Hot Takes & Deep Dives

Mar 03 2025 230 ep. 56 mins 155

Hot Takes & Deep Dives Podcast artwork

Podcast serving quick hits & deep cuts on LGBT pop iconography & NYC culture. Recent guests include Rosie O'Donnell, Sandra Bernhard, Fortune Feimster, Roxane Gay, Fran Drescher, Isaac Mizrahi, Lea DeLaria, Melissa Etheridge, Rachel Dratch, Gina Gershon, Margaret Cho, L Word creator Ilene Chaiken, Jenifer Lewis, Judy Gold, Mario Cantone, Michael Musto & more!

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Liz Feldman — Dead to Me & No Good Deed Writer/Creator, Kate Moennig, The L Word

Mar 03 2025 61 mins

Jess is joined by LIZ FELDMAN — writer/creator of Netflix’s DEAD TO ME & NO GOOD DEED! Topics: Liz’s seminal lezzie YouTube show “This Just Out,” becoming friends with THE L WORD cast, harassment from TV mega producer Dan Schneider while writing Nickelodeon’s ALL THAT, manifesting writing for ELLEN, working for MICHAEL PATRICK KING, auditioning for SNL, the DEAD TO ME &

Julie Klausner on Madonna “I’m Breathless,” Difficult People, Death Becomes Her & more

Feb 24 2025 54 mins

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 & mor

SNL’s Cheri Oteri on The View, Barbara Walters, Jennifer Coolidge & more

Feb 18 2025 49 mins

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/

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

Feb 10 2025 46 mins

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/l

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

Feb 03 2025 63 mins

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 Hilt

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

Jan 20 2025 63 mins

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

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

Jan 14 2025 63 mins

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. Te

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

Dec 23 2024 44 mins

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�

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

Dec 12 2024 46 mins

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 B

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

Nov 25 2024 54 mins

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, Dori