Podcast

Podcast

Celebrities and other notable figures join curmudgeon The Grinch (voiced by comedian James Austin Johnson of Saturday Night Live) in a talk show-style format, complete with comedy rants, stunts, gags, and A-List guests who attempt to convince him to embrace the holiday season. In the newest episode, the Jonas Brothers discuss what it's like touring with wives and children; their upcoming movie, A Very Jonas Christmas;

new podcast production took a sizable step downward (36%) in October 2025 compared to November of last year, and 21% month-over-month (Sep - Oct). 2024. Further, the October measurement represents the lowest podcast production of the 12-month period. The graph below charts the 12-month shape of new podcasts: A macro view is found in the count of new podcasts launched per year, going back to 2012. (See the chart below). We observe the Covid-era elevation of content, followed by a return to normal.

On this episode: Lucy Lopez, Elizabeth Newcamp, and Zak Rosen are joined by ICYMI host Kate Lindsay to discuss viral slang like "67" and "41" and what it all means. They unpack the difference between "bro" and "bruh" (it's huge!), why the harmless bit of brain rot might actually be good for kids, and more! Later, they discuss a listener's question: "how do I, a childless aunt, talk to my nieces and nephews without it feeling awkward".

A pean-ette!

Two of the world's biggest entertainment platforms are joining forces. Spotify and Netflix have officially signed a new video podcast distribution deal, marking a major shift in the way audiences will experience podcasts in the years ahead. Starting in early 2026, select video podcasts from Spotify Studios and The Ringer will stream directly on Netflix in the United States, with plans to expand globally later that year.

WTF With Marc Maron wrapped its 16-year run yesterday; the comedian interviewed Barack Obama, a conversation recorded in Obama's office. The chat was something of a victory lap for Maron, who made headlines for interviewing the then-president 10 years prior. (Back then, the pair met on the host's home turf.) But, always conscious of WTF 's defining emotional intimacy, he also made sure to give his listeners one more unfiltered stream of consciousness.

This week's episode of Nothing But Respect is in fact two episodes, because what was initially planned as two half-size chats blossomed into two full-size chats, and Harry and I wanted to make sure both guests stood out. The first episode, with Maitreyi Anantharaman, concerns the state of the WNBA playoffs, and while there is some now-dated Fever-Aces chat, I think that stuff is A) good, and B) not that dated.

They're also important to strengthening the financial foundation of the entire podcasting market. That's because, for the advertisers that drive podcasting's growth, indies are not just plentiful-they're powerful. Their hosts excel in fostering loyal, highly engaged communities built on trust and direct connection. In an era when consumers crave authenticity and can be wary of larger media companies, indie podcasters offer a unique bridge between brands and audiences. Because of this,

Simmons is no stranger to a high-profile breakup. In 2015, the popular podcast host and media personality had a contentious exit from ESPN, which is also owned by Disney. He rebounded strongly and sold his sports and culture site, The Ringer, to Spotify for close to $200 million in 2020. Simmons said in the latest episode of his eponymous show, "The Bill Simmons Podcast," that Kimmel could similarly strike out on his own.

As the host and creator of the podcast Heavyweight, he acts as a kind of time-traveling therapist, helping people shoulder regrets that never quite went away: a pain, a mystery, a grievance, a memory. Goldstein and his team chase answers the old-fashioned way, by making phone calls and getting on planes in a bid to literally confront the past. The stories run wide.

"Time is a thief." I learned this phrase in elementary school. It was regularly uttered by an administrator who, on the first day of school, would wistfully greet the student body, marveling at how much each child had grown over the summer. As a 10-year-old kid, I didn't put much stock into the musings of a middle-aged vice principal. Decades later, however, I better understand and appreciate the sentiment of her words.

And remember when we used to talk on the phone? Actually answer calls? Speak to humans? Luckily, the mailbox saved us, at least for a while, until it started telling us not to leave voicemails but to text instead. Voice notes came next. Great for the lazy typers, less so for the unlucky listener trying to find the right "environment" to hit play. We traded ringtones for vibrations, calls for texts... and now suddenly we're all excited because GenAI has voice mode.

Money may not be able to buy you happiness, but it can make life a lot easier. That's the view of Simran Kaur, a financial educator and investor who hosts the "Friends That Invest" podcast. In an episode this week, Kaur spoke about money "myths," including the notion that money can't buy happiness. Having more money doesn't necessarily improve emotional well-being or happiness, she said, it just helps to solve inconveniences.

Just recently SVPG Partner Christian Idiodi hosted Shreyas Doshi on his Product Therapy podcast, where they discussed the role of product leadership. If you haven't yet listened to this interview, I would strongly encourage it, as I loved hearing Shreyas' thoughts on this critically important topic. Shreyas described three different archetypes of product leaders: the craftsperson ("it's all about the product"), the operator ("it's about scale"), and the visionary ("it's about the future"). I hope you listen to the full interview as Shreyas shared valuable context and nuance that I consider essential for this foundational topic.

"a title founders give themselves so they can still hang around he office and undermine their successor for a few years,"

It was a ghost town,

Brendan Abernathy is a singer-songwriter who went viral earlier this year for an earnest performance of his song "married in a year." The backlash was immediate, and one word popped up over and over again in the comments: "cringe." Brittany and Ramtin Arablouei, co-host of NPR's Throughline, get into the rise of cringe culture: where it comes from, how it's hurting us, and how leaning into cringe is good for art.

Pop Culture Happy Hour launched 15 years ago and is celebrating by revisiting memorable early moments and assessing how they have held up over time.

Libsyn has paid out 40% more to creators compared to the same period in 2024, totaling over $112 million since 2017, following the removal of its 2,000-download minimum.