It hasn’t taken long for people to start appreciating Lou Reads! You guys can’t believe how good it feels to have people liking what you’re doing. Its been really great. Here’s a sampling of recent praise for Lou Reads!
An aspiring voiceover artist, Lou Fernandez began podcasting as a way to improve his speaking voice and reading skills, creating a portfolio of his work in the process. For material, Fernandez eschews conventional scripts and opts for content far more interesting: the Internet, and all its gloriously demented fringes. By scouring the cesspool of forums and idiot aggregator Something Awful, Fernandez gives an emphatic voice to those whose all-caps ramblings would otherwise be rightfully ignored.
Depending on the theme, this can be comforting (“Election Nonsense From Tea Party Nationâ€), nauseating (“From The Forums Of CumOnFood.netâ€), or just plain weird (“From TheHoodUp.com, A Place For Gangsters To Trade Tales And Recipesâ€). Most episodes fall into those three categories, but some feature personal tales, similar to PostSecret or The Moth, which is a better entry point for the faint of heart. Three years and 75 episodes in, it’s unclear what effect the show has had on Fernandez’s professional voiceover career, but live versions of the podcast have been a hit around New York City, and Fernandez’s skills have vastly improved. By delivering the most fucked-up stuff he can find in a calming, cadenced tenor, Fernandez has turned a simple exercise into potentially limitless (and maybe even profitable) work for himself.
From – Lou Reads Mention at the AV Club
And last, but certainly not least, Lou Reads the Internet for You, a podcast both beautiful and nauseating in its simplicity and purpose, that purpose being to find stories/confessions/shocking admissions/descriptions of horrible sex crimes made by creeps/weirdos/perverts/hatemongers/drug addicts/misanthropes/the generally maladjusted on the internet and present them, as is and without commentary — unless you count host Lou Fernandez’s occasional snickering or pronouncement that something he is reading is “gross”– to an audience willing to have their day simultaneously ruined and enriched. Lou Reads the Internet is the only podcast that has ever made me feel physically sick, and I consider this a great compliment.
– From Giant Electric Penguin
Podcast Fan Emails & Comments
“Just wanted to let you know that I love your podcast. Your voice is that perfect radio voice that would almost lull you to sleep except for the content keeps me laughing or heaving. Good job, keep it up!” –
“Because of you, I can talk with my daughter on a wide range of topics. As we sit folding laundry, we will talk about anything from adult babies, to foot-sniffing (bare foot or sucking the crystallized sweat through a sock, which is better?), to sucky Christmas gifts. This podcast has opened up our communication in amazing ways. Lou reads has made me a better mom, and for that, I thank you.” – T.A Clark
“A great idea. I came in here expecting listening to about 5 minutes and leave, but I stuck around for the entire 30 minutes. Wonderful!” -Â caine36 Â (Erowid Drug Trip Episode)
“I would just like to say that now I am finally starting to realize that you are indeed a genius…….I cannot tell you the hours upon hours of sheer happiness and unadulterated joy I have had listening to www.loureads.com. Wow, wow, wow………amazing.”
“I started listening to Lou Reads this week and, well, all I can really say is that it’s amazing how something that seems “normal ” or at least commonplace on the internet is just so much more disgusting and depraved (and hilarious) when it’s read out loud. I consider myself a seasoned user of the internet and I have definitely seen and read about an awful lot of horrible things, but when you actually hear someone saying those words, adding intonation and seeming to actually mean it, it adds a whole different layer of ridiculousness. There’s just enough editorializing so that you know that the content isn’t actually being endorsed, and that’s nice because if it were all just horrible things I think my eyes would glaze over very quickly. It’s a pretty fantastic show.” – SomethingAwful Forum Member
“Lou, really enjoy the podcast – started with the CumOnFood one, and while the posts themselves were disgusting and the pictures disturbing, I was massively amused at your repeated gagging and disbelieving laughter. Please continue to read these things for our amusement so we don’t have to go look ourselves.”
“…Â Of all the ‘funny’ podcasts I’ve checked out due to this thread, this is the one I listened to back episodes of, and look forward too every week.”
“Me and my friend/ex boyfriend/lover listen to every single podcast multiple times, and we think you’re the shit, and a fucking genius. Thanks for being a badass!” – Kelly S.
“you’re the goddamned bomb, lou” – B. B. Wilderbaby
“I’ve been listening for a while, and enjoy seeing proof that the Internet has conditioned and contaminated my mind to the point that it takes a well-recorded, heavenly-voice reading extensively about the merits of cummy assholes to make me wince.” -Govind K.
Lou Fernandez takes some of the worst writing on the internet, carefully selects the most stunning, and wraps them up in a blanket of soothing, dulcet tones. The blanket is infected with smallpox, and you’ll probably itch later on, but you’ll be comforted for a little while at least. Â – Lemon (The F Plus Podcast)
“Just listened to the vampires one… top stuff!” – Nexus112 – Host of A Shroom with a View
“You’re so awesome~ keep reading the internet!!!” – Posted on Lou Reads about Sucky Customers and the Sucks who Serve them at CustomersSuck.com
“Your podcasts are awesome! Never thought someone reading forums for me would be so entertaining. Is it odd that now when I read things your voice is reading it?” FaceBook Fan Page Post“Oh please read more. You have a lovely voice. Just the right for reading stories!” – Â Sneeze Fetish Podcast“You are… Amazing. Originally found you through the SomethingAwful forums and pretty much died laughing. This one was no exception.” – Peggy Bergson (Shameful Hook-Ups Episode)“I drifted gently off to sleep last night listening to King Lou’s soothing voice reading posts from the adult diaper forum.” – Throatwarbler, SA Forums
“I just…I can’t stop laughing, this is fuckin awesome” – OG Bobby Johnson
(Real Rap Talk episode)“I wanted to tell you, I was on a seven-day straight color correct job this last week, and Lou Reads was a big help.” – Roach Flynn
“You have a very pleasant, relaxing voice. I dig it. Take care!” – Eraser Sandwich
“I think this may well be my favorite website of all time” – Rubin (from France) via Twitter.
If you need something entertaining to listen to I suggest “Lou Reads the Internet for You” – HeatherGee via Twitter.
“This may be the best thing I’ve ever heard. If you did a morning radio show I would go out and buy a radio.” (Large Penis Support Group Read)
“I’m glad you have a dedicated website and podcast now, your readings are awesome and now I won’t miss any of them. Thanks mr. American Hero Man!” Listener from SomethingAwful.com
“I’ve discovered LR few days ago and finished the last episode yesterday. And now there’s another one! This is awesome.” – Listener from the Czech Republic (via facebook fan page)
“Thanks, Lou. These always make my week go smoothly.”
“Upvoted for amazing vocal talent. This guy needs a radio show.” (from Reddit)
“listening to you read these posts has made about every weekend the greatest ever for me. i wish you had a radio show that i could listen to 24/7”
“I’d never be bored on a morning commute again. I almost cried, King Lou.”
“I’d buy sirius if you had a talk show featuring nothing but this.”
“It’s like listening to a filthy NPR. Amazing.” (Bug Chasers Read)
“Oh, god. That was fucking amazing. And I’ll never listen to it again.” Â (Bug Chasers Read)
“This is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. Your calm voice makes it.” (Bug Chasers Read)
“I love this stuff. If you ever are hesitant to read us something you think is really bad, please don’t hold back. You have a pleasing voice and have provided me with many lulz.” (Grass City Forum read)
“Lou Reads: The Rapture Ready Forums (awesome voice. hilarious content)”
“haha that lou reads is hilarious. Great voice, agree.”
“Great stuff Lou”
“What a lovely voice lol, i wish i had a tape to put me to sleep at night…. :D”
“Sometimes it’s the only thing that gets me through a mail merge at work. It’s hilarious.”
“Your voice is awesome. Done any radio work?”
“…your stuff was inspiring”
“This is very good. Your voice is relaxing, you could make self-hypnosis tapes.”
“King Lou your voice is fantastic.”
“It’s thoroughly inane. But his voice is like heroin for my ears.” – Sex Robot, SA Forums.
“King Lou, don’t take this the wrong way, but I want to harvest your voicebox. It’s not quite Morgan Freeman–but it’s close enough.”
“His voice is fascinating as is the content of his various columns.”
“Nice reading.”
Keep up the comments! It’s all I have to live for….
I think that this is a GREAT idea and I really like what I’ve heard. I rather like radio and I kind of miss it (not that I was alive when it was big), and this is kind of like that. You have a good voice for it too. Seems like you place your voice in the sweet spot of your vocal register and it resonates well. Or something like that.
When I’m driving my Ford F-150 across a post-apocalyptic desert hellscape in about 10 years, I’ll be listening to your sweet voice read from the monster that was once called the internet. And has at that time crashed and burned as humanity has thrown itself back in to the dark ages due to famine and drought.
So thanks for bringing back radio, dude. Also I’d feel really accomplished if you replied to this somehow. I like getting replies from internet pseudo-celebrities.
ok, so what? “the man with the golden voice” has this sad drug-use-momma-kicked-me-out-homeless back story. But have you heard some of the of the stuff Lou has been reading??? And not only is it the most ridiculous stuff, But Lou does it all in his beautiful dulcet tones and with a flair for insightful, quick witted, and supper funny sidebars. King Lou is like the man with the diamond voice!!!
I happily add another comment or praise for your show man-
“I love @loureadspodcast you never know what you are going to get. It is the podcast equivalent of hitting the “I’m feeling Lucky” button on google. Wow, what a strange world. He does a great job.”
This is on finding the orgasm forum episode on my Ipod. Great work.
I’m currently past the halfway point on the CumOnFood.
I can’t stop laughing. Thanks for making a rough day so much better
Love the podcast! Great to listen to while doing boring repetitive things like cleaning or sewing or correcting line work on drawings. Also great because I get to satisfy my ***curiosity*** but don’t have to do the searching (and thereby get bombarded by gross-ass photos)! Yay! Keep it coming.
Dude, I have been a huge fan and have listened to every podcast so far, and I just want to say ‘thanks!’ You have made my free time meaningful and have filled a hole in my life I didn’t realize existed. I have always enjoyed the insanity of reading forums or article comment sections, but doing so takes so much time! With the fine service you provide, I can do my work and be entertained at the same time! So here’s to my favorite podcast, thanks Lou!
(Ps. Dumb idea but if you started your own Lou Reads forum you could collect podcast-related comments for your show. I have wanted you to read fan comments for a while now, and it would be even better if they talked about the crazy places they played your show or something. Just an idea.)
Hilarious podcast, I have been listening for a few years now and every time you release a new episode I can not wait to get a moment alone to listen. You have a wonderful voice to listen to, and always choose interesting topics.
The only complaint I have is listening has caused me to get several weird stares as I burst out laughing on the subway, and once caused me to fall off a treadmill at the gym from sudden laughter. Will be emailing for a magnet 🙂
Thanks for the great work.
Lou Fernandez digs deep into the internet so I don’t have to and his soothing voice makes even the most disgusting internet comment music to my ears. More than once my neighbors have given me strange looks when I’d laugh so hard while mowing the lawn that I’d have to stop and compose myself.