Coronavirus self-isolation: Best podcasts to listen to while at home
Podcast addicts, these are some of the funniest and most intriguing the podcasts to help you get through being a home more often because of the coronavirus self-isolation period.
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HiberNation is your super-guide to everything you need to keep you engaged and entertained during the CoVid19 shut-in.
These are some of the funniest and most intriguing the podcasts to help soundtrack your working hours and downtime at home.
CALM THE FARM
Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations
The Queen of unearthing the hacks to get through life’s travails compiles her interviews with thought gurus, wellness experts and spiritual advisers. These episodes are curated audio from her TV show SuperSoul Sunday and while you can tell it’s ripped from video rather than an original podcast, it’s still soothing to hear Oprah.
The Health Hacker with Adam MacDougall
Footy legend turned “fitness economist”, Adam MacDougall has all of the qualifications and life experience to cut through the myths and trends of the wellness and health industries. He focuses on practical solutions to exercise, food and mental health issues through his own research and talking to leaders in their field.
Shirtloads of Science with Dr Karl
The original and the best science guru, Dr Karl can take on any subject and make it (mostly” understandable as his generations of followers via Triple J can attest. His recent shows have explored such lofty subjects as hyper velocity stars and black holes, why pregnant women should steer clear of kitty litter and climate change.
Chats 10 Looks 3
Great mates – and exceptionally savvy sledgers – Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb get into what they are reading, watching and listening to and unsurprisingly, cooking. And of course, considering the pair’s immersion in the cut and thrust of Australian politics, they chat about the machinations of Canberra.
Take 5
Double J superstar Zan Rowe chats weekly with musicians and other entertainment related guests about five songs around a particular theme. One of her biggest coups was scoring a chat with Paul McCartney when he was touring Australia a couple of years ago, when he deep dived into his own songbook and spoke about how he wrote Blackbird, Jet and other classics.
ENERGY BOOSTERS
From The Newsdesk
The fresh take on the stories of the day from news.com.au’s Andrew Bucklow and Bronte Coy raced to the top of the podcast charts this month. They chat the major headlines of the day and debunk the rumours around the big stories, from politics to pop culture.
Wilosophy with Wil Anderson
The long-running chat podcast hosted by comedian and Gruen host has not only been entertaining but started many national conversations in the mental health. His chats with fellow comedians have been heartwrenchingly revealing at times about their own struggles in life and the Andy Lee episode about their long-running grudge was must-listen stuff.
Aunty Donna
The Melbourne trio have been provoking belly laughs for several years with their fast-paced and often absurdist sketch comedy. And CoVid19 isn’t immune to their treatment with a recent EP titled Zach’s Trip To Coles — The Musical. He has to go to Coles to “buy some dip”.
My Dad Wrote A Porno
One of the first podcasts to win viral attention around the world and spin off into a live stage production, My Dad Wrote A Porno stars Jamie Morton, James Cooper, and Alice Levine. It was inspired by a Morton family gathering at which the television director was taken aside by his father and shown a couple of chapters of an erotic novel being written by his father under the pen name Rocky Flintstone.
Hamish and Andy
You either love this Melbourne comedic bro act – or you don’t. Their latest podcast season kicked off earlier this month and if you can deal with them talk-laughing over the top of each other, you may find a laugh or two in there. The callers tend to be the funniest element of this show.
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CATCH UP
Life and Crimes with Andrew Rule
One of Australia’s most respected crime journalists, the Sunday Herald Sun columnist has been winning plenty of fans with his podcast investigating the bad guys of now and yesteryear. He has explored such infamous villains as the Granny Killer and hitman Neddy Smith and the more recent fraud trial of Melbourne racing identity Bill Vlahos.
Police Tape 1
Popular broadcaster Merrick Watts hosts this addictive series where you can hear from investigating police officers, now off the force and on the record, as they talk about the cases that made their careers, have largely remained untold or simply made them cry. The first ep discusses the death of Michael Hutchence.
Police Tape 2: Blue Sirens
Investigative journalist Natalie O’Brien reveals the stories of resilience and bravery of Australia’s most remarkable women in law enforcement, from dealing with car bombs to facing trauma on the front lines. The five part series is compulsive listening.
Unravel True Crime: Snowball
Triple J’s Ollie Wards investigates conwoman Lezlie Manukian who his brother Greg fell head over heels in love with after meeting her at a house party in London. The pair married and set up a new life in New Zealand where she was welcomed by his family who poured money into a new business. Within months, Ward and his parents’ lives were in ruins.
The Lighthouse
The disappearance of Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez remains a frustrating and heartbreaking mystery for his family and friends. The Australian’s national crime correspondent, at the invitation of the Hayez family, delved deeper into the circumstances surrounding the young tourist’s vanishing in Byron Bay.
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NOSTALGIA
Song Exploder
This long-running appointment listening deconstructs a song with its writer to explore the creative process. While it features current artists and their recent releases, some of the best episodes have explored much-loved tracks including Fleetwood Mac’s Go Your Own Way and MGMT’s Time To Pretend.
Unflopped
This fortnightly podcast featuring “two pop know-it-alls and one bona fide musical genius” dissects the recent happenings in pop music as well as spotlighting a song they passionately believe should have been a massive hit but wasn’t. The most recent episode pitched Heads Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Somebody to Love me by Mark Ronson featuring Boy George.
Stuff You Missed In History Class
Hosts Holly Frey and Tracy Wilson have launched a series of Offbeat History episodes to keep people entertained during the shutdown, running alongside their usual dissections of historic events and discoveries. The offbeat subjects are indeed eclectic and strange from A Culinary History of Spam to The Great Moon Hoax of 1835.
The Osbournes
The original and best reality television series in my opinion spins off into podcast world with 10 episodes hosted by Jack Osbourne chatting with his dad Ozzy, mum Sharon and sister Kelly among other guests. The rock’n’roll family revisit the crazy days of their TV show and dish dirt on fascinating and famous friends.
Desert Island Discs
Your home is now as close to a desert island as it could be thanks to that evil CoVid19. To kick off your own discussion about eight tracks, a book and a luxury you would need to maintain sanity in isolation, check out the suggestions of your favourite stars on this long-running BBC series.