Podcast Review: The Hottest Take

By Jasmine Chan

Hilarious, bite-sized commentary

Bill Simmons is a regular fixture in the American entertainment scene. He’s a sportswriter, author, talk show host, and the founder and CEO of the sports and pop culture website, The Ringer. Produced by The Ringer, The Hottest Take is Simmons’s newest project, where he and his friends discuss and debate juicy hot topics to infuse a sprinkle of laughter on your workout or morning commute.

Unlike most other podcasts out there, each episode is only six to eight minutes long, so it’s an easy listening experience that doesn’t require much commitment. Each episode starts with the host saying, “I have the floor,” before sharing his or her take on a controversial issue. 

The podcast covers a diverse range of topics, from the British Royal Family to snooze buttons, champagne to the NBA. Rather than formally dissecting a heated topic, the outspoken hosts deliver crazy and outrageous ideas in a light-hearted debate, like nominating a Tik Tok video for a ‘Best Picture’ Oscar or universally standardizing the snooze time on our phone alarms.

In the ‘Car Tech’ episode, the host discusses whether modern car technology is turning us into “weak children,” as he confesses his heavy dependency on the backup cameras in cars. He also disparages the lane departure alarm, as it causes drivers to lose their autonomy over the vehicle. 

The host ends the episode by suggesting driverless cars kill the joy of driving and that we should not allow cars to “take over our destiny.” This episode is interesting in that it pushes us to reevaluate our relationship with automation; although some of the ideas are silly and absurd, they are utterly relatable and entertaining. 

The Hottest Take is best for pop culture lovers, but also suitable for those who want a break from dense, long-form podcasts. The hosts’ boisterous and often unpopular opinions provoke critical thinking in a fun way, highlighting its importance in our understanding of the world. –JC

theringer.com/the-hottest-take

Cover art courtesy of The Ringer. 

SHARE THIS STORY

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on email

RELATED POSTS

Cultos Global Lands Major Investment to Advance Web3 Brand Engagement Solutions

Cultos Global Lands Major Investment to Advance Web3 Brand Engagement Solutions

Dubai-based Web3 company, Cultos Global, has recently acquired substantial investment in its latest funding round. The specific amount remains undisclosed. This venture specializes in altering the dynamics of brand-customer relationships by launching a sophisticated, integrated platform that intertwines digital marketing and customer rewards, converting conventional consumers into active nano-influencers.

Navigating the Growing Crisis of Space Debris

Orbital Fallout: Navigating the Growing Crisis of Space Debris

Ever since we stepped into the space age back in the 1950s, we’ve been busily sending rockets and satellites up, up and away, painting our mark way beyond our planetary borders. But here’s the thing—our ventures have left the cosmos littered with about 2,000 operational satellites and another 3,000 that are just space junk now.

Pryon Secures US$100 Million in Series B to Advance AI in Knowledge Management

Pryon Secures US$100 Million in Series B to Advance AI in Knowledge Management

Pryon Inc., a North Carolina-based company specializing in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with knowledge management, has completed a Series B investment round, raising US$100 million. The funding was led by Thomas Tull’s US Innovative Technology Fund (USIT), with contributions from both new and existing investors, including Aperture Venture Capital,

Amazon Launches Upgraded AI Enhanced Fire TV Sticks

Amazon Launches Upgraded AI Enhanced Fire TV Sticks

Amazon has rolled out a series of updates to its Fire TV offerings. The new features include an improved conversational voice search powered by generative AI and Fire TV Ambient Experience advancements. Among the latest hardware releases are the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and the Fire TV Stick 4K, incorporating the enhanced Fire TV Ambient Experience.

Interactive Learning with Augmented Reality

Interactive Learning with Augmented Reality: Applications, Benefits and Challenges

Ever wondered what it would be like if your textbooks could talk, if the illustrations in your lessons could come to life, or if you could step into history rather than just read about it? Welcome to the world of augmented reality (AR) in education! Like a magic wand, AR can turn the abstract into tangible and the mundane into extraordinary, unfolding boundless educational possibilities.