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| Matty Jacobson edits and contributes to The Skewed Review. Your sporadic dose of Skew comes directly from Matty's kitchen and straight to your face holes. |
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Summer really is the best time for podcasts; there's nothing new on TV, the kids are all out of school so you can't really go out in public without wanting to beat the crap out of them, and you have to have something to listen to while lazily basking in the sun in order to get that perfect cancer-colored carmel that cubes your sexiness.
But summer's been over for quite some time now, and long periods of alone time are probably close to non-existent for most of us. But that hasn't stopped me from compiling the Top 10 Podcasts To Keep You Warm During Winter Months.
If you're new to The Skewed Review, then I'll set aside my judgment for a moment and direct you to the top 10 most-read articles on the left. This summer, I compiled the Top 10 Podcasts To Keep You Sane During Rerun Season. Well, that article led to an onslaught of podcast suggestions. So luckily for you, I've screened what can only be described as a buttload of podcasts, and I've found a few I'm sure you'll like.
Please note a couple of these podcasts also appeared on the last top 10 list. That's because they remain awesome. Also take note that, even though they don't appear on this list, all the podcasts on the summer list are still awesome and I continue to listen to each one religiously.
Please download a few of each of these. They're entertaining, educational, ridiculous and incoherent. I know, I know. Heaven, right? These are available on iTunes, or you can click the links I've provided. So, without further adieu (wait, am I using the correct word? "Further goodbye?" Hmm. Damn the French), here are The Top 10 Podcasts To Keep You Warm During Winter Months (in no particular order):
The title says it all for this one. Suds and Schwood watch the latest movies and then tell us everything that's wrong with them. Sometimes I agree with their opinions, and sometimes I'm sure they're smoking something. But they're entertaining 100 percent of the time. The best part is they rag on each other for liking movies. I swear they're a beer away from a fist fight during every episode. Be warned, though, make sure to watch the movies before listening. There are spoilers in every episode. But hey, on the plus side, if there's a movie you want to lie about seeing, then you can just listen to Ragtime and then repeat what you've heard to all your petty friends who apparently judge you on if you've seen a movie or not.
The best thing about Comedy Bang! Bang! is the characters. I love this show because it's disguised as a talk show, but it's really improv candy for your eardrums. Host Scott Aukerman usually speaks with a well-known guest each week like Amy Poehler or Jon Hamm. He also has other guests like my favorites, craft services coordinator Fabrice Fabrice, and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber (both of which are characters performed by Nick Kroll and Paul F. Tompkins, respectively). One thing is for certain: You'll never play "Would You Rather" the same way again once you've listened to a few episodes of this podcast.
As a loyal "Blastronaut," it shouldn't be a surprise that I've included Professor Blastoff again. But I'll be damned if this isn't the funniest podcast that attempts to teach us something with every episode. Whether or not I actually learn anything new is usually beside the point. I look forward each week to Tig Notaro's stories of survival, David Huntsberger's attempts at keeping each episode on track, and Kyle Dunnigan's myriad comments/impressions/embarrassing stories. And for a special treat, you should download episode 74 where Lead Researcher and fellow Mormon (although, he seems to be the active kind) Aaron Burrell enlightens us with the philosophical aspects of "Star Trek."
This podcast is not at all as depressing as the title leads you to believe it is. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Paul F. Tompkins stars as a time-travelling H.G. Wells who brings dead authors from their time to a stage in front of a live audience. He then proceeds to ask authors about their inspirations, their struggles, their loves, their lives, their livings, and everything in between. The most recent episode, featuring Laraine Newman as Mary Shelly, is a particular gem, but my all-time favorite thus far is the episode where Wells brings H.P. Lovecraft and Friedrich Nietzsche to the 21st century. I could give or take Lovecraft, but Nietzsche had me close to peeing my undies. This is some funny stuff.
I've noticed hosts Chuck Bryant and Josh Clark have begun reminding listeners that they're not experts on all the topics they discuss. Apparently people have been writing to these fine gentlemen to scold them on topics when they're not delved into on a collegiate level. Well, considering this podcast covers topics ranging from raining frogs to fractals, you'd think the general audience would know that these guys don't hold masters degrees on everything they talk about. So keep that in mind as you listen. The episodes will enlighten you on things you most likely haven't thought twice about, and some episodes may even spark a desire to research a topic even further. Learning is almost as fun as hardcore drugs. Or so I've heard.
The best part about Stuff You Missed in History Class is that you walk away from your iPod a little smarter than you were. Hosts Deblina and Sarah bring a little history lesson to us with each episode. And unlike high school, we're not subjected to tests afterward. Some of the more thrilling subjects have included the true story behind Lizzy Borden, the tale of my favorite New Orleans house: The LaLaurie Mansion, and a little lesson on the one and only Emperor of the United States. The best part about this podcast is that you'll find out interesting tidbits you've never really heard before. For instance, did you know Professor Moriarty of "Sherlock Holmes" fame was based on a real person?
My affection for Geekshow runs deep. I think this is the only podcast I've continued listening to that's just a bunch of guys talking about random things. All my other podcast picks focus on specific topics like education or movies, or they have some sort of scripted or improv comedy aspect to them. I've listened to many suggested podcasts where a panel of people sit and chat, but I've ended up unsubscribing after just a few episodes. But, for some reason, Geekshow is the one and only in this specific genre of podcast style that's worthy of staying on my list. I think it might be because of the copious amounts of alcohol involved. Who knows. Just subscribe to it already.
Remember all those times you sat and thought, "Gee, why don't they do old-timey radio productions like 'The Shadow' and 'The Green Hornet' anymore?" No? Well, I never did, either. So it was a complete surprise to me when I realized I'd been living without something awesome for all this time. The Thrilling Adventure Hour is a collection of minishows like "Sparks Nevada: Marshal on Mars" and "Beyond Belief." They're read from scripts in front of a live audience, and they're funny as hell. By the way, who coined the phrase "funny as hell?" I mean, I've never been there, but from what I've heard it's actually sort of the opposite of hilarious. Ok, so Thrilling Adventure Hour is not so much "funny as hell" as it is "funny as cats in cowboy costumes riding Shetland ponies." Yeah, that sounds about right.
Superego is definitely an acquired taste. Before you listen, you'll need to know a couple of things: First, almost all the segments you'll hear feature reoccurring characters. Second, the segments are comedic skits that are improvised. They're bizarre and usually make little-to-no sense at all. But they're funny. Don't go into this one expecting something cohesive or coherent. You won't find it here. I'm not advocating drug use, but I'll bet however much the bill collector says I owe on the next call I receive that this podcast would be hilarious when paired with marijuana.
Here's the dumb thing about being a fan of someone: If you recommend multiple outlets for that person's work, then people start to think you're a stalker. Well, I'm not a stalker, but I did only recently discover how hilarious Paul F. Tompkins is. I didn't mention it before, but he's also featured in the Superego and Thrilling Adventure Hour podcasts. This particular podcast features Mr. Tompkins waxing intellectual to live (at the time of recording) music provided by Eban Schletter. The podcast also features clips from Tompkins' live shows, some scripted hilarity featuring the many voices of Paul, and interviews with comedians. The only problem with this show is it has no scheduled release date, so you may get one every three months, or you may get five in a week's time. But hey, it's a good surprise when it pops up!
So now that I've given you some new suggestions, why not send a few more my way? Tweet me your favorite podcasts to @TheSkewedReview or let's discuss it on The Skewed Review's Facebook page.
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