Andrew Warner runs Mixergy, a show consisting of Skype interviews with entrepreneurs building startups that are changing the way people do business. His latest show features Leo Laporte, who worked for Tech TV for years before being laid off. Rather than take that lying down, Leo moved right into podcasting and in a few short years has built up something of a new media empire starting with This Week In Tech, also known as TWIT. In this episode of Mixergy, Leo explains how he delivers well-produced niche content at a lower price than the networks are capable of, and what other new media producers can do to emulate his success.
Full disclosure: I worked with Leo on-air and behind the scenes last year on “The Lab with Leo Laporte,” and still maintain occasional contact with him. I also met and had a great conversation (and a few beers) with Dane Golden, Leo’s right-hand-man at TWIT, at Macworld 2008. But before any of that happened, Leo’s move into podcasting made me think that it was possible for myself and fellow nerd @legopolis (and later, @dubbayoo) to start Radio Free Skaro, my own podcast devoted to all things Doctor Who, as well as concentrate on web video as the dominant growth area for my own company, Freyburg Media.
In what has to be the most overwhelming of all weeks for Doctor Who in all recorded history, the RFS crew slogged mightily through tales of Comic Con, rumours confirmed, others dashed, and in the midst of our recording the release of a new trailer for “The Waters of Mars.” And that was BEFORE we got around commentating on “Planet of the Dead”, making this if not the longest Radio Free Skaro ever than certainly the densest, and not just because of PotD’s plodding, pedestrian poltroonery.
An exciting landmark in RFS history, as the Three Who Rule celebrate their Sasquatchicentennial, otherwise known as the 150th episode of their half-crazed (yet still consistently jaunty) blatherings. And what better way to mark the occassion than “The Parting of the Ways,” Eccleston’s final episode as the good Doctor and one of the many highlights of the 2005 return of the series. News, digressions and a visit from one of the Internet’s most pervasive memes round out this most 150-th of episodes.
In a stunning, nay flabbergasting turn of events, the Torchwood: Children of Earth miniseries turned out to be not only a fantastic five days of entertainment but possibly one of the best things on television thus far this year. A special 4 person quorum of the RFS council was called to deal with this turn of events, with special Torchwood representative Katrina joining the fun. But that’s not all! The Three Who Rule Plus One also threw in a “Bad Wolf” commentary…but of course such good fortune meant the beast Cracklor also paid a visit. Still, an epic-length RFS for an epic entry in the Doctor Who canon.
Things took a turn for both the obscene and obsequious and Pedantor proved he could crawl even lower into the gutter he calls home and Warren was bested by Cracklor, a skypeovore that feasts on distorted, craptacular VOIP. Oh, and somewhere in this menagerie of madness the sometimes forgotten but certainly notable “Boom Town” was commented on by the Three Who Rule.
With only Torchwood news to bandy about, the second part of Steven Moffat’s epic two-parter from Season 1 took center stage for this episode for a shorthanded RFS staff as they discussed the intricacies of one of the first series’ masterpieces while simultaneously avoiding any actual discussion of the episode at hand, as per usual.
Steven, one mighty pillar of the tripod that is the Three Who Rule, doesn’t often succumb to the base emotions. Indeed, compared to the gutter-dwelling antics of Pedantor and the frankly borderline illegal conduct of Warren, Steven’s unflappable facade is nigh-invulnerable. But when the fate of Pete Tyler in “Father’s Day” comes into play, all propriety goes out the window. Tune in and hear his descent into madness…if you dare.
“The Unquiet Dead” was the episode next in line for commentary, but the intrepid investigations of the Three Who Rule have discovered a hidden message within this tale of Dickens, aliens, and reanimated corpses. Yes, it seems Russel T. Davies sees fit to force his sick preferences for matter in neither solid or liquid but gaseous(!) form down the throats of the public. Well, not on our watch, dear listener. What’s next, marriage between a glass of water and a pineapple? The mind boggles.
There was no, repeat no news this week, save a couple of tidbit that were quite spoilery and best left to rot unless confirmed correct. Added to that was RFS dilettante “The Third Guy” was off at an event in Manchester called “Who at the Fab Cafe” (sounds made up). But while Chris had an imaginary good time, it was up to Steven, Warren and Katrina to pick up the slack and give their thoughts and opinions on “The End of the World”.