That’s something I noticed a while ago: all podcasters have those huge microphones in front of them - sometimes with a gigantic boom - that wouldn’t look out of place on 1950s TV. But unlike in the 1950s, they’re not trying to hide them, no no: the more visible, the bigger, the better.
I can’t figure out the point of that prop. If I did a podcast, I’d try to unclutter the shot myself.
I work in live TV. The podcast mike’s are tiny compared to the ones used in most TV work. A shotgun mic, with a windshield can be bigger than your forearm.
E.g. the Sannheiser MKE 600 is 20mm diameter and 256mm long (10"), without its windshield.
The lapel mics are both expensive as hell, and far lower quality. They are only used when a better mic can’t be.
The mics used by many podcasts are similar to those used by radio stations and music recording. They trade directionality for compactness, without dropping quality.