Real talk fuels ‘Girls’ podcast
They are a trio of Houston women who like to talk.
About the boundaries of the “friend code.” About the merits of rappers such as Lil Uzi Vert. About who among them is more like Regina George or Gretchen Weiners — characters from the cultish teen flick “Mean Girls.” About, well, anything.
These discussions take place inside a townhouse in west Houston. It’s where their talks about life, the boundaries of friendship and bedroom politics become public as the basis of “Between Us Girls,” a podcast these three women started on a whim and has grown into one of those things characterized as having a life of its own.
“I’m so amazed that we did not kill each other,” says Michele Roy, one of the podcast’s creators.
It’s a joke, obviously, a nice extension of the “we say what you think” vibe of the podcast. But it’s also an indication of what Roy, Danielle Jones and Sharonda Foster have had to put into this endeavor.
They’ve now been through 52 episodes, available at between us girls podcast. com, after recording a pair of shows every two weeks for a year. In that time, “Between Us Girls” has cultivated an audience of 3,0004,000 listeners a month and celebrated its first anniversary with a party at Darwin’s Pub late last month that was built around a live recording of the podcast — sex talk, real talk, four-letter words and all.
It was a celebration but also a showcase of the chemistry that makes “Between Us Girls” so entertaining. The crew raffled off a free bra and a spa treatment, all the while cracking jokes and making off-the-cuff comments that can’t be repeated in a family publication.
“I think they are awesome and full of spunk,” says Misty Williams, an early guest on the show who was at Darwin’s to celebrate. She refers to the crew as “Girls who drink wine but don’t whine,” a characteristic that makes her want to listen to every episode.
Part of that growth comes from the trio’s desire to monetize the venture, which was formed as a business with its own bank account, the hope to pick up sponsorships and build a subscriber base.
And in an increasingly crowded local field of podcasts such as the Whiskey Brothers building a loyal following around comedy, it’s key to generate the exposure.
To gain that exposure, some of these talks have forced the women to step out of their comfort zones.
“I’m not a people person at all,” admits Jones, 36, who is originally from Shreveport, La., and works in the oil-and-gas industry. “It’s actually kind of interesting that I have put myself full force into this, and I’m forced to interact with people all the time.”
She’s the most softspoken of the bunch, a woman who can switch from a fit of giggles to serious tones at what seems like the drop of a hat. But she’s also the taskmaster, helping with the entrepreneurial push for the podcast.
Each woman has her role, beyond being a conversational catalyst.
Roy works the rooms and helps get the word out about the show, hitting any event where they can meet a potential audience, handing out business cards made just for the show. Recent stops included a Black Girls Rock event, networking parties at places such as Clay Lounge and other meet-ups set up by Houston millennial groups.
Foster is the fan favorite; she’s outspoken, brash and often more hilarious with every sip of wine. She left a job in the energy industry to study cooking arts at Culinary Institute LeNôtre. It’s her culinary education that she tries to apply to the wine portion of the show in a mix of serious and silly assessments.
And it’s no secret wine is part why the conversation between the women seems to work. During a recent episode recorded right after Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc across the region, they sipped on a bottle of Concha y Toro purchased from a gas station. Foster mentioned that the thing she liked most about the wine was the devil character on the label.
“It’s about a real conversation,” Jones says before veering into another truth, that the podcast is more than a show geared to women. “It’s actually for men more than it is for women. It gives you insight into how women think. It will help you step your game up.”
It’s the chemistry among the three friends, the sarcasm, the sometimes edgy jokes and commentary and especially the TMI moments that keeps ears listening. Another highlight is the confessions people send in — blush-worthy material in most instances that come in through a Google phone account and email set up by Jones.
“I don’t just want to reach a certain demographic or a certain audience,” Foster says. And though her colleagues play out a less confrontational tone, Foster doesn’t worry about filters. A tirade peppered with expletives is fair game.
“I pride myself on saying the (stuff) that everybody thinks and that you don’t want to say. The inner you that wants to cuss the (witch) out in the Acura with one taillight who decides to cut you off.”
Whether through sheer hustle or genuine word of mouth in the podcast universe, “Between Us Girls” has been getting recognition beyond Houston, recently being named a best mature podcast by the 2017 Podcast Awards and featured by podcast curator Audible in its September Feast feature.
“You will get hooked in equal parts by their intelligence, passion, irreverence, humor and emotion,” wrote a Guardian review in September.
And for Roy, who keeps track of every mention of her show, the ambition remains high.
“We want to be ‘The View,’ like The Bliew, the Black View,” Roy says with a smirk.