The Pod Report: Oct 15, The difference you make
By Dana Block
"The true measure of podcast success is the difference you make in the lives of your audience, one episode at a time." -- Amy Porterfield
Looking for a new podcast to add to your listening library? These five shows are new and noteworthy and could be the next "Serial," the next "SmartLess," or simply your personal favorite:
Culture: "Street You Grew Up On" -- Actress Kerry Washington ("Scandal") hosts this new series that puts a nostalgic spin on the popular celebrity-interview podcast. She starts with the simple question of: "Can you tell me about the street you grew up on?" It's a perfect opportunity to get to the root of who these famous folks were before they became paparazzi prey. Guests include actors Ben Affleck and Dwayne Johnson, singer Demi Lovato, and comedian Chelsea Handler. (ART19.com)
Fiction: "Drive Thru Magic" -- Actors Briggon Snow ("The Bright Sessions") and Daniel J. Kim ("Cobra Kai") star in this new fictional drama series about two Gen-Zers who develop a deep friendship via an acoustically clean drive-thru speaker. What starts as small talk over a menu grows into a connection where a customer begins opening up about the grief from which he's been suffering and the challenges he's facing as a young adult. (ART19.com)
Society and Culture: "Before & After with Lester Holt" -- Former "NBC Nightly News" anchor Lester Holt interviews guests about how their lives have been transformed (good and bad) after a pivotal event. His first guest is former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who discusses his impactful decision to not stand for the national anthem at a football game 10 years ago. Subsequent guests include actor Jeremy Renner ("The Avengers"), who suffered a traumatic injury while saving his nephew from a runaway snowplow, as well as Adrianne Haslet -- a dancer who lost her leg in the Boston Marathon terrorist incident. (NBCNews.com)
History: "Call 'Em Like Museum" -- In the first season of this unique podcast, host Eric Johnson talks with museum directors, curators, experts and visitors about "what drives them, from homegrown passion projects to world-famous institutions." The greater San Francisco area is the setting of the first season of this new podcast, which offers a wide array of museums to explore. Think everything from the Pacific Pinball Museum (featuring exhibits you can touch!) to the Haas-Lilienthal House, which is one of the city's most beautiful Queen-Anne Victorians from the 19th century. (CallEmLikeMuseum.com)
True Crime: "Heist at the Louvre" -- In October 2025, a theft took place that you'd only think happens in movies. Jewels with an estimated worth of $100 million that were once owned by French royalty were stolen in broad daylight while the museum was open to the public. In this four-part series, James Longman follows the investigation into the Parisian criminal underworld and a group of diamond thieves. While arrests have been made, jewels like Napoleon's emerald necklace remain missing. (ABCAudio.com)
(c) 2026 King Features Syndicate, Inc.