We’ve heard of long distance romantic relationships, but what about long distance best friendships?
Together experiencing this difficulty, Aminatou Sow, Ann Friedman, and Gina Delvac produce Call Your Girlfriend, “a podcast for long distance besties everywhere.” They’re also launching an email newsletter called The Bleed, which arrives monthly.
For readers who may not know, what is Call Your Girlfriend, and why is it amazing?
Call Your Girlfriend is a conversation between two friends (and some friends-of-friends) that anyone can eavesdrop on. Everyone loves eavesdropping.
How do you try to make your content accessible and inclusive for a range of audiences? Do you have a specific demographic in mind?
We are all women, and we consider women our primary audience. But we try to talk about topics and in terms that will interest people who don’t identify as women, too.
We also like to point out questionable behavior from celebrities, politicians and friends: Is she a good friend and feminist but racially insensitive? Do we agree in principle but undermine one another in practice? What’s the case for Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders or another political candidate? We have fun with hard questions and push for open dialogue.
Is there something specific that sparked your interests in starting a podcast together? Did you know it was going to be such a hit?
We wanted to try audio as a medium, and after saying we were going to do it for awhile, we finally got it together. It didn’t hurt that Gina is a brilliant radio producer. And that we have a lot of friends who work in media, who wrote about our podcast even during the early days before we figured out how to use our microphones consistently.
What are your hopes for your futures and the future of your podcast?
World domination.
Can you describe one of your proudest moments since starting this project together?
We love it when women write us to say that we’ve inspired them to start their own podcasts! We also love it when long distance besties are listening to the show together or discussing it afterward. We all get to hang out while preparing for the show, recording, and editing it. And then to find that replicated among our listeners is truly gratifying.
Tell us about a time that your work with the podcast has ever come up in your other professional work, for better or for worse.
Ann occasionally gets emails from people who say, ‘I first heard you on the podcast, then I googled you and realized you’re a writer, too!’ It’s great when people find our other work through CYG. Gina has worked in public radio for most of her career. Her parents’ friends get excited about that. Cool girls at craft fairs overhear that she produces Call Your Girlfriend and it’s like she suddenly became a celebrity.
Do you have any advice for women who are thinking about self-producing a podcast?
Keep at it and don’t quit after one or two episodes. Consistency is really important to both figuring out what you’re all about and building an audience. Start now and figure it out along the way. The water is warm! Our only rule: please never go more than 60 minutes.
What has been the most difficult thing about being best friends who also work together?
We relish working with friends who are also badass businesswomen. We have the most efficient meetings and very high standards (plus the occasional poolside biz conversation). Amina and Ann’s Shine Theory–the idea that other women’s success doesn’t take away from your own, but makes you better–it’s the ideal collaborative environment. Bonus: no weirdness about texting your coworkers the craziest or most absurd things that happen.
Do you have any advice for women who have trouble staying in touch with their close but long-distance girlfriends?
Keep in text! But you also gotta put the facetime in.
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