TOP PODCASTS of September 2008

"The Rachel Maddow Show" (video) - The host of the newly-minted talk program called "The Rachel Maddow Show", she can be seen weeknights on US cable network MSNBC, or whenever you want if you subscribe to this podcast.

NOTE: the podcast of her hour-long nightly cable TV program was not only the most popular podcast during October 2008 in the "News & Politics" category according to iTunes, it was also the most popular podcast of ALL the categories. This means lots of people have discovered it, and are enjoying it daily.

Also the nightly host of her own radio program on the Air America radio network, Rachel and her writers are engaging, topical, and often funny...not that easy when dealing with serious subjects.

Jaime's Ministry of Food Recipes (Jamie Oliver) - have you seen this guy on TV? He's naked, but not that way. He is sometimes called "the naked chef", the name of one of his popular programs on the Food Network, on American television.

Jamie is obviously very comfortable explaining what he's cookin' up this time.

Watch the video and see if you don't agree. Now get back in that kitchen! :)

NPR's Planet Money- this highly downloaded podcast covers the high interest in finances from an interesting perspecitve.

Watch Adam Davidson on this sample video to get a sniff of the money talk, in action, and maybe you'll pick up a trick or two about your own personal money management.

Stand-Up Comedy: HBO Podcasts - One of the main reasons people download podcasts is "to get away", "to escape", "to distract from everyday life", and that's why comedy is always a key podcast category.

Last month (October, 2008) lifelong US comedianne Ellen Degeres is on top of the comedy podcast list.

If you've never watched Ellen on stage plying her highly-honed craft, this video is a good example of American humor. It's all clean, don't worry. :)

Learn Spanish with Coffee Break Spanish - this is the top podcast in the education category for a good reason: the growing interest in learning the basics of the Spanish language.

With America's Hispanic population growing dramatically in recent years, these podcasts offer a great first start into YOU learning the language.

NPR: "Wait Wait! Don't Tell Me"- National Public Radio has really and truly targeted its own future over the last dozen years or so.

This very popular and highly-downloaded podcast is one of their most highly-rated radio programs, now being offered right to your iPod. Enjoy.

This video is not the show itself, but an interesting peek behind the curtains at what happens before, after, and during the actual radio broadcast, all from the creative and funny team at "wait wait".

So don't wait, watch the video and see what if you can determine what makes this show so successful.

President's Weekly Radio Address: George W. Bush - Based on the American president's popularity rating dropping to an all-time low (12%) right before the elections in early November, it's quite fascinating that anyone at all subscribes to hear what our President has to say.

Irregardless, however, as you might expect, the words of a US President are always important, so you may want to see how President George Bush delivers his weekly (always on Saturday) radio message to the world.

FYI, President-Elect Barack Obama doesn't take office until January of 2009, but he has a long track record of creating podcasts to his constituents, going back to his first months as a US Senator back in '06. So, it's a safe bet that not only will he continue offering podcast addresses each weekend, he may even spice them up a bit and bring them to a new level in messages from the Prez.

Yoga Today - People want to live longer and healthier, there's no doubt.

That's why this month, Yoga Today is the top podcast among the hundreds in the "health" category.

Besides the interest in personal health topics, Yoga Toda is an interesting show with a modern approach to an ages-old activity.

Check out this video sample.

Sesame Street Podcast

Taylor Swift Countdown to Fearless

Joel Osteen Audio Podcast

NPR Science Friday (National Public Radio)

This American Life: Chicago Public Radio

ESPN: PTI (Pardon The Interruption)

iPhone Ringtones Demo

Discovery Channel Video