I have listened to the Joe Budden Podcast for years, going all the way back to the SoundCloud days. Over the years, one thing Joe Budden has proven is that he is polarizing, entertaining and box office. People may love him, dislike him or disagree with him, but they tune in because Joe is a major part of what makes the podcast what it is.

I still believe the podcast’s peak was when Joe had three on-camera co-hosts, but over the years he has continued adding contributors who have expanded the show and brought different personalities and perspectives to the table.

And to be clear: the current cast is talented.

However, I think the podcast has reached a point where the talent needs more structure around it.

One of my biggest issues with the current format is that the hosts tend to talk over one another. Sometimes multiple people are talking at the same time, and as a listener, it can become aesthetically and mentally exhausting.

Another issue is that some topics become run-on conversations with no real conclusion.

I understand that the board exists for a reason. The topics are written down so the show has structure and the hosts know what they are supposed to discuss. But having a topic on the board and actually being prepared to discuss that topic are two different things.

There are times when it feels like some co-hosts haven’t researched a subject before speaking on it. That isn’t necessarily a problem when the conversation is casual, but when the podcast is discussing a complicated news story, business issue, cultural topic or major controversy, preparation becomes more important.

I’ve also noticed that only a handful of the co-hosts seem to consistently initiate conversations and introduce topics. Joe and Marc seem to do this frequently, and perhaps Emanny as well. Others often seem to piggyback off the conversation once somebody else has started it.

That creates an interesting dynamic because the podcast has several voices, but not necessarily several people driving the conversation.

And this is where I think Joe needs help.

Joe needs a producer/moderator whose job is specifically to manage the room.

Because there are moments when Joe is simultaneously the DJ, moderator, mic adjuster, advertising guy, co-host, executive producer and, metaphorically speaking, the chef, waiter, line cook and bartender.

That’s too many jobs for one person.

Joe shouldn’t have to constantly manage the mechanics of the show while also trying to be its biggest personality.

This is why I think they should study The View.

Look at the structure. The View can have five or six people on the panel, yet there is still a recognizable structure to the conversation.

Whoopi Goldberg serves as the moderator. There are segments. The hosts have information and talking points in front of them. Guests come on. Commercial breaks separate portions of the program. And despite having several strong personalities sitting at the same table, there is an effort to prevent everyone from talking over one another.

That’s the part of The View I think the Joe Budden Podcast could learn from.

I’m not saying the Joe Budden Podcast should become The View.

I’m saying the production structure of The View could give the podcast some ideas.

Imagine the Joe Budden Podcast having a dedicated moderator/producer whose job is to:

• Keep people from constantly talking over each other
• Move the conversation forward
• Know when a topic has reached its natural conclusion
• Make sure everyone gets an opportunity to speak
• Introduce the next topic
• Keep segments from becoming 30-minute rabbit holes
• Coordinate commercial breaks
• Prepare guests
• Make sure hosts have background information on major topics
• Keep the board organized
• Tell Joe when something needs to be wrapped up

Take the show live

I would also consider making more episodes live streams, rather than simply recording the episode and releasing it later.

If you’re going to have a large audience watching, give them an opportunity to participate.

But there should be a moderator specifically assigned to the live chat.

That person could monitor the conversation, highlight interesting questions and comments, remove spam, identify important breaking information and occasionally bring audience questions to the attention of the hosts.

That way, Joe and the other co-hosts don’t have to constantly look at the chat while they’re talking.

You could even create specific audience segments:

“What Does the Chat Think?”

The moderator could pull up a poll or question and give the hosts the results in real time.

You could have:

• Audience polls
• Live Q&A
• Viewer questions
• Debate topics
• Audience reactions
• Guest questions
• “Chat’s Choice” topics

That creates another layer of interaction between the podcast and its audience.

And I would take it one step further: add a studio audience

Not necessarily a huge audience, but a controlled studio audience that can react to certain conversations, participate in polls and occasionally become part of the show.

Imagine having a segment where the hosts debate a topic and the audience votes before and after the discussion.

Or having an audience question segment.

Or bringing in a guest and allowing the audience to ask questions.

That could create another layer of energy without changing the core identity of the podcast.

The Joe Budden Podcast has already proven that it can evolve. The show has survived multiple cast changes, different eras and different formats because the central attraction has always been Joe and the chemistry surrounding him.

But as the podcast has grown, I think the production should grow with it.

The goal shouldn’t be to make everyone talk less.

The goal should be to make everyone’s voice matter more.

Joe has built something that is bigger than a traditional podcast at this point.

Maybe it’s time for him to stop trying to be the entire restaurant and start running the kitchen.

Hire the producer. Add the moderator. Create segments. Give the hosts preparation materials. Control the pacing. Stream more episodes. Put a moderator in the live chat. Consider a studio audience.

Let Joe be the reason people came to the restaurant in the first place.

Then let the rest of the team make sure the meal is served properly.