I wasn't going to recommend this
but...
The Best Podcast Of All Time
The other week my husband lost his phone so I begrudgingly agreed to a phone share (not a thing) while he waited for his new one to arrive. That took about a week so there were long periods of my day when I was phoneless. Other than when I’m working, reading, talking or with my kids, I’m listening to a podcast on my phone so this was disconcerting and everything was just too quiet. I didn’t like it.
It takes a LOT of podcast material to fuel such high consumption. There are only a handful that I truly love and many that I hate. And then there is an enormous middle ground of mediocre or interesting enough podcasts that I suspect I’m wasting my life on.
I once listened to about 10 hours of chat about the Bikram yoga guy being a sex pest. I told a friend I’d just finished it and she simply asked, “Why?”. I honestly didn’t have a good answer for her other than “because I’m wasting my life” but I did resolve to be more discerning about what I will really commit to.
The podcast I love above all others is the Slate Culture Gabfest. I almost didn’t want to write about it because I love it too much and have a weirdly proprietorial relationship with it. I refer to it as “my podcast” in conversation with no hint of irony.
It’s a panel show where three journalist/writer/critics, my beloved Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner, debate the week in culture. I’ve been listening every week for about 9 years and I never tire of it.
Whatever they talk about, I immediately want to consume it and they always help me make sense of my feelings about cultural products, life, the universe and everything. They’re all delightfully clever and funny and whether it’s high or low brow, every conversation is enlightening. If you can make the commitment, the reward is in getting to know the hosts so stick with it for a while if you can. You now know about the Slate Culture Gabfest. Don’t let me down.
Late to the party
It may have started a decade ago but I played hard to get and only recently watched Scandal for the first time. Man, I love American TV procedurals. Sometimes, you just want taut, formulaic telly that has 50 episodes per season and 236 seasons (I may be rounding up). I duly watched the first two pleasurable seasons of sexy Washington political shenanigans, snappy banter and urgent Presidential shagging and thoroughly enjoyed gawping at Kerry Washington’s exquisite face but then the whole show went absolutely batshit. Murders, conspiracies, cover ups, murders. What the hell is going on? Should I keep watching? I kind of can’t look away at this stage.
I need a reading week
I’m a bit stressed about reading at the moment because there are too many books on my bedside table that I want to read and not enough time (I know, stop watching Scandal, you fool). They include Cult Classic by Sloane Crosley, Darling by India Knight, Managing Expectations by Minnie Diver and The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingslover amongst others.
I’ve just started Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido, suggested by my friend Emily for Book Club. I’m enjoying it so far but such lavish praise is heaped on it in the foreword that I feel intense pressure to love it. Let’s see. I’ll keep you posted.
P.S My friend sent me to the trailer for the new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Lots of people on Twitter seem to be getting their knickers in a twist about the winking, Fleabag-style, direct address to camera style. I haven’t read the book yet so I have no allegiance to the source material. Our take on the trailer was that Dakota Johnson’s hair is good and that her British accent is plausible, probably because she had Chris Martin to practice with. I’ll definitely be watching the film.
P.P.S What the “men don’t read novels” debate gets wrong about fiction
P.P.P.S Look at Ryan Gosling as Ken in the new Barbie film directed by Greta Gerwig! (out July 2023)
What are you reading, listening to and watching this week? Tell me all about it below.
See you next time!
Hannah
Do you have a definitive list of podcast recs? Would love to know top five