Best Low Key V Podcasts (2025)

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Nathan Pyle, Strange Planets, Hour Long Blocks of Old Commercials, and Rescue Dogs 55:09

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3d ago55:09

55:09

Host John Moe leads off this episode by extolling the virtues of foster dog caretaking and he enumerates the many dogs his family as tended to in the last year: Cowboy, Bug, Beans, Ducky, Pork Chop, Radar, and Car Wash. All these dogs were, and all dogs are, eccentric. Then we welcome cartoonist Nathan Pyle, the man who brings you those Strange Pla…

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How To Stack Tacos and Burgers With J. Kenji López-Alt Until You Conk Out 46:21

17d ago46:21

46:21

J. Kenji López-Alt knows more about food than you or I put together. He has won James Beard Awards, contributed to New York Times Cooking and Serious Eats, and his books include The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science, The Wok: Recipes and Techniques, and a children’s book titled Every Night is Pizza Night. But he’s no snobby foody. He pa…

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Baron Vaughn’s Ken Burns Effect 42:50

24d ago42:50

42:50

Actor and comedian Baron Vaughn is familiar to audiences for his work on Grace & Frankie, Mystery Science Theater 3000, and The New Negroes with friend of the show Open Mike Eagle. He’s familiar to his family for watching a whole lot of those multi-episode, sepia photograph-intensive, history rich documentaries by Ken Burns on subjects like basebal…

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Ravi V. Patel’s Fitness Routine, Which Frankly Makes Us Tired Just Hearing About It 41:38

1M ago41:38

41:38

You have definitely seen actor, writer, and director Ravi V. Patel on a screen before. He’s one of those guys that seems to be in everything. Perhaps most recently as a team mentor on the new season of LEGO Masters Jr. or maybe co-starring on Animal Control with Joel McHale or acting in Ghosts or being put through some grueling paces on Special For…

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Patrick McEnroe and Melissa Errico, Stars of, Respectively, Tennis and Broadway 50:57

1M ago50:57

50:57

When you have two guests on one show, you’re going to get a variety of topics, especially when they have such diverse interests as tennis great Patrick McEnroe and Broadway icon Melissa Errico. The two, married 26 years, take us on a very friendly and relaxing jaunt through a very old-timey English castle (that somehow has a sauna and Pilates room)…

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Kendahl Landreth and Jordan Myrick Gently Realign Your Chihuahua Perspectives 46:43

2M ago46:43

46:43

As hosts of the Happy Wife Happy Life podcast, comedians/writers/actors Kendahl Landreth and Jordan Myrick help their listeners navigate everything related to relationships. Here on our show, in this episode, they bring that gift of harmony to society’s views of chihuahuas, especially their own rescue dog, Angel. As you drift off to sleep, you’ll h…

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Ana Marie Cox on the Architectural Styles of Texas Homes of the Seventies and Eighties 46:40

2M ago46:40

46:40

The versatile Ana Marie Cox is a podcast host (Space the Nation, Past Due), a veteran journalist (MTV News, The New York Times Magazine), the founding editor of Wonkette, a writing instructor, and a political pundit and analyst, frequently featured on various cable news programs. But not to worry. Ana stays out of the political fray in this intervi…

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Listener Winter Burnett Tours Two Laundromats in Morris, IL 37:35

2M ago37:35

37:35

Here’s how we figure it: if you appear on our show (the most popular podcast in the world) (look that up) (don’t), you automatically become a celebrity. We have listeners all over this planet at least. That makes hardware store assistant manager Winter Burnett a celebrity. During our last Max Fun Drive, we set a stretch goal for new members and sai…

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Demi Adejuyigbe’s Well-Developed Interest in Film Photography 50:29

2M ago50:29

50:29

The multi-talented Demi Adejuyigbe is a podcast host (The Gilmore Guys) writer (The Good Place, The Late Late Show with James Corden), and social media celebrity (those wonderful homemade videos for the song “September”). Those are all very exciting things that Demi does and we’re concerned they would keep you up. So instead, we’re focusing on his …

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Meet Your Nocturnal Animal Friends with Janet Varney 46:13

2M ago46:13

46:13

You know Janet Varney from her starring roles in You’re the Worst and The Legend of Korra and from hosting two Maximum Fun podcasts, The JV Club and E Pluribus Motto, which she co-hosts with John Hodgman and which just launched its second season. But to the critters of the night, Janet is simply a friend, a liaison between themselves and all the di…

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The Many, Many Cats That Have Belonged to Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s. Many Cats. 46:35

3M ago46:35

46:35

Kathy Valentine is the bassist for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Go-Go’s. Emerging from the L.A. punk scene, ruling the charts, and still playing shows 47 years later, any member of the band must have a million thrilling stories about life as real live rock stars. But we’re a show that tries to put you to sleep so on our program Kathy …

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Paget Brewster: Star of Screen, Stage, and Barnyard Bone Broth 54:30

3M ago54:30

54:30

You may know Paget Brewster as FBI Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss on the television series Criminal Minds or as Joey’s girlfriend Kathy on multiple episodes of Friends. If you’re a particularly discerning entertainment consumer, you also know her from Andy Richter Controls the Universe or as Sadie Doyle on the podcast and stage series The…

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John Hodgman Attempts To Memorize All of Maine’s Coastal Islands (RERUN) 1:12:13

3M ago1:12:13

1:12:13

This episode originally ran August 14th, 2024. *** Is this a feat that the beloved author, actor, and host of Maximum Fun’s Judge John Hodgman can actually pull off? Well, no, probably not. There are over 4,600 such islands and he’s only one mortal human. Come on. But will he make a pretty game attempt for a little while and invite you to join his …

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Julie Klausner Tours You Through Her Pleasant and Less-Than-Pleasant Massages 45:29

3M ago45:29

45:29

The very funny and charming Julie Klausner is known for her starring role in the acclaimed Hulu dark comedy series Difficult People and she has appeared in Big Mouth, What We Do in the Shadows, At Home with Amy Sedaris, and many other beloved and hilarious programs. It’s stressful work, we think, because Julie has had a lot of massages over the yea…

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Chris Duffy and the Joy of Sox 46:32

4M ago46:32

46:32

Chris Duffy is a writer, extremely funny comedian, and host of the TED podcast How To Be a Better Human. He’s also a former contestant on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? (answer: well, we all do, of course) where a producer asked what he would do if he won the titular million bucks and Chris said he would buy a lifetime supply of new socks. That’s a…

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NPR’s Tamara Keith Has Strong Yet Soothing Opinions On Pie 39:44

4M ago39:44

39:44

You know Tamara Keith as NPR’s Senior White House Correspondent and as one of the hosts of the NPR Politics Podcast. You can count on her to deliver up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the most dramatic beat in journalism, even if it’s news that you may find very alarming. But there’s nothing alarming or upsetting about Tamara’s thoughts on the v…

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Tamara Yajia: Brad Pitt’s Charcuterie Pal 38:34

4M ago38:34

38:34

Comedian, actor, and author Tamara Yajia has a new book Cry for Me, Argentina: My Life as a Failed Child Star that doesn’t spend all that much time on the subject of charcuterie boards. But that’s what our discussion is for. Learn about Tamara’s grandfather’s extensive and somewhat emotionally charged boards and how they inspired her to make vast b…

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Hanif Abdurraqib Has 90 Band Shirts. Which We Think You’ll Agree Is a Lot. 46:59

4M ago46:59

46:59

Hanif Abdurraqib is a poet, cultural critic, and author of numerous books, including They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us, A Little Devil in America, and There’s Always This Year. He’s very passionate about music, as is evidenced in his massive collection, purchased online and at concert venues, of concert t-shirts, band sweatshirts, and other vin…

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Nate DiMeo of The Memory Palace Has THOUGHTS on Sports Team Names and Logos 49:55

5M ago49:55

49:55

If you love history, you already know about the lovely podcast The Memory Palace, which celebrates the quirky and intriguing elements of stuff that has happened. If you haven’t heard it, go listen. But first, hear honey-voiced host Nate DiMeo explain his complex and impassioned opinions on team names, logos, the nefarious nature of image consultant…

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NPR’s Linda Holmes Takes You on a Sleepy Tour of Beverly Hills, 90210 41:24

5M ago41:24

41:24

Nobody knows pop culture better than Linda Holmes, one of the hosts of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour, and culture doesn’t get much more pop than the nineties teen prime time soap Beverly Hills, 90210. Let Linda guide you to sleep while she introduces you to Brandon, Brenda, Kelly, Steve, Donna, and even Scott, who we frankly didn’t even know existed…

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Comedian, Actor, and Podcaster Sierra Katow Gently Takes You Grocery Shopping 46:30

5M ago46:30

46:30

There are many places to acquire food and household items in the greater Los Angeles area. You could go to Costco, you could go to Ralphs, you could even swing by 99 Ranch. Or if you listen to this episode with the delightful Sierra Katow, you could visit all these places and let Sierra do the driving while you zonk off to sleep, sated with the aud…

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Hanging Out at Airports with Roxane Gay 36:20

5M ago36:20

36:20

Roxane Gay is one of the greatest writers in the world today. Everyone knows this. We’re so thrilled that she agreed to be on our show. Roxane is the author of books like Bad Feminist and Hunger, writes for the New York Times, is a respected social critic and noted professor. All this means that she travels a lot and she joins us, using a very soot…

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Campin’ About with Allan McLeod of Walkin’ About 39:54

5M ago39:54

39:54

Allan McLeod is an actor who has appeared on Parks & Recreation and You’re the Worst. He’s a podcaster who appears regularly as host on Walkin’ About, here on Maximum Fun. And, for our purposes on this episode, he’s a camper, who appears pretty often at campgrounds around California. Allan walks us through his incredibly detailed and quite lengthy …

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Philosophy Tube’s Abigail Thorn Takes You Scuba Diving 43:45

6M ago43:45

43:45

Whether you know her from the phenomenally popular YouTube channel Philosophy Tube or from her acting appearances in House of the Dragon or The Acolyte, chances are Abigail Thorn was dry when you saw her and above the surface of the water. Just know that this is not where she prefers to be. Abigail is a scuba diver and is here to send you to sleep …

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Queen Priyanka on Crazy-Ass Dog Ownership 41:53

6M ago41:53

41:53

Queen Priyanka is many things: singer, drag queen, Canadian television personality. But today we talk about her role as dog owner and keen observer of the quirks and personality facets of other dog owners, specifically the kind of dog owner that can be characterized as “crazy-ass dog owner.” If you like dogs, are fascinated by the eclectic habits o…

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BONUS MINI-SODE: Naps with Normies: Bikram Chatterji 12:26

6M ago12:26

12:26

Being the CEO of Maximum Fun is not as glamorous as you might expect. In fact, it involves a lot of running reports. That’s what we found out from Bikram Chatterji in our latest and final installment of our Naps with Normies series. Tune in and drift off for a quick snooze while the big boss of the whole shebang reveals how shockingly normal his wo…

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BONUS MINI-SODE: Naps with Normies: April Pendergraft 5:55

6M ago5:55

5:55

You’ve heard of the Max Fun Drive. Perhaps you’ve heard us mention it eight billion times. We have to. It’s how we are able to exist. The person who runs the whole drive is April and while she won’t extoll you to donate during this edition of Naps with Normies, she will tell you all about all the spreadsheets and reports she has to run. Just a cons…

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Astronaut and Dog Lover Leland Melvin on Dogs, Space, and Building Campers 49:46

6M ago49:46

49:46

You’ve likely seen some of the famous pictures of former astronaut and NFL player Leland Melvin with his two beloved and boisterous dogs, Jake and Scout, Leland is wearing a space suit, the dogs are showering him with affection. It’s really wonderful. Leland, WHO HAS BEEN TO SPACE, tells us all about the dogs he’s had, what it’s like to orbit the e…

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BONUS MINI-SODE: Naps with Normies: Danny Baruela 10:57

6M ago10:57

10:57

Danny Baruela is responsible for you being able to hear your favorite shows at Maximum Fun, serving as the company’s Technology and Data Specialist. Unlike many people who we have as guests, he’s not a celebrity. Has no movie to promote nor album to plug. He’s a normie, with tasks to perform, a life to live, and a great deal of complicated computer…

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BONUS CONTENT PREVIEW: The Celebrity Parade of Dreams Supershow 5:18

6M ago5:18

5:18

When you become a member of Maximum Fun at even the $5/month level, you get access to our entire library of Bonus Content, including this year’s Sleeping with Celebrities special: The Celebrity Parade of Dreams Supershow. We asked guests from the last year of the show to tell us their weirdest and funniest dreams to lay the groundwork for dream of …

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BONUS MINI-SODE: Naps with Normies: Swish 6:42

6M ago6:42

6:42

Laura Swisher, also known as Swish, is a senior producer at Maximum Fun, overseeing several shows, including ours. Unlike many people who we have as guests, she’s not a celebrity. Has no movie to promote nor album to plug. She’s a normie, with tasks to perform, a life to live, and so many dogs to sit. Get to know Swish as you settle in for a nap. W…

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BEDTIME STORY MINI-SODE: Ducky the Dog and His Many Couches 11:42

6M ago11:42

11:42

During the Max Fun Drive, we’re offering you special mini-sodes in our regular feed. In this one, host John Moe tells of fostering a rescue dog named Ducky who is really moved by being allowed up on the couch. So much so that he builds a vast network of used and donated couches for dogs to lie down and relax on. It’s a really impressive business mo…

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BEDTIME STORY MINI-SODE: The All-Iguana Band 10:40

6M ago10:40

10:40

Certain movies would have you believe the dogs can play football but I think we all agree iguanas shouldn’t. They’re too delicate. They can, however, form eclectic musical ensembles and play mid-tempo music on bugle, triangle, oboe, and woodblock. This is the story of one band that did just that and was much beloved by a local football team, especi…

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A Soothing Nighttime Edition with Steve Inskeep of NPR’s Morning Edition 50:16

6M ago50:16

50:16

For many people, Steve Inskeep is a voice you hear in the morning on NPR in intermittent bursts, sometimes telling you about alarming news. We switch that around with Steve, bringing him to you for a bedtime appearance and speaking at length about things that are benign or even pleasant. Steve discusses the state of Indiana, Abraham Lincoln, the pr…

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BEDTIME STORY MINI-SODE: Louie the Tugboat’s Teriyaki Restaurant 12:51

6M ago12:51

12:51

Obviously, Seattle has a rich and vibrant wizard scene. We all know this. Well, one day, one of the wizards turned a tugboat named Louie into a human being and Louie decided to do one of the most Seattle things possible: open a teriyaki restaurant. He was really good at it. The meat was not too soggy but not burnt, the glaze was sweet and just a li…

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BEDTIME STORY MINI-SODE: Ed’s House of Many Onions (and Dancing) 12:11

6M ago12:11

12:11

During the Max Fun Drive, we’re offering you special mini-sodes in our regular feed. In this one, host John Moe tells one of his improvised and semi-drowsy bedtime stories. It’s about an onionman named Ed, who opens the shop of his dreams, selling all 21 types of onions. But in the effort to market his shop, he finds a love even greater than onions…

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A Calm and Soothing Trip to Escape Rooms with Mary Holland 40:05

7M ago40:05

40:05

You may know actress and comedian Mary Holland from the new movie Nightbitch or from TV shows like Veep, Bob’s Burgers, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Or you might know her from literally hundreds of escape rooms around the country, where she absolutely loves solving puzzles, cracking codes, and figuring out how to escape the room. And then…

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Just Picking Up Some Stuff at the Drugstore with Samantha Irby 47:27

7M ago47:27

47:27

Samantha Irby, best-selling author of several hilarious books of essays, is one of the funniest and most delightful people you’re likely to come across. In this episode, we talk about all the things she likes to buy as well as the things she avoids on a routine trip to her local drugstore. We even comb through some of the newspaper circulars for he…

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Unapologetic Love For Cabbage Patch Kids with Mike O’Connell 34:51

7M ago34:51

34:51

Is it weird for a grown man to own lots and lots and lots of Cabbage Patch Kids? No. No, it is not. Therefore, comedian Mike O’Connell, who has amassed an adorable army of the pretend children that dominate his southern California home, is not a weird person. He is instead a person who thinks that to love something nice and sweet is a nice and swee…

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Warm and Pleasant Thoughts of Summer Camp with Anna Sale 42:03

7M ago42:03

42:03

You might know Anna Sale as the host of Slate’s podcast Death, Sex, and Money, which digs deep into topics that a lot of people would rather avoid. If you attended Camp Alleghany in West Virginia, you might know Anna as one of the many campers, spending idyllic summer days and nights having wholesome fun in the great outdoors. At the request of our…

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Organizing Bookshelves with Mallory O’Meara and Brea Grant 41:09

8M ago41:09

41:09

You might know our guests, Mallory O’Meara and Brea Grant, from their podcast Reading Glasses, their new podcast Reading Smut (debuting on Valentine’s Day), or from their overloaded physical and digital bookshelves that groan to support all that literary knowledge. Brea and Mallory share with us, in tones dulcet and sleep-inducing, how to sort thro…

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Super Bowl Special with Chris Kluwe, NFL Punting Legend 1:05:42

8M ago1:05:42

1:05:42

We wanted to be ready for the Super Bowl so we called up NFL veteran punter Chris Kluwe for a lesson on all that goes into punting the ball to the other team. How much goes into punting? Turns out A LOT. Chris, who is a published author and game designer as well, guides us through each minute step of the punting process (and there are maybe, conser…

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Jamie Loftus Learns Capitalism Through NeoPets 42:43

8M ago42:43

42:43

Comedian, podcaster, author, and all-around delightful celebrity Jamie Loftus is in the process of rediscovering her love of NeoPets. She values the lessons they taught her about the stock market, war preparation, and the complexities of a capital-driven economy. She also likes that the electronic pets are impossible to kill. It’s true, all you can…

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Langston Kerman Explains Complicated Board Games to You 44:14

8M ago44:14

44:14

You might know the actor Langston Kerman from his roles on the television shows English Teacher, Insecure, and The Boys. You might know him also from lengthy board game nights at his house where explaining and comprehending the arcane, byzantine rules of a game is a necessary labor of the occasion. Langston, fortunately, knows all the rules to game…

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Jonathan Ames Stays Cool Talking About Russian Bathhouses 40:06

9M ago40:06

40:06

Jonathan Ames is the author of numerous acclaimed and popular books, including the brand new detective novel Karma Doll. He’s also a television creator, having come up with the series Bored to Death, wherein Jason Schwarzman played a detective named Jonathan Ames. When he’s not writing, Jonathan, the real Jonathan, not the character, enjoys a comfo…

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Jon Gabrus Has Thoughts on Tomorrow’s Breakfast Sandwiches 44:55

9M ago44:55

44:55

You might know comedian and actor Jon Gabrus from shows like Guy Code, What We Do in the Shadows, or Drunk History or from podcasts like Action Boyz or The Gino Lombardo Show. Perhaps you know him from meals like breakfast, where he has very particular thoughts on breakfast sandwiches. He’ll teach you how to order a proper New York bodega breakfast…

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100th Episode: All-Star Guests Who Exceled at Understanding the Assignment 1:05:07

9M ago1:05:07

1:05:07

Amy Tan, Alan Tudyk, Stephen Tobolowsky, Marsha Warfield, Open Mike Eagle, Janie Haddad and Paul F. Tompkins, and more are ready to knock you out. To sleep, that is. It’s very counterintuitive, appearing on Sleeping with Celebrities. Most shows ask the guest to be energetic, effervescent, and fascinating. We want none of that. We want detailed disc…

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Having a Lovely Time at Family Style Restaurants with Blaine Capatch 44:47

9M ago44:47

44:47

Blaine Capatch is your favorite comedian’s favorite comedian, a top comedic mind known for his sharp writing and expert delivery. And as much as those comics are fans of his, he, Blaine, is a fan of family style restaurants. Oh man, he just loves them. Your IHOPs, your Cracker Barrels, and especially your Waffle Houses. He talks us through some of …

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ASK V: Questions about Managers 28:27

9M ago28:27

28:27

Host Verhanika Willhelm answers your most confounding workplace queries. This week we're tackling questions about managers! Inside the episode: How to cover your @ss when going against corporate policy. SOS: My manager is bffs with my workplace bully! The importance of documentation. What is a good management training program? The Peter Principle H…

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Comedian Jenny Yang’s Kitchen Is Full of Mechanical Contraptions 43:15

9M ago43:15

43:15

Jenny Yang has a headlining spot in comedy clubs everywhere, a master’s degree in urban planning, and a penchant for piling her kitchen countertops high with a variety of devices and appliances. Egg cookers? She’ll tell you about that. Grapefruit spoons? Jenny has thoughts. Microplanes? Oh yeah, that’s covered. Hear about a million kitchen doohicke…