Friends Talking Shop Podcast: Relatable Conversations That Feel Like Home

 Do you know how many times a group of male friends has gathered, usually at a sports bar, had some fun mocking each other and then collectively said, "Hey, we should start a podcast!" The answer is tens of thousands. Friends talking shit about one another and making money on it is the dream of males from coast to coast.

 Want to know how many of those friends actually produced a podcast worth a listen? A good guess would be 50. Tops. Especially now with celebrities invading podcasting like ants searching for sugar. Now, celebrities talk shit about each other, shrouded by some narcissistic cloak. 

The good news for listeners is that Friends Talking Shop (FTS) is one of those rare successful shows. FTS was recently named 2025 Podcast of the Year AND Best Comedy Podcast by DiscoverPods. The show recently released their 100th episode, with over 15k TikTok followers and nearly a quarter million downloads. 

FTS is hosted by three middle-aged guys who all work in the same industry—and deliberately do not talk about it.

As the three hosts explain: "Instead, we get together to complain about the small, stupid, inane annoyances of everyday life. We like to think our conversations are very relatable...listeners feel like they are sitting around the table with us." 

The hosts emphasize: "We are unrehearsed by design, so to keep our authenticity. The tone is blunt, observational, and unapologetically honest. No therapy speak. No inspirational arcs.  Just friends who know each other well enough to interrupt, disagree, and move on." 

 Dave lives in St. Louis, but is originally from Wisconsin and is a life-long Packers Fan. 

He's as white as the driven snow, but don't let that fool you. He's on Ozempic, has a disgruntled wife who frequently emails the show, and has a debilitating fear of flying despite working a job that requires him to be on a plane frequently.

 Josh lives in Philly and possesses all the niceties that the city has come to resemble. 

 He's constantly annoyed by his surroundings and is not happy unless there is something to complain about. 

He'll share all the dirty details about his colonoscopy and every bit of pain on his battle with shingles. He's a walking greeting card.

 

Omar lives in San Juan by way of Baltimore. He's Pakistani, but he'll tell you he's Indian. He's the only single one on the team, and once you get to know him, you'll understand why. 

He eats ice cream for dinner, is obsessed with his hair and has no self-awareness of his narcissism. 

He's constantly on the move and "suffers" from white people problems even though he's brown. 

What sets Dave, Josh, and Omar apart from the thousands of other "bro" shows is these guys understand the difference between trying too hard to be funny and organically allowing the cleverness and wit to flow. 

The show begins with an original rap song with lyrics that define the three hosts. There's a minimum of empty chatter and inside jokes, which often scares away new listeners. These three men are sharp entrepreneurs who want to succeed as independent podcasters. 

Dave is basically the master of ceremonies as he stewards the show along. I think Dave has an innate sense of timing for when to move on from a topic and when to drill down. I admire how the three men pitch their desire to solve some of the world's problems. Furthermore, I also admire how each of the three hosts has a distinct personality. Dave is classified as "conventional," while Josh is known as "irreverent," and Omar is known as "the wild card." 

Comedy and true-crime are two of the most popular genres in podcasting. As such, they attract a lot of independent and network-supported podcasters.  

Friends Talking Shop (FTS) is a comedy/buddy show that excels at defining itself, resists the temptation to be outrageous and undisciplined in a superficial attempt to attract attention, and deals in clever and quick-witted conversation. 

Dave, Josh, and Omar, over the course of an hour or more, will make you laugh, keep you entertained, make you think, and welcome you into their inner circle of friendship. 

 Dave, Josh, and Omar will tell you: "Pull up a chair for the ultimate hangout. Hilarious, unfiltered, and deeply relatable conversations that feel like home." These three talented men are right.

Check out their website. 

YouTube (clips and full video episodes)

TikTok