Pod hits & misses

Record things Podmass says about HWYW here.

Episode 159 "Virtually nothing on the podcast landscape is as exciting as a fired up Julie Klausner stream of consciousness rant."

Episode 151 "The temporary move to Los Angeles continues to do wonders for How Was Your Week?, as this edition’s opening monologue verges on vintage Julie Klausner: heady to a fault, exceptionally wordy, and hyper-specific. The hour-long run-on sentence sprints through scary places to run into Gallagher, past the minute differences separating prostitutes from escorts, and straight into an extended thesis on the unique geniuses of Eagleheart and Lena Dunham. That, plus an interview with Mr. Show alum Karen Kilgariff, makes a return to form for Klausner’s unrivaled capacity to pull airtight truths from overlooked corners."

Episode 149 "If Julie Klausner’s commitment to her own curiosities no matter the guest is the hallmark of How Was Your Week?, then her interview with Aimee Mann is a landmark installment of the podcast."

Episode 138 "The ease of conversation never wavers, even in the spots where Klausner’s excitement does border on fawning, like when she is enthralled by the beeping of a hidden dishwasher in Moore’s kitchen."

Episode 119 "This week’s episode is a near perfect encapsulation of the two sensibilities at the center of HWYW. While Harris Wittels focuses on topics he’s discussed on other podcasts before (namely drugs and his Humblebrag book), a chunk about Wittels’ early porn-watching habits shows HWYW at its comedic best."

Episode 115 "The most surprising thing about David Sedaris’ appearance comes early on when he tells Julie Klausner that How Was Your Week is regular bath-time listening for him."

Episode 105 "Ted Leo’s discussions of exorcisms, demons, and Ouija boards make ample use of his Catholic-school education, and offer an interesting counterpoint to some of Klausner’s ideas."

Episode 97 "Julie Klausner prefaces her conversation with Danielle Henderson by referring to her as her “new best friend”. It’s easy to see why Klaunser is so enthused, as it becomes clear early on that Henderson is an ideal How Was Your Week guest."

Episode 92 "An interview with Beth Hoyt of My Damn Channel Live features a long discussion of Jon Hamm and other hunks."

Episode 83 "In a charming interview, Julie Klausner catches up with Jodi Lennon, who is delightful as she shares stories about prank-calling local news shows and her new life as a petty shoplifter."

Episode 78 "The majority of Klausner’s interview with Read focuses on communities that have grown on Tumblr and in message boards. A discussion of the Otherkin community—those who believe they are animals trapped in human bodies—is fascinating and touches on how identities are managed and legitimized online."

Episode 59 "Julie Klausner admits that her thought pattern is, in fact, cats, cats, cats, dogs, Cher, and some snacks thrown in there."

Episode 58 "Later, Klausner continues to be the Oprah of podcasts by talking to Susan Orlean about her book Rin Tin Tin."

Episode 56 "There’s also a bit of basset-hound news that can’t go unmentioned, but the guests are the big attraction this week."

Episode 55 "Although dismayed, she attempts to be fair about it, but it’s not lot before she switches topics again, this time to the less fraught subject of nail art."

Episode 54 "Julie Klausner starts out by talking about Stephen King’s “shit aliens,” then brings up that time we wrote about how “How Was Your Week? could be one of the best book podcasts out there,” by saying that HWYW is not becoming a book podcast, but that she is, in fact, becoming Oprah. Klausner then talks to a beret-less Rickie Lee Jones, which is not only a good listen but an opportunity to get your parents to listen to the episode so they can hear a musician they probably made out to talk about making bras for men’s testicles."

Episode 51 "Ted Leo ends up being the funniest person on stage, especially when he grills the Peanut Chews guy on the ingredients of his product."

Episode 50 "She also addresses the Westminster Dog Show, complaining about Martha Stewart’s dog and the Pekingese that won the show."

Best of HWYW Vol 2 "There’s also some Ted Leo conversation, and at this point can we just say that the Klausner/Leo buddy thing is maybe the best showbiz friendship going right now? The two of them simply talking about what they looked like as kids (Klausner as an orangutan, Leo as Zippy the Pinhead) is especially organic and enjoyable."

Many Parts of a Pine Tree "She tosses off a hilarious monologue like a wise owl drunk on pinot noir, really asking the tough questions about True Life: I’m A Chubby Chaser and voicing her displeasure with World War I compared to WWII."

Tommy Mottola For Nothing "How has Julie Klausner never talked about Guy Fieri before?"

Episode 39 "Is there some sort of personal point system that Julie Klausner uses for every episode of How Was Your Week? Does she have a checklist that reminds her to say that somebody is a “garbage person,” or that they’re “made of snakes”?"

Episode 38 "Past that, this episode offered another prime example that Klausner can pontificate on any random subject for a few moments, then likely wrap it into another, equally random subject. For instance, who else would link movie screeners to an anecdote about the time a monkey stole Michael Caine’s glasses? Nobody. That’s a move that we’re now going to call “Klausnerfication.”"

Episode 34 "Julie Klausner half-heartedly talks about Halloween and Chaz Bono’s departure from Dancing With The Stars before bringing on her special guests."

Episode 32 "Klausner tops it all off with strong opinions on Rosie O’Donnell and Anderson Cooper’s new daytime talk shows, as well as intriguing casting suggestions for the upcoming black version of Steel Magnolias."

Episode 31 "Also, Klausner presents a compelling argument for why it’s okay for women to make Chris Christie fat jokes."

Episode 26 "After tackling the hot topics of the VMAs and the new Dancing With The Stars cast (she is clearly obsessed with Chaz Bono and should just get him on the podcast already), Klausner and SiriusXM host/VH1 talking head Jake Fogelnest geek out over old SNL sketches and discuss what’s so funny about Billy Joel."

Episode 25 "She also discusses some key current events, such as the state of Rosie O’Donnell’s neck in Curb Your Enthusiasm, her dislike of Jane Fonda and Gloria Steinem, the scabby butts of the baboons at the zoo, and a list of her favorite anorexics."

Episode 23 "Julie Klausner finally addresses what we’ve all been wondering: What’s up with those K-Y Jelly ads that force you to imagine the couples in them boning? Klausner similarly ruins Fun Dip by referencing it when discussing the lady who eats her husband’s ashes on My Strange Addiction."

Episode 21 "Julie Klausner is a mystery wrapped in an enigma topped with a kitty."

Episode 18 "Klausner is likely to piss off the fat-acceptance community this week as she takes aim at Chris Christie, Kevin Federline, and Neil LaBute, whom she’s trying to get on Celebrity Fit Club. Then again, maybe the fat-acceptance community doesn’t want those guys as their poster children."

Episode 16 "Stick around for Klausner’s advice on how to cover your ass when you’re caught feeding a gyro to a guide dog, and her shameful confession of using Hitler as an excuse to cover up a youthful transgression."

Episode 14 "Klausner herself recommends that if you’re not into the Tonys, you may like this week’s WTF instead."