UA graduate Bob Baker and senior Tyler Marshall began their podcast, Trivial Pursuits, as a way to have fun with their friends, but as the podcast has evolved into what Baker describes as “a more legitimate broadcast,” it has become a way to give a voice to artists and interesting people in the community and to share their stories.
The hour-long weekly podcast, hosted by Marshall and Baker, consists of two portions, an interview segment in the first half hour and a series of made-up games in the second. Baker said their format is similar to the game show format of NPR’s “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!”
So far, Trivial Pursuits guests have primarily been artists in the community. Guests have included Well That’s Cool owner Bo Hicks and UA creative writing instructor Brian Oliu, among others. On the show, guests talk about everything from how they became successful as artists and their work to what kind of week they are having. Marshall and Baker maintain a relaxed, conversational style rather than an interview format.
“Usually it just comes up that they’re just being themselves basically, being bright, intelligent, beautiful people here in Tuscaloosa, and their stories, as far as my knowledge goes from the guests we’ve had, have kind of been untold,” Baker said. “Through our show we’ve been given the privilege of telling their story so that people in town can hear it.”
Doing the show as a podcast has allowed Baker and Marshall to produce the show using minimal resources and help from friends. They also like the accessibility of doing Trivial Pursuits as a podcast. All their content can be downloaded for free, and listeners can listen at their own convenience rather than having to tune in at a certain time.
Putting on a podcast has also allowed Marshall and Baker the freedom to make the show they want to make without having to deal with financial restrictions or having to go through other organizations.
“[A podcast] gives us the opportunity to do what we want and not be restricted by not having any money,” Baker said.
Trivial Pursuits is partnered with Well That’s Cool, a Tuscaloosa-based website and podcast focused on cultural happenings in town. They are currently looking for others interested in creating podcasts to give them the resources to do so.
“It’s a series of questions: what’s my show going to be about, how often are we going to record, who’s going to be on. Once you figure all that stuff out you’re good to go as long as you’re not afraid to talk into a microphone,” Marshall said.
Marshall and Baker have plans to add a video element to Trivial Pursuits with a video series of live local bands at Druid City Brewing Company.
Through working with friends, artists and the people at Well That’s Cool, Trivial Pursuits has resulted in something of a creative network for Marshall and Baker, which they hope they can use to help give others the resources to do similar projects.
“I would hope we get anybody who’s wanting to do something along the lines of what we’re doing to come to us for help because we will have the network. If they want to do a podcast we could do that or videos or whatever is happening, because if we can do it so can they,” Marshall said. “I think people are starting to know us as the podcast guys and that’s okay.”
For more information about Trivial Pursuits, visit trivial-pursuits.com.
