So my post the other day about video games kinda got my juices flowing, so I went to my extensive PS2 library to look at all the games I haven't finished. I selected my latest title, God of War 2, figuring I wouldn't be as rusty on that one, as much as say, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. I booted it up, and was pleasantly surprised by how much muscle memory I'd retained as I ruthlessly slaughtered a couple of Cyclopses. And then I saved the game, and saw the last date I'd saved it: April 25, 2008.
I don't deserve an XBox 360.
When I'm not listening to the latest awesome rock n' roll, I do enjoy the podcasts. Herewith, my five fave podcasts, all of which are available for subscriptions on iTunes at no charge to you, the consumer.
1. "This American Life". You don't listen to NPR. I don't either. Because it's fucking boring, and they give a lot of airtime to a couple of knuckleheads to talk about cars. But there are at least 2 shows on there that are worth your time, and none more so than "This American Life". Stories (mostly from true life) from impossibly talented writers and reporters. A better writer than I could tell you why this show is so interesting, but I'll leave it at this: I never even look at the week's theme before I listen. I know I'm in good hands.
2. "The B.S. Report". An ESPN podcast that is occasionally about sports. Host Bill Simmons uses his bully pulpit to interview not just sportswriters and athletes, but also pop culture mavens like Chuck Klosterman. Simmons also regularly puts his friends on the show, which kinda seems douchey, but usually entertains. Especially his Republican Yankees fan friend Jack O, who proves that I can find Republicans entertaining, if they are also Yankee fans.
3. "The Savage Lovecast". I'd been a loyal reader of Dan Savage's column in the LA Weekly for years, and then moved to Rhode Island to find that the Providence Phoenix carried it sporadically, and put it in the Adult Personals section. Which is not fun to look at when you're on the bus. So "The Savage Lovecast" was a welcome find, as we get to hear the desparation in these peoples' voices while they ask questions about the most fucked up shit you can imagine. Always a treat when Savage rips a caller a new asshole for being an idiot. And they could probably use a new asshole after all the stuff they put in the first one. Plus ten points for the best podcast theme song of all time.
4. "The Adam Carolla Podcast". Adam Carolla is possibly the most genuinely funny person on the planet, we just haven't found a way to use him properly. This is close. As listeners to KROQ's "Loveline" can attest, Carolla was the reason to tune in every night, and get depressed about the state of our youth. (Seriously, anal sex is that popular now in high school?) The podcast would probably benefit by being weekly, or maybe only a half hour each day (5 hrs a week is a lot of straight Adam), but it's always worth a listen. Especially if Dr. Drew is his guest, and you can pretend it's 1998 again, only with more swearing and less Limp Bizkit.
5. "Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me!". Another NPR one, this is a current events quiz show that is as consistently funny as anything on TV. A rotating panel of people I never thought of as particularly funny (like Paula Poundstone, P.J. O'Rourke, and Tom Bodette) compete to win the prize for a selected listener. That the prize is an answering machine message from the show's announcer matters not a whit. Plus ten points for showing how funny Neko Case and Rufus Wainwright are; Minus five points for continued use of Mo Rocca.
Honorable Mention: Dame Dameshek's new Accuscore podcast, WTF with Marc Maron, ESPN's College Football Podcast, ESPN Fantasy Focus Baseball, and Uhh Yeah Dude.
Not Mentioned on Purpose: The Ricky Gervais Podcast. I love Ricky Gervais. But this is not listenable. Some moron mumbles something unintelligible, and Ricky cackles for thirty seconds. Then 3 months later they update it with the same thing. I have no idea why people think this is the best podcast around.
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