In the second Podcast Wrap Party, we will lament the fate of Cyber Thug Radio, a shining example of classic podcast spark. When creating a podcast, if your concern is quality rather than ease, one of the most vital things pertinent to success has always been to have a point of difference. To offer a different format, an unusual perspective or an unexpected sensibility. A lot of podcasts will never be as successful as their forefathers because they do not have this aspect of surprise, inhibited by wanting to do the easiest thing possible, which is to get a few white comedians to sit down for an hour and talk at each other. So when podcasts are lost, even when being defiantly, gorgeously and vehemently different the sadness is more than redoubled in it’s stead. Because though the old episodes are still around, the knowledge of it’s inevitable end leave a Charlie Brown cloud over the whole affair.
Jerry Minor Esq.
To proffer an odd metaphor, like labradors, most podcast’s differences are minimal, only really distinct to those heavily invested. But the differences between a labrador and a cocker spaniel would be as instant to the eye as the best podcasts are distinguishable from one another. It is in this distinctness, and out of this generally homegenous world, that Cyber Thug Radio, heralded by Jerry Minor (as Cyber Thug, some kind of internet bandit) and Miles Archer, (as a reinvention of himself), found it’s greatest triumph, in the ability to offer a distinctly different voice to the podcast norm. Not only tonally and stylistically, but simply in that the hosts weren’t white guys coming from a ‘middle-aged white comedian’ perspective. The show began with typical podcast misdirection, in a series of pirate radio/takeover/fill-in shows appearing on the Comedy Bang Bang feed between the Halloweens of 2009 and 2010. Initially consisting of four of these ‘break-ins,’ CTR was followed by an incredibly brief two episode arc as a standalone show, before finally being re-released (at vast expense) earlier this year, with one brand new episode as a bonus offer. For all of it’s short lifespan, Cyber Thug Radio was easily one of the funniest shows around, one of the best things that Earwolf has ever made (and then erased), that managed to hit astounding highs even in in such a foreshortened lifespan.
Mr Miles Archer
Energetic, chaotic and rambunctious in the extreme, full of an energy that meshed perfectly with that of CBB, Cyber and Archer relished their unusuality in the scene as a chance to take things further. Variously hating on ‘comedy nerds,’ embracing the posed awkwardness of the shows various white guests and generally playing mildly dumb and parodical versions of rap DJs, their skills went way beyond their simple point of difference, but often stemmed from it. Even the simple use of a rap beat underneath their conversation, such an elegantly basic way to underline their difference, and their interactions with the various characters that had also managed to get into the studio, they had most genuine podcast fans in raptures. Cyber Thug Radio expertly provided something undeniably needed by podcasting and that it seemed incapable of providing prior or since, the show existed in the vein of shows like Goodness Gracious Me. Programming which seems on the surface to be primarily a parody of one’s own sub-culture, whilst what they actually do is make a much more cutting and acute assessment of society as a whole. Unfortunately, this was to be soured by an insistence on sticking to a business model lain out by Earwolf- Cyber Thug, Jerry Minor and Miles Archer have avoided the medium since. Of all the comedy podcasts whose absence is missed, this one is probably one of the greatest, due to the removal of such unique voices and genuine talents. It is sad that, as they went about legitimising and monetising the Earwolf network, such a promising project was apparently the necessary sacrifice. To be deprived of such a fine podcast is a cruel punishment for podcasts fans who are the major reason behind these networks, so in the end, you just have to be mildly relieved that such a show existed and their past episodes remain in the Comedy Bang Bang back catalogues and their stand-alone shows are just about available too.
You can find their original shows on iTunes in the Comedy Bang Bang feed, whilst their subsequent episodes are available in the Earwolf store, together with the blessing of a brand new episode, for those willing to fork out for the bundle. I’m sure you can find Jerry Minor and Miles Archer on the internet somewhere, but they sure aren’t on twitter, why not bother some of the Earwolf people on there instead?
See you next time!