As a fan of all things audio, I thought I’d change things up with a top 6 list of my favourite podcasts. While I don’t claim to be an authority on podcasts, I can say that the shows I do listen to are real top brass stuff. I’d love to hear any suggestions of podcasts I should be listening to and hopefully you can take away a couple of new shows to check out. 
1. The Ricky Gervais Podcast I started listening to the Ricky Gervais Podcast some time in 2010. Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, and Karl Pilkington were probably the three funniest people I’d ever heard and I quickly amassed their entire back catalogue. I can proudly (????) say that, at one point, I had every single XFM show and subsequent podcast episode on my laptop. I had so many episodes of this show that when I would put my itunes on shuffle I would have 3 or 4 episodes come up in a row. I can honestly say that this is THE best podcast ever made.
Like so many PB fans, I came to know about the show via the Taylor Dayne episode of This American Life.I can distinctly remember coming into work one day shortly after I’d discovered the podcast. It was the first time I’d heard the ‘Beach Poop’ and ‘Tiny Calves’ riff and I actually started laughing so hard that my boss thought I was crying. The realness of Tig Notaro’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent remission and each of their personalities make this one of my of my absolute favourites. If you like shows about “science” and “philosophy” but also laughing until you cry I’d definitely recommend Professor Blastoff.
3. If I Were You
I have been following the steady rise of Jake and Amir since around 2008. Their web series was probably my first taste of watching people with a relatively similar sense of humor as me uploading their own content and gaining an organic following. Last year, when I heard that they had started their own podcast I was thrilled. I mean, two of the funniest non-comedian comedians had moved into podcasting and the result could only be great. The show is based on a question and answer format where people write into the show and Jake and Amir dole out advice. MVP guests have included Dave and Jeff Rosenberg, Ben Schwartz, Thomas Middleditch and Rick Fox & Son.
Uhh Yeah Dude is another great one. Hosted by Seth Romatelli and Jonathan Larroquette, UYD is a lesson in colloquialisms and reactionary humour. With not a fact checker in sight, the two friends tackle politics, popular culture, wacky headlines, and drug use on this weekly insight through the eyes of “two American-Americans”.
HDTGM is the second Earwolf podcast on this list (PB is the other). The show, hosted by Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas involves the basic premise of any conversation you have with your friend about a bad movie. For consistent and raucous laughter, do yourself a favor and hop on over to earwolf for a listen. One good part is that there is little to no continuity so you’re free to start at any terrible film. MVP episodes include Liz and Dick, Winters Tale, Fast and the Furious 6.
6.TED Radio Hour Podcasts
Finally, onto the only non-comedy podcast on the list. I’m a fan of TED Talks in general. I like listening to experts talk about things they’re genuinely passionate about and TED Talks are the best for that. Hosted by Guy Raz, TED Radio Hour Podcasts take the best elements of TED Talks and add a narrative often following 3 to 4 different stories and turning it into a feature-esque show. Topics range from disabilities to poverty and creativity. TED Podcasts are great for the commute into work when you feel like stimulating your brain before you officially start your day or just when you feel like learning stuff.
Finally, onto the only non-comedy podcast on the list. I’m a fan of TED Talks in general. I like listening to experts talk about things they’re genuinely passionate about and TED Talks are the best for that. Hosted by Guy Raz, TED Radio Hour Podcasts take the best elements of TED Talks and add a narrative often following 3 to 4 different stories and turning it into a feature-esque show. Topics range from disabilities to poverty and creativity. TED Podcasts are great for the commute into work when you feel like stimulating your brain before you officially start your day or just when you feel like learning stuff.
