Help! I need podcasting and video editing advice...

I recorded a podcast with a guest. But editing is proving to be a rather large pain in the patootie.

Hello? Any podcasters out there?

I’m in new territory here. I usually play in the realm of black squiggly lines on white pages. This new land of daguerrotypes and electropixelators is a brave new world for me.

I have about two hours of recorded footage with my guest. I recorded using Riverside.FM, since it requires nothing on the guest’s end except a browser, and records separate tracks for each person on the call, which I thought would be a good thing.

However…

There is a problem with video and audio being out of sync on my guest’s tracks (even though Riverside swears that that problem is prevented by their technology).

We suffered many freezes and disconnects and interrupts on our call, which means there is much to trim and sync up as we re-established connections.

And I would like to take out some long, awkward pauses as our respective rural internets didn’t seem to agree that communicating in real time was a thing humans had invented yet.

So, what I would like to know is:

1. What’s your favorite (free or relatively inexpensive) video editor that can help me sync the audio and video, and easily edit out pauses and unwanted bits?

2. What software are other podcasters out there using to record remote guest interviews? (Riverside, so far, leaves much to be desired.)

3. Should I just abandon the video and just release it as audio-only, and if so, is there an audio editing software that you recommend?

4. Am I inviting too much pain on myself? Should I just scrap the whole thing and beg the guest to re-record on a better internet connection?

Appreciate any advice!

Cheers.