This week’s counts: 35 notable guests, eight new podcasts, seven deep dives and one controversial set of fake teeth.

Pod Take of the Week

“I don’t want him to win for talking through a retainer.”

Listen: Pop Culture Happy Hour: 2019 Oscars Preview (8:14)

• That’s Glen Weldon, on the Best Actor nominee Rami Malek and his abundantly toothed performance as Freddie Mercuryin “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
• My take: I’m rooting for “Black Panther.”
• Spoiler: It’s the only Best Picture nominee I’ve seen.

Go Deep

1) “Scott Street”

Listen: Song Exploder

• A 22-minute dive into the exquisite 5-minute, 5-second song.
• Fact: The acoustic guitar played in the song was formerly owned by Glen Campbell.

2) Inside the Trump International Hotel

Listen: Skullduggery

• A 1-hour, 2-minute deep dive into what’s really going on at President Trump’s D.C. hotel, with 1100 Pennsylvania’s Zach Everson and Rep. Don Beyer.
• “It’s kind of in your face, isn’t it?” says Michael Isikoff on the Kuwaiti embassy holding its national day celebration at the hotel for the third year in a row.

3) Lennon and McCartney

Listen: One Plus One

• The new Wondery podcast debuts with a six-part series on the main creative forces of the Beatles.

4) The Great Depression

Listen: American History Tellers

• The deep dive kicks off with a look at the October 29, 1929 stock market crash.

5) The Making of a “The Simpsons” Episode

Listen: Scriptnotes

• Exec producer Matt Selman walks through the three-year (!) process.

6) Love Hotels

Listen: The Trip

• The Roads & Kingdom pod talks about the Japanese phenomenon with Toko Sekiguchi.

7) Pavement

Listen: Political Beats

• A 2-hour, 29-minute deep dive into the ‘90s indie band.
• My take: I’m team “Box Elder.”

Notable New Podcasts

1) Crimes of Passion

• True crime alert! These are love stories that inevitably become crime stories.

2) Crime Beat

• True crime alert, continued:Season-long stories about specific crimes, with “interviews of criminal masterminds, some of their victims and the detectives trying to piece together what really happened.”

3) Should This Exist?

• Caterina Fake asks “creators of radical new technologies to set aside their business plan, and think through the human side” of things.

4) SmoshCast

• The comedy pod from Smosh covers current events, YouTube drama and ”unqualified and unsolicited advice.”

5) One Plus One

• Hosts Rico Gagliano and Faith Salie chronicle “the ups and downs of the world’s greatest and most dramatic collaborations.”

6) The Double Shift

• Host Katherine Goldstein examines “the real, three-dimensional stories of mothers” in a reported, narrative show.

7) National Parks Traveler

• Independent coverage of U.S. national parks.

8) Knuckleheads

• Former NBA players Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles interview “athletes, musicians and entertainers to get brutally honest about everything from current events to untold stories from the golden era of sports and culture.”

Guest Appearances By…

Amanpour, Christiane Stay Tuned with Preet

Bird, Brad Maltin on Movies

Bryant, Kobe Anna Faris is Unqualified

Charles, Larry Kickass News

Day, Felicia Not Too Deep with Grace Helbig

Diller, Barry Recode Decode

• Chairman of IAC and the Expedia Group says “Hollywood is now irrelevant.”

Duplass, Mark 10 Things That Scare Me

Fleck, Bela On Being

Flynn, Gillian Armchair Expert

Garber, Don Planet Futbol

• MLS Commissioner talks expansion, using data in soccer.

Goodwin, Doris Kearns TED Talks Daily

Grant, Richard E. Studio 360

Headland, Leslye The Gist

Holmes, Pete Pardon My Take

Holofcener, Nicole Bullseye

Khanna, Parag Kickass News

• Convo with author of “The Future Is Asian.”

Kotick, Bobby a16z Podcast

• Activision Blizzard CEO traces rise of video games from nerds to mainstream cultural phenomenon.

Kwan, Michelle Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness

Lipsyte, Sam Bookworm

Logic H3 Podcast

Mann, Michael The Adam Carolla Show

McCabe, Andrew Fresh Air

Moore, Mandy WTF with Marc Maron

• Moore speaks about her former marriage to Ryan Adams and his recently disclosed abuses.

Meyers, Seth Good One

Nancherla, Aparna 10 Things That Scare Me

Parton, Dolly The Dan Wootton Interview

Peretti, Chelsea Armchair Expert

Polgreen, Lydia Longform Podcast

Radcliffe, Daniel Off Camera with Sam Jones

Ratliff, Evan But That’s Another Story

Remnick, David TBD with Tina Brown

Steinberg, Leigh Nobody Told Me!

Warren, Elizabeth Pod Save America

Washburn, Abigail On Being

Wenders, Wim The Kitchen Sisters Present

5 Pod Takes

1) “How does Paul Bunyan’s ox say hello?”

“How?”

“It’s a blue wave.”

Listen: Pod Save America: “We won.” (3:35)

• That’s Jon Lovett, with the corny but satisfyingly accurate take about the results of the U.S. midterm elections. Straight-man assist to Jon Favreau.
• The Democrats captured the House of Representatives and more than 300 seats in state legislatures, a “blue wave” of political change.

2) “It’s such a long list [of potential investigations] it’s hard to remember all of this stuff.”

Listen: Trump, Inc.: So What Trump Investigations Could Be Coming (21:49)

• That’s Eric Umansky of ProPublica, who foresees so many potential investigations of the Trump administration he needs four buckets to put them in.
• Those investigative buckets: 1) Trump’s business dealings. 2) Foreign government spending on Trump’s businesses currently. 3) Influencers and accessors. 4) Corruption among government agencies.
• The pod’s guests are the “1927 Yankees of Trump corruption.“
• They are: Umansky, David Fahrenthold of The Washington Post, Anita Kumar of McClatchy and Adam Davidson of The New Yorker.

3) “The brain, as busy as it can be, is actually very lazy.”

Listen: On Being: James Doty — The Magic Shop of the Brain (7:37)

• That’s Krista Tippett, recounting a story told to Doty about why magic tricks work.
• Why? Because “[m]ost people who are watching a magic show aren’t really there watching the magic show. They are regretting something they did yesterday, or worrying about something that might happen tomorrow.”
• Doty adds: “There was a study that was done that showed that the average person, almost 80 percent of the time, they’re not focused on the present, they’re focused on exactly that: regret about the past or anxiety about the future.”

4) “Life is a team sport.”

Listen: Maltin on Movies: Ryan Coogler (16:36)

• That’s “Black Panther” director Coogler, talking about one of the things that he and Ruth Bader Ginsburg have in common.
• Coogler talks to Leonard and Jessie Maltin about the doc “RBG” and what it takes to be successful in the movie business, as well as their personal connection. Coogler took a class of Maltin’s when he studied at USC.

5) “There’s one thing we’ve learned as a species about email, that’s all caps means you’re shouting. And basically we haven’t learned anything else.”

Listen: HBR IdeaCast: Avoiding Miscommunications In A Digital World (7:34)

• That’s communications expert Nick Morgan on the medium you’re reading this on.
• Fact check: False. We’ve learned email is splendid for learning about podcasts.

Go Deep

1) “All the President’s Men”

Listen: The Rewatchables

• The Ringer takes a timely deep dive into politics and conspiracies in the 1976 political thriller about Watergate.
• Binge time: 1 hour, 25 minutes.

2) “Election”

Listen: The Bechdel Cast

• The pod takes an equally timely deep dive into elections, analyzing the excellent 1999 black comedy.
• Binge time: 1 hour, 37 minutes.

3) The WWI Armistice

Listen: Conversations

• The Australian pod reflects on the 100th anniversary of the armistice agreement that ended WWI with a series of stories related to the moment.
• Binge time: 2 hours, 37 minutes.

4) Napster vs. Record Labels

Listen: Business Wars

• BW goes back to 2000 with a seven-part series on the fight between file-sharing system Napster and record labels.
• The crux: Could people could download music for free? Or was it stealing music?

• Binge time: 2 hours, 58 minutes.

5) Civil Rights

Listen: American History Tellers

• AHT goes wayyy back to the 1860s and Honest Abe to tell the history of the fight for civil rights for black Americans.
• Binge time: 4 hours, 18 minutes.

6) The Last Episode of “The Office”

Listen: Finale

• The pod analyzes the final episode of the U.S. version of “The Office.”

Guest Appearances By…

Aikman, Troy Sports Media with Richard Deitsch

Bocelli, Andrea Inside the Studio

Boi, Big Song Exploder

• Musician breaks down “Order of Operations.”

Bowie, John Ross Not Too Deep with Grace Helbig

Butterfield, Stewart The Secret History of the Future

Cody, Diablo I Think You’re Interesting

Cohen, Ben Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin

• That’s Ben of Ben & Jerry’s fame. Americone Dream, all the way.

Cohn, Nate I Have to Ask

Coyle, Daniel Nobody Told Me!

Crawford, Cindy Oprah’s Master Class

Daltrey, Roger Kickass News

Dacus, Lucy Talkhouse

Dorian, Shane The Joe Rogan Experience

• Convo with the big-wave surfer.

Duplass, Mark Armchair Expert

Earnhardt Jr., Dale The Joe Rogan Experience

Field, Sally Monocle 24: The Big Interview

Freston, Kathy Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations

Gethard, Chris Kickass News

Green, John Death, Sex & Money

Greenfield, Jerry Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin

• That’s Jerry of Ben & Jerry’s fame. I’m still team Americone Dream.

Harris, Sam TED Talks Daily

Helms, Ed Ask Me Another

Honnold, Alex Curious with Josh Peck

Jacobs, A.J. The Tim Ferriss Show

Jacobson, Abbi It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders, Keep It

Johnson, Gary Gov. Lost in America

Kinnear, Greg The Bill Simmons Podcast

Klores, Dan The Bill Simmons Podcast

• The director talks about his 20-hour (!) documentary “Basketball: A Love Story.”

Kotb, Hoda The Thrive Global Podcast with Arianna Huffington

Koy, Jo The Brilliant Idiots

Lamott, Anne Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations

Leonard, Franklin TED Talks Daily

Lincoln, Sadie How I Built This with Guy Raz

• Convo with founder of Barre3.

Lonergan, Kenneth Studio 360

Mantzoukas, Jason Comedy Bang! Bang!

Marshall, Frank FilmStruck

McElroy, Travis Off Book

McMillon, Doug The Tim Ferriss Show

• Convo with CEO of Walmart.

Mitchell, Finesse The Adam Carolla Show

Mogahed, Dalia The TED Interview

Myles, Eileen Bookworm

Neyfakh, Leon The Ezra Klein Show

O’Reilly, Bill The Adam Carolla Show

P, Christina The Joe Rogan Experience, The H3 Podcast

Pagels, Elaine Fresh Air

Pelosi, Nancy Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness

• Convo with the likely next U.S. Speaker of the House, conducted before the midterms.

Pike, Rosamund Off Camera with Sam Jones

Plymell, Charles Deviate with Rolf Potts

Reitman, Jason Playback

Reznor, Trent The Treatment

Rich, Simon Bullseye

Ripken Jr., Cal Pardon My Take

• He’s anti-bat flip. Boo.

Roach, Yusef Culture Kings

Ross, Tracee Ellis Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air

Rubin, Gretchen Nobody Told Me!

Rudner, Rita WTF with Marc Maron

Salonen, Esa-Pekka Monocle 24: The Big Interview

Schnabel, Julian The Director’s Cut

Schriock, Stephanie Hysteria

Schumer, Amy Pretty Big Deal

Schwarzenegger, Arnold The Axe Files

Shearer, Harry The New Yorker Radio Hour

Sheraton, Mimi The Gist with Mike Pesca

• Convo with the NYT’s first female food critic.

Sigler, Jamie Lynn Inside of You

Skipper, John Recode Media with Peter Kafka

Sulzberger, A.G. Recode Decode

Tierney, Maura Anna Faris is Unqualified

Tolokonnikova, Nadya The Jordan Harbinger Show

Tompkins, Paul F. Comedy Bang! Bang!

Traister, Rebecca Waking Up with Sam Harris

Wambach, Abby Planet Futbol

Weinzweig, Ari Eater Upsell

Williams, Paige Longform Podcast

Yeun, Steven The Dave Chang Show

Notable New Podcasts

1) Imagined Life

• The pod’s an “immersive journey through the surprising moments and challenges that shaped someone’s life before they were famous.”

2) Forever Ago

• New Brains On pod is a family-friendly history show with episodes that explore “the origin of just one thing — like sandwiches, video games, clocks and more — while teaching listeners to think critically about history.”

3) Prognosis

• An eight-episode series from Bloomberg’s business health team “explores the leading edge of medical advances.”

4) The End of the World with Josh Clark

• It’s “a 10-episode deep dive that explores the future of humanity and finds dangers we have never encountered before lurking just ahead.”

5) Chat Sematary

• The pod dives deep into Stephen King’s books and their adaptations. Deanna Chapman hosts.

6) Players with Lindsay Czarniak

• Former ESPNer Czarniak interviews country music personalities about sports.

Shouts to Zachary Davis and everyone at Sound Education for a superb conference last week. So many new-to-me podcasts to consider for upcoming weeks.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. Also, find us on Twitter @WeekInPodcasts.

The intruder: The Joe Rogan Experience (No. 5). Though his three-hour episodes qualify as binges, amirite?

7 Pod Takes

1) “When I’m feeling optimistic, I appreciate that an elevator car in a government building is one of the few places left in our country where different kinds of people are forced into proximity.”

Listen: Serial: A Bar Fight Walks into the Justice Center (1:59)

• A taste of Sarah Koenig’s opening thoughts during the first episode of the much-anticipated third season of Serial.

• Koenig and her colleagues spent a year riding elevators in a Cleveland courthouse, during a deep dive into the U.S. criminal justice system.

• The first ep focuses on a bar fight that offers a window into some of the system’s intricacies and warped ways.

• Says defense attorney Russ Bensing: “In this county, innocence is a misdemeanor.”

• My take: So far, so great.

2) “These are works of the civilization that are so important, to remove them is to remove a piece of our civilization.”

Listen: Last Seen: Episode 1: ‘81 Minutes’ (30:19)

• That’s Anne Hawley, former director of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, talking about the 13 pieces of art still missing in the wake of the world’s greatest unsolved art theft.

• That theft is the subject of this new pod that not only probes the crime, but explores the anguish among those who saw five Degas works, two Rembrandts, a Vermeer and other artworks disappear from their care.

• My take: Refreshing to have a great true-crime pod without a corpse.

3) “The first bite of that apple, I guess revealed the truth / That’s when Eve got smart, and that’s why Adam don’t like fruit.”

Listen: More Perfect: The Most Perfect Album: ”19th Amendment” by Dolly Parton

• That’s Parton, in her song about the constitutional amendment that gave women in the U.S. the right to vote.

• Parton’s song’s part of an ambitious and very fun project from the More Perfect pod: It features stories about the 27 amendments, accompanied by 27 original songs, including Parton’s jaunty, Schoolhouse Rock-y tune.

4) “There’s this American neurosis, this fear that the human body is being outstripped by our technology.”

Listen: Stay Tuned With Preet: Fair Play (with Sally Jenkins) (45:01)

• That’s Jenkins, adding that, because of this, Americans “get a little funny about our sports.”

• Jenkins and host Preet Bharara probe some of the fault lines of American society brought to the surface by sports, including the controversial penalization of Serena Williams at the U.S. Open and the ongoing issues surrounding protests and the NFL.

5) “I felt like he would hear that I didn’t have pants on.”

Listen: Origins: SNL / To Trump or Not to Trump (:12)

• That’s cast member Chris Redd, recalling his fear upon talking to SNL honcho Lorne Michaels when he learned he’d be joining the show.

• Redd and many other cast members, as well as Michaels, talk to Origins’ pod maker James Andrew Miller in this kickoff ep of the show’s fourth season, which takes a deep dive into SNL as it heads into its 44th season.

6) “The Pizza Hut lunch buffet is the most concentrated, fully realized manifestation of the free market.”

Listen: The Sporkful: Life Lessons From The Pizza Hut Lunch Buffet (25:24)

• That’s host Dan Pashman, distilling the POV of comedian Tim Dillon on the free-for-all experience that is the Pizza Hut lunch buffet.

• Another hot take, this one from Dillon: “Rich people don’t care about food.”

7) “Would you ever wipe Dame Judy Dench’s butt?”

Listen: Anna Faris is Unqualified: Adam Rippon (9:09)

• That how Faris breaks the ice with Olympic figure skater Rippon.

• Spoiler: He would.

Go Deep

1) National Parks

Listen: American History Tellers

• A six-part deep dive into the creation and preservation of the U.S. national parks.
• Binge time: 4 hours, 8 minutes.

2) Perfect Pop Songs

Listen: Rockin’ the Suburbs

• The RTS guys go deep with a five-part series that covers seven pop songs, including tunes from the killer Bs: Bowie, Badfinger, and the English Beat.
• My take: “Save It for Later” is a correct pick.
• Binge time: 1 hour, 15 minutes.

3) The Trans-Siberian Train Experience

Listen: Deviate with Rolf Potts

• Potts and guest Jonathan Arlan talk over a two-part pod about the iconic train trip.
• Binge time: 2 hours, 17 minutes.

4) King Crimson

Listen: Political Beats

• Prog rock nerdiness abounds in this convo with Dave Weigel, political reporter and author of “The Show That Never Ends: The Rise and Fall of Prog Rock.”
• Binge time: 2 hours, 21 minutes.

Guest Appearances By…

Alley, Kirstie The Dan Wootton Interview

Andrés, José Pod Save America

Attenborough, David The New Yorker Radio Hour

Barinholtz, Ike Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Batiste, Jon I Think You’re Interesting

Bell, Kristen The Good Place: The Podcast, WTF with Marc Maron

• Eleanor!

Bergen, Candice Remote Controlled

Biskind, Peter Public Intellectual

• The author of “The Sky is Falling: How Vampires, Zombies, Androids, and Superheroes Made America Great for Extremism” talks about Americans’ love of disaster and revenge.

Branson, Sir Richard Kickass News

Brown, Bobbi How I Built This with Guy Raz

Carden, D’Arcy Comedy Bang! Bang!

Coyne, Wayne This Must Be the Gig

Dessa Sound Opinions

English, Diane Remote Controlled

Fogelman, Dan Curious with Josh Peck, The Bill Simmons Podcast

Fonda, Jane Death, Sex + Money, Oprah’s Master Class

Godin, Seth On Being

Gyllenhaal, Maggie Fresh Air

Haidt, Jonathan I Have to Ask

• An interview with the author of “The Coddling of the American Mind” by host Isaac Chotiner. Chotiner got some Twitter love this week for his “masterclass” interviews.

Harari, Yuval Noah Waking Up With Sam Harris

Hawke, Ethan The Gist with Mike Pesca, The Big Picture

• He’s still making the pod rounds this week to promote his new movie, “Blaze.”

Henderson, Lacey Forked Up

• Talking food with the paralympian.

Hirono, Mazie Off Message

Holofcener, Nicole The Moment with Brian Koppelman, Bullseye, Recode Media with Peter Kafka

Kerry, John Pod Save America, Pod Save the World

Killam, Taran Off Book

• He helps improvise a musical called “Poetry: 1959.”

Klein, Linda Kay Fresh Air

• Convo with the author of “Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free.”

Koy, Jo The Adam Carolla Show

Kreischer, Bert The Gist with Mike Pesca

Lauren, Ralph Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations

• Two-part pod with the design icon.

Lyne, Susan Skimm’d From the Couch

Mantzoukas, Jason Comedy Bang! Bang!

Nash, Steve The Bill Simmons Podcast

Nussbaum, Martha C. The Ezra Klein Show

Nye, Naomi Shihab On Being

O’Donnell, Lawrence The West Wing Weekly

Olsen, Angel Talkhouse

Patrick, Deval The Axe Files

Saslow, Eli Longform Podcast

Schatz, Brian Lovett or Leave It

• Convo with “the best senator on Twitter.”

Schur, Michael The Good Place: The Podcast, The Bill Simmons Podcast

Shaffir, Ari Lost in America

Shrum, Bob The Axe Files

Slash WTF With Marc Maron

Stevenson, Bryan The Goop Podcast

Tosi, Christina The Dave Chang Show

• A two-parter with the Milk Bar founder.

Witherspoon, Reese Getting Curious With Jonathan Van Ness

Notable New Podcasts

1) Serial

• The pod’s much anticipated season 3 goes to Cleveland for a deep dive into the U.S. justice system.

2) Last Seen

• The pod probes the 1990 theft of 13 pieces of art from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

3) The History of Standup

• Wayne Federman and Andrew Steven dissect the evolution of standup comedy, “from Vaudeville to Netflix.”

4) American Scandal

• New pod from Wondery dives “into the heart of America’s dark side to look at what drives someone to break the rules and what happens when they’re caught.” First up: BALCO.

5) No Feeling is Final

• The pod tells Honor Eastly’s “story of difference, identity, and why we should stay alive.”

6) More Perfect

• Season 3 of Radiolab’s series about the supreme court turns to the amendments to the U.S. constitution, and it does so with music.

7) Countdown to Capture

• The Newport Beach Police Department in California is getting into podcasts with a six-part series about an unsolved murder. They’re hoping the pod can turn up leads.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. Also, find us on Twitter @WeekInPodcasts.

Glad you made it out, Michael.

Schedule note: I’m taking a vacation soon, so I won’t be sending newsletters Aug. 17 and Aug. 24. I will have something else to share, though. Details to come.

7 Pod Takes

1) “It’s always better to have company when you’re a captive.”

Listen: The Joe Rogan Experience: Michael Scott Moore (25:59)

• So says Moore, sharing some bittersweet wisdom learned during the more than two-and-a-half years Somali pirates held him hostage.
• Moore’s making the pod rounds, talking about his horrific experience and his book about it, “The Desert and the Sea.”
• The pod’s currently the No. 1 on iTunes. Fresh Air’s interview with Moore ranks in the top 50.

2) “If you find yourself inexplicably weeping over a plate of huevos rancheros, you’re in the midst of a reckoning.”

Listen: Dear Sugars: Dear Sugars Live: The Great Reckoning (5:47)

• That’s Steve Almond, recounting a time he faced a reckoning in a pod devoted to examining “that long difficult stare back at your mistakes, your transgressions, your delusions.”
• In the reckoning-themed pod, co-host Cheryl Strayed shares her own reckoning, which you may already be familiar with. Heard of “Wild”?
• My take: Great pod about a difficult subject, approached with humility and humor.

3) “Who knew a debate about soil could get so heated?”

Listen: The Thin Layer: Regrowth (1:21)

• That’s Dan Crane, host of a compelling pod about…dirt.
• Crane outlines a struggle around people’s deep connections to land: Why should people who have been managing their land for generations listen to outsiders?
• And from another perspective: “When does convincing someone about science become forcing them against their will?”
• Crane sets the scene by recounting the words of Thomas Sankara, former president of Burkina Faso: “The struggle to defend the trees and forests is above all a struggle against imperialism. Because imperialism is the arsonist setting fire to our forests and savannas.”

4) “Is this a fight for the soul of the Republican Party?”

“No, because the Republican Party has no soul.”

Listen: Pod Save America: “Kochs, votes, and ostrich coats.” (20:49)

• That’s Jon Lovett (question) and Dan Pfeiffer (response), analyzing President Trump’s tweet spat with the Koch Brothers.
• Wired’s Nick Thompson and Jason Kander guest on a typically hilarious and sobering PSA.

5) “You have committed a sin against culture.”

Listen: The Watch: 100 Best TV Episodes of the Century and Mailbag Questions (43:01)

• Sean Fennessey reveals the criticism he and The Ringer received for ranking the pilot episode of “The O.C.” No. 9, one slot above the “Ozymandias” episode of “Breaking Bad.”
• Spoiler: The “Lost” episode “The Constant” ranked No. 1. “The Suitcase” episode of “Mad Men” ranked No. 2.

6) “It’s tattoos or get out.”

Listen: The Sporkful: Confessions of a Ballpark Food Vendor (27:39)

• That’s Ted Berg, the former ballpark food vendor in question, on his Cracker Jack prize preference.
• Berg and host Dan Pashman take a deep dive into the classic ballpark food, aka the food with the greatest product placement in American history via “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”
• My take: Cracker Jack is awful.

7) “It’s somehow the right combination of pretty colors and Minecraft and shooting strangers.”

Listen: Culture Gabfest: Fortnite Kegel Storm Edition (26:40)

• So says Dawnthea Price, summarizing the appeal of the game-of-the-summer, Fortnite.

• My take: She’s on the money. Except she forgot the emotes.

Go Deep

1) The American Revolution

Listen: American History Tellers

• Best-selling author Russell Shorto wrote this six-part series on the American Revolution, as told through the eyes of six individuals.
• Binge time: 3 hours, 59 minutes

2) Financial Corruption in the Trump Administration

Listen: The Ezra Klein Show, Trump, Inc.

• Take two excellent deep dives into the financial shenanigans of President Trump and Paul Manafort.
• Klein goes 1 hour, 2 minutes with The New Yorker’s Adam Davidson about the latter’s investigative work surrounding the Trump Organization.
• Trump, Inc. dissects the Manafort trial.

3) “Die Hard”

Listen: The Rewatchables

• The Ringer goes deep into the Nakatomi Tower with John McClane and Hans Gruber.
• Binge time: 1 hour, 27 minutes

4) “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”

Listen: Binge Mode

• Mallory Rubin and Jason Concepcion continue their summer of Harry Potter immersion with a five-part deep dive into the fourth book in J.K. Rowling’s series.
• Binge time: 6 hours, 59 minutes

Guest Appearances By…

Barnett, Courtney Celebration Rock, All Songs Considered

• Witty musician talks about life on the road, her new album.

Branum, Guy The Gist with Mike Pesca

Bridgers, Phoebe Sound Opinions

Butterfield, Stewart How I Built This with Guy Raz

• Convo with the founder of Slack and Flickr.

Case, Neko Song Exploder

• Singer/songwriter breaks down her tune “Last Lion of Albion.”

Clarkson, Patricia I Think You’re Interesting

de Botton, Alain On Being

Favreau, Jon Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Francesa, Mike The Bill Simmons Podcast

Friedlander, Judah Fake the Nation

Gilligan, Vince Remote Controlled

• Convo with the executive producer of “Better Call Saul.”

Green, Seth Inside of You

Harbour, David Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Hill, Jemele The Moment with Brian Koppelman

Hirway, Hrishikesh Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness

• Convo with Song Exploder host about songcraft, Solange.

Holmes, Dave R U Talkin’ R.E.M. RE: Me?

Hughley, D.L. It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders

Kilgariff, Karen The Soft Spot

• Co-host of My Favorite Murder talks Champagne, old timey music.

Kunis, Mila WTF with Marc Maron

Lee, Spike Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin

Lords, Traci The Adam Carolla Show

Marr, Johnny This Must Be the Gig

• Convo with the guitar legend about superstitions, his new album.

Milonakis, Andy Curious with Josh Peck

Nance, Terence Fast Company’s Creative Conversation

Newman, Randy Bullseye

Odenkirk, Bob Remote Controlled

Riggle, Rob The Adam Carolla Show

Sepinwall, Alan The PosCast

• TV critic guests to talk about “the best minor television characters of all time.”

Shlesinger, Iliza WTF with Marc Maron

Timberlake, Justin Oprah’s Master Class

Ventimiglia, Milo Remote Controlled

Waka Flocka Men in Blazers

Whelan, Melanie Skimm’d From the Couch

• SoulCycle’s CEO talks community, branding.

Wilson, Casey Comedy Bang! Bang!

Youssef, Bassem Pod Save the World

Notable New Podcasts

1) I, Survivor

• Jenna Brister and Wagatwe Wanjuk tell the stories of “men and women who fought back, who won, and who live rising above the trauma of their experiences.”

2) The Alice Fraser Trilogy

• The Australian comic delivers a comedy pod “about things that are actually sad.” She says, “They’re expecting a comedy show, and what I have to offer is maybe not that.”

3) The Girls: Find Sadie

• The fictional true crime podcast about a missing girl in the style of Serial that doubles as promotion for the YA novel “Sadie.”

4) Offended: The Musical

• Barstool Sports adds a new pod, with Rone and Francis improvising “songs, stories, and scenes delivered straight from their imagination.”

5) The Substack Podcast

• New pod from the writer-friendly newsletter publishing service features “conversations with writers who have earned their independence.”

6) Election 2000: Over/Time

• The pod takes a neat angle on the over-dissected 2000 presidential chaos. “Photographers Callie Shell and David Hume Kennerly reveal exclusive behind the scenes moments and the stories behind their photographs” during the 37-day recount.

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Enter your email below and every Friday I’ll email you a skimmable recap of the week’s podcasts, highlighting provocative takes, great binges, new pods and a comprehensive list of notable podcast guests.

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

1) “Probably the biggest intellectual change in my lifetime is the fact that we’ve moved from this period where knowing about the past meant you were smart, and now knowing about the past kind of means you’re irrelevant almost.”

Listen: Celebration Rock: Chuck Klosterman On The Rise And Fall Of Classic Rock (47:31)

• That’s take-machine Klosterman, who blames Twitter for fostering a culture that elevates ignorance.

• Klosterman’s exhibit A: The response when Kanye and Rihanna made “FourFiveSeconds” with Paul McCartney. Klosterman says it inspired a Buzzfeed listicle of tweets from people who had no clue Macca existed.

• My take: Bad take, Klosterman. My exhibit A: Slow Burn, American History Tellers and many more popular backwards-looking podcasts. There’s a cultural thirst for understanding the past.

• One more (good) take from host Steven Hyden: With streaming services, “no genre of music really ever has to die.”

2) “Synchronous movement is a language of its own.”

Listen: Hidden Brain: Baby Talk (8:25)

• That’s Shankar Vedantam, highlighting guest Laura Cirelli’s insight about the power of synchronization in human communication.

• It’s a language of affection, says Cirelli.

• My take: A fascinating and enlightening pod that cracks some of the mysteries of baby babbling.

3) “Scientists must be free to fail.”

Listen: Ted Talks Daily: Scientists must be free to learn, to speak and to challenge (4:32)

• That’s Kirsty Duncan, Canada’s first Minister of Science, on how most science doesn’t lead to Hollywood endings.

• But failures can lead to unintended discoveries that, nevertheless, contribute to science.

4) “Ruth Bader Ginsburg did change the way the world is for American women whether they know it or not.”

Listen: It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders: How Ruth Bader Ginsburg Became ‘Notorious RBG’ (8:25)

• So says NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg, summing up the life and legacy of the U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

• Sanders adds: “She was living this kind of Sheryl Sandbergian have-it-all life before we had a name for that.”

• Adds guest Julia Cohen, co-director of the film “RBG”: “She was leaning the heck in before leaning in was a thing.”

5) “It’s like they loaded a shotgun with commas and fired it at the Second Amendment.”

Listen: Revisionist History: Divide and Conquer (19:15)

• That’s Malcolm Gladwell, clearing his throat during an (inevitable?) Gladwellian deep dive about “the world’s most controversial semicolon.”

• Spoiler: An obscure law review article leads Gladwell to punctuation that means Texas could break into five different states and “turn American politics upside down.”

• My take: Gladwell and grammar. Great combo.

6) “What more does she have to do on this Earth to be regarded as a genius?”

Listen: Still Processing: We Unpack Black Male Privilege (25:18)

• Rembert Browne’s talking, of course, about Beyoncé.

• Context: In the wake of Donald Glover’s elevation to genius post-”This is America,” Browne and Wesley Morris discuss how our cultural genius bar has evolved.

• Spoiler: Black women, they say, don’t seem to make the cut.

7) “Nixon retained the soul of a benchwarmer throughout his aborted presidency.”

Listen: Upon Further Review: What If Nixon Had Been Good At Football? (17:48)

• Host Leon Neyfakh ties Nixon’s Nixon-ness back to his days as a football wannabe at Whittier College.

• Neyfakh speculates how Nixon’s life — and American life — might be different had he been better at the sport he loved.

• My take: Love this premise for a pod: revisiting what ifs from sports history.

8) “Now we can lose money legally, Cousin Sal. What a day. This is the greatest day of our lives.”

Listen: The Bill Simmons Podcast: Sports Gambling Is Legal (!) With Cousin Sal, and Ethan Hawke Breaks Down Every Fun Movie He Ever Made (3:19)

• So says Simmons, loving the Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate the federal ban on sports gambling in the U.S.

• My take: You’re exaggerating, Simmons. But only slightly.

Go Deep

1) The Royal Wedding

Listen: When Meghan Met Harry

• Hurry! There’s only a little time left to binge all 22 full episodes of this royally obsessed pod before Meghan and Harry get hitched.

• Binge time: 11 hours, 34 minutes.

2) The Saga of the Bundy Family

Listen: Bundyville

• A seven-part pod chronicles armed uprisings in Nevada and Oregon by the Bundy family.

• The central question: Are the Bundys patriots or domestic terrorists?

• Binge time: 3 hours, 23 minutes.

3) “Yeezus”

Listen: Heat Rocks

• Dissect’s Cole Cuchna helps dissect Kanye’s album.

• Length: 43 minutes.

4) “No Tears Left to Cry”

Listen: Switched on Pop

• Nate and Charlie break down Ariana Grande’s latest track.

• Length: 39 minutes.

Pick From a Podcaster

This week’s podcaster: Conor Reid, whose Words To That Effect is a literary podcast of the intriguing, the curious and the unexplored.

• Conor adds: The show is created in Dublin, Ireland, and it’s a research-based, storytelling show which explores the places where literature, history and science collide. Why did the creator of Sherlock Holmes fervently believe in ghosts and fairies? How do we reach utopia? What is transhumanism? What is the cultural history behind zombies?

Conor’s pick:  Documentary on One’s “Don’t Go Far”

• Conor says: I love storytelling podcasts with great sound design that really bring you into the world of the story. Documentary on On, the multiple award-winning documentary unit of RTE (the Irish national radio station), has been producing stories of this type for decades.
• He adds: “Don’t Go Far” tells the story of two young Dublin boys, aged 10 and 13, whose spur-of-the-moment adventure made national news in the 1980s. After a quick journey on a local train, they bluff and lie their way past security guards onto a ferry to Britain, a train to London… and a plane all the way to New York City. It’s a great story, recounted years later by one of the boys, and full of mischief and humour.

Guest Appearances By…

Albright, Donald The Adam Carolla Show

• “Atlanta Monster” podcaster talks murder, with co-producer Payne Lindsey.

Ames, Jonathan Otherppl with Brad Listi

• Convo with “You Were Never Really Here” author.

Andrés, José The Axe Files

Avenatti, Michael Pod Save America

Bloom, Rachel Scriptnotes

• Convo with “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” co-creator, with Aline Brosh McKenna.

Brolin, Josh WTF with Marc Maron

• Thanos!

Brooker, Charlie The Adam Buxton Podcast

• Convo with “Black Mirror” creator.

Cena, John The Adam Carolla Show

Corcoran, Barbara How I Built This With Guy Raz

• Mogul recounts path from real estate to “Shark Tank.”

Donelly, Tanya This Song

• Throwing Muses and Belly musician talks about the influence of “All You Need is Love” on her life and music.

Falcone, Ben The Big Picture

Ferguson, Niall The Jamie Weinstein Show

• Famed history professor on Trump, China, North Korea.

Fieri, Guy Beyond the Plate

Filkins, Dexter Why is This Happening? with Chris Hayes

• Convo with The New Yorker foreign correspondent.

Gil, Gilberto The Bob Lefsetz Podcast

• Convo with the eminent Brazilian musician and social activist.

Guthrie, Savannah Skimm’d From the Couch

Hachisu, Nancy Singleton Bon Appetit Foodcast

• Convo with the author of “Japan: A Cookbook.”

Hawke, Ethan The Bill Simmons Podcast

Heti, Sheila Longform Podcast

• “I think my mom always had this idea that writing is playing, and it is playing, but it’s a serious kind of playing,” says the author of “Motherhood: A Novel.”

Ifill, Sherrilyn Stay Tuned With Preet

• Convo with the president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Jacobs, Gillian Bullseye

Johnson, Rian The Dave Chang Show

• “The Last Jedi” director talks innovation and criticism, with Karina Longworth.

Kelly, Kevin Deviate With Rolf Potts, The Tim Ferriss Show

• “If you have a chance to travel, just do it. You won’t regret it,” says Wired magazine co-founder.

Kotb, Hoda Skimm’d From the Couch

Laguens, Dawn Queery

• Convo with EVP of Planned Parenthood.

Lanier, Jaron Danny in the Valley

Leist, Libby Skimm’d From the Couch

Lindsey, Payne The Adam Carolla Show

• “Atlanta Monster” podcaster talks murder, with co-producer Donald Albright.

Longworth, Karina The Dave Chang Show

• “You Must Remember This” host talks innovation and criticism, with Rian Johnson.

McKenna, Aline Brosh Scriptnotes

• Convo with “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” co-creator, with Rachel Bloom.

Mitski All Songs Considered

• Musical artist talks about her new album.

Nolan, Christopher The Treatment

• Filmmaker talks about reviving 70mm reprint of “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

Notaro, Tig Fresh Air

Oates, Joyce Carol Bookworm

• Prolific author discusses her 2,923rd* book. (*estimated)

Pao, Ellen How It Is

• She talks about her stand against sexism in Silicon Valley.

Penn, Mark Recode Decode

• “The first thing people get rid of when they get more money is kids,” says the pollster and author of “Microtrends Squared.”

Pollan, Michael The Ezra Klein Show, Fresh Air, Recode Decode

• Food guru talks and talks and talks about his new book about mind expansion.

Rexha, Bebe The Dan Wootton Interview

Richardson, April R U Talkin’ R.E.M. RE: ME?

• Comedian talks “Monster” with Scott and Scott.

Scheer, Paul The Watch

• Convo with the actor/filmmaker/podcaster.

Scovell, Nell How to Be Amazing with Michael Ian Black

Serrano, Shea House of Carbs, The Bill Simmons Podcast, The Gist

• Teacher turned best-selling author on Houston and San Antonio as food cities, “Cobra Kai,” bank robbery movies, Becky Hammon.

Sietsema, Robert Eater Upsell

• Chemist turned food critic takes food tour of Queens.

Smigel, Robert Bullseye

Solo, Hope We Came to Win

• Convo with U.S.A.’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper.

Steenburgen, Mary WTF with Marc Maron

Thomas, Louisa The Gist

• Convo about Becky Hammon’s potential to be the NBA’s first female head coach.

Thompson, Tessa Late Night Whenever with Michelle Buteau

Tyler, Steven The Joe Rogan Experience

Union, Gabrielle Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air

Urban, Keith Required Listening

Waithe, Lena How It Is

• On the importance of giving zero fucks.

Yang, Jimmy O. Sooo Many White Guys

Notable New Podcasts and New Seasons

1) Unspooled

• Paul Scheer and Amy Nicholson kick off 100 podcasts, one for each of the films on AFI’s list of the 100 best movies.
• First episode: “Citizen Kane.”

2) The Wonderland Murders

• It’s “the tale of a violent home invasion robbery and the revenge rampage that followed. It involves a drug-fueled gang of criminals, a crazed crime kingpin — and the world’s most famous porn star on a downward and deadly spiral.”

3) Dissect

• Cole Cuchna’s song-by-song dissection of albums returns for a third season, exclusively on Spotify.
• This season’s albums: Frank Ocean’s “Channel Orange” and “Blonde.”

4) Upon Further Review

5) Business Wars

• The Wondery pod’s latest season recalls the Sony vs. Nintendo video game wars.

6) The Space Race

• American History Tellers begins a deep dive into the post-war space race.

7) Revisionist History

• Gladwell’s pod’s back for its third season.

8) Love + Radio

• Another season of “otherworldly-produced interviews.”

Meta Podcast Moment of the Week

“Every time they say podcast, drink.”

Listen: The Gist: Becky Hammon’s Next Big Shot

• On his podcast, Mike Pesca shares the drinking game he created for “Alex, Inc.”, a TV show about a podcast company where they say “podcast” many, many times.
• Spoiler: “Alex, Inc.” has been cancelled.
• Perhaps Pesca can revive the game for the TV version of “The Daily.”

Thanks for reading! Find us on Twitter @WeekInPodcasts.

1) “I don’t know how to hug my mom.”

Ear Hustle: Firsts, March 14 (7:31)

• The heartbreaking words of Adnan Khan, before greeting his mother the first time she visits him in prison. He’d been locked up for 10 years.
• It’s the centerpiece story of an incredible first episode of Ear Hustle’s second season.

2) “It is definitely the most compelling thing I’ve heard in 2018.”

Longform Podcast: Chana Joffe-Walt, March 14 (0:53)

• Co-host Max Linsky was so impressed by Joffe-Walt’s “Five Women” episode of This American Life he listened three times.
• The two talk for almost an hour about the reporting and creation of the story about five women connected to one man accused of sexual harassment.

3) “I never want to forget what it’s like to be 24 years old and hungry.”

The Adam Carolla Show: Brad Meltzer + March Gradness Round 1 & Hooray for Baldywood, March 15 (5:29)

• That’s Meltzer, shouting his truth from the top spot on the New York Times hardcover fiction best sellers list.
• Meltzer recounts his struggle rising from a rough Brooklyn ‘hood.

4) “I call her the ghost of the Russia investigation. She seems to be everywhere that Mueller is, but no one sees her.”

Trumpcast: The Ghost of the Mueller Investigation, March 14 (12:53)

• The specter is Ivanka Trump, dubbed by guest Hannah Seligson.
• Seligson isn’t fooled. She explodes Trump’s Instagram persona and explores her potential fate in an ever-encroaching investigation.

5) “The stories about the past are so good that they create an illusion that life is understandable. And that’s an illusion.”

Hidden Brain: Think Fast with Daniel Kahneman, March 12 (19:52)

• And that’s Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Kahneman, whose work “laid the foundation for behavioral economics” and shifted perceptions of human behavior. No big deal.
• A hug from a Nazi in German-occupied Paris set up a theme in his life and work: People are complicated.

6) “We thought a show involving singing would make people happy and proud, and would defend them psychologically from al-Shabab.”

Invisibilia: The Other Real World, March 16 (11:11)

• Says Ben Parker, one of the minds behind an effort to use a reality show to fight Islamic terrorism in Somalia.
• The fascinating pod looks at efforts to use “American Idol”- and “Shark Tank”-style entertainment to communicate Western values.

7) “There’s something really weird about restaurants that kind of lets you buy your way into a different class for a couple hours.”

Eater Upsell: Performative Eating and Fatness with Jessica Valenti and Lindy West, March 13 (16:59)

• So says host Daniel Geneen, talking to Valenti about food, feminism and potentially raising a bougie Brooklyn kid who occasionally craves sticky rice from Pok Pok.

8) “This is the least sweaty comedy you’re gonna see.”

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Atlanta, March 14 (6:01)

• That’s praise from Glen Weldon for Donald Glover’s “Atlanta,” a place where an invisible car and a black Justin Bieber don’t seem out of place.
• The PCHH crew fawns over the show’s tone. Weldon says, “The humor is never lunged at.”

9) “A shopping cart is a traveling embassy.”

Dear Hank & John: Space War Fears, March 12 (24:09)

• Says John Green, advising his listeners not to poach the goods in other people’s carts at the market.
• Also: WTF? Who does that?

10) “If my dad showed up on the Millennium Falcon, I’d be fucking terrified.”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Bill Hader Live at SXSW, March 12 (1:16:38)

• That’s Hader, with sharp insight into why his kids have problems seeing him in movies.

Subscribe to This Week in Podcasts! Enter your email below and every Friday I’ll email you a skimmable recap of the week’s podcasts, highlighting provocative takes, great binges, new pods and a comprehensive list of notable podcast guests.

Go Deep

1) Prohibition

American History Tellers: Prohibition, Feb. 7-March 14

• A six-episode series on America’s 13-year dry period, chronicling it in all its ugly xenophobia, anti-immigrant violence and Al Capone badassery. So much of the context of Prohibition feels familiar today.

2) “Creed”

The Rewatchables: Creed With Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris, Sean Fennessey, and K. Austin Collins, March 14

• A 1 hour, 41 minute deep dive into Ryan Coogler’s second movie.

3) “Friday I’m In Love”

Punch Up The Jam: Friday I’m In Love, March 15

• The Cure’s most popular song on Spotify, dissected.
• Spoiler: “Friday” isn’t even one of the band’s best 20 songs.

Guest Appearances By…

Bausch, Richard and Beattie, Ann Bookworm

• The writers discuss fellow writer Peter Taylor

Berninger, Matt; Doherty, Martin; and Mayberry, Lauren ID10T

• Members of The National and Chvrches talk music and collaboration

Chang, David It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders

• Deep dive with the chef/aspiring media mogul

Corn, David and Isikoff, Michael Fresh Air, I Have To Ask

• “Russian Roulette” authors break down the Trump/Russia connection

Danson, Ted WTF with Marc Maron

DeGeneres, Ellen Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Delvac, Gina The Wolf Den

• Call Your Girlfriend producer gets meta

Dillon, Asia Kate The Moment With Brian Koppelman

• “Billions” actor talks to “Billions” creator

Dubuc, Nancy Skimm’d From The Couch

• New CEO of Vice shares her management style and love for her bathroom

Goolsbee, Austan Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!

• Comedy with an economist

India.Arie All Songs Considered

• Grammy winner elaborates on her open letter to the Recording Academy

Kessel, Amanda Pardon My Take

• Gold medal hockey player enjoys beating Canada

Klosterman, Chuck The Bill Simmons Podcast

• On college basketball and award shows

Mamet, David WTF with Marc Maron

• Deep thoughts on Chicago and acting

Miller, Dennis The Adam Carolla Show

Min, Janice Here’s the Thing

• Celebrity journalism innovator talks celebrity journalism

Mosseri, Adam If Then

• Facebook VP tries to explain what the hell’s going on with the news feed

Nadella, Satya Freakonomics Radio

• Convo with Microsoft’s CEO

Neal, David Planet Futbol with Grant Wahl

• Fox Sports head previews World Cup coverage. I can’t wait.

O’Rourke, Beto Pod Save America

• Big early victory for the Democratic candidate for a Texas senate seat: He convinced his Republican mom to vote for him

Rajskub, Mary Lynn The Joe Rogan Experience

Schumer, Chuck Recode Decode with Kara Swisher

• Senate Minority Leader talks tech and the FCC’s “very bad leader”

Warren, Elizabeth Pod Save America

Wilson, Nancy The Bob Lefsetz Podcast

• Heart founder gets the life and career retrospective

Yang, Jenny The Sporkful

• The comedian gets serious about Lunar New Year on the James Beard Award-nominated pod

Pick From a Podcaster

This week’s guest: Sarah Bowen Shea, whose Another Mother Runner podcast “explores the intersection of running and mothering.”

• Adds Sarah: “My co-hosts and I joke that we’re like best running friends that keep the conversation going on a run — even on the uphills.”

Sarah’s pick: Heaven’s Gate: The Two

• Sarah says: “This podcast tells the truth-is-stranger-than-fiction story behind the Heaven’s Gate religious cult. Facts are skillfully doled out and layered on by talented storyteller Glynn Washington (also host of Snap Judgment), who brings added depth to the topic via his own experience in a cult-ish religious organization. Bringing in the perspective of the daughter of one of founders of Heaven’s Gate especially touched me, as I’m a mom of three kids.”

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