The Pod Report: Sep 10, Culture, Food, Business, and more
By Dana Block
“My favorite part of podcasting is running my mouth for an hour. The only time I don’t like it is when I’m off. Then that hour feels like a day and a half.” — Bill Burr
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:
Society and Culture: “Joy 101” — Like many TV talk-show hosts before her, Hoda Kotb has turned her retirement into a podcast gig. While she’s greatly missed from NBC’s “Today” show, she’s still connecting with her audience and interviewing celebrities by asking how they “find, allow and experience joy.” (Pssst … they’re rich!) Kidding aside, her interviews offer inspiration, support and useful tools to her fans. A wide array of guests are featured, like actor Henry Winkler, Peloton instructor Robin Arzon, and tennis pros Mary Carillo and Pam Shriver. (iHeart.com)
Food: “Bitefully” — Listening to this podcast carries the risk of making you undeniably hungry during it, but you can always press pause and swing through a drive-through. The majority of the podcast is in Spanish, so it’s also an excellent way to test what you’ve learned so far from your Duolingo app. This wonderful new podcast hosted by Fox’s “MasterChef” winner Claudia Sandoval explores “the stories we inherit through food — the memories, migrations, traditions and transformations that shape who we are.” It’s not pretentious either; there’s even an episode devoted to Velveeta! (ImmigrantlyPod.com)
Business: “The Blind Spot” — This new podcast that releases fortnightly is hosted by Jason Lee (not the actor) of the company Z Cyber. Z Cyber is a security-operating partner for regulated mid-market companies that assesses, tests and remediates on their AI-native GRC platform. The podcast kicked off with an episode in June about the gap between leadership boards and CISOs (chief information security officers). Recent episodes are more techy, like the one breaking the bad news that AI can reach the data you once thought was unhackable. (ZtekCyber.com)
Comedy Fiction: “HumorUs Stories” — Looking for a short pick- me-up? Each episode consists of one short story that is “narrated with care and a raised eyebrow” by professional voice actor Don McDonald. Discover classics by Mark Twain that you were never required to write a book report about in high school, like “The Story of the Good Little Boy” and its counterpart “The Story of the Bad Little Boy.” The podcast also sprinkles in some new modern tales, but all will make you chuckle. (Shows.Acast.com)
Aftershows: “Outer Banks: The Official Podcast” — Fans who can’t get enough of Netflix’s action- adventure teen-drama series will welcome this six-episode podcast with the show’s cast. Now in its planned final season, this podcast hosted by “Outer Banks” superfan Ria Ciuffo is essential listening, as the cast weighs in on the mysteries of the show and the bond that they’ll always share. (Netflix.com) © 2026 King Features Syndicate, Inc.