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5. NPR: Most E-Mailed Stories Podcast

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This is simply a collection of NPR news reports and stories that are most frequently emailed to other people. It is a hodgepodge of on ground reporting, interviews with people and just all things people found interesting enough to email someone. For some odd reason the most e-mailed stories are always food related it is kind of funny how that happens.

4. Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!

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It is a 45 minute long, news quiz show. Contesters call in and take quizzes on often goofy and silly news. Other games include “Who is Karl this time?” in which announcer Carl Kasell, who’s day job is the national morning news,  imitates quotes from the previous week. The prizes are always Carl Kasell’s voice on your answering machine. There is also a game called “Not My Job” in which the host Peter Sagal ask famous people questions on things they know nothing about. There is also a comedic panel made up of humerous yet D-list celeberaties who also do answer news questions and crack jokes. Some frequent panelists are Roy Blount, Jr., Tom Bodett, Amy Dickinson, Sue Ellicott, Adam Felber, Kyrie O’Connor, P.J. O’Rourke, Paula Poundstone, Alison Stewart, Paul Provenza, Charlie Pierce, Roxanne Roberts, Luke Burbank and Mo Rocca. Most are writers for T.V. shows or books but they are a fun bunch. Don’t expect to be laughing with unabashed side splitting laughter it is just a nice little program to listen and laugh to when all other news seems bleak.

3. NPR: Fresh Air Podcast

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This is just a interview program hosted by Terry Gross. She truly makes this show. She reads all of her subjects material and asks thorough and thought provoking questions rather than letting the interviewee go through a gloried sound bite session as some interviewers do. She had one infamous interview with Gene Simmons in which Gene repeatedly invited Terry for sex and than said he was just being a man. She reacts really well without being submissive or dismissive. Here is the link for the entire interview if you dare listen to the rantings of a washed up glam rocker. Whenever she does an interview on someone I am vaguely interested in I always tune in.

2. Radiolab

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This podcast hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich is truly amazing. They take scientific and philosphic ideas make them easy to understand and do it all in a lighthearted manner. They sometimes take opposing sides as with the idea of parallel universes and bring two sides to the issue both equally informative. They do an incredible amount of editing to make it seem like you are watching a show through your ears its really quite unique. The podcast is quite infrequent but you can download all of there dozen or so episodes on their website. I am truly amazed by this program and I encourage everyone to listen to at least one episode they are truly amazing.

1. This American Life

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This American Life is my favorite podcast. Each week the host Ira Glass chooses a theme and brings you stories on that theme. These stories could be anything from non-fiction reporting, essay’s, or even fictional stories. This is by far the best produced radio show and it has even spawned a television showon showtime which is equally amazing. The stories they bring you range from hilarious to deeply sad to thought provoking. Don’t let the title fool you this isn’t about how great America is or anything its just showing peoples lives from all around the world as well as America. It was close however to Radiolab however I discovered Radiolab through This American Life so the first place had to go to it!