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

1) “Nothing cuts tension better than Rick Astley.”

Listen: Love Letters: The Night I Became Roy Orbison (3:35)

• So says Patrick Garvin, maker of song mixes for people who’ve been dumped. The episode explores “the healing power of music after a breakup.”
• A “breakup mix is a Trojan horse for letting someone know they’re not going through it alone,” says host Meredith Goldstein.
• Here’s Garvin’s go to Astley song.
• My promise: I’m never gonna Rickroll you.

2) “We had to wake up and watch Fox & Friends, which is something I would not wish on my worst enemy.”

Listen: Pod Save America: “It’s your Justice Department!” (1:47)

• Cracks Dan Pfeiffer, about Trump’s interview on the Fox News morning show. His ramblings gave political pods material to fuel panel conversations for weeks.
• Or at least until the next thing happens in … a few hours?

3) “You have to let people be disappointing.”

Listen: It’s Been a Minute With Sam Sanders: Meg Wolitzer on “The Female Persuasion” (16:33)

• That’s Wolitzer, author of book-of-the-moment, “The Female Persuasion,” being persuasive about why some of her characters annoy each other — and readers.
• My take: That’s life.

4) “Usually children’s books challenge us to be better, and adult novels don’t really do that anymore.”

Listen: Ministry of Ideas: Child’s Play (24:04)

• The insight comes from Christina Phillips-Mattson, children’s literature scholar and guest on this terrific pod exploring why we shouldn’t be dismissive of adults reading “Harry Potter” and others books primarily marketed to younger readers.
• “When you finish a children’s book…most of the time you’re not holding an object that’s morally neutral,” says Phillips-Mattson.

5) “There is a rhetoric…of panic right now. Something has gone wrong at a level that is almost unique in American political history.”

Listen: The Ezra Klein Show: Is American democracy really in decline? A debate. (19:27)

• So says Klein, who cops to being part of the problem at times.
• This episode isn’t part of it. It’s a welcome, sober, fact-filled discussion about just how panicked we should be.

“6) Do you think that 18 million people moved here because of Hollywood?”

Listen: The Indicator from Planet Money: 3 Things You Didn’t Know About L.A. (2:36)

• That’s NPR’s Sonari Glinton, repping the economic diversity of Los Angeles.
• The Indicator spends the week reporting stories from a city that’s as much “There Will Be Blood” as it is “La La Land,” says host Cardiff Garcia.
• Biased newsletter maker from L.A. says: “Tell ‘em, guys.”

7) “Aren’t we in the post-4/20 world at this point?”

Listen: The Press Box: Trump and Haberman, LeBron’s Sideline Interview, and the Meltdown at Harper’s (1:10)

• David Shoemaker’s tired of the media’s 4/20 obsession.
• He adds: “If we’re at a point where professional athletes are smoking weed on camera for sports media outlets, aren’t we past the point where we need to peg this on, like, national elbow-you-in-the-ribs, tee-hee, weed-smoking day?”
• My take: Yes.

8) “We are New York City public high school graduates. And that is like Navy SEAL training for roasting people.”

Listen: The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA Craziness Plus the Return of Desus and Mero (1:34:33)

• Viceland’s Desus & Mero know their edge. You’re warned.

Go Deep

1) The Golden State Killer

Listen: My Favorite Murder, Generation Why, Crime Writers On…

• It’s a justified nine fucks, two shits intro for Karen and Georgia on My Favorite Murder. Like everyone in the true crime podcast community (and all of humanity, presumably), they’re blown away by the arrest of the Golden State Killer.
• Background: A decades-ago string of unsolved murders and rapes in California became an obsession for writer Michelle McNamara. She tragically passed away before publication of her book on the GSK, “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark.” The book became a bestseller, and helped lead to this week’s arrest.
• Crime Writers On… commemorates the moment with the release of its inaugural true crime book club pod about IBGINT, and a second pod reacting to the arrest.

2) The Struggle for Equality in Global Women’s Soccer

Listen: Planet Futbol with Grant Wahl (Part 1, Part 2)

• A panel discussion comprises this two-part pod about the status of women’s soccer worldwide.
• Panelists: Jean Williams, Shireen Ahmed, Gwendolyn Oxenham.

3) “Mr. Brightside”

Listen: Punch Up the Jam

• PUTJ goes deep on The Killers’ classic.
• My take: Stop it. The song needs no punch up.

4) “Put Your Money On Me”

Listen: Song Exploder

• Arcade Fire’s Win Butler takes 22 minutes to break down his band’s song and declares his love for the 808.
• His other inspirations: Marvin Gaye, Harry Nilsson and ABBA.

Guest Appearances By…

Burgess, Tim This Must Be The Gig

• The Charlatans frontman once put a headlock put on Iggy Pop.

Burke, Tarana WorkLife with Adam Grant

• Founder of #MeToo movement appears with Ronan Farrow and Ashley Judd.

Crosby, David Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin

Danner, Blythe The Goop Podcast

• Gwyneth and her mom on mothers and daughters.

Farrow, Ronan The Josh Marshall Podcast, The Gist, WorkLife with Adam Grant, Stay Tuned with Preet

• So. Much. Pulitzer. Winner.

Gawande, Atul Freakonomics Radio

• Surgeon/professor/writer for The New Yorker on the state of health care.

Gay, Jason House of Carbs

• WSJ sports columnist tried to eat at a nice restaurant accompanied by children, talks about it.

Green, Seth Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

• Actor talks zero gravity and working with bears.

Hader, Bill The Watch

Inslee, Jay Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air

• Gov. of Washington on decarbonization, standing up to Trump.

Jacobson, Abbi Modern Love

• “Broad City” actress/writer reads an essay about a carboholic.

Judd, Ashley WorkLife with Adam Grant

• “Silence breaker” talk’s #MeToo with Ronan Farrow and Tarana Burke.

Kendzior, Sarah Otherppl with Brad Listi

• Convo with the author of “The View from Flyover Country.”

Manning, Chelsea Talkhouse

• In conversation with Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokno.

Martin, Giles The Bob Lefsetz Podcast

• Convo with legendary producer George Martin’s son.

Nissenblatt, Arielle Bitrate

• EarBuds Podcast Collective founder talks about the power of listening.

Oswalt, Patton Maltin on Movies

Payne, Alexander Cooking by Ear

• Make vegetable gratin with the director of “Election”/former Chez Panisse intern.

Riggle, Rob The Adam Carolla Show

Robinson, Phoebe Comedy Bang! Bang!, Late Night Whenever with Michelle Buteau

• On the beginnings of “2 Dope Queens,” a visit to a hot tub.

Ross, Tracee Ellis Ted Talks Daily

Schumer, Amy Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations

• Oprah goes 64 minutes with the comedian/actress/author.

Sinclair, Ben Late Night Whenever with Michelle Buteau

• Convo with the “High Maintenance” star.

Smith, Ben The Jamie Weinstein Show

• Buzzfeed’s EIC talks politics, defends publishing the Steele Dossier.

Srinivasan, Balaji Conversations With Tyler

• CTO of Coinbase on the promise of the blockchain.

Tapper, Jake Fresh Air

Thile, Chris You Made it Weird with Pete Holmes

Thompson, Nicholas The Tim Ferriss Show

• Convo with the EIC of Wired.

Tolokno, Nadya Talkhouse

• In conversation with Chelsea Manning.

Vande Hei, Mark Radiolab

• The astronaut dials in to the pod. From space.

Whitford, Bradley WTF with Marc Maron

• “If you’re good and you want it, maybe you won’t be an actor, but you can have a life in storytelling,” says the actor.

Winkler, Henry The Watch

Yorn, Pete Celebration Rock

• Musician talks about his upcoming collaboration with Scarlett Johansson.

Zhao, Chloé The Treatment

• Convo with the director of “The Rider.”

One Podcast That Mesmerized Twitter

The Habitat

Gimlet’s seven-part pod about six volunteers living in an imitation Mars habitat dropped last Thursday. Listeners are still digesting it. Also, they havefeelings.

• “Stop what you’re doing and listen to The Habitat by @Gimletmedia. Most bingeable podcast since Serial.” — @mentink21

• “It sure is a podcast about six people who do fuck all for a year.” — @ThePodReport

• “I literally threw my headphones across the room. Lookin at you@Gimletmedia. I loved Habitat but the chewing was TOO MUCH” — @Bazteki

• “Highly recommend if you like science, claustrophobia and gossiping.” — @pageantmalarkey

• “i never thought i would be into a podcast about space and rockets and@NASA but turns out: i just needed @LynnRLevy.” — @almutheva

Pick From a Podcaster

This week’s podcaster: Adela is founder of Podcast Brunch Club, which is like book club, but for podcasts. The PBC podcast is a podcast version of the monthly conversations that are happening at Podcast Brunch Club chapter meetings IRL all over the world.

Adela’s pick: The Moth Radio Hour: Surviving Being Human

• Adela says: “The episode includes stories about overcoming adversity, fear, and the power of the human spirit. The second story wrecked me. When given an opportunity to find out about his past, he asked, ‘My mother?’ and his voice cracked as he told the audience about that conversation.”
• She adds: “That was the moment during his story that I got the chills and tears welled up in my eyes.”

Are you a podcaster who’d like to be featured? Let me know.

Notable New Podcasts

The Dave Chang Show

• A food and culture pod from influential chef/aspiring media mogul Dave Chang.

• “Dave and a rotating cast of smart, thought-provoking guests talk about their inspirations, failures, successes, fame, and identities.”

How It Is

• A pod from Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine media brand, where “women tell our own stories, in our own words, and share the truths we’ve learned and lived through.”

• Diane Guerrero hosts.

We Came to Win

• Gimlet’s first sports pod focuses on the stories of “the greatest moments of the World Cup.”

The Infinite City

• “[S]tories of people and place, design and belonging, survival and celebration.”

• The first six-episode season focuses on Belfast.

Thanks for reading! Find us on Twitter @WeekInPodcasts.

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

1) “What happens when the thing that you’re really good at is the thing that is killing your soul.”

Listen: Pop Culture Happy Hour: Barry (7:05)

• That’s Eric Deggans, who adds, “and the thing that you find emotionally sustaining, you are terrible at.”
• He’s talking about Bill Hader’s character in the new HBO show, a skilled assassin with an acting problem.
• My take: Interesting dilemma. Phenomenal show.

2) “There’s a lot of conformity in America’s hippest and coolest cities.”

Listen: The Indicator from Planet Money: Tyler Cowen Rates America (4:19)

• Cowen’s take gets a knowing laugh from host Cardiff Garcia.
• Cowen calls cities “a bit overrated.”
• He adds: “The suburbs is where the action is,” arguing people in the ‘burbs are more connected to what he would call “real life.”
• My take: Cowen’s recurring segments on The Indicator? Underrated.

3) “If you want to stay ahead of the curve as an architect, it’s good every now and then to visit Las Vegas.”

Listen: 99% Invisible: Lessons From Las Vegas (24:28)

• Says architect Stefan Al, one of many compelling voices in an excellent pod about Las Vegas architecture and its influence on modern buildings.

4) “We cannot be feeding people in America anymore with MREs.”

Listen: Ted Talks Daily: José Andrés: How a team of chefs fed Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria (15:48)

• That’s humanitarian and chef Andrés, who spearheaded efforts to feed real food to people in hurricane ravaged Puerto Rico, not military-grade meals ready-to-eat.
• On some days, he and everyone helping him cooked and served tens of thousands of meals.
• My take: Andrés is a hero.

5) “Every relationship is an interfaith relationship.”

Listen: The Sporkful: Love and Chopsticks (6:58)

• That’s Helen Rosner, amid a conversation about relationship issues that involve food.
• The New Yorker food writer and host Dan Pashman answer questions from people with food tensions in their relationships.
• My take: By showing up with a sack of McMuffins, Rosner sets a high bar for gift-bearing podcast guests.

6) “I can just pick up anything and knock it against a guitar, and it’s good.”

Listen: This Song: Kelley Deal of the Breeders (7:15)

• Deal learns her lesson to follow her muse while watching Jimmy Page play guitar with a violin bow in “The Song Remains the Same.”
• My take: An inspiring pod. May you know the joy of finding your thing to knock against your Stratocaster.

7) “This is like basketball-level interest in what Ohtani’s doing.”

Listen: The Ringer MLB Show: New York and Boston Go Nuts, and We Go Nuts About Shohei Ohtani (24:48)

• That’s Michael Baumann, talking about the jaw-dropping hitting and pitching prowess of baseball’s newest star.
• Baumann admits baseball season’s young. But Ohtani’s Babe Ruth-ian feats demand attention.
• My take: Baumann’s underplaying Ohtani’s impact.

8) “I fear Donald Trump’s taint has been smeared all over the American people.”

Listen: The Gist with Mike Pesca: It’s Regulation Time (27:06)

• Yup, Pesca goes there.

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.

One Podcast That Mesmerized Twitter

The Ezra Klein Show: Sam Harris Debate / Waking Up with Sam Harris: Identity & Honesty

Klein and Harris have been debating/fighting/feuding for much of the last year.

• The issue, very condensed: Klein and Vox called out Harris for a podcast Harris did with “The Bell Curve” author Charles Murray about the biological differences and intelligence levels of different races.
• Klein and the stories at Vox said Murray and Harris got the underlying science and its implications very wrong. Harris strongly disagreed.
• After a subsequent back-and-forth spilled onto Twitter and a private email exchange Harris made public, they spoke. They released their conversation on both their feeds.

A taste of Twitter’s take:

• “Understandably, more exasperation than science in yesterday’s Harris/Klein podcast.” — @rjhaier
• “‘The weight of American history is completely irrelevant’ is quite a take.” — @mattyglesias
• “The great thing about this debate is that Ezra Klein really shows how politeness can be a deadly weapon.” — @HeerJeet
• “Just listened to the sam harris / ezra klein podcast. Now to head over to twitter to watch the confirmation bias play out.” — @yannikyriacos
• “I’m now looking forward to the sitcom where you two have to share an apartment together.” — @jefftinevez

Go Deep

1) “This is Us”

Listen: It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders, Scriptnotes, Jamie Roxx’s Pop Roxx Talk Radio Show

• The show that gives everyone feelings basks in the pod spotlight.
• Chrissy Metz speaks with Sanders about the show and her new book. “This is Us” writers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger talk to the Scriptnotes guys about running the show. Isabel Oliver Marcus appears with Roxx.

2) The Motown Museum

Listen: Rockin’ the Suburbs: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

• Jim Lenahan visits Detroit’s Motown Museum and comes back with a three-part series about the landmark of American music.
• “They came up with their own sounds. And they came up with their own styles,” says Paul Barker, the museum’s director of development, of Motown’s musical innovators.

3) “Westworld”

Listen: Binge Mode

• Mallory Rubin and Jason Concepcion explore consciousness and the theory of bicameralism in the first five episodes of Season 1 of HBO’s hit.
• Deep dive, deep stuff.

Guest Appearances By…

Abrahams, Jim The Adam Carolla Show

• Convo with one of the guys behind hall-of-fame comedy “Airplane!”

Brownlee, Marques Recode Media with Peter Kafka

• YouTuber with 6 million (!) subscribers shares his story and his YouTube tips.

Callard, Agnes Conversations With Tyler

• Philosopher talks about her new book and how to care about things you don’t care about yet.

Coles, Joanna Skimm’d From the Couch

• “I have an intense curiosity,” says the Chief Creative Officer of Hearst.

Cook, Tim Recode Decode

Couric, Katie The Tim Ferriss Show

Díaz, Junot Bookworm

• He talks about his children’s book, not his New Yorker piece about being raped as a child that resonated this week.

Ehrenreich, Barbara I Have to Ask

Fieri, Guy The Moment with Brian Koppelman

• “Don’t ever call me a food critic,” says man savagely taken down by a food critic.

Gates, Bill Danny in the Valley

Gelb, David Forked Up

• Convo with the filmmaker behind “Jiro Dreams of Sushi.”

Graham, Lauren Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Hamm, Jon Comedy Bang! Bang!, Maltin on Movies

Kasich, John Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me!

John, Daymond How I Built This with Guy Raz

• The story of the rise of the founder of FUBU.

Johnson, Jake The Watch

Leaf, Ryan Pardon My Take

• Former NFL bust talks addiction and overcoming regrets.

Manson, Shirley The Bob Lefsetz Podcast, This Must Be the Gig

Murphy, Stephanie Pod Save America

• Congresswoman from Florida guests live from Orlando.

Nair, Mira Cooking by Ear

• The director makes fattoush and talking about the partition between India and Pakistan.

Newman, Laraine ID10T

• Early SNL cast member recounts her career and personal struggle.

Nichols, Rachel Pardon My Take

Norris, Michele The Atlantic Interview

Payne, Alexander Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

• The director believes all films, no matter what, should be charming.

Rolston, Matthew Monocle 24: The Big Interview Series

• Convo with the photographer and the retrospective of his ‘80s work.

Schriock, Stephanie The Axe Files with David Axelrod

• The president of Emily’s List talks about the wave of woman running for office in 2018.

Simmons, Bill WTF with Marc Maron, House of Carbs

• One podcast heavyweight visits another. Also, on HOC, he ranks NBA cities by their food scenes.

Toobin, Jeffrey Here’s the Thing

Williams, Michael K. The Nod

• The actor talks Janet Jackson and self-help books.

Pick From a Podcaster

This week’s podcaster: Allison Carter hosts Not Your Little Lady, a podcast about women living outside of socially accepted norms in the American South. The format is conversational/interview. New episodes debut every other Wednesday.

• Allison adds: “I began the podcast as an extension of my career as a photojournalist with hopes to create a space where guests tell their stories and listeners open their minds to think about the lives of others.”

Her pick: The Alabama Take: Louisa Amber Murray – The Bear

• Allison says: “Alabama has a piece of my heart and always will. So, I’m for any podcast that highlights the art and culture of a state that — sometimes rightfully, sometimes not —  has a bad reputation. With that in mind, I recommend The Alabama Take not only because (full disclosure) I’m friends with the host and guest, but also because the music scene in North Alabama, aka The Shoals, is on fire.”
• More: “The podcast introduces listeners to bands and people, and the host does it in a way that makes the listeners feel as if they’re listening to their friends.”

Reviews and Recommendations

The Podcast Killed Kevin Williamson, But God Save the Podcast! (The Daily Beast, Matt Lewis)

• Lewis writes: “Today, it is podcasting — mostly unsupervised, often a labor of love, frequently uninterested in ratings and revenue — that is providing the best content.”

Breakmaster Cylinder: A Conversation with Podcasting’s Most Prolific (And Mysterious) Artist (Discover Pods, Kevin Goldberg)

Podcasting’s New World: Groupies, Stage Fright and Sold-Out Shows (The Wall Street Journal, John Jurgensen)

America’s Next Generation Of Muslims Insists On Crafting Its Own Story (NPR, Leila Fadel)

• NPR’s series “Muslims in America: A New Generation” features the makers of the Identity Politics pod.

If you like The Week in Podcasts, please pass it along to someone else who might like it, too. Thanks for reading!

Find us on Twitter @WeekInPodcasts.