Welcome to Podcast Portal: a spontaneous column that will highlight podcasts of all genres that are lesser known or new shows that are worth giving a listen. With the medium continuing to grow, it is hard to acknowledge all of them. However, I am going to try and find as many noteworthy titles as possible to share and hopefully expand your mind to the greatest growing medium out there. If you have any podcast that you feel is worth adding to the Podcast Portal, please make sure to inform me whether through the comments or through an e-mail (information in sidebar).
SHOW: Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend
HOSTS: Conan O'Brien
NETWORK: Earwolf
HOSTS: Conan O'Brien
NETWORK: Earwolf
EPISODE BEING DISCUSSED: "Will Ferrell"
Conan O'Brien has had a very impressive career as a writer and performer over the past three decades. Among his credits includes time with both Saturday Night Live and pivotal seasons of The Simpsons. Along with his memorable time in late night TV, most recently on Conan, he has made quite a reputation for himself. It only makes sense then that he would want to branch out into the realm of podcasts at some point. But where exactly would he go that hasn't been done before? In that sense, O'Brien's new show doesn't rock the boat nor change the formula. However, it does feature something that could inevitably give the show a giant edge over its competitors: great guests.
In the first episode, it is established very well that O'Brien's show will be about friends he has acquired throughout his lengthy career. The first person he chose to have on was someone that seems obvious if you know their relationship. Over their careers, O'Brien and Will Ferrell have created a lot of wonderful and absurd humor on TV that continues to resonate with audiences. O'Brien would even go so far as to call the comedian as the funniest person he's ever known. With the affection already there, it's a show that allows for two friends to riff over each other as they take a trip down memory lane.
It's hard to argue that this show will provide any groundbreaking information. What it does have instead is a fantastic potential in the format. Over the course of an hour, O'Brien and Ferrell talk about everything personal to them. They both talk about their relationships with Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, as well as how the Mr. Clean parody Scrub-A-Dub got both of them in trouble. It's a look into two creatives' approach to comedy while discovering just how much they have enjoyed their careers. If nothing else, O'Brien's many decades in late night TV make the conversation flow smoothly and end up creating a consistently engaging listen. It also helps that, as he believes, Ferrell really is just that charismatic.
At the end of the day, it's another interview show that lives and dies on how much the audience is keen on the guest. In that way, it's a bit inessential and lacks any deeper form than "Conan talks to friends." For those who have loved the comedian however, it's a bit more necessary and fun. It gives candid insight into what parts of his career he loved the most, such as when he wrote jokes for the ESPY's, or watching Ferrell's Harry Carey performance not go over with an audience member. It's all in good fun and O'Brien inevitably has a knack for making this show work. The only question really is who is going to be on the show next. If it's a show just about interviewing friends, let's hope he has a lot more like Ferrell out there.
This is a bit of a tough one to call for because of how crowded the interview podcast format is. There's almost a dozen for every one subject out there, and O'Brien's show doesn't do much to stand out. However, there's clearly a love of passion here that shines through in his ability to riff with his guests and be funny in subtle ways as well as engaging in more elaborate and informative manners. There's plenty to like about the show in spite of its familiarity, especially if that era of comedy and show business interests you. But don't worry if you don't like the show. O'Brien admits that he doesn't read reviews of his work. That makes it a lot easier to admit this conflicted viewpoint. Still, it's worth checking out if and when someone pops up that you like.
OVERALL RATING: 3.5 out of 5
WORTH A SECOND GO?: I personally love Conan O'Brien over his career and find him a nice addition to the medium. However, I worry that the format is a bit redundant with every other podcast out there and may lose steam. Still, O'Brien has been a reliable source of humor and insight for awhile now, and that should be enough to keep me interested for the immediate future.
Conan O'Brien has had a very impressive career as a writer and performer over the past three decades. Among his credits includes time with both Saturday Night Live and pivotal seasons of The Simpsons. Along with his memorable time in late night TV, most recently on Conan, he has made quite a reputation for himself. It only makes sense then that he would want to branch out into the realm of podcasts at some point. But where exactly would he go that hasn't been done before? In that sense, O'Brien's new show doesn't rock the boat nor change the formula. However, it does feature something that could inevitably give the show a giant edge over its competitors: great guests.
In the first episode, it is established very well that O'Brien's show will be about friends he has acquired throughout his lengthy career. The first person he chose to have on was someone that seems obvious if you know their relationship. Over their careers, O'Brien and Will Ferrell have created a lot of wonderful and absurd humor on TV that continues to resonate with audiences. O'Brien would even go so far as to call the comedian as the funniest person he's ever known. With the affection already there, it's a show that allows for two friends to riff over each other as they take a trip down memory lane.
It's hard to argue that this show will provide any groundbreaking information. What it does have instead is a fantastic potential in the format. Over the course of an hour, O'Brien and Ferrell talk about everything personal to them. They both talk about their relationships with Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, as well as how the Mr. Clean parody Scrub-A-Dub got both of them in trouble. It's a look into two creatives' approach to comedy while discovering just how much they have enjoyed their careers. If nothing else, O'Brien's many decades in late night TV make the conversation flow smoothly and end up creating a consistently engaging listen. It also helps that, as he believes, Ferrell really is just that charismatic.
At the end of the day, it's another interview show that lives and dies on how much the audience is keen on the guest. In that way, it's a bit inessential and lacks any deeper form than "Conan talks to friends." For those who have loved the comedian however, it's a bit more necessary and fun. It gives candid insight into what parts of his career he loved the most, such as when he wrote jokes for the ESPY's, or watching Ferrell's Harry Carey performance not go over with an audience member. It's all in good fun and O'Brien inevitably has a knack for making this show work. The only question really is who is going to be on the show next. If it's a show just about interviewing friends, let's hope he has a lot more like Ferrell out there.
This is a bit of a tough one to call for because of how crowded the interview podcast format is. There's almost a dozen for every one subject out there, and O'Brien's show doesn't do much to stand out. However, there's clearly a love of passion here that shines through in his ability to riff with his guests and be funny in subtle ways as well as engaging in more elaborate and informative manners. There's plenty to like about the show in spite of its familiarity, especially if that era of comedy and show business interests you. But don't worry if you don't like the show. O'Brien admits that he doesn't read reviews of his work. That makes it a lot easier to admit this conflicted viewpoint. Still, it's worth checking out if and when someone pops up that you like.
OVERALL RATING: 3.5 out of 5
WORTH A SECOND GO?: I personally love Conan O'Brien over his career and find him a nice addition to the medium. However, I worry that the format is a bit redundant with every other podcast out there and may lose steam. Still, O'Brien has been a reliable source of humor and insight for awhile now, and that should be enough to keep me interested for the immediate future.
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