Raunchy Presidential Letters and 4 Other Podcasts to Get You Through This Election
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This week, barring some sort of karmically sadistic chad situation, the grueling election season will finally end. And once you’re done listening to all the political podcasts, we’ve audio antidotes aplenty—also, apparently, alliteration. Whether you need a beer, Prozac, or a dramatic reading of Warren G. Harding’s raunchy Teapot Dome-era sex scandal, we're here to soothe your frayed nerves. And if you need something entirely different, fear not: Distract yourself with a cautionary tale about a woman with a Peter Luger Steakhouse credit card who developed a meat allergy, and "randonneurs" who bike hundreds of miles on a few hours sleep.
NPRHow I Built This, “Samuel Adams: Jim Koch”
In 1984, when Jim Koch left behind a consulting job to start Samuel Adams, there were only 50 breweries in America. Today, there are 4,000. Over the past 30 years, Koch has made cold sales calls, sipped samples from 24,000 brew batches, and revived an old family recipe to declare beer independence for the United States—and helped open the door for the craft-brewing revival. [Listen here.](http://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this)
Getty ImagesPresidents are People Too, “Warren G Harding”
This election may be dirty, but at least neither candidate has nicknamed their genitalia “Jerry.” (Not at the time of writing, at least.) Warren G. Harding doesn’t often make it onto best president lists, and for good reason: During his two years in office, the former newspaper editor engaged in blatant nepotism and torrid affairs, as you'll learn more about in staggering (and shudder-inducing) detail when *Radiolab*’s Robert Krulwich reads his love letters out loud. [Listen here.](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/presidents-are-people-too!/id1168237590?mt=2)
NPRRadiolab, “Alpha Gal”
Amy Pearl really loves meat---and she’s got the Peter Luger Steakhouse credit card and to prove it. Then, out of the blue, she developed a severe allergic reaction to her favorite food group. To figure out why, *Radiolab* turns to cancer drugs and the life cycle of the Lone star tick. Warning: Gratuitous description of marbled cuts of beef included. [Listen here.](http://www.radiolab.org/story/alpha-gal/)
NocturneNocturne, “Proof of Passage”
*Nocturne* tells stories from the night. This week on the podcast that never sleeps, listen to the tales of randonneurs, cylicsts who ride hundreds of miles at a go, steering clear of hallucinations and the glowing eyes of wildlife by telling stories---and sometimes blasting death metal. [Listen here.](http://www.nocturnepodcast.org/ep-23-proof-passage/)
