NEW YORK CITY – Podcast industry leader Midroll Media has unveiled its late-summer lineup of new programming for comedy network Earwolf, including a first-of-its-kind improvised musical podcast, a dating tell-all and a radio favorite available for the first time to podcast listeners.
The announcement comes as Earwolf and host Scott Aukerman celebrate the 500th episode of “Comedy Bang! Bang!”, the network’s flagship podcast and one of the industry’s longest-running and most popular comedy shows. The podcast has long served as an incubator for comedy talent, with regular guests including Lauren Lapkus, Paul Rust, Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham having boosted their early careers through appearances on the show.
The 500th episode of “Comedy Bang! Bang!” is available July 24 and features special guests Lapkus, Jon Gabrus, Nick Kroll, Jason Mantzoukas, Mary Holland and Paul F. Tompkins.
“We’re excited to celebrate ‘Comedy Bang! Bang!’, the show that created the world of comedy podcasting and is still going strong at 500 episodes,” said Chris Bannon, chief content officer for Midroll Media. “And I’m delighted that, after seven years, Earwolf is still working with the best performers in comedy to create brand new shows for all the listeners coming into podcasting today.”
The Earwolf summer launches include:
• “Off Book” is the first-ever improvised musical podcast, featuring rising improvisational comedy stars Jessica McKenna (a regular “Comedy Bang! Bang!” guest) and Zach Reino (co-star and co-writer of numerous UCB productions). The two will join a musically gifted guest to bring the audience an original musical each week. The show is also innovating on the advertising side of the business with a new form of the host-read ad: improvised musical ad reads. Episodes will be available Tuesdays beginning July 25.
• “Homophilia” brings together former MTV host Dave Holmes, comedian Matt McConkey and a celebrity guest for a candid conversation on what they’re loving in pop culture and who they are loving in their romantic lives. From pop-culture favorites to coming-out stories, hook-ups and long-term relationships, no topic is off-limits. New episodes will be available every Friday beginning Aug. 11.
• Episodes of the popular 1960s comedy radio show “Chickenman” are joining Earwolf. Listeners can enjoy each bite-sized episode of this superhero drama in just two minutes. Twenty episodes are available via podcast platforms for the first time, while the remaining archives are available through Stitcher Premium. Episodes are available on Aug. 2.
Also new to the Earwolf network are two podcasts from leading digital-media humor brand Cracked: “Cracked Movie Club” (July 13) and “Cracked Gets Personal” (Aug. 16). “Throwing Shade” (July 6) and “James Bonding” (Aug. 1) have also joined the network.
All Earwolf podcasts are available on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts and everywhere listeners access podcasts. For more information, visit Earwolf.com.
Midroll Media is owned and operated by the E.W. Scripps Company, which also owns and operates this news station.
