Imagine a podcast where you get to speak at length about your favorite thing in the world! That’s what one-time standup comic Leah Jones envisioned when she decided to create a podcast to host writers (and other creative types) not so much about their books as about that one thing besides books that they are really passionate about. We had the opportunity to interview her here at Occhi about her own passions, the learning curve she encountered in becoming a podcaster, and so much more.
How did COVID lockdown result in your decision to start a podcast?
After the lockdown started in Chicago, I got so much time back from my commute and social life. Suddenly I was sitting at home all day, every day, and needed something to do with my time. I wasn’t going to get a sourdough starter going or learn to knit, so I turned to podcasting. I was already listening to over 15 hours of podcasts a week and found an idea that was somewhat novel – interviewing people about their favorite thing! So it was getting back so much time and the need to have deeper conversations about something other than COVID.
Were there skills you had to acquire to handle the technical component of podcasting?
Oh gosh, I had to learn so much! I had to learn editing software (I use Adobe Audition), microphone technique, how to submit the RSS feed to Apple and Spotify for people to listen, and how to do basic tech support during a Zoom call to improve the audio of my guest. There’s an Ira Glass quote that when we start doing something it’s because we have good taste, but there’s a gap for beginners. Our skills and our taste don’t match. That happened to me. In my first four episodes, my microphone wasn’t even plugged into the computer! I decided not to let perfection be the enemy of good enough and allowed myself to learn in public.
Link to Ira Glass video: https://vimeo.com/24715531
What were the assets you had that you knew would enable you to deal with the creative component of podcasting?
I have been a facilitator, storyteller, and stand-up comic who is confident in leading a conversation. I was confident that I could get people to tell their own stories about their hobbies, which is key to the content. I also used to do social media for major brands, so I know how to do the basic social media marketing on my own channels to get people to listen. I use Canva to make an image for each episode and Headliner to make a one-minute clip to share on Twitter, Instagram, and sometimes Tik Tok.
How did you decide on the topic of “favorite things?” Were there other ideas you floated before you chose?
A few years before Finding Favorites, I’d graduated with a Master’s in Health Communication and gone through a couple of major misdiagnoses on my way to finding out that I had fibroids. I thought an interesting podcast would be to interview people about the path to getting a diagnosis – what were the symptoms, what doctors, what tests, and ultimately what was the correct diagnosis. I think we need to talk more about taboo healthcare topics – especially for folks with uteruses – in order to help others get to the right healthcare team. Ultimately, the liability felt too big on that one.
Then early in the pandemic, I wrote a blog post about all my “friends” on the podcasts I listen to. I drew a mind map of how West Wing Weekly led to Gilmore Guys led to Jason Mantzoukas and on and on, how all of the podcasts were related to each other. Then a college friend, Jason Mathes from the episode on game shows, drew a map as a response of how his comedy tastes today come from Best Week Ever. That’s how I realized everyone had a story about the thing they love most in the world.
And for the most part, we get asked about our professions and our love stories, but it isn’t often that we get an hour to talk about a hobby, artist, or activity that we just love. It gives people a chance to info dump to me and my audience.
What is your favorite thing, Leah?
If I were a guest on my podcast, I would either talk about podcasts (which seems like a copout answer) or I would talk about converting to Judaism. I converted in my 20s and by the time I was 42 became president of my synagogue. I really went all in, despite never marrying or having children. That is more common now, but at the time single women just weren’t converting to Judaism.
What are some of the most unusual favorite things you’ve come across in your interviews?
Some of the most surprising episodes have been talking to Jen Uselis about how she became a Klingon Pop Warrior and Klingon translator’ Sean Ellis came on the podcast and went deep about Historical European Martial Arts (aka sword stuff), and a dear friend Jo McCawley came on to talk about her journey to loving her fat body. Those are three niche topics that I learned a lot about during the interview.
One last one was that I got Andy Slavitt who worked in both the Obama and Biden administrations to come on my podcast and talk about why he continued unpaid lobbying during the Trump administration. I got him to admit he loves Downton Abbey!
Most of your interviewees are writers or other creatives. How do you decide who among those who request an interview you will work with?
I think everyone has a story to tell, so I haven’t turned people away yet. I have gotten more clear in my ask in that esoteric favorites can be a bit more difficult to discuss. I also have lost a few people due to scheduling conflicts, but I want to say yes to everyone because everyone has a story of something they love to tell. It’s my job to make them interesting and comfortable.
What is the secret to being the kind of interviewer people want to chat with?
I’m deeply curious about other people and always looking for my next hobby, so I feel an obligation to ask people questions they haven’t been asked. So many people get shut down talking about their hobbies or hyper-fixations, I give them room to really get into it. Nothing is too detailed or too pedantic for me!
Talk about the work you did before you started your podcast and how it prepared you for what you’re doing now.
I think it’s my background as a leader in peer groups – I was a drum major, a resident assistant, volunteer manager, stand-up comic, barista. Plus through my 20s and 30s, I got comfortable facilitating meetings and focus groups; I think that helps in these interviews. And probably going on a lot of first dates from online dating – I’m really good at talking to strangers!
I also listen to A LOT of podcasts and know what I like in an interview – I want to grow my relationship with the host, but not at the expense of the guest.
In addition to offering your interviewees a generous amount of time to talk about their favorite thing as well as (in most cases) the book they are currently promoting, you also take a few minutes at the start of each show to update listeners about your personal journey, which includes treatments for breast cancer. What is obvious, for those of us who follow along, is that despite great challenges, your journey is colored by an abundance of friendship and gratitude. Talk about your decision to be so candid and your listeners’ reaction to it.
When I was 40, I was diagnosed with fibroids and decided to have a complete hysterectomy. I started telling friends and realized that lots of women in my life had been struggling silently with fibroids. If we weren’t so shy about talking about menstrual cycles, I might have known two years earlier that my weight gain wasn’t just weight gain and that flooding isn’t a normal part of aging.
I also had a colleague in 2008 or so who kept his cancer secret. This was before the Affordable Care Act and even before everyone had a laptop at work. He had a car crash coming back to the office from chemo and that’s how we found out he had cancer.
So for me, being candid is two-fold. If I can get more people in for cancer screenings to find cancer at stage 1 or to get a baseline test, then I feel like I’ve done something good in the world. I was actually diagnosed the week I was going to the funeral of the friend who inspired me to get my first mammogram. Lucy Shair had two bouts of breast cancer and died in December 2020, then we celebrated her in June 2021.
Second, when you are open about needing help, then people will step up and help. I am truly awed by the people from different ages and stages of my life who have helped me since I was diagnosed. Internet friends who sent me the best lotion, synagogue friends who drove me to the hospital, people who traveled to Chicago on different weekends to just be with me. Everyone has to make their own choice for privacy, but I feel like it’s selfish to deny people who love you the chance to support you. It’s also a major life lesson for me to allow people to support me because I am VERY INDEPENDENT AND STRONG… and I need help.
Is it true you also host another podcast having to do with candy?
Yes! After I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I asked Jocelyn Geboy to do a lighthearted episode of Finding Favorites with me and we talked about candy. People loved it so much that we started doing Candy Chat Chicago as its own podcast. Come for the candy, stay for the chat. We try new-to-us candy every week, we have guests, and we just talk about whatever we want to talk about. It’s really fun.
How can Occhi readers learn more about Finding Favorites?
Finding Favorites is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and anywhere you listen to podcasts. You can find complete show notes on the website at https://findingfavorites.podbean.com/
You can also learn more at:
Twitter @chicagoleah
Instagram @chileah
Podcast: https://findingfavorites.podbean.com/
Twitter: @findingfavspod
Instagram @findingfavspod
https://candychatpodcast.podbean.com/
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