Hot Takes & Deep Dives

Latest Episodes:

Julie Klausner on Madonna "I'm Breathless," Difficult People, Death Becomes Her & more Feb 24, 2025

Show notes

Jess is joined by DIFFICULT PEOPLE creator/star & BILLY ON THE STREET producer JULIE KLAUSNER! Topics: Madonna x Sondheim "I'm Breathless" collab, Death Becomes Her vs. She-Devil, John Waters Quote Tournament, the Liza documentary, writing for Joan Rivers, preceding Brian Moylan as Vulture Housewives recapper, first WNBA game, the return of her podcast HOW WAS YOUR WEEK & more!

IG: @jessxnyc | @julieklausner

Jess' docu-series on the history, mystique & lore of Fire Island: Finding Fire Island

SNL's Cheri Oteri on The View, Barbara Walters, Jennifer Coolidge & more Feb 18, 2025

Show notes

Jess is joined by SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE character queen CHERI OTERI! Cheri recounts being discovered at The Groundlings alongside Lisa Kudrow, Kathy Griffin and fellow SNL hopefuls Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan and Jennifer Coolidge. Topics: origins of her Barbara Walters impression, the cutthroat pressure between cast & writers for airtime, Jim Carrey's iconic episode and working w/ Betty White (Hot in Cleveland) & Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm).

IG: @jessxnyc

Watch this interview on YouTube

Jonathan Larson Project, RENT, Untold Broadway Stories (w/ Jennifer Tepper) Feb 10, 2025

Show notes

Jess is joined by theater historian and conceiver of THE JONATHAN LARSON PROJECT Jennifer Tepper to discuss unearthing 20+ unheard songs of the RENT & TICK, TICK... BOOM! composer. Topics: getting access to hundreds of cassette tapes, scripts, music files and journals from The Larson Estate, hidden underground passageways connecting Broadway theater houses and how the WICKED rush/lotto line inadvertently helped other shows. Plus — Jennifer's role as creative director of programming for 54 Below, a RENT revival and more!

Tix to The Jonathan Larson Project: thejonathanlarsonproject.com

IG: @jessxnyc | @jenashtep

Kyle Richards, Kathy Hilton, Kim Richards — House of Hilton Tell All (w/ Jamie Stein) Feb 03, 2025

Show notes

Jess is joined by Jamie Stein for a deep dive on HOUSE OF HILTON, the 2006 tell-all about the Hilton dynasty, heavily featuring the backstories of Kathy Hilton, Kyle Richards, Kim Richards and their mother, Big Kathy. We explore Big Kathy's mission for men, money and Hollywood and how she projected those dreams onto her three daughters. We also discuss Paris Hilton and Kathy Hilton's performance in the documentary This Is Paris vs. Housewives.

original air date: 2021

IG: @jessxnyc, @jamiestein

Art of Hollywood & Reality Scandal Monetizing on TikTok & YouTube (w/ Zack Peter) Jan 20, 2025

Show notes

Jess is joined by full-time YouTuber/Podcaster Zack Peter (No Filter w/ Zack Peter)! Topics: How much money Zack personally made off Scandoval and now the Blake Lively / Justin Baldoni lawsuit, how many views = how much money across TikTok + YouTube, warning against making Bravo your entire brand, projecting Bethenny's TikTok income, Spencer Pratt & Heidi Montag's strategy with streaming "Superficial" post-LA fires & a lot more!

IG: @jessxnyc | @nofilterwithzack

Jackie Warner (Work Out) Returns! Sex, Love & LA Fires Jan 14, 2025

Show notes

Jess is joined by JACKIE WARNER (Work Out, Thintervention) in her fifth appearance! Topics: The Los Angeles fires, RIP Moonshadows & The Reel Inn, update on her TV comeback, her 6 year relationship with Jillian Michaels, run-ins with The L Word's Kate Moennig, wild NYC nights doing press for "Work Out," Stevie Nicks, Mulholland Drive, Laurel Canyon & a lot more! WE LOVE YOU LA.

Text or call 323-301-3522 to train / life coach with Jackie over FaceTime!

IG: @jessxnyc | @jackiewarner10

Business of Broadway — Financials, $$, Flops (w/ Katharine Quinn) Dec 23, 2024

Show notes

Jess is joined by Katharine Quinn, owner of the Broadway media and marketing agency And That's Showbiz, currently representing The Great Gatsby, Maybe Happy Ending, The Roommate and more. Topics: the business (financials) of Broadway: how productions are funded, why 8 out of 10 shows never recoup their investment, Oh Mary, do traditional reviews matter, vanity projects, Rosie O'Donnell's "Taboo" flop, how to predict the "health" of a show, digital rush & lotto, upcoming in 2025 and more!

IG: @jessxnyc | @itskatharinequinn

Culture Debate: 2024 Theater, Film, Concert Revue (w/ Mark Snyder) Dec 12, 2024

Show notes

Jess is joined by "All I Want to Do Is Talk About Madonna" co-host Mark Snyder for a 2024 revue of our fave theater, films, concerts and cabaret. Topics: Broadway vs. Off / fringe, film adaptations of Wicked vs. Chicago, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Sunset Blvd, Joni Mitchell, Justin Vivian Bond, Jill Sobule, London / West End, Natalie Joy Johnson, Gavin Creel, Fire Island, Tracy Bonham, Jonathan Larson RENT doc "No Day But Today" & more! Plus — most enticing happenings in 2025.

IG: @jessxnyc | @marksnyder2024

Jess' docu-series on the history, mystique & lore of Fire Island: Finding Fire Island

Danny Pellegrino on Wicked Press Tour, Fixing RHONY, Hallmark Christmas & more! Nov 25, 2024

Show notes

Jess is joined by author & screenwriter DANNY PELLEGRINO! Topics: Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo musical theater-ing the WICKED press tour, how to fix RHONY, "two different gay men" calling BETHENNY re: RHONY, what should ROSIE O'DONNELL do next?, deep cut MARIAH & NSYNC Christmas songs, Danny documenting his journey eating re-called Tastykakes, Jeff Lewis is a Housewife, Dorinda & Margaret Joseph's canceling their tour, QUEER AS FOLK, Danny writing & starring in his Hallmark Christmas movie & more!

IG: @jessxnyc | @dannypellegrino

Jess' docu-series on the history, mystique & lore of Fire Island: Finding Fire Island

Jamie Babbit on Directing But I'm A Cheerleader, Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, The L Word Nov 04, 2024

Show notes

Jess is joined by prolific TV & film director JAMIE BABBIT! Jamie is best known for writing/directing the cult classic BUT I'M A CHEERLEADER w/ Natasha Lyonne & Clea DuVall. Over the past two decades she has directed HBO's GIRLS, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL, GILMORE GIRLS, THE L WORD, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING and more. Topics: shooting around different actors' nudity clauses, how to fix bad acting & bad dialogue in post-production and more!

IG: @jessxnyc

Jess' docu-series on the history, mystique & lore of Fire Island: Finding Fire Island Read More

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected