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Exactly a year ago this week, I decided to start a #podcast out of the kitchenette of my college dorm room. I'm not sure what it was that inspired me to do so at that precise moment - I had been planning on starting one for a very long time [since I was in eighth grade and first heard the word "podcast"]. But I had never gotten around to it.
And since I knew that it was only a matter of time before I was handed the pink slip from the university - yes, it really is pink - I wanted to start a podcast that could handle the questions that I didn't hear anyone else asking. And I also wanted a creative means of experimenting and expressing myself through the audio medium, to take others inside my head.
The goal would be to make people laugh. But if I wasn't in the mood, then to make people feel whatever I was feeling. But never to leave a stone unturned.
The podcast would be called SANITY.
And so, armed with one hundred dollars, insanity of my introversion, and the invisible army of people who follow me around wherever I go shouting their best lack of encouragement, I went out to the local Radioshack across the street from the Fred Meyer on Sammish Way in Bellingham, Washington, and bought the best microphone they had in the store. It was an Audiotechnica ATR2500-USB microphone.
Then I started a Twitter account:
— S A N I T Y (@PodcastSanity) August 26, 2015
I have started a lot of Twitter accounts. There's my own personal Twitter. And then there's the one for this podcast. And there's the one for my Fashion Label. And the one for my NGO. And the one for my OTHER podcast. And the one for this undisclosed project that I've been working on. And the one for the APP that I've been designing. And the one for my old SPJ chapter. And the one for the bakery that I used to work at.
But I die and digress.
Shortly into my podcast's conception for inception into the earholes of my earwhores, an account followed Sanity on Twitter.
This account belonged to another podcast. A podcast out of England. A podcast that featured four-to-five stereotypical english men, sitting around a table, talking about shit. Ean @Kraytah, Craig @craigthulu, Mazin [pronounced "Marzen"] @maybemazin, and Joel @gocomplex.
This podcast is called KRAKEN. Their website is krakenpodcast.blogspot.com.
The more I listened to Kraken, the more I became obsessed with it. All they do is voice their opinions, and these conversations that they record in front of their microphones sound much like what I assume their normal conversations are like - the ones they never do record. Crass, frank, hilarious, full of inside jokes that are explained later on, and very easy to follow.
There are several overarching themes in Kraken's vault:
1) Each host is to be considered as a character. They might enjoy what you have to say, or they might not, but their opinions are their own entirely.
2) Capitalism is mostly regarded as shit.
4) Skipping right over something is entirely acceptable. It leaves people hanging and hoping they come back to it later.
3) They almost always come back to it later.
5) Religion is basically shit, but one of them's a Muslim, and one of them is a Zorro-Astrian. He dresses up as Zorro at night and does Astronomy on the roof of his apartment complex.
6) Most movies are shit.
7) People are terrible.
1) Each host is to be considered as a character. They might enjoy what you have to say, or they might not, but their opinions are their own entirely.
2) Capitalism is mostly regarded as shit.
4) Skipping right over something is entirely acceptable. It leaves people hanging and hoping they come back to it later.
3) They almost always come back to it later.
5) Religion is basically shit, but one of them's a Muslim, and one of them is a Zorro-Astrian. He dresses up as Zorro at night and does Astronomy on the roof of his apartment complex.
6) Most movies are shit.
7) People are terrible.
I have listened to every episode of Kraken since then, and have thoroughly enjoyed interacting with them on Twitter and on their Blog. They also have a Facebook, but since I hate Facebook, I haven't interacted with them on that platform. Their responses are witty, full of humor, and fun. Their Twitter feed also curates some of the most delightfully bizarre and powerful content I've seen on Twitter.
— Kraken Swearcast (@Krakenpodcast) March 21, 2016
One of the primary things that they disagree with me on is the point that most of the movies that I have enjoyed this year, they think are shit. They called the Force Awakens shit. They called Deadpool shit, and a Marvel movie.
Their latest episode has to do with swearing.
- Yes, Americans do know the word "Wanker." The reason we don't use it is because it sounds terrible in an American accent.
- I don't think Heroin Hell is the best Hell, I should think that the Hell where you get to have unadulterated sex every night is the best Hell.
- I also love swearing.Fuck is my favorite word. I use fuck at every opportunity that I get. It is an amazing word. I also enjoy the use of the word shit when fuck won't factor in. When I was in college, I attempted to go a full year without swearing. I only made it three weeks before I couldn't fucking take it anymore.
- Was swearing ever NOT mainstream? Creative people define the mainstream, and they have always enjoyed swearing.
- What's a beefcurtain?
- Saying fuck is not really "small dynamite" in my opinion.
- The RADA accent is the most subtle English language swearing.
- Yes, you are doing a service for children to make them not swear until they are 16. I remember when I first cussed intentionally, I felt so amazing. I try not to swear in front of children to make their first experience that much more amazing. Unfortunately, I fail at that often.
- I love the idea that Craig calls the car his "Swear Box," and goes into it just to swear at people.
- In America, cunt means vagina or clit.
- Swear words have not lost their edge, it's all in the delivery.
- Doug Stanhope is basically an unknown in America. You only know who he is if you watch British TV or listen to British podcasts.
- No, prick is not really an American word. I hear it used a lot more in Britain than in America.
And now I encourage YOU to go and listen to Kraken. It would most certainly be worth your while as a human being and a podcast listener. I give this podcast FIVE MIDDLE FINGERS because it is so fucking great.
"🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕"
Find Kraken Podcast on itunes, sitcher, and mixcloud. Their website is krakenpodcast.blogspot.com.
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