Backstage Buddies

These guys are clever, creative, and hysterical. Their work as theatre professionals and discussion thereof doesn’t overshadow their lives as creators and consumers of Art, and listening to them rant and ramble is a weekly joy.

Let's be real, even if I didn't know these guys in real life I would still find this a completely relatable podcast, and the guys run the gamut from talking about theatre and the craft of acting to books and movies and video games and comic books. In that sense, it's a podcast of nerdery and geekdom with a heavy dose of theatre: i.e., all of my favorite things. They're also not afraid to tackle the deeper subjects and get into in-depth discussions about sexism, racism, etc. Keep up the good work, friends!

This is a 5 Star review because of Joe (the fartier one). Jason--a man who tried to poison me at least once by offering me the wrong cheese--is under probation until such time as he offers me the right cheese or something better than death, whichever comes first. Look, these guys are my friends which means I agree with them about 10% of the time, but that's not the point. They do a wonderful job of being honest about how they feel about life and art and how they strive to make those two big challenges one and the same. So if you're looking for someone to disagree with 90% of the time, someone who'll give you a hug when you need one, someone who knows nothing about cheese, I recommend my Backstage Buddies, Jason and Joe. If you are not looking for those folk you probably should be, because to misquote Jason "Buddies are better than cheese." (Let's face it, Joe probably said it this way, because Joe is a REAL buddy, and not a cheese poisoner--also "farts" rhymes with "smarts!")

I have been following this podcast not too long after its conception, and for anyone who wants to hear the reality behind being a professional thespian and relationships to other art forms in the everyday, this podcast is for you. Being a theatre artist myself, I find it motivating, relatable, and personable. I love how Jason and Joe explore issues that you don't see discussed openly in theatre, film, and television, and they even keep the controversial topics going, and in between moments of witty, gritty, and pretty banter, there is a lot of mirth and pleasure. Please listen to this if you know already, want to know, and want to know more, because, you will.