Switched ON: Comedic Chaos and Stuff

Jerry, Bryan and Rob get together in Texas, and record. That's it, no 'zany' bullshit, not scripted bits. We have always had conversations like this, back in 2005 we just decided to start recording them. This is actually where the name of the show comes from, as in 'switched on the mics'.

In 2005, Jerry was listening to a radio show and heard Adam Curry of MTV fame talking about 'podcasting', and the possibilities. Jerry brought this up one day with Bryan and the idea just starting coming together. They checked out some of the stuff being produced out there, and wondered where their place among 'comedy' shows would really be, and what this would mean for the format of just recording themselves talking with Robby. On Valentines day, 2005 Switched:ON was really born to an unknown audience.

After a few shows, the limited promotinoal channels were paying off in the form of subscribed listeners. The initial v1.0 website was built, forums were launched and a voicemail service was found to try and get feedback from the group. Many themes of the show are derived from these first several shows, much of the material still referenced and reflected on comes from this first year. What we figured out, is that our natural discussions were far more entertaining to us, than any contrived conversation or subject matter. We also quicly found that the cookie cutter 20 minute podcast format was not going to work for us... we couldn't stop before 45 minutes... and then it grew. Little by little the show kept going; 1 hour, followed by an 1 hour 15min. Before long Switched:ON had become one of the largest podcasts available in terms of runtime. Though this was a point of contention for some, it became a mark of the show; 1.5 hrs to 2 hrs of unscripted chaotic, naturally occuring comedy... something that seemed well recieved by our subsribed listening audience. A new site (v2.0), bigger forums and a hugely responsive listener base mark a very successful run for the show. One that netted 7,000 listeners at it's height.

Our little show went on to attempt 24hrs of straight podcasting (of which only 20hrs made it), cranked out two shows a week for months and generated hundreds of hours of script-free content. -All of which remains available via this site's listening page, and the RSS feed used for show subscriptions. After a long pace of this, conflicting schedules changed the pace to a show a week, and eventually resulted in the decision to walk away from any new content being created from the show, ending at show 150. Something that lasted almost a year and a half... if you don't count the couple of one-offs created.

After over 18 months of 'done', the loss of the show domain, the guys decided on May 15th, 2009 that it was a good time to come back. New site, new forums, new feed and more to support the same format; three guys from Texas turning on the mics to sit and have a good time, hopefully to be enjoyed by all.

The Hosts

Jerry is a musician and artist. He's the guy that provides the sideways perspective, the live accompanioment for songs and stories and the crazy unique responses that get the hilarity started. He's usually the first to take a turn in the song game, and usually the first to derail ideas into confusion, laughter or both. Although he's not as active in the forums, he can be found from time to time posting under the name Jor-el.

Bryan is the getter-doner of things...er. Sometimes referred to by listeners as "The Captain", Bryan produces the show, and supplies the fits of uncontrollable laughter. All it takes is some funny Jerry, throw some Rob on the laughter fire and you'll eventually hear Bryan lose it, fall out of his chair and even in two cases, laugh until his nose bleeds. This Creative Director/Art Director/Designer by trade is repsonsible for the audio, most of the (limited) production content, the site, the feed, and whatever stupid ideas get thrown in to derail things. Check the forums out to find Bryan posting under the name Version3.

Rob is fuel for the comedic fire. The infectious laugh, the constant comedic builds with Jerry, the fits of raging halirity are immediately recongized as Rob traits. He's the guy that crosses the line, redifines the line and crosses that one for good measure. He's hilarious both on and off the show; in the forums and even in his solo recordings. Often he is the focus of listener love. He does some boring job that he rarely talks about, and would bore you to the point of skinning your own genitalia. You'll find Rob in the forums, under the very inconspicous name... 'rob'.