A little over a year ago, DJ Qualls (Supernatural) and Kelly Blackheart (I Don’t Know About That with Jim Jeffries) sat down to record one of their tried and true yap sessions to share with the world on a podcast called Locked & Probably Loaded. Now their listener numbers are growing 30% week over week, they have a flourishing patreon, and even Kelly’s dog has a fanbase.
I sat down with Kelly (and her dog, Rhino) to talk about the important things: how the podcast started, how it’s going, and where the future is taking them.
Editor’s note: this interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Nerds & Beyond: So, how did the podcast start? What’s the origin story here?
Kelly Blackheart: So, there is [an origin story]. DJ and I, we met through my old boss, Jim Jeffries, at a party at his house. The first night we met, he and I sat at this table, and we just kept talking all night. The party ended, Jim went to bed, everybody left, and DJ and I were still sitting at this table having drinks and talking ’till seven o’clock in the morning. And I was like, “Is this person my friend soulmate?”
So he was like, “You’ve got to take my number. Text me.” So I texted him a couple of days later, no response. And then, I think it was probably, like, five months later… it was around the time of Jim [Jeffries]’s birthday. I was making [Jim] this compilation video of some of his friends and comedians and all that stuff. So I texted DJ again to be like, “Hey! Do you want to participate in this?” He didn’t respond then, either. And I was like, this m*********** does not want to be my friend! Why did he tell me, like- HE’S the one who said “Take my number!”
Come to find out that the first time he just missed [my message]. But the second time he had just gotten… some sort of facial? And he didn’t want to be on video. Whatever.
(Yes, we were laughing at this point.)
Kelly Blackheart: Anyway, we run into each other at a bar down the road. And ever since then, it was like any time he was in town, (which, at the time, it was every few months) we were hanging out. But every time we hung out, we would have these long-ass yap sessions. It was just a stream of consciousness. You know, the ADHD is out with us where it’s like… we’re just talking about anything and everything.
And so, right before the pandemic hit, I had brought up the [podcast] idea. Obviously, he has this fan base that really, really loves him, but they love him for his performances. And I’m like, “People need to know you. ‘Cause you’re so smart and you’re so funny.” And, he’s just the best person in the world. I’m like, “We should do a podcast.” And so, we bought microphones and all that stuff. And then, of course, the pandemic hit, so we just put it on hold for a second. Then, a couple of years later, you know, it’s like, “Maybe we should really do this!”
We talked a bit about the pandemic and how it affected things. In Locked & Probably Loaded’s case, it was probably a blessing in disguise.
Kelly Blackheart: The funny thing about that is, I’m so glad that we actually didn’t start it when we [originally planned]. Because our friendship is so much deeper than it was when we [first] talked about it. At the time, like I said, we were hanging out maybe once every three or four months. We felt really connected when we were together. But now we have this friendship that feels a lot like a stronger foundation to start a business together.
Nerds & Beyond: Where did the title come from? When did that happen?
Kelly Blackheart: That was when we were initially starting to think about doing [the podcast]. [Locked & Probably Loaded] is kind of the first thing that we landed on where we were both like, “Oh! That’s pretty funny!” I’m actually surprised that he remembered it. When we circled back [years later] with “Okay, let’s do this thing!” I was like, “Okay, so what do you want to call it?” And he was like, “Locked & Probably Loaded!” I’m like “Alright, cool!”
Nerds & Beyond: What about production? What does that process look like for you guys?
Kelly Blackheart: Our producer, Isaac, has a studio that’s in LA, which is very inconvenient to get to.
Here, you can pause to imagine some general grievances and groaning from both of us about how terrible Los Angeles traffic is.
Kelly Blackheart: But we always record two episodes each time we go because, especially with DJ’s schedule, we try not to get too far ahead in banking episodes unless it’s completely necessary and he’s going to be gone for two months at a time. But we always record two at a time, and like, on my end or DJ’s end, the production process is just: show up and record. I know one of your questions was going to be about the creative side–
Nerds & Beyond: Yeah, ’cause you guys cover everything. Drugs. Politics. Taco Bell weddings. Anything. Where do the topics come from? How does planning stuff like that happen?
Kelly Blackheart: It doesn’t? (laughing) That’s the completely honest answer. There have been plenty of times that I have written down a list of the things that I want to talk about, but because we’re very true to how our actual conversations go, there’s no telling how we’re going to start and end the episode. Sometimes I’m like “How did we even get here?”
Every once in a while, I’ll glance at my phone and be like, “Oh, I want to talk about this one thing!” So if something pops up, I’ll write a note to myself on my phone. But usually, by the time we finish recording the episode, I’m like “S***! I had a question from a listener!” Or, “I wanted to talk about this topic! I’ll do it next week.” Then I’ll forget… We have mental health issues.
You can pause again here to imagine general agreement and laughing about the effectiveness of mental illness in podcast creation and general yapping.
Kelly Blackheart: It’s funny because I’m always like, “How are we going to do two episodes?” Like, in my head— It’s almost every time we record— I’m like, “I don’t know how we’re going to do two episodes, we don’t have that much to talk about.” And then it just happens.
Nerds & Beyond: Have you guys ever considered having guests on? Because I know your “yap” is so specific. I’m not sure if that’s something you guys have branched into.
Kelly Blackheart: We definitely have thought about it! There are definitely pros and cons to doing guests. The pros are obvious. Maybe we can reach new listeners! Or, you know, hear these interesting stories from people! I just wonder how feasible it is within our podcast that has no real structure. Like, we would really have to kind of work out how that happens.
And also, I think the biggest barrier to entry there is that it’s hard to schedule [guests, timing-wise]… I do think there’s a world where eventually we have some types of guests on, but it’s not like an every-episode type of thing? It might be a once-a-month type of thing.
DJ’s really interested in not having any “celebrity” guests. Whether it’s big-time celebrities or comics that we know. He’s like, “I just wanna talk to regular people!” Which I think could be really fun, too! But there’s just so many layers to that.
[Our producer] Isaac just brought this up recently. He’s like, “What would you think about having another podcast where you do interviews and we have it under a network?” And so we’re kind of talking about that, but, as of right now, there’s no immediate plans for that. But I do think it’s possible in the future if we can figure out how to coordinate it.
Nerds & Beyond: (With a glistening and tangible hope) Would you ever do a live podcast recording?
Kelly Blackheart: A hundred percent, yes. That is the plan. That’s the goal. That is, like, really what we’re working our growth towards, you know? How do we make this feasible?
I would love to do live shows. I want to be able to tour this thing. That would be so much fun. I’ve always been really audience-centric in everything that I do. There’s nothing that appeals to me less than being somebody who sits up here and has no idea what the audience is saying or thinking or whatever. I’m super active in the Patreon community, I’m super active in chats and all of that stuff. I want people to feel like they know us and vice versa. It’s a lot easier to connect that way, so being able to do that live? And DJ loves conventions, you know? He’s so good at really giving people all of his attention and being really present in the moment with them. I think both of us… That’s kind of our strength. Connecting with people. We enjoy doing that. So, a hundred percent, we want to do live shows.
Nerds & Beyond: You mentioned the Patreon community. I’ve gone to some of the happy hours you guys have done, they’re so awesome. What’s your favorite part about that community?
Kelly Blackheart: One of my favorite things about any podcast I’ve done is when our listeners create relationships within the community, too. Like, one of the other podcasts I do, we have multiple people who are like, “I met my best friend through being listeners of the show and through our Facebook community.” To me, that’s so special that people have these memories that they can hold onto. Or… we had someone recently who was like, “My boyfriend died, so I haven’t listened to the show in a while because this is the show we used to listen to together and it’s kind of painful.” And, [I framed it as] “When you are able to get to that point, look at this as… you can still kind of be with him.” I think it’s so cool that when people (and a lot of our listeners) don’t have that community where they live, they’re able to have these relationships and support from other people.
Ivy, one of our listeners, volunteered to run our discord for us. So, like, within the discord, they’re doing Valentine’s swaps and Secret Santa and stuff like that. And, that’s so f****** cool! I just love that people feel like they’re within a family.
One of my concerns starting a podcast with DJ—and same with Jim [Jeffries]— is these are people with established audiences and, a lot of times, fandoms don’t want a new person there. They’re like, “Oh, we love DJ, I don’t give a s*** about you.” So this is my opportunity to go in and get to know these people and hope they get to know me so it’s not just this girl who’s hanging onto DJ’s coattails. I’m an actual person who cares about these people. It’s the opportunity for relationships and community.
Nerds & Beyond: In terms of just the podcast in general, it wouldn’t be what it is if it wasn’t both of you. I feel like the two of you together are what makes it work.
Kelly Blackheart: I love that you said that. We do have just a really interesting way of communicating to each other. (And by interesting I mean total stream of consciousness, no filter whatsoever) But yeah, I think we’re able to reign each other in in certain ways and bounce off each other in other ways.
Nerds & Beyond: What’s your favorite place to listen to podcasts and what’s the most helpful platform to listen on for you guys? Like, if you could have everyone listen to one platform, what’s the most helpful one?
Kelly Blackheart: Man, I think I’d be inclined to say Apple or Spotify. Just because they’re the largest. I think Spotify maybe just overtook Apple as our most-listened-to one. But I don’t know! I don’t know that it super matters, we’re just happy people are listening, honestly.
Other podcasts are run by other companies like Comedy Central, but Kelly also talked to me about how this was her first time fully taking the reins for a podcast.
Kelly Blackheart: Starting this, I told DJ, “We’re going to have to be very patient, right? We don’t have this machine that’s funding us and funneling all of these opportunities to us. And, I know how to produce a podcast. But I also don’t know what I don’t know yet. And so the first year is going to be growing pains of me trying to figure out, ‘Alright, what do we need to be putting in place in order to set us up for these opportunities in the future?'”
We’re so stoked that the growth has been organic. We haven’t done anything in order to have the growth yet. And, we’re both so f****** bad at promoting it. For a while, DJ was like, “Every Wednesday, I’m going to post about the new episode!” That lasted like two weeks.
Every time we get these bumps in numbers we’re like “How the f*** did that happen?” Because it wasn’t us doing it. So, we’re really stoked that the growth has been organic, but we’re starting to work with [my friend’s] ad company, so maybe we can push some ads out.
Nerds & Beyond: Where is your favorite place to listen to podcasts?
Kelly Blackheart: Do you mean, like, on a platform? Or, like… on a walk?
Nerds & Beyond: Oh, I meant, like, on a platform! But either works! I’m a Spotify girlie.
Kelly Blackheart: I also am a Spotify girl. It’s funny, I don’t really listen to podcasts. I will occasionally listen to one if someone is doing an interview with someone I like, but it’s one of those things where unless I’m driving, I generally… I don’t really listen to music that often either unless I’m in my car! And since the pandemic, it’s like… I never fucking leave my house.
I do, every once in a while, there are two podcasts that I’ll watch on YouTube: Rick Glassman’s Take Your Shoes Off, which I think is one of the best podcasts ever. And then Caleb Hearon: So True! I’m obsessed with him.
Nerds & Beyond: Now, this is so funny. The question that I was told to ask you was to ask about [your dog] Rhino.
Kelly Blackheart: He literally just walked over. Rhino, c’mere!
Nerds & Beyond: How is Rhino? How old is Rhino?
Kelly Blackheart: He’s about four… I’ve got a green bean for him, so he’ll come.
[Enter Rhino]
Nerds & Beyond: Oh my god. He’s so squishy.
Kelly Blackheart: He’s about 4 and he’s a perfect little angel. I love him.
Nerds & Beyond: A legend. Icon.
Kelly Blackheart: He’s become quite famous from the podcast so it’s all going to his head. He’s a good boy, though.
I closed out the interview with Kelly (and Rhino) by asking how we can best support Locked & Probably Loaded:
Kelly Blackheart: We just need people to talk about it. And we, of course, want to take this on the road someday. Meet people and give everybody hugs… have fun and get loaded in person!
Nerds & Beyond: “Get loaded in person!” I love that!
New episodes of Locked & Probably Loaded with DJ and Kelly are available Wednesdays on digital podcast-streaming platforms.
