Yes, Bostonist is a tad tardy in posting this week's webcast review. We could blame it on being overworked. We could blame it on sheer laziness. But, the truth is simply that we weren't looking forward to writing this review. However, it is not only our duty to help you locate good 'casts to fill your iPod, it is also our duty to steer you away from ones that will occupy otherwise useful storage space. This week we review one of the latter: Queer as Folkyboy.
Heading into this podcast, Bostonist had many expectations. We thought this could be a great resource for gay and lesbian Bostonians. Maybe a podcast filled with information on gay and lesbian events in Boston, issues that affect the community, or just personal stories that other people might draw inspiration from. Unfortunately, there is none of that in this podcast.
This is a webcast where the host tells mostly uninteresting stories about himself. Not only does he tell uninteresting stories. But, he often uses the "question voice" for sentences that aren't a question. And, we are not sure we can easily quantify the number of times the words "cuz", "umm", and "like". Don't even get us started on the constant giggling at the unfunny stories.
As far as the breakdown of scores, we have to admit that the sound quality isn't horrible. It certainly isn't great, but we have heard worse. Like we mentioned, the content quality is severely lacking and the podcast is hardly something we would consider entertaining. He does mention Boston a bit, but it isn't enough to make the podcast worthwhile.
Like we said, we had many expectations heading into this podcast and none were met. If you know of any worthwhile Boston podcast specifically for the gay and lesbian community, drop us a line and we will give it a listen.
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Well, it's not Boston-related, but the best (I think) queer podcast out there is Gay Pimpin' with Johnny McGovern. It's sort of New York-centric, so if you're one of those Bostonians with an inferiority complex about NYC you should get over it so you can listen to this. Trans-friendly. Get it at www.gaypimp.com or just look for it on iTunes.
Hello from Revere Beach. My name is Barry Rocklin. I read your review of QUEER AS FOLKBOY, and frankly don't know whether to begin with the innane content of your review, or the faulty basic premise you offer of what a podcast should and shouldn't be. Your premise for trashing QUEER AS FOLKYBOY is that a podcast has some responsibility to be an important informational resource... "We thought this could be a great resource for gay and lesbian Bostonians. Maybe a podcast filled with information on gay and lesbian events in Boston, issues that affect the community, or just personal stories that other people might draw inspiration from."
Before pontificating on what I think a podcast should and shouldn't be, let me tell you that I listen to a lot of gay podcasts.
Fox In The City, Queer As Folkyboy, Rainbow Podcast, Cliffy, Feast of Fools, G Spot, Brini Maxwell, etc. I look to podcasts to keep me in touch with people's personal perspective on issues of the day as it affects THEM personally, not how it affects the world. I look to podcasts for an insight into how people you might not take time to wonder about the lives of, as they pass you on the street really think about the minutia that makes up a day in the life.
Most podcasters agree that doing a lot of editing is not good for a podcast. Personally, I enjoy elevated production values. But I understand their point that once a show loses its simple "let the tape run" aspect and becomes packaged and subsidized (like alt.com, HBO, and others that subsidize succesful podcasts), the hometown touch is missing.
When I was a guest on Feast of Fools (the top rated gay podcast), even though their studio setup in Chicago is quite sophisticated, Fausto (the host) was quite adament that he didn't want to edit mistakes when I was singing, or re-do any aspect of the interview. The raw quality of the podcast is essential, he says. (He won the People's Choice Award for best gay podcast.)
So, I must say that I find counting "Ums", "Cuz", and "likes" just kinda makes you seem like a bit of a prick. Now, if Folkyboy came at his podcast with a heavy sense of ego, he could be held to a higher standard, for the content. But he is self-depricating to a fault, and makes no bones about the podcast being a slice of his life. He rambles through his personal events as if he was talking to a friend on the phone. It isn't all in order. He occassionally repeats something you've heard before. That is the nature of "Life Unscripted", and is at the heart of a good podcast, not its downfall.
Personal podcasts do NOT have a responsibility to take on world issues, or make sure you know what is playing at the ballet, symphony, and theaters. They do not have a responsibility to be a sounding board for all points of view within the GLTB community. There are arts podcasts, and current events podcasts for that.
If you judge movies, theater and podcasts by what they aren't as apposed to what they are ("I didn't like Brokeback Mountain. I felt a gay movie should have had more musical numbers, and a few pansies with zippy one-liners"), I suppose this review of FOLKYBOY is in keeping with your usual methods. But, in my oppinion, that is a really crappy way to do a review. Your responsibility is to come to the podcasts WITHOUT preconceived expectations. You state in your first paragraph that you came to it WITH a host of expectations. "Heading into this podcast, Bostonist had many expectations."
Now, I don't mean to be too harsh, as you are a self-described geek in your bio, but I thought your review was badly constructed, and built on a completely failed premise of how to judge podcasts. I also thought your non apoligy for posting the review late ("sheer laziness and "overworked" indeed!) was gross, as was your mention of steering people away from bad podcasts as "duty" (because, really, where is this huge community of people counting on your podcast review? I assume FOLKYBOY has more listeners than you have readers). DO BETTER.
Barry Rocklin
www.barryfromboston.com