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The Best Show with Tom Scharpling

Forever Dog
The Best Show
Comedy
Music
Saturday Night Live
Chicago
Thanksgiving
New Jersey
Grateful Dead
Mental Health
Los Angeles
WFMU
Christmas
Music Industry
Podcasting
Extreme Sports
311
Fast Food
Therapy
New Bridge
Bruce Willis

Mirth, Music, and Mayhem Every Tuesday Night hosted by Tom Scharpling. Get the Full Experience on Patreon patreon.com/thebestshow

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes1033Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ComedyMusic

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Artwork for The Best Show

Latest Episodes

BEST SHOW BESTS! In this classic clip, Tom gets a call from "Bernie Taupin"! (Originally Aired on January 27, 2009)

New to the Best Show? Check out Best Show Bests, the greatest hits of The Best Show! Available every Friday on your podcast app.

BES... more

Julia Vickerman and the representatives of MUTT SCOUTS bring a pack of dogs to the studio to promote the Kickstarter and opening of the dog cafe Strange Friend Dog Cafe! Hear all about DISCO and the other rescues and Tom and Julia's plans for STRANGE... more

BEST SHOW BESTS! In this classic clip, Tom gets a call and then a visit from a self-proclaimed Beatles expert, MILT MORTNER! (Originally aired on March 30, 2010)

New to the Best Show? Check out Best Show Bests, the greatest hits of The Best Show! Av... more

MARC MARON returns to the Best Show! Tom and Marc have a long conversation that ranges from the state of comedy and politics, what Marc has been up to since ending WTF, Jewish cemetaries in New Jersey, Andrew "Dice" Clay, Marc's poetry that he has ly... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Milt Mortner
Beatles expert and author of multiple Beatles books
Self-described author/Beatles historian
Episode: A Visit from Beatles Expert Milt Mortner
Marc Maron
Comedian and podcaster
Episode: MARC MARON! THE DEBUT OF AI MIKE! TOM'S ANNOUNCEMENT!
Brock Peuchk
Caller on the show sharing his stories
Audience member
Episode: Brock Peuchk, Neighborhood Hero
Billy West
Voice actor and author of Voice-a-Versa
Voice-Over/Book Promotion
Episode: TOM CAN'T COMPLAIN! BILLY WEST! AI BILL SIMMONS!
Granite Toughman
Caller character on The Best Show, a fictional persona
The Best Show / Strong Bridge
Episode: Granite Toughman In Strongbridge
BJ Bryson
Guest from The Bridge
The Bridge
Episode: BJ Bryson from The Bridge
Zach Goode
Current singer for Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth
Episode: ZACH GOODE FROM SMASH MOUTH! PAT MCAFEE ALBUM REVIEW! PHILLY BOY ROY!
John Green
The caller's description of a controversial figure who allegedly threw a beer at a basketball game and became the focal point of a media firestorm.
Unknown/depicted as celebrity figure in episode
Episode: The Robin Hood of the Hardwood
Chris Slusarenko
Pedigree: member of Guided by Voices/Boston Spaceships era; producer/creator
Revolutions Per Movie (with Chaki)
Episode: CHRIS SLUSARENKO! CHAKI THE FUNK WIZARD! URGH: A MUSIC TOUR & CONCERT MOVIE TALK!

Host

Tom Scharpling
Host of The Best Show; long-running, improv-driven talk and music program with a loyal audience.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 3.1k ratings
  • Love the show

    Beyond words love the show. Is there a patreon where JW bits are searchable or separated from the rest of the show? Or have they released a best of? Love Tom’s guests and topics but I can’t get enough of that JW.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Teddy Brogan
    United States6 months ago
  • Incredible

    Love love love this podcast. There’s not many like it. It’s the best. Hence, the name. Obviously.

    There’s not many podcasts that give you Tom Scharpling, the amazing guest, incredible music acts, the live chat, weird calls from John Wurster, and Mushroom Mike… also much love to AP Mike, Bayonne NJ’s answer to Joey Swole. So many in jokes, so many rants… the Best.

    Give yourself a few eps to get in the rhythm. You’ll love it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KLG = Hi
    United States6 months ago
  • Tom is King

    Creator of podcast

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ncllnn
    United States6 months ago
  • Eat out

    Maron

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    LessCouchOn
    United States7 months ago
  • !!!

    Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in !!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    unassumingerin
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans praise the chaotic energy and deep-dan style banter between host and callers.
The show's humor and chaos can be polarizing but remains highly engaging for longtime listeners.
Guests are often well-curated with strong, nerd-culture pedigrees.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#101
Argentina/Comedy
Apple Podcasts
#131
Finland/Comedy
Apple Podcasts
#219
Ireland/Comedy

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A Visit from Beatles Expert Milt Mortner
Q: Why did you think the audience would find this credible?
The segment leans into absurdity and performance, using a confident, jokey persona to blur fact and fiction in a way that invites listening for the punchlines rather than factual accuracy.
Granite Toughman In Strongbridge
Q: What inspired Granite Toughman to call into the show today?
Granite leans into the running gag about his name and hometown to kick off an improvised back-and-forth about small-town life, body-image culture, and absurd local politics, using it to set up a stream of playful anecdotes and pop-culture riffs.
TOM CAN'T COMPLAIN! BILLY WEST! AI BILL SIMMONS!
Q: What inspired Billy West to write Voice-a-Versa?
West explains that the book grew from a need to share the real, vulnerable details of his upbringing and career, turning personal struggles into a cathartic, honest narrative that could resonate with readers who have faced similar challenges.
COLE FROM BLACK LIPS! TONIGHT'S TOPIC: WHO SUCKS?! BEST SHOW TOUR MOVIE AVAILABLE NOW!
Q: What led you to call the show tonight, Cole?
Cole explains his long history with the band, the decision to press on with a new West Coast tour, and the challenge of performing without Jared, highlighting the motivation to keep the music alive and engage with fans.
ZACH GOODE FROM SMASH MOUTH! PAT MCAFEE ALBUM REVIEW! PHILLY BOY ROY!
Q: What was it like to join Smash Mouth and take the lead on such iconic songs?
Zach explains the balance between honoring classic hits and bringing his own voice and stage presence to the band, along with the realities of touring and the challenges of new music versus legacy material.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Show

What is The Best Show about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A long-running, joke-forward show blends in-studio interviews with chaotic call-in segments, leaning into creator-driven conversations about comics, indie music, film, and pop culture. Episodes bounce between deep dives with guests who are artists or comedians and spontaneous banter with callers, delivering a mix of craft insight, nostalgia, and surreal humor. A standout strength is the improvisational energy and multi-threaded bits—live music, recurring characters, and playful brand integrations—that create a distinctive, participatory experience for fans and potential sponsors alike.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Best Show?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Best Show. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Best Show and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Best Show get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Best Show, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Best Show?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Best Show, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Best Show have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Best Show has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Best Show?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Best Show:

1. Double Threat with Julie Klausner & Tom Scharpling
2. Office Hours Live with Tim Heidecker
3. Hollywood Handbook
4. Kreative Kontrol
5. Jokermen

How many episodes of The Best Show are there?

The Best Show launched 12 years ago and published 1033 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Best Show?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Best Show?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Best Show from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Best Show?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Best Show. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Best Show?

Recent guests on The Best Show include:

1. Milt Mortner
2. Marc Maron
3. Brock Peuchk
4. Billy West
5. Granite Toughman
6. BJ Bryson
7. Zach Goode
8. John Green

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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