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March 29, 2024, 03:27:29 PM

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Comedy Podcasts - Howl was Stitched up

Started by brat-sampson, September 04, 2017, 11:07:18 PM

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brat-sampson

Matt Gourley's an absolute treasure on these. (AD'sPPP) I always like his accents and characters. Spot on re. Mary Holland though, hoo boy.

Neomod

Threedom starts later today for those with premium.



A bit excessive with the eyeliner Scotty.

Paaaaul

Quote from: Neomod on March 29, 2018, 04:33:15 PM
Threedom starts later today for those with premium.



A bit excessive with the eyeliner Scotty.
I listened to that this morning. It was ok. A bit aimless.

BeardFaceMan

This is starting to be my problem with podcats, comedians now think that 3 of them having a chat will be so endlessly entertaining that they can charge money for people to listen. It used to be that comedians took a year or two to hone their hour of material, now theyre wanking out multiple hours a week. Its having a bad effect on comedy overall I think, why bother putting in the work of writing a sitcom or sketch show or stand up set when you can make a living just turning up and talking? Oh and of course, its improv, so the nature of the beast is that it wont all be gold. Nice little get out clause there for lack of quality.

Famous Mortimer

There's just too much of it. Unless you have a commute with nothing else to do, or no job or family...or perhaps it's just me. I feel overwhelmed, though. Let's say you're a fan of Paul F Tompkins, and there was one week where he was on six different Earwolf podcasts. And it's not like any of them get to the point either, so chances are it'd be all you're listening to. Then there's all the other things going on that week, the hundreds of other no-doubt entertaining shows.

I remember bringing this up years ago and being shouted down, so perhaps it's only a problem for me. But who has the time?

BeardFaceMan

No, I'm with you on that. There are way too many podcasts now, with a small group of people hosting and appearing on each others podcasts. Comedians are spreading themselves way too thin. Now people think that all they need to be a comedian is to take a UCB course (another thing that's hurting comedy) and they can do improv for a living, and also being told that doing a UCB course helps you get acting work. I do like a good improv podcast but there are just way too many of the fuckers now, I don't listen to any podcast every week now, I only listen if there are guests on that I like and that seems to be happening less and less now. Over saturation, and when you're putting out that much content theres no way you can keep up a high quality, so you end up with "lets put out a podcast of us literally having a chat. And put it behind a paywall."

Podcasts used to be a way for comedians to fuck about, something fun to do alongside their normal work. Now podcasts have become big business and they are a comedians normal work. I don't want to go all Bill Hicks but it breaks my fucking heart to hear all these comedians reading out shitty copy for shitty products on their podcasts. Write some comedy for fucks sake. Generally when I hear an hour of improv on a podcast now I think "That would make a fantastic 5 minute sketch, go away and write it up.", it really does feel like I'm listening in on a writers room for a project that never gets made.

Just feels like a huge lack of effort from a lot of comedians now, they can just turn up and talk instead of worrying about pitching, writing and recording a tv show, the comedy just feels lazy. And because everyone has been through the UCB system they all play by the same rules they've been taught and that theres only one way to do improv, the UCB way, so all the scenes feel the same because they're all going for the same beats. That's why I like Paul F. because he didnt have improv training so he doesnt have those rules in his head when hes thinking stuff up, he can just concentrate on being funny and going places the others wouldn't think to go because of the way they've been taught.

Penfold

Do people make money from UCB? The performers don't get paid do they? Setting up a podcast with a mic and a laptop is a lot easier for someone than to be given a tv show no matter where they are in the industry (RIP SeeSo). I mostly listen to Earwolf shows but I always got the impression that the hosts or guests are doing it in their spare time and doing it for fun/exposure and then going back to their jobs as stand-ups or tv writers. I can't think of many people who live off their podcast ad-read money, and that's if their podcast is big enough to get ads regularly. If they are very lucky they will build up enough of a following to go the Patreon and it can become a full time job. I have no idea what someone would be paid for having a Stitcher Premium podcast but $5 a month from an unknown number of subscribers spread out over all the shows doesn't seem like it would be a large amount to me.

Threedom is a podcast advertised as Aukerman, Lapkus and PFT just having a chat for an hour, that's what it is, so far. They probably put it on Stitcher Premium to increase the value for subscribers who are interested without tying themselves into another weekly podcast so they can take breaks when they are busy.

Paaaaul

Threedom is a ten episode series.
Earwolf only have ongoing series these days. All limited runs go behind the Howl/Stitcher paywall.

non capisco

I have to say I've been finding Comedy Bang Bang exceedingly thin on the ground for laughs so far this year. I'm more or less listening out of habit at the start of the week these days, in contrast to something more sporadically released like Athletico Mince or Chart Music where the surprise appearance of a new episode actually lifts my day.

BeardFaceMan

Thats another problem with UCB, they charge money for the audience and dont pay their performers.  And they make a shitload of money from their corporate arm, teaching improv to business people.  They use the excuse that the performers are being paid with stage time and experience. Oh, and the performers have to pay UCB to be in one of their classes and to go onstage. So yeah, they make money.

It used to be people doing podcasts for fun in their spare time, now its big business. When people have things to promote they dont just do the talk shows or magazine interviews, they do podcasts too. Virtually every podcast I listen to has the host reading copy, I'm not saying they're making big bucks theyre obviously making good money or they wouldnt all be starting their own podcasts. Theyre certainly not starting podcasts now for any great new creative idea theyve had, these improv and chatshow podcasts are all very similar, you dont see many people taking risks with podcasts, its all safe stuff that people are already familiar with. Guests being paid for their podcasts appearances is a bit of a murky area too, some do, most dont, so its a bit like UCB, the podcast host makes money from ad revenue while the guest who helps make the podcast gets nothing. I think that might be starting to change though, James Adomian has a problem with that policy, he wants podcasts to be covered under their actors union so they get paid for their work, but he has been appearing on CBB again after a break so maybe the big podcasts are starting to pay the performers.

In one way its great that podcasts gives the comedian a lot of freedom, creative and otherwise, the downside is they can get a bit lazy and the comedy feels very disposable. I'd rather they spent time writing material instead of recording their everyday conversations or thoughts. I feel social media has a lot to do with that as well, everybody thinks every thought they have is endlessly fascinating or amusing and needs to be shared with everyone, podcasts are becoming the audio equivalent of Twitter and thats horrifying, things like CBB arent too bad because they have a bit of structure and theres improv but there have been too many comedians who have a podcast which is just them talking into a mic for an hour a week. Fuck that. And this new podcast is an extension of that, just 3 people having a chat with no agenda which to me sounds fucking abysmal, theyre not that interesting people. Few people are, for the amount of time some of them spend doing podcasts, so less is definitely more but thats never gonna happen now.

BeardFaceMan

Quote from: non capisco on March 30, 2018, 02:27:34 PM
I have to say I've been finding Comedy Bang Bang exceedingly thin on the ground for laughs so far this year. I'm more or less listening out of habit at the start of the week these days, in contrast to something more sporadically released like Athletico Mince or Chart Music where the surprise appearance of a new episode actually lifts my day.

Ive got tired of hearing Hot Soccermom bring things to a grinding halt, he stops far more comedy than he creates when hes asking questions to someone who is improvising. Great writer and producer, awful improviser. It really does feel like he knows what hes going to say is going to be shit and ruin the flow and thats why he does it, more to amuse himself than others. I hate that kind of comedy, where the joy you get comes purely from ruining something or pissing people off.  But then again, its very easy to tire of someones shtick when youre hearing it for hours every week. I think I'm just burned out on podcasts, too many of the fucking things, I need a break. Back to the comedy albums for a while I think.

We need more Mike Detective,  get writing for fucks sake!

Neomod

Quote from: Paaaaul on March 29, 2018, 07:00:01 PM
I listened to that this morning. It was ok. A bit aimless.

'work friends' is a better title.

It's also this week's CBB episode as a try before you buy I guess.

remedial_gash

Quote from: BeardFaceMan on March 30, 2018, 02:58:58 PM
Ive got tired of hearing Hot Soccermom bring things to a grinding halt, he stops far more comedy than he creates when hes asking questions to someone who is improvising. Great writer and producer, awful improviser.

I've been inclined to enjoy Scott's output a lot and I don't really know how the howl/stitcher/midroll thing went down but he is coming across more and more as a barrier to comedy and indeed content - think it was on some podcast recently where he said 'I used to be able to commission stuff' and I think it was laughed off.

Don't know if he's pissed off or whatever?

DrGreggles

New series of Pappy's Flatshare Slamdown has started!

McChesney Duntz

Quote from: remedial_gash on March 30, 2018, 04:32:27 PM
Don't know if he's pissed off or whatever?

There's definitely a more hostile edge to his interactioms with, say, Adam Scott on their R.E.M. podcast than I've heard before. Tries to pass it off as a joke, usually, but...

BeardFaceMan

I get the impression he's quite a prickly guy in real life. He delivers barbs too often for them to be just jokes. He reminds me of a Clive Anderson, always has to have the last word, I'm the smartest person in the room type.

Neomod

He must be well off (definitely gives that impression) but I wonder if he wishes he was more successful as a performer, like some of his peers.

There was that interview where he stated he could sell out theatres (with CBB) but the general public didn't have a clue who he was.

I've not been listening to podcasts much recently for time reasons so can't comment on any recent demeanour but I never got the impression that Scott Aukerman was a prickly guy at all. He seems to be incredibly popular in the LA comedy scene and seems to have genuine friendship/rapport with a huge amount of his guests. He enjoys poking for comedy but I'd never seen it as more than that.

His anti-comedy approach to improv can fall flat on its face, but it also is the reason why things like Andy Daly's characters are so funny on CBB.

BritishHobo

Tackling the Worst Idea of All Time season 2 five-hour double commentary. Fuck me it's tough. The joke is ruined a bit when you know the episode is five hours long, but it's still fucking funny hearing them get to the end of the first watchthrough of Sex and the City 2 and then reveal to all the Periscope watchers who've been watching along for two-and-a-half hours that they're just fuckin going again.

I'm not the biggest fan of the 'pretending to be the director' shtick they do for commentaries (although I warmed to it in the second half of the first SATC 2 watch) so it's nice that the second commentary is just Tim and Guy as themselves.

Fucking hell I can't do this. I need to go for a walk before watching it a second time. It really fuckin brings home how absolutely unbearable it must have been to watch every single week. Jesus Christ.

monolith

Quote from: The Always Red Society on April 02, 2018, 10:24:02 AM
I've not been listening to podcasts much recently for time reasons so can't comment on any recent demeanour but I never got the impression that Scott Aukerman was a prickly guy at all. He seems to be incredibly popular in the LA comedy scene and seems to have genuine friendship/rapport with a huge amount of his guests. He enjoys poking for comedy but I'd never seen it as more than that.

Agreed. Just been watching the CBB TV show again and he gets some pretty big names on and there can't have been a big budget.


gabrielconroy

I went on Stitcher a few days ago to get at the paywalled Andy Daly Podcast Pilot Projects and realised I in fact already had a premium account and had been paying for it for god knows how long.

To make up for it I listened to all of the ADPPPs and the second series of The Mysterious Secrets of Uncle Bertie's Botanarium, which I enjoyed very much in all its stupid silliness. Listened to the first couple of Threedom episodes as well.

What else is there on the premium version that's worth a listen?

Paaaaul

The Teacher's Lounge.
It takes a few episodes to get fully in the swing, but there is no funnier thing on earth at the moment that I'm aware of.

Ron Superior

So, what do you reckon is going on at Earwolf?

I remember Scott saying something, I think it was at the end of the Best Of 2017 eps, along the lines of "who knows what will happen this year", plus as noted above, he seems to be saying a few things about things changing, plus I just noticed this week, at the end of shows during the Earwolf sting, the mention of This has been an Earwolf production, executive producers etc, has completely gone.

Something big coming?

Hope not.

gabrielconroy

Not sure. I only listen to CBB occasionally these days, and besides that and Hollywood Handbook that's my lot for Earwolf.

Quote from: Paaaaul on May 07, 2018, 04:01:50 PM
The Teacher's Lounge.
It takes a few episodes to get fully in the swing, but there is no funnier thing on earth at the moment that I'm aware of.

Thanks! You're right, it's hilarious. I'm halfway through season 4 already.

Thewaddler

Hollywood Handbook and Joe Mande taking on Carlin is pretty unexpected. I reckon if you're American the veneration would probably be a bit annoying but I was still surprised to hear them pick it apart.

petercussing

Yeah, i wouldn't read too much into it, though, i don't think there's much they don't take the piss out of and from that perspective those sort of "renegade" stand up heroes that "blow people's minds" are begging to be mocked. I do wonder if Shaun has some sort of condition where he dies if he doesn't take the piss out of something every three sentences

brat-sampson

His new laugh on the Pro Version's SNL evisceration this week was a true thing of beauty. Actually, the whole episode was.

Crabwalk

Just seen that the new episode of CBB features the return of Hot Dog. I am fully confident he is now a permanent member of Sha Na Na. Let's find out...

remedial_gash

Quote from: Crabwalk on June 11, 2018, 05:01:52 PM
Just seen that the new episode of CBB features the return of Hot Dog. I am fully confident he is now a permanent member of Sha Na Na. Let's find out...

Dunno, but water skiing features heavily, I was somewhat distracted while listening, I'd have preferred Dom Dimello to rise from the grave