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Six Local Podcasts We Love
From longform interviews to sci-fi audiodramas, we give these local podcasts five stars.
Hosts: Dan Huszai and Brian Harrington Typical format: An hour-and-a-half spitfire rundown with community leaders, business owners and, as the tagline reads, “good people doing gooder things in the goodest city.” Why listen: For insight on the causes that motivate Cleveland VIPs. “We never intended for the show to have a civic-y tone, but if you have a platform you might as well use it,” says Huszai. Standout episode: While the podcast’s mayoral forum, attended by every candidate but Frank Jackson, was a high mark, Episode 84 finds Huszai and Harrington at their best interviewing Ward 15 Councilman Matt Zone on neighborhood progress and his rise to public office.
Host: Elizabeth Emery Typical format: Emery, a former professional cyclist, talks to exceptional female athletes, coaches and more about process and the challenges facing women in sports. Why listen: It fills a glaring void in women’s sports coverage, confronting issues most fans don’t consider. “When I heard that 44 percent of athletes are women, but only 4 percent of sports media coverage was about women athletes, I started having this fantasy of a show like 92.3 The Fan, but for women athletes,” says Emery. Standout episode: Did you know women are more susceptible to ACL injuries? In Episode 21, Emery explores why with a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and Nichole Thompson, a triathlete who suffered an ACL tear.
Host: JD Caminero Typical format: Activists, artists, innovators and everyday Clevelanders dedicated to improving their communities read a favorite quote before breaking down how it fuels their passion. Why listen: Inspiration. “Where I come from, there wasn’t a lot of role models,” says Caminero. “The podcast gives me the opportunity to be a fly on the wall in a room with people who are successful and knowledgeable.” Standout episode: Instead of the podcast’s typical interview subjects, Episode 6 features Caminero’s friend Anthony Green discussing the newfound joy of young fatherhood. Its follow-up, Episode 32, examines Green’s life after his infant son’s unexpected death.
Hosts: Mike Roberts, Brian Bacon and Brendan Kelly Typical format: This disorienting collection of dialogue, songs and news alerts sounds like flipping a radio dial until a storyline emerges amid the sonic collage. Meet a man in love with an elevator, a team of news anchors and some help desk employees — all citizens of a colony on the moon. Why listen: With high-quality sound that will earn audiophiles’ respect, Radio People showcases vibrant, developed characters played by local actors. Standout episode: The show fully commits to the audio drama form in Episode 201. “The first four episodes were more of a variety show,” says Bacon. “Season two is fully serialized, and I think we found our footing.”
Host: Craig Lyndall Typical format: Lyndall and friends debrief on the latest Cleveland pro sports happenings with occasional pop culture references, Ohio State updates and interviews with local personalities. Why listen: Born in the great fan blog boom of the early 2000s, WFNY endures with a no-nonsense editorial voice birthed from true devotion. “We might have hotter takes or get irrational because we’re wearing the fan hat,” Lyndall says. “But I let the audience know. There’s a level of honesty there.” Standout episode: A great draft season listen, Lyndall and WFNY writer Jake Burns lay out a blueprint for fixing the Browns in a Jan. 2 episode following the Browns’ fall to 0-16.
Host: Jon Rogers Typical format: Musicians perform a song before explaining their writing process and the tune’s deeper meaning. Why listen: Even the musically inept will appreciate the uncommon depth of Rogers’ conversation with artists. “At a show, a musician will say, ‘This song is about a summer I had,’ and play the song,” says Rogers. “I’m asking, ‘What happened that summer? What was going on in your life? Tell me everything.’ ” Standout episode: Rayne Blakeman, of solo project Human Petting Zoo, plays the empowering ukulele-driven bedroom pop song “Target Parking Lot” in Episode No. 15, then discusses how mental illness, self-doubt and coming out as pansexual fueled some of her best songs.
entertainment
11:00 AM EST
February 20, 2018