We girls have to stick together. ?And we geeky girls really have to stick together.
I won’t lie, there have been multiple times while on the road where I have felt personally victimized by my fellow commuters. There’s nothing that quite prepares you for those wandering eyes peering over at whatever it is you may be reading or watching at that moment. Has anyone ever hear of a little P&P (privacy and personal space)? So what if I am reading The Hobbit? JUDGE ME.
I know I shouldn’t care about the opinions of these mere peasants, yet I’ll find myself covering the title of whatever I am reading or shifting slightly to the right, so that whatever is on my screen is now out of the vantage point of others. Each passerby may have missed the memo, but—as we like to say at Pop Insider—geek is chic. It’s time we surround ourselves with only the best and the brightest who also agree on that one principle.
That’s where these awesome podcasts come in. Each one features a community of—mostly but not limited to—females who are just as OB-sessed with fandoms, pop culture, sci-fi, and the whole shabang, as the rest of us. Whether you are a comics chick, a movie maniac (have you checked out this app?), a pop culture champion, or literally all of the above, you’re sure to find a home (or at least a commuting buddy) with one of these series below. Check ‘em out!
Women of Marvel
Hosts: Sana Amanat and Judy Stephen
We may be making strides, but females are vastly underrepresented throughout the entire comics universe. This podcast is for every lady—and of course any fella too—who eats, breathes, and sleeps Marvel. The show is hosted by two of Marvel’s finest leading ladies: comic creator and editor Sana Amanat and producer for Marvel Digital Judy Stephens.
Every show, the two welcome other influential women—and sometimes men too!—in the world of Marvel. Recent guest included Kelly Thompson, novel and comic book writer who is also currently working on the upcoming series, West Coast Avengers; Lauren Shippen, creator, writer, and director of the science fiction podcast drama, The Bright Sessions; CB Cebulski, Marvel’s talent scout and VP of international development; and a whole lot more.
Their discussions span the Marvel universe, and often seep into other comic-centered topics in TV and film. Aspiring creators, writers, and producers, as well as die-hard fans, will find these chats informative, inspiring, and SUPER (see what I did there?) interesting.
Rocket
Hosts: Christina Warren, Brianna Wu, and Simone De Rochefort
These gals totally get that. The three chicks discuss everything under the nerdy sun, including tech, TV, movies, comics, games, and books. The episodes are usually about an hour long, featuring a cacophony of ideas and opinions.
One week they may be dishing their thoughts on bitcoin and net neutrality, and then the following week they are ready to share their deepest and darkest opinions on Nintendo Labo (BTW, we have some opinions on that too.) They push the boundaries and say whatever is on their minds, which makes for funny—and sometimes risque—episodes. Bring it!
Black Girl Nerds
Hosts: The Black Girl Nerds Team
Meet your new BFF: Black Girl Nerds. The site is devoted to all things fun and eccentric. It’s a place where for all individuals to embrace who they are and what they love (read: fandoms). As it so perfectly states on the About page, “Be nice to your fellow nerds—you never know, you may be working for them one day.” Preach.
Depending on the day, the Black Girl Nerds podcast will dish their thoughts on all things Star Wars, The Walking Dead, Marvel, New York Comic-Con, San Diego Comic-Con, and literally any “Con” out there. Seriously, they covered it all! The show is dedicated to celebrating women of color in the geeky realm, and often shares Q&A’s and profiles on ladies you may already know and love, and some that you SHOULD know and love.
Popaganda
Hosts: Bitch Media
Heard of Bitch Media? If the name isn’t any indication, it’s a no-BS brand that encourages an engaged female audience and response to TV, media, entertainment, and more. And—because it’s 2018—the outlet has it’s very own podcast.
Popaganda will discuss “fluffy” topics, including chick flicks, music fests, and summer blockbusters, and intertwine it with those not-so-easy topics to discuss, spanning race, class, and sexuality. It takes pop culture, and turns it upside down so that its listeners can look at it from different perspectives. It typically lasts about 45 minutes long, and the conversations jump from topic to topic, so make sure you keep up!
The Baker Street Babes
Hosts: The Baker Street Babes
Before there was Law & Order SVU, there was Sherlock Holmes. The Baker Street Babes is a podcast of devoted Sherlock fans who eat, sleep, and breath all things sleuthing. The self-proclaimed Sherlockians/Holmesians speak for this born-again fandom. They admittedly “ooh” and “ahh” over eye candy within the realm, but don’t be fooled. These babes know all there is to know about Sherlock, and will lead thought-provoking discussions about related books, movies, series, and more.
The last episode released this spring chatted with Nancy Spring, author of the Enola Holmes young adult series, which follows the 14-year-old sister of the famous Sherlock Holmes. They post new episodes sporadically, so you’ll have to keep up with them on Twitter and at bakerstreetbabes.com to know when the latest episode will drop. If you love a good mystery and solving a classic case of “Who dun it?,” then this is the podcast for you.
Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria
Host: Cara Santa Maria
If you didn’t just read the title of this podcast and sing it to the tune of “Talk Dirty to Me,” we can’t friends. Now that that is out of the way, Talk Nerdy is hosted by Cara Santa Maria, an LA-based writer, producer, science communicator, and TV personality. Basically, she is really smart. And her podcast is a fun place for fellow intellectuals to swap ideas and hear interesting perspectives. She hosts an array of individuals, including her recent guests including an editor at Scientific American, a paleobiologist and Curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and a never-ending list of science freaks (and I mean that in the most kicka*s way possible) that shed so much insight on topics that would otherwise be WAY out of my realm of thoughts.
You Must Remember This
Host: Karina Longworth
If you love old-time Hollywood and constantly tell your friends that you were born in the wrong era, this one goes out to you. You Must Remember This is the branchild of the one-woman-show, Karina Longworth, who writes, narrates, records, and edits each episode. While Longworth is a stickler for detail and strives for accuracy, the series is a work of creative non-fiction that dives into conflicting reports, long-told myths, and the other side of the story that the public may NOT (ITAL) want you to know.
The new season picks up on July 3—just in time for you to take a trip back in time and fall in love with the good ol’ days this summer.
Pop Rocket by Maximum Fun
Hosts: Guy Branum with Wynter Mitchell, Karen Tongson, and Margaret Wappler
Hosted by Guy Branum and panelsits Wynter Mitchell, Karen Tongson, and Margaret Wappler, the team spans all walks of pop culture through careers in digital, academia, and comics. The crew doles out the latest in pop, and takes a look at current trends and patterns shaping the industry.
They are just like us, and even have their own comfort shows that they turn to when the world sucks (as it so often does), and talk all about here. The latest episode takes a look at bigger-boned bodies and their representation in TV in the past, present, and beyond. Basically, when you plug into Pop Rocket, it’s like getting together with your BFFs over pizza and beer. Count me in.
Invisibilia
Hosts: Alix Spiegel and Hanna Rosin
Latin for “the invisible things,” Invisibilia is for those *artsy* individuals who wear trendy glasses, dark jeans, and black V-neck T-shirts, as they sip on a fresh cup of Joe (guilty!). The show is co-hosted by NPR journalists Alix Spiegel and Hanna Rosin who explore the ideas, beliefs, assumptions, and emotions that ultimately shape each individual. It’s some pretty deep stuff, so maybe stay away from on it on a Monday or Tuesday. Come Hump Day, when we are all at the point in the week where we search for the true meaning of life (or is that just me?), Invisibilia will be your spirit guide on this journey.
Commuting sucks, but these podcasts make the burden a lot less heavy. Whether you start or end your workday with ‘em, be sure to tune in for the fun.
Gotta jet (LOL I wish i had a private jet to take home)!
