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Squatch Smashers

 

When I worked in childcare at a gym and the kids wanted me to play pretend as princesses and superheroes, I put on a movie and told them to color instead.  I don’t do make believe, and improv comedy is my worst nightmare. So when I hear about a comedy fiction podcast that encourages its guests to go off-script, I thought, “How do people even do that?”

As it turns out, they do it with a lot of hard work.

“It’s a lot of work but if you get to work with your friends and they are hilarious and talented, it’s totally worth it.”

Darren Esler is the creator and host of Squatch Smashers, a comedy show about hunting for Bigfoot and other paranormal creatures from a mall kiosk.

Writing the script takes at least 8-10 hours,” said Esler. “Then it generally takes me anywhere from 10-18 hours to edit. This includes pre-show prep such as finding, blending, creating sound effects.”

“It’s a lot of work but if you get to work with your friends and they are hilarious and talented, it’s totally worth it.”

Esler writes and hosts with friends Matt McDonald and George Pete Caledois, tackling the script via tag-team.

“I usually start the scripts and my co-writer Matt McDonald writes large chunks and makes suggestions on what I’ve done, and usually comes up with a total rearrangement of the script on Friday morning hours before our Friday night writers read-through.”

The show is scripted, but like many comedies, makes room for improvisation.

“The first take, we stick to the script,” said Esler. “The second (or sometimes a third) is what we call ‘the fun take’ where we can ad-lib and improv.  We almost always use the ‘fun take.’”

Esler is no stranger to ad-lib and improv. In the 90’s, he was a member of a professional improv group in Columbus, Ohio, making comedy trivia videos. But as life goes on, people moved away, had kids, or became best-selling novelists and screenwriters. Ernest Cline, author of Ready Player One, was a part of this group and once podcast-collaborator with Esler.

After Ready Player One took off and Cline was unable to commit to regular podcasting, Esler’s podcast became a chore that was getting phoned in and the connection with his friends and collaborators was not as strong.

“I realized that 1, I really missed them and the fun we were having and 2, we were and still are really funny.”

And so, Squatch Smashers was born. After a few difficult episodes where Esler was the sole creator, the show found its footing with collaborative comedy, focused on friendship and Sasquatch.

“I don’t really believe in any of them, but I don’t discount that some of them could exist and I don’t think most of the people who say they saw things are liars.”

Esler plays Zeke Deflour, owner of a t-shirt kiosk in a failing mall. His unwilling co-host is Vlad the Vampire, played by Caledois. Together, they run “Squatch Smashers,” a Bigfoot and paranormal investigation company, and take on murderous robots, mothmen, and guest stars like actor Charlie Weirach or Columbus DJ Dino Tripodis.

For someone who spends a lot of time and energy into researching cryptids, Esler still maintains a healthy skepticism.

“I don’t really believe in any of them, but I don’t discount that some of them could exist and I don’t think most of the people who say they saw things are liars,” said Esler. “I think they are probably victims of self-delusion brought about by the power of suggestion.  Human brains are wired to ‘make sense’ out of things we don’t know.”

The rise of reality shows like Finding Bigfoot or Ghost Hunters indicates a larger trend in the interest of the supernatural, the spooky, and the spiritual. Experts have noted that interest in the unexplainable tends to peak during periods of unrest, whether it’s war, economic crisis, political drama, or all of the above. When everything feels uncertain, people look for certainty in unusual places. And media capitalizes on this renewed interest with shows that promise to find the unfindable. Sometimes they tend to be tongue-in-cheek, but the earnest effort put into these shows is amusing to Esler.

“I just think the fact that people invest so much time and effort into these things that have no actual proof is hilarious.  Sad in many ways, but hilarious.”

Despite a slight cynicism towards true believers and a skepticism for the creatures they discuss, Squatch Smashers remains an earnest attempt at comedy and fun, with friendship at its heart.

 

Squatch Smashers is independently produced and releases new episodes every other week. Visit Squatch Smashers on Podchaser to listen with your favorite app, and leave it a rating or review.

Do you love or make an independent podcast? Do you want to be featured on our blog? Email Emily ([email protected]) to tell her why your favorite show should be featured next.

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