By Layton Pannell and Kyle Boris
“If you’re looking for your escape from the every day routine, look no further”
Suchatinychair.com boasts those words on their website to attract its viewers and listeners. It also stands to inform their audience that they’ll be getting something different and something original when they tune into one of the many avenues on SuchATinyChair.com. The up-and-coming production company is tackling all mediums with branches in horror fields, animation, film and podcasts.
One of the more popular aspects of their company is the podcast that their viewers are continually told is “the show that must not be named, but you know the name.” Unknown-y-mous is the name(if you didn’t know) and it is hosted by Chris Dignam and Jeff Atwood. The duo are 34 episodes deep into their podcasting partnership and they’re just beginning to hit their stride.
“Enjoy a laugh, shed a tear, or face your fears”
Laughs and tears are what to be expected when you tune into their weekly podcast, Unknown-y-mous. As one half of the on-air team, Chris Dignam makes it pretty clear that their podcast will deliver on the above-mentioned notions after speaking with the man “with a face for radio.” Dignam used his quick thinking, quirky personality and his straight-forward opinions as he confidently discussed his podcast and his feelings on anything and everything in an exclusive interview with YourSitch.
Why podcasts?
Well, first off, I have a face for radio. But, I’m also interested in the business side of podcasts. The podcast business will grow once advertisers realize how big of an audience there is for podcasts.
It seems like the podcast industry is growing because everyone has an opinion and anyone can start a podcast.
Exactly. If you’re into hip hop and you turn on your radio, you’ll only hear like two stations talking about hip hop. So are you telling me that only eight or so people on the radio have an opinion on music? Do only eight people in the world have an opinion on sports? No. We’re in the technology era. Everyone is well-informed and I think that’s why I like podcasts because it gives other people an opportunity to share their opinions.
Do you listen to other podcasts besides your own?
Yeah, I do. I was really into podcasts before I started my own. I listened to Bill Simmons’s podcast. I listened to Charlamagne tha God and Andrew Schulz’s Brilliant Idiots podcast. I also listen to Joe Budden’s podcast and a bunch of wrestling podcasts.
What about your own podcast? Do you listen to it after its been published on the site?
Yeah, its funny cuz Jeff will say something and then in my head I’ll say something and then I’ll actually say it on the podcast and then [when I listen to it] I go, “Wow, you have not thought of any new material. You’re the same person from a week ago.”
I guess you gotta be rough on yourself, sometimes, but what’s the toughest part about actually doing the podcast?
When you know you got nothing to talk about. Nothing happened. You were in the whole week. “Hey, wanna talk about Suicide Squad…again?” So that’s when I usually go on one of my weird rants.
Should listeners come to expect “weird rants” from you?
Last week I went on a rant on Monopoly.[Laughs]
What else do you guys usually talk about?
We have a segment called “Movie Hype Mayhem” where we review movies. We discuss Marvel vs. DC. Wrestling comes up. We talk a lot about Jared Leto. We talk about women. Jeff has been in a long-term relationship and I’ve been single so we talk about relationships. Whatever is going on in our lives and whatever is going on in the world; that’s what we’ll really lock in on.
So really anything and everything.
We try to be a little bit of everything. We try to be a kettle, a pot full of opinions. We don’t want to focus on one specific thing.
How long is each episode?
Our episodes are getting a little long, our producer has told us. So that’s his way of telling us to shut up. Our shortest podcast is about 5o minutes, but we can get up to two hours, but usually somewhere in between.
You’re up to over 30 episodes now. How have you improved since you first started?
I’ve improved as a person because when you talk about opinions, I feel like I’ve done a better job of looking into other people’s shoes. Its so easy to say, “That person is a bad actor.” But you realize, after you critique yourself, its not easy. I think the biggest thing I’ve improved on is also just talking less. I talk when I’m nervous and when there’s a silence, but I’ve done a better job of trusting my team because they’re great.
Do you have any advice for someone starting up a podcast or trying to improve on a podcast?
Launch when you’re ready. Realize that 100 people are talking about Suicide Squad, but people are going to come back if they like you. In the beginning you might get shitty numbers or you might get good numbers…don’t take them[the numbers] so seriously because the first twenty episodes or so are really practice.
It sounds like you enjoy speaking your mind via this podcast, but do you have a favorite part about all of it?
When you have a good one its like, “Wow!”Then you get a million different ideas. My mood is definitely affected by how good the show went. When you know you just kicked ass on that episode and you’re like, “Let’s keep that going.”
I’m sure that kind of success can keep your confidence high for the future, too.
Yeah, I think we’re all pretty conscious that there’s a thousand websites. There’s a thousand podcasts. And the way you’re gonna make yourself stand out is when you lock in with your fans and they can hear your voice and they can tell you’re being different.
What about the future of this podcast? Where do you see it in three years?
I don’t know cuz who knows in three years if podcasts will still be around? You know, with our site we’re gonna have a lot more stuff coming to the site and the way we plan on releasing it is kind of how Netflix does it. We wanna release everything all at once. We don’t want our site to just be a thing that you check out eight times a year. So we’re using the podcast to get the viewers into a rhythm of checking out the site every week [as we get ready for the future].
On the website there’s a section labeled Game of Thrones Gauntlet. What’s that all about?
Yeah, that was one of the recent things we did. I went on a six season Game of Thrones gauntlet. Everyone was talking about Hodor and I was like, “Who the heck is Hodor?” Kevin Love was in a press conference and he was more interested in getting home and watching Game of Thrones than talking about this big win he had in the playoffs. So I was like, “I probably should check this show out.”
And you finished it?
I did. It was amazing. This is why I love Game of Thrones. So all these issues are happening, right? They’re having all these wars and they’re [the white walkers] gonna come back and kill em. The white walkers are gonna resurrect all these dead people and you’re gonna see everyone who’s dying be brought back as a zombie.
Do you have a certain relationship with your audience?
I’m a combative person. My thing is being authentic and sometimes I’ll hear feedback and I appreciate everyone’s feedback, but if you’re judging me on one episode, I don’t pay too much mind to it. Sometimes I’ll get, “You talk too much this segment.” Well, it was my segment to talk.
So you’re not afraid to roll around and get dirty with your audience?
[Laughs] No, not at all. I appreciate every listener we have and all of their opinions, but I want everyone to appreciate my opinions as well. Let’s agree to disagree.
Before we let you go, let’s dwell into that mind of yours for a tough question. If you could have any three guests to be on your podcast, who it would be?
One would be Vince McMahon, but he couldn’t lie to me. He would need truth serum injected into him so if I asked him things he would need to answer them truthfully. I’d really like to interview Stan Lee. Basically, he’s created a new genre of movies and you gotta think he’s looked at some scenes and went, “That’s dumb.” And the third, let me go political. The only two people I could think would be Obama because I love him. The other would be Trump. I disagree with a lot of his views; I love everybody. I’d just wanna pick his mind. He’s crazy; like batshit crazy.
Last thought. Tell us your opinion on WWE superstar, The Miz.
I’ll tell ya how far I’ve gone with how much I like the Miz. So Miz has a french wife. Her name is Maryse. This is a scoop for you guys like this is inside my brain.
Let’s hear it.
Miz talks about wearing his fashion stuff from France and he’s got a french wife so why is his name not Les Miz?
[Laughs]
If you guys print anything from this interview it has to be that. [Laughs]
Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter @DignamChris and like Unknown-y-mous on Facebook .
You can also visit SuchATinyChair.com on Fridays for new episodes.
Kyle Boris & Layton Ross are contributing editors for YourSitch.com
Twitter: @KyleNoStyle & @LaytonRoss
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