I’m definitely very glad that I began the Obcast. For years I’d toyed with the idea of doing my own podcast, but I always hesitated because it felt kind of pointless, as in, “oh boy, another podcast by a nerdy atheist type.” But then I let go of being terribly concerned of where a hypothetical podcast would fit in the grander online universe of content, and instead rested upon the simple idea that it’d be a lot of fun to do.
And it has been. Don’t get me wrong, there’s real work involved, but it’s totally worth it. I get to have genuinely fascinating and enlightening conversations with really smart, creative, funny people who might not otherwise have a platform (or, for those who do have platforms, might not get to talk on subjects outside of their outlets’). And then I get to share those conversations with anyone who wants to dip in. Each episode is, I think, evergreen, and can be listened to any time, and in any order. I’m really proud of the series so far.
I haven’t highlighted the last few episodes here on the blog, so I thought I’d do that now. I just completed the Obcast’s first panel-discussion episode, a chat about Transformers: The Movie with Matt Licata and Ryan Koronowski, both previous guests, here and here. That should be posted in the next couple of days.
Last week, I talked to an old friend from my days at the Actors Studio Drama School circa 2000/2001, writer and performer Lauren Milberger. I think this one has been my wife’s favorite so far, an episode in which Lauren and I talk about the craft of acting, the power of good television writing, and what she’s learned about herself from her study of some classic comedians.
Before that, reporter from the Great White North, Peggy Revell, diagnosed the state of journalism, some of the quirks of American versus Canadian politics, and what it means to learn to tell a story.
And I’m just getting warmed up, 10 full episodes in (the first one with Matt was labeled “Episode Zero,” which I’m already regretting). In the coming weeks, I’ll have writer Emily Hauser, tech-in-education expert Kyle Calderwood, and comic actor extraordinaire Chuck Caruso. And those are just the folks I’ve confirmed.
If you’ve been listening, thank you. If you’re not listening, I’m going to keep making them anyway.
Near-Earth Object 