my favorite podcasts

a comprehensive but not exhaustive list

my mornings are spent doing chores and listening to podcasts. listed here are the ones that I never miss. this isn’t meant to be a list of absolute best podcasts — there are more podcasts than I have hours available for listening and these are the old reliable favorites that I have gravitated to over the years

did I omit one of your favorites? let us know what we should be listening to, in the comments below

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politics

The Daily Beans
weekday mornings | hosts: Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg | link
news. with swearing. this is the first podcast I listen to every weekday morning. a progressive news roundup and interviews with experts and activists and expert activists

Cleanup on Aisle 45
Wednesdays | hosts: Allison Gill and Andrew Torrez | link
a deep dive into the Department of Justice and Intelligence Agencies investigations of Donald Trump and his cronies

It’s Complicated
Thursdays | hosts: Renato Mariotti and Asha Rangappa | link
former federal prosecutor Mariotti and former FBI Special Agent Rangappa discuss complicated issues in the news

Jack
Sundays | hosts: Allison Gill and Andrew McCabe | link
documenting the DoJ investigations of Trump. with the help of expert guests, Gill and McCabe analyze court filings, letters, strategies, and regulations to take you through the Special Counsel process that could lead to the indictment of Donald J. Trump

The Bob Cesca Show
Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays | hosts: Bob Cesca, Buzz Burbank, Jody Hamilton, David Ferguson | link
funny liberal political talk from podcasters knee-deep in the trenches of the American political debate

The Noel Casler Podcast
weekly | host: Noel Casler | link
Noel excels at breaking down complex socio-political subjects into funny and entertaining vignettes

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general knowledge

The History of English Podcast
monthly | host: Kevin Stroud | link
a chronological history of the English language examined through the lens of historical events that shaped the development and spread of the language from the Eurasian steppe to the entire world

You Are Not So Smart
fortnightly | host: David McRaney | link
You Are Not So Smart is a show about psychology that celebrates science and self delusion. In each episode, we explore what we've learned so far about reasoning, biases, judgments, and decision-making

You’re Wrong About
every other Tuesday | host: Sarah Marshall | link
Sarah is a journalist obsessed with the past. every week she and a guest reconsiders a person or event that's been miscast in the public imagination

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popular culture

Culture Gabfest
Wednesdays | hosts: Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, Julia Turner | link
hosts and guests debate the week in culture, from highbrow to pop

Pop Culture Happy Hour
weekdays | hosts: Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson, and Aisha Harris | link
recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, books, videogames and more

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movies

Blank Check with Griffin & David
Sundays | hosts: Griffin Newman and David Sims | link
Blank Check reviews directors' complete filmographies episode to episode. specifically, the auteurs whose early successes afforded them the rare ‘blank check’ from Hollywood to produce passion projects

Filmspotting
Saturdays | hosts: Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen | link
new and classic film reviews, interviews, top 5 lists and more

You Must Remember This
weekly | host: Karina Longworth | link
a storytelling podcast exploring the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood’s first century

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comedy

Thought Spiral
Mondays | hosts: Andy Kindler and J. Elvis Weinstein | link
comedians Kindler and Weinstein convene weekly to solve the problems of the world but usually end up talking about comedy and various