Several days ago, I had the pleasure of visiting one of my favorite people in the world for a weekend getaway. Because this had been my first solo road trip, I felt a little bit anxious. Three hours on the open road all by yourself can be quite daunting (especially if you're traveling through unknown territory), so I knew I needed some sort of distraction. I don't know about you, but playing music for hours on end doesn't stimulate my mind, the radio can be awfully repetitive, and silence is simply not an option. So, I decided to scroll through the 'podcast' app on my phone in search of some captivating material and landed on some channels that truly opened my eyes. Though the drive was pretty uncomfortable and cold, these three stations helped to make it much more bearable!
1. "Getting Curious" with Jonathan Van Ness
Like many first-time listeners, I was immediately drawn to this channel solely for more content of "Queer Eye's" Jonathan Van Ness. Though "Getting Curious" does feature episodes of his four QE castmates and some entertaining stories of Jonathan's personal life, it goes so much deeper than that. JVN really stays true to his podcast's title by covering topics he, and the rest of America, are genuinely interested in! He invites professionals/experts in their field to discuss, explain, and "get curious about anything and everything under the sun".
*Favorites: "Who Are You, Tan? with Tan France", "How Did Kim Kardashian Break the Internet? with Drew Elliot", and "What's Parental Alienation? with Dr. Amy Baker"
2. "My Favorite Murder" with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Everyone loves a good "CSI" or "Law & Order" episode, but watching television while operating a moving vehicle is probably not the best choice. Instead, true-crime podcast "My Favorite Murder" gives you the rundown on some of the nation's best mystery murders AND gives you the opportunity to paint your own picture of the scene. Kilgariff and Hardstark combine humor and sarcasm to these heavy topics, all the while respecting the deceased and family of those involved.
3. "Keep It" with Ira Madison III, Kara Brown, & Louis Virtel
This is hands down one of the best pop-culture podcasts of our time, combing both criticism, comedy, and relevant news in today's media. The three hosts literally "Keep It" real by exposing government corruption, never holding back their honest opinions, and spilling all of the celebrity tea in 90 minute long segments. Their subtitle describes their content as "a show about pop culture, politics, and what happens when they smack into each other at alarming speed", and if that doesn't lure you in, I don't know what will!
