By Carl Fulmer
As many of you have noticed, over the last couple of years a new form of sonic entertainment has emerged due to the influence of Apple’s iPod…the podcast. Working a data entry job has afforded me the luxury of being able to listen to a myriad of comedy and sports podcasts. There are hundreds, even thousands of choices out there for all tastes. Listeners can even download old Jack Benny radio shows if they wish. Almost all of these shows can be downloaded from the iTunes store, but if you wish to bypass iTunes, you can go to the actual website. This column will start off focusing on free podcasts.
The first podcast I discovered was Kevin Smith and Scott Moiser’s “Smodcast.” They talked about how they met and their partnership in making the indie movie Clerks. When Smith is focused on a subject he is damn funny and I have listened to multiple years’ worth of that program. Then I started to check out other podcasts that I heard mentioned on “Smodcast” and soon discovered “Hollywood Babble-On” featuring Kevin Smith and Los Angeles radio personality Ralph Garmon. As the name suggests, “Hollywood Babble-On” is a commentary on the movie and television business. It started as a segment on Smith’s online, streaming radio show on his Smodcast network. It wasn’t long before that segment became a stand-alone show that usually runs about an hour and twenty minutes. “Hollywood Babble-On” is currently recorded live in front of an audience in the John Lovitz Comedy Theatre in L.A.
The structure of “Hollywood Babble-On” was added as the series progressed and after more than a year, there are several regular segments. It starts with emails from audience members who have travelled long distances to attend the show and ends with a series of jokes about the girth of Liam Neeson’s cock. Smith adds a running commentary about anal sex and insider information on Hollywood as Garmon entertains by doing celebrity impersonations and reading the Hollywood news. Seldom does it drag as our hosts know how to make each other laugh, which almost always makes me and the live audience laugh. Small segment theme songs tie each together and keeps it rolling along. If you are easily offended, do not attempt to listen. Otherwise, give “Hollywood Babble-On” a try.
There are many other series I have rejected or am still listening to and I will review the ones I have listened to so far. Please make suggestions if you want your favorite to receive publicity, or write about it yourself. I’m just starting to discover the depths of the podcasting world, so you can help me find the best amongst all the crap that’s out there.
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