I often tell friends and especially family to celebrate the good times.
Caloroga Shark Media has passed 5 million downloads! Sure Joe Rogan probably has that many on a single episode before he rolls out of bed, but for our two man shop, we’re pretty happy with how things are going. (Shout out to Mark Francis for the poke to join hm on this ride.)
Some shows have worked way beyond our imagination (thanks Meghan!), some took a minute (thanks Apple) and some…well… not so much. Yet? (Come on gang, Top Tour is sooo much fun!!!)
Thanks (always) to James Cridland for the shoutout in today’s Podnews.
We’ll have another cool announcement shortly.
Podcasting 2.0
I’ve tried to be a good Podizen, but I was horrified at what happened last weekend. I was using one of those fancy 2.0 apps and was listening to the Podnews Weekly Review, being all high roller and stuff by streaming them 30 SATs a minute (0.005066 USD at the rate as I type this). That last episode was an Hour 47. That’s a solid 3210s/ $2.47 if I did the math right!
Then I started to do the same thing for Curry. As I played around on my fancy 2.0 app I noticed that my wallet had disconnected. James and Sam never got their $2.47!!!!! I meant well. guys!!!! I also had “wasted” the first hour or so of Curry but he got a few sats from me in the end.
(OK can I tell you, I just went to grab the screenshot above and I see that my wallet disconnected again. THAT IS NOT GOOD. No Normie is going to check that every time).
All that is to say, this Value for Value stuff has a long way to go just yet. I’m someone who is above-average fluent in it, has bothered to sort of figure it out, was motivated to do it, remembered to do it, and it still didn’t work.
Come on Apple….you can do this. Take us to the future Apple Play plus Apple Podcasts. You can even take your 30% cut…you’d accelerate this by five years.
In the meantime, Subscriptions are The Way.
WILW
As part of my mission for this newsletter to both have no rules what its about, but also to “put a format on it” - welcome to What I’m Listening To Wednesday which is kind of like a segment Opie & Anthony used to do but completely different, and with far fewer flashers.
I’ve been on an Apes kick lately, so I’m down with what Joe Mitchell has been doing on TV In The Basement. As I have also been watching POTA movies in my basement, this is ON POINT.
I discovered Uncomfortable Conversations when host Josh Szeps had on Jimmy Carr (one of my favorite comedians). I was checking this one out on the overnight at 2am after the dog woke me up. Josh did an open explaining the guest was a little ornery and man he wasn’t kidding. Between all the “I didn’t say that” bickering you will find a cool convo about AI.
Jimmy Carr is obviously the key to all podcast discovery, as he was also a guest on Diary of a CEO. Last night I was listening to this discussion about something something cortisol, not enough sleep, makes you fat something something - so I blamed my dog. Anyway, check this one out and also his Jimmy Carr episode.
I’m excited for Inside Late Night which is on the agenda for today’s long drive. Mark used to host the wonderful Carson Podcast which deep dove into Johnny’s tonight show.
I have been listening to California Now for a few years, which informs my various travels when I’m out west. This week, they have on Mike Love and Al Jardine from the Beach Boys, one of my very most favorite bands. This one is also on the agenda for today. I’ve met Mike three times (and Al once) and I will add that to the queue of stories to tell in the newsletter.
Speaking of which, Travel Is Back is in the middle of a California Saga
And of course Daily Comedy News!
Ballot is hitting a groove. This is a daily (M-F) about Biden, Trump and RFK with a late night extended-monologue vibe. There’s been a ton of content lately, and this morning I couldn’t even put the topics in the headline. One story involves the bad guys from World War II and the other a topic that gets you a visit from people in suits. We’re just here to riff on the news, I don’t need a visit from the people in suits.
OK that’s a wrap for today. I gotta get moving on the shows for tomorrow. Someone needs to write Palace Intrigue, write and voice Daily Comedy News, write new Ballot and Travel Is Back promos, and drive my kid to work - and someone is me.
A reminder, the typos are part of a game we are playing to see who can spot the most before the end of the year. It’s not at all that I proofread this 3x and still missed them.