The Adam Carolla show is the most popular podcast of all time. After I decided to give the show a chance, I found out why. The star of the show is obviously Adam, and his superb off the cuff rants. He is a master of comedic analogies, and can riff on any random topic with uninterrupted fluidity, like Hendrix getting tossed a Strat to warm up in the studio. While I might not agree with every hyperbolic opinion that spews from Mr. Carolla, he might not entirely agree with himself either. That’s what makes the show great – it doesn’t take itself too seriously. While there is definitely passion behind the opinions expressed on the show, and a lot of the trajectories prove controversial in nature, it’s still delivered with the backdrop of being entertainment above all else. If the show was merely a pointed political diatribe with a clear agenda of politics as its engine, it would be intolerable. It would be another turd in a field full of am radio/podcast shows where they attract listeners like flies to a pile of confirmation bias-laden horse shit.

There is a great balance achieved with Alison Rosen on news and “Bald” Bryan Bishop on sound effects. Like every great team, they know their roles and play them well, while deferring to the superstar in key situations. Guests on the show seem to reveal way more of themselves than you might find on a pre-scripted late night talk show type of format. People can basically say whatever the fuck they want, no matter how obscene or vulgar(this has caused a few activist group reactions).

One of my favorite recurring guests on the show is David Allen Grier(or “Dag” as he’s affectionately known), of In Living Color fame. He does a priceless bit on one of the NFL special teams coaches from HBO’s Hard Knocks screaming at strippers to “address the pole GODAMMIT”.

There are only three podcasts that have entered the pantheon of worthiness for road trips in my car : Star Talk Radio, You Are Not So Smart, and now, the Adam Carolla Show. There is a new episode almost every day, and they are each over an hour in length, so I guess I’ll need to start taking more road trips.

Overall Rating : 9.1/10

– JA