Are any of you fans of the hit tv series Yellowstone and also fans of podcast productions? Maybe you have heard of The Dutton Report fronted by Berry Aldridge and Will Swisher. Maybe you’re not familiar with the popular show or podcast productions? This article will introduce you to what each of these elements represents and perhaps even turn you into an avid viewer.
What is Yellowstone, you may ask? Well, it’s a television series that depicts the events of the New Frontier age of America. This series is told from the perspective of The Dutton Family, who inhabit the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. Because of this, the family is constantly under threat from land developers as well as an Indian reservation and even America’s first national park. Things become intense as the nature of these attacks and their intent comes to light and the truth is exposed as to how deep the corruption is and how it belies the facade given off by American politicians, who are bought off and controlled by the world’s leading oil company tycoons. Aldridge and Swisher have created a podcast to discuss in detail the events of the show as well as discuss their own theories pertaining to the eventual outcomes in the show. The Chronicle recently reached out to Aldridge to get his thoughts on what this podcast means to him, its purpose, and where and when to listen.
We started the interview by asking if this was the first production that Aldridge has been apart of, to which he responded, “Well, I first started podcasting with the Savannah Bananas on a small show called Banana Bytes, which is a YouTube series about all things Savannah Bananas. At the Bananas, we believe in content—and lots of it.”
Aldridge and Swisher were colleagues on this YouTube series, which is how they met and became great friends. They worked together for three years and now, the two of them work together on The Dutton Report podcast. It would be Swisher who approached Aldridge in February 2020 and brought up the idea of starting their own podcast about a show that each of them loved. This worked out especially well for Swisher, who, at the time, was attending Savannah College of Art and Design and needed a good capstone project for his final master’s class.
What is a podcast? In his own words, Aldridge explained, “A podcast is the virtual water cooler. It’s a place to get a little more content about [almost] any topic and to hear what other fans think.” A podcast is a congregation of like-minded people who wish to discuss their opinions about a variety of topics, watch videos, check out the latest memes, and enjoy one another’s company. Aldridge has been a part of this production for only one season so far but has recently teased its return for Season 2.
Season 2 of the podcast will bring with it exciting, new changes to the overall format of the show, which should be exciting news to its regular viewers. Aldridge says to date, viewers have downloaded the podcast around 5,000 times. He continued, saying, “We joined a lot of pre-existing Facebook groups and posted our episodes to see if anyone would like them, and the response was amazing! We routinely get over 10,000 engagements per post.”
When asked how he prepares each podcast, Aldridge states, “We tend to over-prepare for our episodes, which is something we are trying to adjust for Season 2 so it has a more natural, conversational feel. In the past, we would both start an episode at the same time and watch it all the way through, taking notes. We would then immediately get online and record together, sparing no details.”
One season per episode, recording typically takes 2-3 hours, which is then turned into a 45 to 75 minute podcast. Aldridge says Swisher does all of the producing and editing. He goes on to say of his friend’s role, “I know it is very time-consuming. I would estimate he spends four to five hours editing each episode.”
Aldridge says the ultimate goal for the podcast is to invite viewers and listeners onto the show. He expands on this, saying, “We want to start with having our fans join us! If you think you’ve got a great theory or that you’re the biggest fan, let us know at TheDuttonReport.com and we may have you on!” Aldridge doesn’t want to stop there and says he would also like to get official cast members involved, “We’re followed by several cast members and would love to have them on the show one day.”
You can catch the podcast weekly on a variety of platforms, including a Facebook page, website, and Instagram account by searching @TheDuttonReport. You can visit the official website at TheDuttonReport.com. Season 2 will be kicking off very soon, so don’t miss the opportunity to be involved in the discussion and perhaps discover a brand new tv show to invest yourself in as well as a podcast on the uptrend.
The Chronicle would like to take this opportunity to thank Berry Aldridge for taking time out of his busy schedule to give us this interview and answer our questions. We wish you the best of luck in the continued expansion of your podcast and hope you’re able to continue to accomplish your goal, and perhaps even get some cast members from the show on your podcast!