Jesse Thorn hosts The Sound of Young America, a radio show and podcast which covers comedy, film, music and other pop culture in the States. Amongst his guests over the years have been Bill Withers, Jeffrey Tambor, Graham Linehan, Jimmy Carr, Jane Lynch and Rob Halford. He also appears in Jordan, Jesse, Go! alongside Jordan Morris, and organises the now annual Maxfuncon festival. I caught up with Jesse as he had just returned from the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.
How did Sundance go for you?
Sundance was great. It was our first time, and I’m a native Californian, so one thing that was wonderful was the snow – it snowed heavily the first two days we were there. We also got to talk to some amazing people. Our last interview was with Kevin Kline, and he was every bit as funny and charming as you’d hope. My only disappointment was that I forgot to ask him to sing the “Hail to the Chief” song from Dave with me.
Everyone knows that the main point of Sundance, apart from rubber necking at Spike Lee, is getting promotional tat. Did you get any decent loot?
I was too busy working, though I did get a patch for the “gang” that’s at the center of Taika Waititi’s excellent “Boy.” Probably my favorite film at the festival – a big step up from Waititi’s first film, “Eagle v. Shark.”
A lot of people are looking forward to the new Chris Morris film Four Lions that was screened at Sundance, how did that go down?
I was at the premiere, and people seemed to like it. Despite the subject matter, it’s surprisingly non-outrageous. Certainly not as in-your-face as Brass Eye. I certainly enjoyed it.
Do you want to explain a little about how you got started?
I started The Sound of Young America about ten years ago with my friends Jordan and Gene. It was a college radio show – initially it aired at 7:30 in the morning. That was before the campus shuttles at our college started running, so we had to walk a mile through the low fog in the dark to get to the station. There used to be a fair amount of comedy on the show, but when Jordan and Gene graduated and headed to LA to work in entertainment, I refocused the show on interviews.
How has TSOYA built up over the years since you started it at college? Where there any significant points where you thought ‘actually, this is going to work’?
My first balls-to-the-wall pledge drive was just short of two years ago now. With the money we generated, I was able to hire my editor, Nick, one day a week, and pay myself a reasonable wage for the first time ever. That was about seven years in, and probably the first time I actually felt secure in the show and in the idea that this was my job.
Can you explain how public radio works in the States?
Public radio stations are prohibited from carrying advertising, and primarily funded by listener donations. They produce their own shows, and carry shows from three big distributors – National Public Radio, which is also a member organization of stations, American Public Media and Public Radio International. I’m with PRI. Stations that choose to carry my show pay PRI for it, and I get a cut of that money. It’s a significant amount of money, but nowhere near enough to fund the show. Most of my funding comes from other sources – especially donations from people who listen to the podcast, read the blog, and listen to our podcast-only shows.
How are you finding the difference between being a broadcaster via podcast rather than radio?
In radio, you’re targeting people who happen to be listening. In podcasting, your audience is people who have chosen to listen – or people who might choose to listen. The former is wonderful – it’s always nice to hear from someone who happened upon the show on their car radio. The latter, though, is more rewarding. On Jordan, Jesse, Go!, which is podcast-only, we can go a deeper into our, uhm, distinctive aesthetic. By which I mean we can act like idiots, and everybody’s on board.
Where do you think podcasting stands in terms of being part of this new way where you can pick and choose your own entertainment?
I think there are still technical hurdles. It’s still too much of a hassle to listen to podcasts for many people. That said – I’m really happy to live in an entertainment world where people can choose what they want, rather than tolerating what they don’t not want.
What’s the state of comedy in the US like at the moment? Has it all fallen apart since they’ve no longer got Bush to have a go at?
Not at all. I think we’re in a golden age of comedy in the US. There are certainly hacks out there making a lot of money – people like Carlos Mencia or Jeff Dunham — but there’s also more great stuff than ever before. I think 30 Rock might be the funniest show of all time. On cable, you’ve got It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Trailer Park Boys, [adult swim], The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and a pile of others. In theaters, people like Zach Galifianakis and Michael Cera are getting to make movies.
TSOYA seems to glue a lot of US culture together in one convenient spot, and makes it appeal to people who are outside that circle. What do you think the knack of it is?
It’s sort of like being the editor of Vogue or something – I know what I like. That’s my main criterion, frankly. Do I think it’s great? If I do, I can find room for it on the show. I work hard to make sure that those amazing things are accessible to people who don’t know about them already, and to find insight for people who do know about them already.
Do you think recording the show in your apartment gives interviews a different dynamic? Didn’t someone get stuck in your lift?
A hip-hop group called the Lifesavas got stuck in my elevator, yes. We had to take the doors off their hinges and hand them down a dining room chair to climb out. They were exceedingly gracious about it. Nice guys.
I generally get very positive reactions to the show being in my apartment, and I think it gives things a bit of intimacy they wouldn’t otherwise have. My guests really are my guests.
Any particular favourites/hard interviews? That Miss Piggy interview sounded like a bit of a struggle.
It was – I think the guy who does Ms. Piggy is a lot more comfortable doing the Miss Piggy voice than improvising as Miss Piggy. Probably the toughest was Betty Davis, the funk legend who was once the wife of Miles Davis. She was a very kind lady, but is not very social – she’s been a bit of a recluse for the last 20 years or so. I posted the raw interview on the site so people could suffer along with me during the long, awkward silences.
How is Maxfuncon shaping up for this year?
Amazing! Lots of my favourite people are coming. Marc Maron, Maria Bamford, Jimmy Pardo, Al Madrigal… people who just warm the cockles of my heart. Not to mention a chance to see all the great MaxFunsters who really made it a community last year. I couldn’t be more excited. And Andrew WK! So delighted.
What’s the aim of TSOYA in the next couple of years? Any progress on the TV show?
There’s always the possibility of a new TV show. We’ll see if it ever happens. We’re working on some other TV and video projects, but who knows if anyone will ever see them. I think we’re just continuing to grow at our own modest pace.
Is there any particular podcasts that you listen to?
For comedy, I love Never Not Funny and You Look Nice Today. Those are the shows that I get excited to see on my iPod. Outside of comedy, I’m a huge fan of Radiolab (in fact, I invited Jad Abumrad to MaxFunCon this year) and of On the Media. And of course This American Life, though I can’t imagine anyone’s not on board with that yet.
Subscribe to The Sound of Young America here.
Hear Jesse and Jordan Morris curse like well dressed sailors on Jordan, Jesse, Go! here.
MaximumFunCon is being held at Lake Arrowhead, California on 7th-9th May, more details here.
