Many of my fondest and most vivid memories from high school are set at the lunch table. It was the one point during the school day devoted to socialising and shooting the breeze with friends without teachers or hall monitors breathing down your neck, all whilst eating food that varied in quality from literal slop to earning the school a Michelin Star. My public school was large enough that it needed to divide its student body into three groups, A, B and C lunches, so you were never guaranteed that fundamental quality time with your friend group. Thankfully, even when schedules were shuffled at the beginning of every trimester, my social net was wide enough that I had a place to go that consisted of 5-12 people each time, at least that I can recall.
I’m not someone who feels compelled to be at the forefront of the banter, especially in large groups; quick wit is a skill I have yet to acquire. Listening to my funniest friends go back and forth on gossip, memes, video games and parties was entertaining enough that just having a seat at the table was enough for me. Where I did shine during this communal dining experience, though, were the days I came prepared with a game. Even when I was little, I loved being the host/MC of every board or card game I played with family and friends. Despite my instinct to be shy and introverted, when someone needed to read all of the Trivial Pursuit cards or be the judge in Apples to Apples (and eventually more adult versions of the same game) a few extra times, I gladly stepped up. And when I saw my chance to bring two of my favorite group dynamics together, I had to jump on it.
At the time, I’d recently discovered the morning radio show of the big local sports-talk station in town, 100.3 KFAN’s Power Trip Morning Show. It’s a show that carries itself a little differently than you’d expect from a program in a primetime slot of a station that bills itself as THE sports station of the upper midwest in that its foundation is built on comedy, typically childish humor, as much as it is on sports. But the main event of its weekly programming takes place on Fridays at around 8:30 a.m.; a game called The Initials Game. For the last 10+ years and nearly 600 games, this puzzling trivia game has brought in an enormous audience of casual and die-hard fans alike. The shortened premise of the game is simple: the gamemaster has a list of 12 items (people, places, things, phrases, etc.), all of which share the same initials. For example, if the initials are M.M., then Mickey Mouse, Marshall Mathers, and magic marker are all possible answers. Participants are then given up to six clues that help them towards each answer, but anyone can ring in and guess when they think they know it. The game’s formula is so simple, in fact, that even a 17-year-old me could set up a half-decent version on my own and convince my friends to play at lunch once or twice a week. After just a few games, my version became such a hit that they would be bummed if I didn’t have one ready for the day. I still have these games somewhere, and every time I go through old things and revisit my scoreboard and games that sparked some very memorable moments of competitiveness. They’re responsible for some of my favorite in-school moments ever.
Unfortunately, life continues on despite the fun you may be having. The games and lunches come to end and friends go their separate ways, and in turn a void is created. That time spent having everything from winding and tangent-filled conversations to highly entertaining and memorable moments of competitive togetherness with my favorite people in the world meant everything to me in the moment, so where does that energy go when those moments are much less frequent? As it stands right now, I have my answer: podcasts.
But not just any podcasts. A certain kind of podcast (or radio broadcast) with a specific dynamic that satiates my desire for lunch table conversation amongst people that truly understand each other in a similar fashion to what I experienced in my high school days. Of course, there are literally millions of podcasts in existence right now (the meme that it feels like everyone has a podcast isn’t as hyperbolic as one might think, it seems) and probably many thousands that are based on some version of this “just friends talking” format. Sadly, a person only has room for so many podcasts in their life amongst all the music, books, TV, movies and social media that we are all also constantly ingesting, so I can only really focus on what I know well and acknowledge that there’s many other good ones out there. Feel free to suggest what you’re obsessed with in the comments or through social media!
What comes next here is a breakdown of four audio programs (one radio show and three podcasts) I would recommend to anyone and where I think the magic of the show comes from. Their “magic” is the foundational piece of my argument that formula is the most flexible, entertaining and engaging style of podcasting. Each show has their bits and pieces that make them unique from both the others and the genres they’d most associate with, but what brings them together is the atmosphere you get a sense of within the first few minutes of listening: you made it to the cool kids’ table.
The Power Trip Morning Show
I’d be remiss if I didn’t kick this off with the show that, for better or worse, inspired me to enter the field of media and journalism and, subsequently, got me to put my nose to the grindstone with my writing. You might think that being a devout listener of “The Power Trip” since about 2015 would make me an elder statesman within the community, but in fact I got on board over a decade late, with its first iteration hitting the AM airwaves just after Thanksgiving of 2001. In the more than 20 years since, the KFAN weekday morning show hosted by Cory Cove, Chris Hawkey and Paul “Meatsauce” Lambert has become a juggernaut of terrestrial radio in the Midwest. But in a shifting media landscape that favors everything radio in its “traditional” form isn’t (shortform, on-demand, skippable ads, etc.), how does this wild bunch stay at the top? The short answer is that they are really, really, really good at it. But there’s a lot more to the story than that.
If you’ve ever watched the daily programming of ESPN and Fox Sports for more than 15 minutes, you have an idea of just how mind-numbing “hardcore sports talk” can be: the same exaggerated takes on the same select group of “popular” teams by the same talking heads day after day after day. The boredom of it all is somehow exhausting. So when, as a more-than-casual sports fan, you come across something that shakes up the monotony of the traditional sports news format, it’s starkly refreshing. The Power Trip does this in a few ways, first and foremost being the apparent and eager desire to dedicate a large amount of time to anything but sports. After spending several of the show’s early years deep in the weeds on, and even taking calls from listeners about Minnesota’s consistently middle-of-the-pack professional and collegiate squads, mixing in discussions on all forms of entertainment, stories from their daily lives and must-hear games and events like the aforementioned Initials Game drastically changed things for the better. As a result, it has become an essential part of morning routines by giving the listener everything they need: a catch-up of yesterday and overnight events, a healthy dose of entertainment and laughs, and a positive attitude to get the day started right (unless their corporate overlords and iHeartMedia have ruined their days before they even got started).
Speaking of entertainment and laughs, The Power Trip separates itself even further from typical sports programming, including their fellow KFAN weekday shows, by the type of comedy they are willing to employ. To some people, the hosts’ constant jokes about penis size, breasts (aka jugs, hoots, T’s, etc.), and a fictional version of Chris Hawkey’s dad’s affinity for feces might be frustrating when they just want some analysis on the most recent Vikings game with their coffee. But when it’s entertainment you won’t find anywhere else, especially on terrestrial airwaves, you have to appreciate it and laugh along. Similar to the next show on this list, The Yard, crass humor is an integral part of The Power Trip’s mechanics. However, in both cases it (usually) serves a greater purpose than crassness for the sake of being crass. For The Power Trip, it’s the boundary pushing, teasing the limits of FCC regulations. And if their now-retired aftershow podcast, The Power Trip After Party, is any indication, they’d be letting filth fly at a much higher clip if the rules allowed for it, which I would have no problem with.
The final important piece to touch on here is that, for as great as the primary trio of hosts are at what they do, sometimes it takes a village to make a great radio show reach its full potential. The cast of characters that appear each week is reminiscent of Cheers in that each guest brings their own flavor and personality while still meshing well with the rest of the group. As well as other KFAN employees Zach Halverson and Maxx Fuller, there are several former professional and college athletes, a war hero and former state representative and multiple sports media members that all make weekly appearances, and an even broader range of “friends of the show” that pop in whenever they want or need to. It feels like as much of a friend group as a bunch of coworkers can, and as someone who has been around them behind the scenes and off the air, that friendship is real. And as the listener, you feel invited into that friendship; while direct call-ins are rare, audience engagement is a massive part of the show. From a small group of listeners being present in-studio for most Initials games to frequent well-attended broadcasts all over the state of Minnesota to the frequently-referenced but unaffiliated X accounts that keep track of the shows, active bets, best quotes, and calendar. And even though there are 20 years worth of bits to reference, the show still feels accessible and welcoming of new listeners and it doesn’t take long to catch on. At the start of every show, Hawkey tells the listeners, “I’m glad you’re here.” And it only takes one listen to hear that he, and all of them, mean it.
The Yard
First, I have to give credit where credit is due. I boarded this train of thought on the lunch table metaphor because of a post on the show’s subreddit in which a listener explains how his father viewed his son’s relationship with show as, “you listen to them like the cool kids at the lunch table that won’t let you in on their conversation so you pretend they’re talking to you.” Even though it might come off as a bit of a pathetic description at first, it made a lot of sense upon further reflection. This is especially because The Yard is the purest example of my argument since its origin story is the most organic of the shows I’m highlighting here. The oversimplified version of events is that they are a group of longtime friends that have been having hilarious conversations for years, mainly in their backyard when they first lived together as the story goes, and decided it would be a good idea to start having them in front of microphones. The show is hosted by popular Youtuber and streamer Ludwig Ahgren, whose millions-strong following jumpstarted the show’s initial audience, and his close friends Nick, Anthony (aka “Slime”) and Aiden, each with their own online presence primarily stemming from the Super Smash Bros. Melee competitive community. However, after over 200 episodes in 4 years, it now has legs outside of Ludwig’s personal social media shadow and is welcoming to anyone that’s willing to get a little crass in the name of great banter.
If someone were to poll a large number of frequent podcast listeners on their preferences relating to discussion and narrative flow, wide-ranging and wandering versus focused and in-depth, I would assume it would be divided fairly evenly. And while there are absolutely pros and cons to each, I, as an avid Yard listener, will be strongly advocating for the former here. As a little experiment, I’ll pick an episode at random: Episode 7, “We took edibles before this podcast”. As it happens, a pretty legendary episode in the show’s canon. During the episode’s 103 minutes, a few of the topics discussed include a disgusting story about fellow Twitch streamer (and Ludwig’s partner) QTCinderella’s dog Swift, an experience going to Chuck E. Cheese as adults, trying to get Jesse Eisenberg on the podcast, farting in the car, estate sales, a NSFW “Fear Factor”-esque game involving Krispy Kreme donuts and, of course, how it feels to do a podcast whilst high. Some might find this jumping around a little confusing or annoying, but for someone like myself who is craving the kind of top-of-mind topic jumping that happens when good friends gather around a lunch table or a fire pit, it feels like home. Even when they talk at length about things I don’t understand, video games like Melee or VALORANT that I don’t play, for example, the ability of all four hosts to hurl enough jokes and insults to keep me engaged makes it a worthwhile listen.
And there’s an additional level of topic variance that is introduced when one or multiple hosts are absent for a given episode. Occurring in The Power Trip as well, it’s easiest to equate it to a recipe. Each piece has its role, purpose and unique ability. And when all of those pieces are together, it results in something beautiful. But if an ingredient is missing, the difference is clear. I will emphasize, though, not in a bad way! It’s just that this new combination has a different texture or flavor, but is enjoyable nonetheless. Translate this back into podcast terms, The Yard has done two episodes fully dedicated to filling out a tier list, ranking every type of guy and gamer ever. Both episodes were done without Ludwig, the show’s “focal point” as the most successful member outside of the show. However, they are some of the most well-liked episodes in the show’s history and “We Ranked Every Guy in the World” is one one of only nine with over 1 million views on YouTube. Shifts in topics, episode themes, hosts and guests all contribute to keeping viewers engaged and on their toes, creating organic anticipation and plenty of strong reactions for every new edition.
Have you ever spent so much time with someone that their common phrases, bits and way of speaking catch on in such a way that you start to use them in your own life? In the podcast space, The Yard might be the kings of causing that phenomenon to occur amongst their listeners (several posts on r/TheYardPodcast back up this claim). The two most classic examples of this come from Slime. First, calling yourself, someone else or a group of people “bears” in a very sweet manner (asking “any coffee bears?” in a roommate group chat to see if anyone wants coffee, for example). Second, saying “Alright man!” in such an indescribable but hilarious accent for a wide variety of reasons from genuinely responding to a question or purposefully being obnoxious to making someone laugh or for no reason at all, similar to a vocal stim. But this is only the beginning! Soon you’ll find yourself referencing wedding pyramids, child pageants (adults only), Dubbin, “quebbins”, Breslin, loving big waves, not making it back, floor wives, Zippers, Monaco, the Goon Commander, Tony Star, phone time, DJ Racist, hearing an ant scream, “Hash Out or Crash Out” and a thousand other bits that almost no one will understand in regular conversation just on instinct. But, if and when that special moment arrives and you meet another member of the community that speaks your language, you’ve made a friend for life.
Speaking of the Yard community, the relationship the show builds with its listeners is the final essential piece to understanding how this show strikes the right chord on my heartstrings. The first part of this is the wealth of extra content they offer via Patreon. For the unfamiliar, Patreon is a site where one can post content behind tiers of paywalls and has become a common tool for podcasts as a revenue stream by hiding specialized content, products and communication behind subscriptions. For The Yard, this means putting access to the community Discord and one extra hour of show behind the lowest tier of $5, unique content like an advice show and Disney Channel original movie watch-a-longs a tier above that, and early access to merch and monthly cards and trinkets mailed to you another tier higher than that. If you really value the show and plan on doing so for the long term, then I firmly believe it’s worth joining at the level you can handle financially. Obviously their primary objective is to make money with it, but it doesn’t mean that what is provided doesn’t deepen your relationship with the show the same way that extra time with your friends outside of banter at lunch brings you closer together.
Second and perhaps more important are the opportunities available for building relationships with other listeners (known as “Yardigans”). The feeling of friendship that you find (in a nonparasocial way through a screen) with Ludwig, Slime, Nick and Aiden can be real if you’re willing to search for it through a variety of avenues. Online, the Reddit and Discord communities are welcoming places to interact with like-minded individuals who are into the same internet culture and crass humor as you. And in the real world, seeing someone in the wild wearing Yard merch is a real “Did we just become best friends?” moment. And if you attempt to expose someone you know to the show and they enjoy it, then you’ve unlocked an entirely new level of your relationship. I’m not kidding, if your friend or partner finds Slime’s bit about dogs and white women funny, keep them in your life as long as possible.
The Ringer Podcasts (The Big Picture, Every Single Album)
I get the most out of a piece of media or content when they inspire me, either to do something or act in a certain way. For the Power Trip, as I mentioned, it inspired me to get into journalism. For The Yard, it motivated me to be more a “class clown” type around my friends. And for The Big Picture and Every Single Album, my two standout favorites amongst a great slate of podcasts from the Bill Simmons-founded media platform The Ringer, they reignited my love for movies and pop music and motivated me to think deeper and more critically about them. Though they’re technically apples from the same tree, there’s a couple of unique aspects to highlight about what makes each one special. But the one thing I will say about both right off the bat is that, like the other shows discussed here, that feeling that you’re listening in on a conversation between long time friends shines through almost immediately. The twist with these shows, though, is that while The Power Trip and The Yard are built on a foundation of comedy and any nuggets of wisdom or new information are a bonus, these Ringer podcasts have a reversed dynamic. I go into each episode ready to learn about whatever album or movie is the topic for that episode, and come out not just with a wealth of new opinions and thoughts to chew on, but a smile on my face because jokes and quips that can only be made between trusted friends were sprinkled throughout. It’s an atmosphere I never expected to find in shows from a more “professional” media organization, but I’m very glad that I have.
The show I’ve been most obsessed with lately is The Big Picture, so let’s start there. Hosted by Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins, this podcast is a one-stop shop for information about all-things movies. From entire episodes breaking down the biggest new theatrical release and the current movie business landscape to more retrospective episodes about the greatest (and not-as-great) years, actors, directors and franchises in history (more on those shortly). I’ve always enjoyed movies, but never really cared to learn my history or stay up-to-date. Going to see two films in theaters a year and booting something up on a streaming service once a month was a fine, casual routine. But with the release of something I cared very deeply about, the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, my craving for other opinions on it brought me to this show. Now I care so much more about Roger Deakins, Christopher Nolan, James Gunn, The Oscars and the year 2007 than I ever thought I would. I think the most valuable friends are the ones that teach you things and expose you to new interests. My best friend and I bonded after I got him interested in Pokemon in 4th grade, and we still talk about it to this day. So for as long as The Big Picture exists, I know I’ll be counting on them as my friendly and trusted source on something I now care very much about.
Another fact about me as a kid: I LOVED watching Animal Planet. For about a decade starting in around 2000, there was no better channel on TV and I’m not exaggerating. The summers of preschool and early grade school were filled with The Most Extreme, The Jeff Corwin Experience, and, of course, Steve Irwin’s The Crocodile Hunter. Absolutely on the Mount Rushmore of educational TV show hosts (alongside Bill Nye, Lavar Burton and Fred Rogers in my opinion), Irwin and his magnificent zoo was my everything as a kid. And a large chunk of the nostalgia I have for his show comes from one very special episode. In it, several of the zoo’s crocodiles needed to be relocated to different enclosures for mating and companion purposes. As we follow along with Steve and his crew shuffling the massive crocs around, pictures and graphics and awesome names would pop up, keeping track of who’s been moved. It was an exhilarating endeavor for my child brain, and I still remember how much I loved that this episode was different from any I’d seen before. This is my long-winded way of saying that I really, really love special episodes of programs that differ from their standard format, something that The Big Picture has mastered. Movie drafts, Halls of Fame, Top 5s, rankings of entire franchises, there is a seemingly countless number of timeless and hilarious episodes that immerse the listener into caring about one specific topic. The Initials Game anecdote at the beginning is not my only life experience when it comes to games with friends, whether it be the card, board or video variety. Playing games, debates and friendly competition in general can bring out the best and worst in a friend group, and I’m thankful to shows like The Big Picture for feeding listeners hours upon hours of that type of content to enjoy, and perhaps get a tad aggravated, alongside.
Much of what I’ve described about what makes The Big Picture a fantastic listen also applies to The Ringer’s other essential podcast, Every Single Album, but with pop music rather than film. However, there is a slightly different atmosphere in the latter that still absolutely works, especially considering the content being discussed. If The Big Picture feels like meeting old friends at a bar to have thoughtful, impassioned discussions about movies new and old (though I should note that, to my knowledge, there has been no drinking on the podcast outside of one legendary episode), then Every Single Album (hosted by Nora Princiotti and Nathan Hubbard) is a roundtable at the mall food court featuring Jamba Juice, Panera and a lot of Taylor Swift music. The music discussed is the core of pop culture nostalgia for young millennials and much of Generation Z; alongside Taylor they have gone in-depth on the likes of One Direction, Adele, Miley Cyrus and Olivia Rodrigo, to name a few, and do a brilliant job keeping up with the current events of the pop music industry. Thoughtful and serious discussion about art and people that are rarely taken seriously is the name of their game. This thesis even inspired Princiotti to write Hit Girls, a magical deep-dive on the hit-making women of the 2000s.
What I find most enjoyable about their format, typically involving an episode being entirely dedicated to one album, is how easy it is to go in each one prepared. Listening to the album they discuss beforehand and coming in full of opinions feels like unlocking another dimension in podcast listening; I’ll fully admit to pausing in the middle of the episode to have full-on conversations with myself about my and their thoughts because I think that’s the kind of emotional response they want people to have. Will Nora and Nathan ever get to know how over-the-moon I was when I heard them agree with me that “ivy” is the best song on evermore? Most likely not. But this circles back to the whole point of this piece: it’s the feeling that is provoked that matters. The feeling of being let in on a conversation between people that care about each other, and care that you are there for it.