Saying there are a lot of comedy podcasts out there would be a massive understatement. There are thousands of active comedy podcasts to choose from across Luminary, Castbox, Supercast, iTunes, Spotify, and their ilk. The internet is littered with them. And hey, there’s really only so much time in a day (lockdown or not) that you can listen to a bunch of clever people riffing. Plus, a lot of amazing comedy podcasts have already come and gone. Meaning you have deep archives to consider, too.
All of that makes it damn near impossible to know where to start if you’re looking for a few auditory laughs. So today we’re highlighting classic comedy podcasts we love and some smaller, independent podcasts that always deliver on the laughs. We’ve also cut this list down considerably from its last iteration — as several of those podcasts are no longer active (basically, if they haven’t posted an episode in 2020, they got cut).
Let’s dive into some of the best comedy podcasts to listen to right now. Shout out your current favorites in the comments!
Fox Mulder Is A Maniac — Gamefully Unemployed
https://www.instagram.com/p/B32QiLFFTKg/
The Show:
Tom Reimann and David Bell of the podcast and gaming network Gamefully Unemployed churn out some of the best and funniest pop-cultural podcasts out there. One of their best — and maybe weirdest — shows is their newly minted Fox Mulder is a Maniac.
If you’re even tangentially aware of the hit 90s FOX sci-fi procedural, The X-Files, this show is essential listening. Reimann and Bell take a look back at Fox Mulder’s shenanigans and acts insanity with fresh eyes. The results are comedy gold and often disturbing in retrospect. Though most episodes are behind a Patreon wall, several are free on Gamefully Unemployed’s free podcast account Story Mode (where you can listen to great free movies-themed shows like Hypecast and We Just Watched…).
Suggested Listening: Fox Mulder Is A Maniac – S04E02 – “Home”
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Castbox, Patreon
Best Friends — Earwolf
The Show:
Friends Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata started a comedy podcast about being friends, talking to friends, and talking shit about friends. The heart of Best Friends is about friends being there for each other with real support. It’s also incredibly funny.
Byer and Zamata are pros when it comes to comedy and they rarely hold back from cutting to the core of an issue and giving their best advice. Life, death, sex, food, and the brilliance and mundanity of the human experience is all on the table. It’s refreshing, hilarious, and well worth a listen.
Suggested Listening: Nicole and Sasheer Remember Juneteenth
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
You Don’t Even Like Sports — Unpops Network
The Show:
Adam Tod Brown’s Unpops podcast network is brimming with great shows co-hosted and individually hosted by one of the most culturally diverse sets of comedy podcast hosts in the game. 12 Questions with Anna Valenzuela and CelebriTragic with Kari Martin are two unique highlights from the network.
One of our favorite anthology series is You Don’t Even Like Sports, co-hosted with L.A. comedian Jeff May. The show grew out of a mini-series about infamous Oakland A’s baseballer Jose Canseco (definitely worth a listen). And, most recently, the show is wrapping up a series about Dennis Rodman. It’s like Adam Tod Brown and Jeff May’s version of The Last Dance — if it were focused on Rodman instead of Michael Jordan and a whole lot funnier. It’s a rollercoaster of a listen.
Suggested Listening: Dennis Rodman Pt. 1: The Oldest of 47 Kids
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, Supercast
Las Culturistas — iHeartRadio
The Show:
Matt Rogers (Gayme Show) and Bowen Yang (SNL) co-host the “CULTURE” podcast about, well, culture. But the show is so much more than its logline. Rogers and Yang bring on guests to break down modern pop culture while also taking deep dives into their guests’ storied careers.
The real heart of the show is the fun Rogers and Bowen have fun with their guests. The ease of the interviews truly shines through, especially in a recent episode with another SNL alum, Will Ferrell cutting it up about Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga.
Suggested Listening: “Family Style” (w/ Will Ferrell)
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Bonanas for Bonanza — Earwolf
The Show:
Bonanas for Bonanza might be the funniest podcast streaming right now. Hosts Dalton Wilcox (Andy Daly), Mutt Taylor (Matt Gourley), and Amy Sleeverson (an incredible Maria Bamford) flip the old-TV-show-rewatch theme on its head with this podcast. The three hosts have developed fictional characters of such hilarious depths that you’ll find yourself binging through every available episode.
And seriously, Bamford’s Amy Sleeverson — a bible-thumping home and garden guru — is the show’s shining star as they stay in character and earnestly re-watch an archaic and often very problematic Western TV show from the 1960s.
Suggested Listening: Season 1, Episode 7: The Saga Of Annie O’Toole
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Sooo Many White Guys — WYNC Studios
The Show:
After 2 Dope Queens ended, Phoebe Robinson branched out and started her own equally dope podcast. Sooo Many White Guys is a critique of the ridiculous amount of mediocre white guys podcasting (and in every other form of comedy). The idea of the show is to highlight the voices of BIPOC in the music, film, TV, and comedy scene. Robinson’s show doesn’t exclude people because they’re white guys, though — Adam Scott was just on as a guest.
The show works well as an interview podcast with Robinson leading great convos. And once in a while, the show’s executive producer, Broad City’s Ilana Glazer, drops in for some great comedy bits.
Suggested Listening: Phoebe and Padma Lakshmi Swim Through a Lake of Shit
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend — Earwolf
The Show:
Conan O’Brien’s contribution to comedy is massive. If you simply look at his comedic writing credits (from SNL to The Simpsons), it’s already legendary. Then, of course, there are the decades O’Brien spent re-shaping the way we all watch late-night TV. Oh, and he’s also one of the best stand-ups out there.
The original conceit of Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend was to explore whether O’Brien and his guests can be or are friends, even though they work in the same industry and are around each other professionally, seemingly, all the time. Gradually, the show morphed into more of a straightforward interview show — with some of the biggest names in the business (who also happen to be O’Brien’s friends) dropping by.
Suggested Listening: Adam Sandler
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Comedy Bang Bang — Earwolf
The Show:
Comedy Bang Bang has become the gold standard of great comedy pod. The guest lists for the show is one of the most stacked in the game. The overall premise is kind of a hybrid between late-night talk show and sketch comedy.
The show had been imitated many times over the years. Yet the podcast still remains one of the best places for your favorite people in comedy (and entertainment in general) to stretch their legs in the improv world while chatting it up.
Suggested Listening: 660. Judy Greer, Shaun Diston, Will Hines
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Yo, Is This Racist? — Earwolf
The Show:
The conceit here is simple. Hosts Andrew Ti and Tawny Newsome answer emails and voicemails on whether something is racist. Every week the duo welcomes guests (usually comedians) to parse the world we live in and all the metaphoric speed bumps, roadblocks, and death traps by examining how we deal with race as a society.
Enlightenment and hilarity ensue.
Suggested Listening: Fun Only with Ashley Nicole Black
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Anna Faris Is Unqualified
The Show:
Anna Faris is one of the great comedic actors working today. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Unqualified — a pseudo-advice podcast — offers an often hilarious listen that’s legitimately insightful. A big part of the laughs come from Faris’s interviewing style. Each week or so, she invites a celebrity on to talk about the industry, how weird it is living in said industry and the ticks that seem to become universal once you’re in it. Then they call up someone with a problem and try to solve it. It’s funny, poignant, and useful all at the same time.
Suggested Listening: Episode 114 with Macaulay Culkin
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
How Did This Get Made? — Earwolf
The Show:
How Did This Get Made? is the best bad-movie-rewatch podcast ever (which is saying something, considering the imitators it’s spawned). Hosts Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas have built a brilliant playlist of some of the worst movies ever made with hilarious commentary from the hosts plus a long list of special guests.
The thrust of the show is to figure out how or why these bad movies exist. But really, we all show up for the analysis from Sheer, Raphael, and Mantzoukas alongside their friends in the comedy world.
Suggested listening: Ninja III: The Domination
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
You Made It Weird
The Show:
Pete Holmes’ interview show is another classic on this list. The show has been around long enough to feel like its own genre. The original conceit was to parse weird tidbits about people in the world of comedy. Nearly a decade later, the show still has unique interviews with the biggest names in comedy but has also branched out to interviewing people from every walk of life while still maintaining its comedic and weirdness core.
Suggested listening: Will Forte
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Monday Morning Podcast — All Things Comedy
The Show:
Bill Burr’s All Things Comedy podcast network has a deep roster of comedian-led shows to choose from. But for our money, we have to go with Burr’s weekly solo podcast.
The show is about an hour of Burr riffing on the news of the day/week or just pondering things that are eating at his psyche. It’s a bit of a stream-of-consciousness mixed with Burr reacting to fan mail. That may sound boring to some but Burr’s comedic chops are ever sharpening, and it makes for easy podcast listening.
Suggested Listening: Monday Morning Podcast 7-13-20
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Uhh Yeah Dude
The Show:
Uhh Yeah Dude remains one of the best two-friends-talk-shit-out shows there is. Over 800 episodes in, the show’s hosts, Seth Romatelli and Jonathan Larroquette, have a truly deep rapport that allows them to riff, rant, and rave over the weirder (and dumber) news stories from the POV of “two American Americans.”
While the show is very topical to the present, it’s definitely worth queueing up a few episodes from their Patreon archives to get a sense of the show from stabler times. Still, you can jump right into the most recent episode and feel like you’re at home with Seth and Jonathan (and Jeff) right now.
Suggested listening: Episode 805 Jul 1st 2020
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, Patreon
The Thrilling Adventure Hour — Forever Dog
The Show:
Do you love old-timey radio broadcasts in the mold of Orson Welles (or that one episode of Frasier where they did an old-timey radio show)? Then this is the show for you. All joking aside, The Thrilling Adventure Hour is a faithful and funny recreation of those old radio broadcasts that pre-date television, and it’s an absolute delight.
The live shows are a raucous stage plays that bring the laughs with killer performances all around. There are few podcasts that are better at creating a palpable sense of atmosphere and place than this loving throwback to an almost dead artform.
Suggested listening: Wondery presents Murder in Hollywoodland
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
The Dollop — All Things Comedy
The Show:
Comedians Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds tackle American history with a heavy comedic edge. Their famous and hilarious podcast is a great way to parse some of the more curious and hilarious corners of our collective past.
It’s learning through laughter, if you will, that’s not afraid to go dark or absurd in its examination of America and Americans.
Suggested Listening: Episode 300 A & B, The Life of Donald Trump
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
No Such Thing As A Fish
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjCGTg2BK3Q/
The Show:
Over in the U.K., the game quiz show QI is an institution. No Such Thing As A Fish is a roundtable of the researchers and writers who have to find the trivia for the show. It’s a fantastically funny look at comedic writers who spend their lives looking up insanely absurd facts about, well, everything.
The show is a really fun listen that often manages to teach you something really cool. Plus, it’s got a mellow vibe — like you’re at a pub chatting about the crazy shit you read about that day. Give it a listen. You’ll be surprised at what you might learn and how much you’ll laugh.
Suggested listening: No Such Thing As A Lobster War
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Fake The Nation — Earwolf
The Show:
Fake The Nation’s host Negin Farsad walks a fine line of talking politics by not making it all that political. Farsad and her rotating roster of co-hosts breakdown the political and cultural headlines of the week and figure out what the hell is going on with plenty of jokes and laughs throughout. That last bit makes this one a nice palate cleanser to the usual supercharged banter that fills the political podcast world.
While this show isn’t a straight comedic podcast, it’s a current issues podcast with funny people who break down what’s happening and feels like the perfect, light-hearted fit for a newsy podcast queue that needs a little levity.
Suggested listening: “Colombused” As A Verb (w/ Elie Mystal, Justin Krebs)
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Duncan Trussell Family Hour — Starburns Audio
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5bkJnqBHdm/
The Show:
If you seen comedian and psychonaut Duncan Trussell’s Netflix show The Midnight Gospel, this will be a must-listen podcast. Trussell isn’t reinventing the podcast wheel in any way with his interview podcast. Mostly, it’s the quality of guests that Trussell sits down with for chats who make the day. There’s always a deep conversation lurking around the laughs. And sometimes, Trussell and guest go very deep into psychedelic experiences that make for a great listens… if you’re into that sort of thing.
Suggested listening: 382: Joe Wong
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, Patreon
WTF with Marc Maron
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhzqydIlR4b/
The Show:
WTF with Marc Maron is one of the most iconic comedy podcasts around — right up there with Uhh Yeah Dude. Maron helped refine the medium with his intro banter followed by in-depth interviews with some of the biggest names in… just about everything. It’s not hyperbole to say that this is the gold standard of comedy and entertainment podcasting with deep heart and lots of soul.
If you don’t dig Maron’s style of comedy self-loathing, we’d still recommend giving this one a try. Maron is an expert interviewer and draws out a certain vulnerable humanity from every interview subject that makes this show shine.
Suggested Listening: Episode 1130 – Stacey Abrams
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Citation Needed
The Show:
Wikipedia is a great resource for some things. For others, it’s a bit, let’s just say, hit and miss. Taken on the whole, it’s rife for riffing and that’s what Citation Needed is all about.
Each episode finds hosts Cecil, Eli, Heath, Noah, and Tom digging deep into a Wikipedia post and tearing it apart for laughs. Where this show transcends is its ability to be both hilarious and still be informative and, dare we say, educational. It’s an impressive tightrope balancing act and 100 percent worth a listen.
Suggested Listening: The Hitler Diaries
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, Patreon
Doug Loves Movies
The Show:
Cannabis aficionado Doug Benson has been taking on movies in all their ridiculousness and/or brilliance for years now. Benson’s live show (now Zoom), Doug Loves Movies, is a movie comedy podcast that brings in heavy-hitting comedians, actors, directors, and film lovers to take deep dives on movies they love and, maybe, hate. It’s a raucous and hilarious look at movies in a carefree setting that’ll pull you in instantly.
Suggested Listening: Jay Chandrasekhar, Kim Congdon and Chris Cubas guest
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
The Read — Loud Speakers Network
The Show:
Bloggers Kid Fury and Crissle spend their hilarious podcast throwing shade at every aspect of hip-hop culture, pop culture, New York, and all the people operating in those worlds — basically, giving their “read” on those topics.
The Read is the perfect balance of hip-hop, comedy, and insight from a young, cool perspective that doesn’t worry about hurting anyone’s feelings. Kid Curry and Crissle offer deep takes that have heart and aim to enlighten as much as make you laugh. It’s a great show that needs to be on everyone’s feed, especially if you want a non-fawning take on hip-hop culture that’s still deeply in love with said culture.
Suggested Listening: Nike and the Big White Mad
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
My Dad Wrote A Porno
The Show:
Sometimes everything you need to know about a show is right there in the title. My Dad Wrote A Porno is about a Jamie Morton finding out his dad wrote pornography as a hobby his whole life. Morton is joined by James Cooper and Alice Levine to parse — line-by-line — Morton’s father’s erotic fiction.
This show is hilarious, cutting, awkward, and a delight. Luckily, Morton doesn’t take that awkwardness too seriously and instead mines it for comedy gold with Levine and Cooper. Each episode takes on another of the senior Morton’s writings, meaning you can dive in anywhere and get the gist with a million laughs — seriously, this is the sort of podcast that’ll have you laughing out loud while walking down the street.
Suggested Listening: My Dad Wrote A Christmas Porno
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
Office Ladies — Earwolf
The Show:
The resurgence of The Office cannot be denied. And one of the best ways to celebrate the show’s staying power is to listen to every episode of Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey’s hybrid rewatch and interview show. Former castmates usually drop in for the rewatch and analysis of the episodes via a 2020 lens.
If you need that “Office” fix and you’re not at home in front of your TV, this is the show for you.
Suggested Listening: Diwali w/ Mindy Kaling
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox
FilmDrunk Frotcast
The Show:
Uproxx’s own Vince Mancini’s Frotcast is a rollicking listen that touches on current pop cultural touchstones alongside current events with young San Francisco (now L.A.) comics ready to riff deep on every movie, TV show, and issue. Each episode is a pretty straightforward examination of a few topics, selected by Mancini, that the comedians break down in a way that’s brutally honest and, yes, hilarious. Plus, you’ll often get a great coming-of-age story from co-host Matt Lieb that’s part John Hughes 80s teen melodrama and part 70s dirty New York streets hardcore porn.
What makes the Frotcast endlessly fun and listenable is Vince Mancini and co-host Matt Lieb’s (shout out to L.A. Matt and Bat Chapo) ease of banter. You really feel like you’re on the couch with two dudes, drinking whiskey, and ruffling little bags of chips into the mic while you riff on how brilliant or stupid some movie, actor, or politician is. It’s chilling out with a couple of friends for an hour or two and shooting the shit with a healthy modicum of bullshit and plenty of laughs.
Suggested listening: Frotcast 443: The Thing About Hamilton, With Francesca Fiorentini And Andrew Law
Subscribe Here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, Patreon
