Entertainment
9 Podcasts Hosted By Celebrities That You'll Want To Check Out ASAP
Podcasts are having their moment, and I couldn't be happier. The success of Serial has drawn attention to the medium as an excellent method of storytelling, and the good news is, there's a vast land of totally free podcasts out there, just waiting to be discovered.
Some celebrities have seen their stars rise through podcasts, and comedian Marc Maron is the most obvious example. However, in this here list, I've mostly included people who are famous independent of the podcasts they helm. I see celebrity podcasting as a noble act; there is not a lot of money in podcasting, and despite their success, these celebrities are choosing to participate in a fresh medium of storytelling.
Listen up: here are the celeb podcasts you need to know about.
Alec Baldwin
Here’s The Thing is Alec Baldwin’s interview show from WNYC. He manages to land much bigger celebrities than appear on most podcasts, but unlike many of the comedians who host podcasts, it is a very formal affair. Don’t expect to learn a lot about Baldwin from the show, but you will learn a lot about guests ranging from Jerry Seinfeld to Lena Dunham.
Chelsea Peretti
The Brooklyn Nine-Nine star has a hilarious call-in podcast, unexpectedly called Call Chelsea Peretti. Subscribe, and if you don’t already follow her on Twitter, please do.
Bret Easton Ellis
Yes, literary celebrity is a thing, and Bret Easton Ellis is proof. Though many of his hardcore fans probably know about his podcast called the Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, those new to the pod will be delighted by his discussions with Kanye West, Marilyn Manson, and many more.
John Oliver
The Last Week Tonight host has been hosting this news podcast since 2007, and his rising star has not prevented him from joining Andy Zaltzman for satirical discussions about what’s going on in the world on The Bugle.
Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black
You might not know you know Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter, but you do. Both comedians were on MTV’s The State and starred in and were heavily involved with Wet Hot American Summer. Their Topics podcast is a hilarious NPR parody, and I highly recommend it.
Kumail Nanjiani
The Silicon Valley comedian adorably has a podcast with his wife Emily Gordon called The Indoor Kids.
Ricky Gervais
The Ricky Gervais Podcast is a popular vehicle for the outspoken comedian.
Cheryl Strayed
The real woman behind Reese Witherspoon’s character in Wild had an amazing advice column before she wrote the book Wild. She just launched a podcast version of the column called Dear Sugar Radio and it’s incredible.
Anderson Cooper
Cooper’s 360 news show has been adapted very successfully into this popular podcast that's definitely worth a listen.
