The Best Comedy Podcasts

I've taken somewhat of a break from the playlists. Putting the iPod on shuffle, even with 80 GB of music to go through, can get old. So, I looked to the podcast as a way of passing the time in my cubicle. Though the technology of podcasting has been around for a few years, we are starting to enter into the first real golden age of the genre. I started with one, which led me to two others, and my podcast library expanded exponentially from there. The following is a list of the shows that I gravitate to most often, the comedy podcasts.


Comedy Death Ray Radio

Scott Aukerman, former writer for Mr. Show, and co-organizer of the Comedy Death Ray live show, now featuring at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in L.A., hosts one of the funniest podcasts out there today. Some of the best names in comedy show up in the new Earwolf Studios, more than a few of them in character. For me, that is what usually provides the laughs, as the host and some of the guests end up being blindsided by unexpected character improv. Some of the highlights include Seth Morris as Aukerman’s divorced step-dad, Bob Ducca, James Adomian as a manic Huell Howser, Tom Lennon as the hilarious, yet oddly divisive Lil’ Gary, and Jerry Minor as host-duties hijacking Cyberthug. I often find myself laughing to myself at my cubicle, looking like an insane person. Seriously, the Bob Ducca character has had me in tears, unable to breathe, twice.
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WTF

Marc Maron is the king of either self-consciousness or self-loathing. Maybe that’s why I feel such a connection to his style of comedy and conversation. His podcast was started just over a year ago, but with two shows a week, Maron’s well over the 100 episode mark. Maybe it was his work as a radio personality on Air America, or his years in stand-up, but Maron is more at ease behind the mic, with his guests, and keeping the conversation going better than anyone I’ve heard. He’s made a ton of acquaintances in comedy, and most of them appear on his show. The podcast became fairly well-known when he confronted Carlos Mencia and Dane Cook with the rumored accusations of joke plagiarism. A recent highlight includes Maron reconciling with long-time friend Louis C.K. This show is not to be missed.
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Doug Loves Movies

Hey everybody, his name’s Doug, and he loves movies. Formerly called “I Love Movies,” comedian Doug Benson’s ‘live in front of a studio audience’ podcast displays the beauty of controlled chaos. Benson and his weekly guests discuss the latest movies they’ve seen, in Doug’s case, usually what he got to see on his latest plane flight. His panel of guests, three if he can wrangle them, then play the Leonard Maltin game, a ‘name that tune’ themed challenge adapted to fit movies reviewed by Maltin. The humor is as fun as the game and vice versa. It’s become so popular, that Benson’s stand-up audiences usually demand that he include the game as part of his appearance.
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The Nerdist

I went to college with Chris Hardwick and didn’t even know it. We have the same pop culture / nerdy touchstones in our lives, including a ritualistic watching of the Ninth Annual Young Comedians Special. Why just the ninth? No idea, other than an early appearance of Bob Saget doing adult-themed material, Sam Kinison’s screaming hilarity, Maurice LaMarche’s pre-Futurama cartoon impressions, and Bob Nelson’s hilarious football sketch. With nearly every one of Hardwick’s ‘nerdist’ references, I feel as if he’s somehow tapped into my own psyche. But, for all the cultural similarities, we have just as many divergent paths. Hardwick and his sidekicks geek out over technology, comics, Doctor Who, the Muppets and Dr. Demento in equal measure, but the podcast is mostly about comedy. The show is still in its relative infancy, but has already packed tons of laughs. Hardwick is engaging, charming and ultimately relatable. His tendencies and foibles can lead listeners to create a drinking game for every ‘amazing,’ Doctor Who reference, or jab at Dave Matthews.
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Sklarbro Country

This is one of the newest podcasts on the list, and quickly became one of my most anticipated listens every week. The Sklar brothers, Randy and Jason, host the show, a mix of comedy and sports that is steeped in both, yet never so much that it would alienate avoiders of either. Though they always have a weekly guest, and character-specialist Chris Cox playing someone like ‘Racist Vin Scully,’ Tiger Woods, or Jerry Jones, the Sklars are the highlight of the show. Their freaky twin ability to finish each others sentences and riff off of each other, not to mention the great dated athlete references, are the real reason to listen.
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Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show

Legendary impressionist / film actor Kevin Pollak has revolutionized the talk show format with his internet chat show, also available as video or audio podcast. Over the last year and a half, the show has evolved into a marathon, soul-searching epic, yet always entertaining interview. Though some of the guests were already getting close, Eddie Izzard broke the time record with a two and a half hour session. The show has hosted some of my favorite comedian / actor guests, including Nick Kroll, Rob Corddry, David Koechner, and Hank Azaria, but it’s the lesser known guys that will surprise you. For instance, Titus Welliver’s stories, sense of humor, and three time-frame Pacino impressions are a revelation. Pollak keeps the show lively with questions from the live internet audience (yes, the show goes on live, Sundays at 3 pm PST), and a few games. One is sidekick Samm Levine’s (invented by Pollak’s writer / partner Jamie Fox) “Who Tweeted?” game, in which guests decide who tweeted between Paris Hilton, Tyra Banks or Demi Moore. The other is the Larry King Game (also invented by Fox), in which guests must do a bad Larry King impression, reveal something about the aging host that is somewhat compromising, then go to the phones to pick up a call from a funny-sounding city. Pollak’s interviews focus on the guests’ origins and early aspirations, then track through the usually storied career. It’s a sincere blast to participate in the question process. Yep, my question got answered by the great Steven Weber.
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The Pod F. Tompkast

So far, Paul F. Tompkins, one of my favorite comedians, has put out only three cleverly titled episodes of the Tompkast, but they are of such a quality that I don’t feel bad about waiting for the next one. Unlike the other podcasts thus far, Tompkins doesn’t rely on a guest to create conversational material. Each hour is a collection of a combination of new material and taped stuff from the recent past, but all performed by one talented, mustachioed man. So far, he’s put together a running soap opera of hilarious impressions called “The Great Undiscovered Project,” a phone call with the great Jen Kirkman, and a clip from Tompkins’ Largo variety show. It’s regular (every 1st of the month so far), but more sporadic than most other podcasts. Though we wait longer for it, this one-man masterpiece makes the wait easily worth it.
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Steve Agee: Uhhh

From the most organized to the least with Steve Agee’s unfocused but fun podcast, “Uhhh.” For a while in the spring and summer, Agee would pop up with new, varying length podcasts regularly, but it’s been a while since he’s put up anything substantial. I’m not complaining; he’s been busy. But, when the former Sarah Silverman Program cast member does resurface, you generally know it’s going to be good.
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Walking the Room

This is another fairly recent entry into the world of podcasting, but Greg Behrendt and Dave Anthony certainly already seem comfortable. Rarely is there ever a silent moment as the two unleash barrages of comedy and fury that will leave you rolling on the floor in hysterics.
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Never Not Funny

Jimmy Pardo has a voice made for radio. His clipped and machine gun-like delivery is reminiscent of the classic hosts throughout history. Never Not Funny is one of the longest-running, and most professional of all the comedy podcasts. Pardo also has a videographer to capture the fun visually. But, intead of being free, and asking for donations, like the other podcasts here, NNF has a subscription fee. All listeners are offered the first 20 minutes or so for free, but in order to get the rest, there is a small and reasonable charge. Were I not a student, I would definitely sign up, but alas, I have to make do with the bite-sized morsels for now.
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Comedy Film Nerds

Comedians / filmmakers Graham Elwood and Chris Mancini present the aptly titled Comedy Film Nerds podcast. There is a loose structure in which the hosts and a guest (usually also from the comedy realm) discuss films in theaters, films just out on home video, and then coming attractions. I’ve listened to enough episodes now to find the running jokes somewhat tiresome and unfunny, but there are plenty of new laughs every time to make it worth it.
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Chillpak Hollywood Hour

Remember Langley? One of the Lone Gunmen from the X-Files? Well, he and filmmaker Phil Leirness have a podcast now, named after the product that Dean Haglund (he of X-Files fame) invented. The Chillpak is a thin insulated pack that you put in the freezer, then under your laptop to cool it down, increase speed, and enhance performance. The show itself is not easy to pin down. In name, it’s about all things Hollywood, but in reality, it runs the gamut of topics including art, history, philosophy and anything else you can think of. As such, things can get a tad pretentious, but if you know that going in, it can be a fascinating and fun listen.
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Jordan, Jesse, Go!

Jesse Thorn is also the host of PRI’s “The Sound of Young America,” but this show is purely meant to be a podcast, where the public radio wunderkind swears and speaks his mind. Jordan Morris is his co-host, and with a guest they talk about, well, whatever they want to talk about.
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I also listen to several podcasts of public radio or special interest programs. I may write about these in another blog post:

NPR: Car Talk
NPR: Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me
PRI: The Sound of Young America
Sound Opinions
This American Life
Vinyl Café Stories
Wiretap from CBC
In Our Time with Melvyn Bragg
KCRW’s Bookworm
KCRW’s Le Show
KCRW’s The Treatment
L.A. Theatre Works
New Yorker Fiction