When news of a Gilmore Girls Netflix revival hit the Internet earlier this week, many fans offered praise and congratulations to UT alumni Kevin T. Porter and Demi Adejuyigbe. While the two don’t take credit for the show’s return, they do stand as leading figures in the reemerging fandom as a result of their Gilmore Girls centered podcast show, Gilmore Guys.  

Their podcast discusses the 2000s mother-daughter series episode by episode, providing explanations for the various cultural references, character discussions and a final episode rating. Co-host Porter, a longtime fan of the show, is accompanied by Gilmore Girls newcomer Adejuyigbe, who watches each episode for the first time before recording the podcasts. 

“Demi could have hated it, in which case we probably wouldn’t be where we are now,” Porter said. “After a season we both got comfortable talking about the show in a generally affectionate and very sincere way, but also making fun of certain little faults of the show just like you would make fun of a friend for their quirks.”

The two met through work with the Upright Citizens Brigade comedy troupe in Los Angeles. Gilmore Guys started after Adejuyigbe responded to Porter’s tweet about starting a Gilmore Girls podcast to accompany the release of the show’s episodes on Netflix. 

The show features a range of guests from around the media, as well as guests linked directly to the Gilmore Girls series for the special “Gilmore Gabs” episodes. Previous guests include Gilmore Girls actor Scott Patterson and comedian Jason Mantzoukas. Porter said the guests’ differing perspectives on the series allow Gilmore Guys to expand beyond comedy podcasting. 

“We really want to talk to them and say — what was this show?” Porter said. “Let’s examine this moment in time and put it in a context of the early 2000s on the [WB television network]. Let’s really look at the whole picture, rather than just saying ‘I like this’ and trying to be funny.”

The show faced assumptions early on that a male-hosted Gilmore Girls podcast would be tongue-in-cheek. Porter said he avoided this by treating the series the same as he would any other beloved show. Omar Gallaga, host of Austin-based podcast “Statesman Shots,” said that this balance of respect and criticism for the television series makes Gilmore Guys engaging
to listeners. 

“They’re what you want fans to be,” Gallaga said. “They’re not afraid to make fun of certain things or make jokes, but overall they have a genuine love and appreciation for the show. They’re not there to just mock everything and be cynical.”

Adejuyigbe, a Daily Texan alumnus, said that unlike writing, podcasting captures his unfiltered personality as an entertainer. Currently a digital producer on the Comedy Central show “@midnight,” he plans to focus on comedy writing after the completion of Gilmore Guys. 

“The biggest difference with podcasting is that it’s sort of just live reaction,” Adejuyigbe said. “I’m responding not only to [Gilmore Girls], but I’m bouncing off of someone. I’m not just writing off into the void saying ‘Here’s what I think.’” 

The recently announced Gilmore Girls revival presents changes for Gilmore Guys’ time frame. The podcast, currently working through season five out of the seven in the series, is set to end its Gilmore Girls coverage sometime in summer 2016. Porter said he hopes to cover Gilmore Girls director Amy Sherman-Palladino’s 2012 series “Bunheads” in a similar podcast format before taking a hiatus until the return of Gilmore Girls on Netflix. Upon hearing news of the revival, Porter said he felt excitement as both a fanand podcaster. 

“I immediately started crying,” Porter said. “Just imagine getting to talk about something you love all the time. It’s been one of my favorite things of my life.”