Best A Prairie Home Companion Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 285 - Cemetery research, tombstones and stories 51:08

2d ago51:08

51:08

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Cemeteries have some of the most intriguing stories to tell us about our ancestors. In this episode, Joy Neighbors (The Tombstone Tourist), author of the book joins me to discuss: How to prepare for a successful cemetery research trip The meaning behind tombstone symbols The most surprising things she has discovered at cem…

1
Mike Sacks Gives His Former High School’s Commencement Speech 1:37:27

13d ago1:37:27

1:37:27

A mediocrity tells high school graduates to avoid what he did as a youth, and Mike talks with “public relations operative” Phil Elwood about his new book “All the Worst Humans: How I Made News for Dictators, Tycoons, and Politicians”. Sign up for Mike’s newsletter. Brought to you By: The Sonar Network…

1
Episode 284 - 5 Steps to Finding Marriage Records 30:17

23d ago30:17

30:17

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Learn the 5 steps to successfully finding marriage records for genealogy research. This episode is also available in on the show notes page on our website. Genealogy Gems Premium Members Exclusive Download: Log into your and download the ad-free Show Notes handout that complements this episode: Downloadable ad-free for . B…

1
[Encore Episode] Julie Klausner & Billy Domineau 1:17:38

2M ago1:17:38

1:17:38

Mike catches up with an old friend. It goes badly. Mike interviews Julie Klausner, the creator and co-star of “Difficult People,” and co-host of “Double Threat” as well as an interview with Billy Domineau, the author of the “Seinfeld 9/11” script. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte. Brought to you By: The Sonar Network…

1
Episode 283 - Daughters of the American Revolution DAR and Genealogy 35:01

2M ago35:01

35:01

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Do you have a revolutionary war ancestor? Have you thought about joining the ? I’ve invited Barbara Jurs of the DAR to explain the process. In this video, you’ll learn the answers to the questions: What is the DAR? What do I need to do first? How much genealogical proof do I need? How do I apply for the DAR? How do I find …

1
Oh Hey, Sister City! 47:57

2M ago47:57

47:57

After lawyers pulled us off the air, we're back! And tonight we're talking about Fakahatchee getting a potential sister city! Tonight's callers include: Chester Lazerham: Worried about two governments poking around in his kitchen. Mikey Dusoleil: Why he's holding back on signing off on our sister city. Brad Clooney & Reese Aniston: With their picks…

1
Tim Barnes and Kill the Rich 1:05:38

3M ago1:05:38

1:05:38

When Mike’s away the Rob will play. Producer Rob Schulte interviews writer and comic Tim Barnes and plays the first chapter of the new audio book he produced, KILL THE RICH. Order: And Here’s the Kicker Mike’s Substack Rob’s Substack Tim’s Website Kill the Rich Audio Book Brought to you By: The Sonar Network…

1
Episode 282 - Newspapers and Obituaries for Genealogy 45:47

3M ago45:47

45:47

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: In our first segment, Lisa Louise Cooke and her guest Jenny Ashcraft from Newspapers.com discuss how to use newspapers to fill in the missing stories in your ancestors’ lives. Jenny shares strategic tips on finding unique information many researchers miss. In the second segment of this episode, Shannon Combs-Bennett, the a…

1
Conversations with Authors Adelle Waldman and Evan Waite 1:33:41

4M ago1:33:41

1:33:41

Mike Sacks interviews Adelle Waldman and Evan Waite about their new books, one a novelistic take on contemporary capitalistic culture, the other a throwback to 1970s humor books. Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Episode 281 - Find and Identify Old Family Photos at DeadFred 28:16

4M ago28:16

28:16

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Discover more than 100,000 old family photos on . Founder Joe Bott explains how to find photos of your relatives on this free website, as well as how to post your unidentified photos. Who knows, someone else may spot your photo and have the answers. This interview is also available in video form on the show notes page. And…

1
Comedic Jamin 1:36:50

5M ago1:36:50

1:36:50

Mike talks with veteran TV comedy writer Michael Jamin (King of the Hill, Maron, Beavis and Butthead, Just Shoot Me) about his new humor essay collection, “A Paper Orchestra” and what it takes to write comedy for a living. Producer Rob talks with Tara Avery of Stacked Deck Press and Soizick Jaffre about Soizick’s new graphic novel, “A Good Sport.” …

1
Episode 280 - 16 Ways to Find Your Ancestors’ Village 44:55

5M ago44:55

44:55

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Whether you want to visit the village where your ancestor was born on your next vacation, or you just want to find their records, you’ll need to know the exact place name and location. Professional genealogist Rich Venezia of joins me in this video to help us pin down those ancestral places. This interview is also availabl…

1
Dan Guterman and the End of the World 54:18

6M ago54:18

54:18

Mike talks with Dan Guterman and Martha Kelly about their now animated Netflix series, Carol & The End of the World. And Mike explains his new multi-level marketing humor school idea. Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Episode 279 - DNA Painter and Resolving Conflicting Birthdates 36:30

6M ago36:30

36:30

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: I've got two great genealogy topics and interviews for you in this audio podcast episode. First up we’re going to tackle the problem of conflicting birthdates. When you find different dates in a variety of genealogical records, how do you decide which one to record in your family tree database? Well, you have to do more di…

1
Welcoming 2024 with an incoherent ramble from a legend 29:02

7M ago29:02

29:02

The great, late Larry King babbles live on air for 30 min. Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Holiday OCD Spectacular 34:48

8M ago34:48

34:48

Mike Talks About His OCD, OCD, OCD (three is Mike’s magic OCD number) Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Surely, You Can’t Talk about the Movie Airplane! for Over an Hour! 1:15:45

9M ago1:15:45

1:15:45

Surely, You Can’t Talk about the Movie Airplane! for Over an Hour!: Mike Sacks interviews author Will Harris on his new oral history of Airplane!, and with Luisa Colón about her terrific new book, Bad Moon Rising, that took years to find a publisher. Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

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This Is It: Mike Sacks Talks To Patty Lin About Her Fantastic New Memoir, and Goes Deep About Chris Elliott 1:16:00

10M ago1:16:00

1:16:00

Mike interviews former TV writer Patty Lin about her new memoir, End Credits, and why she left the business, and goes deep about one of his comedic heroes, Chris Elliott Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Better Writer, Better You, Supreme Comedy Writing Contest 49:58

10M ago49:58

49:58

Mike talks with Seph and Lex of the podcast You But Better. Enter the Better Writer, Better You, Supreme Comedy Writing Contest! Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Frat Party Blues with Bill Hader! 1:14:17

11M ago1:14:17

1:14:17

Mike interviews Bill Hader and writes a story geared to college students! This episode was produced by Rob Schulte. Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Randy on Vanderpump Robs 33:01

11M ago33:01

33:01

Randy returns to the podcast to tell us how he’s going to be the next star of Vanderpump Rules, and why he’s not allowed on the newest season. He also complains about Mike Sacks stealing his memoir. Support Vanderpump Robs on Patreon. Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Operation BlackBerry with Matthew Johnson 1:22:33

12M ago1:22:33

1:22:33

Director and writer Matthew Johnson discusses his latest movie, Blackberry, and other topics, and Mike sings the praises of his friend, the genius Merrill Markoe. Find all of Mike’s books at MikeSacks.com Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Fonz and the Orphan 40:47

1y ago40:47

40:47

Fonz and the Orphan. Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Episode 278 - AI Updates and Should you use AI like ChatGPT and Bard for genealogy 36:12

1y ago36:12

36:12

AUDIO PODCAST SHOW NOTES: Get the very latest on the major update Google has made to Bard, and the answer to the question "Should I use Bard, ChatGPT, or any of the other chatbots for genealogy research?" I've got some surprising answers for you! Visit the show notes page for this episode. Watch the Video You can watch the video version: Genealogy …

1
Mike Passes on the Right 1:06:01

1y ago1:06:01

1:06:01

Mike presents the first chapter from the audio version of “Passing On The Right: The Skippy Batty Battison Story“! This episode was produced by Rob Schulte. Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Buzzed with Mike Sacks and David Sedaris 1:34:16

1y ago1:34:16

1:34:16

Mike interviews the great David Sedaris and introduces two new segments: “Forgotten Comedic Gems” (this ep: Jean Shepherd) and “Short Sharp Advice” (this ep: finding a literary agent). Mike also presents the worst jobs to be found in porno films. Find all of Mike’s books at MikeSacks.com This episode was Produced by Rob Schulte Brought to you By: T…

1
FRN: Statue Snag, DanZ Faceoff, Nightmonster Report 22:26

1y ago22:26

22:26

It's 'Five' pm... and time for the Fakahatchee Radio News: Tonight: The DanZ and Florida Feud: Chuchi Bonhomme with a special update A special report from Chad 'The Nightmonster' Malloy. Gator Greg Statue Hits A Snag Fakahatchee Police Blotter Join the other criminals of Fakahatchee on the Police Blotter by joining our Patreon Sound off, Fakahatche…

1
Episode 277 - Marriage Case Study and Researching Witnesses 46:12

1y ago46:12

46:12

Show Notes: Professional Genealogist J Mark Lowe joins Lisa Louise Cooke on the show to share a marriage research case study that highlights the importance of understanding Gretna Greens. Then Professional Genealogist and blogger Robyn Smith shares her 3 step process for researching witnesses found on records from her new Family Tree Magazine artic…

1
Deep Thoughts with Jack Handey and Mike Sacks 47:27

1y ago47:27

47:27

Mike comes clean with his leaked bootleg sex tape and talks to Jack Handey about his books and career. Purchase Jack’s new book Find all of Mike’s books Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Episode 276 - Free Old Newspapers at Google Books 26:43

1y ago26:43

26:43

Google Books is known for having millions of free digitized books. But did you know that it’s also packed with hidden old newspapers? Since newspapers don’t typically appear in your initial search results in Google Books, I’ll show you two ways to filter down to only newspapers. Plus I’ll also show you some of the most effective ways to quickly fin…

1
LIVE from Gator Greg's Funeral 58:18

1y ago58:18

58:18

Join us as KFAK broadcasts LIVE from Gator Greg's Funeral at Duck Winter's GatorGanza in the Sir Chomps-a-Lot Feeding Pavillion where anything can happen. It promises to be a star studded affair with Mr. Winters' promising tons of celebrity appearances and other surprises to maximize your grief. Services will be officiated by Father Michael Petrie …

1
The Mystery of Mastery with Adam Gopnik 1:14:37

1y ago1:14:37

1:14:37

Mike tells two traditional jokes and then interviews Adam Gopnik, author of the new “The Real Work: On the Mystery of Mastery” – Find more of Mike’s work at MikeSacks.com – This episode was produced by Rob Schulte Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Episode 275 Restarting Your Genealogy Research - Getting Started 28:48

1+ y ago28:48

28:48

Has it been a while since you worked on your genealogy research? As passionate as we may be about genealogy, the reality is that a little thing called “Life” can get in the way! Getting back into genealogy can actually be a bit daunting. Where did you leave off? Where should you start back up? If it’s been months or even years since you had your ha…

1
Seppita Mobile Presents: Sexy NPR Fan Fiction 54:45

1+ y ago54:45

54:45

Mike reads his NPR sexy fan fiction and interviews two representatives of his brand-new sponsor, Seppita Mobile. Purchase Mike’s books a Mikesacks.com Find out more at SeppitaMobile.com This episode was produced by Rob Schulte Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Episode 274 - Marriage Records and Gretna Green 51:42

1+ y ago51:42

51:42

Gretna Green is a term you need to know if you are searching for marriage records. In this video professional genealogist J. Mark Lowe joins me to discuss Gretna Green: what it means, why it matters, and how Gretna Greens may have affected your ability to find your ancestors’ marriage records. Get the . MyHeritage Get your Get 20% off a Publisher E…

1
Mike Sacks Presents: Maryland War of the Worlds! 37:27

1+ y ago37:27

37:27

Mike Sacks reads his sexual encounter cheat sheet and then shares some crab dip with aliens. Producer Rob Schulte talks with writers Jack Allison and Kate Shapiro about their new book “Kill the Rich.” Buy Mike’s books Pre-order Jack and Kate’s book Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Episode 273 - GEDCOM Genealogy Files 30:36

1+ y ago30:36

30:36

The GEDCOM digital file format is essential to genealogy. My expert guest from FamilySearch explains what a GEDCOM is, how to use it, and the most recent changes. He’ll also answer some of the most common GEDCOM questions. Get the MyHeritage Get your Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription. and use coupon code genealogygems Become a Genealogy Ge…

1
Mike Sacks is Reconnectin’ with Old Lovers! 36:15

1+ y ago36:15

36:15

It’s Valentine’s Month and Mike Sacks is achieving his New Year’s resolution of reaching out to past loves to learn from his childish mistakes. Find all of Mike’s new books at MikeSacks.com Brought to you By: The Sonar NetworkBy info@thesonarnetwork.com

1
Goodnight Sweet Gator 1:13:23

1+ y ago1:13:23

1:13:23

We say goodbye to an absolute legend among alligators as he slips and slides away into that great big muddy swamp in the sky. (We're talking about Heaven.) Tonight's callers include: Duck Winters: How will he continue on without his best friend (and best earning) alligator. Dr. Leonard 'Skinny' Scroggins: Shares his top three grieving tips. Has he …

1
Episode 272 - 15 Freebies for Genealogy 52:31

1+ y ago52:31

52:31

A ton of genealogy and family history research can be done for free. In this episode I’ll share 15 fabulous free websites and what I love about them. These are essential for everyone serious about saving money while climbing their family tree. Get the . MyHeritage Get your Get 20% off a Publisher Extra subscription. and use coupon code genealogygem…

1
BONUS: Vanderpump Rules Fan Fiction with Randy S. 31:47

1+ y ago31:47

31:47

Today’s episode is unique. Author and all-around “ideas man” Randy S. joins producer Rob to talk about his Vanderpump Rules fan fiction, as well as his “amazing” memoir that was found in a box at a Maryland garage sale by Mike Sacks. You can order Randy’s memoir here You can order Stinker Lets Loose! here. Support Vanderpump Robs here. Brought to y…

1
Mike Sacks returns! And he’s now a Hostage Negotiator! 36:46

1+ y ago36:46

36:46

Maryland has always been a hunting ground, and Mike Sacks has been negotiating with criminals since the premiere of Heavy Metal Parking Lot. “Negotiating is a lot like sex,” Mike will often say. “It’s a lot more effective when it ain’t pretty.” One thing that never changes—nobody ever sees him coming. Mike’s new books: RANDY! Stinker Lets Loose Bro…

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Episode 271 Genealogy Source Citations 53:58

1+ y ago53:58

53:58

Finding great sources of information is part of what makes genealogy so fun! But citing those sources may not be so much. In this episode professional genealogist, Gail Schaefer Blankenau makes the case why source citation is a vital part of great genealogy research and she’s going to give us the resources to help get the job done right. Get the . …

1
Episode 270 Pennsylvania and Ohio Genealogy 48:04

1+ y ago48:04

48:04

In this episode, we’re going to be visiting two of the most pivotal states in the U.S. for genealogy research. These states played key roles in the development and expansion of the United States of America, and we’re going to explore a top online resource for each. First up is the state of Pennsylvania, officially known as the Commonwealth of Penns…

1
FRN: Sick Gator, New Justice, Sports Highlights 10:03

1+ y ago10:03

10:03

It's 'Five' pm... and time for the Fakahatchee Radio News: Tonight: Gator Sick! Wrangler Mangler Victims Found? Chess Moves Closer to Winner! Sound off, Fakahatchee! @nightdrivefm on Twitter and on instagram @nightdrivefminsta With a very special thanks to Casey Redmon and Clint Gage.By Michael Truly

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