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Recording its first episode in 2006, the L.A.-based Uhh Yeah Dude predates just about every other podcast out there. The formula is simple: Hosts Seth Romatelli and Jonathan Larroquette—his dad is that John Larroquette—sit across from each other, press record and converse about “News of the Weird”–type items or just make fun of Adam Levine’s new fragrance. With no guests and few if any timely news pegs, the show has gathered a rabid following through its starring duo’s friendly chemistry and freewheeling vibe. (Neither party has an interest in following the lead of the many comedy-nerd interview podcasts that have appeared over the last few years, involving, as Romatelli puts it, “listening to this person get interviewed for the 35th time about how awesome and rich they are.”) Though the live recording on Thursday 6 at Gramercy Theater is sold out, we asked Sethro and Jah to help new listeners find a point of entry.
What were your early days of podcasting like?
Jonathan Larroquette: Obviously, [podcasting] was being done by others, but I thought it would be a safe place to do something and not worry about how it was received. Seth and I were friends, and I just thought he was so funny and needed an outlet, and I was looking to do something outside of music that wasn’t acting. I also thought that an audio-only format was, although passé, still a legitimate way to do something.
What stands out for you guys after eight years?
Larroquette: It’s difficult for us to pick favorite episodes because there are so many of them and it spans so much time. It’s like asking me what my favorite Grateful Dead show is. At a certain point we have to break it down by decades, what guitar Jerry was using at the time—
Seth Romatelli: This week, we were talking shit about Jerry Seinfeld doing his bit about cell phones on [The Tonight Show with Jimmy] Fallon. I looked back to the exact same week in 2013, and he was doing Letterman with the same bit. Also around this time in 2013, we were talking about Jamie Coots, the snake handler at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name Church. That’s the snake handler that died recently from being bitten by a snake.
Larroquette: We repeat ourselves in a circuitous way. The same subjects seem to keep coming up.
Have you had any guests?
Romatelli: My mom has done three episodes. Out of the 408 episodes, me and Jonathan have done 405, and me and my mother have done three.
Larroquette: Seth’s mom has replaced me a few times when [I know I'm going] out of town, but it should be noted that during those episodes, I am present in the room because I’m the only one who knows how to record a podcast.
Wait, if the topics aren’t timely, and you’re in the room, Jonathan, why not just bank an extra episode with you in it to release later?
Larroquette: Marsha really likes doing it! It probably started out as, I’m gonna have to teach these guys how to [record], and it never happened.
Romatelli: She was out in Los Angeles for Christmas. She was drunk in the room, she barged in and did the exact same show. It’s funny, because my fuckin’ mother is in her sixties, drunk on white wine, and she’s talking shit.
Larroquette: Marsha doing the same thing we do. It’s ridiculous.
It just seems like it causes more logistical problems than it solves.
Larroquette: That might be our way.
Do you guys stay away from current events so that you can release an episode whenever?
Romatelli: The reason why you can go back and listen to this week each year is the subjects still feel like they make perfect sense. It’s not episodes of comedy shows on TV that have a shelf life of 24 hours.
Larroquette: [But] Pier 1 introducing [odd new] hand sanitizers—chances are you missed it the first time around. If not, this is a weird reminder of how shitty the world was two years ago.
Uhh Yeah Dude records at Gramercy Theatre Thu 6.