The iHeart Radio Podcast Awards Names ‘Office Ladies’ For Top Honors

The iHeart Radio Podcast Awards 2021 has named Office Ladies as its “Podcast of the Year” winner.

A wooly Will Ferrell, who has The Ron Burgundy Podcast on the iHeart network, opened the show with a series of badly informed statistics. The awards were simulcast tonight on iHeart radio, YouTube and Facebook.

The Office costars and best friends Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey are the hosts of Office Ladies, billed as the ultimate re-watch podcast for the classic comedy. It won the fan vote, continuing the string of triumphs for the show, which returned on Netflix and is coming back via NBC’s Peacock streaming service.

The Office Ladies podcast, produced by Earwolf (a division of Stitcher, now part of SiriusXM) also won the award for best ad-read podcast.

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Conan O’Brien won the award for best overall host – male, telling viewers that what separates his podcast from others is his “lack of professionalism.” Nicole Byer, host of “Why Won’t You Date Me,” accepted the overall host – female award from Laverne Cox.

The Icon Audible Pioneer Award went to Serial Productions’ Peter McDonnell, Questlove presented Baratunde Thurston with the Icon Social Impact Award, while podcast studio QCode won the Icon Innovator Award.

Dan Patrick presented the winner of the Next Great Podcast award, a months-long competition from iHeartRadio, to Siena Jeakle and Lianna Holston of Frankly, My Dear, a new movie review podcast.

Full list of category winners below:

Podcast of the Year:

●  “Office Ladies” (Earwolf, Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey)

Icon Award – Innovator Award

●      QCODE

Icon Award – Audible Audio Pioneer Award:

●      Serial Productions (Sarah Koenig, Julie Snyder and Peter McDonnell)

Icon Award – Social Impact Award:

●      Baratunde Thurston

Best Crime Podcast:

●      “Crime Junkie” (AudioChuck)

Best Pop Culture Podcast:

●      “Pop Culture Happy Hour” (NPR)

Best Music Podcast:

●      “Dolly Parton’s America” (WNYC & OSM Audio)

Best News Podcast:

●      “Pod Save America” (Crooked)

Best Sports Podcast:

●      “All The Smoke” (The Black Effect Podcast Network)

Best Comedy Podcast:

●      “The Read” (Loud Speakers Network)

Best Political Podcast:

●      “NPR Politics” (NPR)

Best Branded Podcast:

●      “Humans Growing Stuff” (ScottsMiracle-Gro)

Best Kids & Family Podcast:

●      “Wow In The World” (NPR)

Best Food Podcast:

●      “Home Cooking” (Samin Nosrat / Hrishikesh Hirway )

Best Fiction Podcast:

●      “Blood Ties” (Wondery)

Best Beauty & Fashion Podcast:

●      “Articles of Interest” (Avery Trufelman / 99% Invisible)

Best Overall Host – Female:

●      Nicole Byer (“Why Don’t You Date Me?”)

Best Overall Host – Male:

●      Conan O’Brien (“Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend”)

Best Business & Finance Podcast: 

●      “Pivot” (NY Mag)

Best Green Podcast:

●      “How To Save A Planet” (Gimlet)

Best Travel Podcast:

●      “Travel with Rick Steves” (Rick Steves)

Best Spirituality & Religion Podcast:  

●      “Elevation with Steven Furtick” (Independent)

Best Advice / Inspirational Podcast:

●      “Unlocking Us with Brene Brown” (Parcast)

Best TV & Film Podcast: 

●      “You Must Remember This?” (Karina Longworth)

Best Spanish-Language Podcast: 

●      “Leyendas Legendarias” (Sonoro / All Things Comedy)

Best Ad Read Podcast: 

●      “Office Ladies” (Earwolf / Stitcher)

Best Science Podcast: 

●      “Radiolab” (WNYC Studios)

Best Technology Podcast: 

●      “Rabbit Hole” (The New York Times)

Best Wellness & Fitness Podcast: 

●   “Therapy For Black Girls” (Joy Harden Bradford / iHeartRadio)

Best History Podcast: 

●   “Revisionist History” (Pushkin Industries)