Ivy Le
Ivy Le is the host of FOGO. Follow her on Twitter here.
How'd you come up with the idea for FOGO?
I was brainstorming hundreds of ideas to apply to the first Spotify Sound Up accelerator call for ideas, but I was stuck on all these concepts about the pain of women of color. I felt pressure to do something Important with a capital “I” if I were to get such a rare opportunity. Every opportunity feels rare when you don’t see a lot of people who look like you doing it.
But I wouldn’t have listened to any of those shows. I wanted to make something from my perspective as a woman of color, but not about my pain. I already packaged my trauma for strangers to be allowed into college, so I shouldn’t have to do that anymore. I realized I watch so many nature shows! I love them, but they’re all hosted by reckless white men! Nature is a topic deeply specific to your cultural perspective, and I was like, oh, this genre needs me.
Why are you the perfect host for the show?
I’m a nature show host you can trust. I’m not going to tell you something is majestic when it fucking sucks. Terrible things happen to me when I go outside. I’ve gotten caught in a dust storm. I’ve nearly drowned several times. I’m allergic to cold air. And I have a great BS meter. It’s so satisfying when an interviewer asks the question that you were thinking next. That’s me. I ask the questions that indoor people want to know.
How would you describe your sense of humor?
An Ivy Le joke is one that makes half the audience laugh and half the audience wince. I love a good nonconsensual laugh, where the joke is so dark, you don’t want to give it to me - but it’s so true and well-observed, I just take it. I wretch the laugh from your body. I’m shameless. Most of the time, I’m not even joking. I’m just describing the world as I see it.
If you were going to start another podcast, don't worry about the logistics or if it would even make sense, what would it be?
Just anything that doesn’t require me to go outside, honestly. If I could get a network to fund a show where I get to experience something I actually enjoy one day, that would be great. Let me judge a fashion design competition or do a rewatch podcast for Chef’s Table. I love food and pretention! Let me take prestige food documentaries, and make it comedy. I promise I’m someone you want to go to a Michelin star restaurant with.
What do you hope FOGO does for people?
I want identity-rich people to realize that in any domain in life, not just the outdoors, society tells you you’re not enough. 'You’re missing this, you’re missing that, you don’t have the right shoes, you don’t have the right face, you don’t have the right voice. You need to code switch, you need to change all these things about yourself or you’re not going to be prepared.' But actually, you’ve always been enough. There’s no one way to be human. Any way you show up in a space is valid.
Thanks, Ivy!