E-mail I wrote to some friends in March. I've picked up some more since then and Extra Hot Great is no more:
WTF - 60-90 minute interview show hosted by comedian Marc Maron (twice a week). Mostly interviews fellow stand-up comics, but he's up to 260+ episodes now, so the pool of interviewees has expanded. The most recent fifty episodes are available for free, which brings you back to last October. Guests that give you a good feel for the show and are still available: Norm McDonald, Bryan Cranston, Chris Rock, Penn Jilllette, Carrot Top, Michael Ian Black, Todd Glass (an hour of him coming out publicly for the first time), Weird Al. There's a whole subculture of comedy podcasts, so you'll see some of the same guests make the rounds, but this is really the only one I listen to of those, as there's only so much time in the week.
This American Life - The standard. An hour, once a week, a collection of stories loosely held together by a theme. They've gotten more into journalism over the past few years. All previous episodes are free to stream online or through their $2.99 (I think) app. Subscribing to the podcast fee only gets you the current episode and all going forward. Highly recommended.
Extra Hot Great - Entertaining pop culture podcast. Once a week, 50-110 minutes, with a few five minute episodes featured during the week. Again, way too many pop culture podcasts out there, but I like this one.
Firewall & Iceberg - Two tv critics I like discuss...tv, once or twice a week
Freakonomics - I don't love this, but it's popular and rare enough that I subscribe to it and listen when a new one pops up
The Tobolowsky Files - Character actor Stephen Tobolowsky (Ned! from Groundhog Day) tells entertaining stories from his life. 54 of them so far, and increasingly less frequent now. He had a major heart attack last year, but he's bounced back.
Slate's Culture Gabfest - Another pop culture show, but way (way) too pretentious. I like it enough, but can't really recommend it.
Radiolab - Kind of similar to This American Life (Radiolab stories have been featured on TAL), but with more of a science bent.
Travel With Rick Steves - Not sure why I listen to this, but it's nice to have on my phone when I'm out of all other shows. 50 minutes, once a week, of Rick interviewing foreigners and saying things like how the Grand Canyon is sexy. If he's ever discussed his divorce, I've missed it.
ESPN: PTI - Can't believe I'm still listening to them, but it's 22 minutes and I usually skip the guest. They hit the same topics over and over and once Kornheiser makes a point or comes up with a nickname, forget about it, because he'll be saying it every day until the show is over. And yet, only 22 minutes and I breeze through it.
ESPN: BS Report - I've hinted at my growing distaste for Bill Simmons over the years and yet I still subscribe to his podcast. I skip most of the episodes but of course listened to the one this week where him and three...friends is too strong because I'm guessing (hoping?) they all hate him, so maybe colleagues...have a draft for how they would recast American Idol. This is what ESPN is paying him and an entire grantland staff for. Definitely get the feeling he was sick of being home all day (though not really writing) and is the type of guy who loves (really loves) office banter, which all played a part in ESPN building an office for him.
If you're still here, a tip - listen to podcasts at 2x the speed (I have an app that manages my podcasts and let's me listen at 1x, 1.5, 2x and other speeds). Really helps me get through most of these.
