You need these amazing comedy podcasts in your life, trust us
Oh, Internet! AKA, Distraction Mecca. If you happen to spend some of your daily life rummaging through the world wide web, maybe you’re already familiar with the concept of the comedy podcast. But for the uninitiated, you’re in for a delightful surprise.
There are dozens and dozens of hilarious, endlessly entertaining podcasts created solely to make you feel like you’re hanging out with your funniest friends. Are you curious yet? Check out some of our favorite comedy podcasts, and we basically guarantee you’ll never be bored again!
Improv4Humans, with Matt Besser
Comedy nerd Matt Besser and one of the founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade, has pulled off something truly amazing with his new podcast. Improv4Humans is an entirely auditory improv show, typically featuring three of Besser’s guests —guests who are often friends, and always top-tier improvisers. Using audience suggestions over Twitter and Youtube, Besser and his team spin elaborately absurd, long-form scenes. Great episodes include some of the improv giants like Amy Poehler, Tim Meadows, and plenty of voices you’ll recognize if you’re even a casual fan of the UCB.
Now a show on IFC, this podcast (co-hosted by the ever-fantastic comedy duo, Scott Aukerman and Reggie Watts) is pure candy for us weirdos. Comprised of short sketches, interviews (with celebrities real and impersonated) and signature, Watts-powered music breaks, this show has a little of everything. Guests run the gamut from Weird Al Yankovic to Tig Notaro —so yeah, basically every funny human you can think of makes an appearance (in some shape or form) at some point.
Comedians Kevin Porter and Demi Adejuyigbe have devoted their program to the in-depth analysis of every single episode of Gilmore Girls. As super-fans go, these guys are pretty easy to hang with. And bonus-wise —if you’re also a Gilmore guy, you’ll have a lot of fun pretending to weigh in on the mother-daughter trials of Rory and Lorelai with the experts.
Fans of FX’s Archer will recognize comedian Aisha Tyler‘s voice as that of special agent Lana Kane, the super-cool, super-loud and always irritated foil to the spoiled Sterling Archer. Tyler’s podcast is just as badass as the lady herself. Full of lengthy rants, nerd talk, and special guests, it’s like a party in your iPod. A really wonderfully, dorky party that is.
Welcome to Night Vale is the involved, mysterious saga of a fictional town called Night Vale, featuring the news, announcements, and strands of gossip which involve various citizens of this quirky, slightly magical town. This bi-monthly podcast is recommended for fans of Twin Peaks.
Writer Susan Orlean’s Crybabies is a new addition to the Funny Podcast Club. Even though this show’s place in the “comedy” category is admittedly arguable, given the program’s subject, we still fiercely love it anyway. Orlean has so far generated two episodes of her show, each dealing with the things that make us cry — from sappy commercials to heart-wrenching love songs. With humor and wit, this brilliant lady talks satire and sadness. And with co-hosts like Christopher Guest already sliding into interview slots, the future bodes well for all us Crybabies out there.
How Was Your Week? with Julie Klausner
Julie Klausner is the self-appointed comic guru of the thirtysomething oddball: she’s hilarious, down to earth, and super quick. On this wonderful program, Klausner interrogates some fantastic ladies (and a few men) with simple questions: how was your week? Listen up for her spiraling, loopy interviews with comedy giants like Caitlin Moran and Andrea Martin.
How Did This Get Made?, with Paul Scheer and Friends
This one is possibly a personal favorite. Paul Scheer’s How Did This Get Made? is like a sleepover full of great comedians. The premise of this podcast is deliciously simple: Scheer (and co-hosts June Diane Raphael and Jason Mantzoukas) watch an arguably horrible and often straight-to-DVD movie, and then have a rigorous debate about the film’s plot holes and merits in attempt to unearth something about the backward production process in Hollywood. If you didn’t think you’d ever want to watch a flick about a killer monkey, (or a marriage counselor who’s also a pathological liar, or even Sharknado) prepare yourself to think again.
Now, get thee to the subway, treadmill, or anywhere that’s boring! Because as long as you have earphones, things are about to get way more fun.
