67,034 minutes of podcasts
Customer service calls, Oatly's history, law enforcement trauma, indigenous actors, domesticating cats, ecosystem services, The Grinch.
With the way Spotify measures podcast listening for their Wrapped roundup, I really wasn’t sure what to expect for my top five this year. I think they calculate it based on total minutes listened, which makes sense because that’s what they do for music, but it makes the podcast results a little less interesting. Although, it is cool to see those minutes added up! In total, I listened to 67,034 minutes of podcasts this year. If you want a good summary of your podcast listening habits, switch over to Pocket Casts now so you can enjoy their awesome year-end stats next year! Clearly, all of my podcast listening is done on Spotify. My top five is made up of weekly shows that rarely take breaks and are typically at least an hour long.
These are my top five podcasts of 2023 according to Spotify, but I’ll be sharing my own Podstack Wrapped in a few weeks!
This week’s podstack
This show immediately throws you into the story, or so you think. It gives you a quick glimpse of the end, before taking a few steps back and introducing the characters. There’s Valerie and Martin, an interesting couple in their 60s who are sweet, but might have some troubling news/media sources they turn to. In an attempt to distract from the concerns over their son, Valerie is channeling her energy on a Sunday afternoon into calling the phone company about an overcharge on their bill. The customer service rep that Valerie speaks with is Akbar, a warm and friendly guy who’s doing this gig until he gets his big break on Drag Race. Over the course of this customer service phone call between Valerie and Akbar, you listen in as they get to know each other and we get to know more about them through the side conversations they have while on hold. Lauren predicted that I’d like this one and when she’s right, she’s right. I listened to the first three episodes in a row and didn’t want to stop. The phone call structure is such a fun twist and I was so impressed with how dynamic they still made the story. And I have to admit, I was charmed by the fact that the story takes place in Toronto!
The Europeans - The Oatly Chronicles Part 1: The Big Dairy Problem
What you think is a podcast about how trendy oat milk is, actually becomes an extremely honest look at the impact of of the dairy industry, the power of Big Dairy in Europe, the housing crisis, and the challenge of staying sustainable at scale. Did you know Oatly has been around since 1994? Waaay before oat milk made its way into every coffee shop! You may know their CEO from the cringeworthy but brutally catchy song he sang for a Super Bowl commercial. I love the way all the hosts in this three part series stay so curious about the problems with dairy and with Oatly. They taught me so much and kept me wanting to better understand the climate, economic, and human impact this seemingly simple item has. (transcript)
Obscured - FWTW Ep 4: Community Trauma Interventions with Arturo Zinny
The study of law enforcement trauma and the lack of systems to support it feels like an important topic to be focusing on during a time when so much true crime content still tops the charts. We are so used to hearing about crimes and mistreatment, but we don’t often hear about how survivors are supported afterwards. It turns out, part of that is because of the lack of support. Through their From Words to Weapons series, journalists Stephanie Marudas and Emily Previti are researching and reporting on the impacts of law enforcement trauma, what survivors go through, how they are treated before, during, and after a law enforcement encounter, and who is working to better the systems that can help them. I’d recommend going back to the first episode of the series to start off, but I’m noting this recent episode about community trauma interventions because of how it highlights existing solutions that could be increased and adapted depending on the type of trauma. Stephanie and Emily’s reporting is thorough and gives us the chance to hear perspectives from throughout the community that just don’t get platformed enough.
Actors and Ancestors - True North Strong and Cree with Joel D. Montgrand
This episode was a reminder of how good introductory episodes can be, especially for something like an interview show where you might not get as many opportunities to learn about the host themselves. But so often, it’s our connection to the hosts that bring us back to a show. Joel D. Montgrand’s introduction episode was so fun and inspiring that I felt myself growing connected to the show as I listened. Even though Joel jokes at the beginning of the episode about people wanting to skip it and get right to the next episode with his interviews, I’m so glad I didn’t. I got to learn about Joel’s childhood, his journey to understanding and accepting his identity, and how he got into acting. Actors and Ancestors is a direct result of Joel’s acting experience and stems from a desire to show other aspiring Indigenous actors how they can pursue a creative career by hearing stories of people who have done it.
6 Degrees of Cats - The Purr-fect Life: Cats, Kantian Ethics and Buddhism
Do you think cats like living with us? As a way of thinking about how cats came to be domesticated, this episode explores the thoughts and theories that different philosophers have had about cats and animals in general. Host Amanda B. speaks with experts in animal ethics, philosophy and Buddhist studies to understand our relationship to animals. So much about this episode captures what 6 Degrees of Cats does best - teach you about culture, history, and science through the theme of cats. I kinda think about it the same way I do some of my favourite food podcasts. The stories and history of food can tell us so much about the bigger picture things in the world, and that approach can also work for cats! It’s so creative and Amanda has so much fun with the sound design and scripting.
Future Ecologies - Making a Living
Contrary to what guest Adam Davis thinks, this is not a boring episode because there are no boring episodes of Future Ecologies. Through Adam’s work in ecosystem services, he’s teaching us a new way of thinking about our natural environment and how it is treated economically. Typically, nature is only assessed by what we can take from it, but this doesn’t properly account for what the presence of nature can give back. If the economic mindset says a tree has the most value when it is cut down and turned into wood or paper or anything else, it ignores the value that the tree has as part of the ecosystem it exists in. I may be oversimplifying it, but Adam is so knowledgeable in explaining it and making you think differently about how we treat nature and natural spaces. Plus, with the perfectly placed music and subtle touches of foley and sound design to match the story, the conversation is brought to life in ways that keep you listening. (transcript)
‘Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast - No Presents for Thanksgiving! with Bob Odenkirk and Erin Odenkirk
I can already tell this show is going to be one I put on throughout the holiday season, any chance I get to take over the Bluetooth speaker or pick the podcast in the car. The Grinch as a cranky but compelling podcast host is the holiday show I didn’t know I needed. From answering questions sent in from kids, to chirping Bob Odenkrik, The Grinch is exactly as sassy as you want him to be. It’s very much the version of him from Jim Carrey’s performance. If this is being categorized as a show for kids, I think it’s a fun one for anyone to get into. From what I’ve listened to so far, there are playful segments that open the show (like a prank phone call), then The Grinch is joined by his guest for an interview where he’s either roasting them or something related to them.
More sweet treats
The trailer for this podcast documentary has me SO EXCITED for it!
This list of top 25 podcasts from 2023 has so many gems for your queue.
What’s happening to Disney at the box office?
I’m trying to feel less negative about winter by watching positive TikToks from Svalbard.
Thank you for reading! If you listened to something this week that made your heart sing, your imagination wander, or your brain ponder, I’d love to hear about it!