April 09--Decluttering your house or tidying up your apartment? Might as well plug in your headphones and fire up your favorite podcast app -- it could be a while. Whether you lose yourself to storytelling or learn something new, the podcasts below will provide an audio escape from domestic duties, making chores seem less arduous.
1. "Pop Rocket"
Produced by the Maximum Fun network of podcasts, "Pop Rocket" is a weekly look at pop culture news and trends, but it is much more than that. The hosts (Guy Branum, Wynter Mitchell, Oliver Wang and Margaret Wappler) come from diverse backgrounds, spanning academia, journalism and comedy. They approach seemingly trivial topics with a mix of high-mindedness and amusement. Discussing everything from divorce in music and film to their hot takes on "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," each host offers clever, often funny insight that dives deeper than your average watercooler chat.
2. "Ask a Clean Person"
An advice podcast about cleaning, while cleaning? It's meta, we know, but hear us out. This podcast is not as boring as it sounds. Hosted by cleaning expert and advice columnist Jolie Kerr (formerly of The Awl), this podcast answers your filthiest questions. Kerr often invites other guests, and they discuss messes, clutter and general untidiness with humor. A recent episode discussed various methods for cleaning red wine stains ("the Streisand method" uses white wine), while another deep-dives into the best vacuums on the market. Kerr's advice is often hilarious and always spot-on, ultimately helping you keep the spots off.
3. "The Black Tapes Podcast"
Produced by production companies Pacific Northwest Stories and Minnow Beats Whale, this weekly docudrama is at turns spooky, mysterious and paranormal. Described as "Serial" meets "The X-Files," "The Black Tapes" is a narrative, episodic podcast that blurs fact and fiction, drawing in its audience with the tale of "one journalist's search for truth, her enigmatic subject's mysterious past, and the literal and figurative ghosts that haunt them both." You'll be so hooked by this yarn, you won't even realize you've been washing and scrubbing for hours.
4. "One Part Podcast"
Former Chicagoan Jessica Murnane wants to "bring you lessons in next-level inspiration," as she states in the introduction to her podcast, "One Part Podcast." A riff on her former website, "One Part Plant" -- a lifestyle destination for those dedicated to plant-based diets and wellness -- "OPP" hosts conversations with a diverse cast of creatives, entrepreneurs and authors who talk about everything from their projects to their creative process. Past guests include actor Jeff Garlin, entrepreneur Grace Bonney and food blogger/cookbook author Billy Green. Topics range far and wide, from serious health issues (Murnane, who suffers from endometriosis, recently interviewed the creator of the documentary "Endo What," a film about the disease) to more freewheeling, lighthearted fare in her "Things That Freaked My Week" series. Murnane is empathetic and enthusiastic, asking interesting questions of her guests while also introducing readers to subjects they may not be familiar with -- fulfilling her mission to inspire.
5. "Chewing"
Cue the shameless plug: Tribune reporter Louisa Chu and WBEZ reporter Monica Eng are the voices behind Chicago's newest food podcast, "Chewing." Well-versed in all things food and food culture, the hosts are smart cookies who know how to stir the pot (puns intended, sorry not sorry). The pair dig deep into their Rolodexes to host guests with very specific knowledge, from nutritionists to product developers. Each episode revolves around a theme, like a recent look at all things eggs, or this week's controversial discussion of race and food.
jbhernandez@chicagotribune.com
