Presenting podcasting's new top honors

Eric Greenberg, guest blogger for Pop Candy | USATODAY

The podcasting community came out in numbers last night as Stitcher Smart Radio presented its awards for 2012's best podcasts. The popular listening app handed out honors in several categories at the ceremony, which was hosted by WTF's Marc Maron. Big winners included The Nerdist, This American Life, Kevin Smith's Smodcast, and All Songs Considered.

"NPR not surprisingly racked up with quite a few awards but there were also quite a few independent folks that won and that's obviously the beauty of the medium," Stitcher CEO Noah Shanok told me. "Having Marc hosting was fantastic. He's hilarious so he got the crowd into it."

A little debate is always healthy though. So with that, I now present the 2012 Greenie Awards, my selections for the best comedy podcasts of the year:

Best Comedy Podcast: The Adam Carolla Show

The Ace Man continued to show why he's one of the funniest people in Hollywood in 2012. Never swayed by public opinion, the former Man Show co-host cracks wise on subjects big and small with his common sense approach. In the process, Adam's ACE Broadcasting has revolutionized the industry by finding a way to make podcasting profitable. The daily podcast also features great top name guests, though they're often just along for the ride!

Adam's acceptance speech:

I will accept it on behalf of all Americans who love this country and love the free speech we have in podcasts. I don't throw the word "hero" around too loosely. Let me go ahead and call you a hero. I used to get on everyone's top whatever list of funniest podcasts of the year and would even win podcast of the year and all that kind of stuff. At a certain point, I became "the man"… I announced to everybody, now that I've sort of become "the man," be prepared for all the accolades to go away. And sure enough, when they would do their lists – like the LA Weekly would do a list of their top 10 comedy podcasts, I wouldn't even crack the top 10. Because once you become McDonald's, how could you possibly make a good burger? You're selling too many of them…When you put it up to the iTunes listeners and you ask them to vote for their favorite comedy podcast, then I win. But not when it comes to the editorial staff. So thank you for being a hero, Eric. Oh, and a genius.

Do you feel like you're a podcasting trailblazer?

It's cool that people call me The Podfather or think of me that way and I'm flattered. I wasn't the first guy to do a podcast. Maybe, I was one of the first guys to be successful at it and turn it into a nice business and all that. But also, I may be one of the few people who always treated it like a business.

What else are you up to (other than doing an awesome interview with me for tomorrow's blog?)

(Laughs) Well this Mangria thing has just been overwhelming. It's turned into a crazy business and we've sold 20,000 bottles online just in the last couple of months. It's basically sangria that's got a kick. It's 21% alcohol. It tastes like sangria but it'll knock you on your (butt).

Unique Comedy Podcast: Never Not Funny

Not necessarily for bedtime listening, Jimmy Pardo takes on all topics without having to rely on big name guests — though he occasionally delivers them. His unique speech pattern will make you either love him or drive you insane. I'm in the first category. Pardo's deliberately rambling guest intros are worth a listen alone. He also happened to handle the tragic 2010 passing of his brother-in-law/former NNF camera man Andrew Koenig (Growing Pains) with David Letterman-like poise.

Jimmy's acceptance speech: I'd like to meet these people I drive crazy. Me: I've Never met one. Jimmy: Well that's hurtful then. Drop that from the article. We don't need to point out that people hate me! Honored to be in with those two gentlemen. I have nothing but respect for both of those fellas. I'm very flattered. I've long loved USA TODAY as a publication (Laughing) To be mentioned in their pages or online is very flattering and a career high mark.

The way you are on the podcast, is that how you are 24/7?

Obviously, any sort of performance is an amped up performance of one's self — and that's the most patronizing answer I could ever give and I sound like a pompous ass saying it. Yeah, I'm pretty honest on that show. I amp things up for humor. What might be an interesting story is a really funny story once the Pardo spin gets put on it. But I guess that's the truth. Yeah, that's me.

What else are you up to?

I got this great show over on Nerdist.com called Write Now! with Jimmy Pardo which is doing well. And, of course, we just did our great charity even for Smile Train where we raised $112,000 on the Pardcast-a-thon.

Most Honest Comedy Podcast: FitzDog Radio

Whether he's podcasting from his studio, his car or a hotel room, writer/comedian Greg Fitzsimmons is refreshingly honest in this usually bi-weekly podcast. Occasionally angry, always quick on his feet, Greg is somehow able to share his darkest secrets and tell you what's wrong with the world without coming off as self important. Throw in a great lineup of guests and you'll be selfishly torn between wanting to keep him your secret and seeing him rise to superstardom.

Greg's acceptance speech:

I wanna thank all the celebrities that have been stupid enough to come on and do my show because they owed me a favor — in particular Andy Dick, who seems to be available every time I call. Thank God. I also want to thank bosses throughout the country that don't seem to object to employees wearing headphones during their mindless jobs.

Is it easy for you to bare your soul? It seems like you don't know any other way.

I think that as a stand-up, I spent a lot of years trying to be a stand-up comedian instead of being myself. And then I think I started doing some different kind of rooms…and I found that the best place to start on any joke was just, what would make me so embarrassed I wouldn't even want to tell my best friend? And then start the podcast talking about that.

What else are you up to?

Comedy Central bought my hour special so that's gonna be airing in the spring…and then I've got a pilot that I shot that we're shopping around right now with Kevin Nealon and Natasha Leggero and Dana Gould and it's kind of a comedy poker game. So that's what I'm looking at for the new year. Otherwise, just a lot of great guests coming out on the podcast. I just had Joe Rogan the other night and I had Maron and Andy Richter, Carolla. So it's been a good season. I'm really putting in a lot more emphasis on bringing in guests that might be more offbeat also - some writers and, you know, freaks.

A mightly congratulations to all of this year's winners! Check them out. You can't go wrong.

Check out Eric's podcast at www.justmyshow.com. Follow him on twitter at @justmyshow or like him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/justmyshow.