You should listen to this... My Dad Wrote A Porno

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If you see someone covering their mouth, trying to stifle laughter on the Monday morning commute, chances are they're listening to My Dad Wrote a Porno

This now worldwide hit is in its second series and has only gotten better with age. Jamie Morton has the (no doubt skin crawling) task of reading out his dad’s self-published erotica (‘Self-published erotica’ should not be a thing, but it is) to his friends James Cooper and Alice Levine (BBC Radio 1). Each episode they delve into another chapter and follow the adventures of 'Pots and Pans' buisness lady Belina Blumenthal. Picking it apart, line by line, comma by misused comma with hilarious effect. 

The things that make this podcast a must listen are:

The dynamic between Jamie, James and Alice is very real, they have known each other for years and you can tell that by listning to them. A lot of double or triple headed podcasts could learn a lot from their on-mic relationship.

Simple format, strong content. The layout of each episode is formulaic and easy to follow. The brief recap is a good icebreaker and warm up for the coming episode. The content (Belinda Blinked) is a gift to us all, but mostly this podcast. You can’t predict where it is going and worryingly, become invested in the characters (‘Characters' is to be read with a question mark).

They give you just enough of the drug to keep you addicted. Each episode is very well edited. Never too long, and always packed with the best bits. The commonplace thing for a lot of podcasts of this style to do is to keep in the ramblings of conversations, when they don’t need to.

A lot of what the trio do each episode is very basic. I mean that in the nicest way. Radio as a medium is at its most powerful when;

You talk to one person.

Have core values and themes but move the narrative along.

Welcome the listener like a friend

Make them feel like they are ‘in on the joke’.

My Dad Wrote A Porno does all of the above, and it works. It works so well, it’s a regular at the top of the Itunes chart. I guarantee you’ll be laughing your pomegranate’s off at this smutty hit. 

Here is a good place to start:

BEST OF BOOK ONE

Free Tea, Dundee, Serial and Me.

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As I write this I’m on a train, camped in the quiet coach taking advantage of the free tea and wi-fi. The journey is sunny; I can see my own reflection in the laptop. I've had a sort of half day today, went up to Dundee for a few hours now I’m heading home.

I have so far enjoyed the ‘100 a day’ challenge I’ve set myself and up until this post I haven’t really struggled to come up with something to write. 

So, i’ll leave you with this, an article by Sarah Koenig, one of the creators of Serial, the podcast that took over the world.

In this piece she breaks down how she managed to tell a story without having the material she wanted.

It’s a great insight into the amount of work and research they go into to make Serial.  It’s also a lesson on recording everything and throwing none of it away.  


====YOU CAN FIND THE ARTICLE HERE====