And here we are, still in quarantine (or at least us non essential folks should be).
I know you are probably sick and tired of hearing that word (quarantine, ugh) and all of its associates, so you will be happy to hear that the pandemic is not the focus. Today, I am writing to offer you what will hopefully provide some much needed entertainment and delight on slow days working from home or during any other downtime you might have.
After several weeks of entering data alone in my home, with only my cat for company, I started to think said cat could understand our conversations. Just kidding (or am I?). What I really meant to say is after those several weeks, I had run out of new podcasts episodes to listen to. Bummed, but determined, I set out to find new funny, uplifting, informative radio.
I know you are probably sick and tired of hearing that word (quarantine, ugh) and all of its associates, so you will be happy to hear that the pandemic is not the focus. Today, I am writing to offer you what will hopefully provide some much needed entertainment and delight on slow days working from home or during any other downtime you might have.
After several weeks of entering data alone in my home, with only my cat for company, I started to think said cat could understand our conversations. Just kidding (or am I?). What I really meant to say is after those several weeks, I had run out of new podcasts episodes to listen to. Bummed, but determined, I set out to find new funny, uplifting, informative radio.
Dolly Parton’s America
You guessed it. This podcast is about the patron saint of warmth, sunshine, and roller coaster rides, America’s sweetheart, and national icon - Dolly Parton. In only nine episodes, podcast host Jad Abumrad takes the listener on a journey through what he calls the Dolly-verse.
Through interviews, Jad did with friends and fans - and Dolly herself, of course - he has crafted a touching and thought-provoking story about the woman who has touched so many of our lives. The main focus of this podcast is to delve into why, in such a divided nation, Dolly has been and still is a great unifier.
It’s true, Dolly brings people together who, under any other circumstances, would never find themselves in the same room. She is loved by progressive liberals and staunch conservatives, country folk and city folk. She is loved by the LGBTQIA+ community, by grandma and grandpa, and every other generation. But why? How has one (famous) person managed to live seventy-four years with so little controversy?
Through interviews, Jad did with friends and fans - and Dolly herself, of course - he has crafted a touching and thought-provoking story about the woman who has touched so many of our lives. The main focus of this podcast is to delve into why, in such a divided nation, Dolly has been and still is a great unifier.
It’s true, Dolly brings people together who, under any other circumstances, would never find themselves in the same room. She is loved by progressive liberals and staunch conservatives, country folk and city folk. She is loved by the LGBTQIA+ community, by grandma and grandpa, and every other generation. But why? How has one (famous) person managed to live seventy-four years with so little controversy?
Jad, Dolly, and friends discuss this throughout each episode. As Dolly Parton regales you with stories from her childhood, to her start as a country music star, to the person she is today, the pieces of the puzzle begin to come together. You find a great amount of kindness, a sense of humor as big as her heart, and unbelievable resilience.
If you love Dolly, if your life has been affected by her music and her person, you will adore this beautifully crafted podcast. If you aren’t a fan, you may want to listen as well. These nine episodes could just change your mind.
Ask Science Mike
Mike McHargue, believes “every sincere question deserves a non judgemental, supportive response.” Which is why this science educator and author decided to create a podcast centered largely around the questions of his followers (or patreons). If you are curious about climate change, quantum physics, dinosaur intelligence, black holes, blood moons, God, or just about any other topic, Mike has probably already answered it or will in the future.
Mike’s intelligence, sincerity, and genuine interest in people’s questions are what make this podcast special. The episodes are funny, thought-provoking, and sometimes serious, as the host delves into the realms of science, religion and the emotions. It is rare to find a person who can hold space for all three of those topics and the questions that arise within them. I think Mike, in the same way as Dolly Parton, has the uncanny ability to bring people together who would not normally share space.
Mike’s intelligence, sincerity, and genuine interest in people’s questions are what make this podcast special. The episodes are funny, thought-provoking, and sometimes serious, as the host delves into the realms of science, religion and the emotions. It is rare to find a person who can hold space for all three of those topics and the questions that arise within them. I think Mike, in the same way as Dolly Parton, has the uncanny ability to bring people together who would not normally share space.
Ask Science Mike is also an excellent resource for data and updates about Covid. He is not providing constant reports, but the information Mike shares is honest and grounded in science. He takes the time to explain what might be hard for us mere muggles to understand, and, most importantly, he isn’t creating an environment of fear mongering. If you are someone, like me, who can become easily overwhelmed by the current state of affairs in this country, Mike is a calming voice who will also not oversimplify the seriousness of the matter.
Uncivil
This podcast tells the (often purposefully) untold stories of the events that transpired before, during, and after the Civil War. In thirty minute episodes, hosts Jack Hitt and Chenjerai Kumanyika “ransack the official version... and take on the history you grew up with.” The result is a series of riveting tales that rip the veil off the candy-coated history America boasts.
Each episode covers a story of rebellion, bravery, undercover operations, and brutality. One of my favorite episodes - The Ring - tells of two women who assembled a spy ring in rebel city Richmond, Virigina. A young, free Black woman chose to go back into slavery in order to serve as a spy for the Union army. Her accomplice - a white woman - would come to the house where she worked to obtain letters written about the Confederate’s plan. These letters were very well disguised, sometimes baked into a loaf of bread or, most impressively, tucked into an eggshell.
Other stories involve Black women and white women who ran away to join the army, and got away with it - some for the entirety of the war. (So much for men who want to claim women Civil reenactors are historically inaccurate.) There are also stories that uncover lies and deceit, land and freedom promised, then taken away. Some cases are still being disputed today.
These stories are not only inspiring, they are key. Key to understanding and acknowledging the real history of the United States. Key to making lasting change. Go now, and listen to Uncivil.
Ologies with Allie Ward
Ologies is a podcast about, well… ologies. Humorist and host Allie Ward takes the listener on a knowledge expanding journey as she interviews professional -ologist about their obsessions. Ward covers topics spanning a multiplicity of subjects (or ologies), including - mars missions, volcanoes, drunk butterflies, bee drama, ignorance and slug sex (yes, you read that correctly).
This podcast, in a similar vein as Ask Science Mike, is excellent at taking a complex subject and breaking it down in a way we muggles can comprehend. You are also likely to find realms of study you didn't know existed - Medusology (Jellyfish) or Agnotology (Ignorance), for example.
Ologies with Allie Ward is the perfect podcast for some mindless data entry or number crunching, house cleaning or meal prepping, or whatever your quarantine days may bring. Between Allie’s humor and the fascinating subjects she explores, you are sure to be entertained throughout the whole episode, and hopefully, you will learn something you would not have discovered otherwise.
Happy Podcasting
To quote Alex Blumberg,
A lot of people listen to podcasts because they want to learn something and be entertained along the way.
I think this is why podcasts are perfect for a slow day or a long drive. They bestow a little magic upon the mundane. I hope these four special podcasts provide you with as much laughter, surprise, comfort, and knowledge as they have for me. Happy Podcasting!