Back around 2010 or 2011 (I can't remember, so sue me), I started listening to the Joblo Movie Podcast, hosted by a guy from Canada and another guy from Illinois. I tuned into their podcast every week because they talked about stuff I love, which isn't just movies, but also music, tv, and alcohol. That last element would feature heavily in each one of the shows, so much so that one of them could get black out drunk at any possible moment. If I'm not selling the podcast by this point, you may as well stop reading.
In any case, in 2013, the two hosts, Jim Law (the Canadian) and Alyx Ancira (the one from Illinois who uses the "radio name" Johnny Moreno on his podcast) were unfortunately let go from aforementioned site and instead of just throwing in the towel, the two banded together to form Binge Media, an appropriately named website that would continue their shenanigans, unleashed. A friend from their old website, Ammon Gilbert, came forth to complete the triforce, and the trio would be lovingly referred to as the "OG3" in the near future.
Every Saturday night, the guys hit the record button in efforts to bring out a new podcast every Monday morning. They talk about movies, music, tv, and similar stuff, just like the old show, but they infuse it with inside jokes, hilarious game shows, sounders (which is pretty much songs you know with new lyrics correlating to the hosts, guests, and running gags heard on the show) which, as you can probably understand, makes the program a little bit longer than most. The most recent "Bingecast," which is the flagship show's title, was around 5 hours long.
Law himself said that it was five in the morning when the podcast began to wrap up. This is a dude who has three kids, a wife, and a job, all important things that he has to attend to, just like anybody else. You can't beat that kind of dedication.
Let it be known that these guys are not paid to do this. They willingly give up decent sleep on a Saturday evening to bring their fans what they want recorded reviews and debauchery. The main hosts do rotate in and out quite a bit, allowing them to recharge their batteries, but still, that's just devotion of a whole new level.
Binge Media does bring in money through Patreon which allows fans to donate money for some sort of response to their financial help, and they do have a Zazzle page with some nifty merchandise. There's still no checks being deposited, however.
It doesn't seem to bother Jim Law, Moreno, and Ammon though. They love giving their dedicated fan base a new show almost every Monday (with the occasional "best of show" and possible week off thrown in), and not only that, their fans are equal as part of the show as well as the audience. There's a segment on the podcast called "Google Voice" where fans can call in with questions/reviews/whatever. Religious listeners/contributors to the site are invited on to hose every so often. In fact, I was on the Bingecast this past June, when I visited Alyx in Illinois. It was honestly a dream come true for me to sit down and talk with these guys, no matter how badly drunk I was by the end.
(Note: I also got to meet Jim Law in 2015. To be able to hang with him and Alyx was like meeting celebrities that I could actually share words with. Unreal.)
Anyway, this kind of "open mic" atmosphere is what truly sets the Bingecast apart from most other podcasts. The fact that these three guys will allow you to step up to the plate and will applaud you for it (even if they make fun of your attempts, and yes, they will) in the context of the program is really just awesome. It may make the show even longer, but hey, they were the ones who opened up the floor for this kind of stuff.
The podcast has also built a social media community. I've met people through Binge Media I would have never interacted with otherwise. I've spoken with fans from the UK, New Zealand, Australia, and so many various U.S. states. It's crazy! And literally, if I was to visit anyone of these places, I'd be offered a couch to crash on. This is likely after a ton of drinks, though. Fine by me!
The Bingecast may be vulgar, raunchy, and full of a bunch of loud-mouthed assholes who just want to drink and talk movies and stuff. However, at its core, it's truly something else. To me, it's not just a podcast. It's a way of life. Yeah, it's sappy sentiment but seriously, I love it, and I urge you to really check it out and experience the greatness. Go to bingemedia.com and, in the words of the dudes behind it, "prepare your buttholes."
