Tails and Tassels
Hello, kitty cats! Welcome to Tails and Tassels. I’m your host, Gemma Smith. By day, I work in animal welfare, and by night, I host the Catbaret!, New York City's cat-themed variety show. On this podcast, you’ll dive into the world of burlesque and nightlife performers—their craft, their cats, and how these two worlds collide. You’ll also get bonus episodes featuring feline experts answering your most curious, cat-centric questions. New episodes drop every Thursday. If you like what you hear, please subscribe, rate, and review—and come join our cozy com-mew-nity on Instagram. Thanks for listening! I’m paws-itively delighted you’re here. Get in Touch: Instagram: @tailsandtasselspod, @gemmasmithnyc Email us at TailsandTasselsPod@gmail.com Leave a comment below
Episodes
Looking for something fun and cat-themed? 🐱🎭
Catbaret is NYC’s cat-themed variety show featuring comedy, music, and burlesque – with in-person and virtual shows throughout the year.
Learn more at CatbaretShow.com
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In this New Year solo episode of Tails & Tassels, I’m reflecting on five lessons my cats, Lion-o and Luna, taught me in 2025 – and how I’m carrying those lessons into the year ahead.
Instead of resolutions ...
Looking for something fun and cat-themed? 🐱🎭
Catbaret is NYC’s cat-themed variety show featuring comedy, music, and burlesque – with in-person and virtual shows throughout the year.
Learn more at CatbaretShow.com
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Marketing your creative work doesn’t have to mean burning out, posting every day, or trying to “beat” the algorithm.
In this episode of Tails & Tassels, Gemma Smith chats with Harris Baker, founder of Catflue...
The Holiday Gift Guide Episode Is Here!
This week, I’m sharing my newly refreshed Holiday Gift Guide for Creatives and Their Cats — a curated list of tools, treats, small creators, and enrichment toys I actually use and love.
👉 Explore the full guide (with photos!) on the blog here.
Resources & Links (mentioned in the episode)
- Felis Lux Prey Wand Toy – Beautiful, sturdy wand toy Lion-o and Luna absolutely love. Special Listen...
Looking for something fun and cat-themed? 🐱🎭
Catbaret is NYC’s cat-themed variety show featuring comedy, music, and burlesque – with in-person and virtual shows throughout the year.
Learn more at CatbaretShow.com
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In this week’s episode, Gemma sits down with Sterling “TrapKing” Davis – a rapper turned community cat advocate and founder of TrapKing Humane Cat Solutions. Sterling shares how he went from life on the road to trap...
Looking for something fun and cat-themed? 🐱🎭
Catbaret is NYC’s cat-themed variety show featuring comedy, music, and burlesque – with in-person and virtual shows throughout the year.
Learn more at CatbaretShow.com
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In this week’s episode, Gemma sits down with Fortune Cookie—a NYC burlesque performer, acrobat and producer of Books & Burlesque, the literary-meets-burly show celebrating underrepresented authors and stellar per...
Looking for something fun and cat-themed? 🐱🎭
Catbaret is NYC’s cat-themed variety show featuring comedy, music, and burlesque – with in-person and virtual shows throughout the year.
Learn more at CatbaretShow.com
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In this week’s episode, Gemma sits down with Luna Lovelee—a Long Beach–based burlesque performer, costumer, and producer of Show Me Your Kitties Cabaret.
Luna shares how rescuing a kitten trapped inside a car led her ...
Looking for something fun and cat-themed? 🐱🎭
Catbaret is NYC’s cat-themed variety show featuring comedy, music, and burlesque – with in-person and virtual shows throughout the year.
Learn more at CatbaretShow.com
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Welcome back to Tails and Tassels! We’re kicking off Season 2 with a solo episode all about balancing your day job with the art that fuels your soul.
If you’ve ever felt torn between paying the bills and pursuing your...
Hi Kitty Cats! We're back this fall. This is the podcast where you pounce into the lives or burlesque and nightlife performers - their craft, their cats, and how these two worlds intertwine.
In Season 2, you’ll hear:
- Guest interviews with performers and feline experts
- Solo episodes with creative tips and behind-the-scenes reflections
- A bigger, bolder focus on building our com-mew-nity of cat-loving creatives
Season 2 premi...
Don't Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭
There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!
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Hello, hello, kitty cats! It’s the season one finale of Tails and Tassels! 🎉 Thank you for joining me on this journey since our debut in October. In this episode, I’m answering listener questions about how I got into...
Don't Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭
There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!
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In this week's episode, Gemma sits down with El Jong—a multi-talented photographer, videographer, and YouTube content creator who’s mastered the art of turning passion into a full-blown creative hustle. El Jong d...
Don't Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭
There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!
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🐾 We’re nearing the end of Season 1! This solo episode is an unscripted chat about life, creativity, and what’s next. I’m reflecting on hitting 20 episodes, the behind-the-scenes work of running a podcast, and why I ...
Don't Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭
There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!
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In this week's episode, Gemma sits down with Rogue, a magician, mentalist, and longtime animal lover. You might recognize him from America’s Got Talent or his jaw-dropping performances on the magic circuit. Rogue...
Don't Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭
There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!
--
In this solo episode, I’m sharing an inside look at the most recent Catbaret!, my NYC-based cat-themed variety show! From behind-the-scenes moments to my personal reflections on the last show, you’ll get an unfil...
Don't Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭
There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!
--
In this week’s Tails and Tassels, Gemma sits down with the multi-talented Neysa Lozano, an actor, avant-garde theater artist, tarot reader, and storyteller. Neysa shares how her love for performance and mysticism inte...
Don't Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭
There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!
--
In this special Galentine’s Day episode, we’re celebrating friendship—both human and feline! Whether you're spending the day with friends, loved ones, or just your cat, we’ll dive into five heartwarming reas...
Don't Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭
There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!
--
In this week’s Tails and Tassels, Gemma sits down with the powerhouse Amber Lyoness, the founder of Lyoness Dance Company and creator of the sexy feline-inspired burlesque show Purr. Amber shares her journey from...
Don't Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭
There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!
--
Hello, kitty cats! Welcome back to Tails and Tassels! I'm your host, Gemma Smith—animal advocate by day and host of the Catbaret, a cat-themed variety show in NYC by night! In this episode, we're diving...
Don't Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭
There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!
--
In this week’s Tails and Tassels, Gemma chats with the multi-talented Bitsy Brûlée, an actor and burlesque artist known for her undeniable love for her very special cat, Screamy. ✨🐾
Bitsy shares how she got star...
Don't Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭
There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!
--
In this solo episode of Tails and Tassels, I share my top stress management tips for performers, from daily rituals and time management strategies to the grounding power of spending time with my cats. T...
Looking for something fun and cat-themed? 🐱🎭
Catbaret is NYC’s cat-themed variety show featuring comedy, music, and burlesque — with in-person and virtual shows throughout the year.
Learn more at CatbaretShow.com
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In this special expert episode of Tails and Tassels, Gemma welcomes Dan Trachtenberg, producer and host of the Shelter Cats Podcast, which has surpassed an incredible 200,000 downloads in just two seas...
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