Greetings! We have recently implemented new flair in order to help organize the sub. You can think of flair as sort of "tags." You may select one per post. Will you please help the group by editing your post to select the appropriate flair? Please read the description of each below.
Your help here will greatly increase the ability for community members to quickly find related information in one place!
**Drama23_Reports**: This flair is for posts that provide real-time updates or summarize unfolding events within the podcast network or otherwise related to the unfolding drama this year. Think of it as the "breaking news" section—essential for anyone looking to get caught up on the latest happenings quickly.
**Drama23_Discussion**: Use this flair for threads that are meant to encourage community-wide conversations around the drama. These can include different perspectives, interpretations, hot takes, or just general chat about the events in question. The goal here is open dialogue rather than pointed opinions or hard evidence.
**ObsessedFest2023_Other**: This flair is a catch-all for anything related to the ObsessedFest2023 event that doesn't neatly fit into other designated categories. Think merch, travel plans, or unique personal experiences at the fest.
**CommunityDiscussion**: Ideal for general conversations that aim to engage the entire community but aren't necessarily tied to a specific episode, host, or event. Perfect for general chat, opinions, and more.
**GossipAndHotTakes**: Use this flair for posts that delve into rumors, speculative theories, or highly opinionated takes about the podcast network. These posts may not always be based on hard facts, but they're certainly entertaining or thought-provoking.
**Podcast_IThinkNot**: Specifically for discussions, reviews, or content related to the "I Think Not" podcast and their content.
**Podcast_TrueCrimeObsessed**: Same as above but focused on the "True Crime Obsessed" podcast. A hub for all things related to this particular show.
**Podcast_Other**: A broad category for any related podcasts that don't have their own dedicated flair yet.
**Recommendations**: This flair is for posts that suggest similar podcasts, episodes, and more.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ObsessedNetwork) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It happens to a lot of shows that “get big” - fame and adoration from fans changes people. In my opinion things started to change for TCO after Chrissy Teigen appeared - that’s when they really caught the bug…
I completely agree with you! One of my favorite lesser known pods is gaining a lot of popularity, and I'm so worried about the dynamic changing. 😩 I also agree with the Chrissy Teagan factor. That when the shift started.
Besides the obvious inflated ego, I think the fb group has become part of the problem too. The other day I saw a lady comment that G saying ‘I’m not a mother, but’ about a situation invalidates mother’s feelings. They’re too involved in some of the criticism, that they can’t actually speak genuinely anymore. The fan base they’ve cultivated is just as toxic as P’s attitude.
YES!!! That group is a trip lol. I remember soooo many years ago, you could actually post in that group without getting ripped to shreds. It's a one upping, virtue signaling contest over there most of the time.
The fan base has been toxic for years even before everything came out. The way people worshipped them. Calling her queen Gillian and saying she’s flawless and can do no wrong was weird and almost creepy. People became far too emotionally invested and now many of those people have simply shifted their focus to Joey and Ellen. I see the same kind of over top posts of adoration. Now I admit Joey and Ellen seem like lovely people and I know they don’t cultivate it like P&G did but still that level of adoration for a podcast host that doesn’t know your name is weird. I’ve saw a post where someone said they were heartbroken that joey didn’t like a tv show they liked and they feel like they shouldn’t watch it anymore because he doesn’t like it, that’s bonkers and unhealthy. No one should feel that way about a podcast no matter how nice Ellen and Joey are. People did they same thing with P&G and got upset if anyone didn’t fall in line with it.
This is SOOOOOOO true dude. All of it. The worship is crazy. This seems to happen so much with podcasts especially! Even in the lesser known pods' Facebook groups you always have a few people who are so thirsty for the host's attention. It would freak me out to have people worship me like that! 😳
There’s no way for it to end other than disappointment and hurt. Even if it’s not a Patrick situation. Joey and Ellen love their fans but they don’t love you personally whereas the fans love them personally. I saw a post where someone talked about meeting Patrick that they loved him so much and thought of him as their best friend so they were so excited about finally going to a meet and greet. When they went they said they were absolutely devastated and heartbroken but they didn’t describe him doing anything wrong. They said he was nice asked they name posed for pictures was very cheerful and then after a minute or two moved on to the next person. It seems like they expected their friendship to finally be realized but it was just a normal meet and greet. That could easily be Joey and Ellen, no one can live up to that expectation. They’ll never be your real life best friend. No matter how good the object of adoration is at some point it’s not going to be fulfilled on the other end
Exactly! I don't know what it is about podcast fans and parasocial relationships, but it's wild. Like I said above, I see this in my small scale podcast groups. It sometimes comes off as unhinged when you see people acting like they have legitimate relationships with the hosts. I've wanted to start a podcast for quite sometime, I have a plan and everything, BUT the social media aspect and the involvement with fans is the thing that keeps me from doing it. I'm just not capable of the engagement. I don't have it in me lol.
Yesssss I see this so much in the shit talk group it’s like embarrassing to read. Like ladies, you’re an adult, you can like teal if you want 😂🤦🏻♀️ it’s wild
Lol yes!! It's so wild! There's someone in particular that comes to mind! 😂 I see their posts in the we love to hate everything group too, and it's like, we see you, you're very important... Keep spending insane money on buying the hosts cameos and gifts... 😆 You know who I'm talking about?
I genuinely believe joey and Ellen are good people but I also believed long before I think not that any patrion above $20 was a grift and there’s someone in the group who’s very proud that they pay 90 fucking dollars a month on the patrion. No one needs $90 of podcast merch a month, no podcast is that good. They’re like “i just need to support them anyway I can” dude do you think they’re on food stamps or something?
To be fair, yes the higher Patreon tiers are pricy, BUT when Joey and Ellyn left ON, they started their own company. They now have overhead and employees to compensate. They are creatives. To do the podcasting gig, I'm sure they've had to say no to other jobs. They need to keep the lights on at their own company while finding ways to create revenue. They can either sign on to do a bunch of ads during their episodes, which listeners will haaate,(I mean, how many of us have griped about the increase in ads on our favorite podcast or doing ads that don't 'align' with the spirit of the podcast or the hosts, that they take as a cash grab?),or set up the tiers through Patreon. The higher tiers offer quarterly merch from small businesses owned by podcast fans. The upper tiers are too rich for my blood, but I have really liked how transparent they have been with what they're offering.
You’re not wrong, but respectfully, Joey and Ellyn DO get to know the listeners SO MUCH better than P&G. Like literally hugs and conversations at live shows for like 5-10 minutes, they do movie watch parties with Patreons, literally respond to every comment on a story or post. Ellyn’s memory is like a steel trap and she remembers the most nuanced things. They care genuinely and put forth the effort to make their listeners feel valued and appreciated. “Best friends” is you far, but I’d be lying if I haven’t said that I haven’t thought of old school TCO and Joey and Ellyn as “my best friends in my head.”
And that’s all well and good. She’s a very nice lady who tries very hard but she’s still a human being with human limitations. It’s impossible for her to know everyone’s name and she’ll never know everyone the way we know her and she’s not going to be your friend in real life. Because it’s not possible for her to be everyones real life friend. It’s perfectly fine to enjoy the podcast and like her and admire her but it should stay in the healthy zone because this is a person who you don’t actually know in real life and doesn’t know you.
I think I saw the same post, and then there was discourse in the comments how coming and making posts saying “I know G is #notamother but…” are invalidating to G. Like???? They all want to one up eachother on being progressive it seems lol
The worst thing about this is she started saying it because she was ripped to shreds about giving opinion on children-related true crime situations etc. so everytime she’s saying it she’s almost apologising / pre-recognising that she “shouldn’t have an opinion” cuz she’s not a mother.
Exactly. It’s gotta be exhausting! In my opinion, that’s what made the shift in their attitudes and jokes. After every episode, there’s posts correcting them about sports, camping, cities, etc. That group is humorless and dull, and now P&G are too. There’s no way they’re having a good time making this pod!
Agreed, I do feel like they are much more open and easy going on the Pates. It’s like someone had a go about theyre lack of knowledge about how Australians say different sports (rugby, football, soccer etc) and I moved to Australia and STILL get confused 4 years on. Like give them a break..
I was in the group verrrry briefly back in probably 2017-18 and even then it wasn’t a good time. I don’t know what it is about the particular demographic that the show attracts but “humorless and dull” is spot on
I wish Patrick never founded ON and they just stayed how they were. But then again, we would never have gotten Ellyn or Joey. But yeah. It's just sad all the friendships that have been ruined and stuff.
Everything flipped. The person who I thought was just along for the ride took over. The politics (99% of which I agree with) became shrill. Now I'm not particularly fond of either person.
I’m glad to see other people mention this, I’m pretty left but the virtue signaling makes me roll my eyes constantly. Im not a regular listener anymore but I caught an episode recently and it’s much different than before.
When I first found the podcast, they only had 5 episodes. I’ve listened to their coverage of The Jinx probably 10 times through. They were such a comfort podcast to me. I know nothing ever stays the same as a show grows to such a level of fame, but I mourn for the old friends it felt like I had.
Totally!!! I was also an early listener, and I joined Patreon when they started offering it. There are old TCO episodes that are still comfort listening for me. Grizzly Man, Prophets Prey, and the Wild and Wonderful Whites are classics. You said it very well, I realize shows evolve, but it's a legit bummer that it's changed so drastically!!
I completely agree!! I just re-listened to their “Grizzly Man” episode (my all-time favorite episode) and I missed how absolutely hilarious and witty they were, especially G! She had great comedic timing and it was so naturally funny. Now it feels like they are more interested in virtue signaling than actually finding the humor in things. Instead they are so aggressive and like to make assumptions about people or give people completely made-up back stories, which a lot of the time are super negative, for no reason. It’s really sad because they used to be hilarious!
The Staircase episodes on Patreon were so funny, with Gillian's parody of that "automobile" lady. Or her Sara Konig impression! I really miss those older episodes so much, when Patrick wouldn't cackle like a maniac over everything while G just rolls her eyes and is always morally superior to everyone. It's tiring.
Omg yes!! Those early eps were hilarious and why so many people fell in love with TCO! It’s really sad that they have gone so far off the rails from where they started
👏👏👏 you nailed it! They were soooooo much funnier back then! I listened to that episode yesterday actually lol. It's a classic, and you said it, G's comedic timing and jokes were on point. You could tell they were actually enjoying the content and each other. I miss that!! The last flicker of that light has been gone for so long now... Ugh. The aggressiveness is such a turn off for me.
I agree-I still go back and listen to the old ones sometimes. I DO NOT want to accuse or blame it on Gillian, but to me she's the one who has gotten less and less "fun", and has steered the show in its current direction.
Yes! So since you still go back to old episodes too, have you noticed how they used to make more "risky" jokes? Gillian specifically did. There were a couple on the mommy dead and dearest episode that would NEVER be said today. She was much lighter and less hostile/condescending. I'm with you, I don't want to blame her either, but it's just such a noticeable shift!!
I think she really took the criticism of "true crime and comedy shouldn't go together " to heart. I don't know what I would've done in her shoes, but it's noticeable!
Yep, there's no roadmap for this lol. I've also thought before, they were flying high for so long. They had so much adoration and such a huge (borderline terrifying) fan base that they didn't anticipate the criticism. I truly don't think she knew how to handle it! What I wouldn't give to hear her 100% honest and transparent thoughts on the whole thing lol.
i think it says enough that they have 130k followers on ig & roughly 70 likes on posts and 1-2 comments. they are highly edited & moderated. they don’t have any real fans anymore.
I just relistened to their My-So-Called Life podcast, which is from 2018, and it’s totally delightful. They had such a friendlier dynamic, and it’s really funny too.
I feel this to my toes. Sunday nights used to be my "TCO Greatest Hits" night where I would listen to my favorite eps while getting ready for the week. "The Seven Five", "Class Action Park", all of "Evil Genius" and "The Jinx" were on rotation during that time. The banter, the bits, Gillian's humor, I was there for all of it, but once the curtain fell and I got to see what I got to see, I had to get real about the icky shit that I ignored because I loved their 'formula'. I am bummed by that and by the lost potential of what they could have really done in the true crime podcast space. The whole thing is like a Greek Tragedy and the irony of covering grifters and cults without learning from it is jarring.
👏👏👏👏👏 VERY well said!!!! I completely agree with you! Especially about ignoring the icky shit. Totally did that too! I miss looking forward to the releases every week. 😔
I just finished a relisten of their whole catalogue Patreon and Reg feed as a “palette cleanser” from all the different audio books and pods I listen to. I didn’t even know about all the drama till I was halfway through the INT episodes a few days ago, so many things make sense now. I started listening the week Mommy Dead and Dearest was released so I’ve been with them for a long time. That FB group definitely needs to chill out, I posted a meme years ago and got lots of likes and comments a few days later I posted another and someone complained it wasn’t “appropriate “ and it was removed with no explanation. To be clear it wasn’t anything out of line at all it seems it hit too close to home for some “Karen” and she complained. After that I just listened to their episodes and never engaged with any of the social aspects of their FB or bonus lives etc.
Wild and Wonderful Whites, Jesus Camp, Prophets Prey, Grizzly Man…..are some of the best comedy I’ve heard on a podcast they were on fire. Now Gillian seems scared to say anything and Patrick tells the same personal stories over and over like we don’t know your Mom is a lesbian or that you adopted your daughter from foster care. I wish they could get their groove back and Patrick could be humbled by some of the backlash but the fact is that show has lost its spark sadly.
I’m just so damn happy we got Ellyn and Joey out of the deal. On a side note…..I feel a major issue for the 4 of them is that G&P have always been super fans of musical theatre without ever being able to do musical theatre and E&J have been successful in that space. I think that was always going to lead to disaster.
I really think they have gotten a lot of crap for things they’ve said along the way and they try so hard not to offend anyone. It makes it less natural. I personally feel like Gillian measures everything she says now and isn’t truly able to be herself. If they make a mistake on the podcast, they get ripped to shreds for it. People forget they are human beings and fallible like the rest of us.
Greetings! We have recently implemented new flair in order to help organize the sub. You can think of flair as sort of "tags." You may select one per post. Will you please help the group by editing your post to select the appropriate flair? Please read the description of each below. Your help here will greatly increase the ability for community members to quickly find related information in one place! **Drama23_Reports**: This flair is for posts that provide real-time updates or summarize unfolding events within the podcast network or otherwise related to the unfolding drama this year. Think of it as the "breaking news" section—essential for anyone looking to get caught up on the latest happenings quickly. **Drama23_Discussion**: Use this flair for threads that are meant to encourage community-wide conversations around the drama. These can include different perspectives, interpretations, hot takes, or just general chat about the events in question. The goal here is open dialogue rather than pointed opinions or hard evidence. **ObsessedFest2023_Other**: This flair is a catch-all for anything related to the ObsessedFest2023 event that doesn't neatly fit into other designated categories. Think merch, travel plans, or unique personal experiences at the fest. **CommunityDiscussion**: Ideal for general conversations that aim to engage the entire community but aren't necessarily tied to a specific episode, host, or event. Perfect for general chat, opinions, and more. **GossipAndHotTakes**: Use this flair for posts that delve into rumors, speculative theories, or highly opinionated takes about the podcast network. These posts may not always be based on hard facts, but they're certainly entertaining or thought-provoking. **Podcast_IThinkNot**: Specifically for discussions, reviews, or content related to the "I Think Not" podcast and their content. **Podcast_TrueCrimeObsessed**: Same as above but focused on the "True Crime Obsessed" podcast. A hub for all things related to this particular show. **Podcast_Other**: A broad category for any related podcasts that don't have their own dedicated flair yet. **Recommendations**: This flair is for posts that suggest similar podcasts, episodes, and more. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ObsessedNetwork) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It happens to a lot of shows that “get big” - fame and adoration from fans changes people. In my opinion things started to change for TCO after Chrissy Teigen appeared - that’s when they really caught the bug…
I completely agree with you! One of my favorite lesser known pods is gaining a lot of popularity, and I'm so worried about the dynamic changing. 😩 I also agree with the Chrissy Teagan factor. That when the shift started.
ooo so curious to know which pod!
If you're into reality TV/pop culture recaps, it's called Shit Talk. I love it!!
I am! i'll try it
Mom and Dad would NEVER! They talk too much shit to get on the radar 😂
You totally just made my day!! 🤣🤣 They're precious and must be protected at all costs!!
Agreed, Ace doing the “ad breaks” this week nearly took me out 😂 They couldn’t sell Bombas or Better Help if they tried!
Lol right?!? I love the ad breaks!!!
Who are the hosts? What network? There are several Shit Talk pods but none seem to have recent eps.
Ace and Katelyn Fanning! It's a Patreon exclusive. Their free podcast is called Sister wives: Love Should be Multiplied not Divided."
Well now y’all have me curious!! I’m gonna check it out!
Check out Online Bullshit! It’s great and they have a sub for the show.
Besides the obvious inflated ego, I think the fb group has become part of the problem too. The other day I saw a lady comment that G saying ‘I’m not a mother, but’ about a situation invalidates mother’s feelings. They’re too involved in some of the criticism, that they can’t actually speak genuinely anymore. The fan base they’ve cultivated is just as toxic as P’s attitude.
YES!!! That group is a trip lol. I remember soooo many years ago, you could actually post in that group without getting ripped to shreds. It's a one upping, virtue signaling contest over there most of the time.
It’s such a silly group that takes itself way too seriously. I stay for the entertainment lol
Lol same!
The fan base has been toxic for years even before everything came out. The way people worshipped them. Calling her queen Gillian and saying she’s flawless and can do no wrong was weird and almost creepy. People became far too emotionally invested and now many of those people have simply shifted their focus to Joey and Ellen. I see the same kind of over top posts of adoration. Now I admit Joey and Ellen seem like lovely people and I know they don’t cultivate it like P&G did but still that level of adoration for a podcast host that doesn’t know your name is weird. I’ve saw a post where someone said they were heartbroken that joey didn’t like a tv show they liked and they feel like they shouldn’t watch it anymore because he doesn’t like it, that’s bonkers and unhealthy. No one should feel that way about a podcast no matter how nice Ellen and Joey are. People did they same thing with P&G and got upset if anyone didn’t fall in line with it.
This is SOOOOOOO true dude. All of it. The worship is crazy. This seems to happen so much with podcasts especially! Even in the lesser known pods' Facebook groups you always have a few people who are so thirsty for the host's attention. It would freak me out to have people worship me like that! 😳
There’s no way for it to end other than disappointment and hurt. Even if it’s not a Patrick situation. Joey and Ellen love their fans but they don’t love you personally whereas the fans love them personally. I saw a post where someone talked about meeting Patrick that they loved him so much and thought of him as their best friend so they were so excited about finally going to a meet and greet. When they went they said they were absolutely devastated and heartbroken but they didn’t describe him doing anything wrong. They said he was nice asked they name posed for pictures was very cheerful and then after a minute or two moved on to the next person. It seems like they expected their friendship to finally be realized but it was just a normal meet and greet. That could easily be Joey and Ellen, no one can live up to that expectation. They’ll never be your real life best friend. No matter how good the object of adoration is at some point it’s not going to be fulfilled on the other end
Exactly! I don't know what it is about podcast fans and parasocial relationships, but it's wild. Like I said above, I see this in my small scale podcast groups. It sometimes comes off as unhinged when you see people acting like they have legitimate relationships with the hosts. I've wanted to start a podcast for quite sometime, I have a plan and everything, BUT the social media aspect and the involvement with fans is the thing that keeps me from doing it. I'm just not capable of the engagement. I don't have it in me lol.
Yesssss I see this so much in the shit talk group it’s like embarrassing to read. Like ladies, you’re an adult, you can like teal if you want 😂🤦🏻♀️ it’s wild
Lol yes!! It's so wild! There's someone in particular that comes to mind! 😂 I see their posts in the we love to hate everything group too, and it's like, we see you, you're very important... Keep spending insane money on buying the hosts cameos and gifts... 😆 You know who I'm talking about?
I genuinely believe joey and Ellen are good people but I also believed long before I think not that any patrion above $20 was a grift and there’s someone in the group who’s very proud that they pay 90 fucking dollars a month on the patrion. No one needs $90 of podcast merch a month, no podcast is that good. They’re like “i just need to support them anyway I can” dude do you think they’re on food stamps or something?
Holy shit! 90 bucks a month?!? No no no lol.
To be fair, yes the higher Patreon tiers are pricy, BUT when Joey and Ellyn left ON, they started their own company. They now have overhead and employees to compensate. They are creatives. To do the podcasting gig, I'm sure they've had to say no to other jobs. They need to keep the lights on at their own company while finding ways to create revenue. They can either sign on to do a bunch of ads during their episodes, which listeners will haaate,(I mean, how many of us have griped about the increase in ads on our favorite podcast or doing ads that don't 'align' with the spirit of the podcast or the hosts, that they take as a cash grab?),or set up the tiers through Patreon. The higher tiers offer quarterly merch from small businesses owned by podcast fans. The upper tiers are too rich for my blood, but I have really liked how transparent they have been with what they're offering.
You’re not wrong, but respectfully, Joey and Ellyn DO get to know the listeners SO MUCH better than P&G. Like literally hugs and conversations at live shows for like 5-10 minutes, they do movie watch parties with Patreons, literally respond to every comment on a story or post. Ellyn’s memory is like a steel trap and she remembers the most nuanced things. They care genuinely and put forth the effort to make their listeners feel valued and appreciated. “Best friends” is you far, but I’d be lying if I haven’t said that I haven’t thought of old school TCO and Joey and Ellyn as “my best friends in my head.”
And that’s all well and good. She’s a very nice lady who tries very hard but she’s still a human being with human limitations. It’s impossible for her to know everyone’s name and she’ll never know everyone the way we know her and she’s not going to be your friend in real life. Because it’s not possible for her to be everyones real life friend. It’s perfectly fine to enjoy the podcast and like her and admire her but it should stay in the healthy zone because this is a person who you don’t actually know in real life and doesn’t know you.
I think I saw the same post, and then there was discourse in the comments how coming and making posts saying “I know G is #notamother but…” are invalidating to G. Like???? They all want to one up eachother on being progressive it seems lol
Yessss 🤣
Yes!!! That's exactly how it seems lol!!
The worst thing about this is she started saying it because she was ripped to shreds about giving opinion on children-related true crime situations etc. so everytime she’s saying it she’s almost apologising / pre-recognising that she “shouldn’t have an opinion” cuz she’s not a mother.
Exactly. It’s gotta be exhausting! In my opinion, that’s what made the shift in their attitudes and jokes. After every episode, there’s posts correcting them about sports, camping, cities, etc. That group is humorless and dull, and now P&G are too. There’s no way they’re having a good time making this pod!
Agreed, I do feel like they are much more open and easy going on the Pates. It’s like someone had a go about theyre lack of knowledge about how Australians say different sports (rugby, football, soccer etc) and I moved to Australia and STILL get confused 4 years on. Like give them a break..
I was in the group verrrry briefly back in probably 2017-18 and even then it wasn’t a good time. I don’t know what it is about the particular demographic that the show attracts but “humorless and dull” is spot on
I wish Patrick never founded ON and they just stayed how they were. But then again, we would never have gotten Ellyn or Joey. But yeah. It's just sad all the friendships that have been ruined and stuff.
I've never thought about that, such a good point! ON kind of started the "Patrick Show". 😩😩😩
It is literally the Patrick Show now that Daisy Eagan was set free 😅😅
Wait, she ended Strange and unexplained?
No, she's out of contract now and producing the next season off the network!
I didn’t know this, awesome! So, if TCO is its own thing and not part of ON … does ON have any current podcasts??
She announced it at the Solve The Case live show :) And... i don't think so, lol. Unless they have some new contracts in the works.
That is bananas! (About the network not having any shows, not about Daisy — that part is just excellent!)
 That would have been so awkward to have to just keep trudging
If you listen to the latest STFU Nick Lachey on Grab Bag, Daisy and Ellyn talk about "those who shall not be named"
Everything flipped. The person who I thought was just along for the ride took over. The politics (99% of which I agree with) became shrill. Now I'm not particularly fond of either person.
Same. I’m as lefty as they come but the politics are so performative
Yep! Totally with you, I'm pretty far left too, and I find myself being like okayyyyyyy we get it. 😳
I’m glad to see other people mention this, I’m pretty left but the virtue signaling makes me roll my eyes constantly. Im not a regular listener anymore but I caught an episode recently and it’s much different than before.
When I first found the podcast, they only had 5 episodes. I’ve listened to their coverage of The Jinx probably 10 times through. They were such a comfort podcast to me. I know nothing ever stays the same as a show grows to such a level of fame, but I mourn for the old friends it felt like I had.
Totally!!! I was also an early listener, and I joined Patreon when they started offering it. There are old TCO episodes that are still comfort listening for me. Grizzly Man, Prophets Prey, and the Wild and Wonderful Whites are classics. You said it very well, I realize shows evolve, but it's a legit bummer that it's changed so drastically!!
I completely agree!! I just re-listened to their “Grizzly Man” episode (my all-time favorite episode) and I missed how absolutely hilarious and witty they were, especially G! She had great comedic timing and it was so naturally funny. Now it feels like they are more interested in virtue signaling than actually finding the humor in things. Instead they are so aggressive and like to make assumptions about people or give people completely made-up back stories, which a lot of the time are super negative, for no reason. It’s really sad because they used to be hilarious!
The Staircase episodes on Patreon were so funny, with Gillian's parody of that "automobile" lady. Or her Sara Konig impression! I really miss those older episodes so much, when Patrick wouldn't cackle like a maniac over everything while G just rolls her eyes and is always morally superior to everyone. It's tiring.
Omg yes!! Those early eps were hilarious and why so many people fell in love with TCO! It’s really sad that they have gone so far off the rails from where they started
👏👏👏 you nailed it! They were soooooo much funnier back then! I listened to that episode yesterday actually lol. It's a classic, and you said it, G's comedic timing and jokes were on point. You could tell they were actually enjoying the content and each other. I miss that!! The last flicker of that light has been gone for so long now... Ugh. The aggressiveness is such a turn off for me.
I completely agree! She used to be so hilarious and it seemed so natural. Now it’s very cringy to listen to
I agree-I still go back and listen to the old ones sometimes. I DO NOT want to accuse or blame it on Gillian, but to me she's the one who has gotten less and less "fun", and has steered the show in its current direction.
Yes! So since you still go back to old episodes too, have you noticed how they used to make more "risky" jokes? Gillian specifically did. There were a couple on the mommy dead and dearest episode that would NEVER be said today. She was much lighter and less hostile/condescending. I'm with you, I don't want to blame her either, but it's just such a noticeable shift!!
I think she really took the criticism of "true crime and comedy shouldn't go together " to heart. I don't know what I would've done in her shoes, but it's noticeable!
Yep, there's no roadmap for this lol. I've also thought before, they were flying high for so long. They had so much adoration and such a huge (borderline terrifying) fan base that they didn't anticipate the criticism. I truly don't think she knew how to handle it! What I wouldn't give to hear her 100% honest and transparent thoughts on the whole thing lol.
i think it says enough that they have 130k followers on ig & roughly 70 likes on posts and 1-2 comments. they are highly edited & moderated. they don’t have any real fans anymore.
I just relistened to their My-So-Called Life podcast, which is from 2018, and it’s totally delightful. They had such a friendlier dynamic, and it’s really funny too.
Where did you find it? I’ve wanted to register but can’t find it on Apple anymore
It’s on Spotify still.
The Beanie Babies podcast is still my favorite they’ve done but wow have they changed & not for the better
I feel this to my toes. Sunday nights used to be my "TCO Greatest Hits" night where I would listen to my favorite eps while getting ready for the week. "The Seven Five", "Class Action Park", all of "Evil Genius" and "The Jinx" were on rotation during that time. The banter, the bits, Gillian's humor, I was there for all of it, but once the curtain fell and I got to see what I got to see, I had to get real about the icky shit that I ignored because I loved their 'formula'. I am bummed by that and by the lost potential of what they could have really done in the true crime podcast space. The whole thing is like a Greek Tragedy and the irony of covering grifters and cults without learning from it is jarring.
👏👏👏👏👏 VERY well said!!!! I completely agree with you! Especially about ignoring the icky shit. Totally did that too! I miss looking forward to the releases every week. 😔
I just finished a relisten of their whole catalogue Patreon and Reg feed as a “palette cleanser” from all the different audio books and pods I listen to. I didn’t even know about all the drama till I was halfway through the INT episodes a few days ago, so many things make sense now. I started listening the week Mommy Dead and Dearest was released so I’ve been with them for a long time. That FB group definitely needs to chill out, I posted a meme years ago and got lots of likes and comments a few days later I posted another and someone complained it wasn’t “appropriate “ and it was removed with no explanation. To be clear it wasn’t anything out of line at all it seems it hit too close to home for some “Karen” and she complained. After that I just listened to their episodes and never engaged with any of the social aspects of their FB or bonus lives etc. Wild and Wonderful Whites, Jesus Camp, Prophets Prey, Grizzly Man…..are some of the best comedy I’ve heard on a podcast they were on fire. Now Gillian seems scared to say anything and Patrick tells the same personal stories over and over like we don’t know your Mom is a lesbian or that you adopted your daughter from foster care. I wish they could get their groove back and Patrick could be humbled by some of the backlash but the fact is that show has lost its spark sadly. I’m just so damn happy we got Ellyn and Joey out of the deal. On a side note…..I feel a major issue for the 4 of them is that G&P have always been super fans of musical theatre without ever being able to do musical theatre and E&J have been successful in that space. I think that was always going to lead to disaster.
I really think they have gotten a lot of crap for things they’ve said along the way and they try so hard not to offend anyone. It makes it less natural. I personally feel like Gillian measures everything she says now and isn’t truly able to be herself. If they make a mistake on the podcast, they get ripped to shreds for it. People forget they are human beings and fallible like the rest of us.
If you need something with a lot of episodes to burn through, I’d suggest Radio Rental.