It was 2016. The podcasting world was, frankly, a bit of a desert for anyone who didn't want to listen to two guys in a basement talk about tech specs or true crime. Then came Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams. They didn't just walk into the room; they kicked the door down with a live show from WNYC Studios that felt less like a broadcast and more like the best party you weren't cool enough to be invited to, yet somehow, you were there. Two Dope Queens wasn't just a podcast. It was a cultural shift.
Honestly, the chemistry was the whole thing.
You had Jessica Williams, coming off her massive stint on The Daily Show, and Phoebe Robinson, who was already established as a comedic force and author. Together, they created this high-energy, unapologetically Black, and deeply hilarious space. They talked about everything. Hair journeys. U2 (Phoebe’s obsession). Dating mishaps. The "hotness" of various celebrities. But the secret sauce? It was the platforming.
The Stand-up Revolution Started by Two Dope Queens
While the banter between Phoebe and Jess was the draw, the show's structure was brilliant. It was a live stand-up comedy showcase. Most podcasts at the time were conversational or interview-based, but Two Dope Queens focused on giving the mic to people who weren't getting it elsewhere. We’re talking about women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community.
They made a point of it. It wasn't "diversity" in a corporate, check-the-box kind of way. It was just funny people being funny.
Think about the names that rotated through that Brooklyn stage at King’s Theatre or Union Hall. You had Bowen Yang before he was a household name on SNL. You had Michelle Buteau, who is now basically the queen of Netflix. Aparna Nancherla, Joel Kim Booster, Nore Davis—the list goes on. If you were a comedian in New York between 2016 and 2018 and you got a spot on Two Dope Queens, you had officially arrived.
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The industry took notice because they had to. The numbers were massive. People were hungry for it. It proved that "niche" content—a term used by executives who aren't paying attention—was actually just mainstream content that had been ignored.
Why the HBO Specials Changed the Game
Eventually, the audio wasn't enough. HBO came calling.
In 2018 and 2019, they produced two seasons of specials. This was a huge deal. Usually, a comedian gets a "special" after a decade of grinding. Here, a podcast was getting a series of hour-long blocks on a major premium network. It looked expensive, too. The fashion was incredible—Phoebe and Jess were consistently serving looks that belonged on a runway, not just a comedy stage.
They brought in massive guests. Michelle Obama. Jon Stewart. Sarah Jessica Parker. Seeing the former First Lady sit down with them wasn't just a "get"—it was a validation of the space they’d built. They didn't change who they were for her, either. They remained loud, fast-talking, and irreverent. It was a masterclass in staying true to your brand while scaling up.
What People Get Wrong About the End
People often ask why they stopped. It felt abrupt to some. By late 2018, they announced the podcast was ending its regular run.
The truth is pretty simple: they got too famous.
Success is a double-edged sword in the podcast world. Phoebe was busy writing books like Everything's Trash, But It's Okay and launching her own production company, Tiny Reparations. Jessica was filming movies like Fantastic Beasts and Booksmart. When your "side project" creates so much gravity that it launches two solo superstars, the side project usually has to give.
There were rumors of a rift, because people love drama. But if you actually listen to those final episodes, the love is there. They just grew up. The podcast did exactly what it was supposed to do: it changed the landscape and then let its creators go off to conquer the rest of the world.
The Legacy of the "Dope Queen" Energy
You can see the DNA of Two Dope Queens in almost every successful comedy podcast today.
- Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang? Directly influenced by that high-energy, pop-culture-heavy rapport.
- Keep It!? Same thing.
- Why Won't You Date Me? with Nicole Byer? It carries that same DNA of radical honesty and Black joy.
They broke the "rules" of what a professional podcast sounded like. They didn't edit out the cackling. They didn't fix the audio when they went off-mic because they were laughing too hard. They kept the "umms," the "likes," and the chaotic energy. It felt real. In an era where everything is over-produced and polished to a dull shine, that rawness was a lifeline for listeners.
How to Experience it Now (Even if You're Late)
If you missed the boat when it was airing, don't worry. The archives are a goldmine. But don't just hit "play" on episode one and expect a standard experience.
Start with the live episodes recorded in Brooklyn. You need to hear the crowd. The audience at a Two Dope Queens taping was unlike any other comedy audience—supportive, loud, and totally in on the jokes. It wasn't a "tough crowd." It was a community.
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Listen for the "Banter" segments at the start of the episodes. That’s where the magic is. Sometimes they’d talk for twenty minutes before a single comedian came out. Those segments are a time capsule of the mid-to-late 2010s. They’re also a lesson in chemistry. You can’t fake that kind of friendship.
Takeaways for the Modern Listener
- Seek out the HBO Specials: They are visual feasts. If you want to see what "Black Girl Magic" looks like with a high production budget, that’s it.
- Follow the Guest List: Use the podcast as a scouting report. Look up the comedians who performed on the show. Most of them are now headlining their own tours or starring in sitcoms.
- Appreciate the Impact: Understand that before this show, the "token" female or minority comedian was the norm. Phoebe and Jess made it the standard to have a lineup that actually looks like the world we live in.
The show ended because it was successful, not because it failed. That’s a rare thing in entertainment. Usually, things get canceled or they fade away into irrelevance. Two Dope Queens went out on top, leaving a trail of glitter and broken glass behind them. They didn't just make a podcast; they made a statement. And honestly? We’re still feeling the ripples.
Actionable Next Steps
- Audit your current playlist: If your podcast feed feels a little "samey," go back to the Two Dope Queens archives on WNYC or Spotify. Specifically, look for the "Billy Porter" episode or any episode featuring Michelle Buteau.
- Support the spin-offs: Check out Phoebe Robinson's solo podcast, Sooo Many White People, which flips the script by interviewing mostly non-white artists and creators.
- Watch the "Special" Guest appearances: Re-watch the 2018 HBO specials to see how they handled heavy hitters like Michelle Obama with total ease.
The era of the Queens might have technically passed, but the influence is permanent. Go back and listen. It’s still just as funny as it was the day it dropped.