The comedy podcasting bubble, despite predictions to the contrary, is still in full bubble, thank you very much. The huge surge in popularity the medium experienced thanks to the success of WTF with Marc Maron has become its own cliché, and a lot of the new wave of comedy podcasts end up sounding kind of the same. As a result, while shows like Comedy Bang! Bang! command a cult-like army of fans, some of your best options in state-of-the-art comedy podcasting can fly under the radar or get lost in the shuffle. Here are some of our favorites!
12 Hour Day with J.D. and Connor
I think even the hosts of 12 Hour Day (The Chris Gethard Show’s J.D Amato and Connor Ratliff) would say that this podcast sounds like peak comedy-dude narcissism: Two guys record themselves talking for twelve hours straight every episode. In the hands of lesser hosts, it might have been. But not only has 12 Hour Day turned out to be a formally inventive exercise in endurance on their part, it’s also a weirdly comforting experience. Whether they sequester themselves in an apartment and make a meal or just wander around New York all day bumping into friends, they will hit that moment a few hours in where they kind of forget they’re recording a podcast, and the artifice of the medium is largely stripped away.
Don’t Get Me Started
Will Hines and Anthony King might have the most underrated rapport in podcasting. That likable everyman quality extends to the premise of the show; enthusiasm is its own kind of expertise. Having improvisers/comedians come on to talk about anything other than improv/comedy isn’t just refreshing, it’s accessible: Just hop on board with whatever topic interests you most. Whether the show sparks a new obsession or inspires a heated debate (I have spent many happy afternoons discussing what qualifies a “Band That Does Its Job”), it will remind you how much fun it is to just hear someone talking about something they love and want you to love.
Screw It, We’re Just Gonna Talk About The Beatles
It’s not an official spin-off of Don’t Get Me Started, but if Will Hines could have devoted multiple episodes to his lifelong obsession with the Beatles, it would look something like this. Hines packs each panel with equally knowledgeable and Beatles-manic improvisers and comedians, then goes through the entire catalogue album-by-album. Beyond giving you a renewed appreciation for the scope and depth of the band’s genius, the chronological breakdown of the Fab Four’s personal dynamic leads to some pretty wonderful running jokes at their expense. Not Ringo, though. They won’t hear a word against Ringo.
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