The Best Aussie Comedy Podcasts Of 2018
Apparently some brave comedians have started podcasting.
The best comedy podcasts are from Australia and New Zealand — and this year has been a great one for antipodean comedy podcasts, with comedians of all genres flocking to JB Hi-Fi for a microphone setup.
Despite the cancellation of shows like Tonightly indicating a lack of faith in young, local comedians by traditional media, the popularity of podcasting means that you can hear from your favourite comedian every week without the inconvenience of a legal department or a production timeline.
Hooray!
Some truly brilliant podcasts have been released in 2018, vastly broadening the online options for Australian comedy fans — which were previously just cooked YouTube videos mocking people via a rotation of wigs or shaky iPhone footage of open mic stand up, edited with a star wipe effect. Never again.
From game shows, to TV commentary, to dissolving friendships for content, here is our list of the best Aussie (and Kiwi) comedy podcasts of 2018.
1. Batch Bitch With Danielle Walker and Naomi Higgins
Truly one of the best podcasts of the year, the duo’s scathing commentary of the Australian Bachelor provides entertainment for people who a. don’t watch The Bachelor, b. do watch The Bachelor and yell at the screen and c. people much more interested in Danielle’s obsession with dead animals than with anyone on The Bachelor.
Make sure you’re not put off by their homemade intro music (let them have fun!) and treat yourself to twenty-three episodes of excellent discussion content of free-to-air TV.
2. Don’t You Know Who I Am? Hosted By Josh Earl
Josh Earl scours the internets and gathers stories from his guests to create an elaborate audio gameshow, tallying who knows whom based on their tweets and tales.
It features a huge rotation of incredibly funny guests, and actually much more preparation than goes into most podcasts. You are sure to hear a wildly unique story and discover a new Twitter account to follow, all the while laughing like a maniac on public transport.
With most podcasts the best place to start is at the beginning, but if you’re looking for a 2018 ep to kick off your addiction to this one — episode 106 with Michelle Brasier, Laura Dunemann, Maggie Looke & Rhi Down is one of the best of the year.
3. Free To A Good Home With Michael Hing And Ben Jenkins
Despite their sporadic release schedule frustrating fans across the nation, this podcast is too good not to make this list.
Michael and Ben discuss online classified ads from Gumtree, Craiglist and the overflowing pool of content that is Darwin Buy/Swap/Sell, with hilarious guests who are consistently puzzled by the pair’s obsession with the machine that makes poo at MONA and other unnerving trivia they’ll inevitably misquote.
All the episodes released this year are brilliant, but episode 89 – ‘Hey Check This Out with Guy Montgomery’ is particularly great.
Hello! i just remembered the password to this twitter account. Anyway, there's a new ep of the show out:https://t.co/HQK2NXXtxZ
— Free to a Good Home (@FTAGHPod) November 19, 2018
4. The Phone Hacks With Nick Capper and Mike Goldstein
Capper and Goldstein invite other comedians onto their podcast to prove that they are the bravest people in the world, by going through each other’s phones.
The wheel (they have a wheel) decides what area of private phone use gets investigated, and the boys explore notes, drafts tweets and internet search history, to basically ruin each other’s lives. If you follow either of them on social media, and have at any point this year thought they might be having a crisis, you’ve gotta listen to this podcast.
5. The Minutes With Mel Buttle And Patience Hodgson
They’re back! After a hiatus that was, in technical terms, too long, Mel and Patience are back on the pod discussing life, love and how to use Airtasker to improve your mental health.
If you like tales of children, dogs, music, eco-nonsense or just supporting some National Treasures — you need to get into this pod.
6. Worst First Dates with Brett Blake and Kelly Fastuca
This pair of Melbourne comedians take each other on first dates so terrible, it’ll make whatever disaster you took part in last weekend with Craig from Bumble look like nothing.
Their brilliant rotation of guests bemoan dating from all stages of life and no info is spared on the dating lives of the hosts, who seem to sometimes be living in a terrible soap opera. Lessons learned: don’t get into a car with the engine running, if the guy says you “need to talk.” He will break up with you without putting it in park.
Check out known sweetheart Luke McGregor in episode 46: Luke McGregor Has a Crack.
Check out this weeks episode with @xavier_michelides it’s a super funny one! download here: 🎧🎧🎧 https://t.co/ZFzTPUkf8R pic.twitter.com/qw7YdXTsPR
— Worstfirstdates (@Worst1stdates) December 8, 2018
7. Boners of the Heart With Rose Matafeo and Alice Snedden
Beloved Kiwi comedians discuss hunks and hotties of film and television, in a podcast premise that they undermine constantly — all the while chipping slowly away at a strong and meaningful friendship.
Frequently featuring Chris Parker and Eli Matthewson of The Male Gayz podcast, another New Zealand treasure, Boners of the Heart is a joy of a pod.
For a fully empowering ep, check out ‘Vulva Pride’.
New @BonerOfTheHeart out tomorrow #VulvaPride pic.twitter.com/r6tHfoxdiA
— LittleEmpirePodcasts (@LittleEmpirePod) November 14, 2018
8. Is There Something in This? With Jason Chatfield And Scott Dooley
These Aussies cartoonists abroad are charming and funny, and their podcast lets you into their creative brainstorm as they figure out what cartoons to pitch to The New Yorker.
If you enjoy sitting nearby your funny friends as they riff, but want no obligation to take part in being funny — this is the podcast for you.
9. bigsofttitty.png With Demi Lardner And Tom Walker
This is a hard one to describe, but Demi Lardner and Tom Walker are both award winning comedians with podcast chops and you are in safe hands.
As long as a varied array of voices, characters, deep dives into niche internet communities and a podcast name that you’ll be too embarrassed to say when your parents ask what you’re giggling at make you feel safe.
10. Confessions Of The Idiots With Sam Petersen
People are simply too honest online, and this is a fact Sam Petersen takes advantage of in his new podcast about online confessions.
Reading out confessions of theft, slander and public defecation to guests who are shocked and awed by the amount of people who just don’t understand that the internet is forever, Sam has created a pod that will leave listeners cackling.
Listen to episode 36 with Nelly Thomas and Rhi Down for a hysterical hour of your life.
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Grace Jarvis is a writer and comedian from Brisbane. She cannot be left alone with her thoughts so if you want to chat podcasts, find her on Twitter @grace4jarvis.