| Surprisingly Awesome | |
| Host: | Adam Davidson, Adam McKay, and Rachel Ward |
| Genre: | Humor, Human Interest |
| Updates: | Occasionally |
| Began: | November 3, 2015 |
| Ended: | January 19, 2017 |
| Provider: | Gimlet Media |
Surprisingly Awesome was an American podcast formerly hosted by Adam Davidson and Adam McKay and subsequently hosted by Rachel Ward and frequently guest hosted by John Hodgman. In each episode, one of the hosts would take a seemingly boring topic, and try to make the other believe that it is interesting. These topics have varied from mold to interest rates. The podcast was hosted by Gimlet Media.
The idea for the podcast came from the friendship that developed when McKay and Davidson worked together on The Big Short. McKay and Davidson would have long conversations when they would try to "out-fascinate" each other and make dull subjects seem interesting.
After searching for a new host for the show, Gimlet chose former Science Friday correspondent Flora Lichtman to take over, but decided to rebrand the show under a new name. On April 12, 2017, Gimlet CEO Alex Blumberg announced that Surprisingly Awesome was cancelled and would be replaced by Lichtman's new show, Every Little Thing.[1]
| Episode # | Title | Description | Original Release Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mold | Adam Davidson tries to convince his co-host that mold is awesome. | November 3, 2015 | |
| 2 | Free Throws | Adam McKay tries to make free throws interesting | November 5, 2015 | |
| 3 | Concrete | November 17, 2015 | ||
| 4 | Tubthumping | They dig deeper into the 1990s hit "Tubthumping" | December 1, 2015 | |
| 5 | Interest Rates | The hosts try to convince Adam McKay's daughter that interest rates are awesome | December 15, 2015 | |
| 6 | Broccoli | Adam and Rachel investigate the many forms of broccoli | January 12, 2016 | |
| 7 | Adhesive | Adam and Rachel investigate perfect adhesive, including a look at gecko feet | January 26, 2016 | |
| 8 | Frequent Flyer Miles | Guest host John Hodgman discusses frequent flyer miles. | March 8, 2016 | |
| 9 | Pigeons | Topic: Pigeons | March 22, 2016 | |
| 10 | Circle of Fifths | Topic: Circle of fifths | April 5, 2016 | |
| 11 | Boredom | Topic: Boredom | April 19, 2016 | |
| 12 | Mattresses | Davidson and McKay investigate if the cost and quality of mattresses make a difference in sleep comfort. | May 3, 2016 | |
| 13 | Insults | Adam McKay and Rachel M Ward discuss insults such as Yo Mamma Guest: E. Patrick Johnson | May 17, 2016 | |
| 14 | I Told You Sos | May 23, 2016 | ||
| 15 | Extinct Hockey | John Hodgman learns that extinct hockey is not the only awesome form of sport. With Rachel Ward. | June 14, 2016 | |
| 16 | Follow ups | Alex Blumberg, Adam Davidson and Rachel Ward follow up some of the stories covered earlier such as concrete, free throws, mattresses. | June 29, 2016 | |
| 17 | Flossing | Rachel Ward and Maeve Higgins discuss flossing with a dentist. | July 27, 2016 | |
| 18 | Yoga | Adam Davidson and Rachel Ward examine merits of Yoga. Guest: Wendy Doniger, Michelle Goldberg | August 10, 2016 | |
| 19 | Cardboard | Topic: Cardboard | August 24, 2016 | |
| 20 | Crying | September 7, 2016 | ||
| 21 | Postal Addresses | September 21, 2016 | ||
| 22 | Wedding Planning | October 5, 2016 | ||
| 23 | Update | Rachel Ward announces that she is moving on from Surprisingly Awesome to another Gimlet Media project. The search for a new host is on. This episode is also a preview for Twice Removed. | January 19, 2017 | |
| 24 | A Message from Gimlet CEO Alex Blumberg | Alex Blumberg announces that Surprisingly Awesome has been cancelled and gives a preview of a new show called Every Little Thing. | April 12, 2017 |
The Guardian reviewed the show positively saying, "Three episodes in, Surprisingly Awesome has managed to live up to its name and its mission."[2]