Talking points
Luminary is the latest company hoping to dominate the podcasting medium. The startup, which co-founder Matt Sacks hopes will “become synonymous with podcasting in the same way Netflix has become synonymous with streaming,” will bring together shows by Trevor Noah, Lena Dunham and Russell Brand, along with a musical follow-up to Hedwig and the Angry Itch and a new series from Slow Burn creator Leon Neyfakh. The catch? You’ll have to pay for a subscription to listen to them.
In a sea of podcasts fronted by bands and artists (see Joe Budden, The Pixies, George Ezra, the – errm – guy from Train), Manchester indie types Blossoms are trying to set themselves apart by hosting theirs in their local. Blossoms Pubcast sees the band discuss all manner of nonsense in the boozer that gave them their name – the Blossoms in Greater Manchester. “It’s a bit like ‘Cheers’ but set in Shaw Heath rather than Boston,” is how Blossoms themselves describe it.
Picks of the week
To Live and Die in LA
Neil Strauss made his name documenting pickup artists in The Game and Mötley Crüe in The Dirt. Now he turns his storytelling skills to true crime, examining the case of Adea Shabani, the aspiring actor who disappeared near the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018. Of course, Shabani could be ripe for exploitation as a blond, young and beautiful victim, but Strauss speaks to those close to her to tell her story without gawping. The investigation is ongoing as he records the podcast, so he deals with death threats and new developments. Hannah Verdier
NB
Non-binary hosts Caitlin Benedict and Amrou Al-Kadhi are not afraid to bring their personal experiences to this podcast about gender identity, but they stress it is not a place for debate. Benedict hasn’t come out to their family yet. “If you haven’t met anyone who uses gender-neutral pronouns yet, you’ll get used to it,” they say. It’s an education for those who haven’t and an inspiration for anyone figuring out what it is to be non-binary, with interviews that veer from emotional to lighthearted. HV
Guardian pick: Science Weekly
When we think of science, technology and medicine, we would like to think that, these days at least, there is a universality to their output – something for everyone. But in this week’s collaboration between Science Weekly and Chips with Everything (aka. Science with Everything), we learn about the gender data gap – something which has led to worrying consequences for women around the world.
With International Woman’s Day being celebrated today, Nicola Davis and Jordan Erica Webber have timely conversations with an academic and an activist about how women are underrepresented in both the worlds of technology and clinical testing. Meaning that the products of both are often faulty, and in some cases; dangerous, for female users. Max Sanderson
Producer pick: The Last Bohemians
Chosen by Ekaterina Ochagavia (video producer)
The Last Bohemians is a new podcast that delves deep into the lives of “female firebrands and maverick outsiders”, including playwright and critic Bonnie Greer, countess and LSD campaigner Amanda Feilding, artist and musician Cosey Fanni Tutti and original rude girl Pauline Black.
Through the stories of women who have lived confidently and unapologetically outside the realms of ‘normal’, presenter Kate Hutchinson (formerly of The Guardian) leads listeners through lengthy reflections on culture and the arts. Her guests are encouraged to spill the beans on what inspired them and how things turned out the way they did. Topics include a first kiss with Louis Armstrong, rubbing shoulders with Basquiat in 1970s New York, deciding to have a hole drilled into your head, ageism, masturbation and loneliness, to name a few.
Importantly, the series also shines a light on a demographic often overlooked by the mainstream media; older creative women. The Last Bohemians are an inspiring group of pioneering, radical and subversive women who have all lived life on the edge in their own ways, and still refuse to stick to the rules. A beautifully intimate set of portraits made by an all-female audio team – what more could you ask for to celebrate International Women’s Day?
