I listen to a lot of podcasts. Dog walking, on the bus, making dinner. Over the years they’ve got better and better. There’s a lot of choice, from the cerebral through to the comedic. However, there’s only one that I never miss. A recent launch - ‘The Rest is Entertainment’, hosted by Marina Hyde and Richard Osman. Essentially, it’s all about popular culture - aka, showbiz. Film, music, tv, theatre, books, celebrity.
It ticks all the boxes for me.
It keeps me up to date on popular culture
I don’t watch that much tv, so it helps me understand what people are imto nowadays. This is how I learnt about ‘The Traitors’, the re-launch of ‘Gladiators’, and who ‘Mr. Beast’ is. I feel I’m more up-to-date on what’s new and interesting. It’s easy to live and work in your own little bubble. I know I do. This helps me escape from it. Also, as someone who works in marketing, it’s a good way for me to keep in touch with what’s popular nowadays.
And it gives me something to talk about.
It’s Intelligent
Marina and Richard not only explain what’s going on in the world of entertainment, but they explain why. Marina is a brilliant and funny journalist. Richard is a successful novelist, tv host and producer. They know how entertainment works. They’re part of it and they understand its machinations.
Recently, they explained why Channel 4 is in trouble and what the future might hold for it. They explained how shows get commissioned and the risks behind it. They dissected how book publishing works. They explored why music magazines are folding and what this means for us.
I learn so much.
It’s entertaining
Given the title of the podcast, you’d expect it to be an engaging listen. And it really is. They’re both witty and charming. They have a great chemistry and share the limelight. They’re enthusiastic and genuinely enjoy the shows they talk about. They were obsessed with ‘The Traitors’. They laugh at themselves and the absurdities of celebrity culture. Jeff Bezos and his fiancee get a hard time.
The shows only last 30-40 minutes and time flies by. They’re not promoting a book or talking about themselves.
Their job is to entertain and they do.
It makes recommendations
I never know what new shows to watch or books to read and they’re always making suggestions. They’re particularly good at new films and new streaming series. Even when they don’t make explicit recommendations, by simply talking about shows / books / tv series, I’m encouraged to check them out.
I trust their opinions.
Summary
The news is so depressing that I tend to give political or current affairs shows a miss nowadays. I also find the guests on podcasts a little less interesting than they used to be. The same people seem to pop up everywhere.
So I heartily recommend ‘The Rest is Entertainment’. Always an enjoyable and enriching experience. It comes from ‘Goalhanger Podcasts’, owned by Gary Lineker. Looks like he’s got another hit on his hands. Which will no doubt irk a few people in the world of entertainment and politics.