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Dan Benjamin: Regarding The Talk Show

5by5.tv

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Re: Dan Benjamin: Regarding The Talk Show

#21

Post by pwthornton »

rkudeshi wrote: post #15

Summary for anyone who can't listen: * Dan says John emailed him and just said it was time to move on and try something new. Dan says he has total respect and understanding for that. * Dan says he thought if they weren't doing the show anymore, they would retire it together. Surprised and disappointed that John's doing the show on his own and re-using the name. * Dan wishes they could have done one last episode to re…

Dan has always come across as one of the classiest guys on the Internet.

I am genuinely sad to see this happen to him.

Re: Dan Benjamin: Regarding The Talk Show

#23

Post by georgespencer »

rkudeshi wrote: post #15

Summary for anyone who can't listen: * Dan says John emailed him and just said it was time to move on and try something new. Dan says he has total respect and understanding for that. * Dan says he thought if they weren't doing the show anymore, they would retire it together. Surprised and disappointed that John's doing the show on his own and re-using the name. * Dan wishes they could have done one last episode to re…

Like everyone is saying, Dan comes across really well in this. I don't expect JG will ever give us his take.

RE: never listening to any 5by5 podcasts–I listened to The Talk Show a few times. Maybe it's because I'm used to the dogma of professional broadcasting, but I don't think you've missed out unless you like hearing a couple of guys pause a hell of a lot during an awkward conversation. Almost every episode I heard started with an entirely charmless "Uh, hello?" "Uh is this on?" scenario.

I guess part of the appeal was that it was folksy and just a conversation.

Re: Dan Benjamin: Regarding The Talk Show

#24

Post by AllenKids »

I was prepared to hate the new talk show and Mule Radio Syndicate, but to my surprise, John Gruber sound a lot more energetic than pretty much the last year, now if he can get a co-host to rein him in from time to time and at the same time contribute his/her own thoughts... I think Massimo and Julia from "Rationally Speaking" are a perfect couple. Leo LePorte and Dan Benjamin are total nice guys but seldom say anything insightful, they generally just make light jokes and move the topic along.

I skipped "Let's make mistakes" for nearly half a year before yesterday, they've gotten better I'll have to say.

All in all John Gruber probably was being an ass, now he can be as much of an ass as he want. He can't beat Mike Monteiro on that front.

I enjoy asses.

Re: Dan Benjamin: Regarding The Talk Show

#25

Post by Tyrannosaurs »

orta wrote: post #3

Summary: Dan used to listen to podcasts daily, used to get a real feel for the people he was listening too. So he thinks it's a bit of a shame they can't even do a "one last show." But he wishes all the best. I love listening to 5by5 episodes. Mainly the siracusa one, and at some point I'll check out Grubers new podcast. My thoughts are that losing Dan from the show is a negative, he's a great speaker with a soothing…

I think what Dan does really well is give his co-hosts room to do their thing. He's not got a huge ego, he knows for the most part it's not about him, but he's a great solid foil for others, providing structure.

I think you can only get away with being opinionated and outspoken if you have someone like Dan next to you as a balance and a tether.

Re: Dan Benjamin: Regarding The Talk Show

#26

Post by pwthornton »

georgespencer wrote: post #23
rkudeshi wrote: post #15

Summary for anyone who can't listen: * Dan says John emailed him and just said it was time to move on and try something new. Dan says he has total respect and understanding for that. * Dan says he thought if they weren't doing the show anymore, they would retire it together. Surprised and disappointed that John's doing the show on his own and re-using the name. * Dan wishes they could have done one last episode to re…

Like everyone is saying, Dan comes across really well in this. I don't expect JG will ever give us his take. RE: never listening to any 5by5 podcasts–I listened to The Talk Show a few times. Maybe it's because I'm used to the dogma of professional broadcasting, but I don't think you've missed out unless you like hearing a couple of guys pause a hell of a lot during an awkward conversation. Almost every episode I hear…

I think a big part of the appeal of podcasts is that they don't seem like overproduced, substance-less radio. Gruber has some genuinely good insights, particularly about Apple. I also appreciate that this wasn't some overproduced show with sound effects everywhere.

Re: Dan Benjamin: Regarding The Talk Show

#27

Post by Tyrannosaurs »

georgespencer wrote: post #23
rkudeshi wrote: post #15

Summary for anyone who can't listen: * Dan says John emailed him and just said it was time to move on and try something new. Dan says he has total respect and understanding for that. * Dan says he thought if they weren't doing the show anymore, they would retire it together. Surprised and disappointed that John's doing the show on his own and re-using the name. * Dan wishes they could have done one last episode to re…

Like everyone is saying, Dan comes across really well in this. I don't expect JG will ever give us his take. RE: never listening to any 5by5 podcasts–I listened to The Talk Show a few times. Maybe it's because I'm used to the dogma of professional broadcasting, but I don't think you've missed out unless you like hearing a couple of guys pause a hell of a lot during an awkward conversation. Almost every episode I hear…

I like all the people on the 5by5 podcasts but this is exactly why I don't listen to them.

I wish instead of doing 1 hour 15, they'd do 15 minutes planning, 15 minutes editing and a 45 minute show. There's plenty of good material there, I just feel it gets drowned out.

Re: Dan Benjamin: Regarding The Talk Show

#28

Post by mbrd »

AllenKids wrote: post #24

I was prepared to hate the new talk show and Mule Radio Syndicate, but to my surprise, John Gruber sound a lot more energetic than pretty much the last year, now if he can get a co-host to rein him in from time to time and at the same time contribute his/her own thoughts... I think Massimo and Julia from "Rationally Speaking" are a perfect couple. Leo LePorte and Dan Benjamin are total nice guys but seldom say anythi…

I don't think Dan's ability to "move the topic along" should be underestimated. It's a real skill to be able to give a discussion somewhat on topic and on time and he is excellent at it.

I can't imagine trying to get even 20 minutes of useful content from Merlin Mann but Dan does it every week on Back to Work!

Re: Dan Benjamin: Regarding The Talk Show

#29

Post by glhaynes »

rkudeshi wrote: post #15

Summary for anyone who can't listen: * Dan says John emailed him and just said it was time to move on and try something new. Dan says he has total respect and understanding for that. * Dan says he thought if they weren't doing the show anymore, they would retire it together. Surprised and disappointed that John's doing the show on his own and re-using the name. * Dan wishes they could have done one last episode to re…

John == Gruber or Siracusa?

Re: Dan Benjamin: Regarding The Talk Show

#30

Post by Tyrannosaurs »

thomasjoulin wrote: post #20
gaving wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think that's fair since neither party had said anything about the split before that went live. Now that Dan's expressed his thoughts, I wonder if John will do the same.

Nonetheless Gruber comes out as a jerk... If it was indeed his decision, he should have handled it a little better with Benjamin (telling him sooner, organizing a last show, not reusing the TTS name on mule...), and even if one can argue that he doesn't owe the listener anything, an explanation in the introduction of the new show would have made a good segue...

I find it surprising that so many people are willing to say that Gruber has acted like a jerk.

If anyone has the right to be pissed it'd Dan, yet he seems to be fine (if disappointed) with what's happened. If he's not calling Gruber a jerk I think the rest of us should take our lead there - after all, he knows more than any of us and is personally involved in the whole thing.

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