By MADDY VITALE
Drew Fasy and Dominick Dougherty have been going strong with their podcast – The OCNJ Local – for close to six months now.
The two friends, who coach the Ocean City Junior Raiders Football program, have brought their podcast audiences episodes featuring a wide range of topics that people are talking about in the community.
Now, thanks to Fasy’s wife, Kirsten, the creative director of the podcasts, there is a new and exciting look into the lives of leaders in the community, called the “Local Legends Series.”
The first guest up in the podcast, which aired live Jan. 2, was Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian.
The focus of the local legends series is to delve deeper into who the person is.
After some chatting about their friendship, which began during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Fasy sent some rapid-fire questions Gillian’s way for the podcast titled: “Local Legends Series: Who are you, Mayor Jay Gillian?”
Some of the longtime mayor’s responses were a bit surprising.
“The series is designed to help listeners get to know some of the people in Ocean City on a more personal level,” Fasy explained in an interview Saturday. “I think it is important because people have a perception of other people that normally is not correct. You hear things about people, generally, that aren’t always accurate. We have a small town. It is good to get to know people on a personal level.”
While knowing that Gillian’s favorite performer is Elton John, or that he likes Disneyworld, may not give a deeper view of who he is, some other questions delved deeper.
Gillian spoke about why he loves being mayor, what hit him emotionally during Hurricane Sandy or how he has to tackle anxiety when speaking to small groups as opposed to large audiences, gave a deeper look into who he is and what motivates him.
“A few things were a little surprising,” Fasy said of Gillian’s responses. “There were things that he said that did surprise me. That is the goal in this, to learn more about the person rather than the person’s persona or the job that person does.”
Dougherty said he is excited for the Local Legends series.
“Ocean City is a special place for so many people,” he said. “It's interesting to learn more about the people that work hard to make it that way.”
Mayor Jay Gillian, left, presents a ceremonial piece of the Boardwalk to Peter Voudouris, president of the Flanders Hotel condominium association board, during the hotel's 100th anniversary celebration in November.
Dougherty, who introduced Gillian on the podcast as “Mr. Ocean City himself,” said that the show gives a great look into who the mayor is as a person.
“Mayor Gillian was great,” he said. “He was open and honest. He did an amazing job kicking off the series.”
If the first show is any indication of what’s to come with the Legend Series from the “local guys,” as Fasy and Dougherty call themselves, then their objective will definitely be met.
Fasy said there are several local people who are influential in the community that he and Dougherty are talking to about coming on the show.
For now, they are keeping the names secret.
Six months into their podcast, Fasy said he and Dougherty are having a lot of fun and hope to keep giving audiences entertaining, informative and enlightening shows.
“It’s been a learning curve. But it’s been a fun ride so far. The community has been great, and it definitely has been interesting,” Fasy said. “I’ve only heard positive feedback, but that’s the way people are. I haven’t had anyone say, ‘You stink,’ but they probably wouldn’t in Ocean City – maybe in Philly.”
And no matter what, for them it is all about having a good time, while reaching out to the Ocean City community, where both guys live with their families.
“We have fun with it,” Fasy said. “It drives people nuts sometimes. But it has worked out well. We have found our rhythm together. I do the background stuff and Dom is on the fly.”
The podcast operates on the Fans First Network.
To watch a podcast by The OCNJ Local visit https://open.spotify.com/show/0ha1Q5RObZHqmQdpQKdH03?si=peNcl3I6RJ-JFYWidnniDg&nd=1&dlsi=8607d65c0a6c4345
