18 podcasts to listen to while stuck in 2018 Memorial Day traffic
Meredith Newman
With the holiday weekend quickly approaching, it's time we accept the inevitable.
We're all going to be stuck in traffic. No matter where we are. No matter how far in advance we plan for it. Whether it's to the beach or to the pool, to granny's or to graduation ceremonies at the University of Delaware.
The News Journal compiled a list of podcasts you can listen to to help pass the time. All are available at Apple Podcasts or Google Play.
For those who are podcast newbies
To many, Ira Glass is the godfather of podcasts. He is the host of this hour-long show, which tackles a different theme every week. There are too many good episodes to recommend, so here is a list of the producers' favorite shows.
On a similar note, the success of "Serial," which is also produced by Glass, is the genesis for the explosion of true crime podcasts. In the first (and arguably best) season, host and reporter Sarah Koenig investigates the murder of high schooler Hae Min Lee. Her ex- boyfriend Adnan Syed was convicted of the crime. But he says he's innocent.
As host Anna Sale puts it in every episode, this podcast "explores the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation." It's a mixture of celebrity interviews and conversations about cultural topics, such as student loans, living alone and class.
For those obsessed with true crime
In its first season, this investigative podcast explored the abduction of a Minnesota boy and why the case remained unsolved for so many years. Unlike other true crime podcasts, you actually find out who committed the crime.
Each episode, comedian/writer Karen Kilgariff and former Cooking Channel host Georgia Hardstark share a true crime story that fascinates them. The two like to swear as much as they love a tangent on therapy, ex-boyfriends or cats.
This Los Angeles Times-produced podcast dives into the story of a successful interior designer falling in love with a man named John — and how it quickly turned into a roller coaster of deception, love and forgiveness.
For those who want celebrity dirt
In every episode, comedian Marc Maron sits down with a famous person — think former President Barack Obama, comedian Melissa McCarthy and "Hamilton" creator Lin Manuel-Miranda — and listens to their life story in interviews that are typically an hour long, but can vary.
This bi-weekly celebrity gossip podcast focuses on the famous people you see on the cover of trashy magazines — but you just can't remember their names.
Film critic and historian Karina Longworth dives into the juicy, and sometimes forgotten, history of Hollywood in the 20th Century in this podcast. Her most noteworthy season focused on cult leader Charles Manson, the infamous murders and the handful of Hollywood connections.
For those in need of a laugh
When British writer/director Jamie Morton learned that his father wrote a porno, he decided to make a podcast about it. He and his friends read the decidedly unsexy and unintentionally hilarious book chapter-by-chapter.
The Dan Le Batard Show With Stugotz
This podcast throws sports talk radio constructs out the window and creates a show that's a mix of sports, pop culture and self-deprecating humor. It's quickly becoming one of the most popular sports talk shows around — without really being a sports show.
In this comedy advice podcast, the three McElroy brothers answer readers' questions and turn them into pearls of wisdom. Sort of.
For those who are politicos/news junkies
This Slate miniseries, consisting of eight episodes, tells the story of Watergate as it happened. It will make you realize the political scandal was much more thrilling than you originally thought.
Every episode dives into a decision made by the Supreme Court — ranging from the constitutionality of marriage to internment camps — and tells you the behind-the-scenes story.
An NPR podcast, this show looks at racial, ethnic and cultural themes and how they affect people's lives. Recent episodes explore the influence of Bill Cosby on African Americans, the idea of paying student-athletes and white teens using emojis that don't match their skin color.
For those who love podcasts and want to try something new
As NASA plans to make its journey to Mars one day, researchers are trying to figure out what life would look like for the astronauts when they get there. This podcast follows six volunteers who agree to live on a fake Mars (a remote Hawaii mountain) for one year — totally secluded from the outside world.
In this three-part musical, a couple tries to save their marriage by asking each other 36 questions that supposedly will make two strangers fall in love. Actor Jonathan Groff, from Broadway's "Hamilton" and Netflix's "Mindhunter," stars in the fictional podcast.
Therapist Esther Perel takes you inside real couples' therapy sessions, where you intimately hear people talk about parenting, infidelity and heartache.
Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 324-2386 or at mnewman@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @merenewman.