Hot Takes & Deep Dives

Jess is joined by Flipping Out interior designer Megan Weaver! Megan chats about first meeting Jeff Lewis in a restaurant bathroom which eventually led to filming 7 seasons of Flipping Out on Bravo. We discuss: her work on Lala & Randall’s house, losing weight on Teddi Mellencamp’s All In program & Jeff’s falling out with Jenni Poulos. We also discuss her former career as a production assistant fo...

Jess has an epic kiki with Mr. Everything Iconic himself, Danny Pellegrino!! Together, Danny & Jess hunker down and go deep about the formative gay culture that shaped our youth as baby gays. We go deep on The View, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Kathy Griffin, Survivor, The Real World, Showgirls, Queer as Folk, Will & Grace, The Ashlee Simpson Show & more! Follow @jessxnyc & @hottakesdeepdives  

Jess is joined by Kate Casey (Reality Life) to gather their hot takes and gauge anticipation for the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, new season of RHOC, react to Denise Richards leaving Beverly Hills & touch on Selling Sunset vs. Million Dollar Listing. We then go deep on our top two picks for non-Housewives content to consume: the HBOMax documentary "Class Action Park" & HBO docuseries "The Vo...

The time has come! In honor of Bionic’s 10 year anniversary + “Reflection,” Jess welcomes back Andy Bellatti (@astrologywithandy) to go head to head on our Top 10 X-Tina songs. Look out for the deep cuts... the taste WILL. JUMP. OUT.  PS: Don’t miss our Top 10 Britney songs debate released back in May!   Follow @jessxnyc, @hottakesdeepdives & @astrologywithandy  

Jess attended two RHONY tapings that aired in this season’s penultimate & final episodes: Leah’s 15th anniversary of Married to the Mob party + Luann’s F Marry Kill rehearsal. She hangs with her friend Dale Saylor, interior designer and Housewives historian, who pumps her with questions about the production & filming process.  Follow @jessxnyc & @hottakesdeepdives  

Introducing a new podcast "Bunga Bunga" from Wondery: Silvio Berlusconi was a charismatic multi-millionaire real-estate mogul who upended the Italian political order and hypnotized an entire nation. He was the longest-serving prime minister of one of the world’s wealthiest countries, until he was brought down by three powerful women - and two words: “Bunga Bunga.” From Wondery, the makers of Dirty...

Jess is joined by PetShopBoy aka “B” and very quickly learns why he was recently blocked by Kelly Dodd (despite partying on Fire Island together). We chat about casting on RHONY in Dorinda’s wake, unnecessary fourth-wall breaking on the RHOBH finale, the thrill of a Karen Huger sighting & attending high school with Beyoncé. We also brainstorm ideas for Madonna’s upcoming biopic and discuss our mut...

Jess summons Anthony Lario back to the pod to react to the breaking news that Dorinda Medley is leaving RHONY after 6 seasons. We discuss firing vs. quitting and muse on why this announcement came before the season's end. We also discuss Garcelle's casting The Real and how this will impact her RHOBH future. Finally, Anthony chats about his incredible 100 pound weight loss over the last two years. ...

Jess chats with iconic MTV VJ Dave Holmes! Dave was the “runner-up” in the infamous Wanna Be a VJ contest who turned his “loss” to Jesse Camp into a 5-year career at MTV. Dave chats about being gay in the TRL days, Britney, N’Sync, Eminem, the MTV Beach House, favorite seasons of The Real World and more! Bonus eps at patreon.com/hottakesdeepdives Follow @daveholmes, @jessxnyc, @hottakesdeepdives 

Jess catches up with Tiffany Rinehart — Kathy Griffin’s long-time assistant as featured on My Life on the D-List!  Tiffany now works for Google, but we do a deep dive on her time with Kathy including: getting the gig via MySpace, receiving financial advice from Suze Orman, ordering pizza to Cher’s house in Malibu and her 80lb weight loss after seeing herself on TV. Plus her take on Kathy’s falling...

Jess is joined by Judy Gold (!) — one of New York City’s most hilarious & beloved comedians. Judy chats about her time as an Emmy-winning writer/producer on The Rosie O’Donnell Show, having kids as a gay mom in the ‘90s, how her Jewish mother was an endless source of material and discuss how Judy’s #1 influence Joan Rivers would react to the world we are living in now. We also touch Countess Luann...

Jess hangs with "Mixing with Mani" host (and DC/Potomac area native) Mani to present the Top 10 Episodes of Real Housewives of Potomac you must watch to get up to speed. We cover Monique & Candiace’s entrances, the Grande Dame’s finances press conference, Gizelle’s hazy past with her ex slash future pastor husband + the Michael Darby hot mic heard 'round the world. Jess & Mani then recap Bravo’s “...

Jess hangs with Brian Moylan — King of the Housewives Recaps, Erika Jayne co-author, Vulture writer & Gawker alum — for his State of Bravo Address 2020. We dissect the current moments in which we’re living: Bravo exposing Denise’s private affair to their benefit, why it’s hard to support Ramona “All Lives Matter” Singer, the Leah McSweeney version of New York City that RHONY should pursue & marvel...

Jess catches up with Jonathan Antin, once referred to as a “scissors-wielding lunatic,” and star of Bravo’s Blow Out which aired from 2004-2006. Jonathan chats about growing up in Beverly Hills with his sister Robin Antin (choreographer & creator of The Pussycat Dolls), to eventually become the world-renowned hair stylist with a wild personality. Jonathan shares stories of cutting & styling the ic...

Jess hunkers down with Ryan Bailey, host of So Bad It’s Good, for an epic deep dive of Bethenny Ever After, finally streaming for free on PeacockTV.com. We review episodes including Bethenny’s 40th Birthday featuring Alex & Simon, Ramona & Mario & Andy Cohen (!), Lost at Sea with Dr. Amador, and the series finale which saw Bethenny embarking on the talk show (RIP). We really dissect it all, includ...

Jess is joined by social media brander & Housewives Whisperer Anthony Lario to chat about his experience working for Dorinda during the filming of RHONY this year. We also discuss his HOT take on the Denise & Brandi showmance, franchises currently in production (OC, NJ), the absence of Elyse & Brandi from their respective reunions, and the inevitable Lisa Rinna takedown.  **Announcing Bonus eps on...

Jess chats with the man, the myth, the legend: Mikey Minden. As Erika Jayne’s creative director & choreographer Mikey Minden is responsible for the looks, moves, lighting, makeup & general artistry in her music videos, photoshoots & appearances on RHOBH. We chat about Mikey’s career as a child dance prodigy and his work with The Pussycat Dolls, Usher, Kim Kardashian & Pink. We also go deep on his...

Jess sits down with actors / musicians / co-stars & couple Vicci Martinez & Emily Tarver from Orange is the New Black! Vicci Martinez is best known for playing Daddy on OITNB as well as her big break on Season 1 of The Voice. Emily Tarver played guard CO McCullough for four seasons, and shined in the final season opposite Laura Prepon/Alex Vause. We chat about their auditions/experiences on The Vo...

Jess kikis with the one and only Bruce Bozzi, The Palm restaurant group owner via his family business & Andy Cohen’s #1 Guy in the Group. We chat about Bruce’s upbringing in NYC, experiences as an NBC page, his friendship with Madonna and his decision to become a father at the age of 40. We also discuss being the step-father to actress Billie Lourd, daughter of Carrie Fisher and his now husband, B...

Jess catches up with Work Out queen JACKIE WARNER to learn how she opened her high profile gym Sky Sport & Spa in Beverly Hills that would become the backdrop for drama on Bravo’s Work Out. Jackie chats about dating in West Hollywood, her long-term relationship with Jillian Michaels, the heavy production/soft scripting on the reality show, and why she left LA for good to move back to her home stat...

Jess hangs with T.Kyle, co-host of Legends Only & It’s Britney, Bitch! We kiki about his career in digital media at MTV, Watch What Happens Live and currently The Tonight Show. We also discuss how both reality & awards shows (VMAs) have changed since the early 2000s. Finally, T.Kyle reveals his Top 3 Britney, XTina & Gaga songs and a lot more!  Follow @t.kyle, @jessxnyc, @hottakesdeepdives

Jess welcomes back empath & intuitive Jamie Stein! Jamie is therapeutically trained, with an ability to channel (feel, see and hear) what is going on inside of an individual on an unconscious level. This time he does a deep dive on Denise Richards & the rest of the RHOBH women, plus Leah McSweeney, Tinsley & Dorinda. Finally, Jamie takes a look at Stassi & Beau, plus casts a wider lens at Bravo in...

Jess sits down with Rori Sassoon, the New York City-based matchmaker behind the season 10 RHONY speed dating event that spurred the Bethenny & Carole tussle over “Red Scarf Guy.” Rori is back on RHONY this season, setting up Ramona with a new guy. Rori tells the story of how a random meeting with Carole turned into a major filming opportunity, and how she was eventually approached by producers to...

Our very own Astrologer to the Housewives — Andy Bellatti aka @AstrologyWithAndy — is back! This time we dissect the birth charts and astrological insights of Denise Richards, Leah McSweeney, Stassi Schroeder & Erika Jayne. Andy breaks down their sun & moon signs and also gives a deeper reading into their planets, aspects & transits.  [ Denise Richards: 6:15 ]  [ Leah McSweeney: 18:15 ] [ Erika Ja...

Jess has a freewheelin' kiki with true OC insider (and Reality Life host) Kate Casey to touch down on the Netflix pseudo-reality real estate show "Selling Sunset," the comparison of Selling Sunset to Million Dollar Listing, and some final thoughts on Tinsley’s abrupt RHONY finale. We also discuss the new Netflix doc “Disclosure,” devoted to the history of trans representation in TV & film, and go...