Podcast Review: ‘Ye Gods! With Scott Carter’

I have an hour-long commute. To pass the time and expand my mind, I usually listen to podcasts. When I choose a podcast for the road, I look at the length and my interests. I come from a religiously diverse family, so religion is a topic that comes up often.

One of my favorite hour-long podcasts on the topic of religion is “Ye Gods! With Scott Carter.” Carter is the Emmy nominated TV producer of "Politically Incorrect” and “Real Time with Bill Maher”. Carter has a background in stand-up comedy, which comes through in his discussions with guests.

The tagline for “Ye Gods!” begs the question –, “Is there a God, Holy Spirit or Force with us?” He interviews a diverse list of celebrities about what they think on a spiritual level, how it influences their lives and how they make choices. People who might otherwise never reveal their religion get to talk about the nuances that shape them.

Larry Wilmore interviewed Scott Carter in “Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air” and Carter explained that he is “coming from a place of interest, but not of conclusion… I’m not being underwritten by any religious organization.” The podcast is not focused on any particular religion or philosophy, and Carter doesn’t try to steer the conversation.

With Wilmore, Carter shared that his religious background is one of his parents choosing a church based on the church’s proximity to his family home “where coffee and donuts were as important as wine and wafer.” They wanted a community for their family, so his personal beliefs were not dedicated to a philosophy as much as they were to a sense of friendliness and acceptance.

Carter told Wilmore that he was asthmatic and his mother sometimes took him to faith healers – his lack of healing affected how he felt about God and how he thought God felt about him.

With episodes coming out every Friday, Carter has interviewed a smattering of personalities. Among other guests, he’s had Susie Essman – an actress and comedian – who talks about “praying to the humor gods and the connection between comedy and Judaism,” Michael Patrick King – a writer on “Sex and the City” – who relayed his experience  of growing up Catholic and finding a way to be authentic, Sam Harris – “a neuroscientist, philosopher, and author of five New York Times best sellers,” – who explained the importance of meditating, and Patricia Heaton – from Everybody Loves Ramond – who discussed sobriety and being Catholic.

Carter has a double feature with Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight Schrute from “The Office” and wrote “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution.” Wilson – born in the late 1960s– grew up in the Baha’i faith with how he described his “enlightened” parents in Seattle. Wilson talks about his exit and eventual return to the Baha’i Faith and his struggles as a young actor. The Baha’i faith is a religion that was developed in 19th century Persia that promotes one god, unity of the world’s people and value in all religions.

A heavy duty chat with Anna Marie Cox, a writer, includes a suicide warning. Cox is a political commentator and culture critic who discussed her initial exposure to evangelical youth groups as a teenager, struggles with substance abuse as an adult, going to Alcoholics Anonymous accepting a higher power and making things come full circle as she dedicated her life to Jesus when she was ready.

I never cared about celebrities until I started listening to “Ye Gods!”-- Carter shares the deeper, brighter side of the entertainment industry. None of these folks are pushing an agenda, but are sharing what they have seen and what works for them. Religion may be a private facet, but if the artist is willing to share it, religion can also be a fascinating facet.