Episode 9.1 — Time Crunch: Day 1

[admin 330]

Our top three competitors have been given their biggest assignment yet: One hour to interview Zach Galifianakis as part of an editing challenge. Too bad it isn't going to happen. This week we test our challengers on their ability to bounce back after a guest cancellation in a short amount of time. Listen in today to hear Matt "coach" the podcasters through the most important hour of their life, and join us tomorrow to hear their Time Crunch submissions with guest judges Dave Anthony and Matt Belknap.

[admin 330]

Our top three competitors have been given their biggest assignment yet: One hour to interview Zach Galifianakis as part of an editing challenge. Too bad it isn't going to happen. This week we test our challengers on their ability to bounce back after a guest cancellation in a short amount of time. Listen in today to hear Matt "coach" the podcasters through the most important hour of their life, and join us tomorrow to hear their Time Crunch submissions with guest judges Dave Anthony and Matt Belknap.

[janus1172 11]

Yet another week where the chat shows (LDDC, TL) are at a major advantage over scripted content (LHR). And yet another week where this will likely not be taken into strong consideration in the judging (the judges not being aware of how hard it was for LHR to pull off a sketch in only 10 mins last week). The prep work for a sketch show is at least 4x more intense than the prep for a chat show, and is reflected in the fact that shows like this (for example, Superego) only do shows once a month not every week.
This isn't simply out of their wheelhouse, it's totally out of their entire process. Not only do they have to spend all week prepping for something totally novel, then they have to work to pull out anything funny in a format and environment they don't do. I really feel like if they are even reasonably funny, it would really suck if they got eliminated.

[janus1172 11]

Yet another week where the chat shows (LDDC, TL) are at a major advantage over scripted content (LHR). And yet another week where this will likely not be taken into strong consideration in the judging (the judges not being aware of how hard it was for LHR to pull off a sketch in only 10 mins last week). The prep work for a sketch show is at least 4x more intense than the prep for a chat show, and is reflected in the fact that shows like this (for example, Superego) only do shows once a month not every week.
This isn't simply out of their wheelhouse, it's totally out of their entire process. Not only do they have to spend all week prepping for something totally novel, then they have to work to pull out anything funny in a format and environment they don't do. I really feel like if they are even reasonably funny, it would really suck if they got eliminated.

[Reginald Charming 0]

I don't even know how this is going to work out for Left Handed Radio. Will they have write a sketch catering to Galifanakis' strengths as a comedian and then find a Galifanakis impersonator to fill in? I don't get it.

[Reginald Charming 0]

I don't even know how this is going to work out for Left Handed Radio. Will they have write a sketch catering to Galifanakis' strengths as a comedian and then find a Galifanakis impersonator to fill in? I don't get it.

[B Naylor 3]

@KC You do remember there was a round dedicated to Sketches right? The week in which The Fort, a podcast that does sketches got eliminated because even though their sketch was better than than some others, some leniency was shown because it's not what they do.
-
Having said that though, it does seem like this will be really hard on LHR, at least the other shows had time to sit down and write a sketch, maybe they'll be able to improrvise a sketch that doesn't require sound effects and production.
-
Well whatever happens, if Totally Laime get through, the conspirists will be mad.

[B Naylor 3]

@KC You do remember there was a round dedicated to Sketches right? The week in which The Fort, a podcast that does sketches got eliminated because even though their sketch was better than than some others, some leniency was shown because it's not what they do.
-
Having said that though, it does seem like this will be really hard on LHR, at least the other shows had time to sit down and write a sketch, maybe they'll be able to improrvise a sketch that doesn't require sound effects and production.
-
Well whatever happens, if Totally Laime get through, the conspirists will be mad.

[auxt 0]

My first thought was LHR could create SFX/music from chopped-up speech, processing with pitch/time bend, filters, etc. It would be a stunning feat of conceptual sound design.
 
Making a funny, coherent sketch would be equally difficult, so I'm very interested to hear their final product.
 
I guess we won't hear the contestants informed about Zach "canceling"?

[auxt 0]

My first thought was LHR could create SFX/music from chopped-up speech, processing with pitch/time bend, filters, etc. It would be a stunning feat of conceptual sound design.
 
Making a funny, coherent sketch would be equally difficult, so I'm very interested to hear their final product.
 
I guess we won't hear the contestants informed about Zach "canceling"?

[rdriley 21]

I wish, instead of listening to three fake coaching sessions, they'd spent their time with the podcasters on this episode by letting us hear the actual reveal that Zach's not showing up. Maybe we'll hear that part tomorrow?

[rdriley 21]

I wish, instead of listening to three fake coaching sessions, they'd spent their time with the podcasters on this episode by letting us hear the actual reveal that Zach's not showing up. Maybe we'll hear that part tomorrow?

[robstraws 16]

I hope that they all base their submissions off being mad that Zach isn't going to be on their shows.

[robstraws 16]

I hope that they all base their submissions off being mad that Zach isn't going to be on their shows.

[Cody Nelson 22]

And of course, LHR gets screwed once again.

[Cody Nelson 22]

And of course, LHR gets screwed once again.

[janus1172 11]

@Ben The sketches challenge forced most of the shows to generate content outside their usual genre. This challenge does that in a way, but also forces them into a new process. 30 mins to prep and produce 5 mins is not a wildly different process for chat shows, and the content is pretty similar (just no guest). Improvised sketch without foley and fx is a completely different thing from audio sketch and is still tough to do in 30 mins—otherwise we'd get a new Superego every week. Maybe they'll have a sketch in their back pockets to pull out, though. Who knows.
---
An analogous situation might be having each group only have one person be able to work on a submission with no outside help. That would greatly change the content and process for LDDC and TL. LHR would have the advantage in that challenge and we'd be worried about the fairness. Not saying to do this, but that is a similar way of affecting process in an unbalanced way.
---
While I'm also interested to see what LHR comes up with, I think they can do ok. I did get a feel that Besser got how tough this challenge would be on them, but maybe the producers did not. Last week's challenge was also tough for LHR because the process is so different for them, but they did great. And then we hear they had "an advantage" in the past weeks?!

I think it's an interesting challenge, it just comes off as doubly shitty for LHR. They spent a week prepping for a challenge outside their expertise, and then get put into another challenge that is especially tough for them. This is a challenge, too, that is more pertinent for what weekly chat shows do than monthly scripted shows. I'm also worried about the judges getting lost with LHR's submission, because the fx and foley and scripting clearly depict it is as a sketch show. I think all of the show can pull something off. But if LDDC and TL aren't a lot better than LHR's submission, one of them should go.

[janus1172 11]

@Ben The sketches challenge forced most of the shows to generate content outside their usual genre. This challenge does that in a way, but also forces them into a new process. 30 mins to prep and produce 5 mins is not a wildly different process for chat shows, and the content is pretty similar (just no guest). Improvised sketch without foley and fx is a completely different thing from audio sketch and is still tough to do in 30 mins—otherwise we'd get a new Superego every week. Maybe they'll have a sketch in their back pockets to pull out, though. Who knows.
---
An analogous situation might be having each group only have one person be able to work on a submission with no outside help. That would greatly change the content and process for LDDC and TL. LHR would have the advantage in that challenge and we'd be worried about the fairness. Not saying to do this, but that is a similar way of affecting process in an unbalanced way.
---
While I'm also interested to see what LHR comes up with, I think they can do ok. I did get a feel that Besser got how tough this challenge would be on them, but maybe the producers did not. Last week's challenge was also tough for LHR because the process is so different for them, but they did great. And then we hear they had "an advantage" in the past weeks?!

I think it's an interesting challenge, it just comes off as doubly shitty for LHR. They spent a week prepping for a challenge outside their expertise, and then get put into another challenge that is especially tough for them. This is a challenge, too, that is more pertinent for what weekly chat shows do than monthly scripted shows. I'm also worried about the judges getting lost with LHR's submission, because the fx and foley and scripting clearly depict it is as a sketch show. I think all of the show can pull something off. But if LDDC and TL aren't a lot better than LHR's submission, one of them should go.

[Bucho 188]

Zach's changed.

[Bucho 188]

Zach's changed.

[denzquix 8]

When I heard that this whole thing was something Scott came up with, I swear I could almost hear his laughter off in the distance.

[denzquix 8]

When I heard that this whole thing was something Scott came up with, I swear I could almost hear his laughter off in the distance.

[Leg 0]

Dave and Greg discus (and maybe spoil?) the outcome of the week on this week's Walking The Room. Starts at about the 45 minute mark.
-
http://walkingtheroom.libsyn.com/-67-humpin-baboons-and-death-balloons

[Leg 0]

Dave and Greg discus (and maybe spoil?) the outcome of the week on this week's Walking The Room. Starts at about the 45 minute mark.
-
http://walkingtheroom.libsyn.com/-67-humpin-baboons-and-death-balloons

[Foam Corner 94]

I can't really understand what he's saying, but apparently the people kicked off are fans of their podcast? I was a little scared when I looked at their twitter and saw that my favorite podcast is following them. Then I saw that Walking The Room is following my favorite podcast and another contestant, so that calmed me down a little. *shakes fist at potential spoilers*