You know the hey dey of podcasts are past, because my mom and I now listen to them regularly. We don’t listen to the same ones of course. During the pandemic, I mostly look for funny ones or ones with long stories that can help me transcend the fact that I’m washing dishes yet again or fixing a bagel for a child every goddamn ten minutes. Right now, I sometimes listen to “Smartless podcast” with Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. I found it because I am obsessed with “Ozarks,” starring and directed by Jason Bateman. Initially, the podcast was a delight. I laughed, laughed, laughed. It has the laziest premise. One of them chooses a guest to interview and preps, while the other two get to be surprised. The guests they interview are mostly A-list Hollywood celebrities, and it gets tired. I’m now more curious about regular people. There are so many regular people in this country I know nothing about who are still interesting and talented. They interview Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, among others, and with each guest, it’s “what’s so amazing about you is that you’re so successful and talented and beautiful, but you’re so nice too.” Really? All of them? They’re all nice? Did you know if Jennifer Aniston wasn’t a movie start, she would be an interior decorator? I mean, god, that’s boring. I’d rather pay attention to washing the dishes. And of course, this is also three white rich successful men. When they interview Bryan Cranston and ask how he turned out so well, when he had such a rough childhood, they give all kinds of answers, but they never say “It’s cuz I’m white.”
Of course, I could stop kvetching and start diversifying my podcasts and sprinkle some people of color, which I obviously need to because this self-absorption makes me eyeroll.