If I Were You (podcast)

Each episode of If I Were You usually begins and ends with a different theme tune created by a listener. The format of the show consists of hosts Jake Hurwitz and Amir Blumenfeld reading out questions—or, some episodes, playing audio questions—emailed to them by listeners with problems; usually three or four questions every episode. They assign the listener a pseudonym (often humorous or that of a popular fictional character) and discuss the problem, often brainstorming ideas and improvising humorous situations, before reaching and summarizing a conclusion of what the person should do.

The show has featured several guest stars, including CollegeHumor co-founder Ricky Van Veen,[3] actors and comedians Ben Schwartz[4] and Thomas Middleditch,[5] actresses Allison Williams[6] and Rose McIver,[7] co-workers Streeter Seidell,[8] Emily Axford,[9] Sarah Schneider,[10] Brian K. Murphy,[11] Patrick Cassels, and Dan Gurewitch,[12] The Pete Holmes Show host Pete Holmes,[13] rappers Hoodie Allen[14] and Lil Dicky,[15] singer Alana Haim,[16] Jake's mom Laura Hurwitz, and his brother Micah Hurwitz, all of whom were present for entire episodes, as well as cancer sufferer Ethan Trex[17] and Amir's (at the time) girlfriend Laura,[18] who were only in parts of an episode.

Jake and Amir goof off for the audience during a live recording of "If I Were You" at DC Improv, May 2017

The podcast reached number 1 on the British,[19] Canadian[20] and Australian[21] iTunes charts, as well as peaking at number 3 in the United States[2] and number 17 in Germany.[22]

The Guardian's Miranda Sawyer called If I Were You "a typical example of a comedy podcast" and "amiable enough", but said it contained "far too much laughing", commenting that "If I wanted stream-of-consciousness waffle with the occasional funny line, I'd listen to [my small children]."[23]

Sam Tabachnik of The Washington Post has written of the podcast that Jake and Amir "have their fingers firmly on the pulse of the digital comedy scene," and "riff off each other with ease,"[24] while The Concordian's Kayla Culver described it as "comfortable to listen to" and "genuinely funny," "like listening to two best friends having a hilarious conversation on the couch next to you."[25]

Episodes were originally posted every Monday to SoundCloud and Tumblr,[26] and then were posted on podcast website PodcastOne. As announced on Episode 146, IIWY show left PodcastOne and is now available on radio and podcast website, Spreaker. They are also available on iTunes.[27] The second episode was posted early, on the Friday after the first episode.[28]