Bucho

I thought Gillian was absolutely superb - one of the faster and funnier non-character guests I've heard on CBB - but I wasn't feeling Andi Callahan for the first 30 or so minutes. It just felt somewhat predictable after Pepitone's madness from last week, and I felt like I saw everything coming. . But then about 40 minutes in Callahan says "... at their feet" talking about where he lit the fire which lead to his parents' demise and I lost it. Then I lost it at least half a dozen more times in the back end of the show. . "There's VIRTUALLY nothing to stop you from going into the penguin exhibit." "... a lot of the rest of what I'm wearing is body paint." (Set up nicely by Gillian stiffling a laugh when he mentioned his thong.) "... only rape boys." Etc.

I have enjoyed the couple of full episodes of F Plus I've heard - especially when Besser's favourite, Bunnybread, is on the mic - but both of those eps featured fetish forums and gave me the creeps almost as much as they made me laugh. They're a funny show, but they're a little on the disturbing side to seem like a good fit at Earwolf, even moreso with their dodgy sound quality. . Bottom line though is that they submitted an entry which clearly confused all three judges. So did Bob & Dan. Totally Laime's was easy to follow.

Must have been late 04, early 05 JW, Project Runway began in December 04. . And I agree that more Besser would be splendid. "Do more work" you say? Do more fun, I say.

Like Matt said, the F Plus aren't the least funny show of the top 5, but they sure were the least suited to three minute clips. . Good luck lads and lasses of the F Plus. Onwards and upwards. . And what Jordan said near the end of the episode about how Bob & Dan are comedic reference machine guns made me consider that Bob & Dan are kind of like Jordan Jordan Go Faster. Or at least they were for their three and half minutes of this round. From the three or four full eps I've heard from them they let things breathe more most of the time.

@JW - I think the commercial radio jock vibe from the Dum Dums comes partially from how fast they talk and partially from how they tend to stick to old tried and true topics for their riffing. Compared to Totally Laime - who do occasionally lean on the odd radio jock soundboard effect but are differentiated from pro radio peeps by Elizabeth's flighty gigglyness - or Bob and Dan - who also talk fast sometimes but lean more towards pop culture references and JJGo/PFT-esque absurdity for their riffing. . I think it's also that Bob and Dan aren't professional comedians and mostly just feel like two long-time buddies trying to crack each other up and so the conversation feels fairly natural and unforced (which may have actually hurt them this week as they seemed to get ahead of the audience), while the Dum Dums have a fair amount of filler where it sounds like rather than having thought of something funny to respond with they're just trying to keep talking to make sure there's not more than half a second of dead air - a very commercial radio way of thinking. . By the way, as much as I've fallen in love with LHR during this contest I agree with you that the radio static feels wrong. For me it's not that it's hack, it's that when you change radio stations on an old analogue tuner and hear that static 98% of the time you end up in the middle of something, not at the beginning of something, and so when LHR use it to drop the listener at the beginning of sketches it just feels odd.

Left Handed Radio win easily for the fourth week on the trot. No matter who wins this thing it's been worth it for me just for discovering those gals and guys. . I followed Bob and Dan ok, but I agree that their minds sometimes seem to be too fast for their comedy to really land solid punchlines. At times ideas fly into their heads and out of their mouths faster than the speed of sound and a normal human brain attached to normal human ears can have trouble keeping up. I thought Jordan's critique - even though he seemed to laugh at B&D more than the other two gabfests - was accurate. The Dum Dums were the opposite, in that they stuck to one thing but couldn't find enough funny enough ideas to build enough comedic momentum to hit a climactic punchline. They found a nice potential vein to mine with the good old guys-pretending-to-belittle-childbearing game, but they never found a solid payoff and it ended up frustrating because of that. On the other hand, everyone (in North America) loves their accents so everything looks bonza for them this round. . Jordan's note on Totally Laime was a bullseye too. I've listened to four full eps from them now and Psychic Andy really is significantly better at hosting than Elizabeth. Her flighty, distracted, high-pitched, giggle-fest thing is anchored (somewhat) by his cooler, grounded demeanor. But then according to the tagline that's kind of their raison d'etre, it's a gabfest about unimportant stuff, it's allowed to be fluffy. Bummer for F Plus though. Over the course of an hour show they're easy to follow but like Matt said it can take a couple of minutes for a new listener to find the groove and with a three minute clip this round it was no surprise to hear the judges struggling to keep up. . In other feedback Ku-ku was wildly delightful as always and Jordan was hilarious and smart and should be on Who Charted (as should Jesse "The King Of Hip Hop Nerds" Thorn) and Matt Besser should be signed up to have his own gabfest on Earwolf because it makes my heart heavy to think ahead to a post-Challenge world in which he's not gabbing it up while hosting a podcast.

@Jonathan - I've listened to full episodes of each of those five remaining shows now and I rank them exactly the same way, although I might swap 4 & 5 depending on the guests.

I don't think that's a bad idea. I like that in the lastest coaching session Matt ordered Bob and Dan to have a one sentence pitch line by the next round.

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. . 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.

I agree with you about streaming video too Rutabaga, and all this cloud malarky in general come to think of it. Unless you have a perfect connection, which is often not the case if you live (or vacation/holiday outside of major metro areas) it can be ropey and being able to just download it to play at your leisure is way better. . And to expand on the power of audio a little more, even though this is tangential to the episode, ever since I was a kid I've made audio tapes of my favourite movies. Right now I have audio from episodes of Futurama, 30 Rock and The Sarah Silverman program on my mp3 player. Obviously I took in all these things with my eyeballs first, but I love my favourite episodes so much I can play the audio while I wash dishes or mow the lawn and get a lot of entertainment from hearing them. Admittedly I do this less and less as more and more podcasts fill up my playlists, but sometimes it's just what the doctor ordered. And by doctor I mean Dr Spaceman. . Apart from anything else doing that taught me how much of the power of film and tv - especially when it comes to the charisma and personality of actors - is aural. As much as I'm a dork for cinematography I'd never just watch something with the sound off, but hearing just the audio can be a lot of fun. As much as they each produce video themselves I've often heard Jesse Thorn and Adam Carolla go on about the power of audio and that being Earwolf's raison d'etre I think it'd be wise for them to maintain the focus in that area for the time being. . I think the idea of something like a Who Charted highlights video is more viable - at least at this early stage - because the production effort required is only 2% of what it takes to produce full sketch videos. You're filming a studio performance that's already happening anyway, so setup time is virtually nil, and then cutting together a compilation of the parts which might be hooks for potential new listeners.

Baratunde was a really solid guest for The Wolf Den, especially with how he brought in a couple of new angles on established ideas. . As for the subject of video, it seems like to make one worth watching requires a significant jump in production time. I know several podcasts (Keith and The Girl, Carolla, Pardo, Kevin Pollack) run video either live or archived, but I never watch them, I only need the audio. The strength of podcasts for me is the same as it was with radio - they can be enjoyed while your eyes (and hands) are otherwise engaged. Even with shows like Real Time With Bill Maher - a show primarily created for video - I only listen to the audio. . Having said that, I would love an edited (say 3-5 minutes) video version of highlights from Who Charted. One reason I don't watch those other shows is that I don't have spare hours to just watch people yapping, no matter how funny they might be. What I do have is spare chunks of minutes here and there. That's one of the huge strengths of Zach and Scott's Between Two Ferns videos, and in fact the strength of Funny Or Die in general. The only other internet video thing I've watched regularly apart from Funny Or Die is CHUD.com's movie discussion videos and the Penny Arcade TV series, which also usually sit between 6 and 12 minutes. A lot of what's on them is discussion, but because of the cinematography on them they're visually witty and interesting too. . Often during Who Charted it's commented that action is going down in the studio - usually Ku-ku and the guest throwing shapes during the music charts - which should be seen. I also think it would be superentertaining to see the look on Wee-wee's face as he delivers his ridiculous questions and proclamations, and probably even more entertaining (superuberentertaining) to see the perplexed look on the guest's face or Ku-ku's delightfully animated cracking up face. . It would probably require 2-4 hours extra production depending on how experienced the editor is and at least two cameras to put such a thing together but whether it would be included in a premium package behind a paywall or even just a great promotional thing to get the show in front of more people as part of the Funny or Die partnership, I think it would end up paying for itself.

Loved the episode as always but the chart songs totally need to be played so that the hook is heard. Tooooooootally. . Even so, OF COURSE Unknown Mortal Orchestra were the best and sexiest band on the show. NZ is the best and sexiest.

Early on in the contest I'd focused too much on the idea that the "best" podcast would win and the feedback I gave was through that lens, but a round or two ago someone pointed out the fundamental ridiculousness of comedy competition, let alone podcast competition, and after that I could sit back a little and just enjoy the ride. . I mean, the flaw in this contest is obvious because the idea of a "best" podcast or "best" comedy product is inherently ludicrous, but that hasn't prevented The Challenge from still being a lot of fun and providing instances of world class comedy nerdery from Matt and the judges week to week. I think it was Rutabaga who pointed out early on that the contestants weren't really the point of the show, and when you watch it from that point of view you're at much less risk of blowing a gasket all over the forums. . Even with all that said I stand by what I and others said a couple of rounds back about the importance of delivering the show in a straightforward way and I'm stoked that The Challenge is tending in that direction. Reading out and clarifying the criteria at the introduction of the first episode of each round is key to letting the rest of the discussion between Matt, the producers, the judges and the contestants have the most possible meaning and entertainment value. Simplicity and clarity is a note that's been given to several of the contestants and it's sweet to see The Challenge incorporating that advice into their own production. . Onwards and upwards!

I think you're right Astralweeks, but The Fort was dancing close to the edge and it's no surprise they tumbled over this time. . Also, Tig is magical.

I loved this ep too and rereading some of these comments convinces me I need to relive its glory.

@BenV - I feel the same about Patton. He's a very pleasant presence on-mic and I find him likable and smart and I like that he's successful but he doesn't make me laugh a whole lot in conversation (although, to be fair, quite a lot of the time it seems like he's not actually trying to). I think it's because he never seems to say anything which surprises me. Doug Benson and Chris Hardwick are the same. Nice guys, fun and funny, but not funnier than your average jokester when it comes to banter. . But then you have your some-kind-of-geniuses like your Howard Kremers and your Tig Notaros. And your Eddie Pepitone, who, even when he's playing pure repulsiveness like he was with Oswalt and Scottabot on this episode, cracks my shit up big time. It's not that every single line was a gem, it's that enough of them were to keep me hanging on. With these people there's a thrill at hearing them be a step or five ahead of what I'm thinking. The thrill of the original thought at the speed of hilarity. The thrill of the unpredictable.

I know pod-darlings like your Jimmy Pardos and your TJ Millers and your Paul F Tompkinses are usually at the top of podfans' favourite guest lists, and I enjoy them a great deal too, but Tig is the champion of my heart. This is the second time in a week I've heard her guest on a podcast and just be magnificently entertaining start to finish, and I've heard her do the same thing in the past on Wolfpal/Challenge Judge Jesse Thorn's JJGo podcast too. That woman's mind blows my mind. . . F+ - I give a solid B+. Nice idea, well performed and produced, great momentum, smartly tied to the usual format and overall a nicely crafted shot of audio fun. For a show which doesn't produce sketches this was a win. . Bob & Dan - Also very fun and a nicely original, left-field idea too. I like these dudes more and more each round. Also B+. . Totally Laime - Awkward faceplant. Fortune has smiled on them in the contest so far but today sees their turn to be a show put to the sword on a round which doesn't play to their normal format I guess. D-. . Left Handed Radio - Batman sketch, A+. Loved it, laughed out loudly, won the round for the third week in a row. Mr Kunk vs The PA, B+. A less original idea but still played smoothly and with sweet timing. . The Fort - Tig's feedback that the idea was solid but the execution wobbled was on the money. I liked the three major beats but too much of what came between them felt flabby. B-. I hear potential there though and they seem to have fallen into the role of plucky underdogs in The Challenge. I just hope they're noting what the judges tell them and what doesn't kill them makes them stronger. . Little Dum Dum Club - As a New Zealander it's impossible for me to find (male) Australians "adorable" but I can't deny that these lads have something solidly entertaining at the heart of their show. Not the tightest sketch of the round but enough of it worked for me to stamp a B on it. I even laughed out loud at the dumb "Today China, tomorrow Asia" joke, damn them. . . Bottom three - Little Dum Dum Club, The Fort and Totally Laime. The Dum Dums are on solid enough ground though and the harpoon of elimination will either be fired into the scarred flanks of The Fort for being sketch specialists who hit the target a couple of times but shot wide with others, or the soft underbelly of Totally Laime for trying their darnedest at something outside their wheelhouse but missing the target completely.

@JW: Word. . @Frank: Word.

The danger with going meta or even ironic is the all too common delusion that placing something in a post modern framework is clever or funny in and of itself. . As a writer and/or performer it's a tempting path because an unsophisticated audience, especially one which is convinced it actually is sophisticated, may be easily delighted simply by the fact that they recognise something as meta or deconstructionist or ironic and so those things are too often leant on by the developing artist as crutches - as substitutes for genuine wit and creativity rather than as sparks for them. . I love Matt Besser more and more with each passing episode.

Yes Jeff, I missed you. I'm bummed about the t-shirt thing though - it's the same problem I've heard from other podcasts over the years. They and their fans come up with all kinds of fun, cute ideas for merch and then 80% of the stuff ends up sitting unsold in someone's garage. I think you explained the issue really well, I just wish you hadn't had to learn it the hard way. . I mean, where was that pioneering sonofabitch Jesse Thorn when all this went down? I thought he had your back. More to the point, where was I? Asleep in an alley probably. Again.

Depending on what I'm wearing, either Ace Of Spades or I Wanna Sex You Up.

Howard is amazing. But in a good way.

@ Jeff: "Yes, we could and maybe should explain each show to each judge, but again, that's prep work they don't have time to do or keep straight, or it makes the show 10 minutes longer which, believe me, would piss most people off. We already require quite a time commitment. If you want the best in the world as judges, you have to accept the limitations. Otherwise, you'd get very different judges who would not be able to offer the same high quality insight that has made this show great." . I'm on record as loving The Challenge warts and all Jeff, but on this point it should be noted that it was the great Wee-wee himself who finally blurted out "Can I get some effing context up in the hizzy?!?" Or words to that effect. The judges WANT context. It's no fun for them to be lost and what the listeners seem to be really really loving is when the judges get what the contestant was going for and can give insightful notes because of that. . I don't think it would extend the show by 10 minutes for Matt, a very capable, ariticulate host, to bring each contestant's clip in front of the episode's judges with a simple intro to help the judges not feel disorientated. And like Mark said above, Jimmy Pardo commented early on that no one downloads a podcast without having SOME idea of what the show's about. How long does it take Matt to say, "Next up is The Fort. They're a sketch show."? Or "Let's hear this round's entry from F Plus. Their show is based on the hosts reading out funny things they've found on the internet." I think 10 minutes is an overestimation, and if Wee-wee is anything to go by, it'd make the judges happier, not pissed off, to get that kind of info.

"There are too many good podcasts to listen to but I have had to make special room in my life for Who Charted?" . You are so right Nicholas. So, so right. Howard's voice really is gold, although I did find it weird when I finally saw a pic of him and he wasn't in his late 50s.

F+ - Dodgy sound plagues them again. Really great notes from all three judges. I felt like the blatantly lcd humour shouldn't have worked but somehow, like Howard, I couldn't help laughing by the end, damn them. . BOB & DAN - Pacey, and I laughed out loud at the comment that horses killed Superman before I realised it wasn't pure absurdity. Telfer seems fun. Again, really sharp, perceptive notes from all three judges. . LHR - Brought it again, although it petered out a little as the ending didn't deliver on the heightened fun of the rest of the sketch. Won the round for me again. . DUM DUM CLUB - Continue to remind me of a morning zoo and Marc's comments in that area really nailed it. Good momentum but I feel like I've heard the conversation about juvenile email addresses 50 times already and they brought nothing fresh to it. But, in full disclosure, it might be worth noting that I am from New Zealand, so their Aussie charm works opposite on me to how it affects North Americans. . TV ZOMBIES - Washed over me like it did for Marc. Just not my bag. . THE FORT - Again Marc nailed it like he was reading my mind. Too predictable too early. Howard mentioned liking that it was easy to follow, but it wasn't just easy to follow, it was easy to get ahead of and predict, and that's not successful comedy to me. In short - if I'm two steps ahead of it there's a problem because I'm not that funny or smart to begin with. . TOTALLY LAIME - Great judge notes again on the poorly deployed sound effects. I've listened to three full episodes of TL now and the first two, which were from early and middle of their run, were very meh, but a recent show with Paul F Tompkins was chock full of delights, not just from PFT but from the hosts, and was far funnier than what they chose for this round's entry. They may be victims of the bad song choice virus that's infected a couple of other shows in earlier rounds. . . For me this round turned out to be front loaded, with laughs from F+, Bob & Dan and LHR but a drop off in funny from then on. . And Marc's comments about the massive number of "host(s) and guest(s) yapping" formatted podcasts requiring a strong hook or personality to stand out as worthy was right on the money, except where he kept using the word "comfortable" as a positive I see it as a neutral. Ironically his own show is built on a certain amount of discomfort and that's a significant part of why the conversations he wrangles are so highly regarded. In such a flooded market "comfortable" just doesn't cut it for me. "Comfortable" is a dime a dozen in podcasting. "Stimulating" is where the A-leaguers play, and it's something in inconsistent supply at best from the Dum Dums, TV Zombies and Totally Laime. . My bottom three this round: TV Zombies, The Fort and Totally Laime.