I can’t stop listening to podcasts.
When I’m in the car — on my commute or flower deliveries — my phone is plugged in and I’m binging all my favorites: from political commentary; to friends chatting about skin care; to the archives of Gilmore Guys, which breaks down every episode of my all-time favorite series plus every other Amy Sherman Palladino production (the latest of which, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, earned a top spot in my favorite things of 2017). Today I thought I’d share 6 of my favorites that make me LOL and give me all the warm and fuzzies, because we could all use a little extra help on a Monday afternoon.
I love the Stitcher app for listening to podcasts: it’s easy to find and save your favorites; they offer up recommendations based on your current playlist; and it saves space on your phone because you can stream episodes from the app instead of downloading them.
Okay, let’s jump into it!
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard :: This is the first podcast I listened to, and it totally sparked my obsession with the medium. While the rest of my picks in this post are mostly rooted in comedy, I couldn’t leave Dax out of a list of my uplifting weekly must-listens (and trust me, there’s plenty of stuff that will make you laugh out loud). Each week, Dax and a special guest discuss the “messiness of being human” while sharing each other’s stories and mining for the life-defining moments that lead to growth and betterment; they’re the kind of deep, intellectual, life-affirming conversations I love to dive into with my family and friends. New episodes go up on Mondays, and it’s the perfect way to kick off my week.
Watch What Crappens :: If you’re a fellow Bravo super fan, you need to get your ears on Ben and Ronnie’s weekly recaps of Real Housewives, Southern Charm, and all the other crazy reality shows from the network that has a stronghold on so many of our lives. The guys do a detailed play-by-play of every episode, complete with hilarious impressions of each cast member and a defiant irreverence for Andy Cohen. It’s my go-to while I cook dinner: I pop in my Airpods and snort-laugh [loudly] in the kitchen while my husband watches SportsCenter; it’s the best part of my day.
How Did This Get Made :: The podcast that ignited my crush on Jason Mantzoukas. He, Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael — my favorite style-icon character in Grace and Frankie — and a variety of guests break down terrible movies from every decade and genre. The first episode I listened to was about one of my childhood favorites, Ladybugs, starring Rodney Dangerfield and Devon Sawa, and it made me laugh so hard while simultaneously making me question everything about growing up in the 90s. (That movie’s super weird when you watch it as a grownup, guys.) They upload a new episode every two weeks, and even though I haven’t seen the majority of the movies they discuss, I love every episode. It’s my top pick when I’m working late at the shop by myself; I turn it up loud and LOL through the whole thing while I knock out my design work.
Everything Iconic :: Danny Pellegrino is a gem. His podcast is a blend of pop culture, Bravo recaps, music and deep-dives into 90’s and early-aughts treasures like Newlyweds (let us never forget Jessica Simpson’s befuddlement over tuna fish) and the career of Tyra Banks (“We were all rooting for you!“). It’s a cozy little space for us old millennials to revel in the ridiculousness of the movies, music and reality television that shaped our lives. Danny is often joined by special guests, but I enjoy his solo shows just as much, which is saying something. He’s also the king of great memes on the ‘gram, so follow him at @dannypellegrino.
The Mortified Podcast :: Imagine finding your awkward middle school diary and reading the entries on stage in front of total strangers. That’s The Mortified Podcast in a nutshell, and it’s endearing, hilarious and so damn relatable.
Bitch Sesh :: Another Real Housewives podcast (I may have a problem) with two girls that you’ll wanna be friends with IRL, Casey and Danielle. They’re both smart, eloquent and successful women who make me feel a little better about my Bravo addiction. Each episode breaks down the wildest Bravo moments of the week, usually with special guests that are also successful, high-functioning adults/Bravo addicts; it’s comforting to know you’re not failing as a human if you can’t stop watching every episode of Southern Charm five times.
