If you can’t get enough comedy in your life, there’s certainly no shortage of great podcasts out there to keep you laughing as you slog through your work week. A ton of weekly podcasts are released every day, so there’s no excuse for getting to Wednesday and wishing you had something fresh to listen to. Here are my suggestions if you want to listen to a brand new comedy podcast each day of the work week.
Monday: Comedy Bang! Bang!
It’s part talk show, part improv, and all hilarious. Scott Aukerman hosts this podcast, which usually starts as a one-on-one interview with a comedian, musician or celebrity, and then gets absurdly funny as a cast of improvised characters played by incredible improvisers find their way into the studio. Regulars on the show include Paul F. Tompkins, Jessica St. Clair, Andy Daly, Horatio Sanz and Lauren Lapkus. CBB has been so successful, it’s given birth to a t.v. show of the same title on IFC. Start your week off with a bang (see what I did there) and give Comedy Bang! Bang! a listen.
Tuesday: The Dork Forest
Admit it, you have some secret passion with which you’re fully consumed. You go full on dork about medieval history, salsa dancing or romance novels. Embrace your dorkdom and enjoy The Dork Forest, a podcast hosted by standup comedian Jackie Kashian. Jackie brings in a guest every week to talk about their own obsessive hobby or pastime and really digs deep into what the guests know and love about it. You may not know a lot about the dork topic of the week, but listening to someone who is obsessed with it somehow makes it your own obsession, at least for an hour or so. If you want to feel better about your secret collection of doll shoes, I suggest listening to The Dork Forest on Tuesdays.
Wednesday: Judge John Hodgman
You may know John Hodgman as an actor, comedian or author, but you may not know that he is an amateur arbitrator in his spare time. In the Judge John Hodgman podcast, John and his trusty co-host/bailiff, Jesse Thorn, invite listeners to submit disputes to be arbitrated right there on their podcast. The “litigants” have an opportunity to tell their sides of the story and agree to submit their dispute to John for his final, unappealable verdict. John’s dry, off-the-wall brand of humor typically produces a funny and surprisingly well-reasoned outcome for the parties.
Thursday: Never Not Funny
Never Not Funny began in 2006 and hasn’t stopped being funny since. Hosted by stand-up comedian Jimmy Pardo and co-hosted by Matt Belknap, the show follows a similar format every week: Jimmy and Matt, together with their punching-bag support crew, talk about what’s going on in their lives and in pop culture, and then bring in a guest from the comedy or entertainment world. Jimmy flashes a quick wit and sharp tongue on the show, but always in fun and often at his own expense. Matt partners well with Jimmy, often serving as the level-headed voice of reason against Jimmy’s rants. The audio podcast released each Thursday is free to download, but if you’re hooked and want more, Jimmy and his gang offer a fee-based option called “The Players Club” that will give you access to bonus content and video of the show.
Friday: The Nerdist
You may have to wait until the wee hours on Friday night to download it, but The Nerdist podcast will certainly get you rolling with laughter into the weekend. The Nerdist is typically released multiple times a week, including Fridays (sometimes late at night or early the next morning), and is hosted by the Nerdist himself, comedian and game show host Chris Hardwick. Chris is joined by fellow comedians Jonah Ray and Matt Mira as they talk with a wide-ranging group of guests. Nerdist guests over the past year have included Morgan Freeman, Guillermo del Toro, Mira Sorvino, Keanu Reeves, Chvrches, Hilary Swank, Adam West, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul McCartney, Lisa Kudrow, Henry Winkler and Bill Gates. Chris seems to approach his hosting duties part interviewer, comedian and fan, which gives the podcast a fun and familiar feel. The show gets even more personal during “hostful” episodes when Chris, Jonah and Matt go guestless and just chat about what’s going on in their lives. Join The Nerdist conversation Fridays for a great start to your weekend.
This list should keep you laughing through the work week, but if you have other favorite weekly comedy podcasts let me know by leaving a comment.
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