It Still Moves You, Me, Them, Everybody

On any given day in Chicago, the calendar of events happening throughout the city can seem daunting. It Still Moves looks to separate the wheat from the chaff, spotlighting some of the area’s best and longest-running comedy, literary, and variety shows.

What it is: You, Me, Them, Everybody is, first and foremost, a podcast hosted by Brandon Wetherbee and Esmeralda Leon. It is also a curatorial organization that sponsors events throughout Chicago and beyond, as well as a means for Wetherbee to pursue his dream of hosting a late-night talk show (preferably one that follows Craig Ferguson’s).

The You, Me Them, Everybody podcast feed is a treasure trove of conversations with funny, insightful, or otherwise interesting people from across the cultural spectrum. New episodes are posted a few times a week, alternating between one-on-one interviews with comics, artists, and musicians (a la Fresh Air), man-on-the-street features at large events (described as “This American Life, but not nearly as focused”), freewheeling conversations between Wetherbee and Leon in the comfort of one of their apartments, and the audio from YMTE Live!, a weekly late-night talk show taped in Chicago, Washington D.C., and New York City. You, Me, Them, Everybody also produces weekly music and comedy shows at the Hungry Brain in Roscoe Village.

It’s probably easiest to think of YMTE as a catchall for events produced by Brandon Wetherbee, an extremely motivated guy with a passion for comedy and late-night TV. Wetherbee’s on-the-fly interview style and genuine interest in the guests he books make for an engaging piece of entertainment, regardless of the show’s format.

A brief history lesson: You, Me, Them, Everybody started out as a standard podcast, featuring long-form interviews with talented people from around Chicago. Wetherbee played in bands and wrote for zines and other publications before YMTE’s inception; this unique position inside Chicago arts scene, as well as his seemingly all-consuming desire to talk to interesting people, has helped him craft an ever-changing snapshot of a certain sect of Chicago’s entertainment industry.

Wetherbee grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, in a home where the TV was always on. His love for late-night talk shows developed early, and he’s had his sights on taking on the hosting role ever since. The podcast soon evolved into a live show at the Hungry Brain, the cozy dive bar where Wetherbee worked during the show’s early years. As time went on, Wetherbee drafted his coworker, Leon, into a position as cohost and affable foil to his intense persona, and YMTE splintered off into a film production group (making music videos and short films featuring some of Chicago’s finest talent) and a now-defunct music podcast, which featured MP3s of Wetherbee-approved local bands.



Autumn 2010 saw Wetherbee relocating to Washington, D.C. with his then-girlfriend (now fiancée). Rather than closing up shop in Chicago and moving on to another project, he used the move as an opportunity for expansion. You, Me, Them, Everybody now produces events regularly in D.C., as well as in New York City, and will soon be expanding to Baltimore, Maryland. Wetherbee still produces events at the Hungry Brain every Monday and Tuesday, farming out hosting duties to friends, and flies into Chicago on the last Monday of every month to host YMTE Live!

Why it’s still worth your time: Wetherbee has kept nearly every episode of the YMTE podcast archived on iTunes, creating a well of seemingly endless interviews with some of Chicago’s best talent. Chicago-based comedy podcast fans who don’t already listen to the show are missing out; it fits right in between listens to Comedy Bang Bang and WTF With Marc Maron. For those interested in exploring Chicago’s comedy and music scenes, You, Me, Them, Everybody is a great way to survey the city’s performers to find ones with whom you may click.

Live YMTE events are just as worthwhile as the podcast. Onstage at You, Me, Them, Everybody Live!, it’s clear Wetherbee is stoked about the show he’s designed for himself: His unbridled (yet somehow still cynical) enthusiasm and willingness to acknowledge the occasionally awkward scenario of hosting a talk show in a crowded bar disarms his guests and audience members alike. Recently, Wetherbee introduced a series called 8x8, a speed dating-style showcase that grants eight minutes of stage time to a series of eight guests, including authors, comedians, and musicians. This innovative event has quickly become a hit with audiences and performers alike, offering a bite-sized glance into the goods and services provided by some of the city’s best performers.

Time Out Chicago describes Wetherbee as “a big, swear-word-loving kid,” which doesn’t really give him enough credit. While his speech patterns and penchant for darkly honest material may bring to mind Louis C.K. at his most conversational, the influence of NPR’s Terry Gross on Wetherbee’s style is just as palpable. While Wetherbee’s questions may not be prepared in advance, his uncanny ability to pin down exactly what is interesting about a given person makes it seem as if he’d be able to get a good interview out of nearly anyone.

You, Me, Them, Everybody is a far-reaching collection of broadcasts and events assembled by one of the most hardworking, focused individuals currently working. It’s clear that Wetherbee takes the curatorial aspect of his job very seriously; any event with YMTE attached is sure to be well produced and entertaining, featuring some of the best talent Chicago (or New York, or Washington, D.C.) has to offer.