10 Metro Phoenix Podcasts You Have to Hear

Road trips, day jobs, and the gym all have one thing in common: They're great ways to keep up on your favorite podcasts.

We’re talking about superheroes, wine, overweight cats, ourselves – you name it. Even New Times recently launched a Bar Flies podcast to share stories told at the reading events.

The Valley is full of people with something to say, and you can take a listen with these 10 Phoenix-area podcasts.

Absolute Geek
According to the people behind the Absolute Geek podcast, “Phoenix is quickly leading the charge in becoming the new geek headquarters.” With record-breaking attendance at Phoenix Comicon this year, it comes as no surprise. Absolute Geek features four lifelong, Phoenix-based pals discussing all things geek. Hosts Matt Alward, Kellan McCall, Jose Chimichanga, and Kyle Stinson chew on “The Walking Dead comics and TV show, how Kat Dennings would be a great Harley Quinn, or the never-ending dispute of the future of DC movies versus the all-powerful Marvel.” Find the Absolute Geek podcast on iTunes or SoundCloud.

Thank You For Being a Podcast
This one is also known as the "Golden Girls Podcast." How great does it sound already? This weekly show is hosted by local comedians Genevieve Rice and Anthony Desamito, and features a guest who joins them in watching an episode of Golden Girls, and discusses it in great detail. Thank You For Being a Podcast has been part of the Scruffy City Comedy Festival in Knoxville and Phoenix's own Bird City Comedy Festival. So what happens when they run out of episodes? With seven whole seasons of Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia, it’s best not to think about it now. Maybe a Maudecast? You can listen to episodes at their website.

Cult Following
The pop culture-obsessed people over at Cult Classics AZ are known for monthly cult and retro film screenings. What’s more, Cult Classics AZ produces a bimonthly podcast (two episodes per month) called Cult Following, hosted by Victor Moreno, Kirby Nelson, and Adam Rutkowski, who “discuss the latest genre, classic, independent, and crazy films to hit theaters, home video, and VOD every month.” These guys also cover heady topics like movie collectibles, summer blockbusters, and all things interesting to “casual film fans and hardcore cinephiles.” Cult Following can be found on iTunes, SoundCloud, and at their website.

Dropping Knowledge
Sometimes you want a professional’s opinion. And you won’t find that here. Dropping Knowledge – hosted by Cody Engelbrecht and Matt Foster – is a podcast where two friends discuss common idioms of the English language and their true origins. Or so they think. In actuality, it is a “comedy/entertainment podcast and has very little educational properties.” All episodes of Dropping Knowledge are found on SoundCloud.

When Myers Met Briggs
Two cool people talking about fat catbodies and personality types? Count us in. Kaila White and Meredith Howell have been friends for 10 years, living together for five in the Coronado Historic District with their cat Maeby (yes, that is an Arrested Development reference). When Myers Met Briggs is “two opinionated BFFs using personality typing to understand themselves and the world. ESFP Meredith (The Performer) and ENTP Kaila (The Debater) explore identity, self-discovery, pop culture, and humor using Myers Briggs as a lens. We're learners, not experts, and knowledge of Myers Briggs is suggested but not necessary.” There are also guests and jokes. Find the podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud.


FilmLife
You like movies, right? Well, FilmLife is a podcast all about movies. Here you’ll find everything from simple conversations to reviews to debates over all things movies with hosts Nathan De Leon and Patrick Lahaie, including topics like, “Which Back to the Future movie was the best?” and whether you can “tell the difference between Paul Thomas Anderson and Paul WS Anderson.” Whatever your skill level, “it doesn’t matter, we have plenty of content to keep you entertained, informed, and amused. Forever." FilmLife can be found on SoundCloud and their website.

Raise Your Spirits
Sometimes podcasts only need to take a comedic approach to current events, and Raise Your Spirits is no exception. Host Kevin Moyers does just that, “sometimes alone, often with guests, but always with a drink in hand.” Billed as “an exceptionally smooth podcast; luxury blend for extra foolishness,” Raise Your Spirits is part of the locally based Abnormal Entertainment network – along with other local shows like Maskerpiece Theatre. All episodes can be found at the Abnormal Entertainment website.

Rocky Horror Podcast Show
Though released in 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has never lost steam, being rediscovered with each generation as a hilarious, creepy, and wholly original masterpiece. Hence The Rocky Horror Podcast Show – a weekly Internet radio program featuring hosts and “veterans of the shadow cast Broadway Bound and Gagged" Dawn Noone, Amy Pokhias, Dave Difrancesco, and Ash Noone. They discuss all things Rocky Horror. They’ll talk current events (the 2016 reboot should provide plenty of fodder) and with special guests — from “virgins to big names from across the international Rocky Horror community.” Episodes are released Saturdays on SoundCloud and iTunes.

Spillers After Show
Brian Dunn and Robert Hoekman Jr. host Spillers After Show, the official podcast of the short fiction storytelling event known as Spillers – held quarterly at Crescent Ballroom. Spillers After Show is a collection of the actual recordings from the Spillers events, interviews with the featured authors, and previews of upcoming readings. Dunn and Hoekman Jr. also hold “lively discussions around Phoenix's flourishing literary scene." All episodes can be found on iTunes and their website.

The Arizona Wine Monk
How to sound like a wine snob at the next dinner party full of paella and yuppies? There’s a local podcast for that. The weekly (for the most part) Arizona Wine Monk podcast is hosted by wine critic Cody Vladimir Burkett and “takes various approaches to reviewing local wines.” Some episodes will include a discussion with the actual winemaker. Other episodes, Burkett sits with friends to examine and enjoy various Arizona wines. Episodes are found on Soundcloud and the website.