Bob the Drag Queen and Boston Rob have put their traitorous ways and heated rivalry to bed as they host “The Traitors Official Podcast” on Peacock.
After a blowout roundtable resulted in Bob’s banishment in Season 3, the American version of “The Traitors” escalated to a new level of fandom. A year later the duo have used their differences to their advantage to recap the show every week.
Rob even told TheWrap that reuniting with the “Drag Race” star again was the primary reason he signed on to the NBC and Peacock-sponsored podcast.
“Even though we had a little bit of a tumultuous relationship inside the castle. I know how smart and how creative and how talented Bob is,” he admitted.
Bob said that the two compliment one another because they represent different sides of the reality TV spectrum. The two hosts also revere the genre at large, which Bob noted has emerged outside of the “brain rot” category and captivated the cultural zeitgeist.
“This form of TV that used to be considered junk and trash and brain rot is now dominating the Daytime Emmys,” she said. “These shows – they’re so respected. They’re some of the most watched shows on TV now.”
During its Season 4 premiere, “The Traitors” tallied up 638 million viewing minutes on Peacock, per preliminary figures from Nielsen. The reality competition program ranked as the week’s No. 1 streaming original reality title, with the series scoring an at least a 72% bigger audience than any other unscripted title during the week.
Host Alan Cumming has teased Thursday night’s episode as one of the most iconic in the history of “The Traitors.” The upcoming banquet episode will see Traitor Lisa Rinna attempt a murder in plain sight by making a Faithful touch her amulet on display.
“If Alan wins the Emmy again, it is because of this episode,” Bob told TheWrap. “I would say it is probably one of the gaggiest moments from the show. It is so dramatic. It is so beautifully done.”
“Dramatic would be an understatement,” Boston Rob added. “Out of all the weeks so far, there’s a moment this week that is really cathartic. And people are going to feel a certain kind of way about it.”
Each week the hosts recap the episodes, pick out their favorite fashion looks and also host interviews with banished or “murdered” Season 4 contestants. The podcast also shows former contestants never-before-seen clips from the series, getting their reactions live on air.
“Up until this point, the contestants haven’t seen the edit, so their experience is still uniquely theirs,” the “Survivor” star said. “It hasn’t been tainted by social media or anyone else’s opinion, so I think us getting to interview them before they’ve actually seen the entire thing, it lends to their authentic experience.”
Last week the hosts showed Ron the roundtable speech that almost saved him but ultimately sent him home. The comedian and actor told the hosts he would not change a thing about his gameplay all before he saw the chatter online.
Throughout the video podcast, the hosts watch and analyze challenges and game play from the episode prior. For former Traitor Bob the Drag Queen, breaking down the “Back in the Castle” section of gameplay is the most critical.
“’Back in the Castle’ is where the most devious gameplay happens,” Bob explained. “This is where people really start planting seeds and trying to see what can grow. This when you’re throwing spaghetti at the wall.”
Bob has extensive experience in the podcasting business, hosting shows for almost a decade. He currently records about four podcasts a week. “The Traitors” companion show is the drag queen’s second time working directly with a network. He previously hosted “RuPaul’s Drag Race” companion program “The Pit Stop.”
The “Survivor” alum said working with NBC and Peacock directly gave the show the legitimacy that made him want to be involved. Bob added that the partnership gives the hosts greater access to contestants, exclusive opportunities and high quality production.
Companion podcasts have become increasingly popular with Netflix, launching its first podcasts for “Bridgerton” this week. Other streamers like Hulu have partner programs for “Tell Me Lies” and “Dancing With the Stars,” while HBO has companion shows for “And Just Like That,” among others.
“What makes these shows so interesting is people want to know that they’re not crazy,” Bob said. “Someone wants to be like, ‘I thought that was a bad play, and I need to hear someone else say it.’ And if the hosts aren’t going to say it, someone in the comments is going to say it.”
“I think that’s why these type of shows work so well, and why there’s, you know, interaction and conversation at the water cooler amongst the people that watch it – it used to be actually at the water cooler and now online on social media,” Rob added.
New episodes of “The Traitors” come out Thursdays on Peacock, and new episodes of “The Traitors Official Podcast” air on Peacock, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts Fridays.
