Why the Kelka podcast is so good

When I first started listening to the Planet Podcast in August, I found myself overwhelmed at how laugh-out-loud funny it was to listen to two girls discuss "The L Word." It was almost too funny. Eventually, I ate up all the podcasts and found myself laughing at them after listening to them several times each. It was a bit amazing how they could be consistently funny.

When season 4 started, like the thousands of other Kelkians, I joined in on keeping up with the blog and forum. I noticed that there are many listeners who are more addicted than I am. I noticed many demanding, cracked-out fans who admitted to constantly refreshing the blog page in anxious anticipation for the next podcast. I noticed people saying they "needed their fix."

I'm not this obsessed, but I'll admit I've had a few dreams in which my subconscious entertains ideas as to what they look like.

I'm in awe of the community they've established. With the help of technology, they've created a worldwide social network. And I think, as a minority, the homos could always use more networking.

So why are KC and Elka so good? They're funny. Duh. But what specifically is it about them and their podcast that has so many of us hooked? I have a few thoughts that begin to answer this question (in no particular order):

1) The quality of "The L Word" has been declining since season 3. We gay girls need our gay media fix, so we keep watching the show in hopes that it'll be as good as seasons 1 and 2. They make this decline bearable to watch by finding the humor in it.

2) They have complementary styles of humor. There are definitely overlaps, but Elka goes for more wit (e.g. "It's like Papi found the cheat code for the vagina..."), and KC goes for more sillyness (e.g. the voices during the second Valentine's Day podcast). Together, they are an unbeatable comedic duo.

3) Their chemistry. They have known each other for nine years. They are in a committed relationship. They bicker. They make fun of each other. And it's fun to listen to.

4) They are spontaneous and unscripted. They tangent (yes, I'm using it as a verb) often. As a result, we get to hear funny stories that we wouldn't otherwise hear if they were more formal.

5) They are uncensored and feel free to mock just about everyone.

6) They keep some ambiguity and mystery: even though they admitted that they were a couple on the SloGreenX podcast, they still try to make (half-assed) attempts at pretending they're just friends. We don't know how old they are (although we have a rough idea), and we probably will never find out what they look like. Mystery keeps people on their toes wanting more.

7) Their laughter is too contagious.

8) They are role models. They are both out, and they sincerely promote the importance of being out. They're confident in themselves, and this is attractive to young, confused queers.

9) They're observant and analytical. The more you notice in a TV show, the more there is to laugh about.

10) They maintain two-way communication. They participate on the blog, forum, exchange holiday cards, and write personable e-mails. They're smart about keeping their privacy, but they are still awesome about being a part of the community they've created.