15 replies to this topic

[Earwolf Admin]

With the competition now cut in half, we return to a trusty old challenge: Concepts and Content. Only it's a little bit different this week: They can't pull from the archives, and they don't get to introduce the clip! This week's coaching session takes on a different tone as Matt emphasizes marketability to the contestants. We're taking your suggestions to heart so leave feedback on the Earwolf forums and join us tomorrow as we bring in guest judges Kulap Vilaysack and Jordan Morris.

[KajusX]

I just a general comment based on some other comments in previous episode forums—
If the shows are naturally getting shorter because there are less and less contestants, I personally am totally fine with that.
I'm all for quality over quantity, so if you guys are worrying about keeping the episodes a set time limit, I say don't be.
I've noticed this week's challenge is giving the contestants three minutes and thirty seconds to show what they can do, and I feel that is a good way to lengthen the episodes.
After all, whoever wins isn't going to be producing a three minute show, but probably a show ten to twenty times that length.

[Bucho]

Stoked that Ku-ku and Jordan are rocking on into the judges' seats this week. Also really liked having the production discussion right up front before the contestants were brought in for the coaching session. It clarifies a whole bunch of stuff for us listeners and works as a good introduction to set the round up. It's also just interesting to hear the conversation with the ideas bouncing back and forth between Matt and the producers.
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Funnily enough earlier this very day I listened to that exact F Plus episode that they mentioned - the first full episode I've heard from them - about the Pokegirl fetishists. Did I feel like I should scrub my soul with a wire brush and gasoline afterward? Ooooooooooooooh yes. Did I also laugh a whole bunch? Yep. Those F Plusters really do have something goin' on there.

[J Pangelinan]

@ Jeff i didn't mean to get on your bad side. I never will stop listening. I was just stating my opinion. I didn't think my post was nasty.

[Ryan1326657714]

This should be right in Bob and Dan's wheelhouse. Even though they have been on the bottom the last couple weeks, they have responded well to coaching and have a track record for producing a wide variety of content. While the F+ can be original, very little of that originality seems to come from the podcasters. They depend on what they can find on the internet. Props to them for their sketch last week, but so many of their entries have just been them reading something with very few comments of worth from the group. If that is really all it takes to be on Earwolf, anybody could do it.

[Chris Piers]

I thought Matt was really interesting this week. Talking about the Challenge's podcast itself was interesting and he really pushed each of the competitors. Especially Bob and Dan. I thought it was the most interesting coaching session to listen to yet.

[Mark Thompson]

Wait, so Matt thought Bob & Dan's sketch was the second best last week, and so did Seth Morris, but they still ended up in second to last place? Man, that Tig Notaro pulls some kinda weight over at Earwolf Industries.

Meanwhile, I see that instead of allowing the podcasts to better explain the premise of their shows, we're going to go ahead and eliminate the introductory clip altogether. What fun! Now we can continue to look forward to an additional five minutes of discussion after each clip where Besser laboriously explains the show to the judges, while they go, "oh, THAT'S what that was!" , guaranteeing that shows with original concepts will continue to be at a disadvantage to easily understood snorefests like Totally Laime. Good call.

[GhaleonQ]

Since I'm now genuinely unsure whether Matt thinks the Challenge is hugely flawed and that he is a horrible human being, I'll register to say that I'm definitely entertained. I don't know why he had trouble grasping a couple of the podcasts' purposes in the 1st week, but he's become a much more able host since. He's playing off the cohosts, judges, and contestants well by maintaing forward momentum (Notaro made it difficult, even if she was funny) and I agree that his coaching this episode was his best. IF YOU NEED YOUR STELLAR CAREER VALIDATED BY PSEUDONYMOUS INTERNET POSTS, YOU HAVE THEM, BESSER.

That said, once the last 2 or 3 are left, there really ought to be longer challenges. I caught Totally Laime and The Little Dum Dum Club early in their lifespans and stayed with them because they're great at getting out of lulls without being desperate about it. Once time isn't a constraint, you'll want to make sure people want to hear 30-minute-or-more shows from these people instead of YouTube-sized clips. I'm sure that's been discussed, but just in case...

[Rutabaga]

This episode could have been a week’s challenge all on its own. The show Shark Tank or Dragon’s Den is the same thing with businesses, and it is one of the best reality competition type shows on TV around the world. Matt bailed anyone who was faltering out a bit because he already knew what they should have said, but it would be really cool to see them do a similar thing to two guest judges who know nothing about the show. I’ve heard a million joke movie / show pitches in sitcoms and sketches, but I’ve never actually seen a real successful one.
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This challenge has the potential to be won or lost in the editing room. I’m rooting for a week where none of the judges need to talk about how confusing something is. This week it is clearly all on the podcasts themselves to make sure they avoid that note through their own actions.

[Summer]

Most importantly - Who Charted t-shirt???!!!

[JoshuaDRazo]

I have no problem with the final 5. If any of them win I would be happy. I am rooting for Totally Laime the most because I listened to that before the challenge. I also have to support fellow Chicagoans Bob and Dan

[JW Buchanan]

When the Challenge started, I had no problem with contestants using things from their archive to fulfill the week's challenge. (It seemed like an appropriate advantage for the contestants who had a lot of experience and a backlog of usable material.) But I'm very happy that the material has to be original this week. At this point, if you're not producing original content every week, it doesn't seem like you're really participating in the challenge. When the Little Dum Dums revealed that their Challenge entries have always been original material, that was very, very interesting indeed! Whether something's brand new is a factor that hasn't really been considered by the judges thus far, and maybe it should be!

[JW Buchanan]

[Mark Thompson]

Poor, gullible JW Buchanan. Didn't you know that all Australians are liars? Read the history, son!

All the Little Dum Dum material was written 20 years ago by Yahoo Serious. They've been recycling it for ages. How do they get away with it? BECAUSE NO ONE OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA KNOWS WHO YAHOO SERIOUS IS!

[Naylor]

I know those words but that sign makes no sense.
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hopefully some of you will get that reference.

[Joey Genovese]

I think this show is going great. It's supposed to have little things that bug people. The judges have gotten rid of who they needed to accordingly. Nice work, I dont think I could've listened to another Fort submission. If the viewer doesnt like this, don't listen to the "1st comedy Podcast Challenge." Matt Besser, I think you are doing a great hosting job. I listen every week, Keep it up, the show is going very well.
Joey