The pure joy of a great podcast
There’s something otherworldly about listening to a really captivating podcast. As the sound floods your earphones it’s easy to imagine you have been transported to the precise moment it was recorded, that you are a friend and observer, rather than a listener. There is something refreshingly intimate about the format that really appeals to me.
I have found that podcasts have a more practical benefit too: I am more inclined to walk from A to B when I have something interesting to listen to. The same goes for performing menial tasks like washing up or cleaning the bathroom. I also love to have my favourite podcast on while I cook or potter around, for me, it’s the ultimate in everyday escapism.
Here’s a little taste of what I’m currently listening to:
Guys we F****d
Corrine Fisher and Krystyna Hutchinson make up the comedy duo, Sorry About Last Night, and since 2013 their weekly podcast Guys we Fucked, The Anti Slut-Shaming Podcast has gone from strength to strength. Created to empower women to talk about sex, their honesty and wit has earned them a legion of fans of which I am definitely one. From porn stars and comedians to abuse survivors and former conquests, their guests are all fascinating and full of character. Laugh out loud and at times a bit risqué, this is never far from my ears.
The High Low
Another duo of lovely ladies, The High Low hosted by Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes (2 smoking hot blondes) is a weekly podcast covering current events and pop-culture. With discussion on high brow topics as well as a smattering of mindless celebrity gossip, this podcast TRULY gets me. Intelligent, relatable and full of fun, this is a slick, quick dose of entertainment.
S-Town
From the makers of Serial (an unmissable podcast in its own right), S-Town starts out as a classic whodunnit. It begins with producer Brian Reed receiving an email from one John B McLemore, an eccentric horologist from ‘Shit Town’ Alabama, urging him to investigate an unsolved murder in his hometown of Woodstock. What follows is an intense and emotional story which ultimately focuses on the complexity of human character.
My Dad Wrote a Porno
Presenter Jamie Morton’s Dad ACTUALLY wrote a Porno and alongside pals James Cooper and Alice Levine, he’s reading and reviewing it in this hilarious podcast. His Dad’s poorly written erotic fiction series centres on the enigmatic Belinda Blumenthal, a pots and pans saleswoman, and her many sexual exploits. The books are unintentionally comical but the unscripted narration is the real star of the show here. Full of mirth and merriment, be prepared to snort laugh on public transport.