11 | Trevor & Sam – The Review Dudes

David Kalsow 0:00

Today's episode is brought to you by this review in review a podcast about absurd one star reviews. Get your teeth wet with Sam and Trevor as they descend down the rabbit hole that is reviews on the Internet. And remember, review not lest ye be reviewed, to listen check the link in the show notes onto the show.

Sam Lenz 0:21

whose money you you know you listen to radio you listen to like a Sean jockey like what do they all talk like this? three episodes later, you're like, how can we do that?

David Kalsow 0:31

I'm David Kalsow. And you're listening to APC Presents where I showcase independent podcasters from Northeast Wisconsin. We've officially crossed the halfway point and today we've got a first the first and only duo of the season. Trevor and Sam have this review in review. With a couple of comedians on the mic. This conversation takes some left turns and has a bit more colorful language than normal, but I hope they make you laugh as much as I laugh. We don't lose all substance though they offer some great advice for how a show changes over time, and how to run a podcast with Patreon. I'm pleased to present Sam and Trevor

you guys have been a part of APC or at least Trevor's been a part through through Eric for a little bit now and I'm stoked to get some comedian podcast because that's really what I listened to for the most part is audio dramas, and comedians, but let's sort of get a picture of who you guys are as people. So Trevor, can you sort of paint us a picture of your story?

Trevor Clumpner 1:43

Yes. So I'm an aspiring stand up comedian, I guess. And I've always been a big fan of podcasting. I listen to a lot of comedy podcasts, a lot of improv podcasts. And Sam and I have been longtime friends both love comedy and people enjoy our antics when we're together so we thought we would have a podcast

David Kalsow 2:05

we'll perfect yeah and I guess we'll just jump in what is uh what is your guys podcast

Trevor Clumpner 2:10

this you want to do this one better yeah

Sam Lenz 2:12

it's it's my voice and the song this review in review so

David Kalsow 2:17

what we do do it like the intro Can you

Sam Lenz 2:20

give this review in review for this Congress and stuff? I use Trevor's like little iPad with this thing is like a Japanese drum set and I had to like mash everything and and say that at the same time but it only took 20 minutes in my life so I think that's clear when you when you hear the intro but yeah, we read one star well low score reviews back and forth to each other pretty much staying in that one star area and just kind of you know pull people's pants down for being I can swear right this is go for being jerks I mean I'll I'll get to what I we build if you listen to the podcast, it kind of starts at at a kind of a simmer, and then we get more and more inflamed and angry and start shouting and swearing, as people often do in these kind of situations depicted in the in the reviews. But yeah, we just read them back and forth and travel anywhere in the universe that people have written one star reviews, which you would be surprised that there is reviews for everything,

David Kalsow 3:29

every book craziest place you've come across.

Sam Lenz 3:33

You bet that's a good question. I've been everywhere I think Yeah. National Monuments was kind of weird that like you can literally just pick anything out of a hat and there's there's a reviewer for that. And for some reason, they created space to like, post reviews.

Trevor Clumpner 3:48

I mean, honestly, our craziest reviews were from the most tame places like when we did music stores. There was a guy in Canada who owned this crazy music shop where he always just tried to sell you a violin. And if you didn't want the violin, you had to get the fuck out of his store.

Sam Lenz 4:04

He would snap on people and there's all these there's signs covering every square inch of the place like you can't use your phone in here. You can't do this Don't you know play anything longer than five minutes, which I like that sign? I'd probably want that one in my house. But it is a lot of people like comparing online prices to what he's throwing on things like

David Kalsow 4:25

yeah, I've been to enough guitar centers to know the guy that sits there and plays Wonderwall over and over and over again.

Sam Lenz 4:32

Yeah, enough enough we heard it or the one the bass player that only plays the one lick from the tool song.

Trevor Clumpner 4:43

But at the end of the day, it mostly comes down to like we read a lot of reviews, but it's just salmon eyes experiences peppered in Yeah, to bring some flavor to it.

Sam Lenz 4:53

I like the banter. That's all the podcasts are our comedy or information. As information and in comedy based but I like when people go on to side tangents and talk about their insane lives, which, luckily Trevor and I have that in spades if you listen to the show

David Kalsow 5:13

Yeah, I mean, the I the first one that I listened to was Trevor talking about getting a vasectomy. I was like, Oh, okay. Oh,

Trevor Clumpner 5:23

it's early. It's early in the run. It was

David Kalsow 5:25

it's on the top of your SoundCloud it's one of your featured like a lot of detail here.

Sam Lenz 5:34

slowly turning into an Android Yeah, if you like detail you'll love this. You like it you also like this. Yeah,

Trevor Clumpner 5:44

yeah, I we should we almost want to have a segment where I reveal a secret about my life? Or some weird shitty thing I've done to someone in the past.

Sam Lenz 5:52

Trevor seems like the normal one. I'm I think I'm more like consistently insane. But Trevor will pull these. You hear his voice? And you're like, yeah, this is this is the you got the straight guy, the crooked guy that that's not a sexual term. That's podcasting. One on one. You get serious audience guy and all that. But like, Trevor will pull these weird stories out. And it's always it's like a surprise to me as well.

David Kalsow 6:17

How long have you been friends? That about?

Trevor Clumpner 6:20

Like, 10 years? Probably. So

David Kalsow 6:21

it's like almost

Trevor Clumpner 6:22

two weeks? Oh, yeah. It took us a while to warm up on the podcast, but we now call each other friends. Yeah, we were in

Sam Lenz 6:29

it for the money from since day one. But I think together that's what we like about it.

David Kalsow 6:35

Why everyone gets into podcasting is for the money.

Sam Lenz 6:37

Mm hmm. Big, big bucks. Oh,

David Kalsow 6:41

yeah. Awesome. So you guys, outside of podcasting. I'll make sure we'll also circle back around to get into the greater details of it. But Sam, what do you do here in the valley? Yeah. What do you do for work?

Sam Lenz 6:54

I am an underground art teacher. Think of like, Fight Club. But art lessons. It's funny I I have carved out my niche. The odds that one person in the audience knows what Warhammer is out there and painting miniatures the odds are high it's slowly gaining Yeah, me but

Trevor Clumpner 7:15

it looks like David knows what's up

Sam Lenz 7:18

have carved out a bloody hole in that community. And previously before COVID i would i would travel just to Day weekend classes again anywhere and that's it's funny because I've been to a lot of places now so I can kind of pull from pros personal experiences for reviews from like Philadelphia and such. Yeah, and I just

David Kalsow 7:41

been there it is a one star or it's not a one, zero.

Sam Lenz 7:45

You see people on ironically wearing Stone Cold Steve Austin shirts. And it's awesome. Like people will look at you in your car and try to fight you as you're just driving past if you make eye contact people are just gonna start talking shit. Yeah, that's, that's my main bag. Just you know, my goal in life is to make a living being an artist. COVID hit so I started a Patreon and that's going really well. Cool.

David Kalsow 8:10

So are you like teaching how to paint minis properly then? Yep. Yeah. Okay, cool.

Sam Lenz 8:16

Yeah, exactly.

David Kalsow 8:18

I've never played Warhammer, but I'm a big d&d fan. So I okay. No, Jason,

Sam Lenz 8:23

this Yeah, there's a lot of overlap there. I mean, I like doing art. I play the games. Sure. I know how but I do that maybe five or six times a year. But you know, I

Trevor Clumpner 8:33

try. Sam is also being very modest. He's probably one of the best diminisher painters in the United States.

Sam Lenz 8:40

Yeah. Yeah, thanks.

David Kalsow 8:44

Just like we've talked about before, don't don't pull yourself up too much. That's what you have. As far as you know. Well, that's awesome. I think a lot of people that may hear this may be surprised that you're making a career out of that. But to me, I'm like, Oh, yeah, that makes sense. Like there's a Yeah, especially like the rise of tabletop role playing games within the past several years I'm sure COVID helped accelerate it even more. Yeah,

Trevor Clumpner 9:12

yeah, I mean, just just knowing Sam is how I got into playing like tabletop games. I was already playing d&d for a while and then Sam was Hey, let's play you know this shade spire or whatever other weird you actually you can visit that Conan game and then just never went back after that.

David Kalsow 9:32

I'm very persuasive. Now which which one of you DMS then for those?

Trevor Clumpner 9:36

I'm the DM normally.

Sam Lenz 9:39

Tigers killed me so many times in fiction.

Trevor Clumpner 9:42

I have

Sam Lenz 9:44

dying was a sport I'd be the champ

David Kalsow 9:47

good friendship there. He because he has to stick to the story if he didn't kill you then what he really being very authentic to the story there.

Sam Lenz 9:56

Yep, gotta be firm but fair if the law bends right So yeah, yeah you die

David Kalsow: 10:03">10:03

well we can move away from the air talk even though I don't want to, but the

Sam Lenz: 10:07">10:07

way most people listen to podcasts are nerds anyway so maybe maybe it's getting some kind of

Trevor Clumpner: 10:13">10:13

you know we're stroking some bone or somewhere

David Kalsow: 10:16">10:16

happy to help everyone but a question that I had for you guys so we can sort of maybe bridge the gap between things that people don't know about and that they do know about and just sort of introduce you guys more but if you had to stat yourself as a d&d character, how would you stat yourself?

Sam Lenz: 10:34">10:34

strengths 20

Trevor Clumpner: 10:35">10:35

I No, no, no, no, I'm gonna flip the script on this Okay, I'm gonna stat Sam Sam's gonna stamp me perfect. Sam is a barbarian 100% he's a goblin no barbarian he's a via half Goblin he's a Goliath he's a Goliath barbarian all strength no stats anywhere else it's all industry

Sam Lenz: 10:59">10:59

you got muscles Yeah. Luckily you know over time I

David Kalsow: 11:03">11:03

know when you when you're painting you just put the paint on your bicep and just yeah, how you strength to paint

Sam Lenz: 11:10">11:10

Yeah, exactly in life I've gradually worked myself up from skinny nerd to regular amount of strength and I'm now mad with power and an overconfident. So Alright, so

David Kalsow: 11:21">11:21

what would Trevor be then?

Sam Lenz: 11:23">11:23

I'm gonna give him Bard. He He's our Trevor does he has made music before and he has an inspiring presence. Let's look at that shirt. It's got a colorful way colorful way of dressing. Yeah, so yeah, give him I don't know maybe five charisma five wisdom five intelligence. Oh I need you know three strength

Trevor Clumpner: 11:45">11:45

Come on, man.

Sam Lenz: 11:47">11:47

Yeah. Marks I'm kidding. I'm kidding. Everything's a joke.

David Kalsow: 11:55">11:55

That's fun. That's awesome. But Trevor Aren't you a power lifter though?

Trevor Clumpner: 11:59">11:59

I wouldn't call myself a power lifter Sam wishes I was a power lifter he's always telling me eat more food lift more weights I am a hobbyist weightlifter if anything I guess

David Kalsow: 12:12">12:12

I was like strength three I thought he would at least say five but that's

Sam Lenz: 12:15">12:15

all it's it's through the roof man Trevor kills me on on deadlifting we both like chosen different areas of our of our bodies to reforge and yeah Trevor's more on like the squats in powerlifting I'm more about the vanity disco muscles you know by speed up

Trevor Clumpner: 12:35">12:35

you were a lot of cut offs though so it makes sense. Yeah, we're a lot of short shorts so you know he really balances itself

Sam Lenz: 12:41">12:41

out. I want to turn those cut offs into break offs my muscles need to be so big that they just snap the sleeves right off I want to be breaking denim

Trevor Clumpner: 12:49">12:49

that is literally one of my dreams is to just wear a button up so tight that if I just flex it just all the buttons pop and go and someone's I just I want to blind people with like someone

Sam Lenz: 12:59">12:59

behind you with like a high powered vacuum just yeah if you just gone

Trevor Clumpner: 13:07">13:07

I'm sure I guess I could also achieve that by going to eating a lot of buffets too. Let's

Sam Lenz: 13:11">13:11

go get like super fat to

David Kalsow: 13:16">13:16

just stretch that for option number two Yeah, I can get you a really really tight shirt see there's

Sam Lenz: 13:22">13:22

that's the other thing man you could just can't earn it though. Yeah, you gotta get small clothes and firm denim

Trevor Clumpner: 13:30">13:30

yesterday shopping at the baby gap you guys yeah, you shop

David Kalsow: 13:36">13:36

at the baby gap. Okay, tell me more. I'd actually don't want to know more about that. I'll let you keep that in your own time but you said the drivers have barred so you're big big music fan Trevor?

Trevor Clumpner: 13:49">13:49

Yeah, I mean I used to be in a band but Sam also could be a bard as well also musical

Sam Lenz: 13:54">13:54

Yeah, we kind of are the same person shall replace the ukulele though that was his like chosen instrument and I like it. It's it's pretty abstract instrument I feel. So the that really like sticks out to me, everybody. Everyone plays guitars. You know, everybody's got a guitar. But there aren't many people like choosing to take the ukulele to level 20

David Kalsow: 14:18">14:18

level 20 of ukulele. Okay. The electron were over the rainbow, though. Yeah, Manish saucy. So What music do you guys what artists you guys love to listen to?

Trevor Clumpner: 14:32">14:32

Sam and I

David Kalsow: 14:34">14:34

know talent aihole and the sweat stands.

Trevor Clumpner: 14:37">14:37

Hey, it's the best band in the valley.

Sam Lenz: 14:39">14:39

Yeah, take that Cory chisel better. stepaside

Trevor Clumpner: 14:47">14:47

Yeah, Samurai I have very different musical tastes, but I feel like our music really meshes Well, we both really like black metal.

Sam Lenz: 14:56">14:56

We understand each other's musical tastes. But I like things that are like only 100 people listen to this band and it sounds like a puke noises over a lawn mower you know recorded at the base of a sewer that kind of thing and you know Trevor likes like trap I don't like a trap not trapped not not bad garbage

Trevor Clumpner: 15:22">15:22

man I listened to a lot of you listen to more rap that I listened to but it's equally by do like a lot of rap but I listened to a lot of punk and folk on that it's that's my main jam.

Sam Lenz: 15:30">15:30

Yeah, everything that's good.

David Kalsow: 15:32">15:32

So I feel like people have got a good idea of who you guys are. So let's move on to talking about podcasting. Hey, welcome to the Podcast Fast Class. Lesson nine was marketing and monetization lesson 10. We're talking about engaging with your listeners. We don't create podcasts in a vacuum we create with a goal of people listening and joining in the conversation. Not only can having fans grow your show, it can also make it more fun to actually produce. There are tons of different ways to engage with people where you should exactly engage depends on your show. Social media is a great place to get started. Lots of people are already there and they can easily comment or message about your episode. And email list is another great method there's a higher chance that someone will actually click and read an email versus going on social media you have a little bit more control than using a software like mailer lite is a really easy way to get started. Now if you want to actually hear your listeners voices on the show, you don't always have the opportunity to invite them on as guests while you could do that you could also have them call in like a radio show using a voicemail feature from anchor or voice link you can actually get their voices on the show so how are you going to engage with your listeners share with us and watch the slower more detailed video version of this in the APC members Facebook group link in the notes back to the show so like you guys mentioned you said that you guys have your own podcast or like we talked about earlier and you also like to listen to podcasts So what are some of the podcasts that you like listen to sam

Sam Lenz: 17:01">17:01

i think we both listened to the last podcast on the left pretty consistently right? I catch that one every week. I was listening to the dollop today that's a really hilarious like history and comedy podcasts guy there's this one I was recommended with so many precautions but it's called knowledge fight yeah dudes listen to the alex jones show and they kind of take a few days and put it all together so like one of the hosts is pretty hard to to handle these very like he shrieks and screams he breaks all the rules that you like God damn it dude fucking take it down a level but like the show still carries so well because the feature is this alex jones insanity and you kind of like it shines a light because they will take you know some headline that he reads and then just on Raw tricot global now goes all crazy off of it and they like will read the same report that he's speaking about and the like so on page two it describes what what this is actually about like the dude never does any research is fucking amazing but I'm

Trevor Clumpner: 18:10">18:10

very frogs guy he didn't think about it first because that is just a goldmine Yeah,

David Kalsow: 18:16">18:16

I think you guys landed on a pretty solid idea for your show

Trevor Clumpner: 18:20">18:20

oh absolutely we we were not going to be around for a while what we would do a podcast about and then we were just I got stood up to go to this restaurant with this this chick and I was told Sam I was like oh yeah she's kind of just blown me off he's like well let's fucking go there. I was like oh well let's look at some reviews and we looked at reviews of the place and I was reading this Sam and then he was just like making jokes about it and we both agreed that okay this this is the podcast

Sam Lenz: 18:51">18:51

all day Trevor. Yeah, did

David Kalsow: 18:54">18:54

you guys actually end up going to there Oh

Trevor Clumpner: 18:56">18:56

yeah, we went there and then I made it super awkward and he sat yes Sam sat with the group and then I refuse to sit with the group so I said it to myself

Sam Lenz: 19:08">19:08

they're like friends of ours. God it was so funny. Yeah, it's it's a really fun concept. There's a lot of gas in the tank but also sometimes when I'm preparing for this I'm reading one star reviews and if you don't find some some funny shit right away it's kind of like a little soul crushing it kind of hurts because you're like, it'll be funny to talk about this for right now. I'm just putting all of this you know, all these people just being completely unreasonable. into my mind. It's like, you know, a year we've been doing it for a little over a year now and you notice a lot of tropes. People constantly say I'll give it zero stars if I could be Yeah, man. There's

David Kalsow: 19:51">19:51

no originality in their in their reviews.

Sam Lenz: 19:53">19:53

We've we've worked our brains and like, I'm jaded I've heard it's we're not the only podcast that does this. A lot of people try to get too specific and first we thought of the concept later we realize that it's something that's been done a little bit before but like Jesus how many True Crime podcasts are there you know there's there's plenty of room. But a lot of people talk about just food reviews or just this or that but, man, it gets so much more bizarre and you review like the White House. That was a weird one. Or hotels. Gosh, gosh.

Trevor Clumpner: 20:30">20:30

Yeah, where's the baby man?

Sam Lenz: 20:31">20:31

Yeah. I love Yeah, lovely guy. That's the that's the episode. You got to listen to it. But uh, I like talking about this local area like, Wisconsin is funny. Everybody knows you know, everybody around the world kind of knows about Wisconsin it's bizarre kind of dark morose yet silly place So yeah, I love talking you know making jokes specifically about like Oshkosh and Appleton and after Yeah, I've traveled a lot so like, you leave and then you come back and you kind of see things more for what they are. And yeah, Wisconsin is funny.

David Kalsow: 21:12">21:12

Is that for the better like do you enjoy Wisconsin better having seen other other places in the world?

Sam Lenz: 21:18">21:18

Yeah, yeah, my only complaint is the weather I wish it was constant winter I hate humidity. I hate the heat. Okay, I don't do well I just I stand and sweat never know what l is skinny people around me are just bone dry. And they're in little shorts and a you know bikini shirt. Like with just a sweat bib. It's as long as hair but yeah, and it just makes me sweat more so I'm looking around like all oily and shit. Oh my god, I should not have taken mushrooms.

David Kalsow: 21:54">21:54

You've got that natural glean to yourself all the time then.

Sam Lenz: 21:57">21:57

It's good for cell regeneration. Yeah, you wouldn't know that. I'm 36 What can make some skin sweating to age out? Yeah.

David Kalsow: 22:06">22:06

Sweating the age out that's how it is I guess I got a sweat more than

Sam Lenz: 22:09">22:09

Yeah. More you sweat the longer you live but it's an uncomfortable existence. So

David Kalsow: 22:16">22:16

So what was on the chopping block before this review and review Where are you guys? What other kind of ideas were you tossing around?

Trevor Clumpner: 22:23">22:23

I had a podcast called the clump cast. And it's just I would talk to people about things that they were interested in. And the whole thing was for them to get me interested in the thing. Funny enough I had never listened to the Joe Rogan experience prior to starting that podcast. And then turns out that that's literally what the Joe Rogan experiences.

David Kalsow: 22:46">22:46

I've only listened to one episode of The Joe Rogan experience because you're not missing my principle. I don't want

Trevor Clumpner: 22:51">22:51

to listen. Yeah,

Sam Lenz: 22:52">22:52

yo dude you ever noticed how like gorillas naturally go into the guard position and like just smoke weed? Like brings it down to this like dumb shit about weed and DMT every time and he's just some testosterone replacement therapy wimp and everyone just thinks he's like smart because he'll have anyone on it'll have you know like a racist on the next day one day in the anti racist the next day and both times it's just like that's fascinating Please go on. It just agrees with whoever he thinks the alpha is in the room. And it's

Trevor Clumpner: 23:26">23:26

you guys met my boyfriend Elon Musk he's pretty cool

Sam Lenz: 23:30">23:30

and then I like some episodes but yeah, I'm with you. David like I just thought a principle I just can't quite float that way

Trevor Clumpner: 23:37">23:37

but I so I listen

David Kalsow: 23:38">23:38

to his show every hour long episodes are just too much for me

Trevor Clumpner: 23:43">23:43

if he's got a comedian I'll listen cuz you know he spends a lot of good standups so you know those episodes are fun but anything that's political or whatever false scientists he has on I don't give a shit.

David Kalsow: 23:54">23:54

The pseudoscience This is my opinion. Yeah,

Trevor Clumpner: 23:57">23:57

this is why the vegan diets bad turns out I'm just a acupuncturist and I have no say in anything. Yes, that's

David Kalsow: 24:05">24:05

a cool idea i think but you guys have been doing it for a year a year in how do you guys prep for your shows that you guys do much teamwork and your prep or is it pretty much individually? Yeah,

Trevor Clumpner: 24:17">24:17

well the the whole point of that is to be you know, off the cuff. So I don't want to know what Sam found Sam doesn't want to know what I found. So we can surprise each other and just react to the reviews that we're reading. Sometimes I'll have my girlfriend find reviews so I haven't even read the reviews I'm about to read

Sam Lenz: 24:36">24:36

and then write something crazy one time but yeah, it's gonna be like stuck in a corner.

Trevor Clumpner: 24:42">24:42

And then when we get together, we'll kind of discuss what's the next episode going to be we'll kind of go over like this is the type of review I have. This is kind of what I'm, this is how many I want to do before I pass it to you. And then that's it. It's pretty it's pretty easy prep. That's what's kind of the key. I work a lot Sam works a lot We wanted something that was easy enough for us to both kind of tackle to roll into

Sam Lenz: 25:05">25:05

Trevor's being modest, much time and prep. Yeah Trevor's being

David Kalsow: 25:09">25:09

doesn't work a lot.

Sam Lenz: 25:13">25:13

Being very modest to fully prepare you must step into another person's skin to find the theme of the review and sometimes we do a battle set like Olive Garden versus Applebee's and don't tell the sea I so I like to first kind of hammer out an erotic painting kind of you know get in the mood and then extreme heat and cold so I've got a hot bathtub. I'm happy to be living in a home now because I have for the first time a refrigerator and it's empty. So you know pop inside the refrigerator for the extreme cold and then the extreme kind of a Wim Hof Method you know of really honing the mind and activating the the left and right, the centers of what's inside of your skull. That's how I prepare so

David Kalsow: 25:59">25:59

for people listening at home the way to start a podcast and do it for a year is to get a refrigerator and sit in it for creative space. Yeah, so yes, so I'm gonna say okay, and add that to the official official and since

Trevor Clumpner: 26:14">26:14

we're being honest, I guess I'll have to reveal what I do since Sam had to actually give away his secret but I like to eat a bunch of string because I believe I need to be cleansed from the inside out.

David Kalsow: 26:23">26:23

So you guys have a topic that you pick each week sort of like hotels or something and then you guys go find a different one yeah either locally or or nationally early anywhere is up for that but we get

Trevor Clumpner: 26:37">26:37

loose sometimes you know

Sam Lenz: 26:38">26:38

we did a we did rodeos last time now we're doing county fairs and I think Destruction Derby is after that so that's where our where our minds are at

David Kalsow: 26:48">26:48

yeah Sam

Trevor Clumpner: 26:49">26:49

we used to just do the basic of like restaurant or hotel and then we then Sam started to throw in Hey, wouldn't it be weird if we did magicians

David Kalsow: 27:00">27:00

episode for five minutes that's awesome. You introduced yourself as David Blaine or something like that but yeah you guys like to that's one thing that I noticed is like do you guys just sort of off the cuff do those intros of not introducing yourself? I'll say

Trevor Clumpner: 27:17">27:17

I yeah, I think about who I'm going to be on my way there and then I don't know how much Sam puts into it

Sam Lenz: 27:22">27:22

but sometimes Yeah, sometimes like oh shit i have no idea what I'm going to say. We every time we kind of assign names to ourselves based on the theme of the episode which has to be like extremely confusing for the audience when someone's like Hi, I am bill and then we play the song and it's like I'm Sam Yeah, it's so some it's always so weird name you know like Santa Claus

David Kalsow: 27:48">27:48

typically with an eye and some yeah

Trevor Clumpner: 27:52">27:52

that salmon eyes favorite episode glad you listen to it.

David Kalsow: 27:55">27:55

I listen to the first 10 minutes before you guys popped on here because I was like the last one I listened to was your vasectomy. I was like I want to say if there's what else they got on the table. I

Trevor Clumpner: 28:04">28:04

think it's changed a little bit since then. We had a little we're a little more dialed in. Yeah.

David Kalsow: 28:09">28:09

And what change Have you seen within the last year have you been more efficient? what's the what's the biggest thing that you've seen changed in the past we

Trevor Clumpner: 28:17">28:17

actually have a structure that's important Yeah,

Sam Lenz: 28:19">28:19

yeah, you got to have to have a nice structure but we've moved to doing it weekly within that year I think we used to do it

Trevor Clumpner: 28:26">28:26

every two weeks yeah there Yeah, it was bi weekly

Sam Lenz: 28:29">28:29

weeks and yeah, then we just started drumming it up raising to a fever pitch. Yeah, just just kind of honing in that that same concept. Yeah, because I don't know having like a different theme for every episode is is pretty cool. You don't get tired out of one particular thing you know? Yeah.

Trevor Clumpner: 28:49">28:49

And we have like a tagline to now and we've changed like I've started editing things in fun little songs stuff like that

Sam Lenz: 28:58">28:58

yeah yeah get get all the toilet flushes and yeah it's funny you you know you listen to radio you listen to like a shock shock you're like what is it y'all talk like this in the morning I'll and there's all these like weird sounds and then three episodes later you're like how can we do that to you just like can't can't resist like yeah dropping in weird well

Trevor Clumpner: 29:18">29:18

i mean i mean everyone has like this is my broadcaster voice I This isn't how I actually sound this is this is the duck my real talking voice. No, I'm saying it Sam doesn't sound like that.

Sam Lenz: 29:30">29:30

Right? If I could drop my actual response and present you with it, perhaps in Australia will surely take you around the world in a series of accents

David Kalsow: 29:41">29:41

who used to tell you that I am actually Russian.

Trevor Clumpner: 29:44">29:44

Wow, you're so much better at this than I

David Kalsow: 29:49">29:49

am. You have to do voices.

Trevor Clumpner: 29:53">29:53

I just hope people appreciate standardized bad voices that way.

David Kalsow: 29:57">29:57

You know sometimes trying to do a voice is funnier than nailing the voice so

Trevor Clumpner: 30:03">30:03

we used to have a segment called Gator talk where we talked about Gator news and we always do Creole accents and it just said that's

Sam Lenz: 30:14">30:14

all that we got yeah oh I guarantee I say I say Cajun style I love

David Kalsow: 30:21">30:21

my chicken fried Oh boy.

Sam Lenz: 30:25">30:25

Mercy I say this flower is a Wilton in a summer Heath. Oh Wisconsin is tepid this time of year.

David Kalsow: 30:32">30:32

Yeah see? I think you nailed that one. I can see why you made that a recurring segment forget I learned

Sam Lenz: 30:39">30:39

a lot and cater talk but eventually learn to fear the Gator this bizarre oh wait a fast gate and think like man get a bite but data Love to You be nice to get a gay to be nice to you. That's what I learned

David Kalsow: 30:58">30:58

from the Gita news. Oh respect the gaita so you guys sort of have different herbs and flows of different segments and stuff outside of just doing the reviews and

Trevor Clumpner: 31:09">31:09

yeah, we liked Gator news. It was fun for a while and then we wanted to try something else and then it just never we stopped we just kind of just had to having a segment because it was just we couldn't find a good replacement for Gator news.

Sam Lenz: 31:23">31:23

You can't You can't force it like recently we got a voicemail line which no one is used I think I'm going to use it and drift or do one of my favorite

Trevor Clumpner: 31:35">31:35

people on Instagram are commenting and saying stuff like Oh awesome hotline and then No one calls so yeah nervous.

David Kalsow: 31:43">31:43

If you find the secret to actually getting people to send it a voicemail let me know because I've set that up for some of my podcasting clients and only like two people have actually sent in a voicemail like I've made it as easy as possible. And yes still aren't sending anything.

Trevor Clumpner: 32:01">32:01

We even worked on like a fun like little voicemail message for the listeners to listen to this so nice.

Sam Lenz: 32:07">32:07

It's like the family style like both of us at once high res donaldsons or whatever we're attempting you know, kind of slightly off key and stuff. Oh, perfect.

David Kalsow: 32:18">32:18

Fantastic call call the voicemail. Yeah. For questions. Or

Trevor Clumpner: 32:25">32:25

Oh, just to tell people have like giving we'll announce whatever the our topic will be. And if people want to tell us a story about it, their experiences, because every episode we always talk about our experience with that thing. Yeah,

David Kalsow: 32:39">32:39

sort of guides the the personal conversation and then go into the reviews and just sort of let it go from there.

Trevor Clumpner: 32:47">32:47

Exactly.

Sam Lenz: 32:49">32:49

It does have a bit of a structure. We start with banter. we dive into the reviews, and then we have an afterthoughts section where it kind of like you know, in the most bizarre way possible, try to invent like how would we run a waterpark? How would we run a buffet and obviously to kind of get the drift that we love theater of the mind and just absolutely bizarre things so kind of twist up in after doing reading all these weird reviews about Golden Corral you get a few ideas for how you would run your own fascist buffet I'm very strict when it when we whenever we create businesses I won't tolerate any nonsense

David Kalsow: 33:28">33:28

only one scoop of corn for you. So did these like come in through that just sort of form naturally from time and experience or did you have those that sort of like we're gonna have a structure to our show

Sam Lenz: 33:40">33:40

no started coming together yeah it's just you know with the creative endeavors it's important to just begin and learn in hindsight you know you whatever you make mistakes that's that's the the nature of the foundation of learning. We we messed around a lot like recording episodes before we put anything out just

Trevor Clumpner: 34:01">34:01

yeah we recorded for a year before we even started recording episodes to put out on the internet really justice figure out like how we would sound and like what we wanted to do. I think I released the first episode we ever recorded a while back on the feed fuck yeah, it was I think it was Chinese restaurants or something weird.

David Kalsow: 34:22">34:22

Wow. And you guys were just yeah, cuz they started playing it out and not even releasing anything to

Trevor Clumpner: 34:29">34:29

the pub. We wanted to have something built up in case you know, cuz Sam travels or you know, I'm doing something that way. We had a nice little backlog. But then we ended up just not releasing any of those episodes just recorded new ones when we started doing it.

David Kalsow: 34:44">34:44

It's nice to have that experience.

Trevor Clumpner: 34:47">34:47

I mean, backlog. Yeah, dumpster. I used to call him the lost files, but now they're called the dumpster files.

David Kalsow: 34:53">34:53

And that's where they'll stay. Would you ever release those or Have you listened to those recently at all?

Trevor Clumpner: 34:58">34:58

Yeah, like we said, we have a patriot Now and you know, if ever we need to miss an episode, we still can have the secret stash released. Or you know, I'm even thinking maybe in the future a secret bin tear to Patreon or something like that, you know, it'd be fun.

David Kalsow: 35:16">35:16

Nice. What made you want to do a Patreon besides money?

Sam Lenz: 35:19">35:19

I don't know. Sam's idea another reason Yeah, it seems like a natural progression Yeah, it's after a while you're like alright, where's this going? Where's the next step? We would like to do live shows having a Patreon so the hosting can sustain itself

Trevor Clumpner: 35:35">35:35

Exactly. I don't really care about making a buck but the fact that now the podcast pays for itself to exist that's that's that's beautiful.

David Kalsow: 35:42">35:42

Yeah. Yeah, was there over another paywall service Oh,

Trevor Clumpner: 35:49">35:49

Sam uses Patreon. He's had good success. So you know, I'm gonna go with you know someone who's working that you know that. And I also already use Patreon to listen to a bunch of other podcasts. So

David Kalsow: 36:00">36:00

you've already had the user experience from the other. Now you're doing the backend stuff for it? Are there any tips you'd give someone starting a podcast wants to just jump right into Patreon? How to get started on Patreon.

Trevor Clumpner: 36:13">36:13

I will have your I have fans already. For sure.

Sam Lenz: 36:18">36:18

Yeah, it's it seems strange to have you know, episode one. You have T shirts and a Patreon. I don't know. Yeah. God advice for other people starting a podcast be funny. Number one.

Trevor Clumpner: 36:33">36:33

Be Oh, actually, I do have a good piece of advice because I've talked to a lot of people who want to start podcasts and they'll they'll tell me their idea. And I'll be like, type that into a search and see how many podcasts exists with that idea. Got to think of something different in original. So while Sam and I came up with reviewed there's there's other review podcasts I didn't know existed. They're all really bad. I'm sure. But uh, yeah, but it's still original enough that we're doing something different. And I think that's why people like us, and gain

David Kalsow: 37:03">37:03

some traction, and they enjoy here and here and your voices and your your take on it. I mean, even if not, I totally love the words you just said because doing, like, search for it ahead of time, see what other people are doing and see how you can do it your way. You may not do it exactly like everyone else does it? But how can you give a different spin on it? Like you guys are doing a review show and but you're doing it with a more of a comedic take?

Trevor Clumpner: 37:34">37:34

Yeah, I mean, it's not like we're reviewing things. We're reading other people's shit, he takes on stuff, reviewing

David Kalsow: 37:39">37:39

reviews.

Sam Lenz: 37:41">37:41

It's important to be natural and ask yourself, would I listen to this? Yeah, you know, you want to make the the kind of content that you'd want to see, for sure.

David Kalsow: 37:52">37:52

Making something that you're proud of. I think that a lot of people starting podcasts are just like, Oh, it's free. So I'm just gonna try. And that's why we have 2 million podcasts on Apple right now. But there's maybe only a quarter of those are actually like people actively making podcasts because the other ones are just like, Oh, we started and then three episodes and

Trevor Clumpner: 38:14">38:14

that was the biggest thing for me is it's like okay, well we have listeners, but you know, it doesn't. My other podcast I wanted to have, you know, a lot of listeners listen to it. But with this one, we have a pretty decent listener base. But it's more about I'm having fun with my friend Sam, just joking around every week, if that's all it is, and

Sam Lenz: 38:37">38:37

why don't we record it for a year without releasing anything? Because we were just having fun doing it, you know, I didn't really care and I held things back, Trevor constantly wanted to like jump on it and put things out and I was like

Trevor Clumpner: 38:55">38:55

hey, you know what, though, that was waiting I smelly being

Sam Lenz: 38:57">38:57

lazy, but like I having done, you know, creative pursuits before and with my, you know, business, being an underground art teacher and all that shit. I kind of like had an idea of like, it takes a certain work ethic, it takes the time to do something, you have to think about that a lot of people have big ideas. And the mind moves faster than then your hands do or your actions do. And you'll you'll be at this end point. Like you have to consider it every week or dedicating an amount of time to this. As that was a big question with with Patreon, like Trevor works a lot. I'm like, are you sure about this man, because it's going to require us just doing double what we're doing every week

David Kalsow: 39:43">39:43

as you're making the content for the public end, and then for the backend private people, the people that are paying but it

Sam Lenz: 39:52">39:52

is something that we look forward to Yeah. So again, do you know be natural, you're not running out of tape. Don't Don't try to Be some weird shock jock with a fake voice

David Kalsow: 40:05">40:05

you're not trying to capture people's attention while they're driving home to make them listen in for those that has ad dollars it's like people are choosing to listen to your show it's not randomly popping up sometimes they may within like podcast platforms nowadays it may pop up randomly but still it's like yeah, then maybe they did listen to 15 seconds but then they're choosing to stay with you week to week to week to week and I think it's awesome that you guys have made it a year and continue to keep growing it so do you guys enjoy engaging with your fans on like Instagram and stuff like that?

Trevor Clumpner: 40:44">40:44

No, no okay. I mean we get yeah we get messages, comments and stuff and like if someone sends us a message or review I'm I'm glad to read it on the air. someone leaves us a review on like iTunes I'll read it on the air like I love that stuff. Actually, I just got a message from someone on Patreon who was kind enough to inform us that the upload of our latest episodes something was wrong with it and had a nice little bit with them. saying no, that's the episodes you paid for it. Enjoy it.

David Kalsow: 41:17">41:17

Have you gotten a one star review?

Trevor Clumpner: 41:19">41:19

No, we're all five stars so far. Fantastic.

Sam Lenz: 41:21">41:21

I know we're just asking for it to every time like Hey, leave a review. I know we're doing one star reviews. What waiting for somebody to come at us and be like, that was me who wrote about the Denny's? How dare you sir, I'm going to sue you. I'm waiting for that ship.

Trevor Clumpner: 41:40">41:40

One of the things I want to happen though is earlier in the podcast you say hey, rate us five stars and then leave us a bad review in the comments. But leave us those five stars because we need that algorithm. I personally have received one star reviews and where I work now and in past business stuff, so it hurts

Sam Lenz: 42:01">42:01

me too. Me too.

David Kalsow: 42:05">42:05

It's a little bit of crowd control at that point and you're like, what did I do? kind of a thing. So you guys have read a bunch of one star reviews what's what's your BuzzFeed article for how to write a one star review?

Trevor Clumpner: 42:18">42:18

Actually review the business for what they are. I am so sick of reading reviews on things that a business can't handle. I'm trying to remember the one we just read the

Sam Lenz: 42:29">42:29

fox river mall that went to Fox river mall and there were neither foxes nor any rivers like wow that's hilarious but you also put a nail in that in the coffin there with that business Yeah. Or another one some child was like my mommy bought my sister's something and I didn't get anything one star are the people that drive past a place and Google's like Hey, what do you think about Joanne fabrics? Like I've never been there one star? Yeah, or fuck is wrong with

David Kalsow: 42:59">42:59

her don't review it.

Trevor Clumpner: 43:00">43:00

The person before me didn't flush a turd in the toilet. It's like that's not the most proud that's not their fault. Take what no one? Yeah,

David Kalsow: 43:08">43:08

review that person. I don't know if they have a Google page but find that person. That's why

Trevor Clumpner: 43:12">43:12

Sam says review not less CB reviewed.

Sam Lenz: 43:17">43:17

It's right man, you better protect your neck.

David Kalsow: 43:20">43:20

You guys need to get some one star like stickers in your merge store so you can slap them on anything in person to give you your true authentic review. Yes,

Trevor Clumpner: 43:32">43:32

I love the idea of someone harassing us on the street just going one star is popping it on their head

Sam Lenz: 43:39">43:39

right over their mouth. Perfect.

Trevor Clumpner: 43:41">43:41

I want to do merge, but I feel like there's still a little ways down the road. Who the fuck

Sam Lenz: 43:45">43:45

is gonna wear that? a podcast, like, hey, our logo is like five like four empty stars and one filled star over. I have a last podcast shirt to be sold. Okay. This idiot right? I'm

David Kalsow: 43:59">43:59

like, I buy podcast merge two. So I'm the way we are. Yeah, I have a like, one of my favorite shows is Hello from the magic tavern.

Trevor Clumpner: 44:09">44:09

Hey, Arnie used to adore the wizard.

David Kalsow: 44:13">44:13

Use the door. I have a get nuts t shirt of their podcast within the podcast.

Trevor Clumpner: 44:19">44:19

Oh, nice. I have a hate on man shirt. If you know Comedy Bang Bang. Oh,

David Kalsow: 44:25">44:25

yeah, I got a Comedy Bang Bang junkie. So I don't know that in great detail. But part of that network? Yeah. Yeah. Well, sweet. The sort of just a broader question maybe just to creatives in general, but what advice would you give to the creative people that have that idea that they want them make persevere? They like actually do. What advice would you give them for starting an audio content? podcast?

Trevor Clumpner: 44:57">44:57

Do it record an episode.

Sam Lenz: 44:58">44:58

It's important. Yeah. Just start doing it. Exercise the muscle create creativity artwork is a muscle it's not going to be perfect from the beginning you're going to hate the sound of your own voice. Just accept that walk into it and and let this this project evolve. Feel it out. Yeah, nothing to it but to do it

David Kalsow: 45:23">45:23

there you go. Like I've asked this question to like business people and like why they want to start a podcast I was like to prove your expertise in a certain thing, but I think within the entertainment genre, which you guys are in like, Why? What advice could you give to the people wanting to do a creative outlet? Like an entertaining comedic show like you guys do?

Trevor Clumpner: 45:47">45:47

Have fun it is the biggest thing for me if you're if it's not fun Then why are you doing it? You know, like, I enjoy hanging out with Sam I enjoy what we talk about when we're not doing podcasts and we're playing board games or doing improv we I'm having a good time yeah yeah I've

Sam Lenz: 46:06">46:06

got an audience that I'm always shilling our stuff out to try to get adopted by some really rich people or something oh yeah that's a good piece of advice probably gonna get you on the fast track

David Kalsow: 46:19">46:19

you can get the studio gear that everyone needs

Trevor Clumpner: 46:22">46:22

that golden might give out oh here's a good one get picked up by a big network right away I mean that's that's you know there's LPN there's had gone you know all these guys yeah, it's just easy just send them an email It's that easy. actually sent our podcast to last Podcast Network never heard back

David Kalsow: 46:43">46:43

I mean, it's worth a shot god damn it.

Sam Lenz: 46:46">46:46

Yeah, exactly. That's I was like Henry that's the other thing like you You can't be embarrassed about what you're doing. Don't you know don't be ashamed like if you have to, you know, have no fear and sharing with people and taking chances. That's right. A big part of success is just showing up. So I didn't know he's sent something out to the last podcast. Yeah,

Trevor Clumpner: 47:06">47:06

I sent them I sent them a VHS tape of us recording a podcast work.

Sam Lenz: 47:12">47:12

Why have you watched my Betamax? I sent you this like, one hour ago respond.

Trevor Clumpner: 47:19">47:19

I actually sent them a transcript and read it.

David Kalsow: 47:23">47:23

I'm sure that lands just

Sam Lenz: 47:26">47:26

yeah, that's that's weird. I don't know why those millionaires didn't get back to us. Yeah. Well, yeah, that's fuckin shills do they're putting out their own weed now I'm just like, What are you? that that kind of rubs me the wrong way? I'm like, are you kiss your band? Are you gonna have last? We're gonna have like black candles and condoms next

Trevor Clumpner: 47:43">47:43

say last podcast coffins, man.

David Kalsow: 47:46">47:46

No doubt this coming for a person

Sam Lenz: 47:47">47:47

who has their own brand of coffee. Whatever it matches. Doing? Yeah, well see, I'm promoting like a small business from Canada who brews the beans that I have as a place that I taught at before. I'm not trying to be a legal drug dealer or whatever. The latter. No, I don't know why that that bothers me. Yeah, like I hate weed or something.

David Kalsow: 48:12">48:12

Hey, but I mean, thank you guys for being on the show. It's been I think I'd taken up an hour of your time or so. But is there anything else you guys want to add? I'm sure Trevor has got some one liner tucked up his sleeve.

Trevor Clumpner: 48:24">48:24

Just yeah, check out our Patreon, our podcasts, all that stuff. Check out Sam's artwork. It's amazing.

David Kalsow: 48:29">48:29

Thanks. Yeah, Sam. Yeah. Anyway, guys, thanks for being on the show. And we'll we'll see it in the feed. for viewing that conversation, I would give it five stars. So thanks to Sam and Trevor for being on the show. Please be sure to go follow and review this review in review and perhaps you could give them their first voicemail if I don't beat you do it. How is your podcast coming together though? Let us know and head on over to Appleton Podcast Co-op comm for community support resources and the chance to win some free gear. If you know anyone in Northeast Wisconsin who wants to start a podcast share this show with them. And if you've made it this far, please rate and review the show on pod chaser or go review this review in review with a review that isn't actually a review of their show, but a review of this show, just for last. I'm David Kalsow, your neighborly podcast nerd and thanks for listening.

Trevor Clumpner: 49:30">49:30

If you're going to have a co host podcast, you know make sure it's someone who's actually interesting and cool. And someone who you can ride their coattails like I am doing with Google Samuel

Transcribed by https://otter.ai