400 episodes, and counting, with your help...
Thank you!
If you’ve been listening to the show1 you probably heard that we recently crossed the 400 episode mark. Incredible!
We took the opportunity to chat with our producer/researcher Jacob Feldman about how the show comes together.
Here are some of the lessons Jacob has learned:
We’re a nation of revolt (periods of true civility are rare)
It’s never too late to remember (we’re getting better at re-contextualizing, and digging up important stories)
History is what happens while you’re busy making other plans (a lot of key figures were just trying to live their lives)
History can be fun—and weird (always remember, George HW Bush threw up on a guy)
These episodes were a great chance to step back, identify some themes, and riff on some favorite episodes. I even got to make my case for “Four Seasons Total Landscaping” being, perhaps, the funniest thing that’s ever happened… ever?
It was also a chance to reflect on why we are able to make the show we make. And the reason is, really, because we’re a part of Radiotopia, which means that we’re fully independent and listener supported.
We don’t have corporate overlords, we fund the show in a modest and sustainable way.2 We don’t have people we need to run our ideas past — we get to just have the conversations we want to have, in the way we want to have them.
And the way that you want to have them. As I mentioned on the show, so many of the best ideas over the last 400 shows have come from you, the listener.
We’re a community show, and that means we can only do what we do with your support.
So, yeah, you guessed it, now I’m going to ask you to become a member of Radiotopia. It is, indeed, the Radiotopia fundraiser, and this is a great moment to go from listener to member.
Radiotopia is trying to get 1,000 people to become new members. That’s a big goal for a relatively small network — but it’s also a very achievable number. A small fraction of our actual audience. Which means that you, yes you, can make a big difference. Right now.
There’s also cool swag — stickers, hats, and more.
Okay, that’s it. Once again, thanks for helping us get to 400 episodes, it’s truly been a blast. Be in touch, and we’ll see you soon.
-Jody, Niki, Kellie, Jacob, Brittani-
If you don’t listen to the show but you do subscribe to the newsletter… I have some questions.
For those of you who are curious, here’s how we fund the show: We take the total amount that comes in… and we split it, equally, five ways - Kellie (co-host), Niki (co-host), Jacob (researcher), Brittani (producer), and me. We squirrel away a nominal amount for marketing and software, but that’s it. If our funding goes up, our share goes up. It’s really important to me to pay everyone fairly and equally for their time and talents. All that said, without going into specifics, let’s just say… no one’s getting rich off this show!