Exploring the internet's many corners with Reply All's Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt
Originally published on May 1, 2020.
At first glance Reply All is a podcast about the internet. But after listening to the show you realize it's also about humans, and how we interact with the ever-changing online world.
The show was created in 2014 by Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt. Together with their team they've released more than 150 episodes. The show has covered a lot of angles. From the NYPD fighting their own computer system to a blog written by an incarcerated man who has never actually seen the internet.
This week on Podcast Playlist we chatted with Goldman and Vogt about how their show has taken them to interesting and weird corners of the web and asked them about the podcasts they enjoy listening to. Our conversation was recorded on Feb. 12, 2020. You can find their picks below.
Plus, we should mention Alex and PJ have just launched a brand new podcast: The Scaredy Cats Horror Show. It's "a podcast about scary movies for people who are too scared to ever watch them."
Podcasts featured this week:
Reply All: A listener asks Alex to investigate some photos on Google Maps that appear to have captured UFOs. But the pictures unexpectedly send him down a Google review rabbit hole.
My Year in Mensa: "Jamie Loftus takes you through her year in the high-IQ Mensa society, from taking the test as a joke to spending the Fourth of July with 2000 angry Mensans in Phoenix. Chaos reigns, but at least it tests well."
Noodle Loaf: Noodle Loaf is an interactive podcast born from the brain of a music education specialist father and his goofball kids. For about 10 minutes at a time, Noodle Loaf invites the family to join together for some creative fun. The show is geared for kids 3-9 years old but we've seen kids of all ages get into it.
1619: Host Nikole Hannah-Jones and guest Matthew Desmond unpack the profound effects of the cotton gin on slavery and the birth of the modern American economic system.
Analyze Phish: "Harris Wittels and Scott Aukerman are comedians, music lovers, and most importantly friends. Where do they differ? Harris loves Phish, and Scott couldn't care less. On Analyze Phish, Harris carefully navigates the vast landscape of Phish's catalogue to find possible entry points for Scott while trying to explain the live Phish experience without the use of illegal substances. Will he succeed? You'll have to listen to find out!"
Plus: PJ and Alex had so many great picks. Here are a couple we couldn't fit into the episode...
Heavyweight: (PJ's Pick) "Heavyweight is currently at work on its fifth season...You can find seasons one through four here."
Hollywood Handbook: (Alex's Pick) "Hollywood Handbook is an insider's guide to achieving your showbiz dreams from two A-List it-boys who are living theirs. Hayes Davenport and Sean Clements provide an exclusive VIP backstage pass into Tinseltown politics, answer questions from unsuccessful listeners, and bring in famous guests to discuss their craft and how they became what they are (famous)."
Do you have a new favourite podcast we should listen to? Email, tweet us @PodcastPlaylist, or find us on Facebook.
For more great podcasts, check out CBC's podcast portal, subscribe in Apple Podcasts.
