Squidpod

Squidpod
Audio and video podcast. Hosted by Joel & Jenn.

History
Squidpod is an outgrowth of Joel Jackson (and Eric Skilling)’s earlier project, the Calgary-based ‘zine ‘Squidmail’ that was published between 1995 and 2001[1]|undefined. After Joel Jackson and Jennifer Louise (then girlfriend now wife) worked together on a pilot for an WebTV dama entitled ‘Scene Missing’ in 2005, the pair decided to work together on a podcast... someday. Originally Joel conceived the podcast of as a satirical homage to 1960s Talk Shows in 2006, while Jenn had been traveling the world gathering interviews from people she met along the way. Due to this she had envisioned a much more 'man on the street 'approach. After several false starts (Including a failed collaboration with Squidmail co-creator Eric Skilling of www.tiptaptip.com) the first episode of Squidpod was released in March 2008, the sum of these separate visions. Initially produced exclusively as a video podcast, the show shifted to the mix of audio and video formats that currently characterized it in January of 2009.

Joel Jackson has a BFA in fine art.

Jennifer Louise has a diploma in Journalism.

This is what happens when and Artist and a Journalist make a show together.

Podcast Episodes
Episodes are released at least once a month. Recent shows have tended towards unscripted banter on subjects ranging from overheard conversations on public transit, the rise of ‘bromance,’ and other cultural absurdities. Shows will often rapidly slide between easy going banter to frothing rage at observations like “all our problems come from people standing side-by-side on escalators.”

Blog
The Squidblog tends to cover more personal and serious issues than the Squidpod casts. Past entries have discussed the merits of mice, television, the state of art and a response to Adbuster’s criticism of Hipsters. Like the podcast it also features periodic ‘How To’ instalments.

Website
The Squidpod Website features a variety of content including How To Segments on DIY podcasting equipment, cooking tips and on the cheap computer maintenance. Recently 140 Characters, a comic strip by Joel Jackson, has been added to the Squidpod family. 140 Characters transforms twitter exchanges into comic strip form.

Influences
A number of podcasts, websites and television programs have influenced Squidpod, including:

Podcasters:

Keith and the Girl

Ricky Gervais

Internet Superstar

Infected with Martin Sergeant

You Look Nice Today

Pop Sirens

TV:

Shaw Cable TV (Calgary)

Viva Variety

Websites

Boing Boing

The Onion