Podcasts are created for various reasons. It could be to promote a business, or to give information about community events, or even to tell what’s happening within local governments. They can also be an avenue where individuals take stands against political and moral issues. However, one unique aspect of this relatively new media is that it can be used simply as way to talk and entertain. This aspect is what The Less Desirables network was created for, and the rest is “talk” history.
Recorded every Wednesday, The Less Desirables is a weekly podcast that is hosted by Danielle Bull, Bethany Miller, Tim Beeman and varying co-hosts. The show is setup to be a conversation about what’s happening in the community by looking at people, various companies, and causes. Also, each week, the conversation is added to by featuring a “beer of the week,” keeping the heart of the podcast light and fun for all involved.
“The Less Desirables started in February of 2010 when two friends wanted to talk about pop culture. We figured we could be ‘radio on the go’ and just talk some entertainment – movies, music, sports, beer – and provide another entertaining option to the mundane morning radio shows. The Less Desirables is the oldest, longest-running pop culture podcast in NC. It started out as two guys running off at the mouth about the things they knew about (or at least acted as they did). Over time it grew to feature guests, with some of the original concepts removed after they started showing some wear and tear. We still talk music, records, beer, and community. After a few lineup changes, we have two awesome, strong, intelligent business-owning women as co-hosts with me, and we like to cut up and have a good time,” says Tim Beeman, co-host of the podcast.
“The Less Desirables began as a pop culture podcast that was meant to cover topics of a national or international scale. Over time, it has evolved into more of a community-focused ‘bulletin board.’ Each week we feature a different guest from the community. It can be an entertainer, a musician, an artist, a body-painter, a local politician (although we don’t talk politics on the show), a public figure, someone opening a brand-new business, a mover, a shaker. Anyone that has something to say and that we feel would be a good fit with our audience, that’s who we want on the show. People know to come to TLD to help get their word out,” he continues.
Beeman has really been a pioneer in podcasting in the community. With several years and podcasts under his belt, he certainly knows how to do it right. “I have been podcasting longer than anyone in the area, dare I say, the state. If not first, I have been doing it continuously the longest. I started in 2007 when podcasting was still in its infancy. I started The Less Desirables early 2010, Fan Interference in 2013, The Beer Dads in early 2015, The Man Who Ate the Town podcast in mid-2016, Sipping NC: The Art of Drinking in late 2016. There have been other podcasts that I produced along the way and some that are just up and coming. In all, I have approximately 1100 episodes under my belt. I don’t know if you needed to know all that, but I am very proud of what I do, which is what I do for a living. It’s not just a hobby for me,” he adds.
“We’ve had Allen Joines, Cameron Kent, Nicole Ducouer, Tim Buckley, Clay Howard, Doug Davis, Bull City Ciderworks, Sutler’s Gin, various folks from the Piedmont Opera and Spirit Gum Theatre companies, interviewed Chef Brian Duffy from TV’s ‘Bar Rescue,’ and more. We have recorded over 420 episodes (by the time of this printing), not missing but one Wednesday since February 3, 2010, so we’ve had a lot of fun stuff – a lot of great moments,” concludes Beeman.
With loads of years and episodes under his belt, Beeman is, without a doubt, a true leader in podcasting media in the area. The Less Desirables is a community broadcast with a true grasp of what its community wants to hear, and it constantly strives to put the community in the center of all its attention. Beeman and company don’t take that task lightly, and of course, the same can be said for its “beer of the week.” What better way to toast Winston-Salem than to inform, entertain, and drink a cold one with all its listeners every Wednesday.
