Comedy and Everything Else

[Hobokamp]

May I ask for the two cents from the listeners like me?

Is it because of the non-static, fluid nature of podcasting that we thinking returns and relationships can be fixed overnight? I know when I got into Never Not Funny, I listened to the Schmidt episodes for months while waiting for season 2 episodes to come out once a week. So if you listen to something that way, maybe it's easier to ignore that life changes and time has past that sometimes can't be overcome?

I love Todd, I love Jimmy, I love Stef. But the constant yelling for Todd to come back as if it's that easy is a bit annoying. It kind of makes me feel a bit ashamed, like I did during Pardcastathon with all the "Bring Schmidt On" calls all night.

Podcasts give us roughly 2 hours of improv'd comedy a week. They also are in constant flux. Let's not hinder future improvements by griping about the past.

[Doug]

This (my) comment is just another agreement comment and doesn't contain any news.

Let's not hinder future improvements by griping about the past.

Nostalgia is a hell of a force. Play a random episode for people who have no idea who the hosts are, the social/political environment (probably difficult for this part), or any of the running jokes and those people likely won't call any episode you play them a new favorite. After a couple episodes, though, we're all comfortable.

Part of the yearning for the past to return may come from the fear that what we associate fond memories with won't continue to be produced- that we're being made to create a new version of "CAEE and good times" that isn't the same as 'our' definition of what that means.

There are going to be people who will have never heard a 'Todd' episode*, just as there's people I'm sure who miss the really rough early days where you'd hear obvious cuts in dialogue and the whole show felt like it was going to go off the rails (to paraphrase Jimmy Pardo, I believe, CAEE is the show where microphones are attached to ceiling fans and swung around the room.) But it's all good, and always getting better.

TL;DR version:
You're all brave, powerful, and attractive. By participating in the show as it continues to change means you're more capable than those who only feel secure in what they've known before.

* Every time Doug Benson links to the show on Twitter, for example, we get roughly a whole normal-week's worth of visitors, but they're almost all brand new people. We got in during the 'early days' of CAEE, but there's going to be far more 'new' people than old.

[bridgetosolace]

Maybe we're used to thinking in terms of television. In that medium it's the network's fault if you're favorite character gets killed off, but there is no 'podcast headquarters' equivalent. Yelling for Todd back is like a letter writing campaign to save a TV show.

Most things in television aren't personal, but podcast decisions are much more personal. It's easy to forget that comedians are people. Irreparably damaged people who want to make us laugh.

[Libel]

Am I the only one who doesn't want Todd back? Don't get me wrong, I love the man's comedy but I don't think this podcast was the best place for him. I grew very tired of his inability at vocalizing his thoughts and he was mostly clueless when it came to politics. I also was tired of his constant obsession with raising children and lame comments about being on the "right side of an issue." Yeah, we get it; gays are like black people, it's not a novel concept. If I never hear "let me preface that" again it'll be too soon.

Anyway, it's just my opinion. I recently got in the podcast and have been rolling through all the old episodes. Right now I'm around the time of Obama's election so I'm looking forward to hearing how they feel about him a year later. I figure they'll be honest and vocal about some of his disappointments.

[TacoSmith]

I figure they'll be honest and vocal about some of his disappointments.

And how!

[JoshSmith]

May I ask for the two cents from the listeners like me?

Is it because of the non-static, fluid nature of podcasting that we thinking returns and relationships can be fixed overnight? I know when I got into Never Not Funny, I listened to the Schmidt episodes for months while waiting for season 2 episodes to come out once a week. So if you listen to something that way, maybe it's easier to ignore that life changes and time has past that sometimes can't be overcome?

I love Todd, I love Jimmy, I love Stef. But the constant yelling for Todd to come back as if it's that easy is a bit annoying. It kind of makes me feel a bit ashamed, like I did during Pardcastathon with all the "Bring Schmidt On" calls all night.

Podcasts give us roughly 2 hours of improv'd comedy a week. They also are in constant flux. Let's not hinder future improvements by griping about the past.

For most of the podcasts I listen to I feel like they are sharing their lives with us a little bit (Todd, Pardo and Maron have all commented on this), and I feel that we “know” them a little more than we do just watching a show on stage or TV. That said, I missed Mike on NNF, but got used to him not being there – and I’m sure the same will be said of CaEE and Todd’s absence.


The other point (at least for me) in calling for Todd to return to CaEE was the relationship he had with Jimmy. They seemed to have a friendship that was bigger than any argument or disagreement. And when I feel that I “know” them a little more, I am sad to see their friendship break up. Just as I would be sad to see one of my own friendships dissolve, or that of a person I know. I think there is a certain emotion involved when you feel like you know someone beyond the superficial.


So yes, selfishly I would like them to continue to bring me the entertainment I enjoy, but also I feel bad for them as PEOPLE to have apparently lost a friend.

[brewcaster]

[Hobokamp]

It's pretty weird if you listen to first season NNF and then episodes of CCaEE with Todd in it. You can see some parallels.

Let me just preface this post by saying I love all parties involved and am a paid/current subscriber/listener to them all. I have to preface this.

But in the non-guest episodes of season 1 Never Not Funny, a lot of the conversation seemed to be Jimmy taking a backseat and interjecting humor into a Schmidt anecdote. Really, 40 Year Old Boy just shows that Schmidt can tell his anecdotes and stories by himself hilarious on his own. As someone with an hour podcast myself, the prospect of doing it by myself would be insane and grueling. So I commend Schmidt for that. Sometimes you'd get a weird episode, though, where Schmidt really has a point and Jimmy doesn't agree (see also: the Bruce Lee argument that might have ended a friendship).

With Todd episodes, I feel like Jimmy was constantly sidetracked (or most likely distracted) by Todd. Quite a few times it kind of felt like a roadblock for the conversation or the jokes. The prefacing and the returning to the same 3-4 serious topics hurt because Todd definitely is a funnier guy when he's just shooting the breeze and I feel Jimmy is funny when he's trying to make a point.

I'm just glad the show transitioned as well as it did. We really didn't have a horribly awkward episode without Todd or a few episodes leading up to it where you can audibly hear their disgust for each other.

[bigjake]

I still love this show. Through the changes Jimmy and Stef have been able to keep the show funny and interesting and that is all we can ask for when we get the show for FREE! (Please donate) To all that clamor for Todd to come back, I assume that Jimmy and Stef would love nothing more than to have their friend around. By the way, I don't know why I've been gone so long from this board, it always stays interesting.

[Libel]

Why do you assume Jimmy and Stef want Todd back? I'm completely ignorant about why he left, sorry. I'm still in the 40s on the podcast, trying to catch up. Haven't heard a peep if they mentioned anything. Is Todd busy with stuff or was there some sort of falling out?

[Doug]

Is Todd busy with stuff or was there some sort of falling out?

I think the list of who knows why Todd left goes like this:
Todd: Definitely knows but won't say (in any of his non-CAEE podcast appearances)
Jimmy & Stef: Probably know, but there was a big period of confusion.
All us: No clue.

[HeadEgg]

Let me Preface this by saying (yay!) that I love the KPFK show...but CaEE is my favorite podcast of all time. So naturally when it's not on for two weeks I get scared. Even though the descriptions of the KPFK shows that were put in their place say something to the effect of Jimmy being on tour and not being able to record new eps, yo can never be too sure. I wanna be cool with it.. and then I remember all the weeks when Todd was said to be out of town and then never showed up again. So I came here and posted my thoughts.. I didnt want to stir up the pot so to speak but I was just wondering what everyone else thought. Luckily aspecailthing is the most incredible place for fans, and Jimmy himself has comforted me.

I think the episodes without Todd have been as wonderful as the ones with, and I hope they never end.

[scamboogah]

Luckily aspecailthing is the most inceredible place for fans, and Jimmy himself has conforted me.

I don't know if this is supposed to say 'confronted' or 'comforted'.

[bigjake]

I guess I assume Jimmy and Stef want their friend back. Not necessarily to the show, just as a friend. I know nothing as most of us do, it just seems to me that as open as they've been about everything, if it was a simple disagreement we'd know something by now.

[bigjake]

Just finished the first half of the new ep! It was so good, that for the first half-hour I forgot jimmy was white.

[nathansmart]

are we still talking about Todd leaving the 'cast? really?

[bigjake]

are we still talking about Todd leaving the 'cast? really?

I put my 2 cents in. I'm done if everyone else is.

[bigjake]

I listen to the whole show today on my way back and forth to work, enjoy it then I get to the end and after Matt (who was hilarious today by the way) says my name... he says he hasn't seen a dime of it! I tried... I swear to Jebus! It really sux to do the right thing and have it backfire... no big deal. Matt if u read my tweet email or post, let me know how to fix it, u guys are the best.

[Doug]

I believe Matt saying he hasn't seen a dime of it refers to the show having not spent a cent of any donations to date for any purposes- including the hosts of the show, guests, or the website/its hosting.

If you got a receipt from Paypal, your donation arrived safely. (And thank you.)

[bigjake]

I believe Matt saying he hasn't seen a dime of it refers to the show having not spent a cent of any donations to date for any purposes.
If you got a receipt from Paypal, your donation arrived safely. (And thank you.)

Ok cool, thanks I felt pretty bad like I screwed up or something, and seriously, matt was hilarious on this cast, he's said funny things before but it seemed like he was at his best for some reason.