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Who knew we were all so eager for a podcast about Trader Joe’s? Go deep with that new hit pod and more. Also, thanks to EarBuds Podcast Collective for featuring me in their newsletter this week.

8 Pod Takes: Provocative Thoughts From This Week’s Podcasts

1) “You may be more overexposed at this point than your client, and she’s a porno star.”

Listen: The Axe Files with David Axelrod: Michael Avenatti (1:43)

That’s Axelrod’s tepid joke about his guest, who represents Stormy Daniels in her lawsuits vs. President Trump.
The rest of the episode outclasses the joke by doing something podcasts do so well: providing guests an expanded space to talk and explore ideas, with minimal boundaries.
My take: A worthwhile pod profile. It rounds out the story of the omnipresent attorney.

2) “No one seems to be willing to give Kanye West credit for the fuckery that he is putting out into our universe.”

Listen: Van Lathan’s The Red Pill: Wake Up Mr. West featuring Charlamagne Tha God (13:18)

That’s Lathan, in an “emergency” pod in the wake of his TMZ confrontation with Kanye that went viral this week.
Lathan dives deep into Kanye’s recent controversial statements. Among other things, he wants to take Kanye at his word, not make excuses for him.
My take: Another example of podcasts allowing for expanded discourse.

3) “Most of us are not Hamiltons.”

Listen: Pop Culture Happy Hour: Leaving ‘Hamilton’ and ‘Failing Up’ with Leslie Odom Jr. (6:07)

Odom Jr. says we’re all more like Aaron Burr, the man he played on Broadway in “Hamilton.”
He adds: “I thought that Burr would be the avatar for most of the audience.”
His reasoning: “People would be able to relate to a character who is smart and talented in his own right, but is looking at this kid alongside him who’s extraordinary.”

4) “Being a rich person in the apocalypse is about as good as it gets.”

Listen: The New Yorker Radio Hour: Apocalypse Prepping, on a Budget (1:11)

That’s Patricia Marx’s response to a New Yorker story about how some 1 percenters plan to ride out the end of the world.
Her first impression: “You live in this five-star bunker, better than the Ritz-Carlton. You have room service. You have the freshest of broccolini.”
Her final impression, after investigating prepper lifestyle: “It’s gonna be really, really bleak. Nobody told me to take a book along. Nobody told me to take music. Nobody told me to take art. Nobody even told me to take a chocolate chip cookie.”

5) “AI is making some pretty spectacular music right now.”

Listen: Switched on Pop: Can AI ’Algorhythms’ Write Pop Songs? (With Taryn Southern) (19:07)

So says co-host Charlie Harding, with a caveat: AI still needs a little human touch.
Adds Southern: “AI needs to learn to calm down.”
My take: A fascinating podcast about artificial intelligence, and how artists like Southern are harnessing it to create never-heard-before sounds.

6) “Your mind does not work like a novel. It works in flashes, leaps, images.”

Listen: This Movie Changed Me: Boyhood (8:01)

That’s poet Naomi Shihab Nye, whose life was changed by the Richard Linklater masterpiece.
What she loves about “Boyhood”: It celebrates regular life, with its “little random conversations.”
My take: Great pod. More poets’ perspectives on popular culture, please.

7) “If you get caught up in the trends, I think you’re doomed.”

Listen: The Dave Chang Show: Pre-opening Diaries, Vol. 2 (12:42)

Wise words from chef Dave Chang, during the second ep of his new-ish podcast about starting a restaurant in Los Angeles.
Chang believes culture moves so fast these days in terms of what’s fashionable, he tried to project 5-10 years out when planning.

8) “Wouldn’t it be amazing if we all just started tweeting nothing?”

Listen: Dear Hank & John: With John and Hank Green: Snappy the T. rex (7:33)

Spoiler: Excellent idea, John Green. It would be amazing.

Go Deep

1) Inside Trader Joe’s

Listen: Inside Trader Joe’s

A slick, five-part podcast from Trader Joe’s about Trader Joe’s for Trader Joe’s obsessives.
Trader Joe’s obsessives are legion. All five pods dropped Tuesday, and Inside Trader Joe’s quickly became a top-five podcast on iTunes.
Episodes focus on product tasting, wine selection, why employees dress the way they do, and perhaps most important: What’s up with the horrible parking lots?
Spoiler: TJ’s knows parking’s crazy. Says TJ’s Jon Basalone: “The way cities work, it also causes some issues for us, where the number of parking spaces is based on the square footage of your space, not how many customers you expect you’re going to have.”

2) “Automatic for the People”

Listen: R U Talkin’ R.E.M. RE: ME?

Adam Scott and Scott Aukerman hit the beloved eighth album in their pod quest to discuss every R.E.M. recording.
Also on the agenda: pizza.
Length: One hour, 51 minutes.

3) Sacrifice in “Avengers: Infinity War”

Listen: Binge Mode

Mallory Rubin and Jason Concepcion take a thematic look at the world’s most popular movie.
Length: One hour, 11 minutes.

4) Avicii

Listen: Popcast

A deep dive into the work of the 28-year-old “pop savant,” who died last month.
Length: One hour, 6 minutes.

Guest Appearances By…

Areta, Miguel Talkhouse

In conversation with Alia Shawkat and Paul Feig.

Azaria, Hank KFCRadio, Pardon My Take

Benjamin, H. Jon Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!

Carey, Drew WTF with Marc Maron

Chozick, Amy The Ezra Klein Show, I Have to Ask, Matt Mackowiak’s Mack on Politics, Recode Media with Peter Kafka

“Chasing Hillary” author makes the pod rounds.

Derbez, Eugenio Anna Faris is Unqualified

Convo with director of “Overboard.”

Farrow, Ronan Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Even. More. Pulitzer. Winner.

Feig, Paul Talkhouse

In conversation with Alia Shawkat and Miguel Areta.

Gordon-Levitt, Joseph The Tim Ferriss Show

Grammer, Andy Required Listening

Gross, Terry Sooo Many White Guys

Guarnaschelli, Alex The Moment with Brian Koppelman

“A kitchen is such a game of verbal one-upsmanship all the time,” says the chef.

Hayden, Gen. Michael The Gist, The Adam Carolla Show

Conversations with the former head of the National Security Agency.

Hardwick, Chris Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Kushner, Rachel Bookworm

Her novel “The Mars Room” takes place in a women’s correctional facility. She says, “Judgment and opinions are very cheap.”

Lee, Jamie Not Too Deep with Grace Helbig

The comedian on the highs and lows of being a stand-up.

Ngoy, Ted The Sporkful

Deep dive with “The Donut King.”

Ninja! The H3 Podcast

Pro gamer talks Fortnite, bidets.

O’Dowd, Chris Maltin on Movies

Perel, Esther The Goop Podcast

Psychotherapist/sexuality expert/podcaster Perel talks to actress/mogul/podcaster Paltrow about the secret to female sexuality, narcissism.

Root, Stephen The Adam Carolla Show

He’s so good in “Barry.”

Shaich, Ron How I Built This with Guy Raz

The man behind Panera, aka the only travel plaza restaurant on I-80 through Ohio that serves greens, talks about building his food empire.

Shawkat, Alia Talkhouse

In conversation with Miguel Areta and Paul Feig.

Simien, Justin Represent

Convo with “Dear White People” creator.

Williams, Jay Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations

Basketball player whose motorcycle crash ended his career talks about surviving your worst mistake.

Williamson, Marianne Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations

“A Return to Love” author looks back on that book’s 20th anniversary. “Enlightenment is an unlearning of the thought system based on fear,” she says.

One Podcast That Mesmerized Twitter

Fresh Air: Comic Michelle Wolf on the Correspondents’ Dinner

Wolf’s first interview after her mesmerizing performance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner went to Terry Gross. Twitter was already riled up after the dinner. Wolf’s appearance with Gross amped things more.

“Where is everyone listening to Michelle Wolf on Fresh Air this afternoon? I can bring wings.” — @joshcorey9
“Everybody who is anti-Michelle Wolf right now needs to listen “Fresh Air” today – and then STFU ALREADY. Seriously, Holy Shit Balls.” — @eimaha1
“Dude. @michelleisawolf is a national hero. I just listened to her interview on Fresh Air and now I love her more than I did before if that’s even possible. And dude.” — @IMakeBadCoffee
“oof I really feel for Michelle Wolf having to explain all her jokes on Fresh Air, also love that Terry calls pussy hats “P Hats” which really does not solve that problem on radio” — @Alex_Lily
“Fresh Air interview. Loved Terry Gross’s question about whether the need to “protect” Sarah Sanders from jokes is in fact sexist on its face. BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY.” — @Gwenda

Notable New Podcasts and New Seasons

1) Drawn: The Story of Animation

It’s an “exploration of cartoons with an insider’s perspective, including show creators, voice actors, historians, animators and business leaders,” from Cartoon Network.

2) Inside Trader Joe’s

3) Mic Drop

New CBC-produced show is all about “[m]ood-swinging, dream-chasing, rule-breaking dramas and adventures.”

4) Decoder Ring

Slate debuts a monthly podcast about “cracking cultural mysteries.”

5) In the Dark

Popular true crime pod returns for its second season.
Its focus: Curtis Flowers, who’s been tried six times for the same crime.

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