The Nanny Yetta’s Letters
The Nanny Yetta’s Letters – “Spirits and Chat with Jon and Matt” is a podcast hosted by real-life married couple Jonathan Emerson and Matthew Pohlman. Each week they watch an episode of a classic TV show where a character is involved in a play (like when Marge Simpson was in “Oh Streetcar!” or when Jackie Harris was an understudy for the lead in “Cyrano de Bergerac”) and break down what the show got right and wrong about life in the theater.
I’ll be there for you…to talk about this very theatrical episode of the 90’s hit ‘Friends’. While Joey doesn’t always behave in a professional manner, this episode portrays a refreshingly accurate look at what it’s like to work on an off-Broadway show. Even Phoebe spends the entire episode on a landline, Ross has the best fashion sense and Ben Stiller guest stars as Rachel’s very problematic date.
The Nanny Yetta’s Letters
What’s the deal with this podcast? We’re watching the classic episode of “Seinfeld” that combines three things every gay man loves: Broadway, Bette Midler and Tonya Harding!
The Nanny S06e18 Yetta’s Letters
Don’t you just hate it when you get the lead role in a play and then your twin steals the role? That’s what happens to poor Tamera Landry in this season two episode of “Sister, Sister.” We sip some Captain Morgan rum and have a ’90s throwback as we discuss high school theater, why Tim Reid and Jackee Harry are comedic geniuses, and how the WB started strong but slowly became a home for orphan sitcoms.
We’re back talking about another episode of “The Simpsons”! This one reunites Marge with her high school classmates to revive their high school play, “Y2K: The Musical.” We discuss why Marge would make the perfect stage manager, reminisce about the 90s and the actual Y2K crisis, and experience extreme existential dread when we come to the realization that we are now officially the same age as Marge and Homer.
Who should have won Best Musical Tony 1999: Fosse, Parade, or Yetta’s letters? This week we sip refreshing Fresca (which Jonathan “absolutely” recommends with a splash of delicious Absolute Vodka for a quick summer cocktail) and then fall in love with all things Yetta at The Nanny. Join us as we delve into everything wrong with the production timeline to turn Yetta’s Letters from actual letters into a Broadway musical in six weeks, why Fran Drescher is a comedy goddess, and discuss whether Yetta should have chosen Richard or Joe.
If you’ve ever been looking for a cartoon that can touch on pretty much all of theater’s most tropes, look no further than Family Guy. This week we’re sipping Spice Professor’s delicious golden starfruit tea (our first non-alcoholic drink featured on the show. Apparently we’re also loose leaf tea people now. Who would have liked that?) and talking about all the other great tea and spice treasures which we found at the Bryant Park Winter Market. Then we go right into the scene with the season two Family Guy episode “The King Is Dead,” treading the boards with Peter Griffin as he slowly turns Lois’ production of The King and I into a weird mashup of Flashdance, Flash Gordon and Dune.
Los 90 Post I: The Nanny
In every generation, two snarky gay men are born who talk about your favorite episodes of television where the characters “put on a play.” We’re talking about ourselves of course! This week we’re sipping Blue Moon (which was delicious and hasn’t turned us into Neanderthals…yet) and talking about season one, episode nine of Buffy The Vampire Slayer: “The Puppet Show.” Listen to us delve into the humor and horror of school talent shows, debate whether Principal Snyder or Sid the Dummy is scarier, and review the Scoobies performance of Oedipus Rex.
We’re going back to the ’90s this week and looking at that episode of “Saved By The Bell” where the kids put on a rap version of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” and Jessie and Zack may or may not have feelings for each other. We sip on Svedka and Sprick (something Zack might have made up while raiding his parents’ liquor cabinet) and enjoy that gang’s antics as they pre-empt “Hamilton” by taking a well-known story and infusing it with a hip-hop beat. This is a rare episode where Zack Morris ISN’T complete trash and where Kelly and Slater have to grow up and trust their respective partners. And as always, Lisa Turtle gets all the good lines.
In this week’s episode, the boys delve into The Office and in particular the episode that explores Scranton, PA community theater. We start by tasting the classic 7&7 cocktail (made with the delicious Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey we found in the locked bottom drawer of Meredith’s desk), discuss The Office and its take on Sweeney Todd, and of course no discussion of theater would be complete without several references to the legendary Patti LuPone.
Jon and Matt discuss that episode of “The Golden Girls” where the ladies are in a production of Picnic (er, or a play loosely based on Picnic. Let’s call it Not-Picnic) with super hot womanizer Patrick Vaughn. From Sophia in an adorable pirate outfit to a familiar love triangle with the girls all vying for Patrick’s attention, this episode is more about sleazy banter than accurately portraying life in the arts. Still, we can’t help but laugh at all the familiar community theater tropes this episode depicts. Thanks for being a friend and listening!
The Nanny Star Fran Drescher Shares Her Favorite Episodes Of The Show
Jackie Harris faces the classic actor’s nightmare of having to go on stage without knowing any of your lines in this season three episode of Roseanne. The guys sip Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (something Roseanne and Dan might enjoy on a night out at Lobo) and discuss Cyrano De Bergerac, the thankless jobs at the community theater, and how everyone in Lanford needs to do something about Jackie.
On the season three premiere, Jon and Matt discuss the classic Simpsons episode where Marge is cast as Blanche Dubois in a musical version of A Streetcar Named Desire. From passive aggressive directors, to non-existent fight calls, to leads based solely on their looks, this episode delves deep into life in community theater. We also take a detour into Ayn Rand’s weird world when Maggie is forced to attend an Objectivist-inspired kindergarten (Maggie is a total ninja).
An update on season three, which will feature Jon and Matt reviewing episodes of class TV shows where a character is involved in theater.
Jon and Matt chat with Courtney Reardon (Travel Channel’s Portals to Hell and Ghost Adventures) and Andrew Hill of Seadside Shadows Haunted Tours in Mystic, CT. Courtney describes her experiences growing up in a real haunted house and what led her to create the tour company, and Andrew shares the mysterious event that changed his view of the paranormal forever. For more information about Seaside Shadows and to book tickets for upcoming tours, visit https://www.seasideshadows.com/
Die Nanny S06e18: Yettas Briefe (yetta’s Letters)
This week we speak with Sidney Prado (host of the “Behind the Behind” podcast) and his wife Nicole to discuss their individual and shared paranormal experiences.
We wrap up this nightmare of a year by talking about the darker figures in holiday history (like Krampus, Belsnickel, and La Befana), the Christmas movies that gave us chills, and why Home Alone is the most disturbing movie of all time.
Matt and Jon talk to the wonderful and talented Monique Sanchez (host of “Another F*cking Horror Podcast”) about her love of horror movies and her own paranormal experiences.
Happy Halloween! Jon and Matt take a break from their usual format to discuss their favorite horror movies of all time.
Fran Drescher’s Favorite Nanny Episodes Are The Perfect Binge
This week we are joined by Nancy Mades-Byrd. Nancy is a tour guide with Salem Historical Tours in Salem, MA and host of the “Witch Hunt” podcast. We discuss with her the history of the witch hunt in the United States and also her personal paranormal experiences while leading tours. For more information about Salem Historical Tours, visit their website at www.salemhistoricaltours.com.
In this episode we welcome season two’s very first guest, Miriam Cole. Miriam is a tour guide at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, WV and shares with us the history of the asylum as well as her first-hand experience with its ghosts.
This week we discuss the legendary cocktail named after a terrifying ghost, the Bloody Mary! Jon begins the show by serving the drink, which doesn’t quite go according to plan (Spoiler alert: it tasted terrible). Then we discuss the legendary ghoul herself, including Matt’s failed attempt to conjure her, Bloody Mary’s connection to British history and why children are drawn to summoning her spirit.
Jon and Matt kick off their brand new season by serving up the vodka gimlet, one of the many drinks used to treat scurvy in the 19th century (seriously, what was up with all the scurvy in the 19th century?). Then Jon tells not one, but two