the other day i saw you talking about a podcast on why people like cilantro (i think?) and i've gotta ask. what are your fav podcasts? <3

I feel like I’ve been waiting for ages for someone to ask me what podcasts I listen to so thank you so much. That podcast in particular (the cilantro, and also the sourdough I mentioned today) is called gastropod and it’s a show that goes into the history and science of different foods and food culture. The hosts are bland but the information is fascinating and I’ve learned a lot of party facts from listening to them. 

I listen to a lot of different podcasts but these are my favorites in no particular order: 

the dream: this is one of my all time favorite podcasts - it’s a deep dive into mlm culture through the sympathetic lens of a woman who is friends and was raised by the women who participate in them. it really goes into the classism and how poverty plays into vulnerability as well as why women are particular are targeted as perfect victims by these groups. it’s really good and incredibly compelling. the second season is less good in my personal opinion, it’s about spiritual scams in the LA area and is significantly less personal and sympathetic to the host but it’s a still a relatively enjoyable listen but the first season is stellar. 

on being: this podcast has made me cry so many times. each episode is a different conversation between the host and someone who has made an impact within human culture be it scientists, spiritual leaders, poets, authors, and artists. one of my favorites is an interview with mary oliver before her death that made me cry in the retail store I was working at. the host asks each person what their spiritual background is at the beginning of the interview and it really widened my understanding of the different ways people define and take in spiritual practices, even if they don’t believe in anything concrete. 

growing up moonie: as someone who grew up in a cult I am absolutely fascinated by personal accounts of it especially from people born into it. the host hideo is trans and talks a lot about their personal journey with gender/sexuality growing up within the moonies and interviews people who grew up alongside him who got out and are still involved with it. it’s a really personal look into what it’s like to grow in an environment like that. one of my least favorite parts about cult podcasts is that it’s always outsiders making sense of a culture they couldn’t possibly understand so I really enjoyed the intimacy of this one - it’s really beautiful and heartbreaking.

julie: the unwinding of the miracle: I think is the podcast that I literally will never forget. oh my god, I cried so hard listening to this. the host julie yip-williams is dying from stage four cancer and the series chronicles her preparing for her death and then the aftermath of it from her family’s perspective. I’ve never listened to anything like it before, I’m honestly tearing up thinking about it now. julie has such a beatiful perspective and relationship with death. her life story on it’s own is absolutely cinematic there’s really nothing like it. don’t go into it without a box of tissues though. 

faculty of horror: horror journalists and academics andrea and alexandra discuss different horror films through feminist theory. it’s very smart and I’ve never left an episode without looking at a film a little differently. they have required reading listed below each episode which either links to a book or article that does a deep dive on horror academia which I find incredibly helpful as someone who enjoys horror as a study as well as a genre. 

the bald and the beautiful: everyone has a vice and mine are these white drag queens. katya and trixie are pretty infamous and have a webseries and a netflix deal which I enjoy more than their podcast because they are such visual individuals but I have really enjoyed their podcast as well. it’s a breakdown of beauty culture from all different participants in it as well as an exploration of their unique friendship. it’s always an experience diving into one of their episodes and when they get serious about beauty they really explore it fearlessly. 

beach too sandy, water too wet: this is like my comfort food podcast. two siblings read hilarious negative reviews for weird places. it’s very charming and they find each other so funny and enjoyable that you can’t help but feel the same way. one of the hosts does the podcast and that’s why we drink which is a true crime/paranormal podcast that I also semi-enjoy (mostly the listener episodes) but I do think this is there better podcast.

those are my favorites right now. I’ve also listened to all the tumblr favorite radio drama podcasts (my favorites were the adventure zone, the first few seasons of the magnus archives, limetown, and mabel) and I also listen to a lot of run of the mill true crime and academic playlists but I have yet to find a group of hosts that approaches the top in a way I feel comfortable with. again, thanks for asking. this was fun to answer! if anyone has podcast recs I’m always looking for more.