From Podcast to PBS!

BY MAGGIE KLEIN

KONKLIFE STAFF WRITER

Podcasts, one incredibly informative alternative to music, are more popular than ever, thanks in part to Covid-19. Whether you are inquiring about how a product is made, your guilty pleasure is true crime, or you simply want to listen to two people discuss an issue, the expansive choices throughout the podcast world are endless. Among the thousands of brilliant podcasters out there, Matt Asher, host of The Filter podcast, is actually a Key West local!

Prior to settling in the Keys, Asher lived in Toronto, where he worked in the technology industry. Once the Pandemic hit, Asher was unable to access his preferred work area: his local cafe. Noticing that he lacked the necessary motivation due to working at home, Asher decided to try something different: he began podcasting, and thus, The Filter was born. The unexpected beauty of the unfortunate circumstance of the Pandemic, was that his Podcast was able to flourish because so many people were stuck at home, craving entertainment. In addition, he was able to reach a lot of guests, and was afforded the opportunity to get them on Zoom for a conversation for the Podcast. 

After working on the Podcast for a bit of time, Asher decided that it was time to relocate, and he and his wife pondered possible destinations in the U.S. After looking into different options, the two settled on coastal Florida, after hearing only amazing things about the area. They toured the coast, and reported that Key West was the perfect place to be (obviously!). From then on, Asher’s plan was to continue podcasting, but to bring guests in – for in person talks due to the attraction of the area. 

The podcast scene rapidly exploded, and Asher met with a producer who has created a number of films. After talking with the producer, Michael Kirk, about his ideas, Asher recounts, “He said that the vision of bringing people to Key West and basically having a video podcast, which was my plan, was fine. But think bigger.” Kirk was able to provide his skills and connections in terms of producing and filming, and ultimately proposed that they put together a real TV show that features guests in conversation in conjunction with significant footage of Key West. Asher loved this idea, and the two were able to begin filming and recording. 

So, what is this show? Well, it is soon to be a PBS program called, “The Matt Asher Show,” which will be hosted by…you guessed it, Matt Asher. Each episode will be one-hour in length, and will feature one guest who travels to the area, and partakes in an activity in the beginning. Asher describes a few of the activities in which some guests have participated. He says, “We have them do a variety of things in The Keys. One of them went on paddle boards, one went to the butterfly museum, and to name a memorable one, we had a great author that has 18 books, including a number of bestsellers, and we were able to bring him to the Hemingway house. This resulted in great footage and a memorable experience.” After their adventure around Key West, they return to Asher’s place to have a relaxed conversation by the water, and get into whatever it is that the guest does. 

Asher has expressed his passion for podcasting and lengthy conversations, and has reported nothing but good experiences with the guests he hosts. He says, “Everyone we had down was super complementary about the whole experience. Just from being down in The Keys, when reaching out to guests, you don’t really have to twist people’s arms with the offer.” As for Matt Asher, his guests, and Key West, it’s a win-win-win!

You can access Matt Asher’s website, where further URL links are available, at https://mattasher.com/ 

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