Editing it out vs. Leaving it in the podcast?

[techzentv]

I agree, leave them in. Even the mistakes and failures are good to leave in. On our Let's Make It show we demonstrate electronic projects and from time to time they just bomb. That is part of the fun, we typically try to find out why live too.

I also listened to a show the other day where the guest used um more than any other word. That was a bit excessive but normally I don't even notice them if I am interested in the content.

[podcastcoach]

To me it makes you seem "normal". If I'm listening and I hear one, I'll take it out, but for the most part I leave it in. Its um, when, um, its um, you know, excessive, that, um, it needs, to be, you know, like, taken out. Which means you need to practice, or prepare a little more. The um is used to fill dead air because you're trying to think of what to say next (because you may not be prepared).

[Spencer Kobren]

I think it depends on whether it's audio or video. If the "you knows" and "ums" are excessive in audio it could be distracting in some cases, and like podcastcoach pointed out, makes the host appear to be ill-prepared. However, once you add the visual component the mind picks up on different cues and it might not even be noticed.
Im my case, people are distracted by my movement disorder so I don't have to worry about it.

[techzentv]

I never noticed a movement disorder.

[Spencer Kobren]

I never noticed a movement disorder.

Thanks!..That's what I'm going for.

[exreality]

I struggled with this as well, but ultimately I didn't think it was worth the time to edit everything out. I want my program to be as "live" as it can be without actually being streamed in real time.

However I am actively trying to say um less and trying to learn how to let silence happen if the moment calls for it.

[MyTakeRadio]

I usually cut down lengthy pauses or dead air when I have guests on. The "you knows" and "ums" stay for the most part but at times I cut out the ones I can see easily. For video I leave all of that stuff in since I take my time editing the audio. I am usually more concerned with editing out tirades when stuff does not work correctly.

[podcastcoach]

I hate when I hear, "There is this really cool website, it's um... wait a second, it was just here..... um..." that can be avoided with a bit of show prep. I listened to a podcast yesterday that was an HOUR on Feedburner. It was TOPS 10 minutes of content that was stretched to a painful length. The podcaster kept talking about some crackling noise he was hearing (I didn't hear it). He would stop. I was listening at 2X so I can only imagine how long these pauses were. They were so long Paul Harvey would go, "Dang that's a long pause.." Now this podcast (I feel) thinks this is part of their charm. I can understand if its a panel and its live, but we just had someone drop some words that would get us the Explicit tag on a show and we went in and bleeped them out.

I once went to see a tonight show taping. They introduce Jay, he came out, and somehow, something went wrong. Jay went back behind the curtain, and was reintroduced, and he came out and went forward. It was called 'editing.." This is why "Bloopers" exist. They should not be part of your show in most cases.