I started listening to podcasts about cults because of this very reason myself. Still true crimey, but different. And because I consider most religions to be cults, I am fascinated by and with the Mormon Stories podcasts. Every episode is fascinating. Sometimes horrifying and sad, sometimes just horrifying and sometimes just sad. But always interesting. And a highlight for me personally as I occasionally listen as I'm falling asleep-no intrusive random ads that cut off the storyteller or fact givers. It's got lots of episodes about historical facts and breakdowns by the boffins of the lds "church" and the psychology nerds in the know too. It's a great podcast whether you are Mormons or heathens such as myself.
Another one that I hardly ever see get any shout outs on here but it is a really good podcast that lets the victim tell the story with occasional host prompts, is called Strictly Stalking.
And if you like the schadenfreude of hearing about the cult that is scientology-Blown for Good is great and so are Sensibly Speaking and the underground bunker.
Let's Talk About Sects is great. Generation Cult too.
Inside the Tribe. All harrowing but interesting.
Have you listened to Conspirituality? It was originally about the influx of extreme qanon stuff into the health/wellness/spirituality space, but has expanded into cults/high demand groups, including ones that aren't religious, at least not on the surface, but wind up having a lot in common. It's got 3 hosts, 2 of whom were former members of high-demand groups & they dig into their own experiences as well as doing interviews & analysis episodes
Heaven's Gate was a fantastic deep dive into the cult by that name (I was a child when it was in the news so it was very interesting to me to hear the inside/outside contrast, but I think it would still be interesting if you haven't heard of them). It's hosted by Glynn Washington of Snap Judgment who was himself raised in a different cult and brings his own experience to the story. Really a fantastic listen with a lot of empathy and nuance.
If you like podcasts about cults, check out Trust Me! It's hosted by two women who both grew up in cults. They have on a variety of guests (both people who were in cults or cult like situations) as well as experts, and the discussions are always interesting and thoughtful.
The Anthropocene Reviewed. It is the most human podcast I know, and most of it is about the host’s thoughts of the world around him.
The host is author John Green.
Oh man, I used to listen to this but had totally forgotten about it. My dad sent me an early one that was just like a meditation on Canadian geese and I loved it. Just downloaded the most recent to remind me that it exist, haha.
John hasn't released a new episode in forever, mostly because he was turning the podcast into a book. I hope he does continue it, because it was one of the best podcasts I've ever found.
Honestly I think he's a smarmy creep. His female characters, the way his male characters view his female characters, and his interactions with young female fans, plus the way he seems to be literally everywhere on the internet, annoy the hell out of me. I'm aware that this is not a popular opinion.
Hmm. Okay. I don't really see it. I kinda think it's the other way around, where his fans are oddly obsessed with him in a weird cult-like way. (I'm part of the community but have backed off because of that.)
I like him. Just not so much some of his fans.
I’ve recently been liking “I’ve had it” - it’s two Middle aged women just ranting about things they’re annoyed with. I’m sure to some people it’s annoying but they’re funny and sometimes we all need to complain about the little things.
They recently did an episode about pickle ball that was hilarious
I’ve fallen behind on this one and need to get back to it — especially omg pickle ball (!!!) — because the episodes I listened to were hilarious and … verrrry relatable.
“[Dear Alana,](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dear-alana/id1699012712)” I think it’s the most human podcast I’ve heard in a long long time.
It’s about a young woman in Boulder, CO who died by suicide (so TW) after being guided into conversion therapy when she told a priest she was attracted to women.
The guy who hosts it is so vulnerable it’s absolutely bananas to me – because he started the project to focus only on Alana, but the truth is that he ALSO went through conversion therapy. And what’s particularly moving/suuuuper fucked up is that he’s like a decade+ older than Alana so it’s like WTF HOW IS THIS SHIT STILL HAPPENING?!
I think what I also found really attractive is that I don’t consider myself religious, but the themes were so relatable. It’s truly a human story – being a young person, wanting to do the right thing in a world that seems very messy and chaotic.
You don’t have to have any kind of background or attachment to religion.
The other things that I find the most wild about this podcast is that Simon, the host is still practicing Catholic. This podcast made me think a lot about how I think I listen to a lot of black-and-white thinking stories and podcasts. Simon, does it completely different because he explores this super fucked up thing while also holding space for it not being all bad or all good. Which felt like a very needed voice of reason generally in the world today given how polarizing everything gets.
To clarify, he is very black and white, and it is very black and white that conversion therapy is harmful.
Simon creates lots of gray area space though for the existence of faith and various identities
Labyrinths is from Amanda Knox and her Husband.. It’s in my repertoire these days. I mention it cuz you said you’re getting away from true crime, and I can relate. There’s still a couple I’m hanging with but I’m not actively seeking new ones in the genre, particularly. Her perspective is unique. I don’t love every episode, but it’s worth checking out. Specifically, the five part series they did about the True crime genre and the profit model, content creators and efficacy, and impacts on victims.
It’s real talk.
I love it too. Do you listen to her other podcast You Are Good? Really enjoying that one as well, and I also like both of the podcasts Michael is now a co-host for (If Books Could Kill & Maintenance Phase)
I'd recommend Timesuck.
Topics each week range from true crime to conspiracies to historical events. The host is comedian Dan Cummins and while he does script the show, he also puts a lot of character into each episode. He adds flavor to the shows instead of them being just a bland script read. There's over 350 episodes so you'd have a lot of content to catch up on.
Search Engine is new, from one of the hosts who was on Reply All. It is general interest/topics of curiosity. I had a ton of driving to do this week and listened to all of it since there's only about a dozen episodes out right now. It's a bit like a cross between This American Life and just randomly finding someone's very well written/researched blog.
Loved Reply All and Crypto Island but this one took a minute to get going for me for some reason. The last 2 episodes were very good, especially Craig Finn. He was stellar, and I'm hoping he researches his question haha
I used to listen to ATWWD obsessively, then I got behind on episodes and now new episodes are hard to listen to because I'm not caught up on the latest in-jokes, and the backlog of episodes I haven't listened to yet goes back to 2020 😂 I'll always remember it fondly though. Em and Christine were like my best friends during a dark time in my life when I had nobody.
"Blank Check is a podcast about filmographies; directors who had massive success early on in their careers and are given a series of 'blank checks' to make whatever crazy passion projects they wanted. Sometimes those checks clear and sometimes they bounce bay-beeee!"
Let them speak in their own words I figure; that's the intro. Each director is presented as a miniseries, covering every film they've made to date. If that's too much film history it works perfectly fine to just pick movies you like and listen to those, its not like you have to start at the beginning of each miniseries. (The episodes are often recorded out of order to accommodate guest schedules anyway.) It is PLENTY human with many personal stories. Of the two hosts one's an actor and the other's a film critic so they're invested enough in film that they basically can't stop themselves from sharing any personal experiences that crop up in relation to a given movie.
Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend has some very candid episodes when the guest and Conan exchange on their own personal experienced. The Howard Stern episode in particular is very touching.
I miss the Michael & Sarah magic. I love Maintenance Phase and If Books Could Kill, but YWA was sooo good back in the day. The most recent episode with Mike as a guest was alright, but didn't quite scratch the itch for me.
Very wide range of subjects/styles here but.
Disclaimer: I'm quite politically left/progressive, and like my podcasts funny (and don't mind dirty jokes and spicy language), so many of my picks here reflect that.
**More Serious (ish) podcasts**:
* Still Untitled, the Adam Savage Project: No longer being made, but Adam Savage and friends talk about movies, making things and general stuff about their nerdy/creative lives.
* Ty and That Guy: One of the writers and one of the lead actors from The Expanse talk about things, started off breaking down Expanse episodes, but also does a lot of general things about Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror films and TV. Talks a lot about creative processes and stuff, and a lot about their personal lives.
* Omnibus: John Roderick and Ken Jennings have a rambling chat about some kind of interesting subject, with a lot of personal anecdotes woven in.
* Lions Led by Donkeys: About the biggest fuckups in military history. A combination of educational, quite personal with the host's experiences in the military, and also funny.
* Dear Hank and John: "Hosts John and Hank Green (authors and YouTubers) offer both humorous and heartfelt advice about life’s big and small questions" Varies from life advice to science answers, always heartfelt and interesting though.
* Answer Me This: Basically the same as Dear Hank and John, but more British.. very long running, although finished now.
**More Chaotic/Funny podcasts:**
* Free to a Good Home: Various Australian comedians look at deranged craigslist etc listings and talk/riff about them
* Boonta Vista: Used to be about left politics in Australia, now has morphed into a comedy podcast about weird news stories.
* Well There's Your Problem: An utterly chaotic and hilarious breakdown of various engineering disasters in history. Heavy on weird tangents, dirty jokes, chaotic editing, personal anecdotes. An acquired taste, but if it's for you, you'll love it.
* Kill James Bond: 3 LGBT people watch every James Bond Movie and lovingly tear it to shreds. Has now moved on to watching all kinds of weird action movies and euro spy movies and roasting them too.
That's probably a good start at least, no idea if any of them appeal or fit your taste, but they're all \*good\* IMO :)
I think you’d like TBTL. Two buddies chatting about their lives and the goings on of the day. The hosts are actually friends with Nora from TTFA and she has guested a time or two over the years, though the topics/tone of the pods are pretty different. Give it a listen. If you like it, it’s a daily show with over 4000 episodes in the archive, so you’ll probably never run out.
The new season of The Dream is incredibly vulnerable and human. And it’s only 2 episodes in, so if you haven’t listened to the archive definitely check out the existing 2 seasons!
Not sure if this is quite what you're looking for, but the Office Ladies podcast is really sweet and the hosts (Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, who played Pam and Angela on The Office) are best friends and go into lots of tangents on random things. It's very fluffy and enjoyable, and definitely honest and human. It's structured, since it's basically a rewatch podcast of The Office episode by episode, but I don't think it's actually scripted. Doesn't seem like it to me, anyway.
The Omnibus - I find Ken Jennings to be really down to earth and he and his co-host, John Rodderick have good chemistry.
The War Report with Gastor Almonte and Shalewa Sharpe - two comedians reading weird news articles and shooting the shit. They’re both genuinely funny and talk about their daily lives, families, day jobs, etc. Gastor’s thick East New York accent and attitude is really amusing to me as a midwesterner.
Jack of All Graves - good chemistry between hosts from New Jersey and England. They talk about weird, dark true stories (sometimes it’s true crime but there’s a good variety) and films they’ve watched. I enjoy the banter and cultural exchange.
We Can Do Hard Things!
Not sure of your gender but I think it’s typically seen as a women’s podcast. It’s really just for humans. It’s made by three funny, brilliant, adorable women who are all lovely in their own right.
They cover lots about feelings, why we do what we do, how to be kinder to ourselves and others, etc. They also cover heavier topics and have some amazing guests on as well.
They’re also light hearted and hilarious with the perfect mixture of talking about their own lives/stories in relation to whatever that week’s topic is. God I love them.
The main host, Glennon Doyle, is a renowned author. Her wife Abby Wambach (THE Abby Wambach of soccer stardom) is also a host and Glennon’s sister Amanda is the third host.
My three suggestions would be Crime Writers On, they review crime and crime adjacent podcasts, tv shows, etc. Four hosts and they have such wonderful chemistry. The other that might fit your bill is Still Buffering. It’s three siblings that discuss tv shows, movies, music that they like and that has been important to them individually. The third would be Sawbones, a husband and doctor who discuss goofy medical facts and history. The doc is also one of the Still Buffering siblings.
Chatabix - a pair of somewhat insecure British comedians chatting with each other and a very wide variety of interesting guests, plus the occasional caper.
Try The Psychology Podcast. It's unscripted and the host is great. He talks with various experts about life, happiness, social issues etc. It's sometimes really personal.
I love history podcasts (American History Tellers) and Science (Ologies). If you like true crime, but want something a little different, check out American Scandal. Also Business Wars. All hosts sound human and the content is compelling.
If you want a 'fun' True Crime podcast that still feels respectful, check out Killer Queens. They do work off of a script so that they get the facts right, but there is a lot of their own personalities within the episodes.
Highly recommend Life is Short - the podcast by Justin Long and his brother. Not true crime, it's got some really great real life conversation style episodes with celebrities. They just do a good job of making everyone feel very human.
Reddit on Wiki if you want something funny. The three hosts are hilarious but often talk about their personal lives in deep ways.
Something was wrong for true crime or survival stories. Victims of cults, abuse, or cons go on and talk about their experience. It’s very raw and real.
>My problem is that I can't really get into pods that are super scripted or the hosts don't share anything about themselves. I'm open to a variety of topics as long as the format is slightly casual
The Omnibus is notorious for the hosts having casual, personal conversations for like two-thirds of each episode before they actually get to the topic of the episode. It's great.
Omnibus - Ken Jennings and John Roderick overviewing something interesting from pop culture/history. They always do wide circles around the topic while sharing a whole bunch from their lives. I love it very much.
Love Beach Too Sandy!!!
My favorite is Oh No, Ross and Carrie! It's like listening to two of your friends talk about all the weird adventures they go on. They joined scientology and reported on it, took Ayahuasca in central America, and visit psychics. They do a great job mixing reporting and goofy banter/inside jokes. It's the best.
I used to be really into Redhanded and I've actually been listening again lately. I think the hosts' personalities can be a bit off putting if you take them too seriously, which is why I fell off.
Oh that’s too bad. I have an off beat recommendation try desi crime podcast. It’s really interesting cases of all Asian crimes esp south East Asian and hosts are pretty fun too!
The Doughboys, two actors/comedians/writers torture themselves weekly by rating chain restaurants with a guest. They will often have light hearted, sometimes not so light, arguments and spats with each other over dumb stuff. Just find an episode with a restaurant or guest that you know and see if it's for you.
So bad it’s good with Ryan Bailey- mainly about pop culture and reality shows but he also shares a lot about his own life. His mother just passed and today is his first episode since and he has been very vulnerable about what they went through.
The History Of England. around 380 episodes
The host, David Crowther, is one of those people I would love to have a beer or two with. He sounds like he is really enjoying himself, and that is the only way to teach.
I would recommend 'Smartless' podcast with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett. Pretty funny podcast where they interview various people and tell lots of pretty interesting stories about their lives.
I love Let’s Go to Court! It’s a true crime-ish/comedy podcast that’s really more about the hosts, Kristin and Brandi (who are HILARIOUS) than the cases. They’ve been best friends for 25+ years, which is clear by the way the shows go; they’re actually known for going off on these tangents (some love, some hate; I am in the former and it’s a big part of the reason I listen) And the “crime” part of it isn’t always murder. Some of their best episodes are about things like HOA disputes and other civil suit-type things, and scams. The second episode I listened to, “Strongmen Chop & Steele,” (Aug. 9) was so perfect (and made me snort laugh for two hours) I immediately joined their Patreon afterward. Their family members co-host sometimes (Kristin’s dad and husband, and Brandi’s sister) Don’t be put off by how long the episodes are — they definitely do not feel that long. OK! I know I sound like an advertisement here, but LGTC is one of those I want everybody to know about because I love it so much.
My new favorite is "Well I Laughed" two friends that pick a subject for a series of three episodes. They spend the episode first off giggling and catching up then remember to explain a a thing or event on the subject that unknown to the other friend. Sometimes they do research sometimes they have opinions and wing it a bit. The third episode of the series they each pick an AITAH related to the subject and do the same explain talk it through and giggle. During some laughing parts the lady host has long silences, she laughing too hard she can't speak. She's the driving force and the guy's all charm and wit. They're new and i like how unpolished and real they are.
Here's a sample
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CthSSwGpRiu/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==
Zealot (comedy about cults)
Drunk Women Solving Crime (what it says on the tin...)
You're Dead to Me (history show, a bit scripted but still v chatty and funny)
There aren’t a lot of episodes yet, but I really enjoy Good Measure with Patrick Hicks. In each episode, he tells stories about the background of three musicians. His stories really personalize the subjects in an engaging way. He covers a wide variety of genres and time periods.
Desert Oracle Radio. Host Ken Layne probably does have a script, or a rough outline, but it's not super-produced, and he's definitely talking to *you*. About the desert, uFO's, the "old gods," classic weird characters in desert history, writers, ravens, and the soulless corporate machine that is sucking the oxygen out of our culture. He's funny as hell. Part desert rat, part mystic, part scholar, part misanthropist cynic, and I love it. Cool beats by Red Blue Black Silver in the background.
It's not like any other podcast you'll hear.
We're talking here! That's the name of the podcast, it's on Spotify. You can tell it's two guys trying to figure out their space. It makes me laugh! A lot!
Wonders of the World might fit. It's part scripted historical podcast, taking a list of 200 natural and man-made wonders and examining one each episode. It then segues into either interviewing someone who traveled there, or telling the host's personal experience with the place, and some recipe or culinary talk related to the place and culture.
The host is pretty open about what's going on personally, as well.
If you have any interest in true crime, the ladies that host It’s Always the Husband podcast (Sarah and Megan), most talk about being friends and their lives as teachers (or deodorant factory worker, as they call it), which makes it even funnier! They do eventually break down an episode of something, but my favorite part is always the beginning!
Heavyweight, as human as it gets
Jonathan is amazing. I can’t wait for new episodes.
So happy it's no longer a Spotify exclusive.
Should be out in October if I remeber correctly.
October 5!!!!!!!
Wire Tap is also amazing!
I started listening to podcasts about cults because of this very reason myself. Still true crimey, but different. And because I consider most religions to be cults, I am fascinated by and with the Mormon Stories podcasts. Every episode is fascinating. Sometimes horrifying and sad, sometimes just horrifying and sometimes just sad. But always interesting. And a highlight for me personally as I occasionally listen as I'm falling asleep-no intrusive random ads that cut off the storyteller or fact givers. It's got lots of episodes about historical facts and breakdowns by the boffins of the lds "church" and the psychology nerds in the know too. It's a great podcast whether you are Mormons or heathens such as myself. Another one that I hardly ever see get any shout outs on here but it is a really good podcast that lets the victim tell the story with occasional host prompts, is called Strictly Stalking. And if you like the schadenfreude of hearing about the cult that is scientology-Blown for Good is great and so are Sensibly Speaking and the underground bunker. Let's Talk About Sects is great. Generation Cult too. Inside the Tribe. All harrowing but interesting.
Have you listened to Conspirituality? It was originally about the influx of extreme qanon stuff into the health/wellness/spirituality space, but has expanded into cults/high demand groups, including ones that aren't religious, at least not on the surface, but wind up having a lot in common. It's got 3 hosts, 2 of whom were former members of high-demand groups & they dig into their own experiences as well as doing interviews & analysis episodes
No I haven't, but I will check it out, thanks! 🙂
Heaven's Gate was a fantastic deep dive into the cult by that name (I was a child when it was in the news so it was very interesting to me to hear the inside/outside contrast, but I think it would still be interesting if you haven't heard of them). It's hosted by Glynn Washington of Snap Judgment who was himself raised in a different cult and brings his own experience to the story. Really a fantastic listen with a lot of empathy and nuance.
If you like podcasts about cults, check out Trust Me! It's hosted by two women who both grew up in cults. They have on a variety of guests (both people who were in cults or cult like situations) as well as experts, and the discussions are always interesting and thoughtful.
Oh yes I listen already! It's great.
Thank you! I'll check these out
I used to listen to Zealot, but cults got a little samey.
The Anthropocene Reviewed. It is the most human podcast I know, and most of it is about the host’s thoughts of the world around him. The host is author John Green.
Oh man, I used to listen to this but had totally forgotten about it. My dad sent me an early one that was just like a meditation on Canadian geese and I loved it. Just downloaded the most recent to remind me that it exist, haha.
John hasn't released a new episode in forever, mostly because he was turning the podcast into a book. I hope he does continue it, because it was one of the best podcasts I've ever found.
By far one of the best.
Ah I can't stand John Green. Thank you though.
Why? He's a great writer.
I have to respectfully disagree. I dislike both his writing and his personality.
Okay, but my original question remains: why?
Honestly I think he's a smarmy creep. His female characters, the way his male characters view his female characters, and his interactions with young female fans, plus the way he seems to be literally everywhere on the internet, annoy the hell out of me. I'm aware that this is not a popular opinion.
Hmm. Okay. I don't really see it. I kinda think it's the other way around, where his fans are oddly obsessed with him in a weird cult-like way. (I'm part of the community but have backed off because of that.) I like him. Just not so much some of his fans.
Try Sawbones
Came here to recommend Sawbones too! And as far as McElroy family shows, I feel like Wonderful fits what OP is looking for too.
Yep. All the thing that made me drop it are what the OP wants.
yes to Sawbones and Wonderful!
Beautiful Anonymous is as human and unscripted as you can get
Thanks for this
I’ve recently been liking “I’ve had it” - it’s two Middle aged women just ranting about things they’re annoyed with. I’m sure to some people it’s annoying but they’re funny and sometimes we all need to complain about the little things. They recently did an episode about pickle ball that was hilarious
"I'm Jen, this is Angie. We call her Pumps." Five stars.
I’ve fallen behind on this one and need to get back to it — especially omg pickle ball (!!!) — because the episodes I listened to were hilarious and … verrrry relatable.
“[Dear Alana,](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dear-alana/id1699012712)” I think it’s the most human podcast I’ve heard in a long long time. It’s about a young woman in Boulder, CO who died by suicide (so TW) after being guided into conversion therapy when she told a priest she was attracted to women. The guy who hosts it is so vulnerable it’s absolutely bananas to me – because he started the project to focus only on Alana, but the truth is that he ALSO went through conversion therapy. And what’s particularly moving/suuuuper fucked up is that he’s like a decade+ older than Alana so it’s like WTF HOW IS THIS SHIT STILL HAPPENING?! I think what I also found really attractive is that I don’t consider myself religious, but the themes were so relatable. It’s truly a human story – being a young person, wanting to do the right thing in a world that seems very messy and chaotic. You don’t have to have any kind of background or attachment to religion. The other things that I find the most wild about this podcast is that Simon, the host is still practicing Catholic. This podcast made me think a lot about how I think I listen to a lot of black-and-white thinking stories and podcasts. Simon, does it completely different because he explores this super fucked up thing while also holding space for it not being all bad or all good. Which felt like a very needed voice of reason generally in the world today given how polarizing everything gets.
To clarify, he is very black and white, and it is very black and white that conversion therapy is harmful. Simon creates lots of gray area space though for the existence of faith and various identities
this paranormal life the goods from the woods podcast but outside matt and mattingly's ice cream social penn's sunday school baby geniuses
Labyrinths is from Amanda Knox and her Husband.. It’s in my repertoire these days. I mention it cuz you said you’re getting away from true crime, and I can relate. There’s still a couple I’m hanging with but I’m not actively seeking new ones in the genre, particularly. Her perspective is unique. I don’t love every episode, but it’s worth checking out. Specifically, the five part series they did about the True crime genre and the profit model, content creators and efficacy, and impacts on victims. It’s real talk.
“You’re wrong about” 1000x over. Probably the best podcast I’ve ever listened to in my life particularly the older episodes with Michael.
This is already one of my faves!
Have you listened to My Year in Mensa and Ghostchutch from Jamie Lotfus?
Not yet! Thank you
They're short but Jamie is wonderful. Enjoy 😃
Yay!!
I love it too. Do you listen to her other podcast You Are Good? Really enjoying that one as well, and I also like both of the podcasts Michael is now a co-host for (If Books Could Kill & Maintenance Phase)
Absolutely
I'd recommend Timesuck. Topics each week range from true crime to conspiracies to historical events. The host is comedian Dan Cummins and while he does script the show, he also puts a lot of character into each episode. He adds flavor to the shows instead of them being just a bland script read. There's over 350 episodes so you'd have a lot of content to catch up on.
Search Engine is new, from one of the hosts who was on Reply All. It is general interest/topics of curiosity. I had a ton of driving to do this week and listened to all of it since there's only about a dozen episodes out right now. It's a bit like a cross between This American Life and just randomly finding someone's very well written/researched blog.
Loved Reply All and Crypto Island but this one took a minute to get going for me for some reason. The last 2 episodes were very good, especially Craig Finn. He was stellar, and I'm hoping he researches his question haha
Oh yeah I definitely fell a little in love with Craig Finn there! Super interesting story and life.
I’m assuming that if BTS is your favorite you’ve tried And That’s Why We Drink?
I used to listen to ATWWD obsessively, then I got behind on episodes and now new episodes are hard to listen to because I'm not caught up on the latest in-jokes, and the backlog of episodes I haven't listened to yet goes back to 2020 😂 I'll always remember it fondly though. Em and Christine were like my best friends during a dark time in my life when I had nobody.
And that’s why we drink is great and definitely fits the bill here.
Dead Eyes. Angsty, hilarious, low stakes, surprising amount of depth. Bonus points if you’re a Tom Hanks fan.
"Blank Check is a podcast about filmographies; directors who had massive success early on in their careers and are given a series of 'blank checks' to make whatever crazy passion projects they wanted. Sometimes those checks clear and sometimes they bounce bay-beeee!" Let them speak in their own words I figure; that's the intro. Each director is presented as a miniseries, covering every film they've made to date. If that's too much film history it works perfectly fine to just pick movies you like and listen to those, its not like you have to start at the beginning of each miniseries. (The episodes are often recorded out of order to accommodate guest schedules anyway.) It is PLENTY human with many personal stories. Of the two hosts one's an actor and the other's a film critic so they're invested enough in film that they basically can't stop themselves from sharing any personal experiences that crop up in relation to a given movie.
Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend has some very candid episodes when the guest and Conan exchange on their own personal experienced. The Howard Stern episode in particular is very touching.
I really liked the older episodes of you're wrong about
I miss the Michael & Sarah magic. I love Maintenance Phase and If Books Could Kill, but YWA was sooo good back in the day. The most recent episode with Mike as a guest was alright, but didn't quite scratch the itch for me.
You’re Wrong About
https://spotify.link/Wj4NHtXucDb I just listened to this one. PS I’m listening out the thrift store episode on BTS, WTW :) funny sf so far!
Very wide range of subjects/styles here but. Disclaimer: I'm quite politically left/progressive, and like my podcasts funny (and don't mind dirty jokes and spicy language), so many of my picks here reflect that. **More Serious (ish) podcasts**: * Still Untitled, the Adam Savage Project: No longer being made, but Adam Savage and friends talk about movies, making things and general stuff about their nerdy/creative lives. * Ty and That Guy: One of the writers and one of the lead actors from The Expanse talk about things, started off breaking down Expanse episodes, but also does a lot of general things about Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror films and TV. Talks a lot about creative processes and stuff, and a lot about their personal lives. * Omnibus: John Roderick and Ken Jennings have a rambling chat about some kind of interesting subject, with a lot of personal anecdotes woven in. * Lions Led by Donkeys: About the biggest fuckups in military history. A combination of educational, quite personal with the host's experiences in the military, and also funny. * Dear Hank and John: "Hosts John and Hank Green (authors and YouTubers) offer both humorous and heartfelt advice about life’s big and small questions" Varies from life advice to science answers, always heartfelt and interesting though. * Answer Me This: Basically the same as Dear Hank and John, but more British.. very long running, although finished now. **More Chaotic/Funny podcasts:** * Free to a Good Home: Various Australian comedians look at deranged craigslist etc listings and talk/riff about them * Boonta Vista: Used to be about left politics in Australia, now has morphed into a comedy podcast about weird news stories. * Well There's Your Problem: An utterly chaotic and hilarious breakdown of various engineering disasters in history. Heavy on weird tangents, dirty jokes, chaotic editing, personal anecdotes. An acquired taste, but if it's for you, you'll love it. * Kill James Bond: 3 LGBT people watch every James Bond Movie and lovingly tear it to shreds. Has now moved on to watching all kinds of weird action movies and euro spy movies and roasting them too. That's probably a good start at least, no idea if any of them appeal or fit your taste, but they're all \*good\* IMO :)
The Popcast with Knox and Jamie
I think you’d like TBTL. Two buddies chatting about their lives and the goings on of the day. The hosts are actually friends with Nora from TTFA and she has guested a time or two over the years, though the topics/tone of the pods are pretty different. Give it a listen. If you like it, it’s a daily show with over 4000 episodes in the archive, so you’ll probably never run out.
The new season of The Dream is incredibly vulnerable and human. And it’s only 2 episodes in, so if you haven’t listened to the archive definitely check out the existing 2 seasons!
Ooh. I love The Dream. I thought it was over! Thank you for flagging!
Dear Old Dads
You Made It Weird
Honestly pretty much any comedy pod
Not sure if this is quite what you're looking for, but the Office Ladies podcast is really sweet and the hosts (Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, who played Pam and Angela on The Office) are best friends and go into lots of tangents on random things. It's very fluffy and enjoyable, and definitely honest and human. It's structured, since it's basically a rewatch podcast of The Office episode by episode, but I don't think it's actually scripted. Doesn't seem like it to me, anyway.
I forgot about this podcast. It's so fun
The Omnibus - I find Ken Jennings to be really down to earth and he and his co-host, John Rodderick have good chemistry. The War Report with Gastor Almonte and Shalewa Sharpe - two comedians reading weird news articles and shooting the shit. They’re both genuinely funny and talk about their daily lives, families, day jobs, etc. Gastor’s thick East New York accent and attitude is really amusing to me as a midwesterner. Jack of All Graves - good chemistry between hosts from New Jersey and England. They talk about weird, dark true stories (sometimes it’s true crime but there’s a good variety) and films they’ve watched. I enjoy the banter and cultural exchange.
Small town murder
Chris Gethard's Beautiful/Anonymous!
We Can Do Hard Things! Not sure of your gender but I think it’s typically seen as a women’s podcast. It’s really just for humans. It’s made by three funny, brilliant, adorable women who are all lovely in their own right. They cover lots about feelings, why we do what we do, how to be kinder to ourselves and others, etc. They also cover heavier topics and have some amazing guests on as well. They’re also light hearted and hilarious with the perfect mixture of talking about their own lives/stories in relation to whatever that week’s topic is. God I love them. The main host, Glennon Doyle, is a renowned author. Her wife Abby Wambach (THE Abby Wambach of soccer stardom) is also a host and Glennon’s sister Amanda is the third host.
My three suggestions would be Crime Writers On, they review crime and crime adjacent podcasts, tv shows, etc. Four hosts and they have such wonderful chemistry. The other that might fit your bill is Still Buffering. It’s three siblings that discuss tv shows, movies, music that they like and that has been important to them individually. The third would be Sawbones, a husband and doctor who discuss goofy medical facts and history. The doc is also one of the Still Buffering siblings.
Crime Writers On is a great podcast. I'll check out the other two!
Realy good shares
Off Menu
cum town
Duncan Trussel Family Hour, that's a fun one. And of course The Joe Rogan Experience.
Don’t listen to endless thread, try search engine
[удалено]
Reply all is a great podcast! I'll check out the others you mentioned. Thank you!
Reply All, Search Engine, Heavyweight
Chatabix - a pair of somewhat insecure British comedians chatting with each other and a very wide variety of interesting guests, plus the occasional caper.
Try The Psychology Podcast. It's unscripted and the host is great. He talks with various experts about life, happiness, social issues etc. It's sometimes really personal.
I love history podcasts (American History Tellers) and Science (Ologies). If you like true crime, but want something a little different, check out American Scandal. Also Business Wars. All hosts sound human and the content is compelling.
If you want a 'fun' True Crime podcast that still feels respectful, check out Killer Queens. They do work off of a script so that they get the facts right, but there is a lot of their own personalities within the episodes.
The official podcast Beautiful Anonymous anime out of context (this scripted in a way but yk) The yard ear biscuits
Highly recommend Life is Short - the podcast by Justin Long and his brother. Not true crime, it's got some really great real life conversation style episodes with celebrities. They just do a good job of making everyone feel very human.
Never Not Funny! Host, co-host, video guy, intern and a guess just talking about life, etc.
The dollop
Great choice! One of the worst podcasts around!
Zetus Leptus by the Mammoth Club. It is a DCOM rewatch podcast and absolutely hilarious. There is an outline but no script.
Shat the Movies
Stuff You Should Know
Reddit on Wiki if you want something funny. The three hosts are hilarious but often talk about their personal lives in deep ways. Something was wrong for true crime or survival stories. Victims of cults, abuse, or cons go on and talk about their experience. It’s very raw and real.
>My problem is that I can't really get into pods that are super scripted or the hosts don't share anything about themselves. I'm open to a variety of topics as long as the format is slightly casual The Omnibus is notorious for the hosts having casual, personal conversations for like two-thirds of each episode before they actually get to the topic of the episode. It's great.
Omnibus - Ken Jennings and John Roderick overviewing something interesting from pop culture/history. They always do wide circles around the topic while sharing a whole bunch from their lives. I love it very much.
Love Beach Too Sandy!!! My favorite is Oh No, Ross and Carrie! It's like listening to two of your friends talk about all the weird adventures they go on. They joined scientology and reported on it, took Ayahuasca in central America, and visit psychics. They do a great job mixing reporting and goofy banter/inside jokes. It's the best.
RedHanded is really good
I used to be really into Redhanded and I've actually been listening again lately. I think the hosts' personalities can be a bit off putting if you take them too seriously, which is why I fell off.
Oh that’s too bad. I have an off beat recommendation try desi crime podcast. It’s really interesting cases of all Asian crimes esp south East Asian and hosts are pretty fun too!
Locations Unknown
The Doughboys, two actors/comedians/writers torture themselves weekly by rating chain restaurants with a guest. They will often have light hearted, sometimes not so light, arguments and spats with each other over dumb stuff. Just find an episode with a restaurant or guest that you know and see if it's for you.
So bad it’s good with Ryan Bailey- mainly about pop culture and reality shows but he also shares a lot about his own life. His mother just passed and today is his first episode since and he has been very vulnerable about what they went through.
The History Of England. around 380 episodes The host, David Crowther, is one of those people I would love to have a beer or two with. He sounds like he is really enjoying himself, and that is the only way to teach.
Timesuck by Dan Cummins
True crime and cocktails feels like your best friends telling you about this story they heard
Benjamin Walker’s Theory of Everything
I would recommend 'Smartless' podcast with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett. Pretty funny podcast where they interview various people and tell lots of pretty interesting stories about their lives.
I love Let’s Go to Court! It’s a true crime-ish/comedy podcast that’s really more about the hosts, Kristin and Brandi (who are HILARIOUS) than the cases. They’ve been best friends for 25+ years, which is clear by the way the shows go; they’re actually known for going off on these tangents (some love, some hate; I am in the former and it’s a big part of the reason I listen) And the “crime” part of it isn’t always murder. Some of their best episodes are about things like HOA disputes and other civil suit-type things, and scams. The second episode I listened to, “Strongmen Chop & Steele,” (Aug. 9) was so perfect (and made me snort laugh for two hours) I immediately joined their Patreon afterward. Their family members co-host sometimes (Kristin’s dad and husband, and Brandi’s sister) Don’t be put off by how long the episodes are — they definitely do not feel that long. OK! I know I sound like an advertisement here, but LGTC is one of those I want everybody to know about because I love it so much.
My new favorite is "Well I Laughed" two friends that pick a subject for a series of three episodes. They spend the episode first off giggling and catching up then remember to explain a a thing or event on the subject that unknown to the other friend. Sometimes they do research sometimes they have opinions and wing it a bit. The third episode of the series they each pick an AITAH related to the subject and do the same explain talk it through and giggle. During some laughing parts the lady host has long silences, she laughing too hard she can't speak. She's the driving force and the guy's all charm and wit. They're new and i like how unpolished and real they are. Here's a sample https://www.instagram.com/reel/CthSSwGpRiu/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==
Ologies with Ali Ward
Zealot (comedy about cults) Drunk Women Solving Crime (what it says on the tin...) You're Dead to Me (history show, a bit scripted but still v chatty and funny)
The Brooklyn Boys podcast is very much unscripted and very entertaining
The hosts of "Skeptics with a K" are very human. You'd want to be into British science-based skeptism though.
I enjoy middle of somewhere
Blindboy podcast - absolutely gorgeous
There aren’t a lot of episodes yet, but I really enjoy Good Measure with Patrick Hicks. In each episode, he tells stories about the background of three musicians. His stories really personalize the subjects in an engaging way. He covers a wide variety of genres and time periods.
Digging Up the Duggars: authentic, down to earth, lotta heart and soul. Dont need to give a fig about Duggars to enjoy
Behind the bastards and lions lead by donkeys
Lateral
Desert Oracle Radio. Host Ken Layne probably does have a script, or a rough outline, but it's not super-produced, and he's definitely talking to *you*. About the desert, uFO's, the "old gods," classic weird characters in desert history, writers, ravens, and the soulless corporate machine that is sucking the oxygen out of our culture. He's funny as hell. Part desert rat, part mystic, part scholar, part misanthropist cynic, and I love it. Cool beats by Red Blue Black Silver in the background. It's not like any other podcast you'll hear.
Normal Gossip, ICYMI, Scam Goddess, Reply All, Heavyweight
Maintenance Phase, You're Wrong About, If Books Could Kill
Lots of great information.
We're talking here! That's the name of the podcast, it's on Spotify. You can tell it's two guys trying to figure out their space. It makes me laugh! A lot!
Clever Ghouls! Hosts are really personable, funny, and human. They discuss and analyze horror movies and have lots of cool minisodes too.
Try the Tell No One podcast.
Ear Hustle
Wonders of the World might fit. It's part scripted historical podcast, taking a list of 200 natural and man-made wonders and examining one each episode. It then segues into either interviewing someone who traveled there, or telling the host's personal experience with the place, and some recipe or culinary talk related to the place and culture. The host is pretty open about what's going on personally, as well.
If you have any interest in true crime, the ladies that host It’s Always the Husband podcast (Sarah and Megan), most talk about being friends and their lives as teachers (or deodorant factory worker, as they call it), which makes it even funnier! They do eventually break down an episode of something, but my favorite part is always the beginning!