My 10 Favorite Podcasts of 2011

I may not be ready to reveal my favorite movies or able to share my favorite albums or willing to divulge my favorite sex positions of 2011, but I can sure as heck reveal my 10 favorite podcasts of the last year. When I'm not updating this journal, feeding my child mashed prunes, or making love to my wife in our #5 favorite sexual position, I'm listening to podcasts. I don't know how many podcasts I listen to regularly, but I can tell you that it's right around ten, because this list was fairly easy to compile. Before I share my Top Ten however, let me honor those podcasts that I like, but not quite enough to put them on the list. We'll give them, what I like to call, an "honorable mention."

HONORABLE MENTION: Comedy Film Nerds; Yeah, It's That Bad; Bloody Good Horror; The /Filmcast; Reasonable Discussions; Analyze Phish

Better luck next year. Now let's move on to some winners!

10. The Legacy Music Hour-- A video game music show that wouldn't sound out of place on NPR. For: 8-bit/16-bit music snobs.

9. Tell 'Em Steve-Dave-- Kevin Smith's high school chums gather together each week at Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash in Red Bank, NJ, to harass a small Chinese man, among other things. For: fans of Kevin Smith who are sick of Kevin Smith being on so many podcasts; fans of Kevin Smith's friends (DID YOU KNOW: Tell 'Em Steve-Dave is going to be a reality show on the AMC network next year? It will be called Comics' Men and we'll be sure to let you know what we think about it. Right now, we are cautiously optimistic.)

8. How Did This Get Made?-- One of the three Earwolf podcasts on our list. On How Did This Get Made?, Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael watch a bad/weird/batshit-insane movie and talk about it, usually over each other. For: fans of bad movies; fans of listening to comedians interrupt each other

7. WTF with Marc Maron-- Still one of the best podcasts for comedy nerds. For: comedy nerds

6. Doug Loves Movies-- Doug Benson still puts out my favorite movie-themed podcast. You don't really learn anything about movies or anything, but it's always fun to hear what the last movie Jeff Garlin saw in the theater was. For: fans of movie guessing games; name tag fanatics

5. Extra Hot Great-- As a pop-culture obsessive, Extra Hot Great is essential listening. If you like TV, movies, and weirdo pop-cultural ephemera as much as I do, you need to check it out. Immediately. Oh, and Game Time!!! For: snarky, pop-culture critics with their own pop-culture skewering blog named after an electrified flightless bird

4. Who Charted?-- Howard Kremer and Kulap Vilaysack count down the charts with various guests from the world of comedy. Simply, the best podcast to not be in the top three. For: fans of charts

3. The Heidi and Frank Show-- The only podcast I pay for. Heidi Hamilton, Frank Kramer, and Erik Scott Smith pump out six shows a week (!!!) without a single slip-up in quality. Consistently hilarious and informative--I get most* of my news from the show--The Heidi and Frank Show is must-listen podcasting at it's best. For: people who miss true "hot talk-" style radio

2. Comedy Bang Bang-- The podcast formerly known as Comedy Death Ray, CBB is the place to go for the very best improv comedy from the very best comedians on the planet, all overseen by Scott Aukerman. For: comedy nerds and nerdettes alike

1. The Best Show on WFMU-- So, this one probably isn't a surprise to anyone who knows me. I've been singing the praises of Tom Scharpling's Best Show since I discovered it last year. In private conversation I've described The Best Show as "pretty much my favorite thing ever," until I was reminded by my lovely wife that we have a daughter, who, fun fact, was born on a Tuesday night, just minutes before that night's Best Show. For: lovers of fine and funny things; fans of prog rock loving puppets

*all