Call Your Girlfriend (podcast)

Last updated

Call Your Girlfriend
CYG Logo.jpeg
Presentation
Hosted by Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow
Genre
  • Feminist
  • talk
  • human interest
  • culture
  • interview
FormatConversational, interviews
Created by Ann Friedman, Aminatou Sow, Gina Delvac
LanguageEnglish
UpdatesWeekly on Fridays
LengthRanges, generally 30-60 minutes
Production
ProductionGina Delvac, Jordan Bailey
Opening theme Call Your Girlfriend by Robyn
Composed byAll themes and music other than the opening by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs
Publication
Original releaseJune 2014 
February 2022
Related
Website www.callyourgirlfriend.com

Call Your Girlfriend is a conversation and interview-style podcast co-hosted by journalist Ann Friedman and digital strategist Aminatou Sou, two friends living on opposite coasts of the US. The podcast was described as a cultural phenomenon where the hosts discussed feminism, politics and pop culture, ranging from the very serious (police abolition or abortion rights) to reality TV (Kardashians and Love is Blind). [1] [2]

Contents

Started in 2014, the show became popular long before the media form of podcasting grew to its current scale and mainstream interest. [3] In 2017 alone, the podcast had 6.1 million downloads and a live tour with sold out shows in New York, Washington, San Francisco and Boston. The co-hosts also co-wrote a book, Big Friendship, published in 2020. [4] The podcast posted its final episode on February 10, 2022. [5]

About

Friedman and Sow started the podcast at the behest of their mutual friend Gina Delvac, after Friedman moved across the country to the opposite coast of Sow. They decided to turn their weekly catch-up phone calls into a show. [1] The tagline of the show was "a podcast for long distance besties everywhere." [6] The podcast launched June 2014 [7] and has once reached #28 on the iTunes Podcast chart. [8] Episodes came out every week over the course of eight years, creating an extensive backlog of over 350 episodes. [9]

Throughout the entire run of the show it was produced by former NPR producer Gina Delvac. Friedman, Sow, and Delvac were driven to create the show to specifically "deliver more female-friendly content" [10] in a very male-dominated podcasting space. [8] Sow has even recounted a specific conversation where they were told by a man that "women don't make podcasts." [11] Centering the podcast on female friendship with two female hosts proudly talking like women are socialized to (with 'likes' and uptalk) was an act of activism and a direct response to the industry. The authenticity and causal nature of friendship could be difficult to duplicate in a recorded medium though. Delvac has talked about her role as a producer, jumping in to give context or bring the conversation back on track, as the art form of maintaining just the right amount casual vibes to feel authentic while remaining on topic. [10] She described the process, "We’re distilling friendship to a public medium [...] It’s one thing to just be friends talking on the phone, but it’s another to perform it for others." [10]

Initially the podcast featured the two friends recording casual phone conversations of them catching up, allowing listeners to eavesdrop on their thoughts about politics and pop culture. Sow and Friedman would each arrive to their recording sessions (taking place in their closets) with a short list of personal topics, pop culture and news events share with each other. [1] Sow described this initial approach, "We set out to have fun and work with each other and explore a different medium." [1] Eventually, the show evolved beyond these personal agendas to have recurring segments, a theme for each show and guest interviews. [12] [10] Friedman has said that she "never expected that the project would turn into a live touring series, a platform for interviews with guests including Hillary Clinton, Gloria Steinem, and Stacey Abrams" and eventually a book deal. [13] Despite the initial casual approach, the show quickly built a large audience and the three friends became business partners, co-owning Call Your Girlfriend LLC, which allowed them to sustain the podcast and remain independent throughout. [1] [14]

Themes

Feminism and activism

One of the central themes of the show, almost every episode touched on feminism and activism in one form or another. The hosts have described the podcast as "unapologetically feminist," [15] and often talk about the difference between female empowerment and being part of the feminist political movement (the podcast falling into the second category). Specific topics covered include food justice, police abolition, sex work, reproductive justice, Black Lives Matter, and universal basic income among many others. [9] They also at one point had an ongoing segment called "This Week in Menstruation" and a newsletter titled "The Bleed." [10]

Work, money and "Shine Theory"

The hosts openly discussed their career trajectories, how much money they made and the theory they coined about supporting other women in their industries called "Shine Theory." In interviews they have mentioned that because of this, women often come to them for work-related advice. [14]

Initially the three women behind Call Your Girlfriend did not earn any money from the project [10] but over time figured out how to get compensated for their work, sharing the process publicly in an episode titled "Businesswoman Special" [16] (2017) and a follow-up with a tongue-in-cheek title, "Podcast Millionaires" [17] (2019).

Friendship

Female friendship and recognizing its importance were central themes on the show, which then led to the book the two hosts wrote together, Big Friendship, and the associated themed episodes called the "Summer of Friendship." Bustle described the show, "Call Your Girlfriend is a celebration of a specific kind of all-encompassing friendship — one that carries just as much weight as any romantic relationship." [18] Friedman has described the intention behind giving female friendship space on the podcast,

“There needs to be more popular media featuring women’s conversations with each other about things that are not their relationships with men. And so really we just try to do that [...] We’re really tackling this idea of, what would it look like to give friendship its due? To really center it, and talk about it, in the way that we believe it deserves to be.” [13]

Books

They frequently had seasonal books themed episodes, such as "Fall Books 2018" [19] or "Winter Books 2019" [20] where the hosts talked about what they had been reading and interview authors. Beyond these episodes, they regularly invite writers and journalists on to the show. [9]

Reception

Design Matters described the podcast: "It’s hilarious. It’s emotional. It’s freewheeling and powerful. As a listener, you really do feel like you’re eavesdropping on—and sometimes partaking in—a conversation between Sow and Friedman; their honesty and authenticity rings true, and is inescapable." [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanda de Cadenet</span> British photographer and entertainer

Amanda de Cadenet is a British photographer, author, and media personality based in Los Angeles, United States. She began her entertainment career in the 1990s, first as a presenter for British series The Word and The Big Breakfast before moving to Los Angeles to briefly pursue an acting career. A tabloid figure at the time, she transitioned to a more private career as a photographer in the 2000s. She has hosted an eponymous interview series on the Lifetime Channel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janet Varney</span> American actress, comedian, writer and producer

Janet Varney is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer. She is known for voicing the character of Korra in the Nickelodeon animated television series The Legend of Korra, co-starring as Sheriff Evie Barret in the television series Stan Against Evil, and a recurring role as Becca Barbara in You're the Worst.

<i>EconTalk</i> Podcast

EconTalk is a weekly economics podcast hosted by Russ Roberts. Roberts, formerly an economics professor at George Mason University, is a research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. On the podcast, Roberts typically interviews a single guest—often professional economists—on topics in economics. The podcast is hosted by the Library of Economics and Liberty, an online library sponsored by Liberty Fund. On EconTalk Roberts has interviewed more than a dozen Nobel Prize laureates including Nobel Prize in Economics recipients Ronald Coase, Milton Friedman, Gary Becker, and Joseph Stiglitz as well as Nobel Prize in Physics recipient Robert Laughlin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leigh Sales</span> Australian journalist and author (born 1973)

Leigh Peta Sales is an Australian journalist and author, best known for her work with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Maximum Fun is an independent, worker owned cooperative podcast and radio show production organization founded by Jesse Thorn. The organization originated with Thorn's college radio show The Sound of Young America which continued in an adapted format and with a new name, Bullseye with Jesse Thorn. Maximum Fun has since grown to include several other programs. Shows on the network cover a wide variety of topics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earwolf</span> American podcasting network

Earwolf is an American comedy podcasting network founded by Scott Aukerman and Jeff Ullrich in August 2010. In 2011, they announced a partnership with Funny Or Die. It merged with podcast advertising network The Mid Roll in 2014, a separate company founded by Ullrich, to form Midroll Media. Midroll was acquired by the E. W. Scripps Company in 2015. In July 2020, Sirius XM acquired Midroll Media, which includes Stitcher Radio and Earwolf, for $325 million.

<i>Super Soul Sunday</i> American TV series or program

Super Soul Sunday is a self-help talk show hosted by Oprah Winfrey, which airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network. The series premiered on October 16, 2011, and ended on December 19, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikki Glaser</span> American comedian

Nicole Rene Glaser is an American stand-up comedian, actress, podcaster, radio host, and television host. She was the host of the television series Not Safe with Nikki Glaser, which premiered on Comedy Central and Much on February 9, 2016. She is the star of the 2022 reality show Welcome Home Nikki Glaser? on E!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Friedman</span> Journalist, editor and podcaster

Ann Friedman is an American magazine editor, journalist, podcaster, and pie chart artist. She writes about gender, politics, and social issues. She co-hosted the podcast Call Your Girlfriend, sends out a weekly email newsletter called The Ann Friedman Weekly, and is a contributing editor for The Gentlewoman. Previously, she was deputy editor for The American Prospect, executive editor at the Los Angeles–based GOOD magazine, and a co-founder of the employee-driven, crowd-sourced spin-off Tomorrow magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sasheer Zamata</span> American actress and comedian (born 1986)

Sasheer Zamata Moore is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and writer. Zamata is best known for her tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2014 to 2017. Since her departure from SNL, she has garnered wider attention for her leading roles in the TV series Woke (2020–2022) and Home Economics (2021–2023). She has served as a celebrity ambassador for the American Civil Liberties Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tech LadyMafia</span>

Tech LadyMafia is a membership-based group of women in technology founded in 2011 by Aminatou Sow and Erie Meyer. The group was founded in part to increase visibility of women working in technology in response to popular articles about the lack of gender diversity.

Aminatou Sow is a United States-based businesswoman, digital strategist, writer, podcast host, interviewer and cultural commentator. She is the co-founder of Tech LadyMafia and she co-hosted the podcast Call Your Girlfriend with her friend, the journalist and editor Ann Friedman. Together, they also wrote the best-selling book Big Friendship. Sow was named to Forbes 30 under 30 in Tech in 2014.

<i>Death, Sex and Money</i> Interview podcast with Anna Sale

Death, Sex and Money is an interview-style podcast hosted by Anna Sale that discusses the big questions "often left out of polite conversation." The podcast launched in May 2014 and is produced by WNYC Studios. The podcast features celebrities and experts, as well as guests with little to no name recognition. The podcast covers the topics of finance, grief, love, and relationships.

<i>Chapo Trap House</i> American socialist political podcast

Chapo Trap House is an American socialist political comedy podcast launched in March 2016. The show is hosted by its three co-founders: Will Menaker, Matt Christman, and Felix Biederman. Amber A'Lee Frost and Virgil Texas joined as recurring co-hosts in November 2016, though the latter left the series in May 2021. Chris Wade has produced the show since November 2017, following the departure of original producer Brendan James. Chapo Trap House is aligned with the dirtbag left, a style of contentious left-wing political discourse that eschews civility in favor of casual, blunt, often vulgar expression.

<i>The Last Podcast on the Left</i> Dark comedy podcast

The Last Podcast on the Left is a weekly podcast on the Last Podcast Network featuring podcast producer and researcher Marcus Parks and comedian and actor Henry Zebrowski, two longtime friends. Episodes have explored the topics of serial killers, cults, conspiracy theories, UFO sightings, ghosts, cryptids, the occult, and readings of fan-submitted creepypastas. The name is a reference to the 1972 horror movie The Last House on the Left.

<i>Conan OBrien Needs a Friend</i> Comedy podcast

Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend is a weekly podcast hosted by American comedian and retired talk show host Conan O'Brien. It is co-hosted by O'Brien's assistant, Sona Movsesian, and producer, Matt Gourley. The podcast debuted in November 2018 and features O'Brien talking with comedians and actors in the industry, including Jeff Goldblum, Adam Sandler, Stephen Colbert, David Letterman, Bill Burr, Tom Hanks, and Tina Fey, along with personal friends, such as Lisa Kudrow and Timothy Olyphant, people he admires such as Neil Young and Robert Caro, and political figures, such as Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Michelle Obama.

<i>Harry Potter and the Sacred Text</i> Podcast by Vanessa Zoltan et al. (2016-)

Harry Potter and the Sacred Text is an audio podcast founded by Vanessa Zoltan, Casper Ter Kuile, and Ariana Nedelman, and hosted by Vanessa Zoltan and Matt Potts, in which the Harry Potter books are read as a sacred text. Each episode, the characters and context of one chapter in the Harry Potter series are explored through a different central theme like 'vulnerability', 'betrayal', or 'friendship'. The podcast, which charted #2 on the US iTunes Charts a few months after its inception in 2016, has been described as "Bible studies for J.K. Rowling fans".

<i>The Midnight Gospel</i> American animated television series

The Midnight Gospel is an American adult animated television series created by Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward and comedian Duncan Trussell. Released on Netflix on April 20, 2020, it is the first animated production from Ward for Netflix. It sets real podcast interviews between Trussell and various guests into surrealistic adventures, typically telling a story alongside the real podcast audio through the environment and extra voice work by Trussell and the guests of the original podcast.

<i>Guys We Fucked</i> Comedy podcast

Guys We Fucked is a weekly podcast hosted by New York-based comedians Corinne Fisher and Krystyna Hutchinson, collectively known as the comedy duo Sorry About Last Night.

<i>The Jump with Shirley Manson</i> Music podcast hosted by Shirley Manson

The Jump with Shirley Manson is a music podcast hosted by Garbage's singer Shirley Manson and co-produced by Mailchimp Presents and Little Everywhere, with executive producers Dann Gallucci, Jane Marie and Hrishikesh Hirway. Each episode of The Jump features a guest musician talking about a defining song that represented a breakthrough in the artist's own career and “the moments in an artist’s career where they decide to take a leap into something new.”

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Locker, Melissa (March 5, 2016). "Call Your Girlfriend: podcast dishes on everything from Benghazi to Bieber". The Guardian. Retrieved December 23, 2017 via www.theguardian.com.
  2. "5 Best Women Led Podcasts" . Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  3. Adgate, Brad (February 11, 2021). "As Podcasts Continue To Grow In Popularity, Ad Dollars Follow". Forbes. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  4. Bradley, Ryan (November 29, 2018). "Aminatou Sow's Work Diary: 'It's Not a Dirty Word. I Want to Be Rich!'". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  5. "Farewell". CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND. February 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  6. "CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND". CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  7. "5 Best Women Led Podcasts" . Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  8. 1 2 Johnson, Eric. "'Call Your Girlfriend' co-host Aminatou Sow: I started podcasting because men told me I couldn't". Recode. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 "Episodes". CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wolfe, April (August 16, 2016). "When the Hosts of Call Your Girlfriend talk about Periods, People Listen". LA Weekly . Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  11. Johnson, Eric (September 29, 2016). "'Call Your Girlfriend' co-host Aminatou Sow: I started podcasting because men told me I couldn't". Vox . Archived from the original on June 17, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  12. "Review | A friendship 'too big to fail'". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Podcaster Ann Friedman Gets In Touch With Her Iowa Roots". Iowa Public Radio. February 27, 2019. Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  14. 1 2 "Call Your Girlfriend Interview". BYT // Brightest Young Things. April 6, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  15. "Aminatou Sow on Her Podcast and Women in Media". Time. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  16. "Businesswoman Special". CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  17. "Businesswoman Special 2: Podcast Millionaires". CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  18. Leach, Samantha (April 6, 2020). "The 'Call Your Girlfriend' Co-Hosts On Maintaining Big Friendships In Hard Times". Bustle. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  19. "Fall Books 2018". CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  20. "Winter Books 2019". CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  21. Petit, Zachary (2018). "Aminatou Sow". Design Matters . Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2021.