I’ve always been an avid podcast listener, though last summer I really dove head-first into a wider variety of podcasts and found myself listening to episode after episode of my favourite audio shows. I mainly listen to two genres: comedy and true crime, two vastly different types. I spend hours every day listening to people either crack jokes or discuss mysterious crimes and I’ve enjoyed every second of it, so I thought I’d share some of my favourite podcasts that you can fall head over ears for as well!
Murder Diaries: What happens when two women meet on Bumble BFF and bond over tacos and true crime? Well, naturally they make a podcast! Hosts Natalie and Paige take turns each episode telling a true crime story, usually a homicide though occasionally a missing persons case. The other friend listens and asks questions the audience is probably already thinking, creating a necessary and casual dialogue. A uniquely charming feature of this podcast that helps it stand out from other true crime media is their focus on the victims, specifically preserving the memory and legacy of those who were taken too soon. It can sometimes feel like true crime shows glamorize or give too much attention to the murderers, so Natalie and Paige are respectful and mindful of the victims. Some notable episodes to listen to include “Mean Girls Series: The Murder of Shanda Sharer” and “MURDERED: Colleen Ritzer.”
Sibling Rivalry: Only a truly iconic duo could keep me engaged while they bicker every week over random topics and it definitely helps that they’re both legendary drag queens. This show is hosted by Bob the Drag Queen, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 8, and Monet X Change, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 4. They have been friends for years and their bond is very apparent as they act like real sisters—constantly arguing over the silliest of disagreements but always in a spirit of love and jest. They pick a new topic to discuss every weekend and sometimes perform live on the Stereo app to take questions from fans. The topics range from serious, such as politics or gender identity, to light-hearted, like tattoos or reality TV. Some notable episodes to check out include “The One About Pets” and “The One About Diversity.”
Crime Junkie: This podcast is known as one of the original true crime podcasts or at least one of the most successful. Every week, life-long friends Ashley and Brit tackle a new case, usually homicide or missing people, though occasionally they cover white collar crimes, serial killers, and even conspiracy theories. Ashley usually gathers the facts and tells the story while Brit asks questions, a similar dynamic to Natalie and Paige from the Murder Diaries. They present a case in a neutral manner with no biases—just the facts. Another interesting facet of their podcast is they always include updates on cases they’ve covered in the past, including if there are new leads or a suspect has been charged. Some notable episodes to listen to include “MURDERED: The Coleman Family” and “MISSING: Patti Adkins.”
My Brother My Brother and Me: This podcast is by far my all-time favourite. It’s also the podcast I’ve been listening to the longest. For over 10 years, the McElroy brothers – Justin, Travis, and Griffin – tune in every week with gut-bustingly hilarious conversations as they provide comedic advice to both listener questions as well as some bizarre Yahoo answers inquiries. Their chemistry is out of this world and makes every listener wish they had this kind of relationship with their siblings. There are regular running segments like Munch Squad where they examine odd limited time additions to fast food establishments and segments like Haunted Doll Watch where they find eBay listings of supposedly haunted dolls. I’ve had to stop listening to this show in public because it makes me laugh so hard that I look crazy and the hilarity of the McElroy brothers does not stop with this podcast. They also have a Dungeons and Dragons podcast they host with their father called The Adventure Zone as well as a YouTube series called “Monster Factory” where Justin and Griffin create ridiculously ugly characters in video games. Some notable episodes of MBMBAM include “415: My Very Cool Telescope!” and “367: Shrimp! Heaven! Now!”