March 2, 2022 • 27 mins
Welcoming Jessica Szohr to the Pod Club! There are few things we love more than a blast from the past and a good TV podcast and today’s guest perfectly combines both. Jessica Szohr, who played Vanessa Abrams on Gossip Girl, spills some good tea on everything from reuniting the Gossip Girl crew after ten years to her favorite parenting podcasts to the warm and fuzzy feeling of nostalgia that the show brings to its diehard fans. At the end of the episode, Jessica turns the tables on Jo and asks for her best podcasting. Listen to hear the secret sauce revealed.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Two of my friends were going to this barbecue and
one of them called in city, should come, and I
was just kind of like, I didn't want to be
around people at a barbecue in l a who only
talk about themselves and the industry. My friends like, well,
you're coming. So anyways, I get to this house. We're
sitting in the backyard, we're making margarita's and grilling on
the grill, and no one talks about what this person does,
(00:21):
whose house it is at all. And a couple days later,
my manager at the time called and said, what did
you do this weekend? I said, um, one night, I
went to a movie, I went to barbecue and that's
about it. Why what's up? She said, Well, there's this
pilot called Gossip Girl that got picked up and you
were at the creator's house and they really like you
for this role that shoots in New York this Friday.
(00:43):
It's a podcast past Welcome back to the Bad Club.
I'm your host, Joe Piazza, and once again we're talking
about the many many TV podcasts in the world. We
can't stop. There's just so many of them. And what
I think makes the best one so good is when
(01:05):
they have a truly truly passionate host who just freaking
loved the show that they were on and the show
that they're talking about. Jessica's or isn't that going to host?
She brings the enthusiasm and the love and she is
also just so much fun. If you don't know Jessica,
she played Vanessa Abrams on the show gossip Girl the Original,
(01:27):
which is, for me, the only gossip Girl. Her new podcast,
XO XO brings together the cast, crew and other notable
people in the Gossip Girl's sphere to reminisce about their
time on the show and what it was like to
be part of such a hit production. Actually talked to
Jessica right before XO XO launched, and that was a
fun time because Jessica was still in the early glowy
(01:49):
honeymoon phase of making this podcast and she was just
so excited. It was a true delight to nerd out
on gossip Girl and also what it is like to
create a new podcast, to just create something from nothing.
Uh So, thanks for coming on. I'm very very excited
about the show. By the way, about x O x
(02:12):
L about excellent. Thank you. This is the first time
I'm like talking about it all right, tell me how
how long has it been since original Gossip Girl went
off the air? Um? Oh, my gosh, So I think
we started in No. Seven, so around I'd say it's
been a minute. Yeah, it's been a minute. And that
(02:33):
minute went by, real fact, it sure did. And in
one sense to like, it just feels like it was yesterday.
And then I've had so many life changes, like everyone's
moved and taking different you know, career paths, and some
of us have kids and have been married. In one breath,
that's like, well what we've all done. Like Laton just
came and worked on the Oreville with me, and she
(02:54):
has two kids, and I have a stepdaughter and a
daughter now, and it's just that was a totally we
were in a totally different stage in our lives filming
ten plus years ago. I love it. You're all growing up.
We are kind of like me, like I was watching
it when I like I was in college, like right
after college. Um, but now you know, I'm an old
lady with two kids. So why why did why did
(03:17):
you do this? Now? How did you get this idea
to go back and do a Gossip Girl podcast in Yeah? Okay,
So all of us are very removed from the show again,
have done other jobs. Blake's doing tons of movies late
and went and did Broadway chases, you know, just got
nominated for an Emmy. Ed's doing a bunch of shows
pen on his Netflix. We've all kind of grown as
(03:40):
artists in different ways and and and and are totally different,
you know. Like I was saying before, some of us
are moms now and dad's and you know, moving all
around shooting all over the world. And I think that's
awesome and amazing. And I have been since my relationship
with Brad, my boyfriend. I always had been working on
the Fox Loot, so he would start his hockey season
(04:02):
and I would visit him on the weekend. So we
were basically in a long distance relationship. And then we
had a baby and I had wrapped the orebone. I'm like,
oh my god, I can just come with you wherever
you go and be a mom for a minute, and
like come to your games and just be at home
and not become you know, doing a fift day at work.
And then I got a call from my manager and said,
(04:25):
there's this really amazing production company that wants to do
a podcast based around Gossip Girl? What do you think?
So this production company kind of pitched their idea to
me and it was kind of like a rewatch of
gossip Girl. And I thought, Hey, that's cool. I think
there's probably a ton of people all over that would
love that, because you know, the show hit so many,
(04:45):
it hits so big all over the world and all
different ages, and because of Netflix, it's still people still
tune into it. And then I thought, but you know what,
I rewatch wasn't really for me at the time. I'm like,
I don't know, you know, what I think of an episode,
what a fan does, it's also objective, Um, so I'm good.
And then I I kind of thought about it when
we got off the phone, and I'm like, what if
(05:06):
it was like a rewatch meets like a walk down
memory Lane? So we rewatched some of the episodes but
also take a walk down memory lane and talk about
why it was a hit and how everyone got cast
and how it was put together and who had who
had the rights to the books first, and you know,
and just go down walk down memory lane and talk
about things that not everyone knows. Um. And also kind
(05:27):
of like it was just awesome to reminisce with some
of the casts and some of the crew, and you know,
there was times we cried over, you know, talking about
certain memories, and there was casting situations that I didn't
even know about, like not having his visa and was
not going to be able to play chalk bass if
they didn't clear that, and they cleared it like the
day he had to start filming. It's just a bunch
(05:49):
of different stories like that. And when I kind of
called back and pitched my idea and we creatively put
our ideas together, they thought, let's do it, and we
pitched it to my heart and they felt like the
right home for this, and and here's where we are.
So I'm very excited, as you guys know, you know,
doing a podcast, it's very nerve wracking to put this
(06:09):
all out there, especially when you're new in this world. Um,
But all I keep saying that I can do is
put my heart into it and you know, try to
make this a fun, colorful, positive ride. And I hope
that you know, the guests and the fans and everyone
that you know tunes in to listen just has a
fun time with me and learns stuff about our journey
(06:30):
on the show and also, um, you know, brings back
the warm and fuzzy feelings of watching one of your
favorite shows and hearing about the people that all you know,
we're the puzzle to put it together. Well, I think
the warm fuzzies. I think that's what we're all looking
for right now. The news can be so depressing, and
I think we just want we want comfort content. And
(06:52):
when I listened to this trailer, that's what I felt.
I felt, really, I felt a nice warm nostalgia, which
was lovely, but also you know, hearing all of the
voices and hearing you talk to your former cast mates,
and also just the excitement of you guys talking to
each other too. Like that really that came across. Oh
(07:14):
my gosh, you you're giving me goose bumps thinking about it,
because it really felt like a walk down memory lane.
And I'm not just trying to say that because that's
what I want people to know about the podcast. It
really is true, like a lot of us had not
a lot of us had not even seen most of
the show and and and adds episode who played Chuck
Bass I was telling him when what I had just rewatched,
(07:34):
and it was Blair Waldorf losing her virginity to Chuck
Bass in the back of the limo. She never lost it.
To Nay Archibald, He's like, wait what, and I'm like,
it was episode seven, season one and he's like no,
and we're like, it's so funny because we were a
part of that world for so many years, and back
then we were doing twenty two episodes of season one.
Year I think we did like twenty six. So it
(07:55):
was also fun because I played clips and we do
some fun games on there, some quote games of characters
said what And it was just fun because we a
lot of us again like didn't see some of the
episodes in the very beginning. We went, um, we'd go
to Stephanie Savage the creators to watch, you know, some
of the episodes. But then the show was picking up
and we were working on the days that it was
(08:17):
you know, airing, So it was fun to like play
the games and here's some of the scenes and and
you know be like, oh my god, I forgot Vanessa
did this, or I can't believe you know, Serena did this,
And it was just fun. Um. And also it takes
you back when I was talking to Josh and Stephanie
who created the show. Um, just when they were explaining
(08:41):
when they knew what was a hit or why or
how it was working, and when they went and did
the Paris episode. Somebody's dream was to shoot an episode
in Paris. And everybody's like, you're insane. There's literally no
way you'll ever be able to afford shooting in Paris,
and Stephanie's like, well, I'm going to show you. We're
(09:01):
doing it. Figured it out when you guys got there.
I remember, I don't know if it was better Layton
telling me when they when they got back, like how
crazy it was the fans there in Paris. Oh yeah.
We were told to be prepared, like you're not gonna
get the same crowds you get in New York in
Paris when you're shooting there because the show is on
but people don't really watch it or whatever. And then
(09:21):
it turned out that they don't. They didn't watch it
on whatever television station was on, but everybody got it
on satellite or I forget what other way that they
were illegally streaming the show in France, and it was
I have pictures from that shoot, the biggest crowds the
show ever got were the streets of Paris lined out
outside of the hotel. So that was another instance of like,
(09:42):
more people are watching this show than we are aware of.
They're just not watching it by the conventional means. But
I don't think the cast could really go anywhere in Paris.
I think they actually ended up just like staying in
their hotel. Now Ed couldn't leave his hotel. Fortunately it
was I think World Cups and he just sat in
his room and watched soccer, but he couldn't leave his hotel.
They were like girls camped out on the sidewalk. And
(10:05):
the French producers that we worked with, they did the Sopranos,
they did Sex in the City, they did the Tourists
with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie, and they were like,
we've never seen crowds like this. It was so fast
for us when the from the when it got picked
up and got the back nine, and the way everyone
responded to it, it felt to me like the success
(10:28):
was overnight. And you know, when you're in it, you're
just working and trying to do the best you can
do and perform well in the scenes and be organic
and present. Um. So sometimes we weren't. I was not
aware of everything else that was going on with it
because we were so in it. Here's a fun fact.
I was a gossip columnist for the Russian Malloy gossip
(10:51):
column at the New York Daily News during the height
of Gossip Girl fame, and I just remember the entire
cast being everywhere all the time in New York, New York.
We in New York, we were I think we fully,
I don't want to say, took advantage of how generous
everyone was, but I think we definitely had our fun
(11:15):
and we're very appreciative. Like I remember we would be
going to the Madison Square Garden from a Donna concert,
or you know, going to see the Black Keys at
Terminal five, and it was just we would always be like, Wow,
this is really really dope that you know, everyone's just
like here, come here, do this. So we were all
over the place for sure, and the different restaurants and
it was just it was a real time. It was
(11:37):
kind of an interesting time too, because we were doing
a show about a gossip blog when blogs didn't really exist,
not at least not the way they do now. So
that was they were just starting. Yes, they they were
they were brand new. I mean, social media wasn't the
way it was. Yeah, no, no, So it felt like
the show was on the on the cutting edge of something.
But also, I mean, here's another of nostalgia about the show.
(12:02):
It did feel like a simpler time because it was
just on the cusp of the Internet changing our entire lives. Yeah,
I agree, because it's just it's a different world now.
When you when you went back, tell me everyone that
you interviewed that you talked to you for this podcast.
At this point, we've got Kelly Rutherford who played Lily
(12:25):
at Westwick, who played Chuck bass uh Nicole who played
is one of the minions. Um, Josh and Schwartz and
Stephanie Savage were the creators. Taylor Mompson who played Jenny Humphrey,
Sebastian stan who played Carter Basin, David Rappaport, who cast
the pilot. Uh, yeah, I did. Nina debrev Um. She
(12:48):
was not on the show, but we met um at
the c W upfronts for her. She was there for
Vampire Diaries, I was there for Gossip Girl and we became.
She's still one of my best friends to this day.
So I do an episode that talks about what the
c W was doing with these teen dramas. Um so
I thought Vampire Vampire Diaries was such a hit, so
(13:08):
I needed I needed her to come on and chit
chat about us running around New York for the upfronts
and you know what it was like even for her
to to be on the c W and have that
show hit the way it did as well. But everyone's
episodes two to this point have been so different, and
also it's so much fun information and also knowing, like
you know, what we were all going throughout the time.
(13:30):
You know, sometimes we didn't talk about it like you know,
there was times and a lot of us dated and
a lot of us tried, you know, keeping our relationships quiet,
but you couldn't keep it too quiet because there were
so many eyes on everyone, you know from the show.
So there's just a lot of a lot of fun facts,
and you know, we don't get into stuff where we're
trying to gossip or to talk negative about anything. I
(13:50):
want to keep it very colorful and light. Obviously we
can talk about the challenges of things that come with
the success of a show or you know, working in
New York. But I want my my main thing, and
that's why I love that. I heart was the home
for it is. I wanted to be fun and positive
and talk about why it worked. You guys aren't the
(14:35):
only gossip Girl show out there. Have you listened to
XO Exo Gossip Kings? No? Have you heard of it?
I have not? Oh my gosh. So it's about it's
about gossip Girl the show. Yes, it's about gossip Girl
the show. It's a rewatch podcast, okay, right with with
(14:56):
two men to comedians, one who has watched gossip Girl
and one who hasn't watched gossip Girl. Can I actually
play you the trailer? Oh my god? Sure. I really
really like the concept of that, like one watching them.
That took to me. That's like a dope rewatch because
you can kind of here, you know, the experience of
someone new watching it. Yeah, oh my god, I can't
(15:17):
believe I didn't know about this. How fun? What what up?
I'm called Tart whatepp and I'm Lamar Woods. You know,
I was thinking about the other day. I was thinking
about you, and I was like, has called Tart ever
seen gossip Girl? Man? Hell no, I never seen no
gossip Girl. But you wanted to write. Yeah, I want
to see it all. I knew it. We got a
new show coming out on head Gum called XO XO
(15:40):
Gossip King. Man, I gotta say it changed my life.
I watched it all last year during the pandemic. There's
so many things about it. They don't get no better
than rich White problems. Let me tell you that the sex,
that drugs, the money, everything it was like damn, I
felt like I was in another planet. Baby. Every time
you describe it, I just want in. Oh my god, Okay,
it's couple of things. I want to go on that podcast.
(16:02):
Oh yeah, wait, wait, no, we've got to get you
on that pod. I would love we have to do
an episode or we watch with them for sure, like tomorrow.
Oh my gosh. Absolutely, this is what my team know
right now. Yes, it's XO XO Gossip Kings. We the
pod club wants to wants to connect to other podcasts
as so yes, you have, you have to go on
(16:24):
XO EXO Gossip Kings. It's really sweet when they're watching
it because they're they're genuinely surprised by by some of
the things that happened and excited and it also it's
joyful in a totally different way, um than your show.
So I think they're just really fun compliments to each other.
Oh my god, amazing, Well thank you for that. Oh
(16:46):
my gosh. You guys are great. We're you know, we're
just we're just spread spread and the joy spread the joy.
That's cool. Uh So when you were getting ready to
do your podcast, what other podcasts have you been listening to?
What else are you enjoying right now? Um? Okay, So
I listened to The Deep Dive with Brian Baumgartner. He's
(17:07):
like an old friend of mine, and I also just
thought it was cool because I'm such a fan of
the Office, so it was interesting to kind of here
how that whole show came together. A couple of years ago,
more than a couple of years ago. There's a podcast
called The Shane Show, and Shane Powers also a friend
of mine, and it was I remember when he was
doing it. I was thinking he made the studio in
his garage and it looked awesome, and I remember thinking, like, Wow,
(17:28):
he's putting a lot into this, like what's going on?
And I like he was onto something because podcasts are
so big now and his is like kind of like
a topical improv like about politics and life and things,
and um, I just like how raw and funny and
um real he is. You know. So that was one
like years ago? Uh deep, I like this one. I
(17:52):
think it's called it's respectful parenting unruffled. Have you heard
of it? No, I haven't heard of either of these.
I feel like I need to. I need to look
this up. Tell me what the name is, respectful parenting unruffled.
But I don't. Okay, the unruffled is the big thing
when it pops up, so it might just be that, um,
but it's it navigates, like you know, when your kids
(18:14):
are at the playground with other kids, if you know,
someone gets like aggressive, like it's all these different things
you don't even think about. And Bowie's you know, just
turn one, so it's not even like she's going to
the playground yet, but with sleep and eating and all
different things. And um, I just really like, I really
like that one. So now let's use another example of
(18:36):
a very physical child physically aggressive or just having difficulty
containing their physical behaviors. This often happens with very young
children who don't have a lot of verbal expression yet.
So when a child is coming in and hitting or pushing.
One thing we can say for sure is that child
(18:57):
is not comfortable in the situation. Maybe somebody's too close
to me. I don't like what's going on. They are
disregulated in some way. So if we know our child
is going through this, we're going to probably do what
I said not to do in the beginning, which is
stay by them. If we think that it's good for
them to be in this situation, be close to be
(19:18):
what I call buddyguard, which is a very chilled out,
neutral but area ware parent or teacher, ready to lock
whatever might happen before it happens. So if I'm right there,
it's really easy for me to put out my hand
and say, whoa, it looks like you want to connect
with him, but I can't let you do it hitting.
And my hand was there right away. My arm is
(19:41):
out as much as it needs to be, So I'm
not going to let any physical stuff happen if I
can help it. Who doesn't love to laugh? But I
like love to laugh with something with like a good
sense of humor. Um, And I like life things like
you know mom stuff um, Like I was saying, I like,
(20:05):
you know, there's certain podcasts that will you know, I
like to listen to the political stuff, but sometimes I
need a break from it because it gets too opinionated
or to one side, and I'm like, yo, I need
we all, do we all? Yeah, I've got one. I've
got one for you, one for you, Okay. So I
also like, you know, especially as a still newish mom,
(20:27):
I kind of like to be told what to do,
like I like, but not just how to mom, but
what to buy from my house, what recipe to cookxt
And so my two um dear friends, Claire and Erica,
have a podcast called A Thing or Two and they're
just these brilliant curators of life and they just kind
(20:49):
of tell you what wonderful thing to listen to, to read,
to cook, to just to do what like little life hacks.
And they're also best friends, and so listening to them
is like eavesdropping onto women who just love each other.
And then you come away with, you know, knowing how
to live your life a little bit better. So it's
(21:10):
called a Thing or I like that. I don't know
about any of you people listening, but we just need
things to feel good about right now, just like things
to feel one way about and that way is good,
just comfort, happy stuff. I wrote recently in Secret Menu
(21:31):
about how into all of the like good news Instagram accounts.
I am like, these things existed before the pandemic, but
then definitely took off because of the pandemic, and I
just was always like, I don't know, skeptical or something
of them, or just felt or just like, why do
I need this? Who needs this? Wrong? They are pure
and true and happy, and I'm so glad they exist,
(21:54):
and I just want all of my content to mirror
that spirit and that energy. What do you think is
the key or the recipe to a successful podcast? Oh
my god, it's well, it's so hard first off, like
getting people to discover the podcast. It's just it's not easy, which,
(22:18):
by the way, anyone listening, Hi everybody. Again, people really
don't know what also goes into it. I think because
I'm not so much so much work and and here's
the thing, I'm someone who likes to work hard, do
the grind. I'm someone that like that's what gets me going.
So it's not like I wanted to come and do
something where I just thought it was easy by any means,
I don't mean that, but I did not. I think
(22:39):
a lot of people think, oh, you just pop on
the headphones and you talk to someone through a computer screen.
There's like so much more, you guys, so many layers
and so much more that goes into it. But I
kind of compare it to which I don't know if
this is like a good comparison. You know, but when
reality TV started coming out, and you all of a
sudden could watch like a restaurant show or a cooking show,
and we all got a dinner, you know, we go
(23:00):
out for dinners and stuff, right, but you never really
think about, like, oh my god, someone got here at
six in the morning and started cutting this piece of
thing and they put this stuff in it, like you know,
they're cooking it. Blah blah blah blah blah. You get that,
but there's so much more that you just don't know.
And until you watch this reality show I was, you
never really appreciated what goes into like maybe a kitchen
a you know what I'm saying. It's the only way
(23:21):
I can really like try to explain it. It's it's
it's absolutely so true. Yes, I think that most people
don't They have no idea how much goes into the
production the creation of a podcast and making it sound
fresh and funny and honestly, I think that the best
the key for a successful podcast is just good, good chemistry,
(23:41):
which is why I like that You're not just doing
a standard rewatch show. You're talking to people that you
worked with and that you loved for so long, and
I think that comes through in the audio. Malcolm god
Will said to us in our first episode that people
someone else had said to him people feel with their ears.
You really do get emotions when you're listening instead of
(24:03):
just watching. So I think the key to a successful
show is like tickling people's ears and touching their emotions
in the right way. Totally. I love how you just
explained all of it because it was very well said. Awesome. So,
is there any any other tips you need to give
me or or you think I'm on the right path.
I think you're on the right path. My other best
(24:25):
tip is have fun with it. The audience can tell
when you're not having and so just like freaking enjoy
it for sure. Yeah, that it'll succeed. Amazing. What did
you guys? How did you do your like music for it?
I had my brother's band who's like, I'm like their
biggest fan, and he's so good and that was cool
because we got to work together. That was like so
(24:46):
major for him and I And obviously my mom is
like tripping over it. Oh my gosh. Yeah, tell me
a little bit about that. So did you just call
up your brother and you're like, can you make the
music for my podcast? Pretty much? Yeah, And he talked
to his bandmate Jake and they're called mo Xy and
Lun And I'm like someone I try to go to
every show i can. Obviously it's hard when I'm in
Canada now and obviously through the pandemic, but they tour
(25:07):
and he plays drums. He's just such an amazing musician.
They both are. But he taught himself drums and guitar
and has been you know, playing music since he was
probably i want to say, like thirteen maybe, um, and
he's you know, in his early thirties now. But he's
such a great human and you know, he's always been
very supportive in my art and my work and um,
(25:28):
so it's just cool to collaborate together and and be
able to do this, and and you know, he he
like really put his vision or they did um, and
there's the sound. You know. We were like, we need
to hear that, like you know when Friends is coming
on her Sein felt that beginning where you know, this
is EXO x O and you're about to come on
this journey and it's going to be real fun for
this thirty minutes, and they like knocked it out of
(25:49):
the park, like because you know, as as you do podcasts,
you hear the music of yours over and over and
over and over again, over and over again. It has
to be so good you have to love it so much.
M I'm gonna close out for saying welcome to the
(26:19):
Pod Club. I'm so happy you're now a part of
our pod Club family. Thank you so much for having me.
And that is it for today's episode of the Pod Club.
Be sure to listen to Jessica's new show XO XO.
(26:41):
The first few episodes are out now wherever you get
your podcasts. We also recommended the Shane show Parenting Unruffled,
very good, and a personal favorite, A Thing or Two
with Claire and Erica. Claiin Erica happened to be friends
of mine and we will definitely be having them on
the Pod Club soon. Excel excel my friends, catch you
(27:04):
next time. The pod club is hosted by me Joe Pianza.
Our executive producers are Me Again and Emily Marinoff. Our
producers are Mary Do and Darby Masters. Our associate producer
is Lauren Philip. Our theme and additional music was composed
(27:27):
by Aaron Kaufman. Aaron Kaufman is also our consulting producer
and special thanks to Nikki Etre. He was just a
wonderful human being who I like to think at the
end of episodes.
Two of my friends were going to this barbecue and
one of them called in city, should come, and I
was just kind of like, I didn't want to be
around people at a barbecue in l a who only
talk about themselves and the industry. My friends like, well,
you're coming. So anyways, I get to this house. We're
sitting in the backyard, we're making margarita's and grilling on
the grill, and no one talks about what this person does,
(00:21):
whose house it is at all. And a couple days later,
my manager at the time called and said, what did
you do this weekend? I said, um, one night, I
went to a movie, I went to barbecue and that's
about it. Why what's up? She said, Well, there's this
pilot called Gossip Girl that got picked up and you
were at the creator's house and they really like you
for this role that shoots in New York this Friday.
(00:43):
It's a podcast past Welcome back to the Bad Club.
I'm your host, Joe Piazza, and once again we're talking
about the many many TV podcasts in the world. We
can't stop. There's just so many of them. And what
I think makes the best one so good is when
(01:05):
they have a truly truly passionate host who just freaking
loved the show that they were on and the show
that they're talking about. Jessica's or isn't that going to host?
She brings the enthusiasm and the love and she is
also just so much fun. If you don't know Jessica,
she played Vanessa Abrams on the show gossip Girl the Original,
(01:27):
which is, for me, the only gossip Girl. Her new podcast,
XO XO brings together the cast, crew and other notable
people in the Gossip Girl's sphere to reminisce about their
time on the show and what it was like to
be part of such a hit production. Actually talked to
Jessica right before XO XO launched, and that was a
fun time because Jessica was still in the early glowy
(01:49):
honeymoon phase of making this podcast and she was just
so excited. It was a true delight to nerd out
on gossip Girl and also what it is like to
create a new podcast, to just create something from nothing.
Uh So, thanks for coming on. I'm very very excited
about the show. By the way, about x O x
(02:12):
L about excellent. Thank you. This is the first time
I'm like talking about it all right, tell me how
how long has it been since original Gossip Girl went
off the air? Um? Oh, my gosh, So I think
we started in No. Seven, so around I'd say it's
been a minute. Yeah, it's been a minute. And that
(02:33):
minute went by, real fact, it sure did. And in
one sense to like, it just feels like it was yesterday.
And then I've had so many life changes, like everyone's
moved and taking different you know, career paths, and some
of us have kids and have been married. In one breath,
that's like, well what we've all done. Like Laton just
came and worked on the Oreville with me, and she
(02:54):
has two kids, and I have a stepdaughter and a
daughter now, and it's just that was a totally we
were in a totally different stage in our lives filming
ten plus years ago. I love it. You're all growing up.
We are kind of like me, like I was watching
it when I like I was in college, like right
after college. Um, but now you know, I'm an old
lady with two kids. So why why did why did
(03:17):
you do this? Now? How did you get this idea
to go back and do a Gossip Girl podcast in Yeah? Okay,
So all of us are very removed from the show again,
have done other jobs. Blake's doing tons of movies late
and went and did Broadway chases, you know, just got
nominated for an Emmy. Ed's doing a bunch of shows
pen on his Netflix. We've all kind of grown as
(03:40):
artists in different ways and and and and are totally different,
you know. Like I was saying before, some of us
are moms now and dad's and you know, moving all
around shooting all over the world. And I think that's
awesome and amazing. And I have been since my relationship
with Brad, my boyfriend. I always had been working on
the Fox Loot, so he would start his hockey season
(04:02):
and I would visit him on the weekend. So we
were basically in a long distance relationship. And then we
had a baby and I had wrapped the orebone. I'm like,
oh my god, I can just come with you wherever
you go and be a mom for a minute, and
like come to your games and just be at home
and not become you know, doing a fift day at work.
And then I got a call from my manager and said,
(04:25):
there's this really amazing production company that wants to do
a podcast based around Gossip Girl? What do you think?
So this production company kind of pitched their idea to
me and it was kind of like a rewatch of
gossip Girl. And I thought, Hey, that's cool. I think
there's probably a ton of people all over that would
love that, because you know, the show hit so many,
(04:45):
it hits so big all over the world and all
different ages, and because of Netflix, it's still people still
tune into it. And then I thought, but you know what,
I rewatch wasn't really for me at the time. I'm like,
I don't know, you know, what I think of an episode,
what a fan does, it's also objective, Um, so I'm good.
And then I I kind of thought about it when
we got off the phone, and I'm like, what if
(05:06):
it was like a rewatch meets like a walk down
memory Lane? So we rewatched some of the episodes but
also take a walk down memory lane and talk about
why it was a hit and how everyone got cast
and how it was put together and who had who
had the rights to the books first, and you know,
and just go down walk down memory lane and talk
about things that not everyone knows. Um. And also kind
(05:27):
of like it was just awesome to reminisce with some
of the casts and some of the crew, and you know,
there was times we cried over, you know, talking about
certain memories, and there was casting situations that I didn't
even know about, like not having his visa and was
not going to be able to play chalk bass if
they didn't clear that, and they cleared it like the
day he had to start filming. It's just a bunch
(05:49):
of different stories like that. And when I kind of
called back and pitched my idea and we creatively put
our ideas together, they thought, let's do it, and we
pitched it to my heart and they felt like the
right home for this, and and here's where we are.
So I'm very excited, as you guys know, you know,
doing a podcast, it's very nerve wracking to put this
(06:09):
all out there, especially when you're new in this world. Um,
But all I keep saying that I can do is
put my heart into it and you know, try to
make this a fun, colorful, positive ride. And I hope
that you know, the guests and the fans and everyone
that you know tunes in to listen just has a
fun time with me and learns stuff about our journey
(06:30):
on the show and also, um, you know, brings back
the warm and fuzzy feelings of watching one of your
favorite shows and hearing about the people that all you know,
we're the puzzle to put it together. Well, I think
the warm fuzzies. I think that's what we're all looking
for right now. The news can be so depressing, and
I think we just want we want comfort content. And
(06:52):
when I listened to this trailer, that's what I felt.
I felt, really, I felt a nice warm nostalgia, which
was lovely, but also you know, hearing all of the
voices and hearing you talk to your former cast mates,
and also just the excitement of you guys talking to
each other too. Like that really that came across. Oh
(07:14):
my gosh, you you're giving me goose bumps thinking about it,
because it really felt like a walk down memory lane.
And I'm not just trying to say that because that's
what I want people to know about the podcast. It
really is true, like a lot of us had not
a lot of us had not even seen most of
the show and and and adds episode who played Chuck
Bass I was telling him when what I had just rewatched,
(07:34):
and it was Blair Waldorf losing her virginity to Chuck
Bass in the back of the limo. She never lost it.
To Nay Archibald, He's like, wait what, and I'm like,
it was episode seven, season one and he's like no,
and we're like, it's so funny because we were a
part of that world for so many years, and back
then we were doing twenty two episodes of season one.
Year I think we did like twenty six. So it
(07:55):
was also fun because I played clips and we do
some fun games on there, some quote games of characters
said what And it was just fun because we a
lot of us again like didn't see some of the
episodes in the very beginning. We went, um, we'd go
to Stephanie Savage the creators to watch, you know, some
of the episodes. But then the show was picking up
and we were working on the days that it was
(08:17):
you know, airing, So it was fun to like play
the games and here's some of the scenes and and
you know be like, oh my god, I forgot Vanessa
did this, or I can't believe you know, Serena did this,
And it was just fun. Um. And also it takes
you back when I was talking to Josh and Stephanie
who created the show. Um, just when they were explaining
(08:41):
when they knew what was a hit or why or
how it was working, and when they went and did
the Paris episode. Somebody's dream was to shoot an episode
in Paris. And everybody's like, you're insane. There's literally no
way you'll ever be able to afford shooting in Paris,
and Stephanie's like, well, I'm going to show you. We're
(09:01):
doing it. Figured it out when you guys got there.
I remember, I don't know if it was better Layton
telling me when they when they got back, like how
crazy it was the fans there in Paris. Oh yeah.
We were told to be prepared, like you're not gonna
get the same crowds you get in New York in
Paris when you're shooting there because the show is on
but people don't really watch it or whatever. And then
(09:21):
it turned out that they don't. They didn't watch it
on whatever television station was on, but everybody got it
on satellite or I forget what other way that they
were illegally streaming the show in France, and it was
I have pictures from that shoot, the biggest crowds the
show ever got were the streets of Paris lined out
outside of the hotel. So that was another instance of like,
(09:42):
more people are watching this show than we are aware of.
They're just not watching it by the conventional means. But
I don't think the cast could really go anywhere in Paris.
I think they actually ended up just like staying in
their hotel. Now Ed couldn't leave his hotel. Fortunately it
was I think World Cups and he just sat in
his room and watched soccer, but he couldn't leave his hotel.
They were like girls camped out on the sidewalk. And
(10:05):
the French producers that we worked with, they did the Sopranos,
they did Sex in the City, they did the Tourists
with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie, and they were like,
we've never seen crowds like this. It was so fast
for us when the from the when it got picked
up and got the back nine, and the way everyone
responded to it, it felt to me like the success
(10:28):
was overnight. And you know, when you're in it, you're
just working and trying to do the best you can
do and perform well in the scenes and be organic
and present. Um. So sometimes we weren't. I was not
aware of everything else that was going on with it
because we were so in it. Here's a fun fact.
I was a gossip columnist for the Russian Malloy gossip
(10:51):
column at the New York Daily News during the height
of Gossip Girl fame, and I just remember the entire
cast being everywhere all the time in New York, New York.
We in New York, we were I think we fully,
I don't want to say, took advantage of how generous
everyone was, but I think we definitely had our fun
(11:15):
and we're very appreciative. Like I remember we would be
going to the Madison Square Garden from a Donna concert,
or you know, going to see the Black Keys at
Terminal five, and it was just we would always be like, Wow,
this is really really dope that you know, everyone's just
like here, come here, do this. So we were all
over the place for sure, and the different restaurants and
it was just it was a real time. It was
(11:37):
kind of an interesting time too, because we were doing
a show about a gossip blog when blogs didn't really exist,
not at least not the way they do now. So
that was they were just starting. Yes, they they were
they were brand new. I mean, social media wasn't the
way it was. Yeah, no, no, So it felt like
the show was on the on the cutting edge of something.
But also, I mean, here's another of nostalgia about the show.
(12:02):
It did feel like a simpler time because it was
just on the cusp of the Internet changing our entire lives. Yeah,
I agree, because it's just it's a different world now.
When you when you went back, tell me everyone that
you interviewed that you talked to you for this podcast.
At this point, we've got Kelly Rutherford who played Lily
(12:25):
at Westwick, who played Chuck bass uh Nicole who played
is one of the minions. Um, Josh and Schwartz and
Stephanie Savage were the creators. Taylor Mompson who played Jenny Humphrey,
Sebastian stan who played Carter Basin, David Rappaport, who cast
the pilot. Uh, yeah, I did. Nina debrev Um. She
(12:48):
was not on the show, but we met um at
the c W upfronts for her. She was there for
Vampire Diaries, I was there for Gossip Girl and we became.
She's still one of my best friends to this day.
So I do an episode that talks about what the
c W was doing with these teen dramas. Um so
I thought Vampire Vampire Diaries was such a hit, so
(13:08):
I needed I needed her to come on and chit
chat about us running around New York for the upfronts
and you know what it was like even for her
to to be on the c W and have that
show hit the way it did as well. But everyone's
episodes two to this point have been so different, and
also it's so much fun information and also knowing, like
you know, what we were all going throughout the time.
(13:30):
You know, sometimes we didn't talk about it like you know,
there was times and a lot of us dated and
a lot of us tried, you know, keeping our relationships quiet,
but you couldn't keep it too quiet because there were
so many eyes on everyone, you know from the show.
So there's just a lot of a lot of fun facts,
and you know, we don't get into stuff where we're
trying to gossip or to talk negative about anything. I
(13:50):
want to keep it very colorful and light. Obviously we
can talk about the challenges of things that come with
the success of a show or you know, working in
New York. But I want my my main thing, and
that's why I love that. I heart was the home
for it is. I wanted to be fun and positive
and talk about why it worked. You guys aren't the
(14:35):
only gossip Girl show out there. Have you listened to
XO Exo Gossip Kings? No? Have you heard of it?
I have not? Oh my gosh. So it's about it's
about gossip Girl the show. Yes, it's about gossip Girl
the show. It's a rewatch podcast, okay, right with with
(14:56):
two men to comedians, one who has watched gossip Girl
and one who hasn't watched gossip Girl. Can I actually
play you the trailer? Oh my god? Sure. I really
really like the concept of that, like one watching them.
That took to me. That's like a dope rewatch because
you can kind of here, you know, the experience of
someone new watching it. Yeah, oh my god, I can't
(15:17):
believe I didn't know about this. How fun? What what up?
I'm called Tart whatepp and I'm Lamar Woods. You know,
I was thinking about the other day. I was thinking
about you, and I was like, has called Tart ever
seen gossip Girl? Man? Hell no, I never seen no
gossip Girl. But you wanted to write. Yeah, I want
to see it all. I knew it. We got a
new show coming out on head Gum called XO XO
(15:40):
Gossip King. Man, I gotta say it changed my life.
I watched it all last year during the pandemic. There's
so many things about it. They don't get no better
than rich White problems. Let me tell you that the sex,
that drugs, the money, everything it was like damn, I
felt like I was in another planet. Baby. Every time
you describe it, I just want in. Oh my god, Okay,
it's couple of things. I want to go on that podcast.
(16:02):
Oh yeah, wait, wait, no, we've got to get you
on that pod. I would love we have to do
an episode or we watch with them for sure, like tomorrow.
Oh my gosh. Absolutely, this is what my team know
right now. Yes, it's XO XO Gossip Kings. We the
pod club wants to wants to connect to other podcasts
as so yes, you have, you have to go on
(16:24):
XO EXO Gossip Kings. It's really sweet when they're watching
it because they're they're genuinely surprised by by some of
the things that happened and excited and it also it's
joyful in a totally different way, um than your show.
So I think they're just really fun compliments to each other.
Oh my god, amazing, Well thank you for that. Oh
(16:46):
my gosh. You guys are great. We're you know, we're
just we're just spread spread and the joy spread the joy.
That's cool. Uh So when you were getting ready to
do your podcast, what other podcasts have you been listening to?
What else are you enjoying right now? Um? Okay, So
I listened to The Deep Dive with Brian Baumgartner. He's
(17:07):
like an old friend of mine, and I also just
thought it was cool because I'm such a fan of
the Office, so it was interesting to kind of here
how that whole show came together. A couple of years ago,
more than a couple of years ago. There's a podcast
called The Shane Show, and Shane Powers also a friend
of mine, and it was I remember when he was
doing it. I was thinking he made the studio in
his garage and it looked awesome, and I remember thinking, like, Wow,
(17:28):
he's putting a lot into this, like what's going on?
And I like he was onto something because podcasts are
so big now and his is like kind of like
a topical improv like about politics and life and things,
and um, I just like how raw and funny and
um real he is. You know. So that was one
like years ago? Uh deep, I like this one. I
(17:52):
think it's called it's respectful parenting unruffled. Have you heard
of it? No, I haven't heard of either of these.
I feel like I need to. I need to look
this up. Tell me what the name is, respectful parenting unruffled.
But I don't. Okay, the unruffled is the big thing
when it pops up, so it might just be that, um,
but it's it navigates, like you know, when your kids
(18:14):
are at the playground with other kids, if you know,
someone gets like aggressive, like it's all these different things
you don't even think about. And Bowie's you know, just
turn one, so it's not even like she's going to
the playground yet, but with sleep and eating and all
different things. And um, I just really like, I really
like that one. So now let's use another example of
(18:36):
a very physical child physically aggressive or just having difficulty
containing their physical behaviors. This often happens with very young
children who don't have a lot of verbal expression yet.
So when a child is coming in and hitting or pushing.
One thing we can say for sure is that child
(18:57):
is not comfortable in the situation. Maybe somebody's too close
to me. I don't like what's going on. They are
disregulated in some way. So if we know our child
is going through this, we're going to probably do what
I said not to do in the beginning, which is
stay by them. If we think that it's good for
them to be in this situation, be close to be
(19:18):
what I call buddyguard, which is a very chilled out,
neutral but area ware parent or teacher, ready to lock
whatever might happen before it happens. So if I'm right there,
it's really easy for me to put out my hand
and say, whoa, it looks like you want to connect
with him, but I can't let you do it hitting.
And my hand was there right away. My arm is
(19:41):
out as much as it needs to be, So I'm
not going to let any physical stuff happen if I
can help it. Who doesn't love to laugh? But I
like love to laugh with something with like a good
sense of humor. Um, And I like life things like
you know mom stuff um, Like I was saying, I like,
(20:05):
you know, there's certain podcasts that will you know, I
like to listen to the political stuff, but sometimes I
need a break from it because it gets too opinionated
or to one side, and I'm like, yo, I need
we all, do we all? Yeah, I've got one. I've
got one for you, one for you, Okay. So I
also like, you know, especially as a still newish mom,
(20:27):
I kind of like to be told what to do,
like I like, but not just how to mom, but
what to buy from my house, what recipe to cookxt
And so my two um dear friends, Claire and Erica,
have a podcast called A Thing or Two and they're
just these brilliant curators of life and they just kind
(20:49):
of tell you what wonderful thing to listen to, to read,
to cook, to just to do what like little life hacks.
And they're also best friends, and so listening to them
is like eavesdropping onto women who just love each other.
And then you come away with, you know, knowing how
to live your life a little bit better. So it's
(21:10):
called a Thing or I like that. I don't know
about any of you people listening, but we just need
things to feel good about right now, just like things
to feel one way about and that way is good,
just comfort, happy stuff. I wrote recently in Secret Menu
(21:31):
about how into all of the like good news Instagram accounts.
I am like, these things existed before the pandemic, but
then definitely took off because of the pandemic, and I
just was always like, I don't know, skeptical or something
of them, or just felt or just like, why do
I need this? Who needs this? Wrong? They are pure
and true and happy, and I'm so glad they exist,
(21:54):
and I just want all of my content to mirror
that spirit and that energy. What do you think is
the key or the recipe to a successful podcast? Oh
my god, it's well, it's so hard first off, like
getting people to discover the podcast. It's just it's not easy, which,
(22:18):
by the way, anyone listening, Hi everybody. Again, people really
don't know what also goes into it. I think because
I'm not so much so much work and and here's
the thing, I'm someone who likes to work hard, do
the grind. I'm someone that like that's what gets me going.
So it's not like I wanted to come and do
something where I just thought it was easy by any means,
I don't mean that, but I did not. I think
(22:39):
a lot of people think, oh, you just pop on
the headphones and you talk to someone through a computer screen.
There's like so much more, you guys, so many layers
and so much more that goes into it. But I
kind of compare it to which I don't know if
this is like a good comparison. You know, but when
reality TV started coming out, and you all of a
sudden could watch like a restaurant show or a cooking show,
and we all got a dinner, you know, we go
(23:00):
out for dinners and stuff, right, but you never really
think about, like, oh my god, someone got here at
six in the morning and started cutting this piece of
thing and they put this stuff in it, like you know,
they're cooking it. Blah blah blah blah blah. You get that,
but there's so much more that you just don't know.
And until you watch this reality show I was, you
never really appreciated what goes into like maybe a kitchen
a you know what I'm saying. It's the only way
(23:21):
I can really like try to explain it. It's it's
it's absolutely so true. Yes, I think that most people
don't They have no idea how much goes into the
production the creation of a podcast and making it sound
fresh and funny and honestly, I think that the best
the key for a successful podcast is just good, good chemistry,
(23:41):
which is why I like that You're not just doing
a standard rewatch show. You're talking to people that you
worked with and that you loved for so long, and
I think that comes through in the audio. Malcolm god
Will said to us in our first episode that people
someone else had said to him people feel with their ears.
You really do get emotions when you're listening instead of
(24:03):
just watching. So I think the key to a successful
show is like tickling people's ears and touching their emotions
in the right way. Totally. I love how you just
explained all of it because it was very well said. Awesome. So,
is there any any other tips you need to give
me or or you think I'm on the right path.
I think you're on the right path. My other best
(24:25):
tip is have fun with it. The audience can tell
when you're not having and so just like freaking enjoy
it for sure. Yeah, that it'll succeed. Amazing. What did
you guys? How did you do your like music for it?
I had my brother's band who's like, I'm like their
biggest fan, and he's so good and that was cool
because we got to work together. That was like so
(24:46):
major for him and I And obviously my mom is
like tripping over it. Oh my gosh. Yeah, tell me
a little bit about that. So did you just call
up your brother and you're like, can you make the
music for my podcast? Pretty much? Yeah, And he talked
to his bandmate Jake and they're called mo Xy and
Lun And I'm like someone I try to go to
every show i can. Obviously it's hard when I'm in
Canada now and obviously through the pandemic, but they tour
(25:07):
and he plays drums. He's just such an amazing musician.
They both are. But he taught himself drums and guitar
and has been you know, playing music since he was
probably i want to say, like thirteen maybe, um, and
he's you know, in his early thirties now. But he's
such a great human and you know, he's always been
very supportive in my art and my work and um,
(25:28):
so it's just cool to collaborate together and and be
able to do this, and and you know, he he
like really put his vision or they did um, and
there's the sound. You know. We were like, we need
to hear that, like you know when Friends is coming
on her Sein felt that beginning where you know, this
is EXO x O and you're about to come on
this journey and it's going to be real fun for
this thirty minutes, and they like knocked it out of
(25:49):
the park, like because you know, as as you do podcasts,
you hear the music of yours over and over and
over and over again, over and over again. It has
to be so good you have to love it so much.
M I'm gonna close out for saying welcome to the
(26:19):
Pod Club. I'm so happy you're now a part of
our pod Club family. Thank you so much for having me.
And that is it for today's episode of the Pod Club.
Be sure to listen to Jessica's new show XO XO.
(26:41):
The first few episodes are out now wherever you get
your podcasts. We also recommended the Shane show Parenting Unruffled,
very good, and a personal favorite, A Thing or Two
with Claire and Erica. Claiin Erica happened to be friends
of mine and we will definitely be having them on
the Pod Club soon. Excel excel my friends, catch you
(27:04):
next time. The pod club is hosted by me Joe Pianza.
Our executive producers are Me Again and Emily Marinoff. Our
producers are Mary Do and Darby Masters. Our associate producer
is Lauren Philip. Our theme and additional music was composed
(27:27):
by Aaron Kaufman. Aaron Kaufman is also our consulting producer
and special thanks to Nikki Etre. He was just a
wonderful human being who I like to think at the
end of episodes.
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Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com