Exploiting the Archives: the Best of Bestcasts — It Turns Out the Naming Rights! Membership Option Was For Real and Someone Is Now Five Hundred Bucks Poorer Presents Nat

I didn't do a Bestcast with Hollywood Handbook or PFT. I just really love this picture.

As some of y’all may be aware, I am something of a podcast aficionado. It would not be too much of an exaggeration to say that I am a goddamned podcasting super-fan. Back when I wrote for The A.V Club, I was the only staffer without editorial or managerial responsibilities, so I was expected to churn out an insane amount of content everyday.

To that end, I created a whole bunch of columns, including Bestcasts, a feature where I would ask my favorite podcasters to single out and then discuss the three favorite episodes of their podcast. And because The A.V Club wielded enormous, enormous power, unlike, say, Nathan Rabin’s Happy Place, we could pretty much get anyone we wanted.

The feature began with the eternally likable Sklar Brothers . Then I spoke with the delightful Julie Klausner, whose podcast, now that I think about it, I totally appeared on as well. Even visited her apartment and met her cat. Anywho, here’s the Bestcasts on How Was Your Week?

Next up I had the honor of getting very geeky with Scott Aukerman talking Comedy Bang Bang. Then I had a chat with this dude named Marc Maron, who talked about his guys and intimidated me ever so slightly with his pummeling intensity. Here’s our conversation.

Speaking of goddamn honors, I then had the pleasure of talking with Scharpling AND Wurster about three of their audio masterpieces: and followed it up by talking

I talked bad movies with my doppelgänger Paul Scheer . In an incredible coup, I even got Chris Hardwick to admit that despite all his “nerd” posturing he’s actually a cool jock who has never seen a Star Wars or Star Trek movie and actually made a point of beating up nerds in high school “to preserve the social order: strong above weak jock above nerd.”

Next up I talked to Jesse Thorn, whose podcast I guested on a number of times, now that I think about it . I finished up with my beloved The Long Shot and then finally Paul Gilmartin and Mental Illness Happy Hour, which would have been my very final piece for The A.V. Club had I not returned in failure and defeat and desperation two years later so I could get my self-esteem decimated one last time.

Sigh. Good times. Good times. In conclusion, podcasts are great! And there may be a particularly exciting one launching soon, in a familiar, happy place. #Cryptic

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