Why Not Noah?

When I first moved back to Minnesota in January 2018, I didn’t have cable. I could watch shows on cable, but my partner and I could only watch them on an old iPad that was logged into a friend’s Comcast account, so it wasn’t ideal. Oh, and our internet was probably the jankiest and most unreliable signal imaginable. Sure, it was decent and we were 100% thankful, but you really can’t watch too much television using that method. It forces you to pick and choose your favorites and really focus on those.

Then one magical day we got a letter in the mail saying everyone in the building was getting new, extra fancy cable boxes that not only gave us all the channels but also allowed us to record shows while simultaneously watching other shows! I know this is definitely not a new technology, but holy moly, I was floored!

I remember racing—practically running—home from work the day of the installation, throwing open the door and seeing the television blasting my all time favorite channel ... yes, it was on Bravo! And I was in heaven. I remember feeling overwhelmed with emotion. Like seriously, who knew I missed television that much?!

It was like I had never seen or heard of television. I was hooked! I went from watching occasional reruns of I Love Lucy and Designing Women on DVD or barely watchable episodes of cable on an iPad to crisp HD real time cable. Oh, and the best part ... we could pause, fast-forward AND rewind when necessary! #MINDBLOWN!

I went from barely watching tv to ONLY watching tv! If you recommended a show, I would go home and watch it. The housewives on Bravo, the vampires on FX, the people living in the good place, the disgruntled store workers on NBC, all the trashy reality show contestants and really everyone in between became my new best friends! Ask Norris. It was bad, but I was living my best. And I was not ashamed. I loved watching tv!

Meanwhile, Norris liked cable, but he was also developing a secret love of something else ... podcasts. Now, I’d given podcasts a chance back when they were the new “it” thing (they still kind of are) but I’m talking when Serial first dropped in 2014 and people were still recording podcasts at their dining room table with a handheld recording device and a prayer! They were okay, but definitely nothing to write home about. And while I knew podcasts were becoming all the rage, I just wasn’t really interested in trying again.

For weeks I made fun of him because he’d developed this sort of catchphrase, “On my podcast …"

He’d come back from a run.

ME: How was your run?

HIM: It was good. On my podcast ...

He’d come home from the gym.

ME: How was the gym?

HIM: It was good. On my podcast ...

We’d be talking about the latest episode of Drag Race.

ME: What’d you think of ... ?

HIM: Oh, yeah. I agree. On my podcast ...

At one point I told him, he could only use the word “podcast” 10 times a day! I was over it. I didn’t want to hear about any more of his silly podcasts.

But then I found out Casey Wilson, my personal star of ABC’s Happy Endings (RIP), had a podcast devoted to all things Bravo and so in a moment of weakness, I decided to give it a shot. It was the perfect marriage between my love of Bravo and my love’s new love. Sure, I’ll listen to Bitch Sesh. It’s Bravo, it’s Casey, and it’s approachable.

As soon at it ended my world become a blur of media. I became hooked and I wanted more. So I asked around and someone recommended My Favorite Murder, a true crime comedy podcast. Yes, please. In only a matter of days, I was deep in a podcast rabbit hole. Books? What are those? All I know now is trash tv and vulgar podcasts about Bravo and true crime! Why read when someone can just fill your head with information and witty banter?!

Things really shifted when I realized one big advantage to podcasts. Unlike television, podcasts had the upper hand when it came to life in general. Not only could I get my fix, but I could do it while sitting, walking, running and even working! Yes, I could have a podcast running ALL DAY if I really wanted to listen. If cable television was heaven, clearly podcasts were the keys to the pearly gates!

FULL DISCLOSURE: This was only a few months ago. But last week while visiting my family for a couple days I realized I needed to chill out with television and podcasts.

As I sat in a restaurant with my family one evening, forcing awkward conversation across the table, I realized that even though I was missing all my favorite shows and unable to listen to a new episode of Bitch Sesh that just popped up in my notifications, everything would be okay. It would still be there later that night or even weeks later if necessary. I came to the obvious realization that TV and podcasts will always be there, but these moments and these people might not be so we shouldn’t take them for granted. Maybe my family and I don’t have the best relationship and maybe our conversations aren’t quite as entertaining as the ones on television or podcasts, but we’ll never make any progress if I spend my time with them day dreaming about my other “friends.”

Let’s be clear … I still 100% love television and podcasts, but if I miss a new episode here or there. I’m okay with that. Just look at all the unwatched episodes of Pose, Fosse/Verdon, Project Runway and Big Little Lies sitting on our DVR collecting dust.

- Noah Lee Jordan (#WNN)

SONG OF THE BLOG (#SOTB): “Never Really Over” - Katy Perry (For some reason the lyrics resonate with me and my relationship with television/podcasts.)