Paul F. Tompkins on the "Pod F. Tompkast" episode 1:

 Paul F. Tompkins is an improvisational comedian whose short-lived but much beloved podcast, The Pod F. Tomkast, helped spark his particular style of stream-of-consciousness comedy in podcasting. The first (now-famous) episode sounds starts out like an old radio drama including simple music, sound effects and role-playing characters, sort of a mix between Prairie Home Companion and Monty Python, with Paul meandering through different thoughts, allowing himself to go off on any and all tangents along the way. Wandering along to the only (if there is any) through-line theme of his podcasts, the “Great Undiscovered Project” featuring Tompkins' gifted range of celebrity voices (here: Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ice-T) journeying off to another unknown end.

Not as much a conversation as one man going in any and all directions with what’s being said, Paul F. Tompkins' first episode of his first podcast is a true find for anyone who likes to try to understand structure of dialogues. In the next segment of this episode he threads these voices into his "Google Voice Mail Theatre" where Google incorrectly transcribes voicemails, and Paul reads them with a live audience at a club in LA.

One of the earliest podcasts (July 2010) whose style remains unique in the medium, from the gentle piano and barking dog introduction, to the audience's reaction to Google voicemail's disastrous version of the MLK "I Have a Dream" speech, this episode not only features podcast history but also a talent who launched podcasting as entertainment art.Pod F. Tompkast Episode 1

(Paul F. Tompkins)

T.J Miller on "You Made it Weird" with Pete Holmes:

Everybody has secret weirdness. Pete Holmes gets comedians to share theirs.

     When the up-and-coming actor/comedian T.J Miller of HBO's "Silicon Valley" joins his friend, Pete Holmes, on Holmes' second podcast (10/27/2011) the conversation's immediate court-jester improv tone glides with bare-bones honesty to the deep end of the intellectual pool. Their rapport and rambling laughs draw you in as they segue from insane Merriam-Websters, knocking out nonsense words into an honestly emotional discussion of what's important in their lives.

     Often well-known or aspiring comedians appear on podcasts to promote upcoming dates/ sell tickets to their shows, but during these 75 minutes, the only reference to movies or comic acts are to those that have affected these guys' psyches.

(Miller and Holmes being weird)

     "You Made it Weird” abandons any/all talk show chit-chat formats evolving from Holme's desire to probe his guests' (think : Bill Nye/ Zach Galiafiankis) candid views, with jugular-directed questions as lead-ins to discussion. Miller here comfortably fills Holmes' compact podcast's Internet living room.    

Bill Burr on "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" with Jerry Seinfeld:

 Jerry Seinfeld’s video podcast aka "streamed web series" sticks religiously to a premise. Every Thursday at 12:00 pm Jerry (older than a lot of podcast hosts, but also of a different celebrity status) drives a different, amazing car to pick up a comedian, and after showcasing the car, they drive off together to get coffee and chat. Guests have included Mel Brooks, David Letterman, Stephen Colbert, who along with a well-designed corporate sponsor (Acura) team, have continually improved the series' ratings and reviews. In 2015 the Producers Guild of America awarded it the "Outstanding Digital Series" for its 2014 episodes.

(Burr and Seinfeld driving to get coffee)

This episode with Bill Burr stands out due to the dichotomy between the comedians' style and pace as well as from the break from the set format found in other guests' date with Jerry. Burr's provocative material is known to push the audience out of their comfort zone, so when he and Seinfeld, a family-friendly comic, meet despite the best from a professional production team the chemistry is off. The first half of the episode, the mandated script-moving car/ coffee shop, shows Burr awkwardly reserved, chatting away to an almost apprehensive host, who seems afraid to jump in. 

However, the show takes a turn in the right direction as the two leave the regiment of the episode continuing on to cigars after coffee. By this time the two are paced, reacting well to each other's style with a comfortable back-and-forth, carrying it along to when Bill finishing his cigar, teases the Seinfeld format with "you’re gunna have to end it, ‘cause I’m not gunna." This episode on Jerry’s podcast is powerful for students of comedy as well as great fun for everyone. Bill Burr on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

Shane Smith on "The Joe Rogan Experience" 599:

The New York Times describes Shane Smith, one of the original founders of "Vice" magazine and media as "a cross between a punk rocker and a Fortune 500 executive."  Joe Rogan calls Smith, "one savage world traveler" and together they embark upon an ultra world-discussion podcast (#599 January 14, 2015.) Within the first few minutes they set an ambitious pace, diving first into Smith’s investigative visit to/of North Korea ("crazy as f**#"), Russia's collapse of the ruble ("Putin, the new czar"), and both countries’ stronghold control of the media. Keep in mind, these two men's purpose depend on their freedom from corporate sponsorship censors, creating a place (podcasting/ independent cable) where they can voice their unorthodox views in an unorthodox manner. This is powerful talk.

This podcast also covers: Smith's recent trip with NASA to the South Pole disproving any theory of "ice gain" in Antarctica; a 4-week visit with ISIS ("Nazi Germany on steroids"); how Americans would react if invaded; the importance of friends and family; and almost as a given, their necessity of freedom of speech. Purposely they then move away from world issues' doom and gloom, to sharing memories from some of the very exotic places they have visited as well as meals have had there such as fermented Icelandic puffin (not recommended.) 

(Smith and Rogan at a UFC event)

Rogan’s guests are often celebrities, who appear on the podcast to endorse their latest book or movie, but Shane’s free-fall discourse and undefinable style makes these 2 hours and 45 minutes enjoyable, insightful and one of Joe Rogan's best.

Barack Obama on "WTF with Marc Maron":

"This is a big day for our country, for me and for my cats." - Marc Maron

On June 22, 2015 Marc Maron's twice-weekly podcast reached a historic landmark interview for podcasting with the President of the United States casually discussing current events, while seated on an orange couch in Maron's garage. The interview reaches far from standard press interviews becoming personal from early minutes with Obama delving into his roots from the nostalgia brought on by growing up blocks from Maron's backyard (despite the Secret Service guarding from the roof). Their discussion shifts gears into larger realms due to the recent Charleston shooting, Obama's disgust with Congress after the Newtown shootings, race, terrorism, and how his daughters both find him incredibly boring.

(Obama and Maron after recording the podcast)

Of all the podcasts so far selected for this blog, Maron's podcast represents an epoch not just for its significance but for its additional presentation of conversation. Unlike recent innovations of fleeting tweets or sound bites, a podcast medium not only cuts out the standard orchestrated visual of Obama at a podium but allows the listener to visualize, focus and simply listen. Maron, a Los Angeles comic who was one of the pioneers of podcasting with his weekly interview show “WTF with Marc Maron”  shows his best as a conversational comic shining here as he (tries) to set a relaxed tone, follows Barack’s train of thought, and stays a step ahead asking questions that keep a balanced pace. The media jumped on this podcast episode not only because of its difference, but for the President’s unashamed use of the word “nigger" convincing me that that old media has once again shown itself to be the Donald Trump of 2015. This podcast introduces a better way. Obama on WTF: