Derf, BoCo, and other nonsense MaxFun words

Posted by C.N. Josephs on 3rd December 2025

Hi there!

Happy December! Told you we’d be back in your inbox soon. That’s because IT’S DERF TIME. Plus, we’ve got a couple little funsies for you.

The Young Old Derf Chronicles is out now!

Our fan-favorite, TRIBECA AWARD-WINNING, improvised sci-fi comedy, Mission to Zyxx (whew, that’s a lot of descriptors), has landed back in your earbuds with a brand-new standalone story! Legions of fans are showing off tattoos, sharing their fave Zyxx songs, and posting art inspired by the show in anticipation. But say you’re not already a fan of the show: (1) what are you doing? and (2) this self-contained miniseries is a great place to dive in.

the words "The Young Old Derf Chronicles Episode 1" embroidered on a denim jacket

This eight-episode miniseries follows Young Old Derf on a ridiculous quest to find his own murderer, accompanied by his companion Shay and her court-ordered ethics anklet GOOD_E. Join Derf in search of answers across the galaxy–most importantly: who murdered him, and is that person cool?

The Young Old Derf Chronicles is somehow even more ambitious than Mission to Zyxx (this theme song will give you a taste). It’s an improvised podcast sound designed like a feature film, and you’re not gonna find anything else like it out there!

Listen to Episode 1: The Derfect Crime

A word from corporate: Hi, Bikram here, I’m the businessy business guy at MaxFun. I’m jumping in because this project embodies what is special about our network of shows. Six improvisers came up with a premise for a show. They brought in an engineer who happened to be a literal Sound Wizard. They worked with many incredibly talented comedians and, improbably, the Macedonian Symphony Orchestra. They produced 99 episodes and inspired countless fans in their own creative works. Then they took some time off, came back for a miniseries, and beat out podcasts featuring bonafide Hollywood Stars at Tribeca.

They are a bunch of talented, creative, hard-working, hilarious people who have an audacious project that they love and have made with audience support. They obsess about it to the point of ridiculousness, and so do their fans, in a way that is common to a lot of MaxFun shows but increasingly rare in the shows produced by PodcastCorp. It is a special thing. If you’ve been craving something that is both awesome and inspiring, you owe it to yourself to check this show out.

MaxFun’s Best Bonus Content…Ever!

It’s A December to Member! Thank you so much to all of the members who support our shows all year long! As a fun treat, we’ve selected some of the best Bonus Content from times gone by, and will be recommending a new BoCo ep every day through December 25. So go follow us on Instagram and Bluesky to see what’s behind the door every day.

Text: “A December to Be Member! Bonus Content recs for MaxFun members!” An image of an advent calendar with days 1 through 25 in little squares. More text at the bottom says “Swipe to reveal today’s recommendation and to learn how to access Bonus Content”

Members, make sure you’ve got your BoCo Feed set up! (Here’s a little how-to below and here’s an even more detailed step-by-step.) We’ll be re-releasing these eps into your All BoCo feed so they are easier to find.

Haven’t set up your BoCo yet? 1. Go to maximumfun.org/manage and enter the email address associated with your membership. 2. Find the email from MaxFun and click the Magic Link to get to your Membership Dashboard. 3. Tap the button in your Dashboard that says “Bonus Content.” (You may have to scroll.) 4. Copy the link to your (non-blurry) personal RSS feed and then paste it into your app. Or if you’re on your phone, tap the app’s button if you see it.

And if you’re not a member but a BoCo episode catches your eye, you can toss your favorite show(s) $5 a month to get that episode and a ton more!

You could also hint to your friends and family that you’d like a gift membership this year. And by hint, we mean just send them this link: maximumfun.org/giftcard with the ‘please’ emoji of your liking.

Here’s what was behind doors 1 and 2:

Day 1 An image of the Wonderful! cover art. “Wonderful! Goes to Stardew Valley” Originally released 2023 Rachel McElroy played the beloved video game chosen by MaxFun members: “Stardew Valley.” Then Rachel and her husband Griffin talk about her experience being the new farmer in town.

An image of the Stop Podcasting Yourself cover art. Text: "Summer Playlist" Originally released August 2025 Graham Clark and Dave Shumka put together the ultimate summer playlist featuring Santana, Alice Cooper, songs that mention the word ‘California’, and some lesser known artists.

So, go follow us on Instagram and Bluesky to see what’s next!

Slack is an important tool for important work

We have fun here. We promise to never do this to your inbox (so tell your friends to subscribe to our newsletter pls?).

A screenshot of a Slack conversation. Christian: Screenshot of 3 emails from HBO Max with slightly different subject lines that all mention Mad Men, sent minutes apart. Christian writes: "I hope mad men is here." Danny: "When you're doing ABC testing but accidentally upload 3 of the same list to MailChimp." Raghu: "Sup guys, do you happen to know mad men is here". Christian: Christian: "the men are here. and lemme tell ya. they're mad." Jennifer: Screenshot of an edited text conversation that say "mad men tonite? eyes looking emoji" "mad men tonite queen??" "mad men tonite. eyes looking emoji"

Thanks for reading! Gotta go send you this newsletter two more times jkjkjk. Back in a couple weeks with our year-end wrap-up, and a look at our new studio!

— Your friends at MaxFun