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A good sense of humor is said to be key to a successful marriage and a trait that employers look for in workers.
It's also something that a LOT of podcast fans look for in shows (probably after binging on true crime).
Still, I must be crazy to take on the task of recommending funny podcasts this week (or ever).
Recommending a funny podcast is like asking you to follow me into a dark cave.
If you don't find my recommendations to be funny (in this case, laugh out loud hilarious), how will you ever trust me again? What if I alienate you simply because we don't share the same sense of humor?
Alas, I'm throwing my fears aside and sharing my favorite funny podcasts, because I like them and I want to share them (which is the whole reason I started this blog).
Let me be up front with you: these recommendations for funny podcasts do NOT include podcasts by actual comedians.
I picked my personal top five shows (and a few honorable mentions), which include some already well-known titles. Not I don't like indie comedy podcasts. I see those shows out there. I listen to many of them. But they can't top these recommendations.
These recommendations are the shows that actually make me laugh out loud. They're also the shows that make me pause and rewind so I can replay parts for my husband. (This happens SO often).
Enough explanation. Here are my favorite laugh out loud, not safe for work podcasts.
Hilariously Funny Podcasts You Must Try
The Karen and Ellen Letters
This show is mostly NSFW because you'll just laugh too loud and probably lose focus on your actual job. There isn't much in terms of sex or swearing.
The show revolves around actual letters written between two apartment tenants and their landlord in the 1980s. The episodes alternate between 1) dramatic readings of the letters and 2) a commentary episode about the dramatic reading episode.
The commentary episode features chatter and breakdown of the letters by the host (the possessor of said letters), his friends, and other podcast hosts who are joining in on the fun.
This podcast is like a choose your own adventure. You can listen to all episodes, or only listen to the dramatic readings, OR only listen to the commentary episodes. Either way, you are pretty much guaranteed to roll your eyes, drop your jaw, and laugh out loud at the back and forth between Karen, Ellen, and their landlord.
Personally, I prefer the dramatic reading episodes. Besides just readings of the letters, the host (Josh from the Our Americana Podcast Network) provides little bits of the story of the letters in each of these episode. It's like a mini mystery. The dramatic reading episodes also include 80's songs as background music, which is right up my alley!
Listen: Start with Episode 1 and listen chronologically from there.
22 True Crime Podcasts You've Got to Check Out
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My Dad Wrote A Porno 
I put this podcast recommendation second in my list, but My Dad Wrote a Porno is widely thought to be the holy grail of funny podcasts.
I've read DOZENS of online comments from podcast fans who say that they've never found anything as funny as MDWAP. This is why you'll usually find it on every list of funny podcast recommendations, or in the Top Comedy Podcasts in most podcast players.
The premise: Guy finds out that his dad wrote a pornographic novel. Guy squirms about it, then decides to get two close friends and read porno novel aloud with them on a podcast. The porno is so absolutely outrageously ridiculous that hilarity ensues.
OBVIOUSLY, this podcast is not safe for work. Or around kids. But I DO think it would make for a super fun date night with your significant other! (Remember: humor and laughter are keys to a happy marriage!)
Also obviously: the sexual nature of this podcast will not be for everyone, but if you're even a little bit comfortable with talking about sex, the humorous approach to the content will probably sit well with you.
Listen: Again, you gotta start with Book 1, Episode 1 of this show.
Also check out 7 Funny Podcasts To Listen To When You’ve Had a Rough Day
No Such Thing As A Fish
What happens when a popular comedy TV quiz show creates a spin-off podcast? You get No Such Thing As a Fish!
The hosts of this podcast are the researchers behind the BBC's show QI, which stands for "Quite Interesting". The TV show revolves around interesting facts; the podcast revolves around even more interesting - and often absurd - facts that the researchers have unearthed that week.
The chemistry and banter between the hosts is fantastic. The facts are both interesting (you'll totally learn something new) and sometimes so outrageous that you'll be tempted to stop what you're doing and look them up yourself.
Listen: There are almost 200 episodes of NSTAAF, so picking episodes to recommend is difficult! Here are two great ones to start: Episode 176: No Such Thing As A Communist Caterpillar and Episode 89: No Such Thing As A Utah Fried Chicken.
Another Round
I've listened to Another Round for over a year, and I still have a hard time summarizing it for people. So I'm borrowing BuzzFeed's official description of the podcast from its website:
"Heben Nigatu and Tracy Clayton cover everything from race, gender and pop culture to squirrels, mangoes, and bad jokes, all in one boozy podcast."
Full disclosure: this podcast is not 100% funny at all times. The women host some great guests, and have discussions about real life and real problems. But the conversation can swing from serious to absurd and hilarious in mere seconds, and that's when I find myself busting out laughing.
Listen: I first learned about Another Round from an interview with Tracy on the podcast Death, Sex & Money. I think it's a great intro to Tracy, so you should check that episode out. Then, try this episode of Another Round, which I found both super enlightening and super funny.
Update: Another Round is no longer in production, and BuzzFeed is no longer creating original podcasts. But there's a big backlog of episodes to listen to, so go check it out!
Think To The Brink
I listened to the most recent episode of this podcast yesterday, and I laughed out loud multiple times.
In a style similar to No Such Thing As a Fish, two guys pick random songs, stories, and bits of every day life and they over-thing the CRAP out of them.
By over-think, I mean dissect. Here are a few examples: How old are the three little pigs when they set out to find their fortune and build their homes? What do all the abbreviations stand for in the song Miami 2 Ibiza? Is "Yo" a proper greeting?
The guys come up with some hilarious explanations for lyrics or a character in a story. And honestly, you've probably had one of these conversations before (probably after a few drinks).
Listen: My two favorite episodes are related to song lyrics: S1E4: Uptown Funk and S2E1: Miami 2 Ibiza.
You might also like The 5 True Crime Podcasts I Subscribe To
Honorable Mentions
I regularly find myself laughing out loud when I listen to the following podcasts:
- The West Wing Weekly (my "If I could only listen to one podcast for the rest of my life" choice)
- The Allusionist (a relaxed conversation about language and words, with a hilariously funny host who does the best Blue Apron ads)
- The Secret Life of Weddings (Because we ALL have a crazy wedding story to share)
- The Dollop (I would be remiss - and possibly dragged - for not mentioning this very funny podcast)
- Myths & Legends (story-telling and history lessons with a hilarious twist)
And finally, if you're looking for even more funny podcast recommendations, check out 7 Funny Podcasts To Listen To When You've Had a Rough Day
Your Turn To Recommend
Know a podcast that will make everyone else laugh out loud? Share it in a comment below!
Nice roundup! My problem with podcasts is I can’t do strategic work while listening to people talk (or sing). But I enjoy them when I’m out of the office 🙂 Thanks for the recs!
I completely understand, Nat! If you have Bluetooth in your car, this is a great way to listen! Or buy a Bluetooth speaker & put it in your cupholder!