In this challenging time when most people are under stay-home orders, many people are turning to various forms of entertainment to take the place of the social interactions and adventures they used to have. Podcasts are one of our favorite forms of entertainment here at AAE.
Here are some of our employees’ favorites in a variety of genres. Read more about the podcasts and why we like them below and give them a listen to see if they would be a good fit for you!
1. Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris
This podcast is hosted by Dan Harris, who you probably know from his job as an ABC news anchor. After having a panic attack live on “Good Morning America” in 2004, Harris, albeit skeptically, decided to give meditation a try. Suffice it to say that meditation was a great hit with him. He has since become a meditation evangelist, releasing the book “10% Happier.” In this podcast, Harris goes beyond just discussing meditation to talk about topics including social anxiety, creativity, productivity, and, of course, happiness. I especially recommend episode #240: Why We’re All Grieving — and How to Deal With It, which features David Kessler, a grief expert. That episode deals with the grief many of us are feeling in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Love Letters
Love Letters is a production by the Boston Globe with host Meredith Goldstein, an advice columnist for the newspaper and media company. Each season of Love Letters explores one question that Goldstein has often wondered about how to answer. She interviews various people to learn about their experiences and shares about her own (although she’d be the first to admit that she is herself no relationship expert). The first season deals with the eternal question of how to get over a breakup, while Season 2 explores the question of how to meet someone special and even follows a young woman living in Boston, Erin, as she searches for the one. Season 3 dwells on the question: how do you know when it’s right? Whether you’re looking for love or just looking to be entertained, the anecdotes and human-interest stories in Love Letters are sure to be a welcome form of entertainment in this stressful time, especially if you’re a romantic.
3. Crime Junkie
If you love consuming true crime stories, this is the podcast for you. Crime Junkie covers topics ranging from missing children, conspiracies, murders (both solved and unsolved) and serial killers. Every week, host Ashley Flowers discusses a true crime she’s been researching and thinking about all week with her friend Brit Prawat. While Crime Junkie feels like a conversation between friends, Ashley’s storytelling is easy to follow and Brit’s questions likely mirror any that you yourself may have had about the respective stories. What better to take your mind off the current state of the world than some suspenseful true crime?
4. Stay Tuned with Preet
In Stay Tuned with Preet, Preet Bharara, a former U.S. Attorney, breaks down legal issues that have been in the news in this podcast about “power, policy and justice.” According to the New York Times, Preet earned a reputation for being a crusader against Wall Street crime and public corruption during his time as U.S. Attorney for the southern district of New York. If you have an interest in legal issues or could stand to improve your understanding of the legal system and legal aspects of current events, give Stay Tuned with Preet a try.
5. Make Me Smart with Kai and Molly
Make Me Smart with Kai and Molly, co-hosted by Kai Ryssdal and Molly Wood, is a daily podcast from American Public Media in which Kai and Molly discuss news stories in topics ranging from the economy to culture to technology. If you like to hear daily news analyzed and discussed, this is the podcast for you.
6. Dolly Parton’s America
Ever noticed that in these hyper-partisan times, one of the only things people can seem to agree on is…Dolly Parton? This podcast, which is hosted by Jad Abumrad and has nine episodes, aims to answer that question through interviews with Dolly, a trip to Dollywood and Dolly’s childhood “Tennessee Mountain Home,” an in-depth analysis of the early part of her career when Dolly wrote what she refers to as “Sad-Ass Songs,” and more. If you’re a Dolly fan or a country music fan, this podcast is well worth a listen!
7. Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Dax Shepard, a recovered addict, actor in “Parenthood,” husband to “Frozen” actress Kristen Bell, and an anthropology degree holder, hosts the popular podcast, Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, which is a perennial favorite here at AAE. In each episode, Dax interviews a celebrity, academic expert or journalist, exploring a number of questions relevant to that person and some random ones as well. Given its in-depth interviews with actors, singers, comedians, authors, and more, this podcast is perfect for entertainment lovers such as those of us at AAE.