400 Episodes and Thriving: ‘The Flop House’ Hosts Never Expected to Make a Living (and Lifelong Friendships) From a Bad Movie Podcast

variety.com:

William Earl “Ishtar.” “From Justin to Kelly.” “Beverly Hills Chihuahua.” “Cats.” No, this isn’t the marquee of a movie theater in Hell, but rather some of the episodes of bad movie podcast “The Flop House.” For 16 years, Dan McCoy, Stuart Wellington and Elliott Kalan have analyzed box office or critical bombs that either failed to make a dent in pop culture or became notoriously reviled. “The Flop House” is hitting a milestone on July 15, with the group releasing its 400th episode, a discussion of legendary bad movie “Troll 2.” What started as a lark in the early days of podcasting has turned into a refuge for the trio’s creativity, friendship and even a way for the hosts to pay the bills.

Speaking with the trio on a warm spring night at Brooklyn’s Hinterlands Bar, which Wellington owns, it’s clear how their quick wit and easy chemistry has kept the show going.

That said, as McCoy is quick to note in his self-deprecating manner, “That’s our secret to success: Be there before everyone else, where it’s easier to get noticed.” The first episode launched on September 7, 2007, as McCoy, Wellington and another friend riffed on the 2005 action misfire “Stealth.” McCoy was hoping to develop a career in comedy, putting in time at New York’s sketch and improv scenes, and Wellington, despite not having professional comedy ambitions, was his funniest friend.

But the “Flop House” formula didn’t quite gel until McCoy invited another mainstay in the improv community, Kalan, to be the new third host starting in early 2008. “They lucked out in finding someone who can talk, talk, talk without stopping,” Kalan quips. “The show needed a Jewish person on it.