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Tell us who you are and what makes you good company.
Toasty Talks & Takes · Open auditions
Think you can put up with Ricardo?
We're looking for a co-host. Someone curious, funny, opinionated and willing to call bullshit when necessary. You do not need podcast experience, a fancy setup or a polished presenter voice. Just bring yourself.
Before you apply
So who the hell is Ricardo?
I'm Ricardo Casanova. I'm a Canadian living in Bangkok, a founder and product guy, and someone who's been around technology long enough to remember when getting a computer to do anything useful felt like a personal victory. I've built businesses, worked with people across different countries and industries, and collected more than a few stories along the way. Some are funny. Some are absurd. A few are the kind of thing you wouldn't believe if I hadn't been there.
My mom thinks I'm funny. That should count for something. As a kid, most of my book collection came from the Scholastic book fairs at school, and most of those books were joke books. My earliest material involved physically acting out raindrops falling to their deaths. From there, my comedy career evolved through Michael Jackson jokes, sarcasm, irony, shock value and general ridiculousness, before slowly giving way to dad jokes. And here I am today, the juggernaut of joking you see before you. You're welcome.
Somewhere along the way, all that looking for the funny side of things gave me something else: a fairly substantial habit of introspection and a curiosity about almost everything. I like pulling ideas apart, figuring out why people do what they do, questioning my own assumptions and following conversations wherever they lead. I love a ridiculous tangent, a good argument and someone who can make me laugh when I'm taking myself too seriously. I have opinions, but I'd rather have them challenged than politely agreed with.
Why start this podcast?
Because I miss conversations that go somewhere unexpected. The ones where you start talking about a new AI product and somehow end up discussing human nature, terrible business decisions, cultural misunderstandings or a completely unrelated disaster from twenty years ago. I don't want to spend an hour reading headlines at someone. I want to have the sort of conversation people wish they were sitting in on.
What would we talk about?
Technology and AI, the strange behavior of people, business and startups, life in different countries, culture, relationships, current events, personal screwups, bizarre experiences and whatever else deserves a proper conversation. We'll have guests, sometimes get serious, sometimes disagree, and occasionally go so far off topic that we have to figure out how we got there. The subject matters, but the chemistry matters more.
What's the humor like?
Quick, sarcastic, irreverent and occasionally dark. I appreciate self-deprecation, sharp observations, terrible timing and people who can take a joke and fire one back. Nothing needs to be relentlessly edgy, and I don't want cruelty masquerading as comedy. We should be able to laugh at ourselves, ask awkward questions, challenge nonsense and know when a story deserves an honest moment instead of a punchline.
Why would you want to do this with me?
You'll be helping shape a show from its first episode, not squeezing yourself into a format someone else already perfected. We'll experiment, meet interesting people, chase strange ideas and make something we would actually want to watch. I'm building Toasty Studio too, so we get to make the show using the tools we're creating. You don't need to agree with me or admire me. I'd much rather find someone who is curious, dependable, comfortable being themselves and capable of telling me when I'm full of shit.
The job description: Be interesting. Be interested. Show up. Have fun. And when I say something ridiculous, please don't just nod along.
How it works
The audition process.
Record your intro
Selected applicants receive a private Toasty Studio invitation for a short video audition.
Talk with Ricardo
Shortlisted applicants join a casual 20 to 30-minute recorded conversation in Studio.
Try an episode
Finalists may join one or two full episodes before a regular co-host is chosen.
Video audition guidelines
Keep it to about two minutes. Tell us who you are, what you have strong opinions about, and why you'd be fun to have on the show. We may throw you a surprise question in the live round.
Keep your real background visible, with no blur or virtual background. Wear whatever you want. No suits, costumes or fancy equipment required. Find somewhere reasonably quiet, face the light, and use your normal voice. Your surroundings and your personality are part of the introduction. Please make sure nobody else is visible or audible without their permission.
Before recording: Studio invitations are sent individually after review. Please do not send recordings through public links. The audition is free; there is no guarantee of selection or payment.
Recording and clip release
Auditions may become part of the show, trailers, promotional clips or behind-the-scenes content, including those of applicants who are not selected. You control whether to apply and must accept the release below before submitting. The release covers submitted auditions and any follow-up recordings that you separately agree to participate in. We will not use your personal contact details for publicity. Applicants must be 18 or older.
Get in the mix
Apply to co-host.
Submit securely here. We will email a private, expiring Toasty Studio recording invitation if you are selected for the next step.