Holy heck, everyone! We're right in the middle of it now. Summer is here, with her arms blissfully stretched out, cracking her back and, I dunno, maybe playing some cornhole while eating a brat and sipping a honey-colored microbrew. That sounds like what she'd do.
And you too, maybe! But when you're not doing that, and you're just trying to rub some art into your brain, I have a few things to recommend. Sharing is caring.
In Pod We Trust:
I talk about this a lot, but even I'm starting to get stressed out by the sheer staggering number of podcasts out there to choose from. I record a podcast once a week in The Last Blockbuster, in the horror movie section, and people walk by and look at us recording like it's the most normal thing in the world. Every week I could recommend 10 new podcasts I like all year long and never repeat myself.
Since we're halfway through the year, I'm gonna mention some of my favorite podcasts of 2019 so far. Some I've already talked about a little.
If you're looking for a bingeworthy scripted podcast, I have to go with "The Orbiting Human Circus." Starring Hedwig herself, John Cameron Mitchell, Charlie Day and Tim Robbins.OHC tells the story of a janitor who gets sucked into the world of a radio show broadcast from the top of the Eiffel Tower. This show is a beautiful and life-affirming wonder.
"10 Things That Scare Me" is the podcast that made me feel the bravest this year. I'm scared of many stupid things—some of which are rational, but most of which are ridiculous. "10 Things" shows people at their most vulnerable and open. The guests are at times rich and famous and other times regular nobodies. Every episode I listen to gives me something to think about...even when I didn't want to.
For people missing "Game of Thrones," Arya Stark herself has a newish podcast called "Thinking Big with Maisie Williams" where she interviews her friends and celebrities and celebrity friends about their childhood dreams. It's an amazing and effortlessly charming deconstruction of the nature of dreams, but also a bittersweet look at the way our lives change as we age.
That's the problem here: There are just so many to talk about. I could talk about how "Adulting" taught me the proper way to shop for pillows or how nothing makes me happier than a new episode of "Yo, is This Racist?" Or how the 10-hour long 10th anniversary episode of "Comedy Bang! Bang!" is the hardest I've laughed all year. There are so many, but it's not a problem. It's wonderful. Summer would agree with me.
