I have been on the show multiple times and have mixed feelings.

First, you have to understand that the show is first and foremost an FM radio program broadcast live in Austin.  As such, it has to abide by both the FCC rules, as well as the network rules, giving regular time slots for advertisers.  It is not apparent from the podcast version, but there is a clock on the screen which is counting down the seconds until the next ad cycle starts.  It does not wait for someone to finish a thought, or a sentence.  The hosts fill some of the time between the last thought and the start of the ads if they think that the next point the interviewee will make will take more than the available time.  I am also grateful for the breaks, because it allows time to coordinate what you are going to say in the next segment, use the restroom, etc without interrupting the show flow (more than is expected).

I have been on the show when the main talker, Chris, was not present.  It was a fairly awkward experience.  I am now glad to have the conversational lubrication he provides.  Could he be more concise sometimes?  Sure, but that is his personality.  We may dislike parts of the show, but it takes a lot of sustained effort to keep a biweekly show running for several years.  Not many others have had the energy to make it happen.


Adam B Levine came on the show one time.  He has been doing podcasts for years, but he gets to edit them after recording, and he gets to decide when ads happen.  He mentioned that it was a little intimidating coming on the show where there was no editing, and everything was happening live.

I listen to the show too.  I can't stand listening to it at regular speed.  I listen to it at minimum 150% speed, oftentimes faster.  

At one conference I attended, Adam was mentioning before his speech that he had a lot of content, and that he was afraid that he would be talking too fast.  I assured him that he could talk 50% faster and be just fine.