My top six podcast picks to make you feel all creative and like the world is full of wonder again
At the present moment, it is starting to feel like we have resigned our lives to be lived inside a series of small boxes of light. We wake up and gaze into our little boxes as a little respite before we must start our work - staring at a slightly larger box. At lunchtime, we avoid our sad, homemade sandwiches by planting ourselves in front of any box we can find for some distraction. Our reward at the end of the day? Relaxing entertainment at the behest of an even bigger box of warm, inviting light.
Now that my commute has been happily reduced to sitting up in bed, (don’t worry, I’m just a duvet worker not bed-bound), I have found an unfortunate side effect to my long-term dream of working from home - I miss those still train moments. Yes, I was surrounded by frustrated commuters and jostled and squeezed and offered one too many seats for a woman in her twenties. But it was a time when I had no obligation to work, no internet connection and no pestering need to stare into a variety of little boxes. I would devote this time to reading, music, people watching or my favourite diversion - podcasts.
Being able to stare out the window or into midair and still feel productive and not like a weird blank person because you are immersed in the world of a podcast is a gift I am beginning to miss a lot more than my previous job. (I think that says more about me than the power of podcasts, but I digress). Now that I don’t have the excuse of a lengthy commute, I am actively seeking out tasks that occupy only my hands and eyes so I can listen to a podcast while I work. Every cupboard has been sorted through, every item of clothing perfectly arranged, I even had a clear out of my bookshelves which, although they do seem to be bending from the weight slightly less painfully, was a little short-sighted as all the charity shops are shut so I have mostly redistributed rather than cleared out.
Distractions aside, now is as good a time as any to devote some time solely to your ears and get a little recharge from the podcasting gods.
No Such Thing As A Fish
Run and researched by the QI elves, (the researchers of a beloved British panel show full of quirky facts - for the uninitiated) No Such Thing As A Fish offers an endless stream of so-unbelievable-they-must-be-true, biggest-weirdo-in-the-playground, truly-gob-smacking facts. And if researchers exchanging facts somehow doesn’t do it for you (what is wrong with you?) then don’t worry, fifty percent of the line up are also successful stand-ups and the other half of the team are just as funny so the banter and strange tangents will keep you occupied. The foursome are also responsible for writing all the QI books (you know, the ones you are always getting for Xmas from your aunt) and have performed their shows live during a worldwide tour. This means that interspersed with the regular shows are recordings of their live shows and even the occasional chapter from their audiobooks. I have found the show extremely useful as it has armed me with an endless supply of random, unusual trivialities and mind-blowing nuggets to whip out in awkward situations (that I have created for myself, again) or to test newcomers to see if they fit into my specific strain of weird. My recent timely revelation of a fact prompted my mother to ask me “How do you know these things? Have you been reading?” (In case you were wondering, their name comes from their favourite ever QI fact- look it up, it’s mind-bending).
Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert
I have to confess, I haven’t read any of her work. (Some little book called Eat, Pray, Love - I’ll get around to it at some point). However, I don’t feel I need to in order to enjoy her beautifully calming voice, nor to respect the solid and comforting advice she gives. Each week on Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert features a caller with a problem - anything from a tricky second book, to imposter syndrome- and Gilbert tactfully and with a great deal of charm walks the caller through the problem and provides useful homework for them (or anyone else who happens to be listening) to work on. She then moves on to a special guest (the likes of Neil Gaimen and Oprah’s actual life coach Martha Beck) to weigh in on the theme. Despite the big names involved, the show is still accessible and it never feels like a successful author who has forgotten what it is like to struggle is lording her success over the uninitiated (although that could have been quite entertaining too). Magic Lessons provides actually useful writing advice (not the straight out of the box, ‘you must fit your story into this structure’ proclamations, or the nonchalant and particularly infuriating ‘just do it’ style advice you often get. Not that I have a thing about this. All taking the the form of carefully worded and honest nudges to your self-confidence and to your mindset.
99% Invisible
To me, this podcast is kind of the American ‘No Such Thing As A Fish’. It follows some of the same format and style, in that it focuses on the weird and wonderful stories that normally pass us mere mortals by. However, unlike NSTAAF, 99% Invisible devotes an entire episode to each very specific topic. (Whereas NSTAAF will present four main facts per episode as well as a bunch of subsidiary facts around the topic). This allows the show to investigate a topic to its bitter, or normally baffling, end and present every bizarre or just generally hilarious or heart-warming element. (They recently did an investigative exposé of the song Who Let the Dogs Out that just keeps going - admit it, you are intrigued). The episodes vary wildly in length and the creators are not scared to play around with the format, style or be creative with how they present these lesser known or forgotten stories. The show is a great escape, an awesome reminder of just how strange the world is, and will arm you with endless distracting dinner party quips for when anyone mentions anything to do with current politics. Also, just imagine how smug you will feel when you pull out that random fact you learned three months ago in the bath in just the right situation. Just a warning though, listening to this podcast may cause people to believe you know what you are talking about.
Pappy’s Flatshare
I actually listen to this podcast as I fall asleep - alongside old episodes of ‘No Such Thing As A Fish’. I know that is not exactly a ringing endorsement but I don’t like the crushing silence, Ok? If you are looking for something a little less fact-orientated (wow, I am really not selling this one) then Pappy’s Flatshare might be for you. If you prefer a more loosely structured chat and often incredibly silly tangents then the brainchild of this sketch comedy trio might just be for you. A mixture of chaotic live shows with a revolving cast of special guest comics you will of almost certainly of heard of (seriously, they must have a lot of friends - they seem to have every comic on TV right now on their show) and more subdued(ish) studio records. Flatshare combines and an endless ream of hilarious and convoluted games, fan/audience problem solving (or beef solving to be precise) and peppers each show with an aggressive amount of groan-worthy puns. It’s a bit all over the place but the fun and the silly is there and I can’t imagine that will ever not be in demand.
Welcome to Nightvale
Yes, this is a weird one. I will say that right off the bat. But that is why I love it! So sue me, I’m letting my freak flag fly on this one. The only podcast of this list to take a narrative form, (or is it reality - we shall never know) Welcome to Nightvale takes place in a mysterious small town in which seemingly anything is possible (except peace for its residents or specific answers, apparently). Despite the calm and maddeningly deep voice of the narrator Cecil Baldwin, I would not recommend attempting to sleep while listening to this podcast (unless very odd dreams are your thing, in which case go for it). It is strangely enthralling to sit quietly and listen to a fake radio presenter tell you about the old woman who secretly lives in your home (and has no face by the way) or a blow by blow retelling of the mysterious package you took home from work without realising. You even somehow become invested in the varied cast of townspeople and their various plights and endeavours despite the fact that many of them appear to be mad scientists with a tenuous grasp on ethics or extremely testy axe wielding protester. You might even one day get used to the unique song selection each episode that constitutes a weather report. Ok, now you have to go listen to make sure I didn’t just have a small mental absence halfway through this article. Fingers crossed!
Elis James and John Robins on Radio X Podcast
(Now on 5 Live)
Ok, so this one may be finished but for those who haven’t had the privilege of the duo’s dulcet tones there are still over 264 episodes to go back and listen to. The pair of comics strike just the right balance of getting on and being separate entities. While they share a lot of interests and references, their fairly different outlooks and approaches to life complement each other well. Much like a few of the shows mentioned here, the podcast tries to solve listeners' problems but also allows a very comforting space for venting into the “Shame Well”. (Don’t ask.) Although I never actually got around to listening live, (I’m not in it for the distracting music, I’m all about the chat) I enjoyed the talk and the clearly real friendship between the hosts, as well as their honesty. If this sounds like your kind of thing but you wish it was a little more up to date and topical (why, what is wrong with you?) then never fear - Elis and John have been snatched up by 5 Live, and you can listen to them live on the radio every Friday or on the BBC Sounds app. (A new discovery that also has a load of free audiobooks, just saying.) Go forth, past, present and future podcast listeners - listen to the ads for Squarespace and those recipe boxes you keep hearing about that are starting to look like a good idea right about now. Remove the shackles of your little boxes and take this excuse to stare out the window aimlessly and remember: it's not doing nothing if you are listening to a podcast!
