world to the depths of the Great Blue Hole, we hope to cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diverse culture and geographies for families everywhere. Through each episode, we aim to help children become empathetic, creative, and global-minded leaders in their communities. So pack your bags, because it’s time to expand our imagination and become globe-trottin’ explorers in the comfort of our own homes!
Who doesn’t love a cute kid’s voice narration? Don’t know much about Ramadan? Culture Kids was nominated for an Ambies Award this year and while they didn’t win, I did get to meet mom Kristen, and son Asher on the red carpet.
As I went through the episodes, they had a Ramadan episode in addition to other spiritual episodes including Holi, the Hindu festival. I do love how simple it is and Asher’s super simple questions. He also attempts to pronounce words which is worth the effort he puts in. As an adult (my friends wouldn’t agree), I appreciate that from him. It’s not all about religious events, the podcast is about all cultures from everywhere! Families will like this podcast in general.
Here’s a clip from the Ambies red carpet:
Lakshmi Hutchinson • Common Sense Media
“This podcast is just as fun and endearing as it is educational, and it's great for family listening. Kristen speaks in a clear and friendly voice, and having Asher as a co-host is great because he can ask questions and share opinions from a child's perspective.”
Honorable Mention: The Ten News also had an episode on Ramadan. It’s a tad more in-depth and still digestible. Listen here.
Podcast: Serial
Genre: True Crime
Publisher: Serial Productions, This American Life
About: Serial returns with a history of Guantánamo told by people who lived through key moments in Guantánamo’s evolution, who know things the rest of us don’t about what it’s like to be caught inside an improvised justice system. Serial Productions makes narrative podcasts whose quality and innovation transformed the medium. “Serial” began in 2014 as a spinoff of the public radio show “This American Life.” In 2020, we joined the New York Times Company. Our shows have reached many millions of listeners and have won nearly every major journalism award for audio.
The cream of the crop of classics launched its new season with no shortage of reviews coming out. This time Sarah has enlisted a co-host, Dana Chivvis, along the way. Questions like when does a new jail, new system, and under the 2000s pretense of 9/11 is not an easy task. Due process is often missing. Interviews with Mr. X who developed harsh interrogation tactics for Muslim guards who are conflicted are interviewed. They couldn’t tell this story years ago, one of the reasons being soldiers and guards were still working there. Typically, you don’t divulge any information during the job. It’s only after you leave. Same here.
I can’t imagine the conditions and the stress everyone felt for innocents just being scooped up by Western forces.
Patricia Nicol • The Times UK
“(Season 4) What consistently works so far is the cool tone, with occasional stiletto liberal observations. That familiar propulsive theme tune, Koenig’s avid, questioning tone.”
Podcast: Three Million
Genre: History
Publisher: BBC
About: The devastating story of the Bengal Famine of 1943 in British India, where at least three million people died, told for the first time by the eyewitnesses to it.
If there is one piece of advice on podcast apps, I would recommend folks download the BBC Sounds app. Occasionally a podcast will get a FREE early release on the BBC Sounds app and then make a wider release. You’ll see me mention if it’s exclusive on that app. Thankfully, this important podcast got a wide release.
File this under “Events they never taught in school.” When you can zoom out and zoom in, I learned there was more than what the British-occupied India was going through during World War 2. Churchill and his decision to funnel all the rice in Bengal to the war efforts, burning crops so no one or at least the Japanese could have it, had terrifying consequences that resulted in the death of three million people. Journalist, Kavita Puri is excellent and manages to get interviews from 1-2 to people who are still alive.
Fiona Sturges • Financial Times
“Puri’s research is meticulous and sensitive. Puri does her utmost to unearth the stories of the dead, no easy task since they were the most impoverished people in India. When she finally finds a name, her no-nonsense BBC tone slips and her voice wobbles with emotion. Many are the podcasts that dubiously claim to tell untold stories, but Three Million is the real deal, a triumph of research and reporting that should be heard far and wide.”
‘Top of the Pods’ this past week on Great Pods:
Untold: The Retreat - Financial Times
A Muslim and a Jew Go There - Instinct Productions
Wiser Than Me with Julia-Louis Dreyfus - Lemonada Media
The Diary of a CEO - Steven Bartlett
Murder in the Hollywood Hills - Dateline NBC
Stay safe, be kind, and donate to a worthy cause!
Listening with you,
Captain Ron
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