371 - Mickey Mouse ears and baseball bats...

Podcasts are popular these days.

The interviews are often recorded on video as well.

Consider that TV newscasters are usually wired from the back and have microphones hidden so they aren't distracting.

Quick question:

Are the headsets and large microphones that hide the interviewer's face necessary or are they a distraction?

We've all seen the video clips of podcasters wearing headsets the size of Mickey Mouse ears.

There's a microphone the size of a baseball bat in front of them, hiding their face.

I'm guessing that if I'm noticing this trend, others have taken notice as well.

Some will say that it's for the audio quality of the podcast.

The added gear sometimes makes the podcaster look unnatural and sound sterile.

In many video segments of podcasts, the guest being interviewed has no headset or mic and can be heard as clearly, and sometimes sounds more natural.

When you listen to the podcast there isn't much difference between the person with all the paraphernalia and the one without.

Is there a need for elaborate microphones and headsets?

Do you find the elaborate headsets and mics in videos interviews distracting?