Southpaw Jones

The deluxe version of The Dot Net Gazette will return Monday morning with 5 Chunks of Fun, 5 Times a Week! For now…

My Five Favorite Podcasts!

Real Time with Bill Maher
Occurrence: Weekly when in season.
Duration:1 hour.

The most amazing thing about this one is that it’s free. I mean, it’s an HBO show, not just on cable (which I don’t have), but pay cable! It’s certainly not what I’d call a visual show, just a guy hosting a discussion panel, really. The jokes and the arguments make the show what it is, and all those are available to any yahoo like me who subscribes! Bonus points for letting me feel like I’m cheating the system. I like Bill Maher. I think he is a strong voice for single, childless adults like me, and he always chooses interesting guests.

This American Life
Frequency: Weekly.
Duration:1 hour.

The #1 Podcast on iTunes, deservedly so, This American Life is the undisputed champion of modern radio shows. Each episode is a tightly edited hour, filled with fact, fiction, comedy, drama, and most importantly, interesting stuff. It isn’t perfect, mind you, and sometimes I’m just not in the mood for the clever, cheeky celebration of everyday people. However, I can count on a good handful of times each week when I really crave it, and I do believe there is a big T.A.L. fan inside everyone.

A Prarie Home Companion’s News from Lake Wobegon
Frequency: Weekly.
Duration: Around 15 minutes.

I love Garrison Keillor’s voice, and I realize it’s an acquired taste. It reminds me of long family car trips from my childhood. A Prairie Home Companion is a variety show, of course, and this is the best part. Mr. Keillor simply weaves a tale or several tales from the fictional Lake Wobegon. If you can stay awake through his calming half-sigh of an oratory, he’ll usually take you somewhere unexpectedly funny or touching. Storytelling is a dying art, and this man is one of our living masters.

Radiolab
Frequency: Who knows? 6 times a year?
Duration:1 hour.

While This American Life corners the market on interesting people, Radiolab rules the roost of interesting science. Episodes come with titles like Space, Morality, Stress, Who Am I? Hosts Robert Krulwich and Jad Abumrad seem to be two very different, very intelligent men who have fun with subjects that deserve attention. If the information doesn’t keep you listening, the amazing sound effects will. It’s the crunchy cookie of the world around us, and I suggest you eat it up!

They Might Be Giants
Frequency: Once a month or so.
Duration: Varied, around ½ hour.

Well, they’re my favorite band, what do you expect? Their podcast contains a mix of studio numbers, rare tracks, and live performances. The only problem is, since I’m already an avid collector, I’ve already heard a majority of the material. Oh, well, it’s always fun to hear their work in different contexts. Long live TMBG!

And long live podcasts. Amen.