Lately, I’ve been absorbed by podcasts. Am I the last one to board this ship? Likely. I’m typically the last person to join any party. It was nearly two years ago, I believe, when I was somehow introduced to Aisha Tyler’s Girl On Guy. I can’t recall which interview it was that caught me, but what sold me was Tyler hosting. I love Aisha Tyler. To me, she is one of the best examples of an artist with strong business acumen (a rare combination) putting herself out there, never satisfied, always pushing to improve, to do more and be more. She is a modern Renaissance being pouring her creativity into multiple projects across various industries. Just because one is an artist, doesn’t mean he or she is limited to creating one type of thing. It doesn’t mean their enthusiasm for producing work is narrow or finite. She explores and experiments and evolves and that is what being an artist is. As a fellow creative, I admire that. It’s not as easy as it looks. And to be an artist with an entrepreneurial spirit to boot , well, that interests me because the two don’t typically go hand in hand.
So I was easily hooked by Girl On Guy. Discussing creative processes and motivations with other artists has me hanging on every word no matter the forum. And Tyler’s interview style is an informal one. She will be the first to say that she tries not to research so she can learn along with the audience. To me it keeps the content organic, which ultimately leads to more engrossing conversations. I think that’s the other thing I really enjoy about Tyler’s podcast specifically – it doesn’t feel like an interview. It feels like I’ve happened upon a perfect back and forth between two individuals sharing and dissecting their histories and passions and practices with one another. It’s a beautiful unabridged dialogue that unravels at a flawless pace. It can be humorous or deep, but it is always raw. So for me, it is Tyler that has set the bar by which all other podcasts are measured.
Once introduced to Girl On Guy, and after having listened to every episode (several of them twice), I needed more. I love music. It’s great for working out or dancing around but I’m more of a conversation person in the long run when it comes to having something on in the house, while working, or while driving in my car. Now I am not an NPR kind of girl or any sort of Talk Radio fan. I wanted more podcasts. I don’t need someone speaking at me. I want to listen to a discussion, or rather a trade of ideas or verbal ping pong. So I expanded my repertoire to The Bill Simmons Podcast next. Contrary to popular belief, an artist can also have a love for sports, which I do. I enjoy Simmons’s commentary and recaps with his guests. He doesn’t try to be witty or clever. He’s down to Earth and always has his facts straight. He doesn’t limit himself to sports-related guests, either, which I appreciate. He’s had guests like Louis C.K., David Duchovny, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele to name a few that I’ve really liked wherein they’ve discussed their projects and histories among other things. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate the sports talk, I do, it’s actually why I listen, but it’s nice to hear someone typically focused on athletics interacting with authors, actors, and producers because it creates an entirely different exchange for my listening pleasure.
And finally I have found Unqualified by Anna Faris. This is a just a super silly and fun podcast with creative people offering personal advice to callers that has me laughing so hard every time. Faris genuinely cares about her guests and call-ins. Unqualified strikes the perfect balance of comedy and sincerity. It covers topics that you would only discuss with your closest friends, thus making an unfiltered Faris seem like nothing more than a charming addition to your intimate circle.
I do dabble with The Digital Doctrine by Eric Von Haessler and Radio Labyrinth by Tim Andrews. These are two of my favorite Atlanta radio hosts that I grew quite fond of during my early morning commute back in the day. Andrews is hilarious and focuses on pop culture, which I love, and I think Von Haessler is brilliant, particularly when it comes to politics even though I don’t usually care for politically driven shows.
But this still leaves me wanting more. I’m on the hunt for additional podcasts. If you know of any that could be a good fit after reading what I like (and what I don’t *cough* NPR and Talk Radio *cough*), hit me up on Twitter or Facebook or email. I want to be exposed to more quality content, hopefully expanding my podcast palate. Searching for podcasts can be difficult if you don’t really know what you’re searching for, so I am looking for recommendations of any kind. I trust you. Well, most of you. Okay, a couple of you, but I’m willing to take your suggestions regardless.
