Podcast Envy

Every day on my commute to work, I pop in my earbuds, turn on the MP3 player, and abandon myself to strangers' dulcet tones, waxing eloquent about pop culture and interviewing often fascinating people.

Here is a list of some of my favourite podcasts.





The top of the line remains for me Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman's  HOLLYWOOD BABBLE-ON. The mostly weekly show (they have been known to skip a week here and there because of Smith's busy schedule as a TV director) makes the most of Silent Bob's gift for gab, and Ralph Garman's ''8 impressions'', in their foray into popular culture with segments like ''Tinseltown stiffs'' (paying tribute to recently deceased celebrities), ''Inappropriate Toys'' (an amusing look into items that are aimed at children but are, well, inappropriate), ''Shit that should not be'' (mainly bloopers in movies and TV shows), ''Exquisite acting'' (this one has featured Nicolas Cage more than once), ''Geek news'' (self explanatory) and capping the show each week with jokes about the size of Liam Neeson's penis. Recorded live and always funny and entertaining, and even at times touching (Ralph Garman's emotional tirade about his old friend Adam West's death made me tear up), this is the one I look for every Monday.



Next comes The Nerdist Podcast hosted by comedian Chris Hardwick, a proud nerd who can recite the first 100 digits of Pi off the top of his head. His ebullient personality has made over 900 guests feel at ease in his studio up to now. Between his stand-up gigs, his podcast, and his many hosting jobs on TV on shows like TALKING DEAD, @ MIDNIGHT and TALKING WITH CHRIS HARDWICK, I am left wondering if he is not in fact more human than human.



Comedian Marc Maron, with his WTF Podcast,  has been inviting celebrities in his garage for over 860 episodes as of this writing.  As gruff in real life as he is onstage, Maron has an easygoing way all through his interviews in this rather unlikely setting. His guest includes luminaries like Mick Jagger, Al Gore, and even President Barack Obama showed up in his garage (necessitating an insane amount of security in the stunned neighbourhood).  Boomer Lives!!!



For those who enjoy film talk, I particularly recommend  Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers, where co-hosts Dion Baia and J. Blake replicate the experience of a late night movie sleepover, to discuss at length an old cult classic, relying on a wealth of research and their own observations . Relaxed, congenial and often laughing their butts off, they manage to impart their knowledge and be entertaining to this listener.



 

F This Movie is very similar in tone to Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers as it also dusts off old classics in discussions hosted by Patrick Bromley and a variety of co-hosts.  Despite the title that implies a certain negativity, they quite often genuinely love the films they chose to talk about, and again, with a certain lightheartedness  that makes it feel like you are sitting with friends talking movies (which is a favourite pastime of mine.)



And if you mix the two obsessions; comedians and movie talk, you get Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast. The mellifluous Gottfried is a fan of Cult films and B-movies, and has an unhealthy fascination with sordid details about the lives and careers of Tinseltown's most famous inhabitants. Aided with his very knowledgeable co-host (not a sidekick) Frank Santopadre, he interviews A-list AND B-list legends of hollywood, as well as other celebrity movie fans, with a copious dose of his trademark humour and lots of cackling.

That's a first roundup of podcasts I find are worthy to be stuck up your ears. I'll make sure to share a second selection soon.

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