When the podcast just hits different
Poopy pranks, Judy Blume, cereal facts, Only Murders fashion, Lisa Ann Walter, addition treatment mistreatments, rethinking jobs.
Have you ever recommended a podcast to someone that they enjoyed so much they listened to the whole thing in two days? That happened to me last week and I’m still kinda riding the high. When any of my friends ask me about podcasts I get very excited, but I also take it very seriously. One of my best friends told me she needed some new podcasts to listen to and I was almost paralyzed by the pressure. Eventually I stopped overthinking and sent her a bunch of links to shows I thought she would like. One of them was the new season of COMMONS, a series about all the problematic things in Canadian hockey. She has always played hockey, she loves watching it, and now she even coaches it, so I thought she might like the topic but wasn’t sure if she’d get into the format. Before I knew it she was texting me that she’d listened to the entire thing and she was posting about it on Instagram and wanted everyone to listen to it. That is a powerful impact! That is the power of a good recommendation! Not all recommendations will hit that well, but when they do it’s so awesome.
This week’s podstack
Summer Camp: The Case of the Phantom Pooper - S-Camp
Last summer I enjoyed the heck out of Who Shat on the Floor at My Wedding? and was in complete awe that such a funny show and story wasn’t fiction. This summer, the Phantom Pooper has me feeling the same way! Even some of the crappy details have an uncanny similarity! Are poop-based true crimes the new niche we need? I’m okay with it. Jeremy “Mookie” Enns is investigating some poopy pranks happening at a summer camp and each episode brings you more back story about the different suspects, more close attempts to catch them in the act, and lots of theories. Plus, this show has the perfect summer vibe, since it transports you back to summer camp as you listen in on conversations with previous campers, current campers, and feel like you’re there with them in the cabin. The camp shenanigans are in full swing!
Choice Words with Samantha Bee - Doting Housewife or Banned Author? (with Judy Blume)
This episode feels like nostalgia, wholesomeness, and happy vibes all wrapped up in one. Samantha Bee is having the best time speaking with author Judy Blume, whose books were a memorable part of her childhood, as is the case for many. I didn’t know too much about Judy’s story, so this was a good introduction into the way her career started and what her life was like before that. It’s hard not to feel a little inspired by how committed Judy has been to talking openly about the changes a girl goes through. Not that there is anything scandalous about it, but it’s also part of why her books have been banned, which both Samantha and Judy recognize is incredibly ridiculous. And it turns out Judy’s always been a bit of a rebel. This show is all about hearing from people Samantha admires to examine the biggest choices they’ve made in their lives and the ripple effects those decisions have had, and stories like that can teach us so much about the ways life surprises you.
The Snack Show with Jami Fallon - Episode 26: Why So Cereal? (Cereal Snacks)
There’s a place in Nashville where you can try all kinds of cereals?! Jami and Fallon recorded this episode from Wanna Spoon Cereal Bar, which basically has a cereal buffet. It sounds like such a fun place to visit and an even better location for an episode all about cereal. I’ve heard this history before, but I never really get tired of it! Then they went on to blow my mind with some fun cereal facts. I won’t give it away, but the number of different cereals in existence made my jaw drop. You might also find yourself shouting out the answers while they play a trivia game with cereal slogans. This passion for cereal and snacks is exactly what I need in my life. My queue has yet again been fuelled by this great EarBuds list.
If you were constantly in awe of how fashionable everyone is in Only Murders in the Building, you’re not alone! And you have costume designer Dana Covarrubias to thank for that. She joined Marie and Blaire to talk about all the decisions that went into choosing the wardrobe for all the characters in the show. I love hearing about the way she had to balance between what these New Yorkers would probably wear, what suits the characters’ personalities, and how it would work all together, especially for Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez’s characters who are often together. Everything is so intentional and even has some nods to other sources that inspired the show or actors in some way. It made me want to watch the show all over again to see the way the wardrobes evolve as the relationships and stories do. Thank goodness the new season is starting soon. Lauren Passell put this show on my radar when she wrote about the Mean Girls episode!
Feeling Seen - Lisa Ann Walter on 'Shall We Dance?' 'Paper Moon,' and Funny Broads
I’m pretty much constantly rewatching Abbott Elementary, so I jumped on this episode when I saw Lisa Ann Walter’s name while scrolling through. Lisa talks about the ways she’s seen women represented in movies, especially the limitations on women in comedy. The turning point for her, after writing a piece about comedic female characters, was seeing movies like Bridesmaids and The Heat come out. And now, on Abbott, she continues to see a better variety of characters represented by the alpha women characters in the show. That ensemble represents the kind of ensembles of women that Lisa had been hoping to see. I love the way this show explores our connections to movies and when or how we see ourselves reflected in them. How we experience movies is always impacted by our own identities and it can be really powerful, in both negative and positive ways. Jordan is a delightfully knowledgeable and fun host!
When you find yourself speaking out loud in frustration while listening to a podcast, you know it’s having a strong impact. The 13th Step had me so mad at the arrogant and manipulative ways the CEO of a recovery center was taking advantage of patients and employees. I tend to limit how much heavy stuff I listen to, so I took a while to check this one out, but once I started it was hard to stop. I barely realized I had finished two episodes because I was so caught up in the story, yelling at Eric (the CEO), and wondering how all the pieces of this messed up puzzle were going to come together. Even though this show opens by focusing on sexual misconduct and abuse at one treatment center, it evolves into a story about how widespread that is across the addiction treatment industry. The bravery of the women interviewed, the reporting of Lauren Chooljian, and exceptional narrative structure make for such a compelling and disturbing series. (transcript)
Scope Creep - Why Are We Like This?
“Every moment of your day is for sale.” That quote was too good not to write down. It really captures the essence of the conversation as we’re introduced to Jamie and Liz’s stories of leaving the corporate world to start their own companies. It’s a refreshing discussion about how we are sometimes taught to think of certain jobs or career paths as the ideal, and how that can cause us to overlook what we actually want to do. The way that you want to work might be different from the “traditional” and that’s okay. They will make you feel empowered to follow that. Another thank you to Lauren for putting this on my radar!
More sweet treats
I cried through this story about the 4 year anniversary of Tink Media.
I loved this piece about rejecting and then accepting Barbie.
When it’s Barbie week but you’re listening to the Jar Jar Binks podcast.
The plot twist in this gave me chills (trust me, wait for it).
This is so mesmerizing and how the heck do people think to do this?!
The WNBA all-star competition was last week and it was record breaking!
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!
Off to listen to that Judy Blume ep! Thanks 🙌
Love the EarBuds shoutout!