It is that time of year where the most authentic kind of grass root voting is going on right now on the the Internet for the 2009 Podcast Awards. There are several categories ranging from Overall People’s Choice to Best Technology and Science Award.
Nominated again this year is my favorite podcast, The Feast of Fun. They have won the award in the category for Best GLBT Podcast three years in a row now. They are nominated in two categories this year for People’s Choice for Best Overall Podcast and in the Best GLBT Podcast category also. They deserve the double win this year.
Yes, they are a GLBT themed show, but they are also a model of what a successful independent podcast entertainment program can look like from home grown start to an international entertainment internet presence.
What is brilliant about the Feast of Fun or FOF is that its proprietors, Fausto Fernos and Marc Felion, have built it up on donations and very limited advertising. This is truly a homegrown operation which personifies the opportunities on the Internet offered to the common man who is willing to put in the time , energy and commitment.
They have been able to produce almost daily podcasts attracting not only GLBT personalities but Hollywood celebrities and political notables. They are current in breaking news and have their unique form of activism that speaks to the regular Joe and Sally of the GLBT community.
I truly believe that as time moves on, they will be recognized as one of the major influential voices of the GLBT community in this century. These guys from Chicago have tapped into what makes the community tick!
This is significant in a time where major GLBT media sources have been failing, the FOF has been thriving with its unique blend of entertainment, humor and current news reporting. Fernos and Felion have always been ahead of the trends capitalizing on the Internet with the now Obama-branded grassroots fund raising and outreach method to the masses, long before the President made it his own.
The FOF has been one of the most popular comedy podcasts on iTunes. I used to commute to work on the train long distance and it was a popular staple of mine to listen to it every morning. I found myself laughing out loud. They are funny, entertaining and edgy podcasts.
Through the FOF I discovered musicians, comedians, causes, shows, and people I would have never heard of or cared about. I have blogged about several of them and made contact with these people. It has been an amazing experience.
That is the genius of FOF. They really had the spirit of Social Media before that phrase was coined. They built a community around their show. They reached out not only in all the normal electronic media forms but by doing “Meet and Greets” throughout the nation.
They developed one of the most active community forums on the Internet. Their video postings brought us into their lives. I mean most fans without really knowing them, feel like Mark and Fausto are their best friends.
They raise money by selling their exclusive tee shirts that they update from time to time like an exclusive funky fashion line. They really keep things fun!
I can quote a bunch of stats and list all their shows,however, I suggest that you go to their site and listen to their podcasts. all the stats and information is found there. You will be sold on them. I do not care if you are gay or straight or whatever. It is absolutely FREE, too.
So for anyone who really wants to know what the ideal podcast should be like now matter what the theme or subject matter is should study and learn more about the Feast of Fun! They are the benchmark of podcast excellence. No one else comes close.
Once you listen to them, please vote for them each day on the two categories until the end of the month.
In the meanwhile, treat yourself to a daily dose of the Feast of Fun!
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