Recommend a podcast thread.

There are many great podcasts out there, but way more terrible ones, making the good ones hard to find. This is a place to recommend a good podcast to other members. Make sure you get the name right so we can find it, and if you have a link to where it can be downloaded, be sure to tell us that, too.

My current favorite is Marc Maron's "WTF?" podcast. You can get for free from iTunes, or download it from the official site: www.wtfpod.com

It's a brilliant interview show about stand up comedy, philosophy, art, and the business of entertainment. Maron has some original material at the beginning of each show and then follows it with an interview that runs anywhere from 30-60 minutes with a well known comedian or writer about a wide range of topics. If you're a fan of comedy, check it out.

doppelgänger;2105457 said:

There are many great podcasts out there, but way more terrible ones, making the good ones hard to find. This is a place to recommend a good podcast to other members. Make sure you get the name right so we can find it, and if you have a link to where it can be downloaded, be sure to tell us that, too.

My current favorite is Marc Maron's "WTF?" podcast. You can get for free from iTunes, or download it from the official site: WTF with Marc Maron

It's a brilliant interview show about stand up comedy, philosophy, art, and the business of entertainment. Maron has some original material at the beginning of each show and then follows it with an interview that runs anywhere from 30-60 minutes with a well known comedian or writer about a wide range of topics. If you're a fan of comedy, check it out.

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That's a good one. I also get Bill Maher's HBO podcast for laughs, too.

I also recommend Robert Thurman's, but I'm not sure it qualifies as simple entertainment? He is able to discuss Tibetan Buddhism by relaying it mostly through sci-fi references (Star Trek, Doctor Who, etc.), so it certainly is entertaining in some way.

Don't limit it to what you might consider "entertainment." If you're listening to it, you're getting something out of it so let's just agree for this thread to call it all "entertainment." Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to check out Thurman's podcast.

I got some interviews with David Bohm and J. Krishnamurti off of iTunes that make for great listening along those same lines.

I am addicted to podcasts. Here are some of the ones I really like at the moment:

History stuff

Binge Thinking History - mostly deals with the history of Britain. He's just wrapping up a several episode mini-series about the Royal Navy. His mini-series on the Battle of Britain was also really good.

12 Byzantine Rulers - a nice little 12 episode series about the history of the Byzantine empire from the Fall of Rome until the Ottomans took over. Very well done and (at least to my untrained ear) well researched.

Norman Conquests - from the same writer/narrator as 12 Byzantine rulers, it goes through the history of the Normans starting with the settlement of their Viking ancestors in what is now France.

Religious stuff

A Christian and an Atheist - a neat, friendly podcast that tries to emphasize the commonalities between the two groups. I find it a good antidote to the divisiveness that I encounter elsewhere (such as in Irreligiosophy... see below).

Irreligiosophy - kinda the opposite of A Christian and an Atheist: probably very offensive and alienating to a lot of religious people (or maybe people in general), but they occasionally make good points and are often bust-a-gut funny... at least to me.

The Atheist Experience - audio of a live call-in cable TV show done by the Atheist Community of Austin. Sometimes very good, sometimes just okay - it all depends on the callers that week.

Catholic Answers Live - well-produced show that does a good job of presenting Catholic beliefs and positions. I don't agree with most of what they say, but I think it does help my understanding of their point of view.

Other stuff

SModcast - Kevin Smith & Scott Mosier's (of Clerks/Mallrats/Dogma/etc. fame) weekly podcast where they just chat about whatever comes to their minds. I've found it can be dangerous to listen to it while driving, because sometimes I start laughing so hard I have trouble controlling my car.

Big Ideas - Audio of the show on TVO, the Ontario public broadcaster. Each episode is a different lecture on a different topic. Some are from local universities, some are special events (they have quite a few public lectures from the Perimeter Institute), but just about all of them are interesting. Think of it as like TEDTalks, but longer so that the presenter can go into more detail.

All of them are available through iTunes.

doppelgänger;2105479 said:

Don't limit it to what you might consider "entertainment." If you're listening to it, you're getting something out of it so let's just agree for this thread to call it all "entertainment." Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to check out Thurman's podcast.

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I love it. He has a way of making me giggle. I think it's because he makes himself giggle from time to time.

I got some interviews with David Bohm and J. Krishnamurti off of iTunes that make for great listening along those same lines.

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I've noticed you have brought up Bohm a lot lately, love. iTunes has interviews with him? *is intrigued*

Thanks for the suggestions, Jeff.

doppelgänger;2105479 said:

Don't limit it to what you might consider "entertainment." .....
I got some interviews with David Bohm and J. Krishnamurti off of iTunes that make for great listening along those same lines.

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This thread has a lot of interesting potential although it might take one much time to cover all that is presented. Bohm and Krishnamurti are quite a pair and their discussion on 'the Future of Humanity' is quite engaging. You may have to explain it Dopp.

In the area of spirituality, Oprah Winfrey has held many interviews and noted that this is her favorite topic. A couple of years ago 'The Power of Now' by Eckhart Tolle was her chosen book of the year. Eckhart Tolle followed that book with 'The New Earth' and Oprah carried out ten live webcasts with Tolle to discuss each of the ten chapters. The series, popular with millions across the world, is still available:
Watch A New Earth Web Classes on Oprah.com

For lighter entertainment check out Frank Caliendo (the Johm Madden guy) on the Letterman show:
Frank Caliendo Video by Jeffy - MySpace Video

or on Myspace:
Frank Caliendo Video by Jeffy - MySpace Video

One loves his Clinton impression: 'I am not here. After all, 'here' is 'there' without the 't'.'

autonomous1one1 said:

This thread has a lot of interesting potential although it might take one much time to cover all that is presented. Bohm and Krishnamurti are quite a pair and their discussion on 'the Future of Humanity' is quite engaging. You may have to explain it Dopp.

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Yes, it's quite an amazing discussion.

[youtube]Knu4ujA1rfU[/youtube]
YouTube - ‪Krishnamurti & David Bohm - The Future of Humanity 1a‬‎

I'd be up for a discussion of the ideas they raise in that discussion if you would be interested, Robert.

Please listen to the podcasts of Dan Carlin. He has two shows, one is called Common Sense where he espouses a radically non-partisan view of the political world. The other is Hardcore History which is the most engaging history podcast I've come across so far.

I just discovered a new one today that I found really good if you're into alternative psychology, philosophy and mysticism, or you just like rummaging through God's underwear drawer and finding all his dirty little secrets: "Psychedelic Salon". I found it free on iTunes. I listened to my first episode today while running. It was one from about a year ago called "Avatars, Elves and Egos." I downloaded a few more to listen to later this week.

Just downloaded the most recent episode on "Sacred Economy", dopp. Looking forward to listening to it later on today.

For wargamers out there (who are over the age of 18) I definitely recommend Podhammer.

It mostly covers Warhammer fantasy, but also delves into 40k, Warmachine and flames of war on occasion. It's not as dry or serious as some of the other Podcasts, but it definitely isn't for kids.

I also recommend anthropologists interested in "The Secret Life of Nerds" take a look at the Podcast too