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1/ A year ago I launched a whisky podcast and thought success would be fun and light-hearted interviews. I think I was wrong.
A thread.
A thread.
2/ We started off with some very funny episodes - talking to whisky ambassador Jennifer Wren about mispronunciations of whisky names, Nigel Lythgoe telling funny stories of meeting the Beatles and @TheRossKing basically just telling jokes (and we drunk a whole bottle of whisky).
3/ The episodes did well and the feedback was good and we got pretty decent numbers - we got to 27 in the @ApplePodcasts food charts in the UK.
I thought this was going to work out it sort of did.
Until #coronavirus.
I thought this was going to work out it sort of did.
Until #coronavirus.
4/ We moved up to recording once a week and doing the episodes over Zoom - with a whisky at either end - and we couldn’t not talk about Corona.
So we did ‘Corona as a TV script pitch’ with @nevslin and ‘travel during Corona’ with @RachelRoams (who actually caught the virus).
So we did ‘Corona as a TV script pitch’ with @nevslin and ‘travel during Corona’ with @RachelRoams (who actually caught the virus).
5/ Our numbers kept going up.
And then George Floyd happened and I decided that I had to turn our ‘conversations over whisky’ into ‘important conversations over whisky’.
So we talked to a former @BarackObama advisor and Marine about being black in America.
And then George Floyd happened and I decided that I had to turn our ‘conversations over whisky’ into ‘important conversations over whisky’.
So we talked to a former @BarackObama advisor and Marine about being black in America.
6/ Our episode with David Haines of @BakerRipley had more listens in two days then any other episode had in its lifespan.
The feedback was ‘we want more of this’.
We kept up the normal interviews - which remain light-hearted - but there was always a serious element.
The feedback was ‘we want more of this’.
We kept up the normal interviews - which remain light-hearted - but there was always a serious element.
7/ Last week we did a difficult and powerful episode about DUI, interviewing a man ( @birthmarc) whose son was killed by a drunk driver ( @NBFLOVR ).
It’s already our second most listened to episode.
It’s already our second most listened to episode.
8/ Tomorrow we release a Chadwick Boseman memorial episode with a tribute from a co-star on Jackie Robinson movie 42.
I expect it to do well.
This isn’t what I expected but I think I’m pleased.
I expect it to do well.
This isn’t what I expected but I think I’m pleased.
9/ I think my conclusions are:
- Podcasts with a serious message are wanted in a serious time.
- Whisky remains the best drink for important conversations.
- Serious conversations can still be conducted in a light-hearted style.
- Follow your audience not your original idea.
- Podcasts with a serious message are wanted in a serious time.
- Whisky remains the best drink for important conversations.
- Serious conversations can still be conducted in a light-hearted style.
- Follow your audience not your original idea.
10/ Even our fun conversations have serious elements.
Chunk from the Goonies ( @Jeff_B_Cohen) discussed not progressing from child star, @mikebrewer got angry about social media trolls and @nataliemorales about how smashing her face against a balcony nearly derailed her career.
Chunk from the Goonies ( @Jeff_B_Cohen) discussed not progressing from child star, @mikebrewer got angry about social media trolls and @nataliemorales about how smashing her face against a balcony nearly derailed her career.
11/ This thread is now too long.
But please keep listening and please keep leaving reviews and telling us what you think of our episodes.
And then we can try and make the most interesting whisky conversations possible.
But please keep listening and please keep leaving reviews and telling us what you think of our episodes.
And then we can try and make the most interesting whisky conversations possible.
