Article by: Pugilist
What the Hell Happened to the N3rdcast?
Seriously. First of all, full disclosure, I am not much of a podcast kind of guy. Hell, I never even owned, for myself, an MP3 player until about two weeks ago and remembering to listen on the computer while I was either working or playing games was a no-go. When I’m working I don't normally spend much more than 15-20 minutes at my desk at any one time and when I play games it is usually a FPS and I want to hear the footsteps of those people I am stalking and killing or, alternately, try to hear theirs as they sneak up behind and knife me in the back.
Bastards.
But, back to the N3rdcast. This is, after all, a review of their recent efforts. When I last listened to the N3rdcast, in the long ago and far away (that's about 3 days nor for me, I am getting so bloody old) I mentioned that it was a good podcast filled with a variety of content. I have to admit, though I enjoyed the podcast at that time, it didn't compel me to continue listening. It was good for the comic-centric genre but did not really grab me. Here's my review at the time:
http://www.spewgilist.com/portal/NeenerNeenernet/tabid/120/Default.aspx
Fast forward about 1.5 years and find me with a bright new and shiny MP3 player that I actually don't give out as a gift, the story of which is here:
http://www.spewgilist.com/portal/Spewgiblogs/tabid/114/EntryId/141/Default.aspx
After I download some Big Kev's Geek Stuff episodes (21 = some) I decide, what the hell, let me see what the N3rdcast is doing. And so I finished my marathon of Big Kev's Geek Stuff, which normally runs approximately an hour, and loaded up my first downloaded N3rdcast and saw that it ran for 3 /- hours.
Three hours? Are they friggin' insane? Who the hell does a three hour podcast? Seriously, who in their right mind would believe that anyone would sit and listen to crap about comics and such for three hours? I mean, who that could actually afford to buy the books in the first place?
You'd think by now I would realise that I really don't have a good pulse on this kind of thing.
Firstly, the N3rdcast moved to a three hour format when they took the 12 - 3 slot on Saturdays on CringeHumor.net radio, That's http://www.cringehumor.net/radio.html for you folks who can't figure out the whole EnterWeb (that's my initially mistaken spelling for it, I liked it, it's staying) thing. Secondly, with the expanded time they expanded their coverage to include items that appeal to all of geekdom.
And profanity, porn references, hot chicks, dating advice, Kwip's desire for deep body massages from random strangers while lying face down on the Grand Canyon's glass bridge, and Stoli. Among a whole lot of other things.
In short, the N3rdcast went from "good enough" to bloody hilarious. I listened to episode after episode in my car, at work, while filling the tank, while shopping, and, often, would randomly burst out laughing. Not the "ah, ha, that was clever" chuckle, but the "oh my God, people think I am friggin' crazy" back of the throat laugh.
So, I repeat, what the hell happened to the N3rdcast?
It got great, that's what.
Over the next month or so we'll throw them a list of questions in the form of an interview and hope they respond. We don't care how they respond really, we just want someone to do a bit of work for us. With luck it'll happen before wizard World Philly.
One caveat about the N3rdcast. It's not safe for work, it's not meant for children, and if you don't like random tangents and profanity laced descriptions of unlikely sex acts, be prepared to be offended. This is never the focus of the show, but it happens and it is bloody hilarious. just know that it is always likely and don't start whining.
Now there is one thing that does, in all honestly, sucks about the show.
They insist Stoli is a good vodka.
Folks, there are no good grain vodkas. Grain vodkas are fine for mixing, fine for giving to people you don't like, fine for starting a fire. But in no way can they be classed as good. If you want a real vodka it needs to be a potato vodka. You can sip potato vodka at room temperature and still love it. Sip grain vodka at room temperature and you might as well be drinking kerosene, and not particularly good kerosene at that.
I plan to bring the N3rdcast crew a bottle of real vodka at Wizard World Philly. I'll put it in a nice gift bag, tie it up with a ribbon, and make a presentation of it at their table. It'll be enough to make certain members of the N3rdcast cry.
That's right, I'm talking about you.
I will, however, forgive them their current uneducated preference for over-hyped-yet-ultimately-lousy vodka (technical term, trust me) as they do a lot of work each year to raise money for MS research. That's Multiple-Sclerosis the disease not the bulimia/anorexia magazine. Drop by GamersForACure.org and check them out. You can also donate money directly to MS research there, as we did, and have it credited as raised through the folks behind the N3rdcast even while you take the tax deduction. It's like bloody perfect. If you have a spare 10 spot, forgo that StarCraps Latte this week and make it a gift. You are welcome to donate more, please, and if you have or can rent a real sack, you'll contact GamersForACure.org about sponsoring them during the MS Walk.
Spewgilist.com has committed to do this.
Conclusion. If you have time on Saturdays from 12-3, tune in to the CringeHumor.net network, watch the show live, join the chat room, call in, give them crap, let them know Pugilist sent you. Not necessarily in that order, of course. Otherwise download the show and enjoy the hell out of it.