Staff picks: Podcasts, Nov. 4-11

Edited by Kathleen Forrest

Managing Editor

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are the individual staff member’s own, and do not reflect the perspectives of the Collegian staff as a whole, nor the view of the Collegian as an institution.

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The Pick: Robots on Typewriters

Submitted by Jennifer Antonson, Layout Editor

Staff Comment: I've been listening to a podcast called Robots on Typewriters that's about AI generated content. Each episode is two segments, the first being news about current AI/Bot projects or things the hosts have recently found interesting, the second is a game using the AI content (like guessing which is a real sports team name and which the bot came up with). It's good if you like randomly generated humor and something light-hearted to listen to.

The Pick: Soberish - "Episode 1: I guess I'm.. Soberish?"

Submitted by Jake Procino, News Editor

CW: Drug use, sexual assault, self harm.

Staff Comment: Honestly, I'm not a big podcast listener (the only time I listen to podcasts is when I drive between Los Angeles and Salem, which is... not often). I don't really listen to many episodes of the same podcast, rather I listen to the single-episode recommendations my younger sister gives me. While she has given me a bunch of great recommendations, the first episode of Soberish was one of the most world-view-changing things I've listened to. In the first episode, comedian Jessa Reed talks alone for almost an hour about her life while addicted to meth and her ensuing and continuing recovery. The experiences Reed recounts are intense, but it's a surprisingly easy listen due to her candidness and dry humor.

The Pick: The Anthropocene Reviewed

Submitted by Kathleen Forrest, Managing Editor

Staff Comment: The Anthropocene Reviewed is a podcast where its host, John Green, “reviews different facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale.” I listen to it often, if not daily, and have done since the first time I heard it. Sometimes I listen to it when I wake up, and sometimes it is my 2 a.m. companion when I can’t sleep. The single episode I’d recommend the most is the one I listen to the least. ‘Googling Strangers and Kentucky Bluegrass’. I avoid it because it makes me think, and makes me cry, in a way that isn’t necessarily productive to the daily routine this podcast usually plays a part in. But if that endorsement is too daunting, I’d recommend starting at the first episode, ‘Canada Geese and Diet Dr. Pepper’, and working your way through.

The Pick: Dolly Parton’s America

Submitted by Jesse Buck, Lifestyles Editor

Staff Comment: Dolly Parton’s America provides a really fascinating and hopeful take about Parton’s life and ability to bring people together during a time of immense division. It’s very well produced and dives into a lot of interesting history surrounding the genre. You don’t need to be a Dolly super fan to enjoy it, either— the woman is fascinating whether you listen to her music or not!

The Pick: The Political Thicket

Submitted by Andrea Griffin, Layout Editor

Staff Comment: More perfect is a radiolab spinoff that offers an in-depth look at the Supreme Court, it’s history, and how it helped shape America. You don’t have to be a politics major to follow along, the storytelling style of this podcast makes it an easy listen for anyone and you’d be surprised how much the court cases of the past are still relevant today.

The Pick: Radio Ambulante

Submitted by Benjamin Burton, Photo Editor

Staff Comment: Radio Ambulante is like This American Life but in Spanish and covering stories that take place all through Latin America not just one country. It’s from NPR and has an amazing combination of stories about important political things and stories that are just fun like my favorite. It’s about a time in 1949 in Quito, Ecuador when they played a reading from War of the worlds by HG Wells and people thought that Martians were really invading the city!

The Pick: Ologies

Submitted by Bryce Henshaw, Business Manager

Staff Comment: “Ologies” with Alie Ward is one of my favorite ways to distract myself while also learning about obscure yet relevant information. Her podcasts are about one hour long interviews with an “ologist” in a specific field. Topics range from mushrooms to sex and gender, bleach, the constitution, kissing and much more. Not only is Alie wonderful at communicating complex topics into digestible tidbits, she is also incredibly relatable and hilarious. If you are looking to learn a little bit more about anxiety and fear in a funny and non-stressful way, listen toFearology(part 1 and 2). These episodes feature an ologist named Mary Poffenroth who specializes in the study of fear. Alie will have you hooked on Ologies in no time!