More podcasts please.
September 25, 2015 8:49 AM Subscribe
What are some good podcasts about niche/specific interests hosted by comedians/comedy writers/funny people?
Basically, I want the podcast to be funny and about a specific topic where that topic is not comedy/the comedy industry (Never Not Funny) or just goofing around (Jordan Jesse Go!) or generally talking about current events and pop culture (the Read, Pop Culture Happy Hour) or a very broad topic like 'movies' (How Did This Get Made?, Doug Likes Movies). So examples of stuff that fits:
Doughboys (chain restaurants)
Can I Pet Your Dog? (dogs)
The X-Files Files (the X-Files)
U Talkin' U2 To Me? (U2)
Sawbones (weird medical history)
It would also really be awesome to hear some not-white-guy-voices.
Also nothing featuring any of the McElrory brothers (yes I know two of the examples above have them.)
Basically, I want the podcast to be funny and about a specific topic where that topic is not comedy/the comedy industry (Never Not Funny) or just goofing around (Jordan Jesse Go!) or generally talking about current events and pop culture (the Read, Pop Culture Happy Hour) or a very broad topic like 'movies' (How Did This Get Made?, Doug Likes Movies). So examples of stuff that fits:
Doughboys (chain restaurants)
Can I Pet Your Dog? (dogs)
The X-Files Files (the X-Files)
U Talkin' U2 To Me? (U2)
Sawbones (weird medical history)
It would also really be awesome to hear some not-white-guy-voices.
Also nothing featuring any of the McElrory brothers (yes I know two of the examples above have them.)
I'm a big fan of Star Wars Minute. The hosts aren't comedians, but are funny and have a fun rapport. Obviously you have to kinda love Star Wars to want to listen to the movies be dissected 1 minute at a time, so YMMV.
posted by tocts at 8:56 AM on September 25, 2015
posted by tocts at 8:56 AM on September 25, 2015
Just One More Thing (a podcast about Columbo). Both the hosts are white guys, but their guests often aren't. You do have to be a pretty big Columbo fan to get anything out of the podcast, but if you are, it's damn good. (Disclaimer: my husband has been a guest on one episode.)
posted by holborne at 9:00 AM on September 25, 2015
posted by holborne at 9:00 AM on September 25, 2015
Stuff You Should Know - though I think the kind of smart-dude-verbal-jousting will either appeal or be an immediate turn off. Worth a listen.
posted by ryanshepard at 9:00 AM on September 25, 2015
posted by ryanshepard at 9:00 AM on September 25, 2015
Duncan Trussel Family Hour - good guests, check out the recent ep with the guy who worked in Antarctica!
Grimerica - fun banter between hosts
I don't have any non-white guy perspectives. Sorry.
posted by jbenben at 9:03 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Grimerica - fun banter between hosts
I don't have any non-white guy perspectives. Sorry.
posted by jbenben at 9:03 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Go Bayside hosted by April Richardson essentially reviewed every Saved By the Bell episode with a rotating cast of friends and acquaintances. It can be quite funny to remember how absurd that show really was.
posted by mmascolino at 9:03 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mmascolino at 9:03 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Under the "funny people," I give you this: Some friends of mine have 3 podcasts from their new (i.e. 4-5 months old) LongBall Podcasting network. Two of their podcasts, "90210 No You Dinnit!" and "The Issue At Hand," are focused on watching classic 90210 and a particular new comic book, respectively.
The third which I include only for completeness, "Talkin' Chat," is not so much what you're looking for with this question. It's just them bullshitting for 100 minutes; that's the one I listen to, because I don't get to bullshit with them myself as much as I used to.
All three podcasts are different permutations of the same 7 people with occasional guests (but not guests you've heard of, unless you worked where we all worked 5 years ago).
posted by Sunburnt at 9:04 AM on September 25, 2015
The third which I include only for completeness, "Talkin' Chat," is not so much what you're looking for with this question. It's just them bullshitting for 100 minutes; that's the one I listen to, because I don't get to bullshit with them myself as much as I used to.
All three podcasts are different permutations of the same 7 people with occasional guests (but not guests you've heard of, unless you worked where we all worked 5 years ago).
posted by Sunburnt at 9:04 AM on September 25, 2015
Spilled Milk (food, very funny)
Answer Me This might be too non-specific, but The Allusionist is Helen Zaltzman's etymology-related podcast
The Kitchen Cabinet (BBC Radio panel show, each episode in a new city with a focus on that city's food history)
The JV Club is generally focused on the interviewee's teenage years, though it meanders sometimes. She generally only interviews women, except in the summer.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:10 AM on September 25, 2015
Answer Me This might be too non-specific, but The Allusionist is Helen Zaltzman's etymology-related podcast
The Kitchen Cabinet (BBC Radio panel show, each episode in a new city with a focus on that city's food history)
The JV Club is generally focused on the interviewee's teenage years, though it meanders sometimes. She generally only interviews women, except in the summer.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:10 AM on September 25, 2015
Helen Zaltzman's The Allusionist.
The broad rubric is etymology and language, but each episode is narrowly focused, often on a single word or usage.
She is funny, not a dude and has a plummy accent.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 9:11 AM on September 25, 2015 [7 favorites]
The broad rubric is etymology and language, but each episode is narrowly focused, often on a single word or usage.
She is funny, not a dude and has a plummy accent.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 9:11 AM on September 25, 2015 [7 favorites]
I've been enjoying Dirty Old Ladies, three funny sarcastic women who do webcomics and talk about the nitty gritty of being a comics professional. Fair warning, two of them create adult comics so it can be risque.
posted by lepus at 9:11 AM on September 25, 2015
posted by lepus at 9:11 AM on September 25, 2015
You're probably already aware of this if you're listening to the x-files files but The Indoor Kids is Kumail Nanjiani's cast with his wife Emily V. Gordon. I enjoy their dynamic as a couple. They discuss video games and nerd culture stuff like comics and chiptune operas with creators. They actually have a lot of voice actors on from the game industry and I've learned a lot about how that process and how there are not that many people doing all those voices. Laura Bailey was great! It's also nice to listen to a couple talk about games and gaming instead of two friends, because couch co-op comes up a lot. Also the guys from Silicon Valley show up sometimes. Also the episode where Lisa Hanawalt art director for Bojack Horseman just talks about horses for an hour. So it's not on one specific topic, but it tends to get into it with whoever is on that week. Good Gone Home episode too, it got me to play the game. I am also enjoying the Allusionist. No Such Thing As a Fish is made by the QI elves from QI and they all share weird facts with each other. It's super funny I actually prefer it to QI.
posted by edbles at 9:14 AM on September 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by edbles at 9:14 AM on September 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm enjoying Jolie Kerr's Ask a Clean Person podcast. Her guests are all over the map while the topics are relevant to both the vigilant or lackadaisical.
posted by annaramma at 9:15 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by annaramma at 9:15 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
I really like How To Do Everything, on NPR. Usually about 20 minutes long, and they try to answer interesting questions by interviewing subject matter experts. And the hosts are very funny.
posted by alligatorman at 9:53 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by alligatorman at 9:53 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
This one's odd, but Perth Gardening Podcast (podcast of a weekly gardening radio show) is hands down hilarious.
The female gardening expert (Sabi) has excellent banter with the guy running the board and phones (Wolfi) and combined with a live call in format is comedy gold. Sample question "Q: Sabrina, parrots are eating my yard, what can I do? A: Move"
posted by travertina at 10:05 AM on September 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
The female gardening expert (Sabi) has excellent banter with the guy running the board and phones (Wolfi) and combined with a live call in format is comedy gold. Sample question "Q: Sabrina, parrots are eating my yard, what can I do? A: Move"
posted by travertina at 10:05 AM on September 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you like U Talking U2 To Me you might like Analyze Phish. It features Scott Aukerman and (the late, sadly) Harris Whittles. Harris is a huge fan of the band Phish, Scott hates the band. Over the course of the series (maybe eight episodes?) Harris attempts to convince Scott that the band does not suck.
Whether or not your a fan of the band it's an enjoyable show. I'ts worth listening to just for Aukerman's reactions when Harris mentions some of the song titles. Eventually they go to a Phish show along with some other semi-famous people, including Adam Scott from UTU22M.
posted by bondcliff at 10:08 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Whether or not your a fan of the band it's an enjoyable show. I'ts worth listening to just for Aukerman's reactions when Harris mentions some of the song titles. Eventually they go to a Phish show along with some other semi-famous people, including Adam Scott from UTU22M.
posted by bondcliff at 10:08 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you like the Maxfun-universe types, you might like Retail Nightmares. Co-hosted by Jessica Delisle and frequent Stop Podcasting Yourself guest Alicia Tobin. The topic is obviously bad retail jobs but they're pretty fast and loose about sticking to the topic, which I suppose could be good or bad for the purposes of this question.
Anyway, Alicia Tobin is the best.
posted by mullacc at 10:11 AM on September 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
Anyway, Alicia Tobin is the best.
posted by mullacc at 10:11 AM on September 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
If I were you, I might give Oh No Ross and Carrie a try. The hosts try out a different strange religion/pseudoscience type claim every episode.
Carrie can be a little annoying, but Ross's style of funny can help to round her out a fair bit.
posted by sparklemotion at 10:59 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Carrie can be a little annoying, but Ross's style of funny can help to round her out a fair bit.
posted by sparklemotion at 10:59 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
How about the Mental Illness Happy Hour, hosted by Paul Gilmartin? It's all about people struggling/coping with depression and various other mental illnesses. He keeps it light, but it can get pretty heavy, too.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:47 AM on September 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Thorzdad at 11:47 AM on September 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
How about Denzel Washington is the Greatest Actor of All Time Period? It's pretty specific (to Denzel Washington movies) and hosted by two not-white guys.
posted by cpatterson at 12:33 PM on September 25, 2015
posted by cpatterson at 12:33 PM on September 25, 2015
You're the Expert is pretty funny. Three comedians talk to a scientist about what she studies all day. Full disclosure: the host is a friend of mine.
posted by Aizkolari at 1:11 PM on September 25, 2015
posted by Aizkolari at 1:11 PM on September 25, 2015
Man, it's weirdly hard to hit all your points. So, I'll give you my best 2/3s.
Criminal is about a specific topic (crimes) and is hosted by a non-white guy voice, but it's not funny.
Same with You Must Remember This, single topic (history of movies) and hosted by a woman, but it's not particularly funny.
Switched On Pop is a specific topic (a musician and a musicologist analyzing current pop hits) and funny, but hosted by two white guys.
I'm also admittedly curious about your No-McElroy rule. Is it because you're set on McElroys? Or you're McElroyed out? Or other?
posted by moons in june at 6:56 PM on September 25, 2015
Criminal is about a specific topic (crimes) and is hosted by a non-white guy voice, but it's not funny.
Same with You Must Remember This, single topic (history of movies) and hosted by a woman, but it's not particularly funny.
Switched On Pop is a specific topic (a musician and a musicologist analyzing current pop hits) and funny, but hosted by two white guys.
I'm also admittedly curious about your No-McElroy rule. Is it because you're set on McElroys? Or you're McElroyed out? Or other?
posted by moons in june at 6:56 PM on September 25, 2015
Hound Tail with Moshe Kasher Comedians interrupt the guest expert. The expert is real, has something interesting to say and manages to continue after each funny interruption. Sometimes the guest has a sense of humor and improvises along with the comedians. The shows where the comedians tread lightly from what seems fear of being too politically incorrect are markedly less funny. On the other hand, the guest has much more time to explain his work.
posted by Homer42 at 10:44 PM on September 25, 2015
posted by Homer42 at 10:44 PM on September 25, 2015
The Dork Forest
Jackie Kashian discusses favorite obsessions with the obsessed. Video games, Comic Books, Birdwatching. How deep in the dork forest are you? Celebrate it and f*&%$, make it your own!
posted by brappi at 12:37 AM on September 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
Jackie Kashian discusses favorite obsessions with the obsessed. Video games, Comic Books, Birdwatching. How deep in the dork forest are you? Celebrate it and f*&%$, make it your own!
posted by brappi at 12:37 AM on September 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
NPR's Ask Me Another is a quiz-show type thing full of hilarity, word games and pub trivia, usually with a special guest of various levels of celebrity. (The episode with Patrick Stewart was amazing). It's also hosted by a woman.
posted by cgg at 8:13 AM on September 26, 2015
posted by cgg at 8:13 AM on September 26, 2015
Harry Shearer's Le Show is a very funny person being funny about politics. He does lots of impressions. His Dick Cheney stuff is very funny and an album of his songs was up for a Grammy a few years back.
posted by irisclara at 9:58 PM on September 26, 2015
posted by irisclara at 9:58 PM on September 26, 2015
As previously mentioned on Metafilter, One Bad Mother is thoughtful, funny, and applicable to everyone who is, has been, or could be, a parent. Or if you ever were a child.
posted by olopua at 9:14 AM on November 3, 2015
posted by olopua at 9:14 AM on November 3, 2015
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Forkful
99% Invisible
posted by Cosine at 8:53 AM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]