Something like The Best Show, done by Tom, for a paying audience?

[Flood]

It is my understanding that one of the major issues with the show it that it was Tom doing lots of work for free (at least, I guess, due to WFMU's nature) and that especially in recent years that was just not feasible for Tom anymore. Now I don't know if Tom would even be willing to consider doing something like The Best Show, with some other broadcasting/publishing system, for pay/subscription fees/etc or how that could/would even work technically, realistically, but I wanted to pose the question to the community here. Do you think it could work? Would you be willing to pay? How much? How many would pay?

[fonpr]

It is my understanding that one of the major issues with the show it that it was Tom doing lots of work for free (at least, I guess, due to WFMU's nature) and that especially in recent years that was just not feasible for Tom anymore. Now I don't know if Tom would even be willing to consider doing something like The Best Show, with some other broadcasting/publishing system, for pay/subscription fees/etc or how that could/would even work technically, realistically, but I wanted to pose the question to the community here. Do you think it could work? Would you be willing to pay? How much? How many would pay?

200,000 listeners @ $5 = $1M.

[roman]

I think that we should accept that maybe it's time to move on when the show is over.  It's possible that Tom is looking for something new....whatever that might be.  We can hold out hope that The Best Show would return, but in paid form or something, but that seems like wishful thinking on our part.  Maybe 13 years was enough of this thing, and the next thing will be something new that we can all like just as much.

[Mr. Spacely]

I'd rather he and Wurster just release a new album of material every year while he gets back into TV writing.

[Confectionery]

It is my understanding that one of the major issues with the show it that it was Tom doing lots of work for free (at least, I guess, due to WFMU's nature) and that especially in recent years that was just not feasible for Tom anymore. Now I don't know if Tom would even be willing to consider doing something like The Best Show, with some other broadcasting/publishing system, for pay/subscription fees/etc or how that could/would even work technically, realistically, but I wanted to pose the question to the community here. Do you think it could work? Would you be willing to pay? How much? How many would pay?

200,000 listeners @ $5 = $1M.

If Tom suddenly charged listeners one cent to listen to the best show his audience would plummet. I imagine that the majority of the money raised during the marathon comes from a relatively small yet dedicated chunk of that audience.

[dave in the yard]

this whole thing is distasteful.  fugazi should go to epitaph records if they wanna get paid.  No! no one is gonna pay zebrahead-money to see guy wiggle around and the drummer uses a bell.  looking at some of those best podcast list rankings recently, you see the best show is either a judges number one pick, or nothing.  the others ones float around peoples top 5 lists.  the best show is in another atmosphere.

[stig otracy]

If they keep putting out cds I'll keep buying them.

[TrapNeuterReturn]

Scharpling and Wurster on vinyl! Add those babies to my trove of Hudson and Landry and Leroy and Skillet lps.

[Tom Scharpling]

this whole thing is distasteful.  fugazi should go to epitaph records if they wanna get paid.  No! no one is gonna pay zebrahead-money to see guy wiggle around and the drummer uses a bell.  looking at some of those best podcast list rankings recently, you see the best show is either a judges number one pick, or nothing.  the others ones float around peoples top 5 lists.  the best show is in another atmosphere.

I'm not sure if this is a compliment? Are we in a lower or higher atmosphere? And would I be doing something wrong if I tried to get paid by your estimation?

Not asking from emotion - just asking for clarity and curiosity.

Tom.

[dave in the yard]

I think the best show is the best thing ever.  the fact that its free, with just pledging and cds involved, is a crime.  fugazi was not the greatest example, in regards to my feelings about paying for things.  the todd barry joke about fugazi, i agree with.  i actually feel guilty listening to the best show for free, for how much i love it, and how often i listen.  to add to that, even after pledging, the swag is worth so much more to me than what i had pledged.  i thought people posting things about how "tom should try to get paid, like get a show on maxfun, we can pay a dollar" and someone else saying "no one will pay", this is insulting stuff.  This is the best stuff being made anywhere, someone has donated insane amounts of time and talent to form it, and then we're gonna discuss it like it would just slide easily right into a role on a podcast network or that it's not worth money.  When i first started listening, i thought "this is the best thing ive ever heard", and that hasn't changed.  I don't compare it with other things.  The best show is funny, and other things are sometimes really good, but they're not the same.  Whatever your plans are, I will be into it.  Thank you, Tom!

[Kormodd]

The fuck is zebrahead-money?

[projektidiot]

The fuck is zebrahead-money?

I hope that's a reference to the band because man, that's a silly reference.

[dave in the yard]

i must have been really tired when i wrote that thing about zebrahead (the band) and atmosphere, because it is incoherent.  i saw zebrahead open for rancid when i was in 9th grade, i didnt know who they were, but i thought i was pretty serious about punk rock, and they were like having wet t shirt contests on stage and farting into the mic.

[Kormodd]

i must have been really tired drunk when i wrote that thing about zebrahead (the band) and atmosphere, because it is incoherent.  i saw zebrahead open for rancid when i was in 9th grade, i didnt know who they were, but i thought i was pretty serious about punk rock, and they were like having wet t shirt contests on stage and farting into the mic.

[fonpr]

i thought i was pretty serious about punk rock, and they were like having wet t shirt contests on stage and farting into the mic.

What about the money?