The night
Arrive 45 minutes before call time with a photo ID. We confirm your paperwork, get you a seat and a mic check, and you show up sober.
Four seats, one table. A topic goes up, you take a side, and you defend it while the other side pushes back. Mark moderates and keeps it fair. Once we're rolling, drinks at the table are fine, and they're on us.
About three hours door to door, paid at $35 an hour for your time on site. The recording goes out on YouTube and the podcast, clips follow, and if you held your own, you'll hear from us about the next one.
Who we're casting
Every seat is cast by hand and both sides are cast at once, so the table stays even. The application takes about three minutes.
Don't fit neatly on either side? We keep wildcard seats for independents, libertarians, and the genuinely unclassifiable.
18+. Recorded in person in Pittsburgh. Panelists appear on camera and in clips; the release agreement is part of the application.
Things to know
No. We cast for conviction and composure, not credentials. If you can say what you believe and hold your ground for ten minutes of pushback without shouting, you're qualified.
Yes. $35 an hour for your time on site, which works out to about $105 for a typical recording, paid after the session. Food and drinks are included.
Often. Good panelists are the hardest thing to find, so if you hold your own you'll be first on the list for the next recording.
If that's what you're after, yes. Every recording goes out on YouTube and the podcast, clips go out on social, and we tag you so you can share them. Plenty of people have used a table like this to get noticed.
A standard appearance release, a liability waiver, a code of conduct, and a short confidentiality agreement about not spoiling the episode before it's out. They arrive by e-signature once you're cast, and they're written in plain English.
Panelists are on camera; that's the format. You can ask to be shown by first name and last initial. Full anonymity isn't possible for panel recordings.
Show up sober. Once recording starts, drinks at the table are fine and on us. If the moderator thinks you've had enough, you're done for the night.
Evenings, scheduled with each cast. Tell us which evenings work in your application and we'll match you to a date.
We read every application, do a 15-minute video call with everyone we're considering, and cast both sides at once so the table stays balanced. Not picked this round doesn't mean never; we cast new panels regularly.
Questions before you apply? Email openpodtalk@gmail.com.