Freddy Cruz & Speke Fest: Zombies & Ghosts Vs. Machines

What's Up! with John and Reena

Step into the world of zombie podcasts—shows long inactive but still lurking online—and ghost podcasts—buried episodes hiding in active feeds. In this episode, we preview SpekeFest, a zombie-themed podcast conference held at the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston.
Event organizer Freddy Cruz shares how he brought this eerie idea to life, despite having no prior experience in event planning.
From there, the conversation searches into the soul of podcasting: Can AI-generated audio ever match the nuance and legacy of human-made shows? Reena and John unpack the cultural and creative value of pre-AI podcast content, reflect on their own “undead” projects, and argue for preserving podcasting’s human roots.
Lastly, we talk burnout, podfading, and the pressure to publish on schedule—and why forgiveness and focus are key to longevity. Whether you’re a longtime podcaster, a lapsed creator, or just podcast-curious, this episode explores what it means to keep your voice alive in an ever-evolving medium.

Topics include:

• What qualifies as a zombie or ghost podcast
• Behind the scenes of planning a first-time podcast conference
• Why older, human-created content still matters
• The pressure of podfading and how to overcome it
• Niche, marketing, and staying the course in podcasting

Plus: Why now’s the time to reclaim the “zombie podcast” label and wear it with pride.
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What's Up! is the new show featuring John and Reena catching up on the latest streams, memes, and daydreams. It's like the daily watercooler for people who don't go to an office.
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