Cheerful, hilarious, positive podcasts?
September 4, 2018 1:02 PM Subscribe
Looking for some cheery, high-energy, dare I say frivolous podcasts with consistent formats, good audio quality, and no serious/depressing content. No Trump talk. Something like Who? Weekly, Blank Check, or Get Up On This.
I listen to a LOT of podcasts but am struggling to find enough to scratch this particular itch: 100% reliable fun, without having to check the show notes. Generally looking for something with a lot of positivity, although hilarious negativity is good too-- I love it when Blank Check trashes a movie because they do it with a lot of love and interest and humor, but hate it when Slate's Culture Gabfest does it (too snobby/serious).
To get a sense of my taste, here are some podcasts that I like but don't qualify under this criteria: A Few Things with Claire and Erica, Bodega Boys, Binge Mode, Call Your Girlfriend, /Filmcast, Filmspotting, Little Gold Men, Night Call, Switched on Pop, PCHH, Reply All, The Friend Zone.
I listen to a LOT of podcasts but am struggling to find enough to scratch this particular itch: 100% reliable fun, without having to check the show notes. Generally looking for something with a lot of positivity, although hilarious negativity is good too-- I love it when Blank Check trashes a movie because they do it with a lot of love and interest and humor, but hate it when Slate's Culture Gabfest does it (too snobby/serious).
To get a sense of my taste, here are some podcasts that I like but don't qualify under this criteria: A Few Things with Claire and Erica, Bodega Boys, Binge Mode, Call Your Girlfriend, /Filmcast, Filmspotting, Little Gold Men, Night Call, Switched on Pop, PCHH, Reply All, The Friend Zone.
- How Did This Get Made-- a fun lighthearted podcast that enjoys watching terrible movies.
- The Todd Glass Show-- a high-energy comedian just has fun with his friends (comedians and muscians mostly) for extended periods of time-- he's got a really kind/good heart underlying it all.
- Comedy Bang Bang-- funny and often hilarious collection of comedians pretending to be quirky characters.
posted by Static Vagabond at 1:12 PM on September 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
- The Todd Glass Show-- a high-energy comedian just has fun with his friends (comedians and muscians mostly) for extended periods of time-- he's got a really kind/good heart underlying it all.
- Comedy Bang Bang-- funny and often hilarious collection of comedians pretending to be quirky characters.
posted by Static Vagabond at 1:12 PM on September 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Ask Me Another? -- A pop-culture quiz podcast that's a niche version of Wait Wait. There's the occasional political joke, but it's never more than a passing line.
A Way With Words -- People call in with questions about etymology and they also play silly word based games. I find it fun and good spirited, though it's more NPR voice-y than high-energy.
posted by matrixclown at 1:14 PM on September 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
A Way With Words -- People call in with questions about etymology and they also play silly word based games. I find it fun and good spirited, though it's more NPR voice-y than high-energy.
posted by matrixclown at 1:14 PM on September 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
The Flop House -- "we watch a bad movie and we talk about it". Absolutely, reliably the funniest bad movie podcast there is, if that's you're particular thing.
posted by The Bellman at 1:19 PM on September 4, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by The Bellman at 1:19 PM on September 4, 2018 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Since three of the four comments so far mention this, I should clarify that I'm not really into bad movies; I just used that as an example of the type of critical talk I'm interested in. Blank Check isn't a bad movie podcast, they just encounter bad movies occasionally in their set schedule. I don't really want a podcast that is 100% critical.
posted by acidic at 1:22 PM on September 4, 2018
posted by acidic at 1:22 PM on September 4, 2018
No Such Thing As A Fish
posted by soren_lorensen at 1:23 PM on September 4, 2018 [10 favorites]
posted by soren_lorensen at 1:23 PM on September 4, 2018 [10 favorites]
Stop Podcasting Yourself. These guys crank out 60-90 minutes of fun, chatty humor, every Monday, more reliably than any other podcast I'm aware of.
Also, while I enjoy The Flop House a lot, there have been a couple episodes (out of hundreds) where they pause and discuss some deadly serious personal news items. They have every right to do it, but holy hell is it a bummer when it happens.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 1:24 PM on September 4, 2018 [6 favorites]
Also, while I enjoy The Flop House a lot, there have been a couple episodes (out of hundreds) where they pause and discuss some deadly serious personal news items. They have every right to do it, but holy hell is it a bummer when it happens.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 1:24 PM on September 4, 2018 [6 favorites]
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week - fairly similar to No Such Thing as a Fish. (I was listing both and soren beat me to it)
posted by condour75 at 1:24 PM on September 4, 2018
posted by condour75 at 1:24 PM on September 4, 2018
My Brother, My Brother, and Me is hilarious fluff, and I get some warm fuzzies from the mutual (snarky) affection of the brothers.
posted by missrachael at 1:27 PM on September 4, 2018 [9 favorites]
posted by missrachael at 1:27 PM on September 4, 2018 [9 favorites]
Judge John Hodgman
My Brother My Brother and Me and their show The Adventure Zone if you want a bit more of a story.
posted by Crystalinne at 1:29 PM on September 4, 2018 [5 favorites]
My Brother My Brother and Me and their show The Adventure Zone if you want a bit more of a story.
posted by Crystalinne at 1:29 PM on September 4, 2018 [5 favorites]
I really, really like The Adventure Zone. It's technically about playing Dungeons and Dragons, but it's basically three brothers hanging out with their Dad and giving each other endless, loving shit -- it's by the same crew (with the addition of the dad) as missrachael recommends. And as my husband put it last night, over the course of the last three (3) episodes of sixty (60) minutes or so each, we've heard a lot of delightful jokes about snack-eating and tacos and how old their Dad is and like a LOT of Tom Bodett jokes, annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd in terms of plot, they just managed to arrive at and then board a train.
There's some violence (in terms of describing combat) and some sadness (things happen occasionally), but it's really fun, and there's a three year backlog of episodes to work through.
posted by joyceanmachine at 1:29 PM on September 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
There's some violence (in terms of describing combat) and some sadness (things happen occasionally), but it's really fun, and there's a three year backlog of episodes to work through.
posted by joyceanmachine at 1:29 PM on September 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
It's not LOL funny, but Judge John Hodgman is extremely cheerful.
Do you like dogs? Can I Pet Your Dog is very fun and upbeat.
What about Wait Wait Don't Tell Me? That's a classic comedy podcast.
posted by radioamy at 1:38 PM on September 4, 2018
Do you like dogs? Can I Pet Your Dog is very fun and upbeat.
What about Wait Wait Don't Tell Me? That's a classic comedy podcast.
posted by radioamy at 1:38 PM on September 4, 2018
The Watch! The camaraderie between the two hosts, who have been close friends for decades, is a big part of what makes it so fun (and you may know Chris Ryan from some episodes of Binge Mode). It's a reliably enjoyable listen no matter how much you're invested in the specific shows/movies under discussion. To get the gist, start with a mailbag episode or one with where Jason Mantzoukas guests.
posted by dapati at 1:40 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by dapati at 1:40 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
The Omnibus Project. In each episode Ken Jennings and John Roderick talk about some trivial thing, the premise being that they are compiling an omnibus of all human knowledge for future generations. Past episodes have been about the Darién Gap, the '59 Les Paul, the D-Day crosswords and, of course, Prisencolinensinainciusol.
It's a very fun, lighthearted podcast with two very smart, funny dudes.
I also enjoy Judge John Hodgman. The cases are always about somewhat mundane things but his decisions are always very thoughtful, which is what I love about it.
posted by bondcliff at 1:41 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
It's a very fun, lighthearted podcast with two very smart, funny dudes.
I also enjoy Judge John Hodgman. The cases are always about somewhat mundane things but his decisions are always very thoughtful, which is what I love about it.
posted by bondcliff at 1:41 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
The Doughboys!!!
posted by saladin at 1:49 PM on September 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by saladin at 1:49 PM on September 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
The Horne Section Podcast and Pappy’s Flatshare Slamdown are particularly silly British comedy podcasts.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 1:50 PM on September 4, 2018
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 1:50 PM on September 4, 2018
Seconding The Adventure Zone, My Dad Wrote a Porno, and My Brother, My Brother, and Me. From the MCU (McElroy Cinematic Universe) I'll also throw in Wonderful!, which is a podcast about enjoying things.
also recommending:
Thirst Aid Kit, which is so high energy and delightful I've been known to get an introvert hangover after an episode and a half (the hosts' giggling is absolutely infectious!), and so is only saved for special occasions.
Heaving Bosoms, which is a romance novel podcast that is also delightful. Listening to the hosts is like sitting around having tea at one of their houses, with your feet up on the coffee table.
Magic Tavern gets a thumbs' up from me as well, but do yourself a favor and skip the Homunculus episode. Eugh.
If you can find a copy of it somewhere out there, also recommend John Finnemore's Cabin Pressure show from a few years back. Nothing but clever fun there.
posted by snerson at 1:51 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
also recommending:
Thirst Aid Kit, which is so high energy and delightful I've been known to get an introvert hangover after an episode and a half (the hosts' giggling is absolutely infectious!), and so is only saved for special occasions.
Heaving Bosoms, which is a romance novel podcast that is also delightful. Listening to the hosts is like sitting around having tea at one of their houses, with your feet up on the coffee table.
Magic Tavern gets a thumbs' up from me as well, but do yourself a favor and skip the Homunculus episode. Eugh.
If you can find a copy of it somewhere out there, also recommend John Finnemore's Cabin Pressure show from a few years back. Nothing but clever fun there.
posted by snerson at 1:51 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
I love The Greatest Generation (episode-by-episode look at Star Trek TNG and now DS9). I’d say it’s a great mix of positivity and hilarious negativity. The same guys do The Greatest Discovery (about Star Trek Discovery) and, with John Roderick, Friendly Fire (about war movies), which are both great too. They approach all the episodes/movies they review with a lot of genuine love and interest and humor, even when the episode or movie wasn’t that great itself. Highly recommended.
posted by bananacabana at 1:59 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by bananacabana at 1:59 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Do You Need a Ride? with Karen Kilgariff and Chris Fairbanks is reliably funny and good-natured. Two very funny people pick up and drive other very funny people around LA.
posted by mdrew at 2:06 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by mdrew at 2:06 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
The All Things Cozy podcast is only 31 episodes in but sounds like you might like it.
posted by hydrobatidae at 2:13 PM on September 4, 2018
posted by hydrobatidae at 2:13 PM on September 4, 2018
In the same vein as The Adventure Zone (in that it is a group of fun people having a great time playing a tabletop roleplaying game), I have never in my life laughed harder than while listening to Campaign. The game is set in the Star Wars universe but there is no requirement that the listener know anything about Star Wars. Occasionally the story hits sad bits, but the general tone is light, fluffy, and hilarious. Everyone involved likes each other and is having fun.
If you would like to listen to the ridiculous adventures of four goofballs trying to raise a tiny Jedi child while also doing cool goofy nonsense in space, Campaign is the show for you.
posted by darchildre at 2:25 PM on September 4, 2018
If you would like to listen to the ridiculous adventures of four goofballs trying to raise a tiny Jedi child while also doing cool goofy nonsense in space, Campaign is the show for you.
posted by darchildre at 2:25 PM on September 4, 2018
Over the last week or so we’ve been cracking up to Berkhamstead Revisitedn two women read excerpts from one of their teenage diaries and discus growing up in suburban England around the mid ‘00s. Topics include minor celebrity crushes, MySpace customisation and GCSE results day. Very gentle, light hearted and zero Trump talk.
posted by tomp at 2:35 PM on September 4, 2018
posted by tomp at 2:35 PM on September 4, 2018
I’m a big fan of Watch What Crappens and Rose Pricks - snarky podcasts about Real Housewives type shows on Bravo and The Batchelor universe respectively. They’re light chatty and hysterical and work even if you’ve never seen the shows themselves.
posted by Middlemarch at 2:43 PM on September 4, 2018
posted by Middlemarch at 2:43 PM on September 4, 2018
I'd describe Answer Me This as "cheerful, hilarious, and positive," but without being mawkishly so.
Because it's driven by audience questions ("Helen and Olly, Answer Me This about [question via email or phone message]" is the setup for each thing they talk about) it has a reliable format.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 3:08 PM on September 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
Because it's driven by audience questions ("Helen and Olly, Answer Me This about [question via email or phone message]" is the setup for each thing they talk about) it has a reliable format.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 3:08 PM on September 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
This might not be your thing, but I have snorted on the train many times listening to You Look Nice Today. It's wacky and improvisational, but extremely well edited. Listen from the beginning to the end.
posted by sol at 7:49 PM on September 4, 2018
posted by sol at 7:49 PM on September 4, 2018
If you're cool with some crude humor, then check out Oh No! Lit Class. It looks at books you should have read in school, but also has some crude jokes.
Varmints and Life, Death, and Taxonomy are a couple of shows about animals and much more on the clean side.
Full disclosure, I'm friends with all of the hosts here but am not actually on any of these shows permanently or anything.
posted by theichibun at 8:08 PM on September 4, 2018
Varmints and Life, Death, and Taxonomy are a couple of shows about animals and much more on the clean side.
Full disclosure, I'm friends with all of the hosts here but am not actually on any of these shows permanently or anything.
posted by theichibun at 8:08 PM on September 4, 2018
I’ll second Dough Boys. Griffin is a fan and it has a very similar sensibility to Blank Check. They review chain restaurants, but a lot of it is tangents and general chatter. I also just started listening to Podcast: The Ride based on recommendations from the Blank Check subreddit. If you are a theme park fan at all, it has scratched the same itch as Blank Check for me.
posted by wsquared at 8:37 PM on September 4, 2018
posted by wsquared at 8:37 PM on September 4, 2018
Hey Riddle Riddle! Three comedians who are funny in a laid back way while managing to be both dumb and clever solve riddles and puzzles and are sort of terrible at it. For fans of like, Stop Podcasting Yourself and Hello From the Magic Tavern (aka dumb podcasts that smart people love?).
posted by moons in june at 9:27 PM on September 4, 2018
posted by moons in june at 9:27 PM on September 4, 2018
I like Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone! There's a rotating studio musician -- anything from ukelele (normal and charming) to bagpipes, and I've suggested finding triangle, bass recorder, and viola players for future episodes. Paula Poundstone and Adam Felber are their hilarious selves, interviewing two guests each week and summarizing them at the end with studio musician accompaniment.
There is also a segment called "Cat of the Week", just a cat ("Mimi, from Fairbanks, Alaska"), named without comment.
posted by batter_my_heart at 10:42 PM on September 4, 2018
There is also a segment called "Cat of the Week", just a cat ("Mimi, from Fairbanks, Alaska"), named without comment.
posted by batter_my_heart at 10:42 PM on September 4, 2018
I like Sawbones a lot, but even though the overall tone is generally pretty light (excepting a handful of Very Special Episodes), it DOES deal with medical history, which is by and large pretty gnarly. YMMV, but I wanted to mention it anyway. Also: nthing Judge John Hodgman, that show is made of goodness and light.
It leans a little self-help-y (especially the eps leading up to and directly following the release of her newest book The Four Tendencies), but the Happier with Gretchen Ruben podcast is pretty consistently cheery and the eps are pretty short. You hear a lot of nice little stories and "happiness hacks" and Gretchen and her sister Elizabeth are both super charming.
It sounds like you've got a pretty good list going of hilarious movie podcasts, but if you have room for one more, I'd like to plug Werewolf Ambulance. It is a horror movie comedy podcast, and it's just as great when they hate a movie as when they love a movie. Allen and Katie are hilarious and clearly love the hell out of horror movies—you never get the sense that they are being snobby when they dunk on a movie.
posted by helloimjennsco at 6:53 AM on September 5, 2018
It leans a little self-help-y (especially the eps leading up to and directly following the release of her newest book The Four Tendencies), but the Happier with Gretchen Ruben podcast is pretty consistently cheery and the eps are pretty short. You hear a lot of nice little stories and "happiness hacks" and Gretchen and her sister Elizabeth are both super charming.
It sounds like you've got a pretty good list going of hilarious movie podcasts, but if you have room for one more, I'd like to plug Werewolf Ambulance. It is a horror movie comedy podcast, and it's just as great when they hate a movie as when they love a movie. Allen and Katie are hilarious and clearly love the hell out of horror movies—you never get the sense that they are being snobby when they dunk on a movie.
posted by helloimjennsco at 6:53 AM on September 5, 2018
"No Such Thing as a Fish" (funny, smart people talking about trivia from the U.K.) and "The Incomparable" (rotating cast of funny, smart people talking about comics/movies/books of fantasy/scifi/Dr.Who) are where I get that fix.
Also, "The Disney Dish with Jim Hill" is a travel writer named Len Testa and a Disney expert named Jim Hill who discuss the business and history of the Disney theme park empire. I started listening several years ago while planning a family trip to Disney World. Though I have been priced out of ever visiting again, I kept this podcast out of all the Disney podcasts because they are so funny and passionate.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:35 AM on September 5, 2018
Also, "The Disney Dish with Jim Hill" is a travel writer named Len Testa and a Disney expert named Jim Hill who discuss the business and history of the Disney theme park empire. I started listening several years ago while planning a family trip to Disney World. Though I have been priced out of ever visiting again, I kept this podcast out of all the Disney podcasts because they are so funny and passionate.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:35 AM on September 5, 2018
some sadness (things happen occasionally) - without getting spoilery, but it sounds like maybe that person has just gotten into the second arc...... I love The Adventure Zone in ways I can't even express, but I have also cried like a small baby. Not because of shitty real world stuff, but things get Deep within the context of the show. I should also note that the lessons that come out of that have, no joke, changed my life for the better, and that the first campaign has the best of all possible endings. But do not be fooled: this dumb story with a wizard named Taako and a town full of Tom Bodett clones is also an emotional rollercoaster.
From the fine McElroy family of podcasts, however, I'll second the recommendations of My Brother, My Brother, and Me (don't start with episode 1!) and Wonderful!
posted by epersonae at 8:35 AM on September 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
From the fine McElroy family of podcasts, however, I'll second the recommendations of My Brother, My Brother, and Me (don't start with episode 1!) and Wonderful!
posted by epersonae at 8:35 AM on September 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
As a sample of The Incomparable, they sometimes do drafts, like Episode 58, "Greyskull Anonymous":
posted by wenestvedt at 9:16 AM on September 5, 2018
Who are the best TV characters of all time? Six people set out to draft teams of 10 characters each, from which they would form some of the strangest TV ensembles ever seen. Will Captain Kirk, Columbo, and The Fonz end up on the same show? Perhaps the craziest episode we’ve ever done highlights dozens of our favorite characters from TV history.And also the next episode, "Flitting is in," where they had to explain the TV show that featured the characters they had drafted in Ep. 58.
September 23, 2011 • 1 hour, 14 minutes • Jason Snell with Dan Moren, John Siracusa, Scott McNulty, Serenity Caldwell and Steve Lutz
posted by wenestvedt at 9:16 AM on September 5, 2018
Pop Rocket is one of my faves for this - it was recommended here on the Green as a more upbeat/energetic Pop Culture Happy Hour.
posted by lunasol at 2:17 PM on September 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by lunasol at 2:17 PM on September 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Good Job, Brain! is a funny and cute trivia podcast where four friends make up quizzes and such for each other. I find them really sweet and it always puts me in a good mood.
posted by Carravanquelo at 2:28 PM on September 5, 2018
posted by Carravanquelo at 2:28 PM on September 5, 2018
"The Babysitter's Club Club" fits this bill for me. Previous knowledge of those books not necessary.
posted by soonertbone at 12:20 PM on September 6, 2018
posted by soonertbone at 12:20 PM on September 6, 2018
You might like Too Beautiful to Live. I have been listening to it for most of the 10 years it has existed. It was a nightly radio show, then an independent podcast, and has been under American Public Media good the last couple of years. It's 5 days a week and is pretty much just two guys talking. It's well done and oddly compelling!
posted by apricot at 7:12 PM on September 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by apricot at 7:12 PM on September 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
I love Storm of Spoilers. They are primarly a Game of Thrones podcast but they are currently on the “off season tour” where they watch and comment on other TV/movies somewhat similar to Blank Check. I really enjoy the hosts and their style of commentary. Fighting in the Warroom is another similar TV/movie podcast but I enjoy SOS more. Since the breaks between seasons have become quite long there’s a bit of a non-GOT backlog you could get through and new content is currently “off season”.
posted by notheotherone at 12:04 AM on September 8, 2018
posted by notheotherone at 12:04 AM on September 8, 2018
Oh and if you enjoy Who Weekly I recommend Show Your Work by Lainey Gossip. It’s all about the behinds the scenes work of PR and career moves of people in the entertainment industry. It helps to be a bit up on celebrity gossip happenings but maybe less so (more mainstream) than Who Weekly.
posted by notheotherone at 12:07 AM on September 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by notheotherone at 12:07 AM on September 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
Seconding Stop Podcasting Yourself! And a related one, since they’re frequent cross-guests, is Retail Nightmares. Both are two friends chatting and both have made me laugh out loud more times than I can count. Both podcasts are based in Canada and the politics are extremely infrequent, though Retail Nightmares is, well, about working retail and some horror stories arise. Mostly though the two hosts like to joke around and talk about “puppos” in their lives, which is usually a dog but can be anything cute.
Stop Podcasting Yourself is my go to for “I need some cheering up and to feel less lonesome” and Dave and Graham quickly felt like friends to me. It’s also a podcast you can dive into at any point without needing to commit to listening to every episode.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 12:40 PM on September 9, 2018
Stop Podcasting Yourself is my go to for “I need some cheering up and to feel less lonesome” and Dave and Graham quickly felt like friends to me. It’s also a podcast you can dive into at any point without needing to commit to listening to every episode.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 12:40 PM on September 9, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by iamkimiam at 1:10 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]