Osiris Podcast Profile: Which Is Better?

Ben Sawyer is co-host with The Avett Brothers’ Bob Crawford of the Osiris network’s The Road To Now podcast that explores the history of notable events and remarkable people of today’s world. Below, Ben details fellow Osiris podcast, Which Is Better?.

If you’re like most Americans, you pride yourself on your right to choose one of two options every couple of years, but sometimes you think, “I’m kind of busy today, and man, I’m exhausted, I wish somebody else could do this for me.”

Good news, America! Somebody can. And somebody has!

Those somebodies are Brad Edwards, Gary Fletcher and Sean Parrott, and they have put their minds together with the overlords at Osiris to create Which Is Better?, a podcast that takes two things you like, pits them against each other, and then tells you which one is better.

“I like Michael Jackson, and I also like Prince,” *one person said.

“Which Is Better?” asked Brad, Sean and Gary.

“I actually like both of …,” the person replied.

“MICHAEL JACKSON!” said Brad, Sean and Gary.

“Will you please untie me now? I want to go home,” the person begged.

*-Not a real conversation

OK, let’s try this again.

Brad Edwards, Gary Fletcher and Sean Parrot have a podcast called Which is Better? on the Osiris Podcast Network and it’s hilarious. They take two people/bands/ideas/etc. and evaluate them to try and conclude which of the two topics is superior. Sometimes the competitors are bands, as in their episodes on Queen vs. Led Zeppelin, Van Halen vs. Van Hagar and Michael Jackson vs. Prince. Sometimes they get meta, as with Thinking vs. Feeling, Monogamy vs. Polygamy and Science vs. Religion. And sometimes they have to make hard decisions, as in their episode on The Government vs. The Mafia.

In all sincerity, Which Is Better? is brilliant. The episodes are always hilarious, but they are frequently insightful. Brad, Gary and Sean have long been recognized as some of the funniest and most creative members of Nashville’s thriving comedy scene and the WIB? format brings out the range and depth of their talent. The three hosts also have a remarkable dynamic and their conversations flow naturally. This is largely the result of a nearly decade-long history of collaboration, which gives a warmth to the podcast that usually takes much longer to establish.

Which is Better? is part of Osiris’ larger family of culture podcasts, which include Daddy Unscripted, Amigos with Mike Finoia and (my own podcast) The Road to Now , and though it focuses on topics beyond the world of music, JamBase readers will definitely want to check it out. As noted earlier, they have several great episodes that pit bands against each other, so start with Episode 13 The Who’s “Tommy” vs. Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.” Music fans will also appreciate Sean Parrott’s near encyclopedic knowledge of music and music history. His “Music Corner,” which is part of a rotating series of features at the beginning of WIB? episodes, as well as Sean’s contributions to discussions, often reveal some deep-cut knowledge that you never saw coming.

Just want to laugh? Any episode will work for that, but I recommend Episode 7 Liberals vs. Conservatives: Torn in the USA. This one made me laugh so hard I was in tears, which the opposite order I usually feel those emotions in when it comes to modern politics. I won’t tell you who won it though, because listening to Which is Better? is better than reading about it. Go give it a listen!