#if Nicole has 10000 fans I am one of them…

[dryya-doesnt]

Please send me asks I don’t bite 😞😞 anyway here’s a Nicole I painted for anatomy practice

[alifeenrouteblog]

7 podcasts that make you feel like you're hanging out with friends

If you know me, you know that I listen to an insane amount of podcasts. When I have something meaningful to contribute to a conversation, I almost always preface it with “I was listening to this podcast…” I listen to a lot. Mostly because I hate silence and I’m alone a lot. I listen to self-help podcasts, investigative, true crime, but my favorite podcasts are the ones that make you feel like you’re hanging with friends.

All of these podcasts can be found on the Apple Podcast App.

1.     How Did This Get Made?

This is a very favorite of mine. Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas, and one or two guests from the comedy world, talk about a terrible movie. I’ve never seen a movie they talk about it but it never matters. They are so funny. Usually, their episodes are in front of a live audience at Largo in LA. The only downside: its biweekly.

2.     Dough Boys

This is a new favorite for me. Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger review a chain restaurant every week. They both work in comedy, which makes it funny. But what everyone loves about this podcast is their love/hate dynamic. They bicker. They have running arguments. They both openly talk about how they hate this podcast. Every episode feels like it will be the last. But it’s so funny. They always have a cool guest. You have to listen to it to understand. It’s perfect.

3.     My Favorite Murder

Georgia and Karen share my affinity for true crime and the weird, dark, twisted shit that goes on. But they are also so authentic and genuine and hilarious. A lot of people criticize them vocal fry or sounding dumb or any number of things, because people hate women. That’s for another post. But I do strongly believe that Georgia and Karen receive an insane amount of flack and criticism that men doing a comedy podcast do not receive. They have blown up a lot in the last two years. They just got a post in the New York Times. But I haven’t noticed a change in their tone or style. Of course I love the story of each murder they do every week, which they admit are not scientific by any means, but I love how they talk about mental illness, recovery, and just fucking up. That’s what makes it feeling like I’m hanging out with friends.

4.     Last Podcast on the Left

This is kind of like MFM but with three dudes. In addition to murder, they cover just crazy fucked up shit, i.e. conspiracies, cults, etc. And they do heavy research; sometimes a topic will span three or four episodes. They have a balance of characters: one guy is the lead researcher and pretty serious, one guy knows a lot but less than dude #1 and brings a lot of comedic relief, and the third guy is clueless on the topic and represents the layman.

5.     Gilmore Guys

This show is no longer. RIP. But I think they have over 300 episodes archived; some of which are 3-4 hours long, that you can go and listen to now. Each episode, two guys (and a lot of times a guest), one who grew up loving Gilmore Girls and the other is watching it for the first time, review an episode of GG. I’m not a fan of Gilmore Girls, but I have seen it. But that’s never what I tuned in for. They’re just funny. They have great guests. And silly recurring segments like playing the original WB promos and "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fashion!".

6.     You Made It Weird

Pete Holmes does a weekly podcast interviewing someone, usually someone in comedy, to talk about comedy, love, and god. There’s always enough comedy to lighten the mood of those heavy topics. Pete is really into spirituality and has been through so much therapy and self-help, his self-awareness and reflection is always interesting. He ends up talking more than the guest. But I always learn a lot about life.

7.     Why Won’t You Date Me?

Nicole Byer is everything. I am her and she is me. She is so fucking extra. And the funniest person ever, which I’ve heard multiple comedians say as well. Each week she has a guest on and they investigate why the fuck she is still single. They go over her Tinder profile, the guest gives tips, they swap dating horror stories. Nicole is so bawdy, but it’s not like Amy Schumer or Chelsea Handler. Nicole is black and fat (not a hate word, fat is not a bad word and Nicole (with a lot of other body positive folks) use this word to describe themselves and find words like heavy or big to be pointless.) And while Nicole is 10000% proud of her body and who she is and she is fucking sexy, her race and size definitely have an impact on her dating life (did you know that Black women and Asian men are the least likely to be swiped right on Tinder?). Thankfully, Nicole goes there; she talks about it in the most hilarious way. She’s raw. She’s loud. She’s a mess. She’s perfect. If Nicole Byer is not in your life – make her in your life now. She hosts a show on Netflix, Nailed It!

PS:  I don’t think this podcast totally qualifies as feeling like you’re hanging out with friends because it feels more interview format, I really love it and I needed more lady podcasts! Does anyone have recommendations for comedy podcasts with women hosts? I listen to a bunch, but they are on the serious side.