Never has a podcast concept been so difficult to explain. Self-described as a “fact based comedy podcast”, Do Go On sees a group of comedians join together to bring out the funny side of school style reports. Whether you’re a seasoned podcast nerd, or just starting out, Do Go On will have you cry laughing on the bus on your way to uni.
After over 130 weekly episodes, it can be said that hosts, Dave Warneke, Jess Perkins and Matt Stewart are well and truly experienced podcasters. But don’t expect clean cut, heavily produced content. Expect fuck ups, deeply regretted sentences taken out of context, “fuck offs” and plenty of poo jokes. And that’s before the “topic” even begins.
On each episode of Do Go On, one member of the team reports on a topic and the other two team members act like smart asses about it and shit talk throughout the entirety of the hour-long report. Report topics range from historical figures and events, famous brands, tv shows, and most highly rated, murder mysteries. This is a seemingly simple concept for a podcast, but the most important feature that will leave you in pain from laughing is the group chemistry.
Dave, Jess and Matt are a podcast trio made in heaven. Their quick quips, sarcastic comments and out of control imaginations have lead them to create a community around their podcast that are just as enthused as themselves. It’s like listening in on a group of teenagers muck around in the back of the classroom taking the piss out of everything the teacher says. This is emulated in their live performances (able to be listened to as a recorded podcast if you don’t live in Brisbane or Melbourne where they do most of their live shows), where audience members are known by name and repeatedly call out inside jokes and memorable lines from the podcast, as if they were a fourth member themselves.
Each episode of Do Go On can run from anywhere between one and two hours. It has to be said that Dave’s reports are the most in depth and informative (“fucking nerd” as Jess would say), Jess’s reports are the liveliest, and Matt’s are the most likely to have been written the night before with a beer in hand. I do have to commend the three of them for consistently producing these extensive reports. Imagine voluntarily signing up to write a ten-page report on a topic every couple of weeks, on a topic they may never have heard of before, in addition to of all your regular workload. Not something many uni students would be willing to do.
The audience appreciates this podcast and all the work that goes into it, and this has been reflected in the sold out live performances and their successful patreon. Like many “free” content producers, Do Go On pod ask their audience to support their patreon (a website where you can make monthly donations to support content creators) if that’s something they feel strongly about. And with 700 patreons (at time of writing), it’s safe to say they have a growing support base. The patreon system for Do Go On rewards it’s members through shoutouts, live video chats, voting on topics for the team to present on, extra bonus episodes, newsletters, and if you pay enough, friendship bracelets, beers and in personal friendships.
Do Go On is genuinely accessible to anyone who wants a laugh and some light-hearted content. The episodes are long enough for that commute when you are stuck in traffic and just need to take your mind off life. There’s such a wide range of topics, you can pick and choose what you would like to learn about. I highly recommend you go check this podcast out as it is well and truly one of my favourites. I’ll be refreshing their podcast page repeatedly until Wednesday’s episode comes out.
Episode recommendations:
- Episode 10: Cremation, Burial or Other. A look into what really happens after you die. For those who enjoy some dark humour
- Episode 45: The Bermuda Triangle. Matt’s been day drinking for this report, it’s a loose one and a great topic for conspiracy enthusiasts
- Episode 119: Queens of the Sydney Underworld. The title says it all.
Further recommendations: pick a topic you like as a first taste of the show, and then go back and listen to them chronologically, cherry picking topics you like the sound of. Inside jokes run throughout the episodes, so it’s worth catching them where you can.
Rose Kerr | @roseissocial
Rose most strongly identifies as a mid-2000s Brit-pop enthusiast.