I'm Starting a New Show

finally.

Hey everyone,

Big news: I’m launching a new podcast. 

It’s called Hyperfixed and the trailer is out now.

If you ever listened to Reply All and heard me solving Super Tech Supports and thought, “Yeah, but what if this wasn’t just about tech and internet mysteries?” — then this one’s for you.

Hyperfixed is me tackling all kinds of dilemmas. Personal problems, tiny annoyances, big existential questions. The twist? These issues often have hidden, complex systems behind them, and we’re going to dig deep to uncover those. It’s part investigation, part obsession, part me going, “Wait, why is this even a thing?!” I’m working with a small but incredible team, with producers Emma Courtland and Amor Yates onboard, and we’re ready to get into it.

The idea came from all those Super Tech Support episodes I did — where someone’s frustration with their cell phone or whatever was really about some weird, large systemic issue. Either it was a technical problem that was baked into the internet, or some subculture that the end user had unwittingly encroached upon. 

But here’s the thing: a lot of life’s issues aren’t just about bad Wi-Fi. 

And the more I looked into the kinds of problems people face, the more I realized I didn’t want to limit myself to just tech stuff. The world’s a big, weird, interconnected place and I’m ready to take on whatever it throws my way, and go to absolutely absurd lengths to do it.

This show is not being bankrolled by a podcast company. 

In order to get this thing off the ground, I had to take out a loan, and start my own company, learn about running a small business, taxes, payroll, and honestly, that’s not really my cup of tea. But I will say that starting this project outside the corporate podcast machine has been... let’s say, liberating. When you’re working for a big company it is a lot about maximizing profit, often at the expense of the listener. Dedicated Reply All fans might remember that we had to apologize a couple times for ads that ran against our show that we were not allowed to say no to. 

But that era is over, and I have complete control and ownership over this show. I’ve got some great partners in Radiotopia and Supporting Cast, but keeping Hyperfixed indie means I get to tell the stories I think are important and fun, in the way I want to tell them. The whole thing is scary as hell, but also super rewarding.

This also means I’m relying on you, the listeners, to help keep this whole thing running. 

We’ve set up a premium feed — working title: "Hyperfixation Nation" — where you’ll get bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes content, AMAs, and other fun stuff. It’s still a bit of a work in progress, but we’re keeping it super affordable at $5 a month or $40 for the year - or contribute more if you'd like to help us go even further. Your support makes a huge difference and will help me keep chasing down weird stories and solving your problems in the most absurdly thorough way possible.

Our first two episodes drop on September 19th, and I’d love for you to check them out. 

We’re going to cover things like navigating the rules of the road in NYC (spoiler: they’re terrible) and a bunch more weird, fascinating stuff that you’ve probably never thought about but absolutely will after listening. 

Think of these episodes as pilots. After that, we’re gonna put our heads down and work as hard as we can for a couple months and then in the late fall, the show will launch full time with a new episode twice a month and two bonus episodes for subscribers every month as well (learn more about all that at hyperfixedpod.com). 

And if you’ve got your own dilemma you want us to dive into, head to HyperfixedPod.com and tell me about it. No problem is too big, too small, or too out there for me to consider.

Catch you in the rabbit hole,

Alex

P.S. Yes, I know you're wondering: PJ and I are cool. But he's off doing his own thing with Search Engine and I’m all in on Hyperfixed. Just two podcasting guys, forging new paths.