Yesterday I discovered the podcast 5 Useless Degrees and a Bottle of Scotch, on which two dudes with extensive theater backgrounds drink whisk(e)y and talk about Portland theater. As a Manhattan-partial theater critic, obviously I was thrilled; plus, their discussions of local shows are substantive, informed, and actually critical, all of which are in short supply in Portland theater coverage.

I've also been enjoying Welcome to That Whole Thing, the weekly co-production from Bobby Roberts and Cort Webbers that replaced their long-running show cortandfatboy.

Couple weeks ago I was a guest on Patioh, Patino, which is a mostly-comedy podcast whose four hosts talk dating and other funny junk on patios around town. I'm refusing to listen to my episode, but I helped the ladies with their online dating profiles, and probably said some incriminating shit that I would prefer my boyfriend not know about. (Hi honey!)

I'm also avoiding listening to my recent appearance on Happy Go Lucky, a pop-culture podcast co-hosted by Mercury contributor Ben Coleman. We talk about Enders Game and I strain to sound smart, which is much easier to do in writing, lemme tell you.

Oh yeah, and Mercury columnist Alex Falcone has a great show, did everybody know that? Read It and Weep? They talk about terrible movies and books in a hilarious way.

And finally, a few days ago Marjorie was a guest on Needmore Designs' design/music/business/culture podcast The Job, which I haven't listened to, but if they had Marjorie on, they must have good taste.

Anyone else got anything new/interesting/local on their radar?

• Thomas James

I wrote a big feature on Portland podcasting this week, and listened to lots and lots and lots of podcasts for it. But I definitely didn't listen to ALL of the podcasts produced in Portland—lots of shows slipped through the cracks, due to time constraints or because I just didn't know about 'em. So if you create or listen to a local show that's not mentioned in the piece, please drop it in the comments on the article! I hope the whole piece, comments 'n' all, will turn into a good master list of local shows.

The spot-on art for the article, BTW, was created by Thomas James, creator of locally based illustration podcast Escape from Illustration Island. SYNERGY!

Tonight at the Red and Black Cafe, a "bicoastal reading event" from half-local literary podcast Late Night Library. The show, created by Portlander Paul Martone and New Yorker Erin Hoover, offers a semi-regular discussion of debut fiction and poetry, plus a just-introduced "conversation" series featuring conversations with "with the people who are changing the way we think about books."

I've listened to the show a few times in the last few months, and my biggest critique of the episodes I've heard is that as a listener I often felt as though the discussion wasn't quite for my benefit. The hosts have a tendency to dive straight into the specifics of theme, structure, and word choice; if you're not familiar with the work in question, it can be quite opaque. The show needs more constraints, basically—a stronger moderational hand, a loose outline to structure the discussion. Sure, that might harsh the mell of the discussion a bit, but... literary types do tend to go on. (If it were my podcast, and it is not, I would organize the discussion into discrete chunks, each introduced by a reading from the text that illustrates the theme or style element to be discussed. Anybody want to make that podcast? That sounds fun.) That all being said, I think it's a worthwhile project that's improving as it goes along, and tonight's lineup is great: Representing Portland are poet Emily Kendal Frey and novelist Alexis M. Smith (Glaciers), while Farrah Field and Sarah Falkner are Skyping in from Brooklyn. They'll each read a bit then take questions from either city.

The reading's tonight at 7 pm at the Red and Black, and it's free. I'm curious as to how it'll shake out, particularly the bicoastal/Skyped-in angle—if I wasn't producing an event of my own tonight, I'd be there.

I'm a little bit obsessed with the Slate podcast family, and I've been enjoying their newest, Lexicon Valley, a "show about the mysteries of English," hosted by former On the Media producer Mike Vuolo.

Today's episode—the show's second—is about the etymology of the world "faggot" and how and when it should be used. Vuolo is joined by Bob Garfield, with one host staunchly defending his right to use it as a hyperbolic insult, and the other maintaining that it's not really a word straight men get to say. (It reminded me of this BINGO card of justifications people use for saying cunt that I ran across yesterday.) Most interestingly, the show examines the word's historical roots—concluding that the word was originally a pejorative directed at women (and not, as people love to repeat in tones of utmost concern, because "faggot" originally referred to the bundles of sticks used to burn gay people at the stake).

Listen here.

"Isn't calling yourself a geek sort of the male cultural equivalent of dressing up as a sexy witch for Halloween?"

Jonathan Coulton was on Jesse Thorne's The Sound of Young America yesterday talking about his new album Artificial Heart, along with They Might Be Giants' John Flansburgh, who produced the album. While I'm not really in Camp Coulton—I saw him once and it was fun, but as a rule I don't like it when people with guitars try to be funny—the show has some worthwhile tangents about geek culture and the current state of the music industry.

And! Here's a single from the new album, featuring the Long Winters' John Roderick:

LISTEN:

Jonathan Coulton - "Nemesis"

Schools close, grown men weep, Alanis Morissette washes her hair!! The world is turned upside down as Matt and Magsy record their FINAL EPISODE. Music by pretty much everyone you would imagine they would play in their FINAL EPISODE! Did we mention it's their FINAL EPISODE?! Welcome to episode 95 (The FINAL EPISODE!) of Pure Pod For Now People.

After weeks of contract negotiations, Matt and Mags shockingly announce that this will be their SECOND to last show ever. Music by the Pixies, Thin Lizzy, Love, and more! Welcome to episode 94 (THE SECOND TO LAST EPISODE EVER!) of Pure Pod for Now People.

It's time to kick up your heels with a new episode of Your Radio Sucks! Or, if you don't have heels, a comfy pair of cross trainers will do... Sandals? Okay, if you must. Listen to music from Parts & Labor, Church, the Sea and Cake, Dragonette (pictured), El Guincho, Tobacco, Times New Viking, Soft Tags, the Felice Brothers, and Menahan Street Band. It's like a foot massage for your ears!

This week on Pure Pod for Now People, Matt and Magsy honor two recently deceased musicians, make their football picks, and make future hipster wedding fashion tips. Music by Sean Croghan, Teenage Head, Against Me, Aerosmith and more. Welcome to episode 93 of Pure Pod for Now People.

The new episode of Your Radio Sucks is like a gust of fresh wind in your face. Okay, there's a little moisture, and oooch, watch out for cinders flying in your eye. Still, you can take it. There's music from Hot Lava (pictured), Women, Pretty and Nice, Eulogies, Ezra Furman & the Harpoons, Department of Eagles, Slaraffenland, These Are Powers, Gregory & the Hawk, Land of Talk, and Chairlift. Oh, what the... Did something just fly into your mouth? Gross!

This week on Pure Pod for Now People, Matt & Magsy bring half-suit Wm. Steven Humphrey on the show to try to get insider information about how show negotiations are going, and to talk about Pizzazz. Hilarity ensues. Welcome to episode 92 of Pure Pod for Now People.

The new episode of Your Radio Sucks will play with your heart, toying with your emotions like a cat swatting a ball of yarn. It'll love you, then mistreat you, then beg you for forgiveness. Take a ride on the emotional roller coaster with new music by Koufax (pictured), Frightened Rabbit, the Streets, Fucked Up, Jolie Holland, the Rosebuds, Grails, Castanets, Vivian Girls, and Daniel Martin Moore. There will be ups and downs, for sure, but you wouldn't have it any other way.

Forced to record the podcast on Monday, will Matt and Mags be able to put together a cohesive show? Or will they give the suits more fodder in the negotiations? Maybe they will become custom framers! Music by TV on the radio, Teenage Fanclub, Elvis Costello, and more. Welcome to episode 91 of Pure Pod for Now People!

We know. Times are tight, what with the collapse of the dollar and the country's financial market in ruins. Chin up! Your Radio Sucks offers plenty of pleasant diversion for you, and it doesn't cost one thin dime! Listen to music from Noah and the Whale (pictured), Santogold, Born Ruffians, Narwhal vs. Narwhal, Peter Broderick, Dungen, Reporter, Brightblack Morning Light, and Ponytail. Now, if you need us, we'll be stuffing what's left of worldly possessions under the mattress.

As the duo celebrates their 90th episode, Matt sounds as cranky as a 90-year-old, with a multitude of issues to get off his chest. Music by Okkerville River, the Bangles, Big Star, the Lieutenants, Ben Folds Five, and more. Welcome to episode 90 of Pure Pod for Now People.

It's a whodunit this week on Your Radio Sucks! Was it the creepy butler, or the saucy chambermaid? Perhaps it was the scorned heiress, or the opium-smoking litigator, or even your gibberish-talking host Ned Lannamann. Listen to the testimony of suspects like TV on the Radio, the Week That Was (pictured), Friendly Fires, Blitzen Trapper, Astronautalis, All Girl Summer Fun Band, Holy Sons, the Standard, and High Places. Now put on that detective hat and get sleuthing!

This week on Pure Pod for Now People, Matt and Magsy bring in special guest Ezra Ace Caraeff to talk music—and as a witness to a very confused fan of Matt's. Music by the Fratellis, Spiritualized, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and MORE. Welcome to episode 89 of Pure Pod for Now People!

In this very special 100th episode of Savage Lovecast, America's favorite homo, Dan Savage, attempts to save the marriages of six straight couples. Have you had your fix of Savage Love lately? Listen to a new episode every Wednesday on Pod 'n' Vod.

This is just a routine examination. Please relax. Good. Now breathe in, and out, and in, and out. Good. Hold this week's episode against your heart, and listen to music by Passion Pit (pictured), Envelopes, Ruby Isle, Freshkills, Kellarissa, the Girls, Talkdemonic, Lost in the Trees, the Ettes, the Lovely Sparrows, and Mogwai. Now turn your head and cough!

This week on Pure Pod for Now People, Matt returns from his travels glowing and chatty because he got to see his beloved Buffalo Bills win at Penn State, and he took home another incredibly important award from his place of employment. Not even the discovery of his new #2 most hated corporation could bring him down. Music by the Pixies, Undertones, New Pornographers, Pulp and many more. Welcome to episode 88 of Pure Pod for Now People.

Hello everybody. We have begun our initial descent into the greater Your Radio Sucks area. Please put your tray tables and seat backs in the upright position. Your flight crew will be circulating through the cabin to collect any trash, and your host Ned Lannamann will be playing songs by Bound Stems, Chad VanGaalen, Damien Jurado, Shaky Hands, Emiliana Torrini (pictured), the New Year, Calexico, Horse Feathers, Okkervil River, and the Donkeys. Please turn off any electronic devices you may be using—except for this one, of course. Thank you.