Obscure with Michael Ian Black is a comedy book club hosted by comedian Michael Ian Black, who reads aloud from classic novels and invites guests to comment. The show has 363 episodes released weekly, with a median length of about 33 minutes. Estimated downloads are 20,000 to 80,000 per episode, with a rate range of about $360 to $2,000 per episode.
A loyal comedy book club with a 4.9 Apple rating and 363 weekly episodes
- Apple Podcasts shows 1,768 ratings with a 4.9 average, a strong signal of an engaged listener base.
- Weekly episodes of roughly 33 minutes give a steady, long-running placement across 363 episodes.
- Host-led reading and guest commentary suit brands that want a relaxed, personality-driven read.
Brand fit report
Content
- Formats
- solo reading with commentary, co-hosted banter, guest discussion
- Tone
- humorous, irreverent
- Language
- English
- Production
- Clean, edited audio
- Typical length
- 30 to 37 minutes
Audience
Commercial
- Brands seen
- None yet
- Categories promoted
- None yet
- Affiliate links
- Yes
The feed links to a Patreon page for bonus content and no sponsor mentions appear in the last 20 episode titles.
Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability
Family friendly
The feed is not flagged explicit and recent titles such as 'Just Fry Him Already' reference a classic novel's plot without adult content.
We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.
Where to listen
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | art19.com/shows/obscure |
| Apple Podcasts | podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1388660385 |
| RSS feed | rss.art19.com/obscure |
Benchmark score: 55 / 100
Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.
Recent episodes
| Episode | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| S4 Episode 158 - Epilogue | 2026-10-06 | 46 min |
| S4 Episode 157 - Peanuts and Candy Corn | 2026-09-29 | 34 min |
| S4 Episode 156 - Just Fry Him Already | 2026-09-22 | 32 min |
| S4 Episode 155 - Getting to the Point | 2026-09-15 | 36 min |
| S4 Episode 154 - Manahatta | 2026-09-08 | 32 min |
| S4 Episode 153 - So Much of this World is Shabby | 2026-09-01 | 32 min |
Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 13 days ago, a new one about every 7 days.
It's a book club, but funny! Comedian Michael Ian Black is tackling a great work of literature: Wuthering Heights. Join Michael's weekly book club as he reads aloud from a classic and asks people like Jen Kirkman, Mike Birbiglia, Michael Showalter, and even his teenage kids to weigh in with their perspectives. Season 1: Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure. The book is bleak, but Michael does a lot of…
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About Obscure with Michael Ian Black
Obscure with Michael Ian Black is a comedy book club in which comedian Michael Ian Black reads aloud from a classic novel and asks guests such as Jen Kirkman and Mike Birbiglia to weigh in. Season four currently covers American Tragedy, and the show's website and feed describe the format as a weekly book club with bonus content on Patreon. Per the RSS feed, the show has released 363 episodes since May 2018, with a weekly cadence and a median episode length of about 33 minutes.
Apple Podcasts lists 1,768 ratings with a 4.9 average, which suggests a loyal listener base. Based on that rating count and the show's weekly cadence, listener figures are estimated at 20,000 to 80,000 downloads per episode, which is an estimate and not a published number. The feed shows no sponsors in the last 20 episodes and links only to a Patreon page.
The show suits brands in books, audiobooks, subscription services and comedy, and any brand that wants a relaxed, personality-led host read. At an estimated $360 to $2,000 per host-read mid-roll, a sponsorship buys a placement in front of a comedy and literature audience.
Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. Obscure with Michael Ian Black can edit or remove this page at any time.
Questions about Obscure with Michael Ian Black
How much does Obscure with Michael Ian Black charge for a podcast sponsorship?
Based on estimated downloads of 20,000 to 80,000 per episode, a host-read mid-roll is estimated at about $360 to $2,000 per episode. Rates are estimates derived from listener signals, not published prices.
What is Obscure with Michael Ian Black about?
It is a comedy book club in which Michael Ian Black reads aloud from classic novels and invites guests to discuss them. The current season covers American Tragedy.
How do I contact Obscure with Michael Ian Black about sponsoring an episode?
The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80. Boosted shows can also be booked through Starbooked.
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