If you’re reading this article, chances are that you not only know what podcasts are, but are likely addicted to at least a handful of them. In the grand scheme of the technological world, podcasting is still in its infancy. OK, maybe infancy is the wrong word, but it’s at very most a toddler right now. While terrestrial and even satellite radio is fairly well known to the masses, the idea of à la carte entertainment in the form of a weekly download to your personal device is still very new.
Comedians/actors/producers/many-other-things/Podcasters Graham Elwood and Chris Mancini set out to explore the phenomenon they themselves are a part of by interviewing fellow podcasters, comedians, and – most importantly – podcast fans. After a successful Kickstarter, some hard work and a lot of travel the release of Earbuds: The Podcasting Documentary is fast approaching.
As podcasters ourselves, we’ve gotten to know the fans, often personally, and they have gotten to know us. People have told us we have helped get them through rough times, even though on the surface we are just talking about movies. So there is a connection there that we are humbled by.
It’s apparent Elwood and Mancini hold podcasting near and dear to their hearts and realize the worldwide impact its had on their lives. With interviews of other podcasters – including our fearless leader Chris Hardwick – it’s clear that something as simple as a weekly download can indeed change lives.
What makes this doc special is the fact the filmmakers made it a point to interview some fans across the world and showcase the impact podcasts have had on them and their lives. Podcast listeners are certainly a strange and wonderful breed as we can use them for any number of reasons. They can, of course, serve as radio replacement, educational tools, as a facilitator of laughs, or even as a bit of cathartic and unofficial therapy. (I for one find a fair amount of comfort hearing my favorite comedians and celebrities often have the same worries in life. Strength in numbers, you know?)
With the short glimpses of the Earbuds, it’s clear that if there was ever anything capable of diverting our attention away – however briefly – from the podcasts we hold sacred, it’s this documentary.