Laughing, gossiping, and rehashing old stories are my favorite things to do with my friends. But when my friends aren’t around to do that with me I turn to my favorite podcast.
To me, a good podcast is one that makes me feel like I’m right there in the room with the hosts. I’ve found that no other podcast does this better than Emergency Intercom.
Emergency Intercom is a podcast hosted by Enya Umanzor and Drew Phillips. The two have been friends since they started their careers on social media, and have now been roommates for a little over five years. If you were on the social media platforms Vine or YouTube around 10 years ago, their names might ring a bell. After Vine was shut down in 2017, they primarily posted on YouTube. In recent years, however, their presence on the platform has declined. Both of them were only posting a few videos a year. So, when the two announced their podcast Emergency Intercom in 2021, fans were ecstatic.
The podcast is filmed in a cozy little corner in their L.A. apartment. Umanzor and Phillips are also accompanied by soundman Ky Newman, who occasionally will talk on the podcast. There is a long-lasting joke on the podcast about hating Newman and the two poke fun at him a lot. As listeners, we know that none of it is serious, but the two of them can draw the listener into inside jokes like this one. It makes you feel like you’re right there in the room with them.
Each episode is filled with inside jokes, impulsive thoughts, and casual self-deprecation. Some of the things they say can be a little harsh, after all the two of them have a very unique sense of humor, but it’s important to note that everything they say isn’t to be taken seriously. They make jokes about almost everything. In my opinion, their boldness to make fun of taboo topics is one thing I love about the podcast.
The podcast isn’t about anything specific, but I think that’s what makes it good, you never know what each episode will be about. Some notable things they’ve talked about are the time their apartment got broken into, the time Phillips got kicked out of Disneyland, and their experiences of gaining a fanbase on the internet while they were still young teenagers. When they aren’t sharing personal stories they also talk about current news and internet trends.
While the two of them love to joke, they also can be very relatable and discuss heavy topics. Phillips has opened up about the death of his brother while Umanzor has opened up about lacking motivation and satisfaction in life. They’ve also talked about problems with substance abuse. Phillips and Umanzor’s ability to openly discuss difficult topics like these makes listeners feel less alone, especially those with similar struggles.
When I’m listening to Emergency Intercom I feel like I’m hanging out with two of my friends. The podcast feels so personal because they are letting listeners into a small piece of their lives. The two of them also demonstrate what a healthy friendship should look and feel like, so it feels like you have two really good friends.
This podcast is for the girls because their fanbase is mainly made up of women and they joke a lot about periods and hating men. However, I would recommend men to listen in too. My boyfriend has been an avid listener of the podcast since I made him listen to it during a six-hour-long road trip.
When you listen to Emergency Intercom, the pair become your friends. If you’re in need of a laugh, I can’t think of a better podcast to turn to.