For Your Earformation

Podcasts are a great way to relax and pass the time. I'm even listening to one as I type up this blog entry! There are podcasts for every subject you might be interested in. Cars, gardening, music, vegan cooking, basically anything you could think of. Personally, I go for the COMEDY! What follows are some of the podcasts I listen to every week. Many of them I download the episodes and listen to more than once.

DOUG LOVES MOVIES (main website located here)

Stand-up comedian Doug Benson (star of Super High Me) hosts a weekly (although he often releases more than one episode a week) podcast podcast that he usually records at UCB Theatre in Los Angeles. Normally joined by a few friends and colleagues (i.e. actors and other comedians), Doug and company trade banter about movies for about half an hour before settling down to play some games. 

• There's  "A-B-C-Deez Nutz", which is basically going around naming movies that start with whichever letter is up. Winner will get to go first in the next game, which is
• "Build-A-Title", wherein the panel is given a movie title and on each turn must add another movie title that connects to the first or last word (for example, "School of Rock" can become "Old School of Rock" -or- "School of Rock of Ages"). The winner of this game gets to go first in the main event of podcast--
• "The Leonard Maltin Game", which is just "Name That Tune" with movies. First player to two points wins.

Doug Benson is a very funny comedian who smokes cannabis to relieve many of the same afflictions as you readers. Many of his podcasts are free to listen to or download but he also has some for sale on iTunes. His main website (which is linked above), has many classic episodes of the podcast bundled up for sale. Check them out!

RECOMMENDED: The SF Sketchfest Show, Paul F. Tompkins & friends, Jon Hamm-Anthony Jeselnik-Paul F. Tompkins

COMEDY BANG BANG (flagship show of the Earwolf podcasting network)

Hosted by Scott Aukerman (writer for Mr. Show, producer of Between Two Ferns with Zach Galafianakis),  the Comedy Bang Bang podcast (now also a weekly half-hour talk show on IFC! Check local listings!) drops every Monday morning and it's a great way to start your week. Scott will often be joined by a guest and then eventually be interrupted (thanks to his insistence of an "open door policy" at Earwolf Studio) by a second guest who is normally in character. Episodes are usually an hour long and are entirely improv'd. Instead of recommending specific episodes, I'll just tell you that any episode featuring any of the following comedians (or characters they portray) are worth a listen.

• Paul F. Tompkins (himself, Cake Boss, director Garry Marshall, Lord Andrew Lloyd Weber, Ice-T)
• Andy Daly (any Dom Dimello episode)
• Harris Wittels (specifically the "Farts & Procreation" episode. Also you must listen to the four episodes of "Analyze Phish", a series of podcasts in which Phish superfan Harris tries to get Scott Aukerman to become a Phish fan. You do not have to be a fan of Phish yourself to enjoy these. I've never listened to a Phish song in my life and these were hysterical.)

HOW DID THIS GET MADE?

Hosted by Paul Scheer (Human Giant, The League), June Diane Raphael (Flight of the Conchords, Year One), and Jason Mantzoukas (Rafi from The League, The Dictator) HDTGM is a bi-weekly podcast that is not so much a movie review as it is a support group for those who share a traumatic (or exhilarating) film experience. The hosts and their guest will watch the 

During off-weeks, Paul will record a 'minisode' that alerts listeners to what the next show's movie will be, giving listeners a chance to watch it for the first time (or to refresh their memory of it). This week is a new episode week, and the movie is JUDGE DREDD. I've never seen it, and usually I like to wait until I've heard the movie dissected on the podcast before I seek it out. Episodes are released on Tuesdays.

Recommended Listening: Twilight: Breaking Dawn pt. 1, The Love Guru, Fast Five, and finally...Birdemic: LIVE!