Hot and Bothered - podcast cover

Hot and Bothered

Not Sorry Productionswww.hotandbotheredrompod.com

Hot and Bothered is all about the power of romance culture. We analyze romance novels and movies to better imagine our own happy endings. Episodes release weekly on Tuesdays.


CURRENT SEASON: Hot and Bothered (Movie Edition)

We make Hot and Bothered because we are interested in the way that love stories have impacted our lives and culture. For our fifth season of the show, we’re turning our attention to romantic films. Vanessa and Hannah McGregor dig into the canon of romantic films, from Titanic to Twilight to When Harry Met Sally, (just to name a few). Every other week they do a close scene analysis of how each movie ends, always asking the question ‘what does this movie believe about love?’



SEASON 4: Live from Pemberley

In Live from Pemberley, we continue our deep-dive into the classic texts of romance literature. This season we take a close look at the most famous Romance novel of all time: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Every episode, Vanessa Zoltan and Lauren Sandler read through the book, talk with experts, and ask themselves the question ‘is this still a story for our time?’


SEASON 3: On Eyre

Vanessa Zoltan and journalist Lauren Sandler embark on the English class you always deserved, diving deep into Jane Eyre through the themes of power and desire. Discussions range from ideas of class and colonialism to sex and gender as Lauren and Vanessa explore the roles of oppression and inequality, empowerment and rebellion in the text. Major “Eyreheads” and first-time readers alike are invited into Lauren and Vanessa’s conversation as they grapple with this complicated work—and as they try to figure out if Jane Eyre is a book they want to pass on to their daughters, and to future generations.


SEASON 2: Twilight in Quarantine

You may remember BFFs Vanessa & Julia from their all-star advice giving in Hot and Bothered Season 1. In this season they’re sheltering in place in different cities, but they’re getting on the phone three times a week to read and talk about Twilight. On Twilight in Quarantine, they work their way through the Twilight saga one chapter at a time, giving brilliant well-informed advice to Stephenie Meyer’s characters along the way. Advice like: “have you considered talking to each other about your feelings?” and “maybe you shouldn’t kidnap people.”


SEASON 1: Writing Romance

Season one of Hot and Bothered follows ten first-time romance writers as they try to write their own romance novels. Each episode explores a particular romance trope and why we love it so much. Along the way, Julia Quinn, writer of the Bridgerton series, gives weekly assignments so listeners can follow along in the process. Season one was made in collaboration with Spoke Media.


Hot & Bothered is produced by Not Sorry Productions, a feminist organization that produces podcasts, educational content, live shows, and immersive experiences with the explicit goal of addressing the spiritual needs of its participants. Through community, rigor, and ritual, we treat traditionally secular things as if they were sacred. To learn more about what we do, visit https://notsorryworks.com/

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Episodes

Ending Of: Kate & Leopold

For this week’s bi-weekly scene study, Vanessa and Hannah examine the last scene of Kate & Leopold . They discuss what it would mean to time travel to the past for love and what they would bring with them to 1876.  --- If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon ! On Patreon have more great romance content including a bonus close scene analysis with Vanessa and Hannah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Sep 03, 202420 minSeason 5Ep. 20

Kate & Leopold

Vanessa Zoltan and Hannah McGregor meet traveling through time to record this week’s episode of Hot and Bothered, all about Kate & Leopold . It's our final Meg Ryan movie! This week we explore what it meant for Meg Ryan to be a rom-com star at 40 years old and the American fantasy of British history. We finish the episode with an interview with the chief historian of The Center for Brooklyn History , Dominique Jean-Louis, about the Brooklyn Bridge. Next week, we look at the final scene of Ka...

Aug 27, 20241 hr 3 minSeason 5Ep. 19

Ending Of: French Kiss (with Casper ter Kuile)

For this week’s bi-weekly scene study, Vanessa and Casper take a close look at the last two scenes of French Kiss . They discuss Kate's financial sacrifice for Luc and what it means that she's willing to up and move to France. --- If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon ! On Patreon have more great romance content including a bonus close scene analysis with Vanessa and Casper. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Aug 20, 202417 minSeason 5Ep. 18

French Kiss (with Casper ter Kuile)

Vanessa Zoltan meets Casper ter Kuile on a beach in Cannes to record this week’s episode, all about the 1995 movie French Kiss directed by Lawrence Kasdan. This week we discuss the 'criminal with a heart of gold' trope and the power of kissing. We finish the episode with an interview with anxiety coach Dave Carbonell , all about aerophobia (a fear of flying). Next week, Casper is back to look at the final scene of French Kiss . --- If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon ! ...

Aug 13, 20241 hr 3 minSeason 5Ep. 17

Ending Of: You've Got Mail

For this week’s bi-weekly scene study, Vanessa and Hannah dissect (and relentlessly mock) the last scene of You've Got Mail . They discuss the lack of actual communication in this scene and the supposed charm of Joe Fox. --- If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon ! On Patreon have more great romance content including a bonus close scene analysis with Vanessa and Hannah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Aug 06, 202422 minSeason 5Ep. 16

You've Got Mail

Vanessa Zoltan and Hannah McGregor meet on the Upper West Side of Manhattan to record this week’s episode of Hot and Bothered, all about You’ve Got Mail . We’re onto our final Meg Ryan/Nora Ephron collaboration.  This week we explore how politics intersect with attraction and interview the former Editorial Director of Publisher’s Weekly, Jim Milliot, about the history of big box bookstores. Next week, we look at the final scene of You’ve Got Mail . --- If we give you butterflies, consider s...

Jul 30, 20241 hr 5 minSeason 5Ep. 15

Ending Of: When Harry Met Sally

For this week’s bi-weekly scene study, Vanessa and Hannah tackle the last scene of When Harry Met Sally . They discuss the interstitial ‘couch scenes’ which recur throughout the movie and the few details we learn about Harry and Sally’s life after reconciliation.  --- If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon ! On Patreon have more great romance content including a bonus close scene analysis with Vanessa and Hannah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa...

Jul 23, 202418 minSeason 5Ep. 14

When Harry Met Sally

Vanessa Zoltan and Hannah McGregor meet as the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve to record this week’s episode of Hot and Bothered, all about When Harry Met Sally . We’re continuing our deep-dive into Meg Ryan with the movie that put her on the map as leading-lady material. This week we explore whether 'opposites attract' is really a romantic principle we believe in and interview Professor Claude S. Fischer about the social history of telephones. Next week, we look at the final scene...

Jul 16, 20241 hr 6 minSeason 5Ep. 13

Ending Of: Sleepless in Seattle

After our wide-lens analysis of a movie, we're going to spend a week closely studying its final scene. These scenes, which are often Happily Ever Afters, tell us a lot about what's important to the movie and its idea about love and coupledom. In this week's scene, the characters Annie, Sam, and Jonah finally get to meet each other on the top of the Empire State Building. --- If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon ! On Patreon have more great romance content including a bon...

Jul 09, 202424 minSeason 5Ep. 12

Sleepless in Seattle

Vanessa Zoltan and Hannah McGregor meet at the top of The Empire State Building to record their first episode of Hot and Bothered together, all about the 1993 classic Sleepless in Seattle . It’s got Meg Ryan, it’s got Tom Hanks, it’s directed by Nora Ephron. What more could you want?  For the next nine weeks, we’re thinking about the influence and impact of Meg Ryan as a rom-com super star. Next week, we look at the final scene of Sleepless in Seattle . In two weeks, join us for When H...

Jul 02, 20241 hr 1 minSeason 5Ep. 11

How To: Have Mixed Feelings About a Rom Com

Well folks – we've arrived! Our tenth and final episode of our How To series about How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days . We've puzzled over its messaging, marveled at its efficiency, and learned a lot about the mechanics of film-making. On today's episode, Vanessa shares her concluding thoughts on the movie and brings her lingering questions to the brilliant cultural critic Anne Helen Petersen. We end the episode looking at the HEA with our new co-host, Hannah McGregor. In two weeks, we're starting the...

Jun 18, 202424 minSeason 5Ep. 10

How To: Dress Like a Costume Designer

We can't wrap-up a deep-dive into How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days without talking about the most memorable part of the movie – the yellow dress Kate Hudson wears in the climax of the film. And while we're at it, it's worth obsessing over all the costumes in this film because this is a movie steeped in fashion. To help us unpack the craft of costume design, we're welcoming Colin Wilkes on the show. Colin Wilkes is a costume designer who has designed theater, opera, puppetry, TV and film in many...

Jun 04, 202436 minSeason 5Ep. 9

How To: Listen Like a Musicologist

The music of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days runs the gamut from country-pop songs to whimsical orchestrations. To the modern ear, it all sounds very specific to an early 2000s rom-com moment. This week, to help us understand that moment and the history of movie music more broadly, we have Julie Hubbert on the show. Julie Hubbert is the LaDare Robinson Memorial Professor of Music at the University of South Carolina. She's the writer of Technology, Listening, and Labor: Music in New Hollyw...

May 21, 202445 minSeason 5Ep. 8

How To: See Like a Cinematographer

When watching at rom-com, have you ever noticed that the stars just kind of glow? That their skin looks silky smooth and their apartments are always sun-drenched? Lighting design and camera movement play a huge role in giving rom-coms their particular aesthetic, and those things (we're pretty sure) are part of the art of cinematography. This week, to help us understand the history of cinematography and the particular look of How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days, we have Chris Cagle on the show. Chris Ca...

May 07, 202437 minSeason 5Ep. 7

How To: Spot a Movie Star

The success of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is built around the chemistry and star-power of its two leading actors: Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. To truly understand this film, we have to understand the way movie stars operate in Hollywood, what casting these two actors meant in 2003, and what it means today. Helping us in that task is Russell Meeuf , a professor in the school of Journalism and Mass Media at the University of Idaho. His work focuses on celebrity culture, popular cine...

Apr 23, 202451 minSeason 5Ep. 6

How To: Design a Movie World

After talking about setting last episode, we wanted to dig even deeper into the physical space inhabited by Ben and Andie. How does the design of their workplaces, apartments, and date-nights affect how we perceive each of their characters? To help us tackle this topic, we're joined by Production Designer Stuart Blatt. Stuart walks us through the role of Production Designer, how he works with other crew members, and what he noticed specifically when watching How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days? --- If ...

Apr 09, 202437 minSeason 5Ep. 5

How To: Understand Setting and Location

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days , like many Rom-Coms, is set in New York City. It’s got fire escapes, taxi cabs, and a dramatic Manhattan Bridge scene.  In order to understand this film, we have to understand: What is it about New York that is so ripe for romance? And what parts of the city are highlighted in this movie and why? To help us answer those questions, we’re joined by Eric Hynes, the Curator of Film at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York.  --- If we give you butterflies,...

Mar 26, 202438 minSeason 5Ep. 4

Bonus Conversation: How We Misunderstand Homelessness with Charyti Reiter

For our annual fundraiser at Not Sorry, we are again supporting the wonderful organization On The Rise. On The Rise’s work begins with individuals experiencing homelessness in Cambridge, Massachusetts and continues if and when they secure housing. From their origin as a women’s organization, their programs have evolved toward inclusion of those historically and structurally oppressed on the basis of gender. In today's episode, Vanessa sits down with On The Rise’s Director of Clinical Services, C...

Mar 14, 202427 min

How To: Be a Film Critic

For our next deep-dive into How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days , we wanted to better understand the story structure of a Rom-Com. We called up the delightful Hannah Giorgis, a film critic for The Atlantic, to help us break down the three-act structure and how it operates in this film. Hannah brought some great citations and resources to the show: “You’re So Vain”: An Oral History of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days The Big Sleepover:The fatal flaw of How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days This  tweet &nbs...

Mar 12, 202442 minSeason 5Ep. 3

How To: Watch a Rom-Com

For our first deep-dive into How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days , we wanted to look at the history of the rom-com genre. To help us dig into it, we called up the incredible Kathleen Karlyn, the founding director of the Cinema Studies program at University of Oregon and author of The Unruly Woman: Gender and the Genres of Laughter . We wanted to know: Where does the history of the rom-com start? What do people mean when they say something is a ‘battle of the sexes’ movie? and how do gender norms and id...

Feb 27, 202442 minSeason 5Ep. 2

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

We make Hot & Bothered because we are interested in the way that love stories have impacted our lives and culture. For our fifth season of the show, we’re turning our attention to romantic films. We're starting this season with 10 episodes on How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, an iconic film of the early 2000s rom-com oeuvre. It has a perfect yellow dress. It has a karaoke battle. It has Matthew McConaughey on a motorcycle. It’s basically the epitome of everything people consider ‘silly’ about th...

Feb 13, 202433 minSeason 5Ep. 1

Trailer: Hot and Bothered Season 5

Hot and Bothered is back for Season 5 with a brand new host! We're thrilled to be joined by Hannah McGregor to help us analyze all our favorite Romance movies. New episodes bi-weekly on Tuesdays. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 13, 20243 min

Special Edition: Northanger Abbey (with Dr. Lesley Goodman)

In August Vanessa and Margaret are taking a trip to Bath to go on long walks, read Northanger Abbey, and talk about questions like: how do I learn when to trust my gut and when to doubt it? Once someone has lost our trust, can confidence ever be restored, and how? In celebration of our trip, we're sharing a conversation from our Patreon archive with Professor Lesley Goodman all about Northanger Abbey. We hope you enjoy, and consider signing up for our pilgrimage ! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/...

Jan 29, 202432 min

Special Edition: Wuthering Heights Pilgrimage (with Sanne Vliegenthart)

In September of next year, Sanne Vliegenthart is leading our Wuthering Heights pilgrimage to West Yorkshire. In this bonus, hear Vanessa and Sanne talk about Wuthering Heights and the incredible village of Haworth, where the Brontës lived. If you're interested in joining the pilgrimage, you can sign-up at: https://www.readingandwalkingwith.com/wuthering-heights-2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Dec 15, 202318 min

Live from Pemberley: Persuasion (with Margaret H. Willison)

This week we're sharing another special episode from our Patreon-only Austen mini series! Vanessa and Margaret H. Willison discuss disability representation in the text and why Persuasion is the most mature Austen novel. Check out our patreon to hear more episodes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Nov 10, 202324 min

Imperfect Romance with Nichole Perkins

This week we're joined by Nichole Perkins for a special conversation about her first romance novel experience and A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole. Nichole and Vanessa are co-leading an A Duke By Default pilgrimage in Edinburgh, Scotland in May 2024. Learn more (and sign-up) here ! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Oct 23, 202321 min

Bridgerton x Reading the Romance | Material Girls

This week we're sharing a special episode of one of our favorite podcasts, Material Girls . Vanessa joins as a guest to discuss Bridgerton the book series and its move into the mainstream through the Shondaland adaptation on Netflix. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Oct 16, 20231 hr 9 min

Re-Run – Twilight in Quarantine: Nightmare

While you're waiting for our new season, have you considered revisiting Twilight in Quarantine ? It's the perfect time of year for vampires, werewolves, and angsty teen romance! This week we're re-publishing one of our favorite episodes from book one: Nightmare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 03, 202320 min

Live from Pemberley: Emma (with Professor Roxanne Eberle)

While we're working away on the next season of Hot and Bothered , over on our patreon we're going to be exploring the other Austen books and adaptations! This is our first episode of the patreon exclusive mini-season: a conversation about Emma with one of our favorite Austen scholars, Professor Roxanne Eberle. Next week we'll be discussing the 2020 movie adaption – tune in on Patreon to listen along! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Sep 15, 202323 minSeason 4Ep. 40

Live from Pemberley: A Conclusion

In our final episode of the season, Vanessa and Lauren return to some of their central questions about Pride and Prejudice , its popularity and its politics. We'll be back in a few months with our next season, but in the meantime we'll be releasing regular bonus episodes on our Patreon . We'd love to have you join the community supporting our work! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Aug 25, 202334 minSeason 4Ep. 39