Conventional entertainment, acquired legally, is sometimes hard to come by on a college budget. That’s why podcasts are tailor-made for college students. Podcasts are fun, interesting, sometimes humorous — and best of all, absolutely free (barring a few high end, pay-only podcasts). If you’ve got a long drive, a bus ride or a boring job, a podcast can be a great companion. Though there are plenty of great podcasts, as consistent listeners will tell you, there are a few standouts worth following in the coming year.
Doug Loves Movies
Doug Benson is probably best known for his love of marijuana. But Doug also loves movies, and “Doug Loves Movies” is his venue to express that. More a game show than anything else, Doug and his guests chat for a while and then play numerous movie-themed games, including the Leonard Maltin game, a sort of “Name That Tune” for movies using Leonard Maltin’s film guide. Admittedly, Doug himself is kind of a jerk, but he pulls amazing guests. Give this podcast a listen, and play a round of the Leonard Maltin game with your friends.
Good episode to listen to first: “August 20th, 2012.” If you’d like to hear Paul Rudd, Jon Hamm, Morgan Spurlock, Mike Birbiglia and John Mulaney try to guess Willem Dafoe movies, this is your thing.
The Bugle
Fans of “The Daily Show” will more than love “The Bugle.” Hosted by “The Daily Show’s” own John Oliver and his comedic partner in crime Andy Zaltzman, this very British podcast skewers news from all across the world with an agile wittiness and a penchant for puns. Their coverage of the London Olympics was among the funniest in all the world. A little bit of international political literacy is required, but if you have even a passing interest in news or humor then “The Bugle” ought to be your next stop.
Good episode to listen to first: “Bugle 205: The Trojan Horse” is the latest, and a good place to start given it wraps up the Olympic coverage. But if you want to relive the London games in the best way possible start with “Bugle 202: Sport!” and keep going.
Comedy Bang Bang!
Frequent podcast listeners generally acknowledge that “Comedy Bang Bang!” sits high among podcast royalty, and for good reason. Hosted by Scott Aukerman, a longtime podcaster and head of podcast network Earwolf, “Comedy Bang Bang!” is one of the most consistently funny human creations in circulation today. A typical episode features one or two guests, generally from the comedy world, who are soon interrupted by a strange character (usually also played by a comedy mainstay). The show usually wraps up with a spirited and strange game of Would You Rather? “Comedy Bang Bang!” was recently adapted into a show for IFC, but make sure you tune into the podcast as well. In many ways, it remains unparalleled even by its television counterpart.
Good episode to listen to first: “Comedy Bang Bang! 167.” The incomparable Jessica St. Clair appears as Marissa Wompler, Scott’s intern and frequent character guest, along with Jerrod Walker and Paul Rust. And don’t miss when the great Paul F. Tompkins is on the show, which he frequently is.
Who Charted? With Howard Kremer and Kulap Vilaysack
Also on the Earwolf network, “Who Charted?” counts down the music and movie charts of the week with spirited discussion. The show’s premise is a little simpler than the others, but that is made up for by Howard and Kulap (the wife of Scott Aukerman, incidentally), who have some of the best friend chemistry of any two human beings. If you like them enough (and you will), tune in to their companion show “Two Charted,” where they talk to each other sans guests. From Howard’s endearing silliness to Kulap’s infectious laugh, you’ll look forward to hearing these two every week.
Good first episode to listen to: “Who Charted? 88” with Brandon Johnson. An actor on Adult Swim’s “NTSF:SD:SUV”, Mr. Johnson fits right in despite being a first time guest. Watch for Paul F. Tompkins on this podcast too.
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