With media consumption dominated by curated images and flashy, thirty-second videos, social media is often the scapegoat for society’s shrinking attention spans, and influencers are the first to be blamed. Despite being ridiculed in traditional media for having no talent, the new wave of influencers has to compete for attention in a sea of short-form content. However, in another oversaturated market where anyone with an iPhone can record a podcast, it takes true entertainment value to not only succeed in short-form content but transfer that success into long-form and maintain staying power. Especially when you can’t hide behind visuals or stunts, podcasting puts one’s talent or lack thereof on full display. These seven podcasts show how social media influencers are the modern giants of entertainment.
Internet meme and online personality Trisha Paytas has returned to podcasting in her hit show Just Trish. The podcast releases two episodes every week, a hot topics and life catch-up with her co-host Oscar Gracey as well as a guest interview. The episodes are so high energy and captivating as listeners are taken into the mind of Paytas that you are left wanting more even after each two-to-three hour episode. Paytas is a professional talker, giving hilarious opinions and recounting unbelievable stories from her tumultuous past, but she also is an expert interviewer.
From Riley Reid to Terri Joe to Donny Osmond to Carrot Top, Paytas brings on people from every facet of the entertainment business, making these episodes unpredictable and highly anticipated. Well-researched and always attentive, Paytas’ fascination with the world and lives of her guests are only matched by her ability to meet them on their level with understanding and relatability. Don’t take her hot takes or wild success personal, it’s Just Trish.
The Comment Section with Drew Afualo
Known for being unafraid of confrontation and calling out the awful things men say on the internet, Drew Afualo brings her characteristic sharp tongue and quick wit to her hilarious podcast The Comment Section. Each week Afualo brings on guests to discuss topics tailored towards the guest’s life to find common experiences rather than sticking to a traditional interview style. The highlight of the podcast, though, is her segment where she and her guest tackle the heinous comments posted online. Afualo’s laughter is infectious as she makes herself and the guest laugh while roasting the misogynistic and bigoted things men had the gaul to post. As the internet’s sheriff, The Comment Section is here to keep men in check.
Ride is a goofy, lighthearted, and positive dive into anything and everything internet star Benito Skinner, aka Benny Drama, and comedian Mary Beth Barone are obsessed with. The two never take themselves too seriously and have incredible chemistry, able to bounce off each other with startling speed. Their thirty-minute episodes are a short, wholesome burst of positivity and ridiculousness as they elaborate on what they “ride” for that week. Nothing is off limits, whether it’s Lauryn Hill, otters, or object permanence.
However, the genius of Ride is that amidst the non-stop laughter, the hosts encourage listeners to be better people by discussing important life lessons. Skinner “riding” for biting his nails isn’t just an absurdist take, it’s a vehicle for learning to give yourself grace and enjoying the little things in life. Branding their audience as the “army of love”, the hosts have created a listenership centered on laughter, kindness, traditional family values, and love.
As the internet’s “It Girls,” Tana Mongeau and Brooke Schofield show their entertainment value isn’t just due to controversy in their hit podcast Cancelled. Originally famed for her storytimes, it’s not surprising Mongeau was able to take on the world of podcasting. Curled up on a couch, the hosts discuss hot topics, gossip, and recount stories from their dramatic and entertaining lives, all with a hilarious and relatable dose of self-depreciation. Though they occasionally bring on guests, the magic of Cancelled lies entirely with Mongeau and Schofield. The two provide a peek into the reality of the entertainment industry, yet despite their modern celebrity status and chaotic lives, they somehow come off as relatable. Mongeau and Schofield have an honesty when they talk, never shying away from the glamor or ugliness of their Hollywood lives.
Best friends, comedy duo, and OG Youtubers Grace Helbig and Mamrie Hart bring their classic hilarity and silliness to their long-running podcast This Might Get Weird. The show is a living embodiment of nurturing your inner child as the hosts seamlessly weave in and out of goofy antics and complete earnestness which only comes with a strong friendship. The love and bond Helbig and Hart have with each other is palpable as they lean and build on each other with discussions of hot topics, overheard conversations, and all the weird things that happened to them recently.
Brooke and Connor Make a Podcast
TikTok stars Brooke Averick and Connor Wood team up in their aptly named podcast Brooke and Connor Make a Podcast. The name is a perfect reflection of their humor and banter with each other: frank and dry without any forced, over the top showmanship. The show is refreshingly calm, though no less entertaining for it, but what makes this podcast special is how charming it is.
Each episode listeners hear the hosts’ friendship blossom in real time, the two becoming recognizably closer episode by episode as they laugh with each other at their ridiculous opinions and stories. They have an ease and openness about themselves with an uncharacteristic self-awareness for influencers which makes for great storytelling and an endearing friendship.
Internet jester Brittany Broski returns to podcasting in The Broski Report. In this mock-news style show, Broski rants about hot topics, personal stories, and her hyper fixations. One of the best characteristics of The Broski Report, though, is how Broski stays true to herself and her roots as an online fan girl as she absurdly gushes about her latest celebrity crush or love of fan fiction, and the show is all the more impressive because Broski does it by herself. Without a co-host to lean on or bounce off, Broski consistently delivers an impressively dynamic show, ping ponging from outlandish to intense to melancholy. From beginning to end, Broski is unabashed, relatable, and endlessly entertaining.
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Ryan Lark is a freelance writer and podcast critic living in Lexington, Kentucky. He can be reached on Instagram (@ryanonalark) and by email at [email protected]