Podcasts are life
How to sing, goodbye trivia, women's underwear, more celebrations, self-image for men, menu archives, funny food people.
I had to include a Ted Lasso themed meme in this week’s list because after the emotional experience of watching the finale, I turned to podcasts to recover. Don’t get me wrong, podcasts can get me in my feels too, but that’s why there’s so much variety in my queue. I need shows for every mood and activity. And that’s what I hope I’m helping you find too! Side note: Dad, please don’t listen to the Twenty Thousand Hertz episode while mowing the lawn. That lawnmower might overpower it too much!
This week’s podstack
Twenty Thousand Hertz - Vocal Stratosphere
From Britney Spears to Mariah Carey, from Bruno Mars to John Lennon, with everything from beatboxing to throat singing. If you’re completely perplexed by how singing works, this episode is analyzing it in every way possible. Even though there are some technical terms used to describe different kinds of singing, they include so many examples to make sure you hear what that kind of singing sounds like. Did you know there’s vocal fry in singing too? Have you ever heard the deepest note a human voice has hit? This episode will give you a new appreciation for all the different ways people sing and express themselves. There’s even a fun demonstration from the 20k team, who try out some vocal techniques and honestly, I learned just as much from their lesson! “I define good singing as people who make me feel something,” is a really cool perspective from vocal coach Matt Ramsey about the range of singing that can work for various songs and moods. (transcript)
Not Past It - Never Goodbye, Always See Ya Later
When I saw the title of this episode, I thought it was just about some historic goodbyes and it is, but not in the way I assumed! The end of season two is also the beginning of a break for the show as they search for a new partner to produce the show with. The saying goes ‘don’t be sad it’s over, be happy it happened’ or something like that, and this episode definitely made me happy it happened! It’s a trivia episode all about endings, reinventions, and new beginnings. It also features prominent audio creators Saidu Tejan Thomas and Emmanuel Dzotsi, who have also experienced shows ending and already have a pretty competitive relationship, so they take it seriously and it’s so entertaining! The original price of a McDonald’s hamburger is still haunting me. And I will now be saying ‘waist overalls’ to describe a piece of clothing. The rebooted TV show round was surprisingly tricky, but so fun! This made me want more trivia segments in podcasts.
Hello Girls - The Wonderbra: You Lift Me Up
If you liked the way Articles of Interest analyzes fashion as a reflection of culture, society, and history, you’ll also enjoy Hello Girls. They take a very similar approach, except the focus is on women’s underwear. The driving thesis of the show is that women’s underwear and its history says a lot about our lives. After listening to the first three episodes about the Wonderbra, thongs, and bra fittings, I can confirm that they deliver on demonstrating how true that is. Even though you’d assume underwear wouldn’t have as much of an impact because it’s under your clothes and hidden, there have been many trends where underwear is not so subtle. Through new products, styles from the runway, and celebrity culture, the societal influence of women’s underwear becomes much more complex than you’d assume. And because of its intimate nature, there’s also a significant emotional impact. I really enjoy the way episodes open with people answering a question related to the topic of the episode, then they begin analyzing with the help of journalists, historians, and experts from the fashion and clothing world. The 30 minute episodes are so easy to fly through!
The Best Advice Show - Celebrate Good Times Come On! with Dr. Nina Polyné
The Best Advice Show did special episodes throughout Mental Health Awareness month and one of the episodes really stuck with me. Dr. Nina Polyné, who is also one of the co-hosts on Baggage Drop, is encouraging people to celebrate more things and more often! We get so caught up in only celebrating the big milestones and moments, but why? Why not celebrate your wins throughout the day or week? She makes a great case for how it can bring more joy to your life and help you better recognize the progress you’re making.
Other Men Need Help - That's What I Look Like?
The new season of Other Men Need Help is taking a literal approach to the discussion of self-image and having conversations with men about how they view themselves based on specific images. These images represent powerful and pivotal moments and how they processed those feelings about what they look like. The key part of the show being that actual processing of feelings. We don’t always hear these kind of deep conversations about/from men and their self-image and Mark is the empathetic and honest voice that can take us there. The first episode talks about coming to terms with balding and the acceptance and sense of community that Danny eventually finds after realizing he was losing his once iconic hair. And each episode keeps getting better! The second one features Ronald Young Jr. and together they try to understand why men sometimes struggle to see themselves positively, even as sexy.
Proof - What’s On the Menu in 1906?
Did you know there is an archive of menus at the New York Public Library?! I didn’t until now and I really want to dig through them! Food writer Doug Mack, who also has a great newsletter about snack history, got to explore the archives for this episode to learn about how the items on one menu reflect the changes of society throughout the years. It’s such a cool way to understand how trends, culture, and policies impact what’s served. For example, there was a time when trust issues about a restaurant’s food sources were common, so brand names were sometimes included in menu descriptions to reassure people that what they were eating was reputable.
The Splendid Table - Eating with Funny People
If you haven’t listened to Ivy Le’s FOGO, you really need to. This interview is a great way to learn more about what inspired her to create FOGO. Especially given the hunting theme of the recent season, host Francis Lam wants to know more about how the work she did for it impacted her relationship with food. Even though she had concerns that she wouldn’t be able to handle it and she’d have to give up meat, it actually gave her a deeper appreciation for the food and the food that is easily available to her based on where she lives versus where her family is from. I love hearing Ivy talk about food because she gets so excited and passionate about it! It was something I loved that she included in FOGO, like when she brought really great snacks on a hunting trip. And be sure to stick around for the second interview of the episode, because Francis talks with comedian, actor, podcaster, and author Dan Ahdoot about how he eventually had to rethink his intense dedication to food as a navigator for his life.
More sweet treats
A great list of climate podcasts to help with all the feels.
Speaking of which, check out this hopeful and inspiring interview with the creator of Expectant.
How Ted Lasso shows “you can’t win if you aren’t right within”.
The sweetest book club.
Why Jane Fonda stays curious and the moment she became a feminist.
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!
Thank you so much for the Sounds Like Impact shoutout!