Readers’ Favorite Podcasts

What You’re Listening To

Listen up! These podcasts have gained local fans.

Matt McQuillen, city manager of Clive, is listening to “The Bill Simmons Podcast”: “The main focus is sports, with a mix of pop culture, social media, technology and the occasional political discussion. I keep listening to the Bill Simmons Podcast because I’m an NBA fan—specifically a Boston Celtics fan—and Bill covers the NBA and the Celtics often. Some of my favorite episodes start with a mix of current issues around the sports world, then wrap up with an interview of a celebrity or other pop culture icon. The variety of topics and guests is tough to beat.”

Morgan Deboest Julson, owner of MDJ Marketing and founder of Ladies Mean Business, enjoys “Call Your Girlfriend”: “Every week, digital strategist Aminatou Sow and journalist Ann Friedman call each other to discuss the intricacies of pop culture and the latest in politics. The duo is highbrow and lowbrow, fiercely opinionated, and not afraid to real-talk and get to the nitty-gritty of politics, intersectional feminism and so much more. It’s funny, informative, relevant and important. ‘Call Your Girlfriend’ helps me become aware of issues not on my radar.

“Science Vs” is a favorite of Whitney Shindelar, the principal travel adviser and owner of Adel-based Undiscovered Sunsets: “The episodes are always intriguing. It’s perfect content for commuting, road trips and cleaning the house—most episodes are 30 to 40 minutes. ‘Zika’ was one of the first episodes I listened to because the mosquito-borne disease is [something I need to know about] as a travel adviser. Before listening to this episode, I hadn’t been able to find much information discussing the reason behind this sudden epidemic and where it came from—only the scary results—but Science Vs brought so many insights to light. I appreciate the science and data behind each topic and learning from the specialists they interview.”

–Karla Walsh

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