August 27 - September 2, 2017
Just when you thought the podcast blog wasn't coming out this weekend, whoop, here it is. Podcasts don't stop for labor day (for the most part) and neither do I. Some serious stuff that levels out with the humor of the show featured in SOMETHING NEW.
THE LIST
1. The New Yorker Radio Hour - "John Ridley on Charlottesville and the Legacy of Racism"
Identity politics. If that phrase wasn't buzzy enough post-election, the events of Charlottesville and the resulting sobering realizations surrounding patriotic values certainly catapulted those two words into the foreground of whatever discussion can be found on TV, radio and podcasts (also see "the internet"). Mark Lilla presents a rather unique take, voicing a somewhat conservative argument from the liberal couch in a way that may strike enough balance to reach across party lines. The classic mantra "vote your conscience" is challenged, as is the notion that thinking the right thoughts facilitates change. I'll level with you - this isn't the typical show that occupies the top spot. It made the cut mainly for the lasting impact it had on me throughout the week.
2. Planet Money - "Tips From Spies"
Planet Money wanted to get away from the confines of economic translation as the last days of summer string themselves across autumn's door frame in hopes of sticking around for just a little longer. As much as I love the wonky informality of the usual PM spread, I've got to hand it to them - this episode is a lot of fun. But trick is on you guys, because wait, I think it also gave me a shift in perspective of my world view! Conclusion: we should maybe all act more like machines.
3. Code Switch - "I'm Not A Racist, I'm Argentine!"
Race is often seen from a dual perspective, placing the burden on the "other" based on skin color. What happens when a racially charged incident erupts between two people who speak the same language, who are equally at home in a home-away-from-home? Catch the fallout of a weird and provocative thing that happened and engulfed a subculture of Los Angeles.
HONORABLE MENTION
The Turnaround - "Audie Cornish"
Ear Hustle - "The Boom Boom Room"
Part-Time Genius - "What's The Best Day Of The Week?"
SOMETHING NEW
Paula Poundstone has long been a crowd favorite on the beloved NPR news quiz Wait Wait Don't Tell Me. Along with maintaining a stable of live performance dates, Poundstone has taken the next natural step on the comedic journey after cultivating a modest Twitter following - releasing a podcast game show stand-up interview jamboree. Live From The Poundstone Institute mirrors Wait Wait in tone, matching witty banter with content that subversively amounts to more than entertaining riffing. There is a guest-spot element wherein a celebrity of some stripe exchanges the usual report ala late-night TV, but then it goes a little wacky when the person of honor is given the "Pounstone Psurvey" to produce some kind of match with an archetype. This faux-social science extends to the audience, as a quirky poll collates answers to questions such as "What is something you've lied to your kids about?" Poundstone aptly maneuvers through the show with the help of the Institute's Director of Research Adam Felber, another well-worn Wait Wait personality, plays a key role in balancing the dynamic between host, audience and guest. It's not just the novelty of the form, but the relative ease with which the team pulls it off that makes the show hum.
Live From The Poundstone Institute
Recommended for: Self-deprecating scientists, comedy fans, devotees of ridiculous data
Rating: Gotta Have It
THE LIST
1. The New Yorker Radio Hour - "John Ridley on Charlottesville and the Legacy of Racism"
Identity politics. If that phrase wasn't buzzy enough post-election, the events of Charlottesville and the resulting sobering realizations surrounding patriotic values certainly catapulted those two words into the foreground of whatever discussion can be found on TV, radio and podcasts (also see "the internet"). Mark Lilla presents a rather unique take, voicing a somewhat conservative argument from the liberal couch in a way that may strike enough balance to reach across party lines. The classic mantra "vote your conscience" is challenged, as is the notion that thinking the right thoughts facilitates change. I'll level with you - this isn't the typical show that occupies the top spot. It made the cut mainly for the lasting impact it had on me throughout the week.
2. Planet Money - "Tips From Spies"
Planet Money wanted to get away from the confines of economic translation as the last days of summer string themselves across autumn's door frame in hopes of sticking around for just a little longer. As much as I love the wonky informality of the usual PM spread, I've got to hand it to them - this episode is a lot of fun. But trick is on you guys, because wait, I think it also gave me a shift in perspective of my world view! Conclusion: we should maybe all act more like machines.
3. Code Switch - "I'm Not A Racist, I'm Argentine!"
Race is often seen from a dual perspective, placing the burden on the "other" based on skin color. What happens when a racially charged incident erupts between two people who speak the same language, who are equally at home in a home-away-from-home? Catch the fallout of a weird and provocative thing that happened and engulfed a subculture of Los Angeles.
HONORABLE MENTION
The Turnaround - "Audie Cornish"
Ear Hustle - "The Boom Boom Room"
Part-Time Genius - "What's The Best Day Of The Week?"
"We cannot do anything for these groups we care about if we do not hold power." - Mark Lilla, The New Yorker Radio Hour
SOMETHING NEW
Paula Poundstone has long been a crowd favorite on the beloved NPR news quiz Wait Wait Don't Tell Me. Along with maintaining a stable of live performance dates, Poundstone has taken the next natural step on the comedic journey after cultivating a modest Twitter following - releasing a podcast game show stand-up interview jamboree. Live From The Poundstone Institute mirrors Wait Wait in tone, matching witty banter with content that subversively amounts to more than entertaining riffing. There is a guest-spot element wherein a celebrity of some stripe exchanges the usual report ala late-night TV, but then it goes a little wacky when the person of honor is given the "Pounstone Psurvey" to produce some kind of match with an archetype. This faux-social science extends to the audience, as a quirky poll collates answers to questions such as "What is something you've lied to your kids about?" Poundstone aptly maneuvers through the show with the help of the Institute's Director of Research Adam Felber, another well-worn Wait Wait personality, plays a key role in balancing the dynamic between host, audience and guest. It's not just the novelty of the form, but the relative ease with which the team pulls it off that makes the show hum.
Live From The Poundstone Institute
Recommended for: Self-deprecating scientists, comedy fans, devotees of ridiculous data
Rating: Gotta Have It
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