South by Southwest (SXSW) may be known by its many familiar celebrity faces — we've already seen the likes of Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, Pedro Pascal, Jenna Ortega, and many, many more who've graced our screens — but the iHeartPodcast Awards on March 10 celebrated some of the world's most famous voices.
iHeartRadio's event at ACL Live at the Moody Theater is the "biggest podcast award show in the world," at least according to the show's hosts, Jack O'Brien and Miles Gray. These two are the hosts of their own podcast, The Daily Zeitgeist, and they played emcees for the roughly one-hour award show, guiding the audience and viewers at home through various award's categories with a mix of earnest appreciation and cheesy jokes.
The red-lit room was completely full, with many mellow badge holders taking standing room after a long fourth day at the conference and festivals. Only when certain presenters and award-winners took the stage did the audience truly come to life, wolf-whistling and applauding to show their appreciation.
Nominees and presenters mingle after the iHeartPodcast Awards at ACL Live Moody Theater.Photo by Natalie GrigsonThe first award of the evening, for Best Ensemble podcast, went to My Favorite Murder. The show's beloved hosts, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark took the stage and, uncharacteristically for these two big talkers, gave a succinct thanks. The night moved on through categories like Best Crime Podcast (Betrayal), Best Science Podcast (Ologies with Alie Ward), Best in Business and Finance (Planet Money), Best Travel (Jump with Traveling Jackie), and many, many more.
Early in the evening actor and podcaster Ed Helms bestowed the Social Impact Award on sports journalist Sarah Spain, saying "badass women like Sarah Spain are what the world needs right now." Her podcast Good Game explores ways sports can be a catalyst for social change, especially for women.
Next, Helms awarded the Best Overall Host award to Mel Robbins of The Mel Robbins Podcast, who wasn't there to accept but popped in via video, joking, "Wait, what is this award again?"
Other big name presenters included Jamie Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler; Dennis Quaid, Sophia Bush, Payne Lindsey, and Powell MacLachlan from Twin Peaks — who came out munching on a to-go container of ribs.
"Austin keeps it weird," MacLachlan said through a mouthful of ribs, "I, too, keep it weird. And well, this is weird." He pulled an ear out of the to-go box, delighting the crowd's die-hard David Lynch fans.
To end the evening, none other than Chelsea Handler, comedy legend and host of Dear Chelsea, took the stage. She asked the audience to raise their hands if they've ever been a host; to raise them again if they've ever had to interview a drunk person; and to keep them raised if they've ever been the drunk person in the interview. She ended with, "All that to say, anyone in this category can handle anything."
Chelsea Handler presents at the iHeartPodcast Awards.Photo by Astrida Valigorsky/Getty ImagesHandler presents the award for Podcast of the Year, and the competition was stiff:
- Normal Gossip
- Three
- Giggly Squad
- Call Her Daddy
- Las Culturistas
- Hysterical
- The Telepathy Tapes
- Who Killed JFK?
- Empire City
- The Good Whale
Ultimately, Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang took home the award. The two hosts appeared via video to accept, with Handler joking, "These guys are too busy being too awesome to be here tonight so they sent us this video.”
After the event wound down and presenters and nominees milled about beneath the now bright lights, we were able to catch up with some of the podcast hosts. For many including this CultureMap writer and podcast enthusiast, this was the real highlight of the evening.
One host who stuck around was acclaimed podcaster, director, and journalist Payne Lindsey. He's the man behind too many podcasts to name, but some of his best known joints include Up and Vanished, Radio Rental, High Strange, and many more under his production company Tenderfoot TV. He's been in the podcast game since about 2016 and is a boots-on-the-ground type of journalist.
"I go knock on doors and dig up the story," Lindsey said. "So we really have to treat that delicately."
For those following along in this season's Up and Vanished, Lindsey did let us know that he has been to Alaska recently and looped us into a truly jaw-dropping development in the story of Joseph Balderas. We'll just say it has something to do with a truck.
As far as how Payne is liking Austin?
"Austin is the only place in Texas I like," he laughs. "Is that cool to say?"
Yes. Yes, it is.
