five podcasts I'm obsessed with rn

1. Dirty John

Feels like the new Serial, but...not as good. That's not to say it's not worth your time! I listened to the entire series in about a twenty-four hour period; it's tight and addictive. Dirty John is not the craziest crime story you've ever heard (especially if you went down the Making a Murderer/Netflix true crime spiral I did last year). In fact, what makes the story so awful is that it feels spookily familiar, especially in light of recent news re: predatory, controlling men. Most crime sagas soothe us into reeling through details, listing all the reasons it could never happen to us: this story makes us worry it could. (Although, I just have to say it once: COME ON, DEB!) It didn't hook me right away, but definitely worth it to get to Episode 6: Terra. DJ is one of those stories that sparks my interest because it shows us that people like that really exist. However, that's not exactly settling information. (And if you're looking for another podcast about a fascinating person named John, I can't recommend S*Town enough)

2. Lovett or Leave It

Yes, I know and love Pod Save America, and if you do, too, you hopefully already listen to the Lovett-hosted, comedy club-set, live episodes of LOLI. PSA is my politics podcast bread and butter, but Lovett brings a snark and a weekly live show (a real-life laugh track, produced by an audience that agrees with me politically 100%) to the ceaselessly burning swamp fire that is politics. All of the Crooked Media podcasts are well done if you're interested in political news and actionable items to help stop the nonsense (Nazis, Republicans trying to take away healthcare, "thoughts and prayers," the damn president, Javanka, pick ur poison). And the more of them you listen to, the easier it is to figure out who's talking on Pod Save America (ALL WHITE GUYS TWO JONS. I MEAN). Diverse guests, fun nicknames for Trump's cronies, games that shit all over Paul Ryan, even the ads are worth listening to. Every week is fresh and topical, so don't bother catching up unless you're bored, or are becoming slowly obsessed with the sound of Jon Lovett's voice (what..?), just jump in.

3. The Read

I started listening to the Read a few years ago, when Kid Fury and Crissle's jokes about Blue Ivy and Taylor Swift permeated the WhiteTM pop culture bubble I live(d?) inside of. They're in my ears every week to crack jokes at the expense of ridiculous celebrities, call out #BlackExcellence happening all over the world, offer advice to listeners that's actually worth hearing, and drag anyone that needs dragging (it's often white people, and we always deserve it). I don't know what they're talking about maybe 30 percent of the time (I don't watch Real Housewives, so) but you can always just 15-second jump your way to the Mail Bag. It's a podcast you can start any time, but it is worth going back and listening to some of their better moments (think awards show recaps and end of the year "best of"s). 

4. Gilmore Guys

I'm sorry. I almost didn't include it because I thought it might be a little too niche. But fuck it, if you haven't seen Gilmore Girls yet, there are no excuses. It's on Netflix. Watch an episode of the show, then put the GG podcast on in your car, and watch your life improve. But, you protest, "Gilmore Girls doesn't follow a traditional narrative structure with act breaks." But but "Stars Hollow is just a bunch of white people." TRUE. The show has many flaws. You don't even have to like Gilmore Girls that much to listen--they don't like it that much sometimes (they being the two male hosts and their very witty, often Gilmore-obsessed, cohort of guests--like Jason Mantzoukas!). Hosts Kevin and Demi started small, caught perfect timing with the Netflix revival, put in honest work to build a community of fans, and have I sold this enough? No? From live-show raps about Rory's love triangles, to a shockingly adorable interview with legend/dream grandma Kelly Bishop, also good a deal of UCB bit-infused pop culture chit chat ...most of which has nothing to do with Gilmore Girls. What can I say, maybe I just wanna be friends with Kevin and Demi. (I do.)

5. Death, Sex, and Money

This is not a new podcast, just new to me, so forgive the old news. If you haven't gotten around to it yet, it's not one you need to catch up from the start, BUT some of the older episodes themes' are still relevant and crazy interesting (the Cheating episode!) The interviews are some of the best and most natural I've heard in a podcast--there is something about Anna Sale, even in just listening to her voice, that makes you relaxed, and must make her guests want to tell her things. I've never been a fan of call-in episodes (is Air Talk commentary ever worth our time?), but it speaks to the quality of the audience that listener-call in episodes are some of the greatest. DSM is almost becoming a grassroots movement for the plights of twenty-somethings (I know, I know, entitled millennials are ruining the world): they started a spreadsheet for different questions many young people have, and people can jump in and answer. Sounds like every good idea for an online forum before it got ruined by trolls, so let us use it before the trolls infest.