Am I the only one who has trouble with feedback?

[Steven062802]

There are very few things that I appreciate more than Escape Pod. I'm not sure I would survive my commute on Boston's Red Line if it weren't for these views into other worlds.  I appreciate everything Escape Pod does...but, I don't understand why Bill Peters has to read feedback. 

Really, I'm sure he's a great guy and has many many talents.  I wish there were a kind way of saying this, but his reading of feedback colors my whole experience with the podcast.  His reading leaves a bitter aftertaste.  I'm confused...why would your production values be so high during the reading of a story, only to have Bill mangle everything at the end.  It was amusing, for a bit, to hear him bumble along for a few podcasts...but now I can't seem to hit 'pause' fast enough when I hear his voice.

Again, I'm sure he's a great guy...but, if you're going to encourage him to participate in such a way, Please (PLEASE) understand that it doesn't reflect well on the podcast as a whole.  Gosh, I feel like a creep.

[Devoted135]

especially for stuff like this, it's worth digging just a little

http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=4399.0

[Umbrageofsnow]

Personally, I think Bill's reading/speaking have improved, but I still agree with the opening post sentiment.  The feedback tends to have a slant one way or another (it sort of has to I think), but thinking about whether or not I agree with the spin or the majority opinion really takes me out of thinking about the story I just listened to.  (Especially when my response to the forum popular opinion is "Fools! Argh!")  I try to go back and listen to feedback at another time, but I hate to hear it at the end of a story.

And it really does color the feeling at the end of a whole different story.  I remember I liked whatever story the Kachikachi Yama feedback was in, but I didn't like it as much until I separated it out from my feelings about bad faux-samurai cyberpunk. 

Of course, there is no better way to end an episode of a podcast than Alasdair Stuart delving deep into his soul/childhood/rambly thinking patterns. 

The solution is clear:  Move feedback to the beginning or pay Alasdair to do nothing but narrate podcast thoughts after each feedback segment to draw us back in.  Also cure the Mongolian Death Flu and maybe clone him a few times for backup.

Of course I enjoy all three podcasts and will continue to listen forever until you run stories made of only children screaming.  But until then, my humble suggestions, which if you don't follow, I'll still keep listening.

Note: I realize other people agree with that sentiment in the other thread, just figured I'd say my piece here at the top of the thread list.  I'm no necromancer.

[Talia]

There is another option.. you can simply stop listening when the feedback starts. There is no law saying you have to listen to the feedback at the end of any given episode. Feedback at the beginning makes absolutely no sense, since feedback is for prior episodes and it would completely distract from the current episode. Whereas having it at the end? Well, just hit stop. Pretty simple.

[Bdoomed]

Hey, there's a thought!

[eytanz]

First of all, as Talia said - the feedback is at the end of the episode. If you don't like it - either because you don't like feedback, or because you don't like Bill's delivery - just turn it off.

Second, there is already a thread devoted to this topic, linked above by Devoted135 (thank you!) - and while thread necromancy is not frowned upon in these parts, thread cloning is (thread mad science is full of such odd rules). Therefore, I'm locking this thread; if anyone wants to continue this discussion, please do so in the other thread.