City Cast Portland

This show has excellent, high profile public officials on for relevant interviews, and Claudia does an excellent job of asking them tough questions in a courteous and thoughtful, yet firm, manner. It also features fantastic features on places to go, things to do, and recommendations for eateries (both locally and regionally). Unfortunately, the show is marred by highly unprofessional commentary by some guest hosts, in particular Brianna Wheeler, who clearly lacks the intellect and/or decency to express her views without heavy usage of obscene language. One of her recent diatribes against ICE included 9 uses of the F word, which is pretty typical for her contributions (and absolutely no defense of ICE is intended here from this proudly liberal registered Democrat). There's nothing wrong with her impassioned expression of her beliefs, but her inability to express them with decorum and thoughtfulness in this public forum is a real diminishment of the show's "brand". Not as egregious, but still distracting, is the tendency for the hosts to crack themselves up with their own clever wittiness, wasting time with stretches of unnecessary cackling that contribute nothing to the show, other than feeding the hosts' narcissism and immaturity. Hopefully, Claudia, producer John, etc will take action to allow this show to grow into a more dignified, mature, and decent version of itself.

Please release an episode SOON about the imminent school closures! It is displacing 23-27% of Portland students in the next year and there’s a disproportionate amount of racial minorities baring the brunt of the change

City Cast Portland has become a daily part of my morning routine and is a vital source for news and happenings around our city. They address the good, the bad, and (of course) the whimsical of Portland, Oregon. Everything from hot takes to obligatory takes, they do it all. Some episodes are kept casual (breakdowns of what to do each month, Portland’s local food/drink scene, outdoor events, music, comedy, etc), while other episodes dive deeper into Portland politics, our school system, the PPB, and hurdles that irk our region. They interview local city/state politicians, civic leaders, and others, asking fair, but tough and insightful questions, and usually throw in a fun one to boot to prove they’re not robots. They have a rotating cast of local pundits and reporters who accompany their excellent host, Claudia Meza, and producers John Notarianni and Giulia Fiaoni (some—if not all—are OPB alumni). They’re insightful, charming, intelligent, and sometimes frustrating, just as you would expect of any of your other Portland friends and neighbors. Which is precisely how they come off: as friends and neighbors, talking about things you want to know about as a Portlander. There is gossip. There is hard-hitting journalism. There is swearing. There is laughter. Easily my most listened to and shared podcast. Some episodes should be required listening for anyone who lives in the Portland Metro area.

I really enjoy waking up, grabbing my coffee and listening to CityCastPDX. It is engaging, informative and funny. Claudia’s energy and rapport with guests is fantastic. I have even been inspired by the pod to write in about new businesses or quirky politico stories (I see you Eli Arnold and Portland Maine City Hall) because they seemed like a “city cast” story. Keep it up! Also to whomever keeps posting reviews calling Claudia a “good girl” stop! EeeeYuk!