With the impeachment of Donald Trump in full swing and the campaigns for the 2020 Presidential Election beginning to dominate the headlines and former British comedy agent Paul Duddridge's is podcast 2020 Election : Meet The Candidates has become a surprise staple of the US election cycle. It regularly appears at the top of the podcast charts beating many of the most established commentators on the US political stage. He's also recently launched the ‘The Politics People’ podcast. Here he chats to us about how it all started.
Leah Marriott: You're a career chameleon, how did you start political commentating?
Paul Duddridge: I know it appears like l’m a career chameleon but I think all the things I’ve done are the same business. Writing, comedy management, directing movies, artist coaching and politics are all about people. People buy people, whether it’s a comedian, a singer a character in a book, an actor, a chef a therapist or a political leader, the audience are responding to an individual who resonates with them. I help people and projects resonate with the public.
The political commentating started when I was producing a show about secret Trump supporters, and discovered that every four years hundreds of US citizens apply to become President. Currently its over 1000 candidates. I was going to make a documentary following a few of their stories but I could only talk to the first candidate via SKYPE as they were on the east coast, it was immediately clear that just recording these conversations was more interesting than shooting a whole documentary.
Letting people talk, in their own words about why they want to be President is enough. This became the podcast 2020 Election: Meet The Candidates. The show quickly became popular in the US which was a pleasant surprise. I was approached to help out on a few campaigns here.
Bob Mills on talkRADIO in the UK heard the show and asked me to become the US politics correspondent on his Saturday show.
At the moment I’m spending more time on US politics than I am on film and TV.
LM: What is that interests you about Politics, in particular American politics?
PD: As a starry eyed dreamer I love the fact that anyone can become President in the US. The most powerful job in the world is open to all candidates. Even filing the application doesn’t cost a cent.
The equivalent role in the UK (Head of State) is only open to one family. We Brits know who our next three kings are going to be for the coming century.
LM: When did you start your podcasts?
PD: We started the show in Feb 2019, just before the campaigns for 2020 began warming up.
Who has been your favourite guest to date?
PD: My favourite guest so far has been John Mcafee, the inventor of the worlds first computer virus software and currently living in exile from the US.
LM: Who else have you got lined-up to interview?
PD: Since the show has expanded we’re moving the operation to Washington DC. I want to interview President Donald Trump. That is the intention.
LM: Would you be interested in becoming a politician yourself?
PD: I would love to be a politician. I kick myself these days that I fell in to showbiz. Politics has become much more interesting and exciting over the past decade whereas entertainment has become relatively stale.
LM: Best piece of political advice you can give?
PD: To succeed in politics you only need to be able to do maths. It’s always about the numbers.
