Oh, yeah. Come for the witty banter about French farmers spraying government buildings with manure, and stay for the news about live podcasting. Hey, everybody. It's Tuesday, 10/20/2026. This is Jeff at the Poduty live podcast theater downtown Torrenton, Pennsylvania.
Jeff Revilla:We are live talking about six news stories about podcasters performing their podcast live. And I've got a great guest joining me from the Delicious Culture Podcast with Jon Francois. It's Jon Francois. Jon, do you know what time it is?
Jon Francois:Yes. Bouncing off of manure, it's poduty, doody, doody, doody, doody time. What time is it?
Jeff Revilla:It's the only live news podcast about podcasting from the stage. It is Poduty in the News. We've got the Delicious Culture Podcast with Jon Francois, and it is Jon Francois. Jon, welcome to the show.
Jon Francois:Yeah. Wow. That is quite the the opening theme sequence you got there. I was I was enjoying seeing you and I where where, you know, our our little cardboard cutouts are just dancing to the to the music. I'm I'm kind of a production imaging nerd.
Jon Francois:How long did it take you to produce that?
Jeff Revilla:Oh, thanks to Canva and Suno, about thirty seconds?
Jon Francois:What? It
Jeff Revilla:was it was about... The song used to be customized for every episode where I would incorporate the six stories into the the lyrics and have that that banging chorus, which I love... Everybody loves the chorus. They start dancing. But I cut...
Jeff Revilla:But that was before I would have guests. Now that I have guests, we just get the two of us and the chorus.
Jon Francois:I love it. I mean, it makes me wanna pound down some whiskeys and and dance the night away at some sketchy looking bar.
Jeff Revilla:I feel like I'm in Miami in the eighties, you
Jon Francois:know. Yeah. Barefoot and sniffing something. I don't even know if I could say what I'm sniffing, but it's Miami. It's the eighties.
Jon Francois:You... You'll figure
Jeff Revilla:it out. There's a lot of snow in the... That's The the thing I loved about your intro, I I always ask my guests what time it is, there's no rules to what you said. And when you say Poduty, doody, doody, that... That's the part of the name of the theater that I love the most is when you tell people, oh, what's it called?
Jeff Revilla:And they're like, Poduty? And it makes people chuckle and smile. Like, it's such a playful word, it's a nonsensical word, but it's so fun to say it. It makes you feel like that kid at... On the recess playground hearing a dirty word for the first time.
Jeff Revilla:The Poduty, Doody, Doody. Maybe I'm gonna work that into the the next theme song.
Jon Francois:While while I was doing my Uber and Lyft driving shift today and I was listening to your podcast, it just... I was laughing because internally in my in my head, I was just like, doody. Like, that... That's just a great way to remember your name. Pa, doody.
Jeff Revilla:Pa, doody.
Jon Francois:Right. Is that... That's your actual last name, isn't it? Or is it your stage name?
Jeff Revilla:No. You know what? So many people think that is true that I'm Jeff Poduty, but it's... My last name is really Revilla. But Poduty
Jon Francois:is Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I...
Jon Francois:Now I remember. So what? Where where where did Poduty come from? It just like
Jeff Revilla:was... Was looking for a domain name in 2020. And, you know, when you start a business, you start, like, meshing words together. And, I... You know, I...
Jeff Revilla:You know, I'm thinking of, like, pod pop... Podtropolis, you know, pod... Pahamas, like... I get... I get pod and duty and duty for mission.
Jeff Revilla:Pod is in podcasting. Duty is mission. Yeah. But I hated the double d. Like, I didn't wanna...
Jeff Revilla:It didn't make sense to me, like, pod duty. So I was like, oh, let's take it over the d. And the sick... It was a six letter domain name that was available. So I'm like, oh my god.
Jeff Revilla:Netflix is seven letters. Disney is six letters. I'm on I'm on, like, Disney level with poduty.com. It's a six letter domain name. I snatched that sucker up so quick and registered it with the state.
Jeff Revilla:Like, we're a Poduty Live Events LLC.
Jon Francois:Yeah. You're on Disney level and now now it's time to start making a buck for anything and everything and fire people if they sport mustaches in your theme parks.
Jeff Revilla:I mean, are you gonna are you gonna type seven letters to go to Netflix, or are you gonna type six letters to go to poduty.com?
Jon Francois:You know, six letters seems like a faster way to go. So I'm going to poduty.com.
Jeff Revilla:Now, I mentioned 2020. I think that's when we first met at the Indie Pods United, probably with Tina and Maria. Back in the day, Cammy, we did a livestream, maybe Indie Podcast. It was Indie Pods United and we also did international podcast day where we did some live events together. And, you know, you ran your show, you did a thirty minute segment of your show back then.
Jeff Revilla:And we we had a we had a really good time. So we haven't really been in contact much since then, but we've crossed paths here and there at different times throughout some of the different events. And the Delicious Culture Podcast, tell us a little bit about that because that's been around for for quite a while.
Jon Francois:Well, it's interesting you say that because, I was thinking about this again earlier today while I was working. You and I have been through three different eras of my six years in podcasting because I believe when we did the Indie Pod Summit back in 2020, that's when I was doing the anything show with Jon Francois because I was working in commercial radio at the time and I want to do something radio morning show influence. So that was then. And then the second time you had mentioned the International Podcast Day, that's what... That...
Jon Francois:That's when I was with my my now former cohost, AJ Vanderpacks, and we were doing a nineties family matters recap TGIF podcast called the delicious recap. And now you're catching me at the, hopefully, the end of this trilogy, the delicious culture. And, basically, what the podcast is now is each and every variety of guests that I bring on to delicious culture, I wanna have a delicious conversation about their lifestyle, food, and pop culture experiences. Jeff, I hope you're gonna be on the podcast soon. I would love to have you.
Jon Francois:And... I mean, honestly, everybody has talked about everything from... Oh, I don't know. Their... The the...
Jon Francois:That big graduation, that big job that they got, being able to go to bed the other day in terms of food, the confit tacos, quail, pop culture. I mean, people are watching Love is Blind, East of Eden. So when you really zone in on what people's lives are about and what they're watching and listening to and eating, you find that you can create a wide interesting open space for all kinds of conversation. So that's what the delicious culture is. Jeff, Poduty Duty.
Jeff Revilla:Oh, tell me when and I will be there anytime. The... Was there also a delicious dish or is that Julia Child's cooking show?
Jon Francois:I believe that's Julia Child's cooking show. Let me see if I can do an impression of her.
Jeff Revilla:The bread and the butter.
Jon Francois:You know, HBO Max had a great show on Julia Child. I'm so sad they got canceled after two seasons. My wife and I love that. But, yeah, I'm I'm... I miss that woman's falsetto.
Jeff Revilla:It's like half missus doubt... Doubt fire, half Swedish chef.
Jon Francois:There you go. There you go. Put it all together and you get a Julia Child.
Jeff Revilla:Well, we got the Delicious Culture Podcast with Jon Francois. We'll have the links in the show notes. And every guest who comes on Poduty News gets inducted into Poduty and the crew, which means you can find all of Jon's links, bios, the link to the podcast, and connect with him not only on this episode, but possibly future episodes. We'll connect all those together and we'll put it on his Poduty and the Crew page. Jon, are you ready for our stories?
Jon Francois:I am. Let's do it, Poduty Duty friend.
Jeff Revilla:Let's get my glasses on. Good old... I'm 50. That doesn't mean I can see. We got one coming to us.
Jeff Revilla:Seth Meyers goes underground. Late night television host Seth Meyers stepped away from his NBC studio for a live podcast recording at New York City's famous Comedy Cellar. Meyers joined journalist Naima Raza for a special episode of Smart Girl Dumb Questions at the Comedy Sellers Village Underground, an intimate venue with a room for approximately 300 people. The ninety minute event featured an unscripted conversation, potential audience questions, and tickets starting at $25. That ticket's proceeds support PEN, Pen America, an organization dedicated to protecting free expression.
Jeff Revilla:And I don't know why we would need that in 2026, but these are the kind of events I'm talking about where, you know, this is a celebrity, Seth Seth Meyers, doing an event for a fundraiser for a charity. But in exchange for that, there's this value proposition for the audience to come see Seth in a small theater, 300 seats, have these questions answered by the Smart Girl Dumb Questions Podcast, and get this really immersive once in a lifetime experience. This is what I'm talking about where you could take podcasting out of the earbuds and kind of just everybody get in the same room. Everybody have a conversation. Everybody talk about these things that are important to them and share this intimate experience, you know, maybe 30, 20, 30 feet away from Seth Meyers.
Jon Francois:I wonder if live podcast recordings are still going on as often as I would hear them, like, back in the twenty tens. It's... It seems like when I first started listening to podcasting with people like Adam Corolla, like, I would hear more often live podcast recordings. But now it seems like a once in a blue moon thing. I mean, you know, Conan O'Brien may do something once in a blue moon.
Jon Francois:The the smart list guys may do something at the Hollywood Bowl, but it's, you know, it's interesting because, like, I think that there is value to the intimacy of being in a podcast studio and sounding like you're talking directly to the listener. But, like, as as you said, you you can elevate that intimacy by being in a room filled with 300 fans of both Seth Meyers and the podcast you mentioned, the Smart Girls Dumb Questions. They can feel like they're having an intimate moment with the hosts and the guests. And I don't know. I mean, the audience listening from their cars, it could go either both ways.
Jon Francois:I like that intimacy could still be there or maybe they feel like they're eavesdropping on some live event that they're not a part of. I say all of this out of absolute nerve wracking envy, Jeff, because I I definitely want to do a live podcast recording like that someday. I think that there is such beauty to being able to see the faces of your audience and connect with them on a real level like that as opposed to, like, oh, I'm just imagining what they might be looking like or what they might be listening to as they're driving to work or whatever. So... Yeah.
Jon Francois:I mean, that being said in my whole ramble, I I I hope that live podcast recordings, I hope this art continues. And especially, like, in this case, if they're doing it for a good cause, protecting the first amendment, which I didn't think we need to we need to do that, but here we are. That's great. That is that is wonderful. So I applaud Seth Meyers.
Jon Francois:And, what is the woman's name? The the host of the podcast?
Jeff Revilla:Naima Raza.
Jon Francois:Naima Raza. And I I mean, I would imagine those tickets sold out pretty quickly. Right? I mean, because that's a small room. You're in New York City.
Jon Francois:Seth Meyers is a big guest. I I probably couldn't even get those tickets if I if I, you know, did some Poduty Duty activity.
Jeff Revilla:These types of events that I I talk about, I try to showcase these. You know, one, I love that, you know, there's, a charity element. There's a community element, bringing people together. But I also think that this is the future model for podcasting. This is a form of entertainment.
Jeff Revilla:Just like comedy kinda rose up through the late seventies, they were they were used to perform comedy at the back of bowling alleys or Chinese restaurant banquet rooms, And it grew to the point where they needed a place to perform and that's kind of how comedy clubs evolved. There was a place to go, have some drinks, listen to comedians, and they became a big place throughout the eighties, nineties and even through today. And I think we're seeing the same parallel happen right now with podcasting. Because you see, here's Comedy Club doing live podcasts, but there's other small theaters, other venues starting to pop up to support this type of entertainment. People want to get out of the house.
Jeff Revilla:They want to go sit in a room and and listen to the podcast that they've been listening to on their commute for ten years. And we know what's happening. We see it with major... You mentioned SmartLists. They're filling arenas.
Jeff Revilla:They're filling the Hollywood Bowl. Totally. They're they're doing these big big events because they have this celebrity name and the drawing power. But smaller podcasters like myself, these DIY podcasters, we're finding ways to do this. And it is happening at wineries.
Jeff Revilla:It's happening at breweries. It's happening at events, in conferences, on side stages where this is becoming like a way to perform and entertain people are these live podcasts. And I think this one hit all the nails on the head with the with the charity element, with a celebrity guest at a comedy club. Like, what... It couldn't have been done any better.
Jon Francois:Yeah. I mean, and and speaking as somebody who went to a live podcast recording in Atlanta a couple years ago, now, yes, that was... It... You know, it was a bit rowdy because it was their first time and there was alcohol all around and the hosts were not able to control themselves and the crowd because of that alcohol. But still, it was a really fun, good time.
Jon Francois:It was a a relationship podcast, so we got to really talk filthy about relationship and sex matters. That's a memory that I will carry with me forever. The Podcast Movement Conference in New York City, one of the big podcast industry conferences, while there were sessions going on with the experts, you also got to pass by people doing live podcast recordings of whatever podcast they host. So, you know, there there was that active element of, like, oh, not only are we here to listen to an expert, but we're also here to work in real time as podcasters. So...
Jon Francois:Yeah. I mean, I I would love for more of this going on into the future. I mean, maybe I'm not listening to the right podcast. Again, I don't see too many podcasts doing live podcast recordings lately like I used to, like, ten years ago, but I'm totally with you. I mean, you know, put put them in wineries, put them in conferences, put them in bars, comedy clubs especially.
Jon Francois:I mean, there's no better connection than a comedian and a podcaster as you were talking with one of your recent guests, Leanne... What was her name? Leanne Limsey?
Jeff Revilla:Yes. Yes. She is. Yeah. Yeah.
Jeff Revilla:Yeah. Plauzzable.
Jon Francois:Yeah. I mean, that that... You know, podcasters, comedians, comedy clubs, I mean, it all goes together like like peanut butter jelly because it's all about the art of conversation, injecting sense of humor to bring some outgoingness to your personality. So I'm... Yeah.
Jon Francois:I'm I'm all for for more of these live podcast recordings.
Jeff Revilla:Well, if these go together like peanut butter and jelly, this next one goes together like pumpkin and spice. This is video killed the radio star. Wait a second. Wait. What?
Jeff Revilla:As podcasting continues moving towards video, Santa Monica Studios is promoting a production model designed to deliver television quality podcast without the traditional television production budget. The company announced its live editor workflow on August 25, pointing to Apple's expansion into video podcasting and the growing popularity of podcast content on YouTube. Its studio model combines professional cameras, broadcast quality audio, and real time video switching, creators to leave with a nearly finished program rather than spending days editing multiple camera angles. And I kinda chose... I try...
Jeff Revilla:I choose these stories based off of my guest background. And you had mentioned, you know, your professional radio background and some of the production background that you've had. And I think this story really fit in right up your alley.
Jon Francois:So can I just clarify? Do... So if you if you go to the studio, they already have a team ready for you that will shoot and edit the product for you, or do you have to take some agency in doing that yourself still?
Jeff Revilla:I don't know the full service, but they have, like, different sets, different stages, different areas, and you can arrange them in the ways that, you know, kinda tailor it towards recording your podcast. I'm not a 100% sure if it includes all the production. You may just, you know, flip a couple switches and press buttons one, two, three, four, and then you've got thirty minutes on the clock, get it done.
Jon Francois:Oh, yeah. Oh, god. That's such a tight amount of time. And going back to the Podcast Movement Conference, they they only gave us, like, thirty minute slots if we want to record there. So for someone like me who likes to talk for much more than thirty minutes, that is a challenge.
Jon Francois:But, yeah, this is where we're at. I mean, you know, I I think back to when I first met you during the pandemic in 2020, Jeff, and I saw some video podcast pop up here and there, but it was still mostly an audio format. And now as you know, it almost seems like if you're not doing video for your podcast, then you're you're missing out, especially with YouTube. I mean, you look at every study. YouTube is, like, the most popular podcast consumption platform.
Jon Francois:I I do video, but as someone who's also produced a public access television show where there's a lot more visual elements to the editing and knowing how time consuming that was With my podcast, I am careful to put so much work into it where it seems like I'm essentially creating another TV show. You know, I'm... I I... I'm I'm mixed about where video is going because on the one hand, I get that seeing me can create a much more closer connection, especially if you don't know me as well as, you know, say, a Joe Rogan or a Theo Vaughn. On the other hand, you know, it it it takes time.
Jon Francois:It takes time to put together a video product that would be decent enough for people to see. And 99% of podcasters, that's... It's not our full time job. We're doing it in conjunction with other things going on in our life. In my case, I drive more than forty hours a week for a living.
Jon Francois:I have a wife. I have pets. I have a life. So, I mean, I've kind of done this in between thing where it's like, alright. Like, I'll do video, but it'll be like a minimal to medium effort in terms of what I edit, how I edit.
Jon Francois:I used to be all perfectionist with it and add a lot more, but as I've realized how much time I have in my life, which is limited and that I'm a one person operation, I... I've kind of taken to, you know, what most big name podcasters have done, which is like, you know, people are tuning in for... To a podcast for conversation. Whether they're watching or listening, they just want to consume somebody having a conversation. So when you think of it like that, then you don't really need to be all polished and fancy with the visual elements or whatever.
Jon Francois:Now granted, if you're fortunate enough to be able to dedicate all of your time to podcasting to a point where maybe you do it as a full time thing and you want to step up your game and and make visually it enhancing with the Santa Monica Studios concept, for instance, have at it. But I think I want to set a public service announcement to podcasters like myself who don't have that kind of time and energy and just say, like, hey. It's okay to, you know, not be that and do whatever you can with your video product. Or if you wanna stay true to just an audio only format, that's okay too. I mean, either way, long as you're giving worthwhile content for audience to consume audio or video, I think it all works out.
Jon Francois:So hopefully, makes sense.
Jeff Revilla:Yeah. I tell people podcasting is a lot like gambling. Don't spend more than you're comfortable losing. Like, it's it's an investment. And you...
Jeff Revilla:It's mostly... For 90% of podcasters, it's a hobby. It's something you do for fun. You may have bigger aspirations, but there isn't gonna be this influx of money like you're hoping you hear on all these major TV outlets promoting these $100,000,000 contracts. That isn't a reality for most people.
Jeff Revilla:Most people, like myself, Podcast, and I've been doing this for ten plus years, I love it. I would do this if there was no money coming in, like this show. Like, this show doesn't make any money, but I've done 85 of these. I've had six guests or 85 guests with six stories every week about podcasting, about live podcasting, you know, sharing my love for what this can be. And that's just the reality of podcasting.
Jeff Revilla:Most people are having a good time doing it. They're making a great connection. They're building a community. And maybe there's some monetization happening. But for most people, that isn't the primary reason to podcast.
Jeff Revilla:And I think what Jon said, you don't have to go all bells and whistles on your first episode. You can you can play around. You can figure out what works. You can figure out how you want it structured and and kinda grow into needing more production, needing the more expensive, you know, features of of podcast.
Jon Francois:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, look, if I if I had a team of people that I could hire, then all the way. I I would I would be all in on the Santa Monica Studios concept and and make the...
Jon Francois:A a TV production quality podcast like you wouldn't believe. But as just me, myself, and I doing this as, you know, you are with your podcast, Jeff, you do what you can. And what what matters to me is trying to stay as relevant with what's going on with podcasting currently and also be as consistent as possible with the output of episodes. So I found a way to, you know, keep up with the video of it all while also still producing two episodes a week, And I'm satisfied with the way I'm able to do it just being me. So, yeah, we'll we'll see where it goes.
Jon Francois:But, hey, shout out to Santa Monica Studios. I actually do wanna just tour that place. I mean, as a podcast production nerd, I'm sure, Jeff, you feel the same way. I think that, you know, we definitely have to visit that place sometime and and and see what what what it looks like because I'm sure it looks beautiful with all that they have.
Jeff Revilla:Yeah. Please email Jon and mine the invitations to the Poduty Podcast Theater at Downtown Durantum, Pennsylvania, and we will be there.
Jon Francois:Yep. And hopefully, don't charge us.
Jeff Revilla:Yeah. Please. And then cover our costs.
Jon Francois:Cover our flight.
Jeff Revilla:And we'll definitely be there. We will 100% be there if you cover our hotel and our flight and our... Give us a a per diem for lunch and dinner.
Jon Francois:Breakfast too. Breakfast too. Breakfast lunch and dinner and snacks and dessert.
Jeff Revilla:Yeah. And we will 100% be there to support you.
Jon Francois:Coffee. I need coffee to stay awake, so free coffee too.
Jeff Revilla:Yeah. Well, one of the things I love to talk about are traditional media. You know, we have television doing new media things. So, like, we have a TV show, Love is Blind. They're doing live podcast appearances to build these events, these communities with their audience, another way to connect with them.
Jeff Revilla:And reality television is making its way onto the podcast stage in Cincinnati. Lolly Nicodemus, host of the podcast Sex and the Cincy Cincy, is bringing Love is Blind, Ohio Personalities, Connor Spies, and Alyssa Findley to the Woodward Theater in Cincinnati's Over The Rhine neighborhood. The event called Love on the Rocks takes the popular Netflix dating show personalities out of the television format and into a live conversation with fans. It's another example of podcasters using established pop culture communities to create in person entertainment experiences.
Jon Francois:Well, I I... I'm gonna say this. Yes. I understand the value of these Love is Love is Blind Reality Stars creating that personal in person connection with the audience. What I wonder is because there are some Love is Blind cast members that certainly evoke very passionate feelings among audience.
Jon Francois:And like myself and my wife, I mean, we've certainly looked at some cast members and we're like, oh my god. That person is a stupid baby hole. I don't know if you can curse. So I'm trying to work around... Because...
Jon Francois:They're stupid baby hole. Now me and my wife are not crazy. Like, if we saw these people in person, we'll be fine. But, like, for the really passionate terminally online unwell people, I wonder if, you know, say... I'm thinking of one guy named Alex from Love Is Blind who was just an absolute stupid baby hole of a guy.
Jon Francois:What if one audience member shows up at this live podcast recording where Alex happens to be there and heckles maybe wants to charge the stage and physically assault him for whatever wrongdoing he did on the show? That's what I think about. Now if it's with podcasters like you and I who don't cause that kind of polarization amongst the audience, then sure. But, like, with Reality stars appearing at live podcast recordings where their fans and their haters can have a chance to be face to face with them, I wonder if there's a safety concern with that.
Jeff Revilla:Safety concern, good entertainment. I mean, it's a gray area. You you...
Jon Francois:You know what? That that describes the the Chris Rock and Will Smith Oscar slap. It was safety concern, but it was also good entertainment.
Jeff Revilla:The only reason I watched the Oscars that year.
Jon Francois:Right? But I watched... I didn't even watch the full ceremony that year. I literally heard about it through, like, Twitter or whatever, and, someone uploaded, like, a bootleg video of it on YouTube. And I I remember sitting on the toilet and just being trans transfixed.
Jon Francois:I was like, what? Physical assault on the Oscar stage? What have you? Like, what what is going on with our culture?
Jeff Revilla:This cannot stand. The... And I I think I only saw the clip, like, the next day. Was like, I just thought it was staged or, like, like, this had to be like It seemed like it
Jon Francois:it seemed like it was, but no. It it actually scared the bejesus out of me. I was frightened because that... I mean, imagine all the celebrities there at the live event thinking that it was staged and then it was a real thing. Like, how do you react?
Jeff Revilla:All I thought was, oh, oh, wait. There's no security at the Oscars? Like...
Jon Francois:Apparently not.
Jeff Revilla:I guess celebrities are always distrusted. Yeah.
Jon Francois:They're they're stupid baby hole of human beings.
Jeff Revilla:All those stupid baby hole. But that... That's a great example of traditional media trying new media things, and I love that they're doing these, you know, immersive events. They're bringing in the guests, they're bringing in the stars, and and, you know, letting the audience react and interact with them. I I just think it's a it's a great way to to keep that conversation going, connecting with the people who enjoyed the show, and they're they're sharing their stories and their perspectives.
Jon Francois:Yeah. As long as security and bodyguards are there, I'm all for it.
Jeff Revilla:Let's keep it going. We're going to Hollywood's new test kitchen. Comedy clubs may be taking on a bigger role in developing the next generation of entertainment. An August report from Deadline examines how the comedy industry is experimenting with new ways to discover talent, develop material, and produce comedy specials. The discussion was featured in a live recording of the Comedy Means Business Podcast at the Just For Last Festival in Montreal.
Jeff Revilla:Topics included comedy clubs functioning as creative incubators, experimental specials, and initiatives like the laugh list that highlight emerging talent. The conversation raises an interesting question about whether smaller venues can help develop entertainment that eventually reaches a much larger audience.
Jon Francois:Well, that is great. I think as we mentioned earlier, I find that being a comedian and a podcaster goes hand in hand. Comedians know how to be off the cuff. They certainly know how to keep people's attention with humor, and both those things work perfectly for a podcast. And even better if you're able to be a comedian with a live podcast recording, that's that's essentially an extension of your stand up.
Jon Francois:And especially with comedy being in this interesting place right now in 2026 where... Like, in terms of the stand up comedy field, it's very saturated. Whereas back in the day, you know, you only had a select amount of comedians like your Chris Rocks, your Damon Wayans who had the big thing, which was the HBO special. Now it seems like there's 15,000 comedians having a Netflix stand up comedy special now. So it can be very easy to not stand out amongst that.
Jon Francois:And I don't know. I think having a personal connection with your audience via podcasting, via being in a live in person recording space, like what they suggested at the Montreal just for last festival, that can certainly be a way to put yourself above the fray. So, you know, with comedy being in this interesting place where, again, it's just way too many people in the field. It becomes even harder to make money, becomes even harder to get a Netflix special. Do what you can.
Jon Francois:Do what you can to make a connection with your audience and stand out. So this is a good idea.
Jeff Revilla:One of my favorite business models for comedians and podcasts is Doug Benson's Doug Loves Movies. And he's been doing this for, I I don't know, ten, fifteen years, maybe longer. I don't know how long it goes back for. But he's a touring comedian. He books the weekend at a at a comedy club Friday, Saturday, maybe Sunday, maybe Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
Jeff Revilla:But on Saturday, most comedy clubs, they do a seven, maybe a nine, maybe 11:00 show. He found a way to add in another show, and he brings his podcast, Doug Loves Movies, at 04:20. It's kind of his thing. He likes to do some things before the show. And and he does...
Jeff Revilla:He sells another additional show because he has this asset of a podcast.
Jon Francois:Yeah.
Jeff Revilla:He's able to go in. He's like, I'll bring in... We'll we'll sell tickets to Doug Loves Movies at 04:00. We'll take a break. We'll do the 07:00.
Jeff Revilla:We'll do the 09:00 show. He could do four shows in one day because he has this podcast that maybe not all comedians or fans of comedy wanna see his comedy, but they're gonna go see Doug Loves Movies if they love the podcast and then maybe get the 07:00 show too. So not only is he doing his podcast live and getting the recording to then sell ads on it, he's selling tickets of the podcast, doing a live performance, and then getting some of those people to stick around and buy another ticket to come see his comedy. I I... Yeah.
Jeff Revilla:That's my favorite business model of comedians.
Jon Francois:It's it's a ping pong. It's a ping pong effect. It's like, oh, you... Are you... If if you're a stand up comedian and you're a podcaster, wow.
Jon Francois:What a gift. You could plug your podcasts within your stand up comedy routine. If you're on your podcast, obviously, you could, you know, not only have conversation, but you could mention all the dates that you're appearing in person. And, actually, you know, on the flip side, whereas many people have discovered, you know, stand up comedians podcast through loving their stand up comedy. For me, it's been the flip.
Jon Francois:Like, this comedian, Caleb Herron, I have never seen a stand up whatsoever. I just heard him on a guest appearance on another podcast I love, Las Culturistas. So I was like, oh, let me hear Caleb's podcast since he was promoting it on Las Culturistas and discovered like, wow. This is a naturally funny, wonderful, sweet guy, a very sharp, quick guy. And I would love to see a stand up in person someday because of the podcast podcast that I listen to because I'm such an avid podcast listener.
Jon Francois:So, yeah, again, peanut butter and jelly, stand up comedy and and podcasts. Like, that's the best thing you could do as a comedian nowadays.
Jeff Revilla:They go together. It's just like... And I got a lot of comedy and I got them a lot of Ohio stories. This is Cleveland's comedy festival. We...
Jeff Revilla:We're missing out not being in Ohio. It just returned for its nineteenth year with four days of performances running September 30 through October 3. More than 30 comedians participated including former Saturday Night Live cast member Chris Redd. Alongside the stand up showcases, the festival featured what? Live podcast programming, a roast battle, and special fundraising event called the Houndraiser benefiting City Dogs Cleveland.
Jeff Revilla:Maybe the Houndraiser. It looks like it has a little a little u with the two dots. The the nonprofit comedy festival brought together professional entertainers, emerging performers, local venues, and animal rescue supporters, showing how live entertainment can create opportunities for community involvement beyond simply selling tickets.
Jon Francois:Yeah. I mean, this is great. I mean, so as someone who has four dogs along with two cats, anything having to do with a dog rescue benefit is gonna touch my heart. So I'm glad that they're doing that. You'll touch people's hearts with the dogs.
Jon Francois:You'll make them laugh with the comedy. You have name recognition with Chris Red. He was a fantastic Saturday Night Live cast member. And then you have that live podcast recording element. So, you know, put together those things and you just have an amazing moving in person experience.
Jon Francois:And I'm glad that Chris Red is still out there. He is someone that I have not heard about in quite some time aside from that partner... Ex partner scandal that he had in association with current cast member, Kanan Thompson. But... Yeah.
Jon Francois:I mean, it's very easy for SNL cast members whenever they leave the show to, like, fall off the face of the earth and we never hear from him again. So I'm glad that Chris is still keeping the name alive in comedy and and doing it for a good cause, which is to help our pups.
Jeff Revilla:Yeah. And and I chose this story because just to show you that podcasts are really part of the entertainment. They're part of the zeitgeist now. Like, here's a comedy festival in its nineteenth year, and what are they doing? They're bringing in podcasts as part of the entertainment for this event.
Jeff Revilla:So that's really the staying power of podcasting and how much it's reaching people. It's providing a different type of experience. It's a little maybe maybe it slows down the pace a little bit. You can relax, grab a drink, talk with some people, watch the show and then hang out and have better conversations with people. And you're seeing it more and more at conferences, at events, at festivals.
Jeff Revilla:They're doing these second stages and they're featuring podcasts on it. Keep that in mind if you're thinking about, hey, how can I get my show out in front of more people? How can I perform this live? It's happening everywhere. You just gotta plug in.
Jon Francois:Yeah. I mean, I I I go back to the Podcast Movement Conference in New York City that I attended back in September. And as sort of an opener to the two day conference, they had this, live podcast pre party where at Terminal 5 where the entire conference took place, it's like this very hippie dippie, sort of indie concert music venue, you had this strange ape face stand up comedian. I kid you not. Imagine somebody in, like, a planet of the apes bodysuit, and he's a stand up comedian telling, like, politically incorrect jokes.
Jon Francois:That's his whole thing. And he's hosting all these actual real life human comedians. They're in conversation. They're having a good time. They're having a few laughs, trading off jokes.
Jon Francois:And you can both sit there. You could chat with the person next to you and get to know them as a podcaster. There's a bar right behind you. Can have some drinks, get to know more people as you're at the bar. It was a a a really great, multi networking, effect.
Jon Francois:So... Yeah. I mean, a live podcast experience like that and like what you described with Cleveland Comedy Festival, who knows what it it could bring.
Jeff Revilla:Yeah. I I think you're coming around. You're you're gonna wanna do more and more live podcast. You said
Jon Francois:I want to. I've never done... I... I've never really done one before. I want to so badly.
Jeff Revilla:You got the itch, and now you're like, wait a second. There's all these people doing it. I...
Jon Francois:Can you tell? I got my Celsius. I got my Poduty, Duty, Duty jokes. I'm ready to go.
Jeff Revilla:Look for the delicious, like, Culture Podcast coming to a theater space near you. No. No. No. No.
Jon Francois:It's gonna be renamed the delicious Poduty Duty.
Jeff Revilla:Alright. I'll be... Can I do, like, the? And now, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the stage.
Jon Francois:Be your my announcer. You'll be my, trusty dusty sidekick.
Jeff Revilla:I'll be your Ed McMahon.
Jon Francois:Exactly. I don't know why I said dusty.
Jeff Revilla:I don't I don't... Dusty roads?
Jon Francois:No. No. No. I just I I just think you're filled with for some reason. I just think that you have dust all over you, and you need a dust bunny.
Jeff Revilla:I have the same physique as Dusty Rhodes, maybe.
Jon Francois:Probably.
Jeff Revilla:And our last story goes by so quickly. You believe we did six stories already? And Yep. We're going to a legend of comedy. The former Tonight Show host, Jay Leno, brought his decades of entertainment experience to a live podcast recording at the Burbank International Film Festival, Appearing on the Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter Podcast with host, Scott Feinberg, Leno reflected on his early stand up comedy career, his rise to one of the television's most recognizable late night jobs, and his relationships with fellow hosts David Letterman and, uh-oh, Conan O'Brien.
Jeff Revilla:The conversation also explored how late night television has changed over the years. The episode was released in August and runs approximately one hour, offering audiences an extended conversation with a broadcasting legend outside the traditional talk show format.
Jon Francois:I have to listen to this episode. First of all, I am a big admirer of Scott Feinberg's Awards Chatters Podcast. I've listened to many episodes. I think he does a great, great deep dive into the, the backgrounds of celebrities, actors, directors, musicians, maybe, and the like. But really, like, in in the Hollywood show business of it all.
Jon Francois:Yeah. I mean, Lorne Michaels, Al Pacino, I mean, he's he's done some great interviews. And Jay Leno, he's always been a a comedian that I've been fascinated by. And, I mean, specifically, like, has he made me laugh? I I would say that I loved his late night with David Letterman appearances.
Jon Francois:I think that there was a amusing rebelliousness to him back then that I got a chuckle out of more so than whatever he did on The Tonight Show. But I love just the mixture of old and new coming in. I mean, obviously, you have Jay Leno who's been around for fifty something years. He's at the Burbank Film Festival. The Tonight Show iconically was in Burbank with both Jay Leno and Jonny Carson.
Jon Francois:Jay Leno is taking on the modern space of podcasting to talk about his many decades in the traditional broadcast space. That's a very interesting conversation. I would... Yeah. Of of course, I'm definitely interested to hear what his relationships are like with Letterman and Conan O'Brien.
Jon Francois:I know with Letterman, he had that famous late night TV war era of, like, the nineties through two thousand tens. Conan O'Brien, I remember being in college when The Tonight Show fiasco between Jay and Conan was was happening. And because I was a millennial, you know, I am still a millennial, like, I was very much a team cocoa kinda guy. So for a while there, Leno was someone that I hated for no reason, but now I kind of admire his longevity in the business, his work ethic. He's often known as the hardest working comedian in show business.
Jon Francois:So this... Yeah. This is a a great conversation because, like, I I think in some some interesting way, podcasters like myself who want to be in the game for a while for as long as it's relevant, who want to be consistent, who want to put in the work, can learn from someone like Jay Leno. Like, oh, here's what he did, you know, rising up the ranks through stand up comedy and then television with The Tonight Show and such, and here's how I can apply that work ethic and persistence to this modern podcast genre. Because really, you know, I mean, it all comes down to just putting yourself out there.
Jon Francois:Putting yourself out there, networking with all kinds of guests and the right people who could put you in the right places. I mean, it... You know, the old... Whether it's old media, new media, like, I think the... All the marketing tools are the same.
Jon Francois:So I think that learning from Jay Leno by listening to this episode, it it it would be a a big a big honor. A big honor.
Jeff Revilla:Yeah. I've always had a a tremendous amount of respect for Jay Leno. And whether whatever happened, you know, between Conan and Jay Leno, how much was his fault and how much was the network. The one thing I... You do hear a lot of comedians really respect Jay is he's always a guy who's helping out comedians.
Jeff Revilla:And he... One thing that I find out, he never touched his Tonight Show money. He only he only lived off of touring even during The Tonight Show. He's like, I'm a comedian. I need to I need to tour and be a comedian.
Jeff Revilla:And that's what he lived off of when he did all those Tonight Show years was he lived off touring comedian money and banked all that Tonight Show money, which was... That's the way he... That was, like, his approach to it. He's like, I'm gonna be funny. I gotta be a comedian.
Jeff Revilla:I'm gonna do the work, I'm and gonna be out there. And you mentioned one of the hardest working comedians out there. And when you hear those stories about Jay Leno, it really... It gives you a lot... Like, it's very inspirational.
Jeff Revilla:It gives me a lot of hope. Like, I'd love hearing what he did. And I also kinda love his car collection too, to be honest with you.
Jon Francois:Yes. He is known for owning a lot of cars going back to the nineteen hundreds. Yeah. I'm gonna charge my computer. Don't don't go anywhere.
Jon Francois:Okay. I'm I'm I'm right here. I'm I'm not going anywhere. But, yeah, I know. He's he's well known for that.
Jon Francois:And you you would think that he'd spend his Tonight Show money because, like, that is a... That looks like a very expensive car collection to maintain.
Jeff Revilla:Yeah. By now, he's probably spent it. Yeah.
Jon Francois:Yeah. I mean, you know, honestly, maybe I'm getting too, like, unnecessarily psychological here. I don't know why he was so adamant about not spending his Tonight Show money. I wonder if there was, like, a certain fear that, like, oh, all of this could go away and I wanna have something saved up in case there's a rainy day. Because I don't know.
Jon Francois:I just feel like it was unnecessary pride to be like, oh, yeah. I mean, I'm making all this tonight show money, but I'm still only living off my standard comedy money. It's like, you know, you're you're you're making you're you're making money. Money is money no matter where you get it from, so you could spend it. I mean, hell, I'm wondering if he's spending the Tonight Show money now or or still has it saved up because the guy has no children.
Jon Francois:He... I I I mean, I don't know if he has any relatives that he's giving money to. Unfortunately, I know his wife is in... Not in... Not in the greatest health condition.
Jon Francois:So maybe, you know, if he's spending some of that money, it's going towards her medical bills. But... Yeah. I don't know. I I I I come from the school of if you worked hard for this money no matter where it came from, like, you know, spend it.
Jon Francois:Like, do do what you want with it. I mean, just keeping it there in the bank, untouched, like, what does that do?
Jeff Revilla:Just give me a little taste. I want a little taste of it. Like like, 10%, you know. You could you could dip the toe in the in the in the savings there.
Jon Francois:I mean, maybe may... Maybe, like, he wants to... This is for whatever charitable acts that he wants to keep doing for comedians. I don't know. You know, he sees a comic struggling.
Jon Francois:He wants to be able to dip into his tonight show money bank and be like, oh, hey. Here's a few dollars. I don't know. So he he could have some kind of... Not pharmaceutical.
Jon Francois:God. But... Yeah. I'm I'm making it seem like... Marijuana.
Jeff Revilla:Pharmaceutical grade marijuana. No. No.
Jon Francois:Wouldn't that be the headline? Oh, Jay Leno has saved his Tonight Show money for the last thirty years just so he could get meds and be addicted and overdose. That was his grand plan.
Jeff Revilla:One giant swimming pool of opium. But,
Jon Francois:you know, hey, regardless, he... Yeah. His career, his tenacity, his work ethic has been admirable. And thank you for recommending that... Well, not recommending, but mentioning that episode because I haven't listened to the awards chatter in a while, now I wanna listen for Jay Leno.
Jeff Revilla:Awesome. Yeah. It's a a great episode and it's again another way to bridge these stories between traditional media and the audience and tell the stories. Can you imagine being there in the front row or a couple rows back getting to hear Jay Leno tell the stories about that time in television?
Jon Francois:I totally forgot. I saw him do stand up at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. It was a New Year's Eve show, and this was like maybe a decade ago. And this... I mean, I assume this...
Jon Francois:By this time, I I had already gotten over my Jay Leno hate. But... Yeah. No. He was fantastic.
Jon Francois:I mean, he he was just very sharp and quick witted with his jokes, moving like he was still 30 doing them. And... Yeah. I mean, he's he's a fantastic live stand up still. I I can vouch for that.
Jon Francois:And in terms of the podcasting space, I mean, even Jay Leno respects it in that... I remember he equated Joe Rogan, who is the number one podcaster right now, to Johnny Carson. Like, what Johnny Carson was back in the day when comedians wanted to get their big shot on The Tonight Show, Joe Rogan is now. You know what I mean? Because, like, Joe Rogan with his millions of downloads, you get that Rogan bump, you go on his podcast, and all of a sudden, like, you got a book to sell, it's gonna sell.
Jon Francois:So...
Jeff Revilla:I got a theater to fill. I gotta get on... I gotta figure out how to get on Rogan.
Jon Francois:Right? I got I got the number.
Jeff Revilla:I got the
Jon Francois:I got the hookup.
Jeff Revilla:Jon, this was so much fun. I'm so glad we reconnected and weren't able to do this episode. I did warn you, it goes by so quickly.
Jon Francois:Yeah.
Jeff Revilla:I do one thing before we say goodbye is I get to turn the stage over to you for the most dangerous minute in podcasting. You can plug, promote, you can talk about anything you'd want. Jon, the floor is yours.
Jon Francois:So if you wanna get drugs... No. I'm I'm kidding. Well, thank you for having me on, Jeff. I hope to have you on my podcast soon.
Jon Francois:The podcast is called The Delicious Culture with Jon Francois. It is a fantastic podcast where a wonderful person like yourself, yes, you watching and listening can have delicious conversations with me about your lifestyle, food, and pop culture. Please email me at thedeliciousculture@gmail.com if you'd like to be a guest. Again, that is thedeliciousculture@gmail.com, and I'd love to have you on. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok at the delicious culture on YouTube.
Jon Francois:Please subscribe at the delicious culture, Jon Francois. Jon Francois is spelled j o n f r a n c o I s. I am a one man operation. It costs money to produce this podcast. I, you know, I I have subscriptions that, you know, maintain the the video and editing quality and the social media clipping of it all for this podcast.
Jon Francois:I pay for the microphone. I mean, there's a lot that goes into it. I I recently bought a lamp to enhance the lighting on this... On my video podcast. So any donation that you think I am worth, PayPal or Venmo me at the delicious culture, and I will appreciate it very, very greatly.
Jon Francois:And I think that's about it. Find us on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, wherever you get your podcasts, and I will see you down that delicious road. Thank you, Jeff.
Jeff Revilla:Awesome. We'll put all those links in the show notes. Jon, do you remember what time it was?
Jon Francois:It is drug... No. I'm just kidding.
Jeff Revilla:It is drug. It's opium time. Poduty and the drugs.