Writer: Brett Porter
Since Joe Rogan’s meteoric rise in the industry, the overall popularity of podcasts has arguably hit its peak, and seems to have no shortage of slowing down. I could spend an eternity talking about the ins and outs of the JRE, but instead I wanted to take a moment to talk about a few of my other favorite podcasts. I am judging my five favorite based on a mix of factors, including entertainment and educational value from the hosts combined with the diversity and intrigue of their guests. Like any other article I write, this is based on my personal tastes. Got a podcast you think I’d enjoy? Leave a comment. I’m always open to exploring new content. Ready? Same. Let’s go.
5. Jocko Podcast (2015-Present)
Jocko Willink’s podcast covers a variety of topics, but primarily urges listeners to become the best versions of themselves. Teaming up with his friend Echo Charles, the duo interviews people from all walks of life, with a notable focus on veterans from all over the world. After a couple minutes of watching/listening to Jocko Willink, you can tell the dude radiates intensity. Even with that characteristic, he always goes above and beyond to make his guests feel welcome, allowing for engaging dialogue with whoever sits across from him. He’s even shown he can let his guard down with guests, most notably to me was his episode with Theo Von. There’s way more than meets the eye with Jocko and his podcast will demonstrate that perfectly.
4. Bad Friends (2020-Present)
Who would have thought the duo of SNL legend Bobby Lee and Andrew Santino would click the way they do? If there were no cameras or references to ethnicity, you’d think they were brothers living out an eternal sibling rivalry. Lee and Santino will argue about almost anything, with or without guests. Like the name suggests, their on-screen personas suggest they care deeply about each other, but struggle to show they mean it. Santino often makes jokes about Bobby Lee being Korean, while Bobby Lee tends to use his body of work in the comedy world as a way of deflecting some of the more controversial ribbing that takes place. They make a good team for being Bad Friends.
3. Two Bears, One Cave (2019-Present)
Like the title of the podcast suggest, two harry, husky comedians combine their powers to make the world laugh a little more. Bert Kreischer and Tom Segura couldn’t be any more opposite if they tried. Segura closely resembles a closeted sociopath while Kreischer is a man-child with a drinking problem. These two were friends way before forming a podcast together, and it’s quite evident in their on-screen back and forth. To me at least, a lot of the humor comes from The Machine being a dummy. Across multiple episodes, viewers can witness how little common sense the guy has. If I had to pick a favorite moment, it’s a toss-up to me between these three instances of ridiculousness. The first being the time when Tom bought Bert a teacup that was, to the point of being authenticated, a piece of a set owned by Adolf Hitler. Bert’s laugh was almost high-pitched enough to break nearby glass. The second moment all stemmed from Bert pulling out a half-gallon thermos. On the surface, this is a forgettable moment, but Tom questioning the contents of the thermos, only to find out its full of Kool-Aid, made me laugh an alarming amount. The third, and arguably the worst, was Bert calling his wife on-air, asking her permission for him and Tom to have a three-way with a fan, emphasizing the multimillion dollar check that comes with it. Peak uncomfortability, but how do you not laugh? 2 Bears, 1 Cave is a great podcast to listen to if you prefer something with little to no seriousness.
2. This Past Weekend (2016-Present)
This Past Weekend is hosted by Louisiana’s finest, the standup comic Theo Von. Theo is one of those people that is just naturally funny. He has the ability to turn any conversation upside down with the words that leave his mouth. This Past Weekend does a stellar job of having both hilarious dialogue and heartfelt moments. Once upon a time, like many comedians, Theo Von was battling drug addiction. Getting over his personal demons, or as he calls them, the “dark arts,” he’s definitely played a supportive role to people who have or are actively going through the same torment. His naturally engaging personality makes his guests feel comfortable, which often translates to memorable episodes. He’s pumped out hundreds of This Past Weekends, but the guests that have stuck with me include Dr. Jordan Peterson, Jocko Willink, Yung Gravy, and John Mulaney. To almost anyone else, having such a diverse cast would make conversation hard to maintain or perhaps stagnate, but this dude is so worldly that he could have a good talk with anybody that sits in the guest seat, even if it’s his nephews. A twenty minute video exists on the internet of Theo Von interviewing his nine year old nephews as if they were adults, and it’s honestly one of my favorite segments of all his programming.
1. The Church of What’s Happening Now (2012-2020)
Joey Diaz has lived a hell of a life. From growing up as a New Jersey delinquent, to starting life anew in Colorado, to scamming the entire city of Boulder, to serving time on kidnapping charges, to finally getting back on track through his dedication to comedy, to hosting a biweekly podcast for eight years, you’d be hard-pressed to find a living, breathing person that’s gone through such a gauntlet and lived to tell the tale. Over the years, Joey Diaz invited both us and countless guests to listen to his story one piece at a time. Diaz’s eclectic life experiences have allowed him to connect with a diverse array of guests, ranging from comedians of all levels of notoriety, musicians, actors, mixed martial artists, and probably other categories of human being. Joey’s unwavering intensity is paired with the socially awkward demeanor of his producer Lee Syatt, often creating insulting but hysterical dialogue. A lot of people claim to not have a filter when they speak, but Coco has proven time and time again that he likely never had one. With approval from the brass of Mirth, I’d make an article about my favorite Joey Diaz quotes, but it would definitely be one of those “read at your own risk” pieces, because, well, like I said, he’s lived a hell of a life. Although Joey Diaz’s standup isn’t anything to write home about, he is still one of the funnier people I’ve tuned into over the years. Although it isn’t funny, one of my favorite “PG by comparison to the rest of his work” quotes has to be “You don’t need 20 friends. You just need three motherfuckers and you could take over a country.” Diaz has spent his life in the public eye trying to deter people from going down the same path he did, and in little gems like that, his goodness shines beyond the life he once lived. I can’t say enough good things about this guy. I’ll definitely have to dedicate a whole article to the guy. Long story short, great dude, awesome podcast, would love to eat some of those 500mg stars of death with him and see the devil.
Like all my articles, I had a thought hit me out of the blue, strong enough to motivate me to translate my opinions from thoughts to a (somewhat) cohesive/readable piece. I hope you enjoyed reading this, and I’ll be back shortly. Need anything while I’m gone?
