The Audio File: Who is Cam Candor?

In many ways, we are living in a golden age of audio dramas. Dozens, if not hundreds, of new shows premiere every week. And it is a great time for independent producers. You can make a high-quality show from the comfort of your own home. Well, you can with a lot of hard work, and a little help from your friends. There’s no barrier for entry. Don’t like what you hear? Pick up a mic, and be the change you want to see. We’ve also seen major production companies taking an interest in audio dramas. Some of have teamed up with big names from the indie scene to help make shows.

Yes, these are some good times. And yet, many of us worry about how long it can last. What if the indie bubble pops? What if big name companies edge the little guys out of the market? The show we’re taking a look at today taps into many of these fears and anxieties. We’re taking a look at Who is Cam Candor? 

Who is Cam Candor? takes place in a nightmarish near future. Indie audio dramas have completely died out. The audio drama landscape is completely dominated by corporations and major companies. It is impossible to make a successful show without being attached to a major production company. The audio dramas that get churned out by these companies range from bland and forgettable to laughably bad. But in the days before the great indie collapse, there was a person who stood defiant. They are known as Cam Candor, but nobody knows if that’s their real name. They produced some of the most famous, and most mysterious, audio dramas. Cam Candor has became something of a folk hero to those who remember the glory days of indie audio dramas. But who is the real Cam Candor? B.K. Will, Cultural Obscurist and Archeologist, has created an investigative podcast in order to find out. But the question remains: Who is Cam Candor?

Who is Cam Candor? is created by Ann Sloan, creator of The Carlötta Beautox Chronicles. As regular readers of this blog will recall, I absolutely adore The Carlötta Beautox Chronicles. So, it was only natural that I would seek out Who is Cam Candor? Both shows are members of the Fable & Folly network, which includes many other fine shows such as Alba Salix, We Fix Space Junk, and Harlem Queen.

The Carlötta Beautox Chronicles does touch on serious subject matter, but with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Who is Cam Candor? takes a similar approach with issues concerning the indie audio drama community. As of late, a lot of big companies are starting to branch out into the world of audio drama. You got major audio drama production companies like QCODE and Realm, but you’ve also got places like Audible and Wondry increasingly dipping their toes into audio dramas. Even Marvel and DC have been trying their hand at audio dramas. Some members of the indie community welcome these shows with open arms, but other are more apprehensive.

I can see both sides of this. On the one hand, big-budget companies can help bring more people into audio drama, and get them interested in the medium. Pull the average person off the street, ask them what an audio drama is, and they’ll probably be scratching their heads. Many normies, for lack of a better term, have never heard of audio dramas. There’s a persistent myth that audio fiction died after television took off. Whenever I describe audio dramas to people, I say that they’re like the modern day version those radio shows from the 1940s and 1950s. The point is, the big-budget shows can help remind the unaware that audio fiction is very much still a thing. And once they’re hooked, there’s a chance that these new listens will seek out more shows, which will lead them to the indie scene.

On the other hand, there’s no guarantee that these new listeners will eventually seek out indie shows on their own. Moreover, the big-budget shows might set new listeners’ expectations sky-high. Most indie shows can’t afford to cast big-name actors. Creating a truly cinematic soundscape, while certainly not impossible for indie shows, is much harder when you’re working with less funds and a smaller team. It is also immensely frustrating when papers like the New York Times or the Washington Post publish yet another article saying “Creator X is Reviving Audio Fiction!” or “Company Y is Reinventing Fiction Podcasts!” Would it kill these journalists to do a five minute Google search?!

Big-budget shows have a much higher marketing budget. They also have built-in connections to the entertainment industry that indie shows lack. There is a fear that indie shows won’t be able to compete with big-budget shows, and will eventually get edged out. Big budget shows also typically don’t do much to promote smaller shows.

So, where do I stand? Personally, I take the middle ground. I think that it is a fair concern that normies won’t expand beyond big-budget shows. However, I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the possibility of them finding indie shows. I have seen several people who got into audio dramas from Realm, QCODE, or Welcome to Night Vale find their way to places like the r/audiodrama subreddit, and other places that indie creators and fans congregate. There’s a lot of insanely talented people working in the indie community. If they only had bigger budgets, and more resources, who knows what wonders they could create? Well, several big-budget audio drama companies have begun to recruit people from the indie community specifically to utilize their skills and expertise. So, I’m cautiously optimistic about the future of audio drama.

Having said all of that, I do very much understand the concern that big-budget companies might try to monopolize the audio drama market. Who is Cam Candor? taps into these fears, but does so in a humorous and satirical way. And hey, apparently the Great Purge that lead to the downfall of indie audio dramas happened in 2025. I am writing this in mid-2022, and indie audio dramas are very much alive a well. Also, part of that backstory mentions Facebook attempting to branch into podcasting. In the real world, Facebook did indeed try to branch into podcasting…but said attempt quickly died a swift death, and Facebook Podcasts discontinued not long after it was launched. So, I’d say we don’t have to worry about the dystopia of Who is Cam Candor? happening any time soon.

But Who is Cam Candor? is more than just a satire. It is also a celebration of the indie audio drama community. Cam Candor was, apparently, one of the most prolific creators of audio dramas. However, they only made one episode for each of their shows. I guess Cam Candor was unaware of what anthology shows are. Anyway, many of these shows are quirky and unconventional. For example, Mr. Fezziwhig Talks Crumpets follows a man from the Victorian Era who hosts a radio show about cooking. B.K. Will notes that this is rather odd, given that radio hadn’t been invented during the Victorian Era. Evidently, B.K. Will has never heard of steampunk or alternate history. Then there’s Filthy Nuns of the Holy Roman Empire. It follows a gender ambiguous friar named Adbo in Medieval Italy. Adbo is taking confessions from a group of religious prostitutes, who have sworn vows of silence, and is recording these confessions in a manuscript. Amusingly enough, Medieval monasteries and nunneries did have reputation for being incredibly rowdy places.

Then there’s Dante 10th. It follows a sociopath finical advisor named Dante Hen. He’s so bad he winds up in the tenth circle of Hell; as opposed to the nine mentioned in The Divine Comedy. Huh, guess Cam Candor was really trying to put the comedy in The Divine Comedy. Of course, the real star of that particular Cam Candor offering is Satan, and his very campy personality. There are more Cam Candor shows, but I’ll leave them for you to discover.

There’s also a meta joke when B.K. Will discover that one of the signatures of a genuine Cam Candor show is that it includes the sound of a snare drum between breaks in the action. Joke is, this is one of Ann Sloan’s signature sound inclusions in all of her shows.

I see the shows of Cam Candor as symbolic of the indie audio drama community. You get a lot of very quirky and off-the-wall shows. Many of them take the form of comedies, but there’s also serious shows. The fact that most Cam Candor show end after only one episode could be a reference to how several indie shows end after one or two seasons. Hey, sometimes life gets in the way, and unforeseen consequences happen. Let us take a moment to mourn the fact that Lights Out and The Hermes & Hekate Road Show only lasted for one season each.

The quirky and unconventional nature of the indie community is one of the things I love best about it. Sure, not every show can be to everyone’s taste, but there’s always so many great shows to discover. I’ve always found that, for all their flash and cinematic soundscapes, the big-budget show tend to be a bit lacking when it comes to plot. It always feels like something is missing in those big-budget shows. I guess it’s like the differences between eating at a local mom and pop restaurant vs eating at a chain restaurant. You can certainly find tasty food at a chain restaurant, but maybe it won’t hit he spot like your favorite local family-run restaurant does.

However, fictional podcasts, as in ones that only exist in-universe, aren’t the only shows to be found on Who is Cam Candor? Shannon K. Perry, the creator of the audio drama Oz-9, appears as a fictional version of herself. Apparently, Oz-9 got adapted into a theme park attraction and a series of movies. Sounds pretty good, but it is mentioned that the corporations started executing a lot of editorial control over the audio dramas they snatched up. Said control was always to the detriment of what made the shows great. I was vaguely familiar with Oz-9 prior to listening to Who is Cam Candor? However, this cameo peaked my interest, and made me want to check out Oz-9 for myself. I hope that other audio drama creators get to make appearances in future seasons of Who is Cam Candor? 

We also meet a formed audio drama critic who is now a wine/mattress critic. Well, guess I know what I’d be doing in this scenario. 

Now, let’s talk about the voice acting. Ann Sloan takes on not just writing duties, but also voices B.K. Will. She has previously done voice acting, of a sort, in The Carlötta Beautox Chronicles. Though, that was mostly bickering with Siri during the commercial segments. Still, she does a fantastic job here. Really captures that investigative podcaster feel. Samantha Gordon, who plays Carlötta from The Carlötta Beautox Chronicles, appears briefly as a receptionist in one episode. And it goes without saying that the voice acting in all of Cam Candor’s in-universe shows is really great. So, points all around for the voice acting.

The about section on the Who is Cam Candor? website is written in the style of the in-universe podcast. I thought that it was a fun touch.

Okay, all well and good, but what do I think about Cam Candor’s identity. Well, to be perfectly honest, I’ve got nothing. This is an Ann Sloan show, so anything goes. Given the limitless possibilities, I have no idea where this show is heading. However, I can’t wait to find out.

Well, there you have it. Who is Cam Candor? is a a satirical look at the fears and anxieties of the indie audio drama community. At the same time, it is also a celebration of the boundless creativity of the indie community. I don’t know where this show is heading, but I’m eager to find out.

Well I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

Movie Review: Dear White People

Well, everyone seems to have an opinion of this movie, or at least, of its Netflix adaptation.  So, I figured I'd finally post my review.  I've been wanting to review this one even before all the controversy.  Hey, I watch this movie before it was cool.  So, what movie are we going to talk about?  We're going to be taking a look at Dear White People. 

The movie takes place at fictional Winchester Academy; think Ivy League style liberal arts college, and you wouldn't be too far off the mark.  It is told from the point of view of a wide variety of black students.  You've got Lionel, a nerdy gay student who finds himself alienated by both the gay and black students.  You've got Troy, the son of the dean who dreams of being a comedian, and is also a closet nerd.  You've got Coco, who dreams of fame and fortune.  Most of all, however, you've got Sam.  She's a radical member of the Black Student Union, or mixed-race ancestry, who hosts a radio show called Dear White People.  

All of the characters, and many more, start of as somewhat separate storylines, but begin to intertwine as the movie progresses.  By the end of the movie everything collides together for the big finale.  Okay, that's enough summary for now, let's talk about what I thought about this movie. 

I don't know exactly where I saw the trailer for this movie, but based purely on that, it looked like it would be reasonably funny and entertaining film.  I could have gone to see it at my local independent films theater, but I never got around to it for various reasons.  However, I did eventually rent it, and I can safely say that my first impression proved true.  Now, before we go any further we need to talk about why this film is so controversial 

A lot of the complaints about the film have to do with Sam, along with her fellow radicals, and the things they say.  They certainly do make some fairly charged and inflammatory comments about race, particularly with regards to white people.  However, there's something a lot of people miss: Sam isn't meant to be a sympathetic character.  Well, not entirely at any rate.  Sam's character arc is based around her coming to terms with being mixed-race.  Her mother is black and her father is white, and Sam is secretly in a relationship with a white guy.  Throughout her life she felt inadequate and as though she was being judged by other black people.  As a result, she felt the need to over compensate, and so she crafted an angry black women persona in response.  

I have known certain mixed-race individuals who have gone through similar things; so it certain does have a ring of truth to it.  Another aspect is that, at least initially, a few of the BSU's grievances are at least somewhat legitimate.  However, the problem arises with how they express those views.  For example, there's one scene where they are protesting the latest Tyler Perry movie.  A lot of the thing they say are actually criticism I myself have of Mr. Perry's films.  The problems comes when, instead of complaining to a producer or a script writer, they scream at the ticket dude at the local theater.  

So there's people who might see a clip from the movie out of context and get the wrong impression.  On the flip side there's a, frankly disheartening, amount of people on places like Tumblr that unironically worship pre-character development Sam.  Well, actually, that's not so surprising.  This is Tumblr we're talking about here.  Side note, it's always rather awkward to write about characters named Sam, but I digress. 

For what it's worth Justin Simien, the writer, director and producer of the movie, has said that he considers the movie a love letter to white people.  In particular, the many white boyfriends he's had over the years.  

Now let's talk about some of the other characters, specifically Lionel.  His problem is that he's too gay for the black students, but not stereotypically gay enough for the gay students.  His character arc is all about learning to be true to himself and forge his own identity, rather than conforming to the desire of others.  You could as see his arc at least partially as a commentary on anti-gay sentiment within the black community.  Justin Simien is himself a gay black man.  I like to think there's a bit of him in Lionel.     

Coco's arc is also about learning to accept herself.  She's worried that she acts too stereotypically black to fit in.  It certainly doesn't help that her real name is Collandrea.  There's certain times she insists that she isn't that black, despite being rather dark skinned.  I have known certain black people who have expressed similar concerns about fitting in, so it does all feel true to life.  

That leaves us with Troy.  I should have meaning this earlier, but his dad is played by Dennis Haysbert, better known as the Allstate guy.  You will probably get a chuckle or two because of this.  Anyway, he's trying to please his father while also trying to find his own voice.  He’s also a closet nerd, but tries his best to hide this from his popular white friends.  As you can see, the movie's theme can easily be summarized as "be yourself, not who others want you to be, and forge your own identity."

So now we've got to talk about one of the other more infamous parts of this movie: the blackface party at the end.  Well, it's actually one of the first things we see in the movie, but the bulk of the plot is explaining how we get there.  Originally, Justin Simien was going to cut it out on the grounds that it was too unrealistic, but then he founded example of actual college blackface parties.  It reminds me of the end of my senior year of high school.  There were some students throwing a party, which I didn't attended because I wasn't interested/did really have many true friends.  The girls dressed as jungle princesses, and the boys...wore full-body blackface.  I won't name any names, to protect the ignorant.  Did I mention that I went to a small private Catholic high school full of rich white kids?  

The point I'm trying to make is, I had no problem believing a party like that could exist.  So, how does it come about?  I'll leave that for you to find out when you watch this movie.  So, while the main theme of the movie is about find your own identity, there's also a bit of satirization about race relations and collegiate craziness.  The cinematography can be described as simple yet understated.  The movie is divided into different acts much like a play.  Each act is introduced by a translation card that looks like a piece of fancy stationary.  

Recently, Dear White People has been adapted into a Netflix series of the same name.  I haven't seen it as of the posting of this review.  The movie feels like a pretty complete story in and of itself, but I can maybe see the series working.  It could dive into the character's personalities and backstories more; give us a chance to really get to know them.  On the other hand, it could stretch things out for too long, and mishandle the social commentary, so you never know.  

What can I say?  Dear White People is a funny, crazy, wild, and even at times heartwarming, dramedy about finding your identity.  It was easily one of the best films of 2014, and it is certainly more than worthy of your time.  Well, there you have it.  Another review draws to an end.

Hmm, I probably should talk a bit about future projects I have going on...but I can't think of anything else to say.  I will see you guys next time.