Podcasts: Simply the Best

Out of NKY, Guest contributor Brad VonHoene brings us:

The Best Show on WFMU
This is a radio show. You can get the podcast on iTunes every Thursday…..What are you waiting for? Download it. Now. Seriously.
The Best Show on WFMU is quite possibly the best form of entertainment that I have ever experienced. The Best Show is on every Tuesday night from 8-11 on WFMU out of Jersey City, New Jersey. WFMU is a free-form radio station and the Best Show, in my humble opinion, is the best programming that they offer. Tom Scharpling and John Wurster have built up the city of Newbridge, New Jersey over the last eight years. Scharpling enters the show by playing great music for around 20 min. then the show becomes a call in show with comedy bits as well as real callers from around the country. Tom is always willing to rant about anything that makes him upset (often callers) and has no qualms about dumping callers left and right. With a deep cast of characters such as Philly Boy Roy, the Gorch, Gene Simmons, Marky Ramone, and Hippy Johnny the Best Show offers some of the best humor to look forward to every week. The show covers most topics but if you are a fan of obscure music references, movies, and Philly you will be able to find humor throughout the show. There is also a new podcast called Best Show Gems that is a greatest hits collection of Best Show bits. It comes out ever other Monday and it is free.

Doug Benson’s I Love Movies
I have been listening to this podcast for quite some time and I was disappointed when it took and indefinite hiatus. BUT NOW IT”S BACK. You may know Doug Benson from shows like VH1’s Best Week Ever or his comedy album Professional Humoredian or his documentary Super High Me. If you have ever seen Doug perform it is no secret that he is a fan of pot. The subject comes up quite frequently in his stand up and obviously Super High Me, in which he abstained from pot for 30 days and then smoked as much as he could for 30 days straight to see if marijuana really has the negative effects it is reported to have. However, the subject never really comes up in I Love Movies and that is why I enjoy it so much. Benson’s allusions to pot are always well timed and hilarious but I Love Movies focuses on his, well, love of movies. Accompanied by a guest (usually a fellow comedian) Benson talks about movies past and present in conversation and it always leads to absolute hilarity. Top notch guests such as Paul F. Tomkins, Sarah Silverman, and Brian Posehn always make the listen interesting. I don’t see why anyone would not want to listen to this podcast. Seriously. If you love movies and like comedy there is no reason to make this a staple on your iPod.

Never Not Funny with Jimmy Pardo
You may have seen him on clip shows on VH1 or the show Movies At our House but this podcast is above all. Other than seeing Pardo live, I would say that this podcast is his best work. I have been listening to this every week for about 3 years and I can only say that it has gotten better. There are a variety of guests including comedians and actors as well as family members and best friends. There is really no premise for the show, just an open forum to talk about anything and everything. The best part about this podcast in my opinion are the road stories that both Pardo and his guests have about traveling the country and performing standup. The show is never boring and even the most random conversation has humor in it. The only downside is that this podcast went to a pay format so it will cost you $20 for 26 weeks of hour and a half shows plus bonus material from other live Jimmy Pardo game shows and comedy. For $40 a year you are sure to have at least an hour and a half of humor in your life every week. If you are a fan of this you can also check out Jimmy Dore’s podcast Comedy and Everything Else for free on iTunes.

- BVH