The Second Column: Relief During the Audiophonic Crisis

Recently, KLSX, Los Angeles’ all talk radio changed their format to Top 40.  This means that a lot of us suddenly have a lot of ear space and have been scouring iTunes to help fill it.  The process of auditioning new podcasts has been – at least in my experience – frustrating.  I keep getting recommendations to try out such little known shows as This American Life and The Ricky Gervais Podcast that are constantly in the top audio podcasts column in iTunes.  Thanks, iTunes.  I’d say you must be a genius, but you actually have the software called Genius to back that up. And it keeps telling me that based on one of my downloads, I might be interested in something called Lady GaGa.

Unlike iTunes, I can actually help you out; subscribe to The Second Column.

Each week, freelance writer Joe Donatelli publishes a column at www.joedonatelli.com which provides the topic of conversation for the corresponding podcast.  Donatelli moderates a panel comprising Mike Costantini, Carlos Jaime and Sean Kearney, plus one guest. Guests include some of the funniest, often still unknown, comedians, actors, writers and musicians in Los Angeles. That list includes Sean Conroy (Late Night with Conan O’Brien), Amy Rhodes (funnyordie.com), Jeff Sloniker (Reno 911!), Hal Rudnick (Reno 911!), Mark Saul (Grey’s Anatomy) and Ed Galvez (Awesome Dude 30), among others. The show also features the people in Joe, Mike, Carlos and Sean’s life, such as Joe’s brothers Tom and Dan and the world’s best girlfriend ever, Sean’s own Randi.

Though the format is a panel discussion, this is not the McLaughlin Group and Joe Donatelli is not John McLaughlin.  I have not once heard John McLaughlin mention not only the existence of, but the ethics of toilet naps (Episode:  Business Hammocks).  But to the defense of the intelligence of Joe, I’ve never once heard John McLaughlin address the very real problem of our eventual robot overlords (Episode:  The United States of Monkey Overlords).  Donatelli 2, McLaughlin 0.

Sean Kearney is a masterful dick.  The difference between a dick and a masterful dick is that you want your regular garden variety dick to shut up and sober up.  A masterful dick will call you out on your shit, shame you a bit, and then make you laugh at your own shortcomings.

Carlos Jaime, the quiet and cantankerous critic, does the majority of the character work.  From the fussy diva-like Robo Host (Episode: How to Tell if Someone is a Towering Mediocrity) to the dimmest DJ who always knows the time and weather on the coast, Los from the Coast (Episode: Kanye West Hates Smart People). He is also the long standing prize of Win a Date With Carlos (Episode: How Long Should You Wait to Call).

The heart of the show is undoubtedly Mike Costantini. The thunderous sincerity that Mike displays is very real.  Though he describes himself as “not a comic” (to which the boys are all too quick to agree), Mike’s over-enthusiastic passions and willingness to share his inner most thoughts have created some of the biggest laughs and most memorable moments on the podcast.  He is also a(n often mocked for no good reason) champion of the mix tape.

And it’s in the spirit of Mike Costantini that I give you a mix tape of some of my favorite Second Column podcasts:
• In Appreciation of Dive Bars: Guest Jeff Sloniker recalls a Halloween story that you will thank the boys for recording.
• How Long Should You Wait to Call: Mike opens up about a botched pick-up that ends with him explaining why the object of his affection did not have a beak
• Mondaiji: Joe and Mike tell stories about their trip to Japan. Also, singer Dave Pavlina tells a story about an unfortunate road trip will make you Google Japanese toilets and dissuade you from ever eating anything questionable in Japan.
• How I Almost Choked to Death on Salad Dressing: Mike has something of a hero’s quest in this podcast – starting out at the very bottom as comedian Alysia Wood recalls her “date” with Mike (note those quotation marks) and moving on to how Mike saved Joe’s life. With original music!
• Can Money Buy Happiness: Roommates Joe and Mike discuss how they are not gay and Carlos celebrates his birthday with 14 lap dances.
The Second Column can be found on iTunes.  Joe Donatelli’s column can be found at www.joedonatelli.com.

- by Neva Reese