This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Couple Casts
Although most couple casts could also be described as comedy casts, the one thing that makes these shows a couple cast (other than the fact that the hosts are a couple) is that they feature the personal lives of the hosts. Topics might range from the couple's sex lives to nightmarish stories of traveling the globe. Regardless of the topic, the hosts offer a view into their everyday lives—the good and the bad. On one episode of The PK and J Show (see Figure 3.2), listeners were taken along with Jeanette while she interviewed the person giving her a Brazilian wax. On The Nate and Di Show, listeners found out about the septic system backing up into their storage shed (where they live).
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Figure 3.2 The PK and J Show.
As listeners, you are brought into the daily and weekly happenings of these different couples. The most successful shows are the ones that make you feel like you are part of their family. There are a lot of examples of couple casts, and the ones listed in Table 3.3 do a great job of welcoming you into their families.
Table 3.3. Popular Couple Casts
|
Names |
Podcast |
Website URL |
|
Paul and Jeanette |
The PK and J Show |
|
|
Nate and Di |
The Nate and Di Show |
|
|
Harry and Ziva |
The View from Here |
|
|
Len and Nora |
Jawbone Radio |
|
|
Jason and Anna |
Delta Park Project |
The PK and J Show
Paul and Jeanette are a 20-something couple from Columbus, Ohio who are, as they say, "living in sin." (Hey Paul, when are you going to ask Jeanette to marry you?) They release their show roughly once a week, and a typical episode runs about 1 hour. It is very well produced; Paul is one of the most talented audio people in podcasting, and Jeanette has arguably the sexiest voice in podcasting. They often have original skits and spoof commercials. Their "brown phone" segment, where listeners call in and leave messages, is always worth hearing. This show is R-rated.
The Nate and Di Show
A married couple living in a storage shed on the beach in South Carolina, Nate and Di release their show about once a week with a bonus show thrown in here and there. The typical length of an episode is 30 to 40 minutes. They often have skits in their show, and an early one led to Nate being the first podcaster fired from his job because of podcasting—but more on that later. Their show definitely takes on a political slant: imagine Jon Stewart and Janeane Garofalo married and living in a storage shed on the beach and you have a good idea of what this show is like. They also play listener feedback to end most shows. This show is R-rated.
The View from Here
A married couple originally from the U.S. now living in Israel, Harry and Ziva release their show two to three times a month, and a typical episode is 35 to 40 minutes long. The show is R-rated.
Jawbone Radio
Len and Nora are a married couple from Cleveland podcasting out of their attic. Len is one of the most talented artists in podcasting. His artwork can be found on many podcasters' websites and t-shirts, including the artwork for the Podcast Outlaws network (www.podcastoutlaws.com). They release a show every four to five days, and the typical length is 40 to 45 minutes. The show is G-rated.
Delta Park Project
This show consists of a married couple, Jason and Anna, podcasting out of Beaverton, Oregon. They release a show once a week, and the typical length is 35 to 40 minutes per episode. The show is PG-rated.
The Making of a Successful Couple Cast
The one thing all these couples do with their podcast is to open the door to their lives. If you want to have a loyal listener base as a couple cast, it does not matter if you are G-rated or X-rated. If you are not comfortable talking about your sex life, then don't do it. What does matter is that you are open and honest with your listeners and that you come across as comfortable discussing what happened to you and your partner. Also, having a way for listeners to get feedback on to your show was deemed very important to most of the couples we talked to. Having a two-way interaction with your audience is usually important in garnering a loyal fan base for any type of podcast, but couple casts in particular typically require an audience that is allowed to share in the experience.
One last piece of advice for those looking to do a couple cast: Do not give out your last names. Some people out there will take you literally when you invite them into your lives. Make sure when you register your domain name that you make the registration private, so that potential stalkers will not be able to track down your Whois information. Best to be safe than sorry.