Introducing PODCAST RATS: A Recommendation Challenge🎧⚡️

Almost everything we do, whether it’s writing a podcast newsletter or helping shows with their growth strategies or standing on the streets in the bitter cold giving podcast recommendations to strangers… is to help with podcast discovery. We both pride ourselves on our recommendations.

But which of us is better at recommending?

There’s only one way to find out, and that’s a battle to the death in a new series we are calling Podcast Rats.*

*(The inspiration for the name, which we know is horrible, comes from “gym rats.” Open to suggestions for another name.)

In this series, we will invite someone as our Podcast Rat Guinea Pig (as if you thought the name “Podcast Rat” couldn’t be worse!!!) to fill out a brief survey about their podcast likes and dislikes. Then, we will go our separate ways and come up with the perfect podcast recommendation for them. We’ll make the case to our Podcast Rat Guinea Pig that our recommendation should win. Podcast Rat Guinea Pig picks, then the winner celebrates with a victory dance.

We urge all of YOU to subscribe / download both recommendations that the Podcast Rats put forth. The winner gets to make the loser listen to any episode of anything they want. It’s the most un-punishment-ish thing a loser has ever had to do.

1. We do not see each other’s picks in advance

2. We cannot repeat a show that we have recommended, but we can recommend a show someone else has

3. We are not allowed to ask anyone’s opinion about our pick before we lock in our recommendation

4. We can do additional googling / listening / researching

Interested in being a Podcast Rat Guinea Pig? Become a Texter today (that’s a paid subscriber).

OK you get it, right? Let’s go.

Our first Podcast Rat Guinea Pig is Ronald Young Jr., an audio producer, storyteller, and host of Weight For It and Leaving the Theater.

What’s a podcast you’ve recommended to friends? Why did you recommend it? Running From Cops, because it was an eye opening examination of the American view of police.

Any podcasts you totally cannot stand?
The Joe Rogan Experience, Call Her Daddy, anything eligible to receive a golden globe.

Listening taste profile:
Nonfiction, sound quality is important, I want to learn something, I need things that make me laugh / happier.

List 3 of your interests that are non-audio related:
Movies, TV, food

Anything else you want us to know?
I don’t like Joe Rogan.

First response to Ronald’s survey answers:

• I laughed out loud at Joe Rogan being name-checked twice. I could hear it in Ronald’s voice.

• His responses initially make me want to go in the direction of a serialized, investigative show, on the topic of movie or food history. Or better yet, both!

3 podcast outtakes:

1. Food Crimes Podcast - I actually think this could be a good shout, BUT their intro music is intense and I think that for a first-time listener, it might be too much.

2. Gastropod - Such a great show, full of fun facts and anecdotes to take to a dinner party.

3. All The Right Movies - Ronald is a regular guest on Pop Culture Happy Hour and hosts a show about movies, so I tried going in this direction. But in order to love a movie recap show, I believe one needs to love the hosts. And that might take too long for this challenge.

Explain:

At first, I tried to combine all of Ronald’s interests: movies, TV, and food into a narrative, serialized format (going off of his recommendation of Running From Cops). Then Lauren texted, “don’t think too much about it,” and I realized I was overdoing it. I remembered advice from Tom Webster: don’t get too cute with your recommendations. So ultimately, I pulled back and went with something simpler and more vibey, but still tied to one of his themes.

Arielle’s pick: Gravy

Gravy shares stories of the changing American South through the foods we eat. Gravy showcases a South that is constantly evolving, accommodating new immigrants, adopting new traditions, and lovingly maintaining old ones.

Why:

Gravy is a food podcast, but it’s also a snapshot of the changing landscape Americana. It’s not a serialized show but it is narrative and structured in a way that feels satisfying to listen to. I think Ronald will appreciate the little vignettes of how people shape food and how food shapes people.

Anything else?

I don’t think so! I’m scared. Ronald is an appreciator of craft, so I hope he checks this one out. But it might be seem like it’s too on the nose when it comes to his interest in food stories.

First response to Ronald’s survey answers:

• I am nervous. RYJ has good taste and I think he’s listened to a lot of great stuff.

• I’m trying to think of stuff from like that sweet era of podcasting, 2021? 2022? Was there something good he might have missed?

3 podcast outtakes:

1. The Line. Too easy and obvious to go with another Dan Taberski, who also made Running from Cops. Also, Taberski exemplifies educational + makes me laugh / happy stuff.

2. It’s Nice to Hear You. Ronald brings relationship stuff into his work a lot (he has a one-man show called Heartbreaker and this show explores matchmaking with a really cool audio twist. The match maker collected voice notes from people she connected with and sent them to each other, so the people being set up only got to know the other person through their voice. As I type this I realize it’s basically “Love Is Blind” but for sound. It’s a cool experiment but I worry it might bore Ronald and it’s not spicy enough. It’s not boring, I loved it. But I knew I could do better.

3. Hang Up. Again, more relationship stuff. This show is perfect but I worry he’s listened to it already.

Explain: I purposely did not choose things based on Ronald’s extracurricular likes because I figure he is an expert in those areas and will either already know the best shows in those categories or will get pissed at someone who does a bad job about something he cares about.

Lauren’s pick: My Year in Mensa

Jamie Loftus takes you through her year in the high-IQ Mensa society, from taking the test as a joke to spending the Fourth of July with 2000 angry Mensans in Phoenix. Chaos reigns, but at least it tests well.

Why: This is one of my favorite podcasts ever made, it might be my favorite series of all time. It’s four episodes, which I think is the perfect length (most podcasts would stretch things out to at least twice that) and it’s short enough that I can listen to it every year, and I do. So I can say with confidence that it holds up. I hesitated because I could recommend this show to everyone and do, I’m kind of blowing my load by recommending it first. But I feel confident that he’ll love it. He’ll enjoy learning about the history of the IQ test (kind of like how he enjoyed a podcast that sheds light on the police), he’ll love getting mad at the idiots who have made having a good one their identities, and he’ll laugh out loud.

Anything else? Once I locked this in I asked Wil Williams what they thought of my choice, and they said it was good, but recommending The Lolita Podcast was better for Ronald. I agree the sound elements are more thoughtful, technically, (though I appreciate the raw audio style of Mensa) but if I want to win I think the fact that Mensa is much shorter works in my favor. But I’d love to hear what you all think, and what Ronald thinks. Was Wil right?

My Year In Mensa. (Although Ronald’s initial response was, “why do I have to pick one? I want to listen to both.” We made him choose.)

Thank you to Ronald for being our first Podcast Rat Guinea Pig. We hope you found your next favorite show! And we so appreciate you answering our frantic (excited, loving) email request to participate. Everyone should listen to Ronald’s work!

Arielle’s punishment is coming soon!

Was this challenge a success?

• New Yorkers! Come hang out in Prospect Park with Arielle on Sunday, May 3rd for a podcast industry meetup / casual networking event. Details here.

• New Yorkers! Lauren is throwing a little gathering at The Ripple Room in NYC on Wednesday, May 6th at 6pm. Come hang!

• Lauren’s Radio Boot Camp workshop with YouTube expert Bessie Fong, YouTube for Podcasters, is scheduled for May 13th. Sign up here, spots are limited.

• Here’s how to make a great listener survey.

That’s it! Bye 💜💛