Best Punchdrunk Podcasts (2024)

1
Portia 1:14:02

23d ago1:14:02

1:14:02

In "The Merchant of Venice," Portia is remarkable for her cleverness and the power she holds, and she’s ostensibly a hero of this story. But her journey is entwined with that of Shylock, the Jewish moneylender whose mistreatment makes "Merchant of Venice" a deeply troubling play. In this episode, we discuss just how extremely wealthy Portia is, whe…

1
BONUS: Long Beach Playhouse's 'Hamlet'

2M ago

—

featuring an interview with actor Roberto Williams Roberto Williams is one of five actors together playing the title character in Long Beach Playhouse’s current production of Hamlet. One actor plays what’s called the core Hamlet, and the others play four parts of Hamlet’s psyche: wisdom, innocence, justice, and vengeance — Roberto plays the latter.…

1
BONUS: Punchdrunk & Emursive’s ‘Sleep No More’

3M ago

—

featuring an interview with Emursive Chief Storyteller Ilana Gilovich Sleep No More, the immersive, one-of-a-kind adaptation of Macbeth, is in the spotlight in the first-ever bonus episode of Shakespeare’s Shadows. Co-produced by Punchdrunk and Emursive Productions, Sleep No More is a promenade-style performance that invites the audience members to…

1
The Dauphin 56:38

3M ago56:38

56:38

In “Henry V,” King Henry gets a new foil: the French Dauphin, the heir apparent in France, England’s rival. In the conflict that culminates in the Battle of Agincourt, Shakespeare depicts the English with layers and complexity and ultimately with a great deal of nobility. Meanwhile, the French (in the text and sometimes even more so in performance)…

1
Caliban 1:23:52

4M ago1:23:52

1:23:52

featuring interviews with actor Michael Blake, Pilobolus choreographers Matt Kent and Renée Jaworski, and SUNY New Paltz professor Matthieu Chapman A Shakespeare play that can be at turns heartwarming and troubling, “The Tempest” features two major characters who don’t look like the humans around them: Caliban and Ariel. Caliban, repeatedly describ…

1
Romeo 1:01:21

5M ago1:01:21

1:01:21

featuring interviews with actor Bally Gill and University of the Pacific professor Courtney Lehmann One half of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers is in the spotlight in this episode, which explores how this character goes from bad poet to good poet, what it takes to deliver an authentic and naturalistic Romeo, and how the introduction of the rapier…

1
Petruchio 1:20:40

6M ago1:20:40

1:20:40

featuring interviews with actors Patrice Jean-Baptiste and Simon Paisley Day and Gonzaga University professor Heather Easterling One of Shakespeare’s most controversial plays, “The Taming of the Shrew,” gets put under the microscope in this episode as we examine the character Petruchio, the man who supposedly tames the play’s titular shrew. Discuss…

1
Puck 49:04

6M ago49:04

49:04

featuring interviews with actor Ray Porter and University of California Merced professor Katherine Steele Brokaw A spirit of mischief, transformation, and imagination, Puck aka Robin Goodfellow darts around A Midsummer Night’s Dream provoking chaos and confusion when a couple groups of humans wander into a forest populated by magical beings. Discus…

1
Iago 56:35

7M ago56:35

56:35

featuring interviews with actors Patrick Page and Conor Andrew Hall and Queens College CUNY professor Miles Grier One of Shakespeare’s most notorious and chilling villains, Othello antagonist Iago, is in the spotlight in the second episode of season 2. This character has inspired debate for centuries, and this episode’s guests — who, at times, have…

1
Juliet 1:04:46

7M ago1:04:46

1:04:46

featuring interviews with actors Alejandra Escalante and Naire Poole and University of Oxford professor Sophie Duncan The podcast relaunches with an episode all about Shakespeare’s first tragic heroine. In the season 2 premiere, we explore what makes Juliet extraordinary: she’s brave, confident, and resourceful — all at age 13. Also discussed: Rome…

1
#519 Talk Talk with Ron Bennington 2:09:23

1y ago2:09:23

2:09:23

Ron Bennington joins me on today's episode to talk about interview style and his series Unmasked. Ron is someone whose style of interviewing I've always admired, it seemed fitting to have him on this episode. All upcoming shows & tickets: https://www.arishaffir.com/tour Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arishaffir/ • Oct 21: Bensalem, PA • Nov 0…

1
#518 Jew Special Commentary Part Two The Cheapening 3:34:01

1y ago3:34:01

3:34:01

Continuing the Jew Special Commentary now in Romania! We dive into the last few bits of my special Jew on my Youtube now. If you're listening stick around till the end and you can hear all the songs on my Edinburough playlist while I was running this hour of material there! All upcoming shows & tickets: https://www.arishaffir.com/tour Instagram: ht…

1
#517 Jew Special Commentary with Ari Shaffir 3:52:13

1y ago3:52:13

3:52:13

I've done a lot of these commentaries over the years and I've found them to be incredibly interesting as a fan of comedy and useful as a comedian. Today I'm gonna break down the first half of my latest masterpiece Jew. This one might be one you wanna watch cause I actually have the rights to play the special on youtube! All upcoming shows & tickets…

1
#516 2023 State of the Union with Dave Smith 5:04:18

1y ago5:04:18

5:04:18

Dave Smith came over for the State of the Union! Dave breaks down what the hell is going on in America and around the world in our annual Skeptic Tank State of The Union, which is usually done in the beginning of the year. It's always a great conversation with Dave and this time is no different. It's a long one, almost five hours. I hope you enjoy!…

1
#515 War Is Heaven with Geoffrey Asmus 1:58:04

1y ago1:58:04

1:58:04

Geoffrey Asmus or The Only Funny White Guy (Keep an eye out for his new special on Youtube) joins me to talk about war and the military. He's never been in the military and he's never been to war but he is truly fascinated by it and knows a lot of shit. For More Ari: All upcoming shows & tickets: https://www.arishaffir.com/tour Instagram: https://w…

1
#514 Moving Day with Andy Haynes 2:16:28

1y ago2:16:28

2:16:28

Andy Haynes came in to talk to me about his job as a mover. He became a mover the day he moved to New York and was doing it throughout the pandemic. It turns out lots of comics do it because of the flexibility and cash under the table. Plus you get a pretty good workout. For more Ari: The Wrong Side of History Tour pre-sale starts this Wednesday Ap…

1
#513 The Curious Case of Peter Schickele with Danny Polishchuk 1:58:21

1+ y ago1:58:21

1:58:21

Five-time Grammy winner Pete Schickele is unknown to many but if you were a comic in the 90s you may know him as the guy who beat you out for a Grammy. Danny Polishchk brought this story to my attention and it is just wild. We go on a deep dive into who the fuck this Peter Schickele guy even is. For more Ari: All upcoming shows & tickets: https://w…

1
#512 Ryan Sickler, MD with Ryan Sickler 2:00:50

1+ y ago2:00:50

2:00:50

Fellow Maryland-er Ryan Sickler and I were able to fill up a whole podcast episode just about Maryland. It's the state where we both grew up and have two very different versions of it. Ryan also has a brand new special out called "Lefty's Son" now on youtube! Go check it out and support unfiltered standup comedy. For more Ari: All upcoming shows & …

1
#511 Big Jay From LGA with Big Jay Oakerson 1:53:36

1+ y ago1:53:36

1:53:36

Big Jay Oakerson made me pick him up at the airport as my last responsibility as producer (Jewish term) of his new standup special, Dog Belly. I’m so proud of him. The special is amazing. I still find his fashion and musical tastes to be problematic but his standup is among the best in the world. For more Ari: All upcoming shows & tickets: https://…

1
#510 Professor Pain with Mike Vecchione 1:32:44

1+ y ago1:32:44

1:32:44

Mike Vecchione has a new special out now called "The Attractives" but before he did standup, Mike was a teacher for some rough and tough kids in Philly. He molded and shaped America's wild youth and he's here to tell me all about it. For more Ari: All upcoming shows & tickets: https://www.arishaffir.com/tour Cool merch & more: https://www.arishaffi…

1
#509 Filthy Strip Club Stories with Joe List & Henry Phillips 1:26:17

1+ y ago1:26:17

1:26:17

Joe and Henry came over to kill some time with me before we all headed to the Whit Reaper concert. A natural way to kill time is by talking about all the weird times you've had in strip clubs across the country. Enjoy. For more Ari: Appearing Live: New York City – March 24 @ The Beacon! https://bit.ly/ari-beacon All upcoming shows & tickets: https:…

1
#508 DeadHead with Phil Hanley 2:03:09

1+ y ago2:03:09

2:03:09

Phil Hanley is an expert on the Grateful Dead. Deadheads they call themselves, and he came over to clue me in on why this band is so awesome. They've got drugs, good music, and cool fans. What else could you want? For more Ari: Appearing Live: New York City – March 24 @ The Beacon! https://bit.ly/ari-beacon All upcoming shows & tickets: https://www…

1
#507 Hotboxing In A Rental with Dan Soder 1:17:08

1+ y ago1:17:08

1:17:08

Dan Soder drove with me to Vancouver after our show in Seattle and we had a great time doing some not-so-legal things! Can I get more dangerous than podcasting and driving? Listen to find out! For more Ari: Appearing Live: New York City – March 24 @ The Beacon! https://bit.ly/ari-beacon All upcoming shows & tickets: https://www.arishaffir.com/tour …

1
#506 Liftie with Ryan O'Neill and Brent 1:09:19

1+ y ago1:09:19

1:09:19

Ryan O'Neill and I spent some time in Salt Lake City with Brent the Liftie! Brent is a lift operator in Salt Lak City and he gave us the scoop on what it's like and showed us a good time on the mountain. For more Ari: Get tickets to see Ari on the road: https://www.arishaffir.com/tour Cool merch & more: https://www.arishaffir.com/ Ari Shaffir - JEW…

1
#505 High Society Golf Scum with Kevin Ryan & H. Foley 1:40:53

1+ y ago1:40:53

1:40:53

Kevin Ryan and H. Foley came over to talk about some of the first jobs they ever had, which led to a great conversation with the garbage guys about working at country club golf courses. Who do you think would be better at golf? For more Ari: Get tickets to see Ari on the road: https://www.arishaffir.com/tour Cool merch & more: https://www.arishaffi…

1
#504 Israstine with Andy Haynes 2:05:59

1+ y ago2:05:59

2:05:59

The Coward of Gramercy and Israel Palestine expert Andy Haynes came over to talk with me about the conflict even though I had no logical points on the matter. For more Ari: Get tickets to see Ari on the road: https://www.arishaffir.com/tour Cool merch & more: https://www.arishaffir.com/ Ari Shaffir - JEW (2022) FULL SPECIAL For More Andy: Instagram…

1
#503 Toilet Humor with Colum Tyrrell and Nate Marshall 1:29:17

1+ y ago1:29:17

1:29:17

Colum Tyrrell and Nate Marshall joined me in Pittsburgh where we talked about our bathroom fails and favorites in between shows.. in the bathroom. For more Ari: Get tickets to see Ari on the road: https://www.arishaffir.com/tour Cool merch & more: https://www.arishaffir.com/ Ari Shaffir - JEW (2022) FULL SPECIAL Nate Marshall: Twitter: https://twit…

1
#502 Magic the Dungeoning with Rick Glassman 2:41:23

1+ y ago2:41:23

2:41:23

Rick Glassman is pure magic. Not only is he the most interesting man in podcasting, he’s also a recovering dork who played Magic the Gathering for as many as 87 hours a week. Rick came over to Skeptic Tank Studios to boss my editor around and tell me all about the game that made Dungeons and Dragons quake in their elven boots. For more Ari: Get tic…

1
#501 Guido Adjacent with Paul Virzi 1:37:45

1+ y ago1:37:45

1:37:45

Paul Virzi is a great comic but he's also kind of a Guido. Paying for meals is a guido thing. Saying "The Joshua Tree" is a Guido thing. Keeping your car SUPER clean...That's a Guido thing. For more Ari: Get tickets to see Ari on the road: https://www.arishaffir.com/tour Cool merch & more: https://www.arishaffir.com/ Ari Shaffir - JEW (2022) FULL S…

1
#500 Frijole Diver with Tim Brown 2:11:08

1+ y ago2:11:08

2:11:08

Tim Brown is a Free Diving instructor I met during my time in Guatemala over the holidays. He's a 21-year-old kid from Australia who decided one day that he wanted to try free diving and now he's teaching tourists how to do it in Lake Atitlan, a gorgeous lake in Guatemala. For more Ari: Get tickets to see Ari on the road: https://www.arishaffir.com…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Punchdrunk Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank

Ari Shaffir

1
Shakespeare's Shadows

Emily Rome

1
My Life & Times

My Life & Times

1
Portia 1:14:02

1
BONUS: Long Beach Playhouse's 'Hamlet'

1
BONUS: Punchdrunk & Emursive’s ‘Sleep No More’

1
The Dauphin 56:38

1
Caliban 1:23:52

1
Romeo 1:01:21

1
Petruchio 1:20:40

1
Puck 49:04

1
Iago 56:35

1
Juliet 1:04:46

1
#519 Talk Talk with Ron Bennington 2:09:23

1
#518 Jew Special Commentary Part Two The Cheapening 3:34:01

1
#517 Jew Special Commentary with Ari Shaffir 3:52:13

1
#516 2023 State of the Union with Dave Smith 5:04:18

1
#515 War Is Heaven with Geoffrey Asmus 1:58:04

1
#514 Moving Day with Andy Haynes 2:16:28

1
#513 The Curious Case of Peter Schickele with Danny Polishchuk 1:58:21

1
#512 Ryan Sickler, MD with Ryan Sickler 2:00:50

1
#511 Big Jay From LGA with Big Jay Oakerson 1:53:36

1
#510 Professor Pain with Mike Vecchione 1:32:44

1
#509 Filthy Strip Club Stories with Joe List & Henry Phillips 1:26:17

1
#508 DeadHead with Phil Hanley 2:03:09

1
#507 Hotboxing In A Rental with Dan Soder 1:17:08

1
#506 Liftie with Ryan O'Neill and Brent 1:09:19

1
#505 High Society Golf Scum with Kevin Ryan & H. Foley 1:40:53

1
#504 Israstine with Andy Haynes 2:05:59

1
#503 Toilet Humor with Colum Tyrrell and Nate Marshall 1:29:17

1
#502 Magic the Dungeoning with Rick Glassman 2:41:23

1
#501 Guido Adjacent with Paul Virzi 1:37:45

1
#500 Frijole Diver with Tim Brown 2:11:08

Quick Reference Guide