Binge Bytes: ‘2 Dope Queens’

Ashlyn Cary

“Cereal is no longer an unhealthy bowl of sugar and milk, but a delicious reward that I have earned by being alive.” (Design by Ashlyn Cary | Daily Utah Chronicle)

By Arielle Gulley, Arts Writer
February 7, 2020

I am constantly being recommended different podcasts from friends and family. Everyone thinks that their podcast about murder or the one hosted by their favorite comedian is the best thing since sliced bread. It reached the point where I had been inevitably disappointed by so many podcasts that I mostly gave up on finding a new one to enjoy. For the past month, I have been sitting in silence during my bus ride to campus in the mornings because I had no podcast that I liked enough to listen to. Then I stumbled upon a podcast that seemed to provide original and funny content for once — “2 Dope Queens.”

I had heard nothing about this show before I listened to it — no synopsis or explanation. I was just told to give it a try, and I’m glad I did. The show is performed live and hosted by Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson, two comedians based out of New York. To clarify, the podcast is live — as in performed in front of an audience, which was unexpected when I first listened. I had only heard podcasts that were recorded in studios or home offices. Basically, Williams and Robinson give an intro to the show and talk a bit about themselves and their lives, and then they have different comedians come on the show and perform for the audience. It’s like listening to a bunch of mini comedy specials, and it’s hosted by hilarious ladies who always have wild stories to share.

To Binge or Not To Binge?

The show is lighthearted and entertaining, which makes for the perfect podcast in my opinion. It’s been great for me to listen to while I do homework or if I’m in the car. Comedy can often be a very visual experience — certain jokes require a certain body language in order to convey the humor to the audience — and that can be a worry when listening to comedians as opposed to watching their act. While some episodes have better guests than others, overall the material works well for a podcast, and the comedians get me to laugh out loud while I listen.

The show also does a great job of recognizing comedians from different ethnicities and backgrounds and allowing them their time to say whatever they like, whether it be about race, sex, gender or what have you. It gives listeners an opportunity to hear material from artists they may not hear otherwise. The guests are great and the chemistry between the hosts is evident. Listening to them is like listening to your friends talk to one another, and it’s refreshing.

Best Episode

The show is unfortunately no longer producing new episodes, but it did put out regular episodes from 2016 through 2018, so there is a lot of material to binge. (Since then, the series has transferred to television, with eight episodes airing on HBO.) Guests on the podcast have included Jon Hamm, Tig Notaro and Nick Kroll. I think all the episodes are worth listening to, but a favorite of mine would be “Sleepover Accidents,” where the hosts share stories from sleepovers they’ve had and guests include Gina Yashere, Connie Britton and Paige Weldon. The stories they share are ridiculous, and they even show off a bit of their interviewing skills in this episode, which was fun to listen to.