For some reason, college students talk about podcasts like required reading. I’ve had so many friends say, “I really should get into podcasts.” They have several podcasts about dieting, or building the human brain, or self-help piled up on their podcasting app with about 2 minutes or so listened to. As an avid podcast fan, I’ve come up with some of my favorites for you to give a try, and listen for fun, not as obligation.
1. For the Gilmore Gal – “Gilmore Guys”
No joke, “Gilmore Guys” got me through my freshman year of college. You might know Demi Adejuyigbe from his vines, like the one where he says “I have a job and a wife and a kids and a mortgage and if I drop a bag of chips I don’t cry about it.” where his voice warbles, clearly about to cry. Or you might know him from his viral tweet about leaving a copy of the movie Click at his parent’s house every time he visits. And you probably don’t know Kevin Porter, but that’s okay. Kevin is a huge Gilmore Girls fan and Demi has never watched an episode. They go through the show episode by episode and dissect it while being very, very funny. Start at about season 3, during the first few they’re still finding their footing. Listening to “Gilmore Guys” is a phenomenal trip into Gilmore Girls trivia, adoration of Paris Geller, lots of laughs, and an understated attack on toxic masculinity.
2. For the Not Quite True Crime Lover, But the Lover of Mystery – “Missing Richard Simmons”
Okay, “Missing Richard Simmons” is a podcast for probably everything. It is not only a very affectionate contemplation of the life of Richard Simmons, a man who has been the butt of oodles of jokes in the duration of his career, but a genuine story of disappearance and concern. The podcast looks into Richard Simmons’ seeming vanishing act, wherein a man completely dedicated to his workout empire suddenly backs out of it with no warning and no explanation. A short podcast, only a few episodes long, is a good dive for someone curious about podcasts but not looking for a long commitment.
3. For the True Crime Lover, but also the Laugh-Lover? The person who laughs? Idk – “My Favorite Murder”
You’ve probably heard of “My Favorite Murder.” People had been telling me about it forever, and I caved and gave it a listen only to find 30 minutes of babble by two women. Confused and feeling as though I had wasted my time on the bus en route to class, I gave up. Recently I gave MFM another chance, and realized I was so wrong. MFM is two very funny women who genuinely are fascinated with true crime discussing it in the most palatable, funny way without exploiting the gore or misery of the actual people involved. For fellow U of U students, I recommend the Salt Lake City live show recording to learn about the very real hostage situation at the downtown library.4. For the Recovering High School Theatre Kid, or the Film Major – “You Must Remember This”
No lie, this is my all-time favorite podcast. Narrator, writer, and producer Karina Longworth (and also the girlfriend of Rian Johnson, the guy who directed that last Star Wars movie that every nerdbro hated! fun fact!) created YMRT to delve into the history of Hollywood. Karina does an amazing job of crafting a narrative around the characters of Hollywood, both honestly and compassionately telling stories, and creating an atmosphere that borders on spooky, but will never shiver your timbers. She goes stories like Marlene Dietrich plotting to murder Hitler, or the involvement of Jane Fonda with the Black Panthers, or how John Wayne was like, actually totally a dick. It’s hard to recommend a first episode, since it’s very hard to go wrong with YMRT, but give the Audrey Hepburn episode a try to see everything Karina does perfectly. She offers the true story of a person’s life and career, gives the perspective of those around them and notes the impact of the movies they made, and then ties it into a greater human truth. 5. For All of Us Still Watching Vine Compilations – “Punch Up the Jam”
This is the second Demi Adejuyigbe podcast on this list! You will know his co-star and best friend, Miel Bradow from the words “Actually, Megan, I can’t sit anywhere, I have hemmorhoids.” Or you might not, and those words might seem totally nuts to you. Each week, the duo takes a popular song, analyzes the lyrics and music, giving hilarious commentary and scrutiny, and then “punch up” the song, as in, give their own better take. This has resulted in a Greatest Showman-esque rendition of “Welcome to the Jungle” with altered lyrics so the song is about puberty, a consideration of what Mambo 1, 2, 3 and 4 were before “Mambo Number 5” was written, and a slam poem version of The Dave Matthew’s band’s “Crash into Me.” Best yet, Demi and Miel are genuinely hilarious people who really enjoy each other’s company, and their silliness is infectious.
6. For Anyone Who Loves their Mom, or History – “History Chicks”
What kills me, forever and always, about “History Chicks” is the mom-ish comfort. Beckett and Susan are two moms who really love history, and take the time out of their day to thoroughly study the life of women throughout history to create this genuinely informative and fun podcast about their lives. I have to recognize their target demographic is absolutely not teenagers or twenty-somethings, and I sometimes feel like I’ve snuck into a mom-hang, but I love it while I’m there. Their episode on Zelda Fitzgerald blew my mind, same with the Josephine Baker, Clara Bow, and Ada Lovelace episodes. And for those who love European history, they have several episodes about different royals, from Elizabeth I to Marie Antoinette.
Hopefully, you’ve found a great podcast for your commute, walk across campus, or just to fall asleep to. And if not, maybe you’re a bad person with bad taste! More likely, podcasts just aren’t for you. But give them a try, and happy listening!
All gifs from giphy, except for the MFM gif, which is from another HC article!