Cum Town Explained

Cum Town
Host:
Language:English
Updates:Twice weekly
Length:60–90 minutes
Production:Nick Mullen
Num Episodes:Regular: 317
Premium: 278
Began:May 11, 2016
Ended:June 23, 2022
Related Shows:The Adam Friedland Show

Cum Town was a comedy podcast that was hosted by New York City-based comedians Nick Mullen, Stavros Halkias, and Adam Friedland, and produced between 2016 and 2022. During its run, it was consistently one of the most popular podcasts on Patreon and concluded as one of the top 25 comedy podcasts on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. In July 2022, it was succeeded by Mullen and Friedland's spin-off podcast and interview show The Adam Friedland Show.

History

In 2016, Cum Town was created by Mullen, the primary host and producer of the show.[1] Halkias was the first co-host; Friedland became a second co-host, starting as a frequent guest and first appearing in the show's second episode.

The podcast concluded in June 2022 after months of the hosts suggesting its end as well as their renewed interest in stand-up comedy, particularly Halkias, who released his debut comedy special that month. On June 25, 2022, Halkias announced that he was no longer part of Cum Town.[2] Subsequently, Mullen and Friedland revealed their plan for a spin-off podcast—The Adam Friedland Show—to be hosted by Friedland and produced by Mullen.

Content

Cum Town episodes were typically 60 minutes long and consisted of improvised comedy blended with casual unscripted conversation. Featured guests include Tim Dillon, David Cross,[3] Bam Margera, Dan Soder, Bonnie McFarlane, Jim Norton, Kurt Metzger, Brandon Wardell, and Dasha Nekrasova.[4]

Many of the show's riffs come from crude puns and rhymes—for example, "Louis SeemsGay"[5] for Louis C.K.—and involved sexually explicit scenarios or ethnic and racial stereotypes. Conversations generally centered on the hosts' personal lives, the news, the worlds of stand-up comedy and social media, and pop culture history. Friedland often served as the butt of Mullen's and Halkias's jokes and insults.

Mullen does many celebrity impressions, including Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Tucker Carlson, Michael Douglas, Dennis Hopper, E. Jean Carroll, Dwayne Johnson, Joe Biden, Andrew Cuomo, Patrick Warburton, Rip Torn, Gene Hackman, Jon Hamm, Norm MacDonald, Joe List, Mark Normand, Jason Statham, Ice-T, Dave Portnoy,[6] James Gandolfini, Sean Connery, Regis Philbin and Homer Simpson,[7] with some episodes of the show featuring him trying to perfect a new impression on-air.

Availability and listenership

Weekly free episodes of the show were available via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Audible, among other services.[8] [9] [10] Subscribers who contributed at least $5 per month via Patreon gain access to additional weekly premium bonus episodes.[11] During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the show was conducted via Zoom; episodes were broadcast live via YouTube.

As of June 2022, Cum Town was the 10th-most popular podcast on Patreon and the 12th-most popular creator on the platform overall; with more than 20,000 paying members, it had around $100,000 in monthly earnings.[12] It was the number one podcast on the platform for most of 2017 and 2018. On Apple Podcasts, it was the 17th-most popular comedy podcast in the U.S. and 126th overall.[13]

Hosts

Nick Mullen

See main article: Nick Mullen. Nick Mullen (born December 13, 1988)[14] is a stand-up comedian, comedy writer, and podcaster. Much of his comedy is ironic, observational and self-deprecating, and focuses on internet culture.[15] [16]

A nationally touring stand-up, Mullen earned recognition in the early 2010s;[17] [18] [19] he was a two-time finalist for the Funniest Person in Austin contest (2010 and 2011),[20] [21] was selected as part of Montreal's Just for Laughs festival New Faces program in 2012,[22] and was a finalist for New York's Funniest Stand-Up at the 2015 New York Comedy Festival.[23] [24] After a break, he resumed performing in 2022.

Mullen's writing credits include Comedy Knockout on TruTV (premiered 2016), Make Me Understand with Jim Norton (2016 IFC television pilot), 2017's Problematic with Moshe Kasher (Comedy Central), and Sacha Baron Cohen's Who Is America.

Stavros Halkias

See main article: Stavros Halkias. Stavros Halkias (born February 11, 1989)[25] is a stand-up comedian and podcaster.[26] Active since the early 2010s, he is based in New York City and tours nationally. He released his debut comedy special Live At The Lodge Room in June 2022, and left the podcast later that month.

Halkias was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, to Greek immigrant parents.[27] He began performing comedy while attending the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.[28] [29] In 2012, he was named Baltimore's New Comedian of the Year.[30] He has written and performed on Adult Swim, IFC, MSG Network's People Talking Sports and Other Stuff, and Comedy Central series including Comedy Central Stand Up Featuring. Since 2019, he has co-hosted the basketball podcast Pod Don't Lie with Sam Morril.[31]

Adam Friedland

See main article: Adam Friedland. Adam Friedland (born April 10, 1987)[32] is a stand-up comedian, sketch comedian, and podcaster.[33] [34]

Born to South African Lithuanian-Jewish immigrant parents, he primarily grew up in Las Vegas. Friedland got his start in the Washington, D.C. comedy scene by running and hosting comedy shows at the DIY venue Subterranean A; he gained local notability in the local comedy scene for his "alternative" performance piece-oriented comedy.[35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] He performed at the Bentzen Ball in 2013 and 2014 and was named to the annual "Best of D.C." list by the Washington City Paper.[41] [42] [43] He moved to New York City in 2014.[44] Outside of Cum Town, he is best known as the host of the live alternative comedy show Funny Moms; the show began in Washington in 2012 with co-host Sara Starmour and moved to Brooklyn in 2015.[45]

Reception

Dirtbag left association

Cum Town was often associated with the dirtbag left, though it is not expressly political.[46] [47] A February 2020 New York Times article described Cum Town (by allusion, citing its "unprintable name") as "bards of the new American left", alongside podcasts Chapo Trap House and Red Scare.[48] Several Chapo hosts, including Amber A'Lee Frost, Will Menaker, and Felix Biederman have appeared on Cum Town; Mullen, Halkias, and Friedland have made multiple appearances on Chapo.

Though the hosts occasionally discuss their responses to current events and politics—with all three expressing support for 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders—they deny any specific political agenda. In May 2017, Friedland tweeted, "Cum town is not a socialist podcast it's not a fascist podcast it's a podcast about being gay with your dad."[49]

In July 2021, the hosts disagreed with Andrew Marantz's characterization of the podcast as a "flagship product of the dirtbag left" in a New Yorker article.[50] [51] Halkias instead suggested that its motivating force was not political but financial. The hosts initially believed the podcast would be unsuccessful, "and people are stupid enough to give us money, and we are trapped doing [the podcast]".

Criticism

In association with their dirtbag left peers, the podcast and its hosts have been criticized for their use of ironic offensiveness. Critical bloggers have argued that the hosts' use of slurs and edgy jokes, particularly Mullen's, perpetuates harassment and continually crosses the line into actual hatred and contempt.[52] Others have countered that offensiveness is subjective.[53] In 2018, the co-hosts jokingly compared the treatment of their podcast to Milo Yiannopoulos and Carl Benjamin, who both got their Patreon accounts suspended for similar jokes. Mullen jokingly noted, "we're the good guys...we're on the right side of history."[54]

Some online commentators have made a distinction between the podcast and their listeners, critiquing the show's fan base as opposed to the hosts, or critiquing both in tandem. In 2020, the podcast's subreddit (which was not moderated or endorsed by the hosts) was removed from Reddit due to the platform's new policies on hate speech.[55]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nick Mullen . June 16, 2020 . The Stand Restaurant & Comedy Club.
  2. 1540740091005517824. stavvybaby. We had a good run . June 25, 2022. June 25, 2022. en. Halkias. Stavros.
  3. [Stavros Halkias|Halkias, Stavros]
  4. Web site: Sylvie. McNamara. Red Scare's Real Offense Is Nihilism. Podcast Review. October 29, 2018.
  5. Web site: Ep. 118 – Louis SeemsGay from Cum Town. June 16, 2020. stitcher.com.
  6. Web site: Ep 246 - Indiana Loans . August 26, 2022.
  7. Web site: Cumtown Nick's Impression Compilatiom . August 24, 2022 . YouTube.
  8. Web site: Cum Town. July 13, 2021. Spotify. en.
  9. Web site: Cum Town on Apple Podcasts. July 13, 2021. Apple Podcasts. en-US.
  10. Web site: Cum Town: Nick Mullen. July 13, 2021. Amazon.
  11. Web site: The Cum Boys is creating Cum Town Podcast. July 13, 2021. Patreon. en-US.
  12. Web site: The Cum Boys: Patreon Earnings + Statistics + Graphs + Rank . June 11, 2022 . Graphtreon . en.
  13. Web site: Cum Town Podcast – Listen, Reviews, Charts . June 11, 2022 . chartable.com.
  14. Friedland . Adam . AdamFriedland . 1205355108176990208 . December 13, 2019 . Happy birthday to my dear friend @nickmullen who brings so much joy to so many people https://t.co/KMhETtqlIE . en . July 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191215182349/https://twitter.com/AdamFriedland/status/1205355108176990208 . December 15, 2019 . live.
    1. 216: Tenement (Nick Mullen)
    . April 26, 2015. Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank. podcast. en-US. Apple Podcasts. around 1:30:00. It'll be ten years in October [2015] that I'll be doing comedy.
  16. Web site: Nick Mullen Comedians. July 13, 2021. The Stand Restaurant & Comedy Club. en.
  17. Web site: Nick Mullen . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150501094652/http://speakerpedia.com/speakers/nick-mullen . May 1, 2015 . Speakerpedia.
  18. Web site: Nick Mullen . July 5, 2021 . SXSW Schedule 2012 . en.
  19. Web site: March 8, 2012. Your Definitive Guide To The SXSW 2012 Comedy Lineup. live. July 5, 2021. The Laugh Button. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20201021192615/https://thelaughbutton.com/definitive-guide-sxsw-2012-comedy-lineup . October 21, 2020 .
  20. Web site: First look: Montreal's 2012 New Faces, Characters and Unrepped The Comic's Comic . July 30, 2012 . July 13, 2021 . en-US.
  21. Web site: Brenner . Wayne Alan . May 20, 2011 . Funniest Person in Austin Contest 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20111124211143/http://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/2011-05-20/funniest-person-in-austin-contest/ . November 24, 2011 . July 13, 2021 . Austin Chronicle . en-US.
  22. Web site: Fox. Jesse David. July 23, 2012. Just For Laughs Chooses its New Faces. July 5, 2021. Vulture. en-us.
  23. Web site: August 9, 2018. Nick Mullen. live. July 5, 2021. www.timessquarenyc.org. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180917045926/https://www.timessquarenyc.org/whats-happening/nick-mullen . September 17, 2018 .
  24. News: Czajkowski. Elise. November 10, 2015. New York's Funniest Stand-Up Finalists Gear Up for a Serious Smackdown. en-US. The New York Times. July 5, 2021. 0362-4331.
  25. Friedland . Adam . AdamFriedland . 1227285995671912449 . February 11, 2020 . Happy birthday to my gorgeous and infinitely talented friend Stavros. Love you baby. https://t.co/OnmGXMOp0n . en . July 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200211174413/https://twitter.com/AdamFriedland/status/1227285995671912449 . February 11, 2020 . live.
  26. 1227280663524659200. stavvybaby. I turned 31 years old today. Here's to 10, 15 more.. Stavros Halkias.
  27. Web site: October 1, 2008. More from Poly's Nick Halkias. live. July 13, 2021. Baltimore Sun. https://web.archive.org/web/20210713192547/https://www.baltimoresun.com/bs-mtblog-2008-10-more_from_polys_nick_halkias-story.html . July 13, 2021 .
  28. Web site: Halkias. Stavros. A Tragic Mistake at One of Baltimore's Best High Schools. live. July 10, 2021. Marc Steiner and the Center for Emerging Media. CEM intern Stavros Halkias is an alumnus of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute... Halkias, Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar at UMBC & CEM Intern. https://web.archive.org/web/20200810180433/https://www.steinershow.org/marcs-blog/bloga-tragic-mistake-one-baltimores-best-public-high-schools/ . August 10, 2020 .
  29. Web site: Stavros Halkias Comedians . July 13, 2021 . The Stand Restaurant & Comedy Club . en.
  30. Ep. 62 – Stavros Halkias! . January 2013 . The Digression Sessions . podcast . en-US . Spotify . Episode Description: ...And Mr. Halkias recently won Baltimore's New Comedian of the year for 2012 contest at Magooby's Joke House. Performing regularly in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area, Stav is constantly on the grind, brah. He also produces and hosts monthly showcases at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and co-hosts the Super Comedy show every third Friday at Dionysus in Mount Vernon, Baltimore..
  31. Web site: Pod Don't Lie. July 13, 2021. Podchaser. en.
  32. Friedland . Adam . AdamFriedland . 1116085552527187968 . April 10, 2019 . I'm 32 today and I beat medical grade dandruff . en . July 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210410140807/https://twitter.com/AdamFriedland/status/1116085552527187968 . April 10, 2021 . live.
  33. Web site: Adam Friedland Comedians. July 13, 2021. The Stand Restaurant & Comedy Club. en.
  34. October 2015. Contributors. DAVID. JewishINK. 6. 6 . 10. Issuu.
  35. Web site: Brandon Wetherbee. July 8, 2011. This Could Be Funny: An Excuse to Play This Mencia Clip. July 14, 2021. Washington City Paper. en-US.
  36. Web site: September 16, 2011. This Could Be Funny: Be Brandon Wardell's Friend. July 14, 2021. Washington City Paper. en-US.
  37. Web site: Jones. Caroline. January 3, 2014. ToDo ToDay: Jon B, Moneytown, Aster Aweke, and Modern Moves Festival. July 14, 2021. Washington City Paper. en-US.
  38. Web site: Singer. Dan. August 8, 2013. ToDo ToDay: Paint Branch at Fort Reno, Alt-Comedy at Meeps. July 14, 2021. Washington City Paper. en-US.
  39. Web site: February 4, 2014. ToDo ToDay: Surrealism, Brewer's Art Tap Takeover, and a Roast of Dan Snyder. July 14, 2021. Washington City Paper. en-US.
  40. Web site: Brandon Wetherbee. April 20, 2012. This Could Be Funny: Jon Benjamin Has a Tour. July 14, 2021. Washington City Paper. en-US.
  41. Web site: May 1, 2014. ToDo ToDay: "Next" and Wayne McGregor. July 14, 2021. Washington City Paper. en-US.
  42. Web site: Schweitzer. Ally. May 9, 2014. Q&A: New York-Bound Adam Friedland On the Last Night of Funny Moms. July 13, 2021. Washington City Paper. en-US.
  43. News: Bentzen Ball, the comedy showcase created by Tig Notaro and Brightest Young Things, is back. en-US. Washington Post. July 13, 2021. 0190-8286.
  44. Web site: Weekly Comedy Show 'Funny Moms' Comes to Crown Heights Beer Hall Berg'n. July 5, 2021. DNAinfo New York. July 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210711005619/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150915/crown-heights/weekly-comedy-show-funny-moms-comes-crown-heights-beer-hall-bergn/. dead.
  45. Web site: Jones. Caroline. December 19, 2012. ToDo ToDay: Chatham County Line! Funny Moms!. July 14, 2021. Washington City Paper. en-US.
  46. Web site: North. Anna. October 24, 2017. Listen to what socialist women are saying about misogyny on the left. May 20, 2020. Vox.
  47. Web site: Spies. Michelle. September 25, 2019. I Made the Internet Vote to Determine the Worst Fan Base. Here's What I Learned.. May 20, 2020. Vulture.
  48. News: Bowles . Nellie . February 29, 2020 . The Pied Pipers of the Dirtbag Left Want to Lead Everyone to Bernie Sanders . . June 16, 2020 . The fivesome of "Chapo Trap House" are not the only bards of the new American left — there is "Red Scare" and another whose name cannot be printed — but they have led the way for a movement that together generates millions of dollars a year. . https://web.archive.org/web/20220308084735/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/29/us/politics/bernie-sanders-chapo-trap-house.html . March 8, 2022 . live.
  49. Friedland. Adam. AdamFriedland. 860576794524749824. May 5, 2017. Cum town is not a socialist podcast it's not a fascist podcast it's a podcast about being gay with your dad. June 23, 2020. https://archive.today/20200623171945/https://twitter.com/AdamFriedland/status/860576794524749824. June 23, 2020. live.
  50. Web site: Cum Town . Episode 270 – semone biles . July 29, 2021 . Apple Podcasts – Cum Town . 36:07.
  51. Marantz . Andrew . The Post-Dirtbag Left . The New Yorker . July 29, 2021.
  52. News: Ross. Alexander Reid. March 8, 2021. These 'Dirtbag Left' Stars Are Flirting With the Far Right. en. The Daily Beast. July 13, 2021.
  53. Web site: November 4, 2019. We're giving comedy too much credit. July 13, 2021. The Stony Brook Press. en-US.
  54. Web site: Sargon My Dick . Patreon . 2018-12-20 . 2023-11-26.
  55. Web site: Newton. Casey. June 29, 2020. Reddit bans r/The_Donald and r/ChapoTrapHouse as part of a major expansion of its rules. July 13, 2021. The Verge. en.

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