Motherhood In Hollywood

You guys, I love this podcast so much. It has opened my eyes to so many different people, careers, perspectives and really started making me ask questions about my goals in life. The biggest question I had after this week's interview was, why haven't I met Rachna Fruchbom before now? She's awesome!  Rachna is now a writer on ABC's Fresh Off The Boat after working on the final two seasons of Parks and Rec. What?! I know. I got excited too. And before that she was a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM). But that doesn't mean she wasn't working. In this episode we are calling BS on people who say you're JUST a stay-at-home-mom. Rachna is also a strong feminist and shares what it was like to write for one of the funniest women in comedy today, Amy Poehler. There's a lot of real talk about how not everyone is made to be a SAHM. Some women thrive on going back into the work force and count the minutes until they can. Some don't. And that's ok! So much of what we do as moms is okay...great even! We just need the confidence to

When Wendy Burch walks into a room, or appears on your TV, you can't help but be drawn in by her husky voice and vivacious spirit. Whether she's reporting on a crime, or a pumpkin festival, she makes you want to sit up and listen. I worked with Wendy in the wee morning hours for many years at KTLA 5 in Los Angeles. We were both tired because the hours for morning news suck. But Wendy always made it fun and easy for me to do my job. Thanks lady! As a friend of many celebrities including Cheryl Tiegs, Lisa Vanderpump, and Kyle Richards, Wendy is very comfortable in the spotlight. And there was no exception when it came time to sharing her story about infertility.  I don't know if she ever had reservations about telling people she couldn't have a baby because when I met her she was already very open about it. I watched as she shared her heart, and ultrasounds with KTLA viewers, and those watching around the world online. So why are we doing this podcast and this topic now? According to Resolve, The Nationa

When I came across Laura Tremaine's blog Hollywood Housewife a few months ago I squealed in excitement. She's from Oklahoma! And she's a mom! And she loves writing! And she loves being a SAHM in Hollywood! Once my heart slowed down from racing after my new internet crush, I realized she had actually shut her blog down about a year ago and was no longer as active as before. So I sprang into action to find out where she is now and how I could convince her to come on my podcast and tell me everything about her life. Fortunately for me she was more than willing and I didn't have to offer her my first-born. Laura came over and we talked about how she left a small town in Oklahoma called Ardmore, and found her way into Hollywood. She talks about meeting the love of her life on the set of a TV show, yet neither of them realized it at first. Her detailed story is here on her website and definitely worth reading. We talk about what's like being moms in LA, because it's not like any other city to raise kids. And

One Funny Momma Cocoa Brown is also, one BUSY momma!  The comedian is starring as "Jennifer" on Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse (OWN), and just finished a recurring role on American Crime Story: The People versus OJ Simpson. She also tours around the country doing stand-up shows and has had roles in movies like Ted 2, and The Single Moms Club. But even with all this success, she tells me her favorite role is being a mom to her son, Phoenix. A woman after my own heart! I couldn't wait to ask her how she balances the demanding schedule of a stand-up comic with motherhood. (Side note, I want to be a stand-up comic so much, but just thinking about it makes me want to take a nap. It sounds like way more work than I'm ready for. #lazy) Cocoa was very open about how in some ways her career changed after having her son, and in some ways it didn't. I found myself wanting to jump through the Skype line and hug her when she was talking about how much she loves her child and her career. I get you Cocoa! I want wome

Sometimes in Hollywood it feels like your career can be a series of missed opportunities. If only you'd been in town when they called for that series regular audition instead of at grandma's funeral. Or if you had met Judd Apatow before the James Franco crew and built your own crew with him. Or if only you'd actually taken the time to film all those silly song parody ideas you had before The Lonely Island did it on SNL If you start to think about it too much you realize your life is just like that movie Sliding Doors... On this week's show I get to commiserate about missed opportunities and celebrate some pretty great ones with my friend writer/director Travis Oates. Once upon a time, Travis was my director at ACME Comedy Theater in LA. ACME friends will be interested to learn who his favorite company member was (ahem).  We dive into the history and current state of improv in Hollywood, how he transitioned from child star in Canada (The Beachcombers, The Littlest Hobo) to adult writer in Hollywood. Travis ha

I love talking to mama actors! My wonderful new friend Keiko Elizabeth (The Fosters, Hot in Cleveland) stops by to chat about the major career change that brought her to Hollywood. You guys, she was basically Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds but left it all behind to pursue her dreams as actress.  And The Wizard of Oz helped!  She shares how she's treated in Hollywood as an Asian-American actor. Her answer might surprise you!  And she reveals info on the new movie she's in with legendary actor JK Simmons. Plus we talk about how much we love being mommies as much as we love being actors. It really is the best! It's so cathartic for me to talk with other #momactors who are facing the same challenges I am when it comes to child care, auditioning, and finding your voice. It's not easy. That's why it's so important for actor parents to stay connected so we can encourage each other. Even if it's with a funny podcast ;) FYI, I have a moment of weakness in this week's Mommy Monologue. Sorry. It just all came

I had the pleasure of being a guest on The Parent Normal podcast with Chris Cate a few months ago. And now I get to turn the tables and interview him! The Parent Normal gives a sincere, comedic look at modern day parenting from a father of 3. Chris isn't your typical podcaster (who is these days?) He, like me, has a background in media. In this episode he shares how he went from being a news producer, to a member of the Florida Governor's staff, to a comedy podcast about parenting. He explains why he keeps his parenting comedy more general rather than specific to his own kids. And what changes he's seen in the parent blogging/podcasting world over the past few years. In my mommy monologue I explain why BeerFit isn't as cool as it sounds, and update you on my #MIH15by15. Hint: The Struggle Is Real. Chris's show is very funny and you can tell he puts a lot of heart, time, and thought into each episode.  You can find it on iTunes or parentnormal.com. Don't forget to subscribe to his show and Motherhood in

Confession time: I am not actively involved in my union, The Screen Actors Guild. Are you? Then stop judging me! Honestly, I'm not sure how I should get involved or to what extent. And in keeping with the whole honesty theme I should tell you I don't really have the time for it.  I admire actors who do make the time because they keep us other slackers protected and fight for our rights to get decent wages.  My friend Jill Alexander (Silicon Valley, Mad Men) is actively involved with the union and commercial contract negotiations. She has a vested interest because she's been in over a hundred commercials. Let that sink in for a bit...over a hundred! And you thought your callback for Sears was exciting. Jill's been in dozens of TV shows and films as well. So when I had the chance to talk to her, I couldn't wait to find out her secret for booking jobs as well as finding time to help with the union and be a mom.  She is a wealth of information on why actors shouldn't work "off the card" and what exactly the te

Motherhood in Hollywood is on-location this week!  I hit the road to check out the Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower in LA.  I met some inspiring mom friends and got up close and personal with cool new products for parents.  I'm going to list them all here but that doesn't mean you can skip listening to the show. You would miss me ask really ridiculous questions like the mom-dork that I am. It's a tasty treat for your earholes! Betsey Johnson's energy is contagious! 3! LOL Mom-To-Be Audrina Patridge                     I chatted with Audrina Patridge (The Hills, DWTS) about her plans to balance work and family once her little one arrives. And I got to ask her what she's having! Any guesses?  And eccentric doesn't even begin to describe the energy of fashion designer Betsey Johnson. She was there to support her little brother (aww!) Robert as he spreads the word about Cheeky Monkey-a peanut butter snack for infants to help reduce the risk of peanut allergies. I could have listened to them talk and

I love the idea of a writing partner. Someone to bounce ideas off of and hold my feet to the fire when it comes to deadlines.  Writers who have partnered up with someone who balances and matches their creativity are a formidable force.  My friend Jillian Boyd stopped by MIH to talk about how her passion was re-focused with her writing partner Mark Edgar Stephens in their latest endeavor, Welcome To Our Mansion. This show is  a self-made home movie-esque web series centered around a family in a trailer park in Central Florida. WTOM creators Jillian Boyd and Mark Edgar Stephens She shares her experiences with crowd funding for her project, writing on the toilet, transitioning away from acting and into writing, and why she's at peace with that decision.  Also, she brought booze!  So we had a little drinky drink. AKA fun times ahead! Go to welcometoourmansion.com for more information on how you can watch and support this indie project that was made with a lot of love and laughter.

I wonder how many people tell comedian Laura House they love her on a daily basis.  I hope it's a bunch.  She's pretty great.  She took time out of her busy schedule to come be on my show and we had a lively discussion to say the least.  She shared what it's like to work on a network sitcom like Mom, and the hierarchy of TV writers. And then shit got interesting.  We delved into politics and the presidential race, racism, why comedians do what they do, and why exactly Louis C.K. called her one of his favorite female comedians. Laura is an actress and meditation teacher. She also directed me in many hilarious sketch comedy bits at ACME Comedy Theater a million years ago.  And she was recently honored on the We For She WriteHer list for quality female-driven scripts in television. Her passion for her beliefs and her work are evident in our conversation.  It's a bit of a departure from my usual poop joke podcasts. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. I hope you enjoy it! Visit to LauraHouse.com to find out

Despite what Kanye's Twitter might tell you, sometimes it's hard for people in the arts to have confidence in their abilities. I like to think of myself as a confident actor, but there have definitely been times I wanted to crawl in a hole and die after an audition or filming a show.  I am slowly getting better at being more kind to myself when it comes to my talent and this week's guest was just the shot in the ass I needed to stay encouraged. Casting Director and fellow mom Dana Gergely Bowling (The Suite Life On Deck, Haunted Hathaways, A.N.T. Farm) shared her insights with me and it felt like I was being tickled with rainbows and sunshine during an East Coast blizzard. I just kept thinking...I need to hear this every day! She was so open and honest about why actors shouldn't be so hard on themselves, what's going on behind the scenes that we don't know about, and how working with Disney was an accidental dream job. She's incredibly candid about finding time for career and family, and how she built a st

Hurray for Mom Actors like Jennifer Weedon! If you've listened to my show at all you know I've talked about how it's becoming increasingly more important for actors and people in the entertainment industry to create their own content. It's almost kind of a buzzy thing to say (that's why I say it). There are many reasons behind this, namely connecting with other people in the industry, learning a new skill, and keeping your creative juices flowing until Hollywood comes a'callin. That's why I was so excited to talk to MomCave TV founder Jennifer Weedon. She's taken her career by the balls and started her own YouTube Channel with LIVE guests, funny videos and smart sketches aimed at moms. MomCave is billed as "a network of snarky comedies for moms." Love it! Her videos are sassy, real, funny and most of all, as advertised.  Jennifer tells me what she's learned since starting MomCave TV and how she feels creatively fulfilled. Something I can totally relate to since that's what  I'm experiencing through Motherhoo

My home girl Lindsay Hollister came over! So I opened up the mic and started making her tell me all her deep, dark feelings about Hollywood.  Lindsay has been working in entertainment since she was a young gal fresh out of college. And as she explains, she hit the TV jackpot almost immediately. But fame has eluded her ever since.  In this episode we vent about why an actors lifespan isn't what it used to be, how the Kardashians are amazing/ruining everything, and when we plan to retire from showbiz. I'm also pretty sure I've single-handedly kept the lights on at her business, The Pie Hole (I'm a dessert addict). She is one of the first friends I made when I moved to LA and I tell her all the time how glad I am that I made her be my friend.  Technically in Hollywood we should be "competitors" because of the types of roles we play. But we flipped the script on this town and became great friends.  Now please enjoy our total gossip/bitch sesh about why we aren't mega celebs yet! Watch for Lindsay in the

I had the pleasure of talking to multi-talented writer, director, composer Stewart St. John about his new project called Tara Tremendous.  Tara Tremendous is an audio storybook about an 8-year-old girl who gets infused with the super-DNA of every hero on Earth. What? Amazing! A young girl with super powers to fight bad guys? Love it! I had the chance to listen to TT and it was so much fun. The music is vibrant and sounds like something you'd hear in a Disney TV show or film.  Probably because Stewart has worked on many Disney projects (Sabrina, the Animated Series, Power Rangers Zeo, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) and understands the spirit of a Disney story and score. He also narrates the story and is the voice of the evil "Dr. Epic." The most surprising part of my talk with Stewart was what he had to say about the creative process of composing music and the competitive world of voice over artists.  We also chat about why adults still love animation (not cartoons!) and the importance of getting kids inte

What a week!  It started with my love/hate relationship with the Globes. Then I officially kicked-off my #MIH15by15 weight loss challenge to lose 15 pounds by my 15th wedding anniversary in May. And I got some amazing actor news (details coming soon!). Finally, I got to cap it off by making friends with a funny, down-to-earth mama named Anna Lind Thomas from HaHas for HooHas and The Anna and Susannah Show. Life is good ya'll! Anna is the creative genius behind HaHasforHooHas.com-a funny eCards website aimed at women. Honestly, dudes will probably love it too. It's full of genuine and relatable eCards, stories and content all moms and women will enjoy.  She also recently launched a podcast where she shares her fun stories and interviews guests each week. Check out the recent show she did with yours truly! In this episode we chatted about the wonder of meat buffets, Sister Wives, and funny women we admire.  All glorious and special topics in their own way.  Plus hard-hitting topics like our admiration of

My friend Jay Flats stops by the MIH studio to talk about his many, many jobs entertaining thousands of people on a weekly basis. And you thought your job was hard! We met at Universal Studios back when we both had another job: tour guide. I admired his hustle and he saw what a huge star I was and we became instant friends.  Jay Flats is the in-arena host for the LA Kings hockey team, and the audience warm-up host for the daytime talk show The Real.  What does it take to be entertaining, engaging and funny on your feet several times a day? Obviously that's how I live my life. But I wanted to hear how Jay does it uk best essays.org. Just to keep things in perspective. Jay is a great example of the wonderful people I've met on my journey as a mom in Hollywood. It's not always about toddler tantrums and potty training on this show. Sometimes I talk about grown-up things! Courtesy: Getty Images Jay is the definition of a self-made man in Hollywood essays services reviews.com. He's always working toward the nex

The recent Steve Harvey flub at the Miss Universe pageant sent social media tongues wagging around the world. How on earth did he get it wrong? He had one job! I honestly couldn't stop watching it over and over again. Some say there was a conspiracy behind it all...that maybe he did it on purpose to help organizers boost ratings. Some say he skipped out on rehearsals and simply wasn't prepared. Either way it led to the 2 most awkward minutes of television in recent history.  And I couldn't wait to break it all down with my new mommy friend and pageant expert Veena Goel Crownholm. Veena Goel Crownholm Miss California 2004 Veena is a former Miss Southland, Miss California, and has competed in Miss America so she knows the pageant world well.  We chat about the Miss Universe faux pas, the relevancy of pageants today, and what these beautiful young women get out of putting themselves out there in such a public way.  We also chat about toddlers and tiaras, Miss USA vs Miss America, and finding yourself again aft

I'm excited to finally share this episode with you! It's my first time doing Motherhood in Hollywood in front of a live audience and it was a hoot. I asked two of the funniest mamas in television to be my guests and we had a grand old time. We also raised money for an organization called No Kid Hungry during this show so you will hear me giving away prizes and harassing the audience. All for charity of course. Danielle Koenig My guests are comedy writers and moms Danielle Koenig (The Comment Section, The Stash)  and Laurie Kilmartin (Conan, Last Comic Standing). They were such good sports in letting me ask them ridiculous questions and drone on about myself. What? It's my show! As writers they both have unique perspectives on the challenges and benefits to being a mom in the entertainment business. We chat about how our kids influence our comedy, the emergence of the "mom-com" genre, and what it's like raising a child while working full time in television. Laurie Kilmartin This was such a big undertaking

Let me start by saying, I wish Marisa Ross still lived in LA. She is totally the kind of mom I could have some seriously funny play dates /drinks with. I'm sure one day she'll move back just to be my friend, right? We could drink wine, braid each others hair, share secrets... Did I make it weird? Marisa and her boys :) Anyway, now she lives in Chicago with her hubby and 3 boys. She's currently casting Chicago Med, does all the casting for The Onion (and it's networks) as well as all pilot searches for NBC and CBS in Chicago. And much, much more. She is a wealth of information about what actors need to know about the casting process in this industry, and how social media, and digital submissions have changed the game on a global scale.   Yet with all the pressure of a TV production schedule, she talks about how she still manages to find time to be present with her family. Making the time they do have together quality time. Good info for moms  and dads trying to figure out how to make it work. Is there a