Peas in a Pod(cast)

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Here at Jungle Red, we've given recommendations on movies, books (many, many times!) TV shows and even websites. But one big aspect of today's culture we haven't dished on - podcasts. Not ones we've been in, or how to be an effective guest, but the ones we enjoy listening to at home, in the car, or downloaded on our phones.
I'm late to the podcast game, despite having many friends suggest this or that wonderful show. I tend to be a devoted MPBN listener in my car, either tuned to NPR or classical music, and I've never enjoyed listening to things streaming over my laptop - the speakers aren't the best, and unless I'm sitting right in front of it, the sound quality leaves much to be desired. Nor do I tend to download media onto my phone - in part because it's a super cheap-o one originally meant for pay-as-you-go, and it's got less memory than I do (which is saying something, these days.)
What got me started with podcasts? My friend Alexa. My brother and sister gifted us with an Echo when Ross was ill - it was the perfect thing for someone who was often too tired to get up. Ross could listen to news, sports and music without leaving his bed, and he and I together started following The Fall of Rome (2016-2017), an amazingly detailed and lively show by Patrick Wyman.

Alexa now lives in the kitchen, where she entertains me while I'm cooking and cleaning. By the late afternoon/early evening, I don't WANT to hear the news; it's usually too depressing. But I love something stimulating to focus on while doing mindless chores. Podcasts fit the bill perfectly. I've always loved history, so a lot of what I've listened to falls under that umbrella. After learning about the fall of Rome, I went back and have been working my way through The History of Rome (2007-2012) by Mike Duncan, which won several awards as an educational podcast. I've continued with both these podcasters as they've moved into new series; Duncan is currently podcasting Revolutions, digging into the events and results of major revolutions in modernity, and Wyman with Tides of History, covering the period that saw the end of Antiquity and the start of the Medieval period. I'm loving the way Wyman, a recent PhD in history, is incorporating some of the newest scholarship in the field, including the effects of climate change on the ancient world. Don't be scared away if you're not an academic type - these podcasts are very accessible, with lots of humor and 2000-year-old gossip.

I've also started streaming podcasts of several of my favorite Public Radio programs, Freakonomics and TED Radio Hour. The former takes one interesting question or issue and explores it in depth - sometimes over the course of a short series, sometimes in a single hour. Recent episodes include "Not Your Grandmother's IMF," "Why is the Live-Event Ticket Market So Screwed Up?" and "Nurses to the Rescue!" TED Radio hour is -- well, everyone's heard of TED talks, right? The podcast takes three or four presentations on complimentary topics, interviews the speakers, and excerpts relevant parts of the speeches, saving you, the listener, from having to watch three or four hours of video to get the same information. Love it.

How about you, Reds? Do you follow podcasts? If not, why not?

INGRID THOFT: I’m not well informed when it comes to podcasts, mostly because there never seems to be a good time to listen to them.  I listen to music when I exercise, and I worry that I won’t be able to focus enough when I’m cleaning up around the house.  I wonder, do I need to give a podcast my full attention?

My curiosity has been piqued by a recommendation to listen to “Someone Knows Something,” which is produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Company.  It discusses unsolved crimes, which sounds intriguing.  I've also heard good things about "Thinking Sideways," another entry in the unsolved crimes category.  


HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I was addicted to Serial. ADDICTED. But let me say--every time I tried to find it, it was a huge pain. Somehow my brain can't figure out what podcasts are, so I can never find them.  So Julia, are you saying Alexa will play them?  Ingrid, how do you play them? I know they're all the rage.

JENN McKINLAY: I'm later to the party than you, Julia. I don't listen to podcasts. Much like Hank, I have no idea how to find them and like Ingrid, I listen to music when I workout or walk my dogs. I do love NPR when I drive, so maybe podcasting my favorite programs will be my gateway to podcasts. Okay, I just downloaded the Podcast App onto my phone. I will endeavor to move more with the times!

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Julia, I'm late to the party, too, although we were in the first wave of Alexa adopters. I had no idea I could listen to podcasts! But how do you find things you might want to listen to? Is there a Podcast Central? Even if you can just say, "Alexa, play --- podcast," I have to know what to ask for. (Are these really dumb questions???)  I tend to listen to my Flash Briefing, music, and audio books, but it would be lovely to use that chore time to learn some interesting new things.

JULIA: Okay, so this is what I use, and it's working GREAT.  AnyPod. Go to your Alexa control on Amazon, or open the Alexa app on your phone. Select SKILLS (you have to open the hamburger to find it on the phone app) > ANYPOD > ENABLE.

With AnyPod, you can select any episode you want to play (unlike Alexa, who can only give you the most recent.) For a series like my history podcasts or Hank's Serial, AnyPod will pick right up where you left off listening last time, so you don't have to keep track. You can "rewind" forward and backwards to rehear something you missed or to skip a boring part. You can skip whole episodes. You can also subscribe and unsubscribe, but I haven't tried that yet.

Its only flaw is that when you first turn it on ("Alexa. AnyPod.") you have to listen to its little spiel about how to ask for an episode. Then, as an example, it always says, "For instance, 'Play The Dr. Laura Program.'" As if. I'd love to know how much her producers paid for that plug.

How about you, dear readers? Any pods (pun intended) you can suggest for the rest of us?