Connection Corner: Favorite Podcasts

Podcasts have been having a moment — increasing exponentially in number, variety, and popularity in recent years. For this edition of Connection Corner, Meredith faculty and staff share their favorites.

Professor of Theatre Catherine Rodgers: “My favorite podcast is Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me. I love the way it combines current events with a game show setting, and most of the panelists are clever and hilarious.”

Associate Professor, I/O Psychology Joe Mazzola: “My favorite podcast is The Rewatchables by The Ringer/Bill Simmons. They go in depth into everything about a movie, and I often learn a lot about both the movie and the process of it being made while being entertained in a fun way. It is a bit crude and random though, in case you’re not into that sort of thing. Another one is the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, which I like because they take a poll/data-driven approach to politics and news and don’t deal much in hyperbole.”

News Director Melyssa Allen: “I enjoy podcasts that share bits of history in a digestible format. NPR’s Throughline gives historical context to current events and BBC History Extra interviews experts on different historical figures. I just binge-listened to Wind of Change, in which New Yorker writer Patrick Radden Keefe explores whether the ’80s song Wind of Change was actually written by the CIA to help end the Cold War. I also like What Should I Read Next?, which gives guests book recommendations based on three books they loved, one book they hate, and what they’re currently reading.”

Charlotte McKinney, Assistant Director of Visual Communication-Multimedia, shared several suggestions.

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard: “This is my absolute favorite podcast. I listen to it without fail every single week! One of my favorite parts of this show is every Thursday Dax interviews Experts on Experts. I have discovered so many interesting people this way, from scientists, to public health experts, psychologists, journalists, authors and many more. I really enjoy Dax’s interviewing style with experts and celebrities. He really gets people to open up in a very authentic and human way. It is a lot of fun.”

The Office Ladies Podcast & Fake Doctors, Real Friends:  “These are two television show re-watch podcasts featuring The Office and Scrubs respectively. The premise is simple. Two of the former castmates from the shows rewatch the episode and dish about all the fun behind the scenes moments that they shared. It has been really fun re-watching the shows and then listening to the podcast. A great and welcome escape these days. Also, both pairs of hosts each have such an enjoyable rapport that you just feel like you are hanging out with two of your good friends.”

By the Book:  “The hosts choose a self-help book and live by it for two weeks, then come back and compare their experiences. At the end of each show they offer their evaluation of the book, whether it worked or not and whether they would recommend it.  It is a great listen, and can really give you a good insight to whether any of these books are worth taking a crack at!”

Work/Life with Adam Grant:  “In this podcast organizational psychologist Adam Grant talks to listeners about different aspects of their work life and offers insights into what people are doing across a wide range of industries and experiences to make their work lives better.”

The Grown-Up Guide Podcast:  “ I have to recommend this one since it’s hosted by my former intern,  Meredith alumna Kristen Rivera Stegall, ’16, who started this podcast after a few years out of school.  She uses the podcast to answer questions she has had as a young adult and offers tangible advice to her peers.  A great listen and of course Kristen is a delight as a host (I might be a bit biased here!).”

For next week’s Connection Corner: Inspired by the web series, Some Good News, tell us some good news or something that has made you happy recently. Send comments to Melyssa Allen, Campus Connections editor, at allenme@meredith.edu.