Podcasts have turned from something relatively new and niche to the everyman’s tool to surviving your commute. Between This American Life, My Favorite Murder, and NPR, podcasts have been a great way for me to be exposed to different news stories and perspectives I would not have been exposed to otherwise. I’m sure many of these are ones you have heard before, but just in case, here are some good ones for your eardrums.
In Caught, WNYC Studios tackles the issue of the juvenile detention system in this new podcast. I was introduced to this podcast through their team up with Criminal to share the story of Willie Bosket. Bosket was convicted of multiple crimes as a minor after murdering two people on the New York City station. Because he was a minor, the case was tried in family court, and he was only convicted for 5 years. The outrage that came from this caused Governor Hugh Carey, who was running for re-election at the time, to pass the Juvenile Offender Act of 1978. Under this act, children as young as thirteen years old could be tried in an adult court for crimes such as murder, and receive an adult-level penalty. New York was the first state to enact this type of law and the rest of the country followed suit.
The podcast goes through the failures of the juvenile legal system to address young offenders, especially in the shadow of Willie Bosket.
Episodes to start with: Episode 4: ‘Oh My God, What Have I Done?’; Episode 8: ‘I Want Someone to Love Me Even for a Second’
(Credit: Earwolf)
Hosted by Andrew Ti, who was also behind the weekly blog Yo, Is This Racist, this podcast is an extension of the blog’s purpose. Every Wednesday Ti and a guest co-host discuss the racial issues going on across the social and political landscape. They also answer listener letters and try their best to have a constantly evolving dialogue about racial complexity in the United States, but with a heavy dose of humor—like anecdotes about Ti’s semi-racist white uncle Michael who is married to his aunt.
The other thing I deeply appreciate about the podcast is that it gives a perspective into East Asian and other Asian communities’ feelings and thoughts on race.
Episodes to start with: Episode# 965 The Kondabolu Brothers; Episode #962 Racism in China (w/ Brian Yang)
(Starburns)
Known best as Issa’s bad and boujee, fellatio loving friend Tiffany on Insecure, Amanda Seales is an actress/singer/comedian who has been working since the late 90s in one field or another. She has recently started a podcast called Small Doses in which she talks about going through a ho phase, what it’s like being a black woman in entertainment, and sexual harassment. All with a mix of comedy, wit, and a swagger that oozes through the mic.
While I don’t always agree with everything Seales says, her voice is a welcome addition to the already vibrant blend of black female podcasters who are doing their things. Plus, she is honest about her own development and growth, which is fun to be a part of. Also, her guest hosts have been awesome, like DeWanda Wise and Cree Summers.
Episode to start with: Episode 3 Side Effects of Sexual Harassment
(Wondery)
American History Tellers (Wondery)
Wondery already has so many podcasts that I listen to that I honestly did not need another one, but when I heard the preview for American History Tellers I was hooked. So far they have two series already under their belt one about The Cold War and one on Prohibition, with their latest journey into history being the Jacksonian age.
While their Cold War episodes were very interesting and a great mixer with the Nixon podcast Slow Burn, it is their series on Prohibition that really blew me away. It illustrated how xenophobia and religion wielded immense power to get prohibition to become the law of the land. For a while anyway.
Episodes to start with: The Cold War: An Ideological War; Prohibition: Closing Time
(WNYC Studios)
Sooo Many White Guys (WNYC Studios)
Most people know Phoebe Robinson is fly like a G-six from her team-ups with Jessica Williams on 2 Dope Queens and her book You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain, but her podcast is also extra amazing and her most recent episode was actually my inspiration to do this post. Robinson is not only really hilarious, but she uses her platform to highlight different experiences behind just her own. It’s an inclusive and funny show that always makes me laugh out loud and learn a bit along the way. So if you have been sleeping on this show, give it another listen.
Also, Tom Hanks was on it. If you are gonna get a white dude on a podcast, that’s the gold star of white dudes.
Episodes to start with: Episode#29 Phoebe and Buck Angel Talk About Sex, Baby; Episode#23 Phoebe and Tom Hanks Make a Biopic; Episode#15 Phoebe and Issa Rae Super Black It Up
(The Bechdel Cast)
On The Bechdel Cast, the question asked do movies have women in em! Do they speak to each other! Not only does this show have an amazingly catching theme song, it is a really great film review series which uses a tweaked version of the Bechdel–Wallace test to analyze women in films. They do both oldies like Manhattan, Groundhog Day, and Labyrinth, as well as modern works like Twilight, The Craft, and The Force Awakens. And before you ask, yes they do acknowledge that the test in an imperfect system; it is just a baseline for discussion.
In between your binging of We Hate Movies, give this a try, especially their episode on The Notebook. Also, Bechdel Cast, if you’re listening, I’m available to discuss Jennifer’s Body or Roman Holiday.
Episodes to start with: The Notebook with Caitlin Gill; Fifty Shades of Grey with Sara Schaefer; Star Wars: The Force Awakens with Demi Adejuyigbe
(image: WNYC Studios)
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