Hear, hear: Where once there was the town crier in the square and, more recently, AM/FM radio, now there are podcasts — a place to tune in, to listen, learn and laugh. Five Post Opinions writers share their current favorites.
Sisterly gossip
It’s always a good morning when I spend it with Jackie and Claudia Oshry. They co-host “The Toast,” a comedy podcast covering five pop culture stories every day. Listening is like tuning in to a family call.
That’s because the co-hosts are sisters, and like any good family chat, the podcast is an hour of inside jokes and unfiltered takes.
When I first moved to D.C., “The Toast” connected me to my community of zillennial Jewish women from New York before I was able to find my people here. You don’t need to be Jewish, zillennial or from New York to love the podcast, though. The popularity of “The Toast” proves it can be for anyone.
Like with family, you don’t have to agree with them on everything to still love giggling with them. But their takes are often the same ones I’m giving my own sister in private. And it’s not that serious: They admit when they change their minds. (Even if someone who was awarded “weenie of the week” one week has yet to become “queenie of the week” the next.)
So should you give “The Toast” a listen? As Claudia’s husband, Ben Soffer, says: “What, are ya nuts?” Of course you should. — Allison Weis, letters editor
Equestrian episodes
From the beachy intro music to the “cheers!” at the end of each “Heels Down Happy Hour,” I feel like a part of the fun. I’m on a constant quest for horse-related podcasts (a surprise to no one who knows or reads me), and this one remains the gold standard.
The hosts — Justine Griffin, Jessica Payne and Ellie Woznica — represent different facets of the equestrian world. I appreciate the recipe of the show — not just the cocktail recipe at the beginning of each episode, but also the roundup of equestrian news and interviews with equestrian experts.
Each episode wraps with anecdotes about what has recently sparked joy and what has caused pain in each of the host’s lives. The problems range from truck fender benders to emergency vet bills, but the women offer one another support, and somehow laughter ensues.
The hosts have built an online community in a private Facebook group, where they post interesting articles and interact with the audience. They have also started a Substack to help fund more episodes and further build online camaraderie. They just published their 150th episode — and this horse girl is hoping to grab a drink with them for years to come. — Chloe Coleman, photo editor
History in the morning
Applying makeup for 15 minutes every morning adds up to almost four full days a year — time I could spend reading. Call the podcast the latest win for women’s lib. Recently, I’ve spent my mornings tuned in to “Unpacking Israeli History” with Noam Weissman, a podcast that highlights stories and lessons from the Israel and the Jewish diaspora.
As a heated Israeli election approaches, I found Weissman’s episode on the 1948 Altalena affair most enlightening. The Altalena ship, carrying Israeli militia fighters and weapons, was sunk by the newly formed Israel Defense Forces when the militia did not surrender its arms — creating the potential for a civil war during Israel’s War for Independence. Under the direction of Menachem Begin — who led that militia and later became prime minister — both groups chose to not fire again on fellow Israelis. The episode reflects past, present and likely future feuds between the various dyads of Israeli democracy: the secular and the religious, Prime Minister David Ben Gurion’s Israel and Begin’s, to name two.
History, I find, leads to optimism. Headlines would convince you of an ever-divided Israel, but “Unpacking Israeli History” reminds me that Israelis have settled their differences before. The election later this month may prove they can once again. — Ashley Dowdney, fellow
A pod by any other name …
When I finished watching “The Sopranos” for the first time, I didn’t want to move on from that mobster world. I still had so many questions. What did the ending mean? Was Dr. Jennifer Melfi a good therapist? How many awards did James Gandolfini win for playing Tony Soprano?
I started searching for answers and discovered the audiobook “Woke Up This Morning: The Definitive Oral History of The Sopranos” by Michael Imperioli, who plays Christopher Moltisanti, and Steve Schirripa, who plays Bobby Baccalieri. The audiobook is an adapted version of Imperioli and Schirripa’s rewatch podcast called “Talking Sopranos,” which features conversations about some of the most beloved “Sopranos” episodes, such as “Pine Barrens” and “College.” It also includes interviews with the show’s creator, David Chase, and other actors such as Edie Falco, Steve Buscemi and Lorraine Bracco.
So thanks to the audiobook, I discovered the “Talking Sopranos” podcast.
I had a similar experience with the audiobook “The Office BFFs” by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, who both starred in “The Office.” After listening, I was inspired to check out episodes from their “Office” rewatch podcast, “Office Ladies.” I hope other rewatch podcasts continue the trend of releasing audiobook versions of the show. — Deirdre Byrne, social media editor
… would smell as sweet
As someone who is constantly consuming content, I have a hard time saying what my favorite podcast is — because ultimately, what is a podcast? In fact, since the first podcast was a live radio interview uploaded to the web, I think a radio show should count. So my answer has to be “Jeff Lewis Live,” daily on SiriusXM.
I recommend “Jeff Lewis Live” because it’s outrageously unserious at a time when everything happening in the news is very serious. Every day, Jeff is joined by guests, usually comedians and reality stars, and they recap pop culture or whatever shenanigans the hosts have gotten into together. It’s pure fun, and you never know what will happen live. If you’re looking for a way to escape from reality, this show is for you. And because it’s on every day, there’s always new content and new characters to make you laugh.
Even if you aren’t listening live — which I rarely am — you can find it later on the SiriusXM app. That definitely makes it a podcast! — Regina de Heer, audio producer
The post ‘Always a good morning’: Five writers’ favorite podcasts appeared first on Washington Post.
