Podcast of the Month: The Nod
Ever dream of starting a podcast with your best friend? That’s precisely what Howard University graduates Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings, hosts of Gimlet Media’s The Nod podcast, did! When the two struggled to keep in touch post-graduation, they decided that recording a show together might help, and their independent podcast about pop culture, For Colored Nerds, was born!
In 2015, the duo was discovered by Gimlet Media’s Alex Blumberg, and both began to work for Gimlet, albeit on different projects. But in October 2016, Eddings and Luse suggested a new podcast—a more mature version of For Colored Nerds. By July 2017, The Nod debuted!
On The Nod, Eddings and Luse discuss “Blackness,” tackling political, social and pop culture topics that are top of mind for Black Americans. The podcast is funny and sharp, and the chemistry between the two hosts makes for binge-worthy listening, but the pair never loses sight of the underlying seriousness of the conversations that take place.
In an episode called “Good For the Blacks,” the duo discussed the show we’re all secretly addicted to: The Bachelorette. The reality series is a guilty pleasure, but Eddings and Luse didn’t take the topic lightly, discussing the impact of Rachel Lindsay becoming the first Black bachelorette on the franchise.
It’s easy to pick up on just how much fun Luse and Eddings are having together as hosts, and we can’t stop listening! Subscribe to The Nod on iHeartRadio and experience it for yourself! And, in honor of Black History Month, check out our other featured podcasts!
Episode Highlight: “Moooo and Oink!”
Anyone who has lived in Chicago in the 1990s is familiar with Moo & Oink—a southside grocery store with the best hot links in town! Its commercial, complete with a pig and cow singing and dancing through the aisles of the grocery store to the tune of the catchiest jingle you’ll ever hear, was the closest to a viral hit as you could get back in 1992.
The store was a favorite in the neighborhood for its authenticity, family feel and fresh produce, yet the episode’s guest panelist Chicago-based DJ Cher Vincent was surprised to learn that the store was actually owned by a white family, with Barry Levy at the head. In this episode, Vincent shares parts of her interview with Levy and we learn just how he was able to build the beloved brand.
Plus, during a recurring segment featuring little-known stories about Black history called Peanut Butter History, Luse told the story of Lucille Times, who started her own Montgomery Bus Boycott after an altercation with the same bus driver that Rosa Parks faced. It’s a fascinating story—tune in to hear her tale.
