A lot happened at the Nerdist Podcast Network this week. You should have been there. Wait, you can still be there- we’ve got the rundown and all the links right here. Like:

After a long, long absence, Craig Ferguson made a triumphant return to the Nerdist Podcast in advance of his new show Join or Die on the History Channel. The show debuted Thursday — look for Chris on an upcoming episode — and we got the rundown on what the show’s about and how it’s built on a foundation of Socratic debate. But there’s also talk about Craig’s first Nerdist Podcast appearance at Largo, recovery, the CBS show and the grind of late night, marriage advice, and outrage culture.

Crossover time! Bert Kreischer‘s Bertcast merged into You Made it Weird with Pete Holmes for a “swapcast” that got Pete talking about his old and new TV shows, how his mind works when doing standup vs. television, and more, including how Bert got a deal by barking. There are a ton of stories on this one, about comedy and comedians and watching other comics become hugely successful and life. And Gerard Depardieu.

USA Today’s eclectic college sports expert and almost-sometimes-when-she-makes-a-certain-face Aubrey Plaza-lookalike Nicole Auerbach visited The Jonah Keri Podcast to talk about college basketball’s “Year of the Senior” eclipsing the usual one-and-done process (temporarily, maybe), paying college athletes, how she got into sports growing up in lovely Central New Jersey, college days at Michigan, and her “other” Twitter account @90sgirlproblem, featuring that Kimmy Gibler avatar. Plus a Life Tip, which is becoming a thing on the podcast.

Comedian Brandie Posey dropped by The JV Club despite not getting enough sleep, telling a load of stories about everything from driving for Lyft to carnival rides to risk-seeking to being a good kid “on paper” to dealing with her mom’s passing by binge-watching House to Maryland and ska. Ska!

This week, The Jackie and Laurie Show came to us from Jackie’s house, with talk about memorable comedy club experiences, Sam Kinison, Laurie’s mom, and Jackie’s memories of a certain time of her life in Milwaukee, featuring “The Little Veteran of the Big War.” You will not forget that story, even if you want to.

Razzle and Dan welcomed Yvette Nicole Brown to Today We Learned to talk about Lost, making people binge-watch TV shows, Cleveland, Pound Puppies, potato chips, and lots more facts.

Comedian and Utah radio host Keith Stubbs — “the Shawn Kemp of comedy” — was Cash’s patient this week on Cash Withdrawal, with memories of trips to the Sierra wilderness with Dad, signs of aging, Fajita Pitas, career, fear of missing out, and other neuroses.

Multi-hyphenate — Survivor host, producer, director, writer — Jeff Probst talked about his varied career on The Writers Panel, and so did new The Muppets showrunner Kristin Newman on a bonus Writers Panel episode.

Playboy Playmate and Gamer Next Door Pamela Horton made a return visit to Chewn’ It , and, yes, Playboy’s new no-nude policy got examined, but so did games and Super Troopers 2 and way more.

A new edition of “Emotional Hangs” on The K Ohle brought us not only Joe DeRosa but Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff, too.

Our own Ding-Donger Matt Braunger did the pop culture thing on Pop My Culture.

The Elfmans had singer Nikka Costa on to talk about things below the waistline on Kicking and Screaming. They had a ball. Or balls. Mostly balls.

Alison, Alex, and Tom managed to turn that news about black holes and gravitational waves into a discussion of much more earthbound and earthy subjects on Half Hour Happy Hour.

Jake Fogelnest came back to the Barn for the first of a brand-new two-part Todd Glass Show.

Jason Torres returned to help the guys talk all things Deadpool on Comic Book Club.

The New Age Music episode of The Legacy Music Hour got a right remixing. Everyone relaxed.

Last week, Federman. This week, Lederman — Annie Lederman, that is, on Love, Alexi with talk about boobs, relationships, The Bachelor, return texting, and sex. Plenty of that.

And the very redheaded Matt McCarthy helped Ardin, Erin, and Eddie dissect The Bachelor this week on Will You Accept This Rose?

We’ve got it all at the Nerdist Podcast Network homepage and Facebook page. Listen and subscribe. Please.

Contributor: Kyle Clark
Photo: The History Channel