Today on the podcast – Producer extraordinaire Holly Carter. Dr. Holly Carter to be precise. Holly is a force to be reckoned with!  Starting out in casting, then transitioning to managing little acts like Usher,  then creating hits in unscripted like Preachers of LA and Atlanta to recently bringing her 17 year old baby to life – the Clark Sisters – which has done record ratings for LIFETIME and in a pandemic no less. Holly tells us how she did it all – while also being a spiritual grounded...

It’s a behind the scenes look at the new Netflix documentary-series Deaf U that follows students at Gallaudet University – a deaf college based in Washington DC. Executive Producer Eric Evangelista (Hot Snakes Media) and Supervising Producer Naimah Holmes talk about how the show was conceived, how hard it was to sell, what it was like working with deaf crew members and some of the challenges and excitement with creating a unique and groundbreaking show. Check out DeafU on...

Can Bravo’s Real Housewives survive a global pandemic and the racial justice movement? RH recap writer Brian Moylan tackled that in his brilliant piece in Vulture this past week and we break it all down in this podcast. Should we cancel housewives like Ramona and Kelly Dodd for their attitude toward masks and traveling in the time of Corona? Can these franchises survive without racial diversity? Do we still want escapist TV from our housewives and can we actually escape reality right now?...

The country’s falling apart – but at least we have Potomac!!! I’m recapping all the drama, madness and hilarity that is the Real Housewives of Potomac with writer, comedian and TV & podcast personality LaKendra Tookes. We get into the fight to end all fights, the aftermath, the Pastor, his wife and the hot mic and Michael Darby’s endless shenanigans. Enjoy! Follow Lakendra on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lakendratookes/ Follow me on social...

Beth Belew is a delightful guest AND a talented producer. She’s currently the Vice President of Long Form Development and Current Programming for Funny Or Die and has spent most of her career producing and developing comedic unscripted shows on her own and on the network side. We cover it all – including Harry Hamlin’s obsession with plants (?!), how it’s possible women did not know they were pregnant, what its like to work with Conan and how to turn a scripted TV show with Kevin Bacon into a...

Dan Partland is a talented documentary filmmaker who directed and produced an important film you must see now: #Unfit (link below). The first half is medical doctors, mental health professionals and leading Republican influencers talking on the record about the behavior, psyche, condition, and stability of Donald Trump. The second half of the film looks through a historical lens to examine how someone like him even became president, and how this Presidency is mirroring what’s happening all...

Dometi Pongo is a journalist and host the MTV series True Life Crime, MTV News’ Need to Know and Conversations in Context on the Smithsonian Channel. He’s already done a ton in his short career and we get into how it all happened so fast for him (hint: he’s really smart and talented) and what his goals are for the future. We talk shop, Black Lives Matters and why he decided to start taking groups to Ghana a few years back. Enjoy! Find Dometi and his shows...

A lot of people in our industry know Stefanie Ziev, not just from her time as a network executive, but as their personal life coach. Stef’s’s coaches lots of people inside and outside our industry and now she’s launching a new podcast called Permission to Choose with guests like Mario Lopez and Darren Olien, co-host of the new Netflix show with Zac Efron. Stef and I talk about her career trajectory, how she’s navigating the pandemic (plus tips on how you can keep your sanity) and how to throw...

Casting director Jazzy Collins made headlines during the pandemic and Black Lives Matters movement when she came out publicly to renounce ABC’s The Bachelor for not doing enough to cast people of color and criticize their lack of diversity behind the camera as well. Jazzy breaks down her powerful post, talks about how she experienced the show as a Black woman and how she’s hoping to change the industry from the inside when it comes to diversity. We also dig into her fun career casting shows...

Courtney Sexton has the best job on the planet! As Senior Vice President for CNN Films since 2013, Courtney works day-to-day with filmmakers to supervise the production of documentary films for theatrical exhibition and distribution across CNN’s platforms. Some of the new films we talk about include “Blackfish”, “Three Identical Strangers” and the new doc on HBO Max “On the Trail” – about women journalists covering the campaign trail for CNN. We talk about how all these docs got made, what...

I’m thrilled to have Karina Longworth on the podcast today. Karina is the host of the very successful podcast YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS–every season is another deep dive into a story about old Hollywood. This latest season, THE INVISIBLE WOMAN, is about the life and career of producer Polly Platt. I can’t remember the last time a series affected me so deeply. Karina is a former film critic and writer of books – most recently of Howard Hughes – and her writing and research skills are in full...

My friend and TV blogger Brian Samuels is back for another recap of all the best shows we’re watching and recommend. From Fauda to Lenox Hill to Outcry to The Last Dance, we tell you about everything we love from the last few months. And of course we’ll tell you what we love to hate watch (looking at you Selling Sunset) and what you definitely want to miss. Enjoy! Brian’s blog: http://tvuncovered.com Follow me on social media: Instagram Twitter realityofreality.com

Tracy Tutor’s back for another round on the podcast! Tracy is the only female real estate agent on MILLION DOLLAR LISTING LA and a powerhouse rock star bad ass boss woman. Today we’re talking about her new book – Fear is a Four Letter Word – which is already a best seller (and a book I think every woman should read). We talk about the book, the impossible client from Malibu, the Pasadena drama with David and James and some new changes in her personal life since her divorce. Buy Tracy’s book...

Carlos King is an uber successful Executive Producer who owns Kingdom Reign – a full service production company here in Los Angeles. He cut his teeth running shows like The Real Housewives of Atlanta and of course my favorite reality show ever Oprah: Season 25 Behind the Scenes. He created and now produces the hit show for OWN Love and Marriage Huntsville and the Netflix series Styling Hollywood. Carlos and I talk about how he started in reality TV, what it was like to meet Queen Oprah and...

Back for the third time on the podcast: Laura Richards. Laura is a Criminal Profiler, Behavioral Analyst and Victims Rights Advocate. Today she’s back to talk about the recurring subject of serial predators and how they’re portrayed in unscripted content. I wanted to have Laura back on since Gihslane Maxwell is in the news now. She was finally arrested in the Jeffrey Epstein case and is being held without bail. We’re talking about JEFFREY EPSTEIN: FILTY RICH – the multi-part documentary now...

Today on the podcast, I’m continuing my conversation I started a few weeks ago with Black producers in the unscripted industry.  I’m talking to another amazing group of women: Erika Bryant, Jamala Gaither and Nakia Williams-Richardson. Erika is a seasoned Executive Producer who’s worked on shows like OWN’s Family or Fiance and Bravo’s Real Housewives of Atlanta and Married to Medicine. Jamala is a Supervising Producer who just wrapped the HBO Max show The Event, produced Kevin Hart’s What the...

Andy Dehnart is making his second appearance on the show! Today we’re celebrating 20 years of his blog REALITY BLURRED. We talk about shows that have been around since the beginning and of course the reboots, some of recent controversy with shows like Live PD and Vanderpump Rules, what new shows he’s loving right now and how unscripted looks now and going forward. Andy’s website: https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/ Our original chat: https://tasteofreality.com/andy-dehnart/ Follow me...

Today on the podcast, LaNee Griffin-Carroll. LaNee always knew she wanted to be in television – growing up with a father in the business. She started hustling at an early age and hasn’t stopped. We get into her career, starting as an assistant at VH1 and working her way up the ranks and going over to Universal and NBC. Then 4 years ago her heart was in creating content and show running. She’s executive produced the new show on Disney+ Be Our Chef, Road Trippin with Ricky Thompson and Denzel...

It’s part one of my podcast with black producers in unscripted. I can’t even express how eye opening this was and how much I learned.  I talk to four amazing producers and we cover a lot of ground including: what it’s like for them to work in this industry, why inclusion matters for the people making content and green lighting it, how black culture needs to be better represented in unscripted and what can be done at production companies and networks to make things better.  Please share widely...

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the Countess speaking. It’s Real Housewives of NY’s Luann De Lesseps back on the podcast for another fun chat! If you missed our first epic pod (done lying down in her hotel room) a year ago you definitely want to hear that one too (link below). Today we get into the current season, how she really feels about Bethenny leaving, whether Tinsley should be marrying Scott and if Ramona has changed at all. And.. you won’t want to miss the cameo from son Noel (“shoo...

Jen O’Connell is Executive Vice President of non-fiction and kids and family programming at HBO Max. The first time Jen was on the podcast in 2016, we went in-depth on her career but today it’s all about the HBO Max Launch! They’ve got an amazing slate of unscripted shows including underground ballroom competition show LEGENDARY, the new Amy Schumer doc-series EXPECTING AMY and the new Selena Gomez quarantine cooking show coming out this summer. We also get the inside scoop on what to expect...

Jason Evans is a long time producer who specializes in the travel show genre. He moved to Hawaii in 2005 and hasn’t looked back. He was able to funnel his love of travel into an exciting career – working all over the world – as recently as Botswana – where he got turned around after 3 days when Covid hit and the country went on lockdown. We talked a lot about how the pandemic will change travel shows now and in the future and how Hawaii has been able to be relatively Covid free. Learn more...

Evolyn Brooks is an award winning TV Show Runner and Experiential Events Producer and has worked for major networks and syndicators. She’s taken all her skills as a producer and turned into an entrepreneur who does inspiring events for corporations and small groups alike. We talk all about what that means and how she got into it and chat about her new podcast Built By a Boss where she interviews other female entrepreneurs about how they started their businesses. Check out Evolyn’s podcast,...

Today on the podcast, my friend and Bravo guru Brandon Alvarado. Brandon is an encyclopedia of housewives knowledge, and we’re breaking down Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Is Kyle a mean girl? Is Teddi a good housewife? Do we like the new additions? We mention it all and more. Enjoy! Follow Brandon on Instagram and Twitter! Follow me on social media: Instagram Twitter realityofreality.com Receive 10% off your first order of up to 10 hours of video with Transcription Farm services...

It’s my part 3 (!) of producers in the the time of Covid-19. We’re in week 7 of quarantine in Los Angeles and how is everyone holding up? Where are we now with producing and developing content? First up, Dwight Smith and Michael Agbabian, founders and owners of Mission Control Media. They’re best known for their hit shows Face Off and Hollywood Game Night. They also produce the re-boot of The Soup and a new show on Quibi called Floored. After that, it’s producer and owner of MAK Pictures,...