Podcasts are not only a interesting way to kill time during a long trip, flight, or day, but they're also an opportunity to laugh, learn something new, or see things from the perspective of others. Sure, listening to music can seem to be a more entertaining way to spend one's time, but just like with music, there are many genres of podcasts. There is something for everyone. The following are the podcasts that I'm currently listening to that some of you might fall in love with as well.
1. "Tell 'em Steve-Dave!"
I came across this podcast last summer, after seeing Q (Brian Quinn) wear the shirt on his TV show, Impractical Jokers, several times. This is a long running podcast, considering they are soon going to have their 300th episode. Yet, I can happily say I've listened to each episode. Unlike with television shows, you don't have to listen to every single podcast, or even start from the beginning. Once you start listening to the podcast, then you will get a sense of what is going on. No, you do not have to watch Impractical Jokers or Comic Book Men to like this podcast. As they mentioned in their most recent episode, this podcast is just 3 middle aged men talking about real life things. You won't finish an episode without laughing, unless you lack a sense of humor. At first I had no interest in this podcast but I say, give it about 2-3 episodes -- that's about how many it took for me to get hooked and trust me, you deserve to laugh a little in life.
2. "Stuff You Should Know"
Were you ever curious about something but didn't feel like researching, or simply didn't have the time to research it? Well, Stuff You Should Know is a podcast where two men do that for you. They'll read a few articles on a topic and occasionally reach out to those who know more about it and then discuss it over a podcast. What I really like about this podcast is that they look at both sides of things and are unbiased. Obviously, they have episodes where there are no sides to take but in their episodes about AIDS for example, they went out of their way to explain all the perspectives of it at the time when it was unknown and now. Of course, I am not telling you to trust every word that comes out of their mouths and to do the research yourself if you'd like, which is easy because these guys have links to all their sources on their website for you to have a read yourself.
3. "Friends Like Us"
I just came across this podcast myself this month so I can't say much about it, but I can say that it is very funny! Each week there are different guests and they discuss current topics and issues from a woman's perspective, more specifically a black woman's perspective as well as the perspective of the guests. This podcast manages to make the news interesting and at times an opportunity to chuckle is thrown in. It's a good way to get caught up on some of the things going on in the world without having to watch the news, which we all know can be a little depressing and boring at times.
4. "Freakonomics Radio"
I will be the first to admit that out of all of these podcasts, Freakonomics is the one that is targeted at a smaller audience, specifically those interested in economics and society. They also cover pop culture and similar topics. I came across this podcast after reading the Freakonomics book(s). Their podcast is even more informative than the books, which are already very informative. I can safely say that if you read the books and liked them, then this podcast is definitely for you. If not, it's still worth listening too! Don't believe me? Well, do you hate flying or want to know why people are afraid to? Check out their latest episode where they talk to a pilot and uncover some interesting information.
5. "Coffee Break French"
Last but not least, this podcast is one that can help you learn a new language. Of course, it isn't enough to learn a new language completely but you'll surely be able to speak a few words! CoffeeBreak offers French, Spanish and other languages. It's perfect for someone who wants to brush up their language skills that they learned in high-school and may have forgotten or someone who wants to learn a new one for an upcoming business trip/vacation. Most podcasts are less than 20 minutes, just perfect for a short coffee break!
