“I've been a long time listener to the "Out Loud" podcast, way back when it was hosted by Blake Eskin, which was its best incarnation. Blake was an affable interviewer, and the podcast's format was one long interview with the writer of an in-depth piece published in that week's New Yorker. It's been downhill since then.
First the producer tried hosting the podcast himself. His chief characteristic was trying too hard. He was often more corny than funny. He also made what became a permanent change to the format. No longer was an author interviewed about his current piece. Instead, New Yorker writers were asked to weigh on culture and politics. The podcast was then changed yet again, now hosted by a young lady who seemed nice enough, though in a Mount Holyoke/Sarah Lawrence sort of way. She was then replaced with a woman who spoke as if William F. Buckley Jr. had played Anne Sullivan to her Helen Keller, and who was careful to use words like "heteronormative." This was the final incarnation.
The new podcast is no improvement. It is simply flat. I listened to the episode celebrating Lena Dunham's 30th birthday, which was followed by a segment on politics and an adenoidal reading of a short story—in other words, a limpid mashup of what "Out Loud" had become, combined with the more tedious parts of "This American Life." As a podcast, it lacks imagination.
My review in a nutshell: Bring back Blake.”Read full review »
mariox19 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
05/29/16
“Any journalist who is so deluded that they think the NRA is involved with how many guns are sold each year is simply not worth bothering about.
This is a great example of the fallacy behind gun control... complete ignorance of the topic at hand.
Don't waste your time...”Read full review »
Spencer In GA via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
07/01/16
“If you're an avid New Yorker reader, you might think a radio show based on some of the current issue's pieces and recordings from the annual NYR festival might not provide any new insights. You'd be wrong. This show is slowly edging out others in my podcast lineup. A great new...”Read full review »
Canadian expat in Hungary via Apple Podcasts ·
Canada ·
04/20/16