What kind of podcast fan are you? Are you a serious thinker who can’t start the day without a deep dive into the latest news story? Are you a binge-listener who’s after an episodic story, each ending on a dramatic cliffhanger? A bloke who’s into more than just sports? Or are you just after some light relief?
Ever since the podcast boom of the mid-2010s, and especially since the global popularity of 2015’s My Dad Wrote A Porno, comedy podcasts have continued to dominate the format. Whether hosted by Hollywood celebrities, who are reliving their best days on the sitcoms that made them famous, or actual comedians trying their hand at, say, running a fictitious restaurant, they’re one of the best ways to unwind. The upside? You don’t have to do a whole lot of thinking.
So, to get you started, or just to add to your collection, here’s 10 of the best comedy podcasts.
Off Menu
If you could have any three-course meal, what would it be? That’s the culinary dilemma that guests have to answer on Ed Gamble and James Acaster’s long-running comedy podcast, Off Menu. Here the likes of Paul Mescal, Stanley Tucci, and Bob Mortimer, are invited into the hosts’ “dream restaurant†(where Acaster plays a genie waiter) to choose any combination of starter, main, side, drink, and dessert they want, and explain what the dishes mean to them. As expected with two comedy greats at the helm, it’s a hilarious, and sometimes chaotic, ride. You can listen to Off Menu here.
My Dad Wrote A Porno
One of the first truly viral podcasts, My Dad Wrote A Porno, which launched in 2015, does exactly what it says on the tin. In each episode, host Jamie Morton, along with his friends Alice Levine and James Cooper, reads out a chapter from one of the erotic novels his dad wrote, unpacking, reviewing, and cringing at the book as he goes. It’s been so successful that it’s even got its own live show and HBO comedy special. Plenty to keep you entertained, then. You can listen to My Dad Wrote A Porno here.
How Did This Get Made?
Picture the worst movies you’ve ever seen. What are you thinking of? The Room? The Kim K-starring Disaster Movie? 2019’s Cats? Now you’re probably asking: How the hell did this get made? Well, on their podcast, aptly titled, How Did This Get Made?, comedians Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas attempt to answer exactly that. The trio unpack a new terrible film each episode, attempting to make sense of plots, analysing bizarro five-star reviews from Amazon users, and deciding once and for all if the film is too bad to watch, or so bad it’s good. You can listen to How Did This Get Made? here.
Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet
Some people love to complain. They might be reviewing a takeaway whose portion sizes are mean; a sex toy so good that it led to divorce; or maybe they’re pissed off because the beach they went to was too sandy and too wet. Whatever it is, siblings Alex and Christine Schiefer will find it. On their comedy podcast, Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet, the pair track down the internet’s best – and most insane – one-star reviews and conduct dramatic readings of them, along with some additional comedic commentary. So, be careful what you bemoan online – you could end up as a subject yourself. You can listen to Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet here.
Queers Gone By
In Queers Gone By, comedians Caitlin Powell and Kate Butch delve into the film, TV shows, snacks, and other nostalgia from their childhood in an attempt to find out just what exactly made them so queer. From Camp Rock and Horrible Histories to The Wombles and Big Cook Little Cook, the pair take you on a laugh-out-loud journey through time. If you’re wondering which piece of pop culture made them quite so queer, then sorry, they haven’t actually figured it out yet. You can listen to Queers Gone By here.
Fake Doctors, Real Friends
What makes Scrubs’ J.D. and Turk, played by Zach Braff and Donald Faison, on-screen bromance even better is that they’re actually great friends off-screen. This is also the charm of their podcast, Fake Doctors, Real Friends, which sees the pair look back at a different episode of Scrubs each week, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and reminiscing on their favourite memories from each. If you’re a Scrubs fan who wants to get in on the action, you may also be in luck, as Braff and Faison occasionally bring superfans on, as well as legendary guest stars from the show. You can listen to Fake Doctors, Real Friends here.
No Such Thing As A Fish
Every week on No Such Thing As A Fish, hosts and QI researchers Dan Schreiber, James Harkin, Anna Ptaszynski, and Andrew Hunter Murray share their favourite facts of the week – from the astounding to the peculiar to the hilarious. As well as delving deep into each fact, the group picks them apart, sometimes out of interest, and sometimes out of sheer disbelief. You can listen to No Such Thing As A Fish here.
Trashy Divorces
Billed as a good podcast about bad relationships, Trashy Divorces delves into the romantic scandals of celebrities – from marital misconduct to break-ups to make-ups. If that sounds kind of mean, hosts and partners Alicia and Stacie approach each story with empathy, exploring the inherent messiness of relationships – but with a much-needed dose of humour. You can listen to Trashy Divorces here.
SmartLess
The premise of SmartLess is simple: each week, one of the podcast’s three hosts – actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett – brings on a mystery guest. Once revealed, the group interviews the guest, and voila, comedic, improvised podcasting ensues. The aim is to spark authentic discussion, based on shared experiences or new, surprising revelations. As expected based on who hosts it, the podcast boasts an impressive roster of surprise guests, from Paul McCartney and Jennifer Aniston to Kamala Harris and Tony Hawk. Basically, think of a celebrity, and they’ve probably been on SmartLess. You can listen to SmartLess here.
The Always Sunny Podcast
If you hadn’t guessed, The Always Sunny Podcast is a look-back at the last 16 seasons of the hit comedy show, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Each week, the show’s stars Rob McElhenney (who plays Mac), Charlie Day (Charlie), and Glenn Howerton (Dennis) watch a new episode, starting at the very beginning, way back in 2005. As well as revealing BTS moments and reliving the wildest, weirdest, and funniest moments, the trio reflect on the bond they’ve formed since working on the show – all with their trademark humour, of course. You can listen to The Always Sunny Podcast here.
