Starter Podcasts: At the Airport Gate

Picking the right podcast in a given situation is as delicate a task as choosing the right music for a party. And while waiting for your flight at the airport is the ideal time to burn through a few episodes, don't bother lining up your iTunes U philosophy class podcast or that hour-long show on refinancing your house.

Nope, at the airport gate you need something that will entertain you, that will distract you from all the annoying people you're sitting next to, and that won't engross you so much that you miss your boarding call. It's got to be something short so you can finish watching it before you get on the plane and have to turn off your electronic devices. And it's best if the podcasts are timeless. That way, you can download a good 20 or 30 episodes and watch them now—or a couple weeks later—without feeling like it's just old news.

Here are five that always make my list when I'm headed on a trip.

1. The Onion Radio News (audio) [My review here.]
   
2. The New Yorker Animated Cartoons (video) [My review here]. 
3. Best of YouTube (video) [My review here.]
4. 60-Second Psych (audio) [My review here.]
   
5. Dilbert Animated Cartoons (video) [Tragically unreviewed. It's rad, though. Trust me.]
   

Are there any podcasts you download specifically for traveling?