Reality TV scholars Anna Hossnieh & Molly Lambert (Deckheads: Chief Stews!) stop by TV Club to help Ashley highlight the must-see reality shows currently airing and to give an in-depth look at the current season of Below Deck: Sailing Yacht. If you’ve ever wondered “What exactly is Summer House?” or “Why hasn’t there been a gay Bachelor called the Bi-chelor?” or “Why are so many women on Below Deck horny for Gary?” then this episode is for you. What We Watched: Below Deck: Sailing Yacht Summ...
May 17, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 43
The WGA is on strike! Ashley welcomes TV writers Niccole Thurman (Everything’s Trash) & Nick Wiger (Doughboys) to help break down what the writers are fighting for in their battle with the greedy studios. To donate to Hollywood crew members in need, go to: https://entertainmentcommunity.org/ For picket locations & schedules in LA & NY go to: https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/picket-schedules-and-locations Follow Niccole @niccolethurman Follow Nick @nickwiger What We Watched: Jur...
May 10, 2023•56 min•Season 2Ep. 42
Today on TV Club we’re changing the channel to Comedy Central! Ashley speaks with BD Wong (Jurassic World), Lori Tan Chinn (Orange Is the New Black) & Teresa Hsiao about the return of Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens and also does a deep dive on the state of the network that used to launch careers of comedic stars. The conclusion? People aren’t giving Comedy Central the respect it deserves! Plus, Ashley goes through her weekly watchlist and discusses the latest terrifying episode of Barry. What...
May 03, 2023•48 min•Season 2Ep. 41
John Owen Lowe, the star and co-creator of the Netflix comedy series Unstable, joins Ashley to talk all things TV. John discusses Fred Armisen playfully torturing him to laugh during scenes, lessons he learned from Ryan Murphy, and even reveals he almost told his father Rob not to do Parks & Recreation just so he could continue enjoying the show. Plus, Ashley discovers John is a “learned Vanderpump Rules scholar” and reality TV junkie who’s fired up to talk about MILF Island, Too Hot to Hand...
Apr 26, 2023•52 min•Season 2Ep. 40
Reality dating show experts Emma Gray & Claire Fallon (Love To See It) join Ashley to provide an oral history of the night Netflix completely botched the “live” Love Is Blind reunion that nobody asked for. They eventually dive into the reunion itself, discussing Vanessa & Nick Lachey’s awful hosting job, Kwame getting a bad edit, how Bravo would’ve done it better, and so much more. Plus, Ashley recaps her thoughts on the Barry premiere, Succession, and several more shows you should be wa...
Apr 18, 2023•45 min•Season 2Ep. 39
After a jaw-dropping Succession, Ashley turns to the TV Club hotline to answer listener questions about the episode that left everyone shook. But first, we time travel back to 1980-something to chat with The Goldbergs’ Wendi McLendon-Covey about the acclaimed sitcom’s final season, Reno 911 stories, Wendi’s dream acting roles, and so much more. What We Watched: Succession Tiny Beautiful Things Jury Duty Beef Love Is Blind Last Week Tonight Hello Tomorrow! Seeking Brother Husband Yellowjackets Ho...
Apr 12, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 38
After reading Rolling Stone's garbage list of the greatest TV themes of all time, Ashley knew she had to punch up the list. And who better to call for help than musicians, comedians, and filmmakers Evan Gregory & Andrew Gregory of the Punch Up The Jam podcast? Together the crew count down their superior TV theme song picks, with plenty of singin' along the way. Plus, Ashley breaks down her weekly watchlist which naturally includes a show where Meryl Streep voices a humpback whale. Watch Andr...
Apr 05, 2023•53 min•Season 2Ep. 37
Ashley lets Zach Braff (Scrubs, Alex Inc.) break a TV Club rule to chat about his new movie A Good Person starring Florence Pugh & Morgan Freeman—but don’t worry, there’s still plenty of TV talk for y'all! Zach gets into his recent stints directing episodes of Shrinking & Ted Lasso, looks back on the TV shows and actors that inspired him, and astonishes Ashley by introducing her to a TV show that she's never heard of. Plus, Ashley dives into her thoughts on the week’s big 3 season premie...
Mar 29, 2023•27 min•Season 2Ep. 36
Chlöe Bailey’s explicit sex scene in Swarm created fiery discourse online, so Ashley turns to Swarm’s intimacy coordinator Sasha Nicolle Smith to get the exclusive behind the scenes scoop on the realistic (but FAKE, duh!) sex scene. Sasha details everything that goes into planning and shooting TV sex scenes, spills some tea about Rory Culkin’s penis close-up in Swarm, shares tips on how to make a kiss look smokin’ hot, and even brings a real example of the pilates ball she places between actors’...
Mar 22, 2023•53 min•Season 2Ep. 35
To break down Sunday’s mega The Last of Us & Oscars double feature, Ashley called upon your favorite video game/TV experts Matt Apodaca (Get Played) and Cody Ziglar (Futurama, Spider-Man: Miles Morales). The Oscars didn’t change Ashley’s opinion that TV is better than movies, but Matt and Zig do manage to get Ashley hyped for more potential TV adaptations of video games. Plus, Ashley reveals what she would’ve done in Pedro Pascal’s position at the end of The Last Of Us (Hint: “PUT HER ON THE...
Mar 15, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 34
Comedian and Real Housewives scholar Camille Corbett joins Ashley to chat with actor/producer Garcelle Beauvais (Coming 2 America, The Jamie Foxx Show). They get into diversity on the Real Housewives, how representation matters in media, and Garcelle's new Lifetime movie Black Girl Missing. Plus, Ashley and Camille reveal their weekly watchlist and dub the Amazon comedy series Harlem as the new watch of the week. What We Watched: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Perfect Match Below Deck Rich...
Mar 08, 2023•44 min•Season 2Ep. 33
Ashley welcomes Australian comedians Aunty Donna and almost meets her match as Zack, Broden and Mark share their deep love of USA TV nostalgia and dive deep into how the TV sausage gets made. The boys share what it was like shooting their Netflix show right before the world shut down plus impress Ashley with their TV Watchlist suggestions, but first they all have to solve the biggest conspiracy theory around: Does Australia even exist? You can find more details about the Aunty Donna World Tour 2...
Mar 01, 2023•53 min•Season 2Ep. 32
Gladiators Unite! Ashley’s Scandal episode is here with special guests Katie Lowes & Guillermo Diaz straight from their new podcast Unpacking the Toolbox. Ashley asks Katie aka ‘Quinn Perkins’ and Guillermo aka ‘Huck’ about their favorite Scandal moments, life on and off set during that time and their hopes for future Shondaland collaborations (Shonda, we need a horror thriller with Guillermo, STAT!). Have you always wanted to know the table read cast reaction when they realized Olivia Pope ...
Feb 22, 2023•48 min•Season 2Ep. 31
For Super Bowl Sunday, Ashley is joined by the world’s best (newly appointed) TV Commercial critics, comedians & podcasters: Lauren Lapkus and Paul F. Tompkins! It’s the TV event with the most viewers from around the world and the stakes and tensions are high! Did we have too many celebrities in the commercials? Has Reality TV jumped the shark? Do we always and forever love Rihanna? Join Ashley, Lauren & Paul this week and we answer all your Superbowl Commercial questions and share some ...
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 30
This week, Ashley is joined by journalists, cultural commentators and wannabe HBO Girlies: Sam Sanders & Zach Stafford! The trio get right into whether The Last of Us is good TV or great TV, Murray Bartlett’s strawberries and which network is killing it at the moment. From everyone’s favorite Saturday Night Live performer to which streamers are supporting black creators and respecting black audiences, this episode will give you some hot TV takes and leave you surprised with who supports capi...
Feb 08, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 29
This episode is giving post apocalyptic scaredy cats! It’s giving stand out child actor stars and it’s giving perfect comic timing with a couple of TV exclusive scoops! Join Ashley Ray to talk about where Imani got her comedy chops (Everybody Hates Chris) and her return to comedy all these years later (Mythic Quest!) and there’s a special guest reviewer: Ashley’s Mom Sharon tells you why she LOVES her new favorite show Poker Face! What We Watched: The Last of Us Poker Face Mythic Quest Everybody...
Feb 01, 2023•44 min•Season 2Ep. 28
Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata are two TV greats, and they’re both in Ashley’s fave network TV sitcoms Grand Crew and Home Economics. They join TV Club to share what they’ve been loving on TV lately (if it’s a teenager in high school with some troubles, we’re all in), as Sasheer debates which TV anti-hero is the most irredeemable character while Nicole dishes the smoothest and hottest hot TV takes about Drag Race and 90 Day Fiance. Listen to Nicole & Sasheer on their podcast Best Friends! Wh...
Jan 25, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 27
We’re revisiting the 90s and getting super nostalgic about the 70s, with Ashley’s guest Debra Jo Rupp (That 70s Show, That 90s Show and WandaVision). Debra Jo and Ashley connect over The Challenge and get wistful about Reality TV Game Shows over the years but find out what role has been Debra Jo’s favorite (An Actor’s Dream!) but more importantly which TV Show set had the best catering. Ashley also tells Debra Jo all about the Grey’s Anatomy Scammer controversy. That 90s Show airs on Netflix on ...
Jan 18, 2023•40 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Below Deck’s Captain Sandy joins Ashley to chat about the charter boat cast and crew members, and the challenges of working and sleeping in such a tight space all the while having TV cameras in your face. Hear why Captain Sandy calls out Bravo as the best TV network, why she needs pirate training and which role on the boat would suit Ashley. An actual inspiring leader and quite possibly the best reality tv personality, we can all learn something from Captain Sandy! Her new book “Be The Calm or B...
Jan 11, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Jason Mantzoukas (How Did This Get Made?, Star Trek: Prodigy) returns for Part 2 of his gabfest with Ashley about the Underrated TV Hits of 2022 where they recommend a mockumentary horror series with moron versions of Mulder and Scully (Wellington Paranormal), a travel show about healthy adult male friendships (101 Places To Party Before You Die), an anime where a 10-year-old boy lives alone in his own apartment (Kotaro Lives Alone), and much, much more. Plus, Jason outlines his method for how t...
Jan 04, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 24
To close out the year with a bang, Jason Mantzoukas (How Did This Get Made?, Star Trek: Prodigy) joins the TV Club for a marathon TWO-PART episode about the UNDERRATED TV hits of 2022. Get outta here giant IP-driven shows that have dominated the discourse all year! We’re talkin’ about the lesser-known shows that deserve love too. But first, Jason discusses landing his first big TV roles on The League and Enlightened, he reveals what TV shows he’d still love to appear on (Law & Order?!), he b...
Dec 28, 2022•57 min•Season 2Ep. 23
If you yearn for a holiday special where Martha May Whovier sings “I’m the only hot Who in Whoville, men know if their wife won’t, I will” then don’t sleep on Matt Rogers’ (Las Culturistas) new Showtime musical special Have You Heard of Christmas? Matt tells Ashley how the capitalism of Christmas inspired the project, breaks down the misogyny in the shocking Survivor season finale, talks secret hot nerd bodies in White Lotus, and gives fans of Showtime’s I Love That For You an exclusive update o...
Dec 21, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Ashley sounds off on this year’s Golden Globe nominations and the highly anticipated White Lotus season finale. She's then joined by Rotten Tomatoes editor Jacqueline Coley & podcaster/cultural commentator Xorje Olivares to recap the Best TV of 2022. They’ll break down Bill Hader’s soft top energy, the sexual and generational politics of White Lotus, the over-wokeness of And Just Like That, and look ahead to what shows they’re psyched for in 2023. What We Watched: Barry White Lotus Atlanta A...
Dec 14, 2022•56 min•Season 2Ep. 21
What solidifies a TV show as one of the greats? To investigate, Ashley recruits comedian Kareem Rahma to help judge the great shows of the peak TV era. They ask, “Can a TV show be great in spite of a terrible last season?” *cough* Game of Thrones *cough*. Plus, they dive into some juicy White Lotus theories, Kareem gives a controversial Black Mirror opinion, and they debate if E.R. or Grey’s Anatomy has the hottest hospital show cast. What We Watched: Fleishman is in Trouble Mo Ramy The Bear Myt...
Dec 07, 2022•50 min•Season 2Ep. 20
What did you watch over the holidays!? This episode Ashley is whipping through some great TV highlights like White Lotus, Rick & Morty and your girls on Sex Lives of College Girls. She’s then joined by Rachel Lindsay, who you know as the first African American lead on the Bachelor franchise but who is now in her dream job at Extra interviewing all your fave TV people and covering entertainment news. Ashley & Rachel catch up about their mutual hometown in Texas, what questions to ask cele...
Nov 30, 2022•42 min•Season 2Ep. 19
It’s the start of holiday season and Ashley calls in her XOXO Gossip King friends Carl Tart and Lamar Woods to get into the plumpest holiday watchlist EVER. We’ll fill you up with lots of new TV recommendations, plus all the Thanksgiving memories from the shows you loved growing up. What we’re watching: Big Brother Inside Job Money Heist Attack on Titan The Crown Mo Ramy White Lotus Killer Sally A Friend of the Family Angelyne My 600-lb Life Love is Blind Blockbuster Sex Lives of College Girls N...
Nov 23, 2022•54 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Have you ever heard of a little TV show called Game of Thrones? Maybe you have noticed the Interview with a Vampire reboot is essentially a queer live-action fanfic of Anne Rice’s classic? BUT the link between these TV shows is British actor Jacob Anderson and Ashley’s guest for this no spoiler episode. And guess what? He’s a huge comedy sitcom fan! Ashley also dips into some Vow Season 2 dirt plus spotlights some key moments from recent finales like Atlanta & A Friend of the Family and who ...
Nov 16, 2022•47 min•Season 2Ep. 17
The 90 Day Fiancé Universe is peaking right now and Ashley is here for you and the drama and magic of TV’s trashiest show. First up, Ashley is joined by her 90 Day BFF Rory Phillips - the Brit who knows as much about 90 Day as Ashley - and they discuss who has scammer energy, the hectic filming antics on set and of course Michael, Angela and Big Ed. THEN, Jerry O’Connell - the actor, director and TV host himself - drops in with his wildest hot takes on 90 Day Fiancé and what you can expect on St...
Nov 09, 2022•56 min•Season 2Ep. 16
You gotta be you! We have Brandon Kyle Goodman, one the world’s most modern day oracles talking TV with Ashley this week! You’ll get so much nostalgic TV, you’ll hear about their black queerness, their unique lens on writing for TV and what steps we can take to love ourselves?! So much insight into being literally THEE black queer voice in TV animation right now with Big Mouth and Human Resources. PLUS Brandon and Ashley ask the main question, 'Which Living Single character are you'? Find Brando...
Nov 02, 2022•54 min•Season 2Ep. 15
The finale of House of the Dragon is here and all the wigs are fired this season! Writer & Comedian Mano Agapion joins Ashley for an exclusive recap, full of the hottest hot takes of this Game of Thrones spin off. There will be spoilers this week, so catch up on your GoT & HoD viewing and join Ashley & Mano! Which characters did we love? Which characters do we want burnt by dragons? Did the show live up to Game of Thrones season 1? Catch Mano in the new Earwolf Presents podcast 2 Spo...
Oct 25, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 14
