Opening Up the Pod Bay Doors
Yesterday afternoon’s dismantling of the 1UP website and associated podcasts reminded me of the transience of life, specifically the life of the internet podcast. From that train of thought, I emerged to give thanks to the podcasts I appreciated while they still exist to be appreciated. For tomorrow, they might be gone.
As much as I watched and listened to their podcasts and enjoyed them, I didn’t visit 1UP much. So I didn’t contribute much to their page-views, hits, or ad-views, I just freeloaded. Unlike blogging, podcasting requires a significant portion of time, technology and expertise, and bandwidth to produce. All for not much in return. Well, I don’t have much to give but I can give this: a few simple shout-outs to the podcasters I appreciate. Word.
Jack Burton, An OP (Original Podcaster)
I listen to a bunch of podcasts but for the moment, I’m going to stick to my top five. Here we go:
Common Sense / Hardcore History
Two podcasts by Dan Carlin and his perennially beleaguered producer, Ben, Common Sense covers political and current events ground and Hardcore History explores the past. Carlin has a unique voice and perspective on both shows. He’s got energy and passion for the subject that shines through. Hardcore History is my favorite podcast, period.
History According to Bob
Another history podcast, this time by history professor Bob Packet. His podcasts are short (ten to twenty minutes usually) so a single subject might take several podcasts for Packet to cover completely. He also jumps around. A lot. I’ve seen Civil War podcasts sandwiched between pirate biographies and World War I flying aces. Packet delivers at a breakneck pace. Every time I turn around, there’s three more of his podcasts sitting in iTunes waiting to be listened to. A nice touch: Bob sources his material at the end of his podcasts. I wish more podcasters followed suit.
SModcast
Director Kevin Smith and his long-time producer Scott Mosier talk about nothing, and everything, and it is all hilarious. No other podcast has made me laugh out loud once let alone almost every episode. I get some strange looks on the subway but it’s worth it for the banter that is solid gold. The cherry on top: Smith and Mosier roleplaying situations, ranging from a murder-minded “second-story” man on the prowl to President Bush revealing an alien to save his legacy.
The B.S. Report
A sports podcast by Bill Simmons. Bill is a funny guy with a dry wit that translates well to the virtual airwaves. While sports is the subject, he’ll wander quite far afield. Bill’s approach is very casual, laid-back. The podcast feels like you’re listening to a couple of guys hanging out in the local sports bar, even if one of those guys is David Stern.
These guys deserve honorable mention because, frankly, they’re just as good as the podcasts I mentioned but I’m just too lazy to write something about every single one: Gamers with Jobs Conference Call, Giant Bombcast, the IFC News podcast, among many, many more.
1Up Show, 1Up Yours, 1Up FM, et al. RIP.
What do you think?