Today we find out who will face You Look Nice Today in the second semi-final next week! Will it be the podcast dynamo Jimmy Pardo and Never Not Funny, or another of the grand old men of the medium, WTF with Marc Maron?
Jimmy Pardo, with background Matt Belknap
Hosts – These two shows are joined in their showcase of great hosting. Jimmy Pardo is the consummate comedian and crowd-work magician, sourcing comedy from nothing, turning half a sentence into a piece of ephemeral magic with ease; whilst Marc Maron pairs his distinctive acerbicness with a charming feel of warmth, kinship, almost a sense of comfort strong behind his fearless honesty and desire for truth. Obviously, they pursue different paths to their goals, Pardo creating a much lighter show, one which seeks laughter, but never to the detriment of the show. They are too capable of deeper discussion, but that simply isn’t really the goal of the show. Instead he offers conversation that is so amusing, intoxicating and addictive to make it easily one of the most listenable podcast experiences out there. Maron’s seriousness too, doesn’t limit his comedy, which his stand-up and the live shows prove him a master of, but instead this is more of a backdrop to this show, which allows him to display a slightly different angle of his public side, one that is more in search of the humans behind his interviewees, to find their truths and question their motives. Both are doyennes of their field, but I feel that the first round goes with Jimmy Pardo, as to be quite so hilarious, quite so often and for quite so long takes a hell of a lot of a skill, and no less personality.
Marc Maron Esq.!
Guests: In this, these two shows differ. NNF’s seasonal format and inherent nature lends itself much more to repeat guests, it’s comedy basis better served by this, as Pardo’s friends bring a natural chemistry and flow that makes the show exactly the ‘party conversation’ it seeks to be. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t time for more serious or famed guests, with people like Conan O’Brien, Ellis Paul or Mark Volman equally comfortable on the show, coaxed by the irrepressible Pardo. WTF is necessarily more evolutionary in it’s guest roster, as repeated deep conversations with the same few people would gradually grate, leaving little mark on the scene and offering an exponentially decreasing return. But you can also stray too far when pursuing this kind of changeable roster, as the show has gradually become more and more niche through it’s attraction of more famous people. Rather than the fame of guests being an appeal, it can make the show more niche, tending to be a show defined by it’s guests rather than it’s nature for some. Never Not Funny’s distinct knowledge of which guests they want and why wins them the day here, and gives them the round.
Pardo, Belknap and Pat Francis!
Feel – Both shows are again similar in this regard. WTF’s warmth and feeling of company, safety and for some, psychotherapy, is directly sourced from Maron, his strange, near unexpected sense of comfort almost catching one off guard. It is his honesty that grants the show this feeling, the belief that if Marc is so able to express his truth, then the show is clearly something of a safe space, a feeling which too grows into the guests, as they frequently talk about how they have been more revelatory than they would be anywhere else. NNF has a much more obvious and infectious warmth, again stemming from it’s host, whose comedy is simply so universal (in a good way) and so delightfully silly that it just weaves it’s way into your bones, the show easily capable of verging into the addictive sometimes. This round though, goes to WTF, Marc Maron’s honesty and sincerity making a show capable of revealing a much greater truth than many others could even countenance.
And so it is that our rounds are finally concluded, with Never Not Funny winning this battle of goliaths 2 to 1! They’ll be facing You Look Nice Today next,week, to see who can make it to the final! Until then, make sure to check both of todays podcasts out on iTunes, or via @MarcMaron and @NeverNotFunny. Woot woot!