The Sternal Journal: Final Show in D.C. Tonight, Two Compromising Pictures, 4 Recs from the Sloth King of Podcasts
The Julian Sternal Journal:
An Attempt at Tasteful Self-Promotion
Below is an out-of-context picture of me as Gritty to catch your attention.
(While I promise not to descend into Gritty Content in this Journal, if it is Gritty you seek,
I recommend this recent deep dive by Vox's Todd VanDerWerff.)
Greetings Sternal Journalists,
(New thing I'm trying. What do we think? Sternalists? Sterno Journos?)
Welcome back to the Sternal Journal, the only self-promotion that makes it worth your while (If you've been recently added and would like to check out the first Sternal Journal, you can find if here).
I hope you're having a grand holiday with family! Or if you're one of the bunch who pulled the, "We're actually not going home this year, and we can't wait," I hope you and your dog are having productive arguments about Bird Box (But seriously, that sounds very nice).
Anywho! Below the jump, I'll have another blast from the past and a short list of "Julian's Underrated Podcast Picks" to aid you on your travels home or general start-of-year procrastination, but first...
SHOWS!
One more show in D.C.!
12/29 - 8PM - Hot Spot @ Laugh Index Theater
And then the L.A. Shows resume! 1/8 - 8PM - Live from Glendale
@Eastside Showroom, Glendale (Flyer above!)
1/10 - 730PM - Canteen Points
@The Good Nite, NoHo
1/11 - 930PM - Pulled!
@ The Clubhouse, Los Feliz
And now for the useful part!
I am a podcast fiend. Unless you want to hear me talk about podcasts for longer than your average podcast, never ask me what podcasts I like. Not only will you be incapacitated for half an hour, but you'll have to hear obnoxious things like: "But I really think it's accessible to anyone. I mean, it's like a This American Life, but only stories about [Insert: Opera / Reddit / ISIS]" Correct. I've listened to so many podcasts, I ran out of ones that weren't about ISIS.
And while I am the worst, boredom is pretty bad too, so as an end-of-year gift, I'm sharing some of the year's best boredom busting podcasts I think you might have missed:
1. The Horror of Dolores Roach, Gimlet
8 Episodes, ~30 min. each
The most recent scripted creation from podcast powerhouse Gimlet Media (the people behind Start Up, Reply All, Heavyweight, and the recently-adapted-for-TV-starring JULIA-ROBERTS Homecoming), Roach is a whimsi-horrific story about how gentrification makes people loco. It stars Daphne Rubin-Vega (known for being the OG Mimi in Rent) and Bobby Cannavale (known for being Bobby fucking Cannavale, but also Will & Grace), and the story, adapted from an off-Broadway one-woman show starring Rubin-Vega, is probably my favorite scripted pod I've come across. With episode titles like "Lemme Finish You Off" and "And Then He Licks It Up," it's uhhhh not necessarily for the squeamish. If you're looking for something a bit more straightforward, check out...
2. Wolverine: The Long Night, Marvel / Stitcher
10 Episodes, ~30 min. each w/ a 40 min. finale
I'm starting this list with two scripted podcasts because, frankly, this is the first year I noticed scripted podcasts competing with their visual counterparts (For any Homecoming heads, I'm planning to relisten this year, but on my first attempt, it felt more like a companion piece than a cohesive story). Long Night finds two feds investigating a serial killer in a remote Alaska town, but we soon learn that the scope of their investigation also includes the tracking of a certain alcoholic, sometimes-clawed mutant. Where Roach felt like watching a good old Obie two-hander (<-- did I say any of that right?), Long Night feels much more like settling in for a Netflix binge. Notable cast members: Richard Armitage, Scott Adsit, Chris Gethard, and for all my Bala-baddies out there, Bob Balaban. If you're still not sold on scripted pods, might I recommend...
3. Lost Notes, KCRW
8 Episodes, 25-35 min. each
Wouldn't be a podcast list without a "This American Life, but for..." produced by a public radio station, so I present to you Lost Notes. Billed as "An anthology of some of the greatest music stories never truly told," the KCRW pod's cherry on top is that it's hosted by Solomon Georgio, who most will know as a wildly hilarious stand up. But make no mistake: this is not a comedy podcast, and while his personality carries us through, Georgio doesn't approach the task as a comedian. These are deeply reported, fascinating stories about the unknown facets of well-known pieces of music history. If you like boy bands, Boston, or basketball, check out "New Edition's Neighborhood Secret". If you prefer rock n' roll n' royalties disputes, check out "Louie Louie: The Strange Journey of the Dirtiest Song Never Written."
And if you prefer more of a typical comedian's podcast...
4. A Piece of Work with Abbi Jacobson, WNYC / MoMa
10 Episodes, 16-26 min. each
Well, I'm not gonna give you one of those. Don't get me wrong. I love "Listen to an unedited conversation with my funniest friends about [insert topic that doesn't explicitly involve comedy]" podcasts as much as the next guy, but everyone and their mother has one (present company included), and I'm trying to expand minds here. So who better to do that than Broad City's Abbi Jacobson, as she provides a very accessible overview of modern and contemporary art. While she does bring in some buzzy celebrity guests (Hannibal Burress, RuPaul, ?uestlove, Tavi Gevinson, to name a few), this is a thoughtfully-produced, concise exploration of a topic Jacobson is passionate and knowledgable about (While most of us know her for adventures with Ilana, Jacobson is an artist and illustrator in her own right, and graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, WOOPWOOP! MD!) While the episodes are technically standalone, I recommend listening in order.
And that's it for podcast recs. If you give any a listen, let me know what you think! (And if you have any to recommend to me, please do!)
For making it to the bottom, here's a picture of me getting a surprise tattoo with Corey from Pawn Stars, specifically requested by one of the bureau's most intrepid Sternal Journalists.
Next time in the Journal: Pitbull, Wallace Shawn, and Evolution, or How Ocean to Ocean Broke My Brain
Thanks for reading, feedback enthusiastically encouraged! Please have a great weekend.
Your friend,
Julian