Pod-Fascination: The 12 Best Podcast Episodes Of 2012, Part One

For the last few months, I've been recommending quality podcasts. In the spirit of the year's end, I'm highlighting the single episodes that I enjoyed the most. As I have mentioned before, I listen to primarily comedy podcasts, so there are obviously thousands of other episodes released this year. Leave your favorite episodes in the comments!

12. You Made It Weird With Pete Holmes Episode 46: Harris Wittels
Pete Holmes is funny in small doses, but who is funnier than Harris Wittels? This episode also includes the sociopath test, which is something I now use at parties.



11. WTF With Marc Maron Episode 238: Michael Ian Black
Marc Maron's WTF is often lauded as one of the best in-depth interview podcasts. I find it to be incredibly self-indulgent, and that's a good thing! Maron often reveals a lot about himself in the interviews, and likes to bring up the "tension" he feels with the guests. Nothing was more tense than his interview with Michael Ian Black, original member of The State, and one of my favorite actors/writers. They both bring up their resentment with each other and it is delightfully squirm-worthy at times. Also interesting is hearing Black's explanation of his "comedic persona," which is intentionally arrogant and obnoxious. How much of that is real and how much is put on for the public? It's hard to tell.

10. The Mental Illness Happy Hour Episode 60: Jamie Denbo
The best guests on the Mental Illness Happy Hour are the guests who are willing to "go there," in other words, dig into their childhoods, talk about the roots of their depression, and share their biggest fears and insecurities. Comedian Jamie Denbo (who happens to play Beverly in my favorite podcast, Ronna And Beverly) is such a guest. She brilliantly explains how her comedy is directly inspired by and is an outlet for her anxieties.

Pod-Fascination: The Fogelnest Files And Baby Geniuses

Each week, I recommend two podcasts that you should listen to. Go here to find out how podcasts changed my life.

The Fogelnest Files
With only thirteen episodes so far, The Fogelnest Files is still but a nascent enterprise on the highly popular Earwolf Podcast Network. However, those twelve episodes have made me smile more than most long-running podcasts. My smile is not just from the humor (for which there is plenty), but for the appreciation of host Jake Fogelnest's deep love and amazing ability to curate some of the best gems of pop culture past. Each week, he picks several YouTube videos to watch based on a theme (politics, rock music) and he and the guest comment on them. Watching videos with someone may not be your first pitch for a podcast, but it works (and he posts the list of videos for each week to watch before/during/after listening to the podcast).

The clips are sublime. Whether it's watching obscure band Manakin, watching Hilary Clinton attack sexist remarks, or introducing folks to the Beaver trilogy, they are always lead to great conversation with the guests. A favorite episode of mine so far is with '90s MTV star Julie Brown, talking about her career and showing the best clips of her career. How great is "Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun?"

Pod-Fascination: Get Up On This And You Had To Be There

Each week on Pod-Fascination, I recommend my favorite podcasts.

Get Up On This
Get Up On This hosts Jensen Karp and Matt Robinson are the self-described "cool kids" who know about all the cool stuff you haven't heard about yet. Each week, a guest from the world of comedy, film, or music join the two hosts and share something they think people should "get up on." It may sound like there's a lot of douchebaggery that can come of this. On the contrary: the podcast is like the opposite of an annoying hipster. While a hipster would say "Oh, I can't tell you what I'm listening to/watching/reading because you've probably never heard of it and are not worthy of it," Jensen Karp’s basic philosophy is "I happen to know a lot of things, let me share my knowledge so that you, too, can be a pop culture connoisseur." It's really humanitarian if you think about it.

Karp does know a thing or to, at nineteen he had a major label record deal as rapper Hot Karl and now owns the amazing Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles. He has the ability to namedrop, but it's just enough to make it interesting and not obnoxious. Many of who Karp brings to the table is upcoming rap artists, which is not my cup of tea, but the enjoyable rapport he has with guests still makes it an interesting listen. Co-host Matt Robinson usually counteracts with rap/hip-hop by mentioning a novel or board game, so there's something for everyone. In general, the dialogue among hosts and guests flows easily and always provides an interesting insider tidbit about the entertainment industry, which is the fastest way to my heart.

Pod-Fascination: Ronna & Beverly And Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend

Each week, I recommend two podcasts that are worth your time, as well as plug my own podcast.

Ronna And Beverly
To me, the most impressive type of comedy is character-driven. The ability to embody a developed character and to be put in any situation and to react in character takes a special talent. Right now, there's no better example than Ronna and Beverly. Played by thirty-something actors, Ronna and Beverly are older Jewish women in their sixties living in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Elderly Jewish women? Like Linda Richman in Coffee Talk? No, not even close. Instead of relying on one-liners and your typical yenta stereotypes, Ronna and Beverly are fully developed characters with deep backstories and psyches that motivate their actions.

Ronna, a wealthy widow, is the voice of reason of the two. She enjoys the luxuries in life and makes sure she tells others how they should be living their best life. Beverly, on the other hand, is often inappropriate, drama-fueled, and often has a dark side. There are the expected idiosyncrasies of Jewish stereotypes, including their stifled racism, love for food, and obsession with telling people how to behave in relationships. As a longtime listener, I can't help but get wrapped up in the world that have created. One in which Beverly talks about her twin daughters, the beautiful one and the "heavy" one, her ex-husband, guidance counselor Aaron Ginsberg, and the drama she has with the Sisterhood of her local synagogue (their friends, known as the "Barbaras").

Each week, a comedian/director/actress is interviewed, rather, bombarded, by Ronna's drilling over how they should quit show business and get a real job, forced to talk about their sex life with Beverly. Generally, the more game the guest is to be berated by the duo, the funnier the results. It's all in good fun, except when Marc Maron shows up, for a delightfully uncomfortable episode. I look forward to the inevitable moment of each episode when Beverly turns on a guest for not supporting Israel, or uses her special power of seeing men as a unique animated inanimate object. Or Ronna's incessant use of "Isn't that funny? Isn't that cute?" as a self-congratulatory phrase.

Ronna and Beverly is more than a podcast. To me, it's a transformative experience. This is where great theater and great comedy combine. Jamie Denbo and Jessica Chafin, the women who play the characters, deserve so much more acclaim than they have. Although they do have a show that currently airs in the U.K., I hope they get more recognition in their homeland soon. And, for those of you (un)lucky enough to live in the Los Angeles area, they have a popular monthly show at the Upright Citizens Brigade.

Pod-Fascination: The Morning After And How Did This Get Made?

Each week, I recommend two podcasts that are worth your time, as well as plug my own podcast.

The Morning After Podcast
I've only recently discovered The Morning After, but only after a few listens I like what I hear. Comedians Eli Olsberg and Jake Weisman invite one comedian and one adult film star to talk about relationships, sex, and experience in the industry. It's a "porn star guest" different from say, Howard Stern, in that the performer shares insights and experiences from the adult film industry. My third-wave feminist self enjoys the personal empowerment stories, and my curiosity likes hearing the "industry" talk.

Don't download this looking to get off, unless your thing is neurotic Jewish comedians talking about relationships. Which, fortunately, is my thing. The hosts do a great job of keeping conversation funny but still meaningful, but still seem to be enjoying the fact that they have the top tier of the industry as their guests, including Kayden Kross, Stoya, James Deen, and others. The comedian guests range from engaged and insightful to acting giddy from being around a "porn star," but like any other interview format, the quality of the podcast episode is dependent on the quality of the guest.

Pod-Fascination: Totally Laime and Dead Authors

Each week, I recommend two podcasts that are worth your time, as well as plug my own podcast.

Totally Laime
I agree that comedy podcasts can be incestuous, in that the same guests do the rounds on all the podcasts, and it can make the comedy podcast scene feel like a metaphorical circle jerk. Admittedly, Totally Laime has hosted the usual suspects (Paul F. Tompkins, Pete Holmes, Jake Fogelnest, etc.) but host Elizabeth Laime and sidekick/husband Andy Rosen make it a point to "ask the most important people the least important questions." Even through several guests are in the peak of their career, they make a concerted effort to avoid talking about show business. And thus, that's their spin on the comedic-interview-podcast world.

So, what does that leave to talk about? Everything and anything. Elizabeth and Andy have a way of making their guests open up immediately, and conversations range from cats, how to make friends as an adult, getting your first period, death, Oprah, and embarrassing moments. They create an atmosphere in which I feel like I am at Sunday brunch just shooting the shit with friends, and it is both comforting and hilarious.

Unlike a lot of interview-type podcasts, there is no set agenda or questions, the hosts just let the conversation go where it goes, and being game to talk about anything and to share anything from her personal life that relates to it. There are two regular enjoyable segments, "Laime or Totally Rapidfire" in which guests have to give their first reactions to a variety of words, such as: vegetarians, PDA, and the always-controversial "bald vaginas." Each episode also closes with Elizabeth reading a description of an Oprah Winfrey episode to discuss. Even if you are not an Oprah fan, it creates some of the best reaction moments of the show.

Pod-Fascination: Gelmania And Vomit On The Web

Each week, I recommend two podcasts that are worth your time, as well as plug my own podcast.

Gelmania
"The revolution will not be televised, the revolution will be podcast!" Gelmania is not so much a podcast, but more like recorded performance art. Whereas most comedy podcasts consist of funny people interviewing other funny people, Gelmania is comprised of sketches, monologues, and segments improvised by actors in character; all the brainchild and mastermind of comedian/writer/actor Brett Gelman. Gelman is most known for his role on Adult Swim’s Eagleheart and playing the "weird and creepy" guest star on most network sitcoms. However, not many know him as the gifted, yet demented, writer and performer he is.

Although Gelmania is usually unpredictable and often indescribable, there are several recurring themes and sketches a listener can count on. Gelman, using a creepy voice modulator, will often lecture the listener on their small insignificant lives and act as an overlord convincing you to subscribe to a new world order. "We Figured It Out" is a segment in which he talks earnestly with a guest about how he's figured out how to act in the entertainment business ("walk away from people if they start talking to you"). The rest is a veritable grab bag of demented and sardonic humor, including a casual conversation between G.G. Allen and John Wayne Gacy, a catchy tune sung by Bane from The Dark Knight Rises, or repeating the phrase "I'm not doing well" for ten minutes straight. The level of originality and depravity outdoes itself in each episode, and it's the podcast I look forward to the most each week.

Pod-Fascination: The Jeff Rubin Jeff Rubin Show And The Thrilling Adventure Hour

Last week, I talked about how podcasts have changed my life. Each week, I will bring you two podcasts that are worth a listen and will hopefully change your life, even just a little bit. And each week I will continue to plug my own podcast.

The Jeff Rubin Jeff Rubin Show
A funny person interviewing another funny person is not a wildly original concept in the world of comedy podcasts, but Jeff Rubin brings enough variety and people of interest to do the format justice. Rubin himself is enjoyable intelligent in his humor, and if I had to make up a story about him, it's that he was the nerdy misunderstood kid in high school but parlayed his intelligence and quick wit into a successful career. He currently works for College Humor, whose brand of humor is actually more sophisticated than the name implies. That may not actually be his story, but I like to think it is.

Rubin has large interests in all things intellectual, academic, comedy, and pop culture based, so it seems this show is perfect for me. Recent shows have included his friends bringing in interesting facts to discuss, an interview with the editor of The A.V. Club (my dream job, natch), a look behind the scenes of the game You Don't Know Jack, and an interview with the filmmakers of porn paradies of well-known shows. I'd call The Jeff Rubin Jeff Rubin show a less serious, more quirky Fresh Air with Terry Gross.

How Podcasts Have Changed My Life

I am not kidding around with that title. Since I discovered podcasts, my life has become infinitely better. Although radio has died, the power of the spoken word is still thriving. I don't need to have every podcast give me insights into political strategy or tell a quaint story of Americana; I actually prefer podcasts where two interesting people are just having a conversation- about anything, really.

Listening to a podcast makes you feel like you are in on the conversation without having to do the work; as an introvert, that's the ultimate dream. Now, before you tell me that there's this thing called real-life, in-person conversations that I could engage in, I shall interrupt you with a "no duh" retort. It's just nice to sit back and listen to others' ideas, without pretending to be engaged or getting into a pointless argument with someone.

Enjoying podcasts have also made horrible tasks more bearable. They make me look forward to my commute to work. I am more motivated to work out on the mornings my favorite podcasts release new episodes. It makes cleaning the massive amounts of cat hair that cover my apartment on a daily basis more bearable. I'm also more able to articulate my thoughts during an argument (a.k.a., more likely to "win" the argument) because I've listened to others debate topics.

There are over ten thousand podcasts on iTunes, and they range from everything from very specifically focused on RPG games to a couple of comedians shootin' the shit. And, since anyone can produce one, there is a lot of 'em. All you need is a laptop, a cheap microphone, and an inflated sense of self-purpose. It can be overwhelming to know where to start, so it's great news for you that I will be recommending podcasts on a weekly basis.

I love podcasts so much that it was inevitable that I started my own. Shameless plug, you guys! Here are two of many that I recommend: