Columbus Podcast Awards celebrate work of area series
About seven years ago, married film critics Hope Madden and George Wolf launched their podcast, “Fright Club.”
On the twice-monthly podcast, the critics, who are married and make their home in Grandview Heights, talk all horror movies, all the time.
“Our podcast is always Top 5 — sometimes we go fuzzy math, so Top 6 — of whatever the topic is,” said Madden, 50. “It could be as big as the 5 best horror comedies, or it could be as niche-y as the 5 best deaths on a toilet. We’ve done that one!”
In the early going, though, the horror-mad couple wondered whether such a narrowly focused podcast could be sustained over the long haul.
“There was a time, years ago, (when) we were afraid we were going to run out of topics,” Madden said.
208 episodes later, “Fright Club” is going still going strong — and Madden and Wolf have not even come close to exhausting the annals of horror.
“We don’t fear that anymore,” said Wolf, 56.
“Fright Club” is among the nominees recognized at the annual Columbus Podcast Awards, which — after being canceled last year due to the pandemic — will again take place this weekend. The winners will be announced at a live ceremony — featuring red carpet events, interviews with nominees, raffles and live music — on Aug. 27 in the Lincoln Theatre. Stand-up comic Cecil Hyman will host. (The event will also be livestreamed on Facebook.)
The awards are the brainchild of Bexley resident Jerome Barkley, himself a podcaster.
“A lot of people don’t realize how many podcasts are created here and produced here, right in the city of Columbus,” said Barkley, 31, whose podcast, focused on the stories of people from all walks of life, is called “Cloth Talk Podcast.”
“I believe that we’re all cut from a different cloth,” he said of his podcast. “I just invite people on to explore the things that make us different, but at the end of the podcast, we’ll see how we’re all the same pretty much.”
Just how vibrant is the Columbus podcast community? At the awards this year, nominees are spread across 10 categories, from Best Business Podcast to Best Comedy Podcast and Best Places & Travel Podcast.
Are you a “Star Trek” superfan? Tune in to “It’s All Been Trekked Before” (nominated, along with “Fright Club” and two others, as Best TV & Film Podcast). Interested in business and innovation? Check out the “Conquering Columbus” podcast (nominated as Best Entrepreneur Podcast).
Despite the eclecticism, Barkley said that successful podcasts usually have some common denominators.
“The production levels are really good,” Barkley said. “A lot of people just assume you turn on the mic and you just talk, but there are things that go into it: prepping for interviews, prepping your topics, having good quality sound.”
To be nominated, a podcast must meet certain criteria: It must originate in Columbus, be active and have already released at least 30 episodes.
Fans vote for their favorites online; individual podcasters are free to drive fans and supporters to the website for the awards. (Voting has closed for this year’s edition.)
“We encourage all of the podcasters ... to get on your platforms, create your own voting campaign, get creative with it,” Barkley said.
The awards are a chance for podcasters to have their moment in the spotlight.
“I want to make (podcasters) feel like they’re being recognized for their work,” Barkley said.
The “Fright Club” team wouldn’t miss it for the world.
“We were nominated last time, so we’re excited to be back in the mix this time,” Madden said. “I’m not going to lie to you: We hope to win.”
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Columbus Podcast Awards
Where: Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St.
Contact: www.columbuspodcastawards.com
When: 6 p.m. Aug. 27
Admission: $22