Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Roberts.
Hi Todd, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been in broadcasting for 16 years; I started in radio in my hometown and eventually moved to Knoxville to attend UT, where I got hooked up with Benny Smith and began doing production work for WUTK 90.3. While working there, my two best friends and I started a 90’s music-centric show called “Smells Like 90’s Rock,” a show that we still do to this day. Once I got my Journalism and Electronic Media degree, I continued my broadcasting career as an air talent on Star 102.1. It was in 2015 when I got the itch to start a podcast. Podcasting was all the rage then, and I wanted in on the action. I wanted to do something completely different from everyone else, so I decided to create a sketch comedy-centric instead of the typical back-and-forth conversational podcast. Thus, The Smokin’ Hot Toddcast was born.
My friends and I have been doing this show for almost 10 years, and the fun of writing and recording it is unmatched. As my time in radio was drawing to a close, I wanted another outlet for my creativity, so my partner in crime, the bread to my butter, the Cousin Larry to my Balki (I’m old, so I do old man references) Janelle Marino a.k.a. “Ms Pengrino” and I began our YouTube journey with Super Fuzz Productions. The channel’s name refers to our cat Tibs (pronounced Teebs). It’s one of the many nicknames we have for her. So, naturally, she would also be the mascot. This channel is so special to us because YouTube has become the premier outlet to showcase your talent and share your passion with the world. Our shows revolve around movie and game reviews, reaction videos, and trivia, and with every video we make, we learn more and more and grow as a channel. In the 2 years we’ve had the channel, we’ve seen it grow significantly. Yes, we are still tiny, merely a blip on the YouTube radar, but we have created a cult fan base that enjoys our eccentric broadcasting style. The Toddcast is also under the Super Fuzz banner. Honestly, though, I wouldn’t be anywhere without the help of my amazing friends, Janelle, Myranda, Daniel, Shiela, Lucas, and Kevin, a.k.a “Doc.” Their friendship and commitment to my weird little projects is something I could never imagine I’d have in my life. I am so lucky to have them along for the ride, and I look forward to doing more in the future.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh gosh, no, it wasn’t smooth at all. Time, money, what content to create, and is it good to put online? Do we have the right equipment? If not, where do we get it? It was an ongoing struggle those first couple of years. We’ve found our groove now and can maneuver better with our content. Anything we need, we can get, but we’re still financially careful. I mean, you have to be in this economy. Uh oh, here comes the older man references again.
Thanks for sharing that. Can you tell us more about your work next?
Our primary focus is making YouTube videos for Super Fuzz Productions and recording The Smokin’ Hot Toddcast. When it comes to the videos, we specialize in a handful of beloved online viewing, including movie reviews with our show “Get Reel,” game reviews through “Played Out” reactions on a show called “Just The Dumbest,” and trivia on a show called “Stump Hot Toddy” where we test my knowledge on different subjects. The Smokin’ Hot Toddcast has many other elements. I mentioned before that it was a sketch comedy podcast, but we also conduct celebrity interviews and “get to know your hosts” segments. Regarding the channel, I think we’re most known for our movie review show “Get Reel” and our reaction show “Just The Dumbest.” Our reviews have garnered a lot of attention; even a film director reached out to us to thank us for checking the film. “Just The Dumbest” is our reaction show where we look at some of the dumbest stuff in the world, like criminals, products, costumes, trends, and so on. The Smokin’ Hot Toddcast has gotten a lot of attention in recent years because of the interviews that we’ve conducted. I had the honor of speaking with some of my heroes, such as Joey D’ Auria, who played Bozo in Chicago, Sal Volcano from Impractical Jokers, and most recently, our representative and current U.S. Senate candidate Gloria Johnson. It’s hard to say what I’m most proud of because I’m so proud of everything we’ve done so far, but if I had to put a finger on it, the environment we’ve created with our content. We can be edgy sometimes, but overall, our channel gives off the vibe of “Hey, how are you doing? Wanna hang out and talk about movies or games or whatever?” And that’s what we strive for. We want to be those people you look forward to spending time with, and the fact that that is what our fans love about us warms my heart. And I’m just glad we can do it. What sets us apart from others is simple: when it comes to the podcast, we do a show based mainly on sketch comedy. You’d be hard-pressed to find many others out there, and as for the Super Fuzz channel, even though we touch on a lot of the regular video categories, we do it with our flair and style. For example, with “Just The Dumbest,” we set it up like a news show; we’re anchors about to bring you vital information, but then it’s us laughing at some of the weirdest things you may not have seen. When it comes to “Played Out,” we will sometimes play video games, but that show is mainly based on board game reviews. That’s something you rarely see online. So we like to shake things up, and that’s unique.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I’ve always had a comical sense of humor. I remember pretending to be a stand-up comic as a kid; I always knew how to make my friends and family laugh. And I knew I wanted to do something behind a mic or in front of the camera. I’d pretend I was a news reporter or a radio DJ so everyone knew I’d be doing something in the arts, whether my job or a hobby. What’s strange, though, is I didn’t have much of an interest in anything as a kid, except for the usual things that kids liked in the 90s, Power Rangers, Rugrats, Disney, etc. Even now, I don’t know what I will be when I grow up.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toddycommahot/?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SmokinHotToddy/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-roberts-hot-toddy-486349143/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/superfuzzvideos
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SuperFuzzProductions
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-497776100
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@smokinhottoddy
Image Credits
Amy Watts (on the head shot of Todd Roberts) all the logos were designed by Todd Roberts
