Episode 8.3 — Using a Famous Guest: Day 3

[Chamberlain 10]

Dan from LHR here- this is the part of the Challenge where seeing people go really starts to sting, if only because we all know how much work and thought EVERY contestant has put into their submissions over the last two months.

While I've not met B&D, earlier this spring when LHR bought an ad on Jordan, Jesse, Go!, they were kind enough to support us in the Maximum Fun forums, saying they dug our show and were now subscribers. Good dudes in my book. The work they've done on the Challenge to date has been great, and they really do have a super-fun podcast.

Godspeed and best of luck, boys. You're in good shape, and have got a real fan in me.

[Brendan 96]

@Julia Hays: Yeah, not really descriptive of their show, but glad you liked it!
(BTW, I assume autocomplete might have truncated my name in your post, but my name's Brendan not Brenda, I'm all man!)

[Brendan 96]

@Julia Hays: Yeah, not really descriptive of their show, but glad you liked it!
(BTW, I assume autocomplete might have truncated my name in your post, but my name's Brendan not Brenda, I'm all man!)

[mattlittle 0]

Yes! Kudos to B&D.
-
This show does drop a LOT of stress on us all (good stress!) in that we not only are trying to create great material, but material that is for the SOLE purpose of judgement. Bob and Dan held their own through everything. I loved their Parker Bros. sketch in sketch week.
-
As anyone who has attempted to do an entertaining chat show podcast understands, it's difficult to not only sound clever and funny, but naturally clever and funny. B&D do it and do it WELL.
-
GUYS THIS MUST BE WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE IN THE HUNGER GAMES.

[mattlittle 0]

Yes! Kudos to B&D.
-
This show does drop a LOT of stress on us all (good stress!) in that we not only are trying to create great material, but material that is for the SOLE purpose of judgement. Bob and Dan held their own through everything. I loved their Parker Bros. sketch in sketch week.
-
As anyone who has attempted to do an entertaining chat show podcast understands, it's difficult to not only sound clever and funny, but naturally clever and funny. B&D do it and do it WELL.
-
GUYS THIS MUST BE WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE IN THE HUNGER GAMES.

[Dan 5]

(This is Dan from Bob and Dan Cast) I was a little hesitant to come check out the comments for this episode, but you guys have been great! Thanks for all the support and the kind words. If I knew the emoticon for a man weeping tears of joy, I'd drop it here.

Also, thanks for all the name suggestions. We've been thinking of changing it since about episode 10. As we approach 100, perhaps it's finally the right moment. I just dread trying to change the name in itunes. I'm sure it's needlessly complicated.

Thanks again, guys!

[Dan 5]

(This is Dan from Bob and Dan Cast) I was a little hesitant to come check out the comments for this episode, but you guys have been great! Thanks for all the support and the kind words. If I knew the emoticon for a man weeping tears of joy, I'd drop it here.

Also, thanks for all the name suggestions. We've been thinking of changing it since about episode 10. As we approach 100, perhaps it's finally the right moment. I just dread trying to change the name in itunes. I'm sure it's needlessly complicated.

Thanks again, guys!

[RussellFranchise 0]

All I'll say is this....every time Totally Laime comes out with a bad performance, they keep surviving! But now, I think we see who the truly strong podcasts are! My Dark Horse, LHR, keeps killing it with some good sketches. I didn't think they were getting respected in the beginning, but they are coming around and people are liking it. Totally Laime, I don't like them, but I can see why people would like them. A likeable host, a good concept, they would make for a good podcast on Earwolf, but I keep thinking that there are a lot of those chat shows on Earwolf already! Little Dum Dum Club, maybe the only solid podcast in the competition. I don't think they every made it to the bottom 3 in anything! I would say they are the front runners in this! But I want Left Handed Radio to win it all! WE NEED A SKETCH SHOW ON EARWOLF!

Matt Besser, never change! You Da Man!

[RussellFranchise 0]

All I'll say is this....every time Totally Laime comes out with a bad performance, they keep surviving! But now, I think we see who the truly strong podcasts are! My Dark Horse, LHR, keeps killing it with some good sketches. I didn't think they were getting respected in the beginning, but they are coming around and people are liking it. Totally Laime, I don't like them, but I can see why people would like them. A likeable host, a good concept, they would make for a good podcast on Earwolf, but I keep thinking that there are a lot of those chat shows on Earwolf already! Little Dum Dum Club, maybe the only solid podcast in the competition. I don't think they every made it to the bottom 3 in anything! I would say they are the front runners in this! But I want Left Handed Radio to win it all! WE NEED A SKETCH SHOW ON EARWOLF!

Matt Besser, never change! You Da Man!

[Max 37]

Count me as another listener rooting for LHR at this point. The chat shows just seem...anodyne, I guess. Laime and LDDC are pleasant, but Earwolf is already dominated by chat shows. And with respect to both of those podcasts, neither of them has made me laugh the way something like Comedy Bang Bang can almost every week.

LHR has also not hit one out of the park with me yet, but an explicitly sketch-based show would add some nice variety to the Earwolf menu. The gains from the other podcasts seem like they would be marginal at best. I was surprised that Doug was so frank about it, but it's true that Totally Laime isn't real bringing anything fresh to the table. It's nice that they have boiled down their hook into a single line (and it's a good line), but we already have a dozen podcasts where famous comedians talk about bullshit. In fact, that may be the majority of podcasts period.

[Max 37]

Count me as another listener rooting for LHR at this point. The chat shows just seem...anodyne, I guess. Laime and LDDC are pleasant, but Earwolf is already dominated by chat shows. And with respect to both of those podcasts, neither of them has made me laugh the way something like Comedy Bang Bang can almost every week.

LHR has also not hit one out of the park with me yet, but an explicitly sketch-based show would add some nice variety to the Earwolf menu. The gains from the other podcasts seem like they would be marginal at best. I was surprised that Doug was so frank about it, but it's true that Totally Laime isn't real bringing anything fresh to the table. It's nice that they have boiled down their hook into a single line (and it's a good line), but we already have a dozen podcasts where famous comedians talk about bullshit. In fact, that may be the majority of podcasts period.

[Bucho 188]

@Max: I don't think "anodyne" is necessarily a bad thing from a popularity point of view. I admit that in general I prefer straight-up chatshows of the more challenging, more eye-opening, more teethed variety - your WTFs, your WTRs, your Carollas, perhaps your Best Shows - but I feel like many, many podcast listeners are happier with entertainment that's more of a pleasant distraction than something more engaging or challenging. LDDC and TL may not be everyone's cup of tea but they're clearly doing something right because a lot of people are digging them.
.
And it's not like Earwolf, as a brand, actually stands for the kinds of qualities Matt Besser was pointing out during episode 8.1. Your Sklarbros and your CBBs and your Who Charteds and your Glitters aren't going to put any ideas in front of you that you have to think about your response to. Even Professor Blastoff, a show which deals with ideas primarily, delivers in a very inoffensive, non-confrontational way. Earwolf shows are "anodyne", but because the hosts and guests are so comedically sharp they're wildly entertaining anyway. The only Earwolf shows that really have something of a challenging vibe at times are How Did This Get Made and this very Challenge right here.
.
I think it's telling that the majority of the judges' feedback on LDDC and TL has been saying that those hosts are easily likable, moreso than that they're funny, and I think the truth is that plenty of people simply dig the chemistry on those shows and enjoy spending time aurally bathing in that pleasantness. While some people like to describe podcasts romantically as a "punk rock" medium, because of they're DIY I guess, in reality many of them are "easy-listening" - and that works for them really well and because of that could work for Earwolf really well. And as long as Earwolf wins, I win.
.
There, I said it. It's all about me.

[Bucho 188]

@Max: I don't think "anodyne" is necessarily a bad thing from a popularity point of view. I admit that in general I prefer straight-up chatshows of the more challenging, more eye-opening, more teethed variety - your WTFs, your WTRs, your Carollas, perhaps your Best Shows - but I feel like many, many podcast listeners are happier with entertainment that's more of a pleasant distraction than something more engaging or challenging. LDDC and TL may not be everyone's cup of tea but they're clearly doing something right because a lot of people are digging them.
.
And it's not like Earwolf, as a brand, actually stands for the kinds of qualities Matt Besser was pointing out during episode 8.1. Your Sklarbros and your CBBs and your Who Charteds and your Glitters aren't going to put any ideas in front of you that you have to think about your response to. Even Professor Blastoff, a show which deals with ideas primarily, delivers in a very inoffensive, non-confrontational way. Earwolf shows are "anodyne", but because the hosts and guests are so comedically sharp they're wildly entertaining anyway. The only Earwolf shows that really have something of a challenging vibe at times are How Did This Get Made and this very Challenge right here.
.
I think it's telling that the majority of the judges' feedback on LDDC and TL has been saying that those hosts are easily likable, moreso than that they're funny, and I think the truth is that plenty of people simply dig the chemistry on those shows and enjoy spending time aurally bathing in that pleasantness. While some people like to describe podcasts romantically as a "punk rock" medium, because of they're DIY I guess, in reality many of them are "easy-listening" - and that works for them really well and because of that could work for Earwolf really well. And as long as Earwolf wins, I win.
.
There, I said it. It's all about me.

[mikes 0]

im sorry to see bob and dan go. i also think that t.l. should hve gone home as they knew nothing of the guest or let him talk, but on a side note im going back and checking out bob and dans old podcasts

[mikes 0]

im sorry to see bob and dan go. i also think that t.l. should hve gone home as they knew nothing of the guest or let him talk, but on a side note im going back and checking out bob and dans old podcasts

[auxt 0]

I enjoyed Doug's many astute observations.
 
It was interesting to hear B&D ep 99, recorded pre-judgment. Apparently they tried "pilot pitching" with Nick, but it didn't quite work. That comedy bit could have saved them.
 
btw TL's one-line description is totally excellent.

[auxt 0]

I enjoyed Doug's many astute observations.
 
It was interesting to hear B&D ep 99, recorded pre-judgment. Apparently they tried "pilot pitching" with Nick, but it didn't quite work. That comedy bit could have saved them.
 
btw TL's one-line description is totally excellent.

[Brendanfrombeer 1]

So, are we going to get and end of season "reunion show"? Can the judges for the last challenge be all the dismissed previous podcasters? (jury of 47 of your peers...F+ had about 30 people right?). Completely in favor of this. It shall be called "The Skypemare".

[Brendanfrombeer 1]

So, are we going to get and end of season "reunion show"? Can the judges for the last challenge be all the dismissed previous podcasters? (jury of 47 of your peers...F+ had about 30 people right?). Completely in favor of this. It shall be called "The Skypemare".

[Brendanfrombeer 1]

Also, I really wish the F+ had made it to this challenge just to see how weird it would have been for Nick. HI! Here's some water quality fetish fanfiction. We've only got ten minutes let's go!

[Brendanfrombeer 1]

Also, I really wish the F+ had made it to this challenge just to see how weird it would have been for Nick. HI! Here's some water quality fetish fanfiction. We've only got ten minutes let's go!

[silly ghost 2]

@Brendanfrombeer: I would be very surprised if the final judges aren't Jeff and Scott.

[silly ghost 2]

@Brendanfrombeer: I would be very surprised if the final judges aren't Jeff and Scott.

[Brendanfrombeer 1]

@Matt I've been informed that the final judges will be a barrel of french fries and an old crocodile....only one of us can be right.

[Brendanfrombeer 1]

@Matt I've been informed that the final judges will be a barrel of french fries and an old crocodile....only one of us can be right.