Great Western Forum

http://twitter.com/youngamerican/statuses/4581384247

Holy shit, my two favorite podcasts join forces in a supergroup of unthinkable magnitude!

(Honestly, I’m a little surprised—I didn’t really think UYD’s “edge” would be jesse’s flavor)

EDIT:  DOWNLOAD HERE

Whoa!  Nutso,  good luck to all parties, maybe this will give birth to something even greater than the sum of its excellent parts…like Voltron.

...and youngamerican’s followup: “Seth and Jonathan from Uhh Yeah Dude: a delight.”

He normally posts these up within a day or two, so it shouldn’t be a long wait. (edit:  strike that, make it ‘an hour or two’.  wow.)

holy shit. just dumped onto my ipod…haven’t listened to this yet…. I’m having a full pani right now. worlds colliding.

I pretty much left JJGO for UYD some time ago, though I’d still have the occasional scandalous rendezvous. Cheating on UYD with somebody like Adam Corolla is like jerking off or going to a whore -so totally different than UYD - my gorgeous, blushing bride.

But, JJGO is like the ex-girlfriend who still looks hot every other time you see her. And now… they’re together… oh man…. I’m not even sure I can bring myself to dip in. I’m gonna be flinching the whole time.

This all sounded really out of place, and Seth couldn’t have sounded more uncomfortable, but it was still great. Seth had the same reaction that I usually have to the JJGo callers. So great to have someone - just for a moment - be something other than completely welcoming on that show.

I was so uncomfortable for the first 15-20 mins. but then it got a little better… and I laughed plenty, but a lot of it was nervous laughter when Jesse and Jordan were trying to hang with what Jonathan was saying.

I listen to podcasts all day long. And JJGo/TSOYA is one of them, and it’s funny. It’s alright. But, the difference between the anticipation I feel waiting for a new UYD, and noticing there’s a new JJGo has to do with the character/integrity/authenticity I sense in the hosts.

Like, when you listen to someone for 100+ hours, it’s such an intimate thing that I think you can pick up on stuff beneath the surface. Like, I hear a ton of subtext in the exchange of this JJGo ep.

I hear Jesse Thorn wanting to possess some of the vitality that UYD has, but with no understanding of how it’s achieved.

It’s like I can hear him thinking, “hey… I’m the comedy nerd… I’m the one that’s studied this… I’m the one whose done all the improv training and hosted a radio show for 10 years… why are people so passionate for their shits?”

Seriously, like in the way Jesse was asking Seth about his bone zone? To me that seemed like a super-cloaked aggressive act. Jesse knew it was out of character for Seth to be so quiet, but instead of opening up to give Seth space to do his thing, Jesse just farted all over the place.

I’ve listened to every JJGo, and while I think he can be funny and clever, I just don’t like Jesse. I wouldn’t want to be friends with him. I hear him projecting his insecurities all the time, and there have been moments I’ve had to turn it off and thought, “uhh… I can’t do this anymore.”

He’s a good interviewer (when he doesn’t interrupt his guest to repeat a boring personal anecdote that is bullshit cloaked in self-deprecation), but the thing he and Jordan do is such a different thing than UYD.

I’m glad Seth didn’t talk much because I wouldn’t have been able to stand Jesse not getting it and steamrolling on.

I’d never presume to give J&S advice on what to do. Whatever they’re doing, it works, and I consider UYD one the best creative products out there -in the realm of The Wire and my favorite music. But, I wonder how much it dilutes/tarnishes the UYD brand by going on other podcasts?

I’d be bummed if UYD engaged with the incestuous/masturbatory pool of comedy folk guesting on each other’s podcasts. UYD is so fresh cause it’s separate from all that.

Anyway… yeah… it’s kinda creepy to get this analytical and stuff, and to ascribe things to and judge dudes I’ve never met, but I just needed to rant a little.

There are only a few things in the culture precious enough to me that I’d bother posting on a message board about them.

I was pretty stoked to get my UYD episode early this week. Thanks J-Dog!

I was shocked to find out they were having two guests on the show. Some J+J dudes or some shit. I really thought the first show guest would be Amir or maybe J-Dog’s Dad.
Then to my surprise, Seth decided to let one of the less than fabulous guests talk for what seemed like an eternity. It was like Seth couldn’t believe this Guy wouldn’t shut up and J-Dog just talked nervously hoping Seth wouldn’t go Postal on this dude.

I hope they don’t ever have guests again.

I hope I never hear the terminology “Power Jam” again.

Hey Dog. Are You Fucking Cool?

My fucking name is Seth ROMATELLI, and the fans of our podcast don’t wear Gentle Neutral Clothing.

Skype it to my inbox Bitch.

I have been listening to the JJGo catalog and am now around ep. 80. I am so stoked to catch up to hear this. JJGo is one of the few podcasts that is the least bit worthwhile.

Of course I feel like a dick now for being so negative. The world has enough negativity that I regret contributing. Jesse and his enterprise (yeah, it’s impressive… he’s a young dude and absolutely deserves props for creating shows [The Sound of Young America, JJGo, and others] worthy to book some of the funniest comedians/authors/personalities out there.) I’d be a huge cock not to be grateful for the yuks and awesome interviews Jesse has offered for free to me.

My reaction just stems from that weird feeling you have toward things you love… things that seem a little delicate and organic… that misplaced need to be protective. It’s like your favorite hang out spot, or a great band that is in that sweet zone where they can afford nice gear and their stage presence is on point, but they haven’t gone fully corporate/exploded yet. It’s like summer camp when you were a teenager or something… you just don’t want the awesomeness to fade or fall off in any way.

And, from what I can tell, the UYD and JJGo audiences are totally different. JJGo nation seems composed of the nerdier, high-school drama-club types. The JJGo schtick is arcane references and comedy from an academic perspective. Like, a devout JJGo listener would also probably do really good on Jeopardy. (not that I’m dissing any of those things… just sayin’)

I think the UYD audience is a little more broad, and has a little harder edge. My guess is that average UYD listeners are less likely to read historical novels for fun, but more actively follow pop/indie-culture. And, in contrast to JJGo, which is largely just facetious bantering, UYD is more about sincerely skewering and examining the ridiculous bullshit that surrounds us. I referenced The Wire in my earlier post, and I think UYD shares an element with that show. The Wire is so incredible because it’s entertainment, yet it’s making really powerful statements about real things. You may not be paying attention, because the narrative is so compelling, but there are huge and important messages throughout the show.

In a more subtle way, and maybe in an unconscious way, UYD deals with real shit… but not in academic terms, but in a whole new vocabulary which is so fuckn hilarious and insightful. Like, the slangs that Jah busts out (like when he used the term “Chi-Mo” the other day…not as a punchline, but just as a suitable descriptive… just flowing… ) , Seth’s pleas for having a malted, feeling boobs in a padded bra at Inspiration point, and having just straight-forward 1890’s, blacksmith, missionary-style sexual relations…
...fuck…. there is just seriously SO MUCH content these guys have created over these last years… and lots of the slogans and sayings and riffings convey a real perspective. And, there is real passion the guys feel for what they’re talking about. It’s not like improv where something funny materializes and then is immediately discarded and forgotten.

So, have I totally just taken the fun out of everything? I feel like I’d better just stop thinking/talking about it and just enjoy.

Anyway, this is me trying to pull back some of the negativity I was broadcasting before.

I’ll enjoy the JJGo/UYD joint in the same way I enjoy an ep of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

I don’t think you should feel like a dick. People who don’t express their opinions are the dicks.

I know J+S did this to get UYD’s name out there more. Advertising for free.

I’m also super grateful JJGo did this for them.

It just becomes glaringly obvious why UYD is so much better than JJGo. UYD has content, and lots of it. You are totally right about that furniture.

Now, I’m not a listener of JJGo, but when I hear podcasters playing lame ass voice mails to comment on. I get suspicious. That’s not content. Having guests on is questionable too. There are so many call in and guest shows on the radio and satellite. If you are claiming to be two funny dudes, do you need some fucking guy calling in about puppies dressed as kittens?

Hey Dog. Are you fucking cool?

I think there was a reason Seth didn’t talk much. This fucking elite comedian, Jesse, didn’t even remember Seth’s last name. So fucking lame.

JJGo is my 3rd favorite podcast.  UYD is number 1, Stop Podcasting Yourself comes in a distant second.

All things considered I think it went pretty well.

I think it is nearly impossible to share a mic 4-ways unless you use a question-and-answer format.  One person would have to moderate for everyone to be able to contribute.

Seth got the short end of the stick as far as air time, but I imagine he may have accepted that early on.

Jesse Thorn is pretty impressive.  Not as a comedian, just as a smart guy who can talk about anything until the tape runs out.  He is less funny than the rest of this crew, but man, he can broadcast his ass off.

Jordan Morris says some pretty funny shit, but also misses a fair amount.

I was impressed by Jah, he came out of this looking like a top-notch podcast “straight-man” who can still be hilarious when needed.

Keep getting bigger and badder UYD!

Yeah… the call from the guy about the baby and the puppy was funny…. because, I recognize that dude. He’s called before, and there was a moment where Jesse stopped Seth from tearing the dude up… and it was totally understandable. Like, if there’s one thing that makes UYD so unique, it’s Seth and J’s expressed humility and commitment to the fans. Jesse was trying to protect one of his own fans… someone who has participated in the show in the past, an active message board member, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d met in person at some point.

The thing that I thought was most funny about the call was that sure, puppies are cute, babies are cute, but when you have a grown man speaking about those things with the most darling speech impediment, the cute factor is exponential, it’s like a cuteness clusterfuck. Actually, I think I’d like to hear that dude talk about prison rape and nut-busting in that voice too.

For those of you who haven’t heard much JJGo, they have segments like “Moments of Shame”, “Momentous Occasions”, etc. that they invite listeners to call in with. Jesse has an ongoing thing about liking things that are cute. Like bunny rabbits. It’s goofy, but whatever.

Anyway…

UYD v. JJGo is like the difference between fine art and illustration.

The thing that I was telling a friend last night was - podcasts like JJGo and others are great ways to keep one’s mind occupied while working or otherwise doing brainless tasks. (I especially liked JJGo 109 with Rob Huebel… had some good laughs.)

But, with UYD, you could just sit in a room with your friends and listen… without any other form of stimulation. In fact… that might be a good idea for UYD meetups. Just get together with a bunch of people and listen to favorite eps together. Have a gallery show of fan-art.

Its my 1st time listening to JJGo and Jordan seems funnier but Jesse was really hard to take—of course its their show and they should be the stars but the way he kept going on and on burying the Jah and Seth really turned me off.

A lot of time it felt like seeing a group of people having a good jokes and chemistry happening and suddenly you have this one dood who speaks so much louder and overdoes it with a shitty joke to try and get in.

Oh well. Its nice to have more Seth and Jonathan though.

Hurts so good. That’s my power jam right now.

Love the shit out of UYD. Never listened to JJGo, but did for Jah and Seth. Totally thought J and J were ASSHOLES. Immediately went into this huge pissing contest, ‘this is MY show, you are just my guests”. WTh?!? UYD is way too fresh for this shit, but I guess there’s no such thing as bad press.  Whatever gets the word out to expand the UYD nation. Jah wuz cool/tried to interact, seems like Seth was just like “get me the hell out of here” (loved it when he completely shut them down about the bone-zone).  The one cool thing to come out of it: sweet tagline for the next show: UYD…America’s best looking podcast.

uyd4lifer - Oct 4th 2009 @ 10:12 pm

Love the shit out of UYD. Never listened to JJGo, but did for Jah and Seth. Totally thought J and J were ASSHOLES. Immediately went into this huge pissing contest, ‘this is MY show, you are just my guests”. WTh?!? UYD is way too fresh for this shit, but I guess there’s no such thing as bad press.  Whatever gets the word out to expand the UYD nation. Jah wuz cool/tried to interact, seems like Seth was just like “get me the hell out of here” (loved it when he completely shut them down about the bone-zone).  The one cool thing to come out of it: sweet tagline for the next show: UYD…America’s best looking podcast.

well said.

I listened to the ep again tonight to see if my perspective changed any. I could enjoy it way more this time even though there was lots of weird passive-aggressive Jesse-ing.

And, I have to say I earned mad respect for J&S after dipping in again. The beginning is a little shaky but Jah totally turns the thing around. Great job Jonathan. And Seth… well… Seth didn’t murder anybody. Great job Seth. Deep breaths Seth.

What I think is super funny is that Jordan doesn’t usually laugh that much. Jesse can get a chuckle out of him now and then but Jah busted him up a bunch of times. That was rad to hear. It must’ve just irked Jesse more to witness that.

I think there’ll be a bunch of new fans from this, so that’s a good thing.

I thought Seth was just nervous. He’s said before about having anxiety about stupid shit i’m sure being in a room with 3 other dudes having to come up with funny ass shit on the fly is one of them.

I thought Seth wasn’t talking cuz right off the bat, The Joker couldn’t remember his name.
Then, every time Seth tried to chime in, The Joker stepped all over him.

Yeah, it’s wicked hard to have a 4 mic convo, especially when the host won’t let one guy have more than a split second to speak.

I think Jesse listened to UYD and realized if he let Seth talk, JJGo would have lost it’s whole audience.

And this JO guy. I never wanted to laugh less than when he was talking. Anyone who talks about trying to become funny has already proven they are not funny. “Oh, I don’t have a smart phone cuz it will drain my funny” Too Late Dude, go play some video games and go to bed.

Once again though, thank you JJGo for helping UYD. JJGo better hope none of their listeners check UYD out. Their show isn’t going to seem very funny when put up next to The Greatest Podcast in the land.

Any way we could drop Jessie’s voice track ALL THE FUCKING WAY out of this mix? And then drive over it with a truck?

Jeeeez haters up in here.

I think dude was kinda corny and had a dorky voice, but overall it was fine. Jah was funny, Seth was timid, not a bad podcast experience.

I can’t believe that anyone apart of the uyd nation would listen to that show on a regular basis. That Jesse guy is a dick, Jordan seems alright…Seth and Jonathan are always the best. Stop listening to that shitty shit.