Maximum Fun's 'Pop Rocket' Podcast Ends After Four Years

The End

With the pending departure of host GUY BRANUM and panelist MARGARET WAPPLER to work on other projects, MAXIMUM FUN has announced the end of "POP ROCKET," its weekly pop culture panel show.  The podcast had been running since JANUARY 2015 and was created by MAXIMUM FUN founder JESSE THORN with former Senior Producer COLIN ANDERSON.

In a post on MAXIMUM FUN's website signed by THORN, Managing Director BIKRAM CHATTERJEE, and Senior Producer LAURA SWISHER, the network said, "We're proud of the show. We think, thanks to the hard work of the panel and the production team, it featured some of the most insightful, unusual, and hilarious (and profane) commentary on movies, music, television, and culture more broadly. This isn’t a happy day for us.... While the show has developed a passionate community, we haven’t been able to develop revenue that covers those costs at any point in its history, and over the past two years, listenership has declined."  The statement noted BRANUM and WAPPLER's exits and added, "Given that reality, and the financial picture for the show, we are unable to sustain its production. Over nearly five years, we’ve proudly supported the show as it went through personnel changes, leaves of absence, and the regular challenge of producing a weekly program. It has been a passion project for many of us at MAXFUN, and we are sad to see it end. Ultimately, though, we are responsible for the show’s sustainability, and don’t think we can ensure that going forward."

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