#TryPod: 14 Podcasts You Should Be Listening To

In the spirit of NPR’s #trypod social media campaign to combat “podcast unawareness,” Sean Tuohy, Lindsey Wojcik, and I compiled a list of our favorite shows. We’ve met some wonderful podcasters during the last few weeks, proving that the medium is still a vibrant home for both aspiring and established storytellers. Feel free to share your favorite podcasts by tweeting us @WritersBone using the hashtag #trypod.—Daniel Ford

“Crimetown”

Sean Tuohy: Who knew that the smallest state in the union had some of the biggest criminals? “Crimetown” visits Rhode Island's criminal underworld. The show is filled with crooked mayors, charming crime lords, violent enforcers, and a cast of characters so wild they seem made up. 

“How Did This Get Made?”

Sean: This funny and over-the-top show is the perfect podcast for movie buffs. Hosted by Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and the always funny Jason Mantzoukas, “How Did This Get Made?” reviews an awful movie and tries to figure out how ended up on the big screen.

“Women of the Hour With Lena Dunham”

Lindsey Wojcik: “Girls” fans will undoubtedly gravitate to Lena Dunham's “Women of the Hour,” and I admit my “Girls” fandom is what initially intrigued me about Dunham's podcast. While she may not be everyone's cup of tea and has a habit of inserting her foot in her mouth, which usually creates a flurry of controversy, Dunham and the “Women of the Hour” team are skilled at finding women with riveting stories to tell on a variety of topics that are both silly (Season Two's "Cats" episode, for example) and serious (Season Two's episodes "Trauma & Triumph" and "Choice"). “SNL” cast member Aidy Bryant often drops in to play a fictional character that is going through an experience directly related the episode's topic—and I find Bryant is a skilled radio talent that always makes me laugh.

“The Tony Kornheiser Show”

Daniel Ford: I can’t remember why I started religiously listening to a D.C.-based radio show starring a bald, cranky, orange man. All I know is that I wouldn’t have survived grad school or the rat race of New York City without Tony Kornheiser and his funny and insightful supporting cast, which includes Jeanne McManus, Gary Braun, David Aldridge, Torie Clarke, and Leon Harris on a rotating basis.

Kornheiser, who also co-hosts ESPN’s popular sports show, “Pardon the Interruption,” announced last year he was leaving his radio gig so he could start a podcast. Sheer lunacy. Despite taking what I can only assume is a massive pay cut, Kornheiser has essentially duplicated his radio show (with the tragic loss of ESPN Radio’s Kip Sheman), but now has more time to complain about D.C. traffic, bemoan Washington Redskins’ dysfunction, take deep dives into “great” license plate numbers, and yell at Bob Ryan about the true nature of March Madness upsets.

Thanks to Kornheiser’s brand of humor, the show always skews sarcastic light-hearted, but it also tackles weighty issues like the 2016 Presidential Election, local politics, and other concerning national news stories with aplomb. I’ve been a “Loyal Little” for some time now, so I say, “La Cheeserie” to you, and suggest you download this show today!

“Hey Sis!”

Daniel: Nicole Blades has become a Writer’s Bone favorite (her book recommendations are divine), so it’s no surprise that we love her newly launched podcast, “Hey Sis!” Blades and her sister Nailah plan to talk about “women finding their focus and place in business, art, culture, and life.” In their second episode, the sisters interview Margaret Jacobsen, “a mom, writer, activist, and social justice warrior based in Portland, Oregon.” More, please!

“CHOICE/LESS"

Lindsey: I would not have found “CHOICE/LESS” without Lena Dunham's “Women of the Hour.” The show was mentioned during the aforementioned "Choice" episode of “Women of the Hour,” and I immediately subscribed to it. The podcast delivers compelling personal stories about reproductive injustice and "the laws, politics and people beyond the headlines." In a time when the future of reproductive rights seems uncertain, “CHOICE/LESS” offers fuel for Americans to keep fighting for justice.

“Stranglers”

Sean: This unsettling show follows the investigation of the Boston Strangler, starting back in the 1960s. Examining the evidence, speaking to wittiness, and reviewing the case files, the host tries to find out if the right man was captured for the crimes, and, if, who the true killer is. Also, Writer’s Bone guest F. Lee Bailey is featured in “Stranglers!”

“Modern Love”

Lindsey: From The New York Times (you've heard of it, right?), it's “Modern Love” the podcast. The podcast features the popular New York Times column—reader-submitted essays that explore every facet of love—read by notable personalities and updates from the writers. “Modern Love” editor Daniel Jones also joins each episode to reveal why the essay was selected for the column. I'm a sucker for romance and a realist that understands the tribulations of love, so I often find myself relating to the emotions layered in each essay and learning from obstacles others have had to face in the name of love. Also what writer isn't hoping to find the key to getting an essay published in the New York Times? I'm hoping to find that answer in the podcast.

“The West Wing Weekly”

Daniel: Considering I wrote a post about Leo McGarry being the perfect spokesman for Johnnie Walker Blue early in our run, it should come as no surprise that I love this podcast. My love for “The West Wing” knows no bounds. Hosts Joshua Malina and Hrishikesh Hirway have great chemistry, and I could listen to their nerdy explorations of my favorite television show all day long. They also bring on actors from the show (any episode with Richard Schiff is a must listen) and public policy veterans to explain the some of the real-life implications of the issues featured in “The West Wing.” Considering our current political dumpster fire, this show, and the show it obsesses over, is a breath of fresh air.

“In the Dark”

Lindsey: After listening to the first season of “Serial,” I wondered what the next compelling podcast dedicated to investigative journalism would be. Enter “In the Dark,” which in its first season explored how law enforcement mishandled a widely reported child abduction case in Minnesota in 1989. In investigating the unsolved abduction of Jacob Wetterling in rural Minnesota, the show’s reporters question law enforcement at every turn while detailing the intricacies of the case. Interviews with Wetterling's parents, key witnesses, lead suspects, and others linked to the case simultaneously provide answers and raise questions about it. While the case was solved during the production of the podcast, it doesn't take away from its intent on "shining in a light in some dark places."

“The Unwritable Rant”

Daniel: Whiskey, entertaining tall tales (which may actually be true), and did I mention whiskey??  What more could you people want?! Host Juliette Miranda has recently interviewed everyone’s favorite Everyman Mike Rowe, as well as comedian Nick Di Paolo. We raise a glass to this podcast and hope for many more lewd stories to come!

“Detective”

Lindsey: While “Serial” and “In the Dark” offer alternative perspectives on crime and how it is investigated by law enforcement, “Detective” goes "behind the yellow tape" to tell the stories of the seasoned investigators that put criminals behind bars. Each season features a different storyteller detailing how they became detectives and what they have learned during their years on the force. Some episodes feature graphic descriptions of dead bodies, but it's worth the perspective to stomach the content. 

“The Bowery Boys: New York City History” and “Bowery Boys Archive: The Early Years”

Lindsey: Calling all history buffs and New York City lovers! “The Bowery Boys,” Greg Young and Tom Meyers, offer fascinating tales of the history behind the city I have called home for the past eight years. Each episode explores an historic facet in New York City, whether it be landmarks, hidden gems, historic events, or pop culture moments that have become synonymous with the city. Listening to the podcast as the W train approaches Queensboro Plaza really makes me think of the city in a different way. There's a lot of history in New York, and both residents and admirers of the city can enjoy uncovering it through “The Bowery Boys.”   

“Missing Richard Simmons”

Sean: I stumbled onto this charming gem last week and listened to three episodes in one day. The podcast follows one man's journey to find workout guru Richard Simmons, who went into self-exile three years ago. The show sheds new light on Simmons and really makes you respect this goofball who made millions of dollars and helped millions of people.

Update: Stephanie Schaefer may know where Simmons really is...

The Boneyard: Creative Comforts

Photo courtesy of Joe

Daniel Ford: During our last Friday Morning Coffee, we voiced our frustrations about substandard fiction (but also how it helped us learn about the craft).

We do a lot of reading based on books we get in from publishers, as well as fiction and nonfiction we have on our "must-read" lists. But what books or movies do you go back to when you need a comfort read? Something that restores your love of reading and primes you to read the next chunk of your list?

For me, during the last year or two, it's been Craig Johnson's Walt Longmire series. Sure, I have a soft spot for him because he was one of our first interviews, but his lugubrious, warm writing style and earthy characters are more like old friends than literary devices. There's also enough of a plot that satisfies the thriller-genre lover in me. He's really taken the place of Clive Cussler and Nelson DeMille in my reading life.  

Sean Tuohy: Normally I would spit out five titles that I return to, but right now I’m in this weird output mood. At the moment, I can’t take anything in or focus on anything new, even stuff I really like. I usually would go back to a Stephen King novel or a movie like “Bullitt” or “Die Hard.” Something I enjoy, something simple.

The other night, however, I felt like I needed to take a break from writing but the idea of reading didn’t seem to work. So I blew the dust off my copy of “The Punisher” from 2004 and popped it in. There is an amazing audio commentary from the film's writer and director, the great Jonathan Hensleigh. I have listened to it a dozen times before, but at that moment it felt perfect because I needed something familiar. Someone talking about the craft of screenwriting accompanied by flashy images.

Daniel: Oh, that's cool. I can totally see how that would be helpful and entertaining at the same time. It's not draining you like reading a screenplay or novel either; you're engaged with whatever movie you're watching. I dig it.

You worked in a video store, so you'll remember when DVDs first came out. Remember how cool it was having all of those "special features?" It blew my mind as a teenager. I think I may have enjoyed “The Lord of the Rings” special features more than the actual films. I would buy DVDs just for the extra stuff (which is why I think I ended up buying "15 Minutes").  

I need my output mode to kick on. That's the other reason I've needed a comfort read. Great fiction can inspire for sure, but there's something about tapping into the genre and authors that made you a writer in the first place that gives you a creative boost.

Sean: Don't you wish there were book commentaries? After you read something you can play it, and it’s just the author talking about how he or she came up with scenes, characters, plot.

The special features on DVDs are the best things in the world. I’ve bought movies twice because one copy had more features than the other.

I like a good creative boost. You need it, but don't you also need downtime? As a writer, our minds are always racing from plot to character to research to the small details of a scene. Don't you need a little rest?

Daniel: Exactly. You hit the nail on the head. Reading a worn copy of one of your favorite novels or watching a movie you've seen hundreds of times gives you a mental break while at the same time still sharpening your creative katana (yeah, I stole your idea!). You don't have to worry about assessing the characters or keeping track of the plot. You know what happens already! You can just enjoy whatever it is about the novel you loved—whether it's the language, characters, or setting.

I try to read a portion of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera every year. That book is just too beautifully written not to go back to it often. And I don't have to read it in order. I can just concentrate on all my favorite scenes without feeling like I'm missing anything. And the end of that book...man...that's how you do it. I don't think I've read a better ending. I envision that Taylor Brown's Fallen Land is going to be one of those novels for me as well. That hit me right in my sweet spot. Other books on my comfort read list: To Kill A Mockingbird (of course), The Cider House Rules by John Irving (anything by him really), Richard Russo's Nobody's Fool, Alice Walker's The Color Purple, and John Steinbeck's East of Eden.

Book commentary...I love it.

Emili Vesilind: Fabulous Nobodies by Lee Tulloch is my go-to read when I'm stressed out—I also read it every five years or so because it makes me laugh. It's a rather formulaic story told in incredible detail about a fashion-obsessed girl named Reality who lives on the Lower East Side and talks to her clothes (example: she can hear her frocks quivering in anticipation as she's about to put them on). Tulloch was a writer for fashion magazines, and she encapsulates a really specific, magical moment in New York City pop culture with this one. It never fails to make me happy.

Gary Almeter: On days when I am feeling "not so fresh" I typically revisit college anthologies and read some poems and/or a short story or two. They are familiar and provide comfort; and each subsequent reading is different from those before it. They also serve as a sort of benchmark for how I have grown as both a reader and a writer.

Sean: My ultimate comfort read is called “The Hemingway.” It’s just me drinking too much whiskey in a boat while trying to wrestle a marlin.

Dave Pezza: Take me, Sean. Anytime, anywhere.

Danny DeGennaro: I once saw Sean punch a grouper so hard that they had to call in the Coast Guard.

Gary: Once Sean and I were on a raft heading down the Mississippi River when a big ugly catfish the size of a horse jumped onto the raft. Sean dropkicked that fish so hard and so far. I've never seen anything like it.

Sean: That was an awesome summer trip, Gary. We learned two things:

1. I don't care for catfish.
2. Gary can build a raft out a few planks of wood and a lot of heart.

Stephanie Schaefer: Does a comfort television show count? If so, “Friends” all the way. It never gets old!

Daniel: Bradley Cooper would disagree with you, Sean:

I'd be remiss if I didn't say that "The West Wing" remains my ultimate comfort television. I could start anywhere in the seven seasons and be happy as a clam. The acting and writing is superb, of course, but each show has a different memory attached to it. Watching "Two Cathedrals" with my three best friends/roommates in New York City when none of us had much more than the clothes we wore and cheering as Jed Barlet denounces God in Latin. Bingewatching with my younger brother when I came home for holidays and cramming 22 episodes into three days. Watching with my parents during the four months I stayed with them while transitioning to Boston and telling my mother she had to watch what happened next instead of asking me questions. I recently watched the series finale, which means I get to start over (and listen to Joshua Malina's new podcast while I’m at it)!

Stephanie, that was a long-winded "yes" to your question!

Rachel Tyner: Comfort TV would be “Friends,” “New Girl,” “The Office.” Comfort books include Harry Potter (obviously!) and A Wrinkle in Time.

Lindsey Wojcik: Comfort TV is easy. “Arrested Development,” “How I Met Your Mother” (sans the series finale), “30 Rock.” Comfort read would have to be Here Is New York by E.B. White. A constant reminder of why I love living in the city even when things get rough and an illustration that the city never really changes with time. 

Join the conversation! Reply in the comments section below, tweet us @WritersBone, or drop us a line on our Facebook page!

The Bonyard Archives

Sunday Brunch: New Times Writer Derek Heid and the Week’s Top Posts

Photo by Daniel Ford

Writer’s Bone’s Sunday Brunch features fresh commentary or interviews, jazz recommendations, and a roundup of the week’s top posts. We encourage you to enjoy this post on a weekly basis with a mouthful of omelet and home fries, as well as an unhealthy amount of the aforementioned mimosas, Bloody Marys, or bellinis. Also, send us your brunch pictures and we'll feature them in upcoming posts! You can email them to admin@writersbone.com or tweet us at @WritersBone.

Starters

Sean Tuohy talks to Derek Heid, a writer for New Times, about a sunny place for shady people: Florida. 

First Round of Mimosas

Author and podcaster Justin Macumber talks to Writer's Bone about his writing style, the podcast, and what the future holds for him.

Loving the Truth: 8 Questions With Author and Podcaster Justin Macumber

Musical Interlude

Sing it, Etta.

The Newspapermen Eggs Benedict

The Newspapermen feel the mental and physical toll of chasing down a story no one wants them to uncover.

Chapter Seven: Sweet Dreams

A New York City Side of Bacon

Writer’s Bone’s New York City guru Lindsey Wojcik writes about how her experience reading Sari Botton’s Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving New York made her realize she wasn’t moving out of the metropolis any time soon.

How ‘Goodbye to All That’ Convinced Me to Stay in New York

Photo essayist Cristina Cianci shares seven photos she took while getting to know her new Manhattan home better.

Urban Escape: 7 Photos New York City Slickers Will Love

Digestif

Down a shot of Wild Turkey 81, dance manically with all the spirits in the night, and enjoy the latest installment of Bruce, Bourbon, and Books.

Bruce, Bourbon, and Books: Wild Turkey in the Night

Podcasts for Dessert

Stand-up comedian, writer, and producer Sara Schaefer stops by Writer’s Bone to talk about the Mall of America, the art of making someone laugh, the lessons she learned from Louis CK, and the unpredictable nature of stand-up comedy.

The Boneyard: Our Best Moments as Writers

Daniel Ford and Sean Tuohy gave you their best moments as writers when they first founded Writer’s Bone. They asked the Writer’s Bone crew what their favorite moment was and here’s what they came up with:

Stephanie Schaefer: In college, my favorite moments as a writer were when I received papers with relatively little red mark-ups and that ever-so-satisfying “A” (or A-) on top–a rare fete for an English major. However, as I made my way into the real world, I realized that this subjective art doesn’t necessarily need A+ approval from a teacher or editor to be qualified as something you’re proud of.

Although sitting face to face with Shaquille O’Neal and firing questions at him was a badass moment in my journalism career thus far, one of my most gratifying accomplishments as a writer was crafting a story with true meaning behind it. I had the opportunity to interview a 16-year-old girl who survived cancer and found power in creativity. She remained positive and upbeat throughout the entire interview, and truly appreciated the chance to tell her story. After that interview, I knew that I wanted to use my skills to share inspiring narratives.

Lindsey Wojcik: "New York Brought Down to Size." That headline accompanied by an inaccurate composition of the New York City skyline donned the cover of my college's student newspaper my sophomore year. It was not the first headline with my name beneath it—I had experienced that euphoric moment of seeing my work published for the first time months before—but without that simple cover line, as well as the content of the story inside, I may not be where I am today.

I just was an eager contributing reporter hoping to obtain a few writing samples for my portfolio when, at a weekly writer's meeting, the features editor pitched an idea for a series of stories that would profile thriving cities a 20-something might consider moving to after college graduation. With my heart set on my own post-collegiate life in New York City, I knew I could deliver exactly what the editor wanted. I took the assignment.

Two weeks later—after interviewing a New York City-based realtor, a career development counselor at NYU, and three of my own school's alumni (former metro-Detroiters) that lived in the city—I turned in a comprehensive guide on where to live, work, eat and play in New York City after college. I was proud of it, but I never expected it would grace the cover.

The final product gained the attention of key editors and the newspaper's faculty advisor, who deemed it cover worthy. When the features editor passed along the news that it would, in fact, be the cover story, I could not remove myself from the newsroom. I only left to attend class, but returned long after other contributing writers left—determined to see the story come to life on the page and cover.

I craved camaraderie from the editors and advisor, so there I sat, deskless, shooting the shit with other staff members and pitching ideas, so I could contribute more. Each one of them listened intently and encouraged me to write as much as possible.

A year later, I would become the newspaper's editor in chief. And not long after graduation, I would finally be able to call myself a New Yorker. "New York Brought Down to Size" gave me the confidence and determination to achieve both.

David Pezza: My best moment as a writer is writing a short story that I haven't finished yet that I know will be crazy cool, but I need time to flesh it out…like years…

Also, one my best moments as a writer happened in a creative writing class at Providence College. The story, and the line about a redheaded woman I included in a previous post, got a huge response from the class. One kid, who was a nice and a cool dude (so someone I respected in the class), said about it, "Wish that I could write like that someday."

Emili Vesilind: It's always the same moment for me: that point in the writing process when the reporting has been jotted down, the lead has been crafted, and it's time to sort out and finesse the rest of the story. The hard part is over!

Elizabeth Nicklis: Getting the Principal’s Award in the first grade for writing. It was the first time I got an award for writing and you only get awards once in a while.

For posts from The Boneyard, check out our full archive.