Well, as the kids say, I’m in my podcast era! You know I love a good audiobook, but lately I’ve been leaning so much harder into podcasts. Throughout my day, I just love listening to something at all times. Whether it’s a book or a podcast, it keeps me company. (I actually go a little crazy if I don’t have something on while I’m cleaning, driving, doing laundry, etc.)
I have a few favorite podcasts that I’ve been religiously listening to and wanted to share them in case you’re looking for one. And, of course, I’d love to hear from you about your favorites.
Right now I’m much more into “chatty” podcasts, where it just feels like I’m in a conversation with friends. I have done more serious podcasts that are more investigative or storytelling, but right now I just like light conversations.
The four I’m most into right now:
THE MORNING TOAST // Okay, I know this one has been around for ages. Truthfully, I had been reluctant to listen because a few years ago someone sent me screenshots of a Morning Toast Facebook group where people were talking about me so I was kind of turned off by it. But after seeing some of their clips circulating on TikTok, my sister convinced me to listen and I’m hooked. It’s hosted by two sisters Jackie and Claudia and they chat, talk about reality tv, and share five pop culture news stories every day. I think that they are so funny and I really like that there are always new episodes to listen to. I don’t even watch any of the television shows they talk about and yet, I never fast forward through the sections. They are very, very entertaining.
PRETTY BASIC // Pretty Basic is hosted by two Youtubers Remi Cruz and Alisha Marie. I actually watch this podcast on Youtube because I think they do such a great job with the video production quality. They cover kind of a whole range of topics– pop culture, interviews, funny challenges. My favorite episodes are the ones where they talk about the behind the scenes of the influencer world. As a blogger, I love hearing more about the Youtube side of things.
WHAT WE SAID // Another podcast from two friends (sensing a theme here…) Jaci Marie and Chelsey Jade. They are so, so funny and they’ve been friends since high school so they have incredible chemistry. Genuinely, I don’t care what they’re talking about, I’m tuning in to listen. They do 1-2 episodes a week and they’re always incredibly entertaining. They have a couple of series like “Juicy Confessions” and crazy stories from reader. I’ve been listening religiously and look forward to getting the notification that a new episode dropped. Chelsey recently had a baby boy and she occasionally talks about her experiences as a new mom, which I love (but it’s definitely not the subject of the podcast if you don’t have children or have no interest in mom talk, don’t worry).
BAD ON PAPER // BOP has been a favorite of mine for years, of course. (I’ve been on it a couple of times, too: here’s my first episode and my second one.) Grace recently departed and, I will admit, I was nervous about how the podcast might change with a new host. I loved listening to Grace and Becca! Olivia Muenter, the new co-host, is absolutely great though and she and Becca slid right into a beautiful chemistry together. You would never know that Olivia was “new.” I love listening to their non-book podcasts, and when I’ve read the book, I listen to the book club episodes too. I don’t have an in-person book club, so I love hearing their thoughts on books I’ve read!
Caresha Please
I love the Simplified podcast by Emily Ley. They are short podcasts about life and organizing and tips for a more simplified life! Love it!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Be There in Five, Under the Influence, Pivot, Conspirituality, and Gal Pals!
Another vote for Be There in Five!! Love love love Kate.
Third Be There in Five! Kate is my favorite
Hi Carly! Just wanted to share that you might want to do a bit of research on the Morning Toast girls. They have had some pretty serious accusations in the past and have had their share of controversies.
100% Agree – they (and their family) have some unfortunate views on people unlike them. The show is entertaining but I had to stop listening because of their views.
I was unaware!
Some context for The Morning Toast sisters, I don’t listen because of their racist past remarks.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemcneal/claudia-and-jackie-oshry-of-the-morning-toast-scandals-fans
Girls Gotta Eat!!
Also: 10% Happier, Armchair Expert, Code Switch, SmartLess
I’ve been living for every new episode of Normal Gossip! In each one, you get to hear a juicy, true, but very anonymized story about something ridiculous and often hilarious that’s happened to someone else. All the drama without personal involvement! It’s delicious — but will often have you questioning whether gossiping deserves the reputation it has.
If you like podcasts where you feel like you’re just listening to friends chat I highly recommend the Car Mom Podcast. Otherwise I listen to a bunch of true crime podcasts – Dateline, Crime Junkie, The Deck & Small Town Murder. I also love Literally (with Rob Lowe) and Smart less
The Moth — It’s a story slam that recorded with a live audience. People are invited to tell or pitch stories from their lives. Every episode has a theme (motherhood, Pride, making mistakes, etc.) and the stories are typically wonderful.
Absolutely Not by Heather McMahan is my FAVORITE! She’s hilarious. Such a fun listen.
The Rewatchables is a great podcast. They pick a favorite movie and dissect it, discussing the plots, characters, favorite scenes, actors who were originally cast, etc. Lots of fun!
I LOVE What We Said. They joke about being vapid valley girls but I actually find them so well spoken and insightful as well as entertaining.
I’m super partial to the podcast I co-host (Can I Keep You? – we talk growing up during Y2K, the movies and music that made us, and our undying adoration for the actor Devon Sawa), but I also really love Morbid: A True Crime Podcast, Unobscured by Aaron Mahnke, and Parkdale Haunt.
I’m a BIG fan of The Ringer podcast network–Jam Session with Amanda Dobbins and Juliet Litman discusses pop culture topics but feels elevated.
If you want a fun food podcast–Food News is delightful!
Yessss Carly welcome to the Toast!!! It’s my favorite podcast.
Meghan Markle’s podcast “Archetypes” is wonderful, as it breaks down stereotypes about women. And Anderson Cooper has a new podcast called “All There Is” where he disucsses grief as he cleans out his mother’s apartments after she died.
I’ve always enjoyed podcasts but they definitely became a bigger part of my content diet when the pandemic hit. I love BOP! A few others that are always in my rotation:
Absolutely Not with Heather McMahan – Heather is a comedian who is absolutely hilarious. She sometimes has guests but often hosts solo and plays listener calls as they leave voicemails of their “absolutely nots”
Gee Thanks, Just Bought It – all about product recs and shopping. Good mix from clothes to household items to travel
Be There In 5 with Kate Kennedy – Kate is amazing and provides a funny yet thoughtful take on internet and pop culture. Check out her 2 (!) part episodes all about American Girl. Nostalgic and heart warming with plenty of giggles.
I LOVE What We Said! Their episodes of reader submitted stories are hilarious. I’ve gone back and listened to every single episode; they’ve done some really interesting interviews with other influencers (I love the Tezza Barton episode) and they are just so funny. I always tell new listeners to sort by oldest to newest eps and listen to ‘Episode 7 – worst first date stories’ as their intro to the pod. It’s SO funny!
Thank you for the recommandations Carly ! I love Bad on Paper too. My all -time favorite podcast is Happier with Gretchen Rubin, I’ve been listening to it since 2015 ! Right now I’m pretty hooked on Smartless (hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes) : super funny and their chemistry is amazing. I’m also very into true crime podcasts, my favorites being Crime Junkie and Anatomy of Murder ! Have a lovely week !