Podcrushed

In our Season 2 finale the one and only Ziwe stops by! Her legendary sharp wit and inimitable comedic voice are on display as she showers us with stories of adolescence and coming of age. She shares why being completely herself has been critical to her career, an update on her future foray into pop stardom, and why the keys to success are within our own reach.

In our penn-ultimate episode of the season, we interview the trailblazing renowned psychotherapist and relationship expert, Esther Perel. We learn about her new course "Turning Conflict into Connection," and Esther shares her profound wisdom on love, conflict, and human connection. She leads us in answering personal questions from her new game "Where Should We Begin", while she shares personal stories of worst dates and delicate family dynamics.

In our final EXTRA CREDIT episode this season, we talk to Katie Florence, whose father and brother both died when she was young. We explore the process of navigating grief and using humor as a tool to heal and survive devastating losses.

YOU asked, we delivered! This week the one and only Charlotte Ritchie (YOU, Ghosts) brings Penn to tears with stories of her tween gymnastics days in his favorite embarrassing story of the season. She and Penn share some Season 4 BTS and share their predictions over Joe and Kate's fates in the final season of YOU.

In a full circle moment, on this EXTRA CREDIT episode we connect with Quinn Hardy (@quinickle) — a content creator whose plea for Penn to "duet" him went viral last year. He talks all things bullying, social media infamy, and gets surprisingly philosophical.

Seth Meyers (Late Night with Seth Myers, Saturday Night Live) and Josh Meyers (Mad TV, That '70s Show) join us this week for a hilarious conversation on their Midwestern upbringing. They recall their first 'birds and the bees' chat with their dad, why Seth is incapable of lying, how Josh handles heartbreak, and why they're each other's biggest supporters. Sophie, Penn and Nava declare them the most wholesome guests they've ever had and try to find a way to become part of the Meyers' family.

Is there such a thing as twin telepathy? Find out on this week's extra credit YOUR STORY episode, featuring listeners and twins Nahja and Nahjeniq Buchanan. Nahja and Nahjeniq share about their twin hijinks in middle school, establishing their own identity separate from being a twin and tapping into their twin intuition.

In this week’s extra credit YOUR STORY episode, Nayya Hassan opens up about her teenage experience with a forced arranged marriage to her own cousin. Nayya blows the team away with her strength, resilience and courage.

The stand-up comic taking the world by storm, Matt Rife, drops by this week and shares about his first love, his most epic on-stage bomb at 15, how comedian Ralphie May changed his life, and for the first time, shares the full story of how he and his girlfriend met and fell in love. We have a feeling you’re gonna love this one. Stick around!

Join us this week for our second extra credit YOUR STORY episode, where we devote an entire episode to a conversation with a listener. Today we we talk to our youngest guest ever— 16 year old Sophie Fergi shares about how severe bullying in middle school led to a home-schooling journey that has culminated in a very prominent online presence on social media. She shares what she’s learned about navigating hate, both from peers in real life, and trolls on the internet.

Come join us as Penn falls in love with our guest, Ramy Youssef (award-winning actor, producer, and stand-up comic). Ramy shares what it was like to be a Muslim kid in New Jersey the day after 9/11, why he loves Jesus but won't eff with Santa, and why in middle school he literally would have rather shit his pants than miss out on a good time. **This episode was recorded prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.**

Join us this week for the launch of our first ever extra credit YOUR STORY episode, where we devote an entire episode to a conversation with a listener. Today we talk to Simran Jeet Singh, a professor, activist, and author, about his first memorable encounter with religious discrimination on a soccer field, and in a boys' locker room, in Texas.

This week we are joined by the sensational Jada Pinkett Smith. Jada shares about her tumultuous adolescence in Baltimore, how her time in a metal band helped her learn how to shield her heart from bitterness, what she’s learned about healing and forgiveness in family relationships, and why love is only possible when we sacrifice our ego.

World-renowned expert on the science of happiness, Dr. Laurie Santos (host of The Happiness Lab; professor of Yale University’s most popular class in history!) takes the time to answer YOUR most submitted questions on happiness this week. From sharing about the most misunderstood ideas on happiness (hello money!) and the most overlooked aspects of happiness, to whether single people can actually be as happy as married couples, to the fastest way to lift yourself up out of sadness (the answer might surprise you), this episode of Podcrushed will leave you armed with new insights to improve your happiness, in the short and long term.

Today we have not one, but two guests -- Bob Odenkirk, the award-winning actor, writer, and comedic trailblazer whose career has spanned decades, and his daughter Erin Odenkirk, an accomplished multimedia artist and illustrator. Together they co-authored a book of children’s poems and illustrations called ‘Zilot & Other Important Rhymes”, which manages to entertain while also encouraging children to write their own poems. Bob tells us why he still sometimes feels like a fourteen-year-old, Erin tells stories of growing up in the uber-creative Odenkirk household, and the hosts finally discover what exactly a "zilot" is.

Geri Halliwell-Horner — the singer you may know best as *the* Ginger Spice from the Spice Girls — joins us to talk about her first experiences navigating fame as a Spice Girl, her lifelong journey with spirituality, and her NYT best-selling fantasy novel for young readers “Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen."

**This episode of Podcrushed was recorded prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.** Today we're joined by James Scully, the actor you may know from shows like Titans and Heathers, or from characters like Forty Quinn from Penn's show You. Coincidentally, James just so happened to be taught by Nava when he was in ninth grade. Yes, that's right -- Nava was James Scully's teacher when he was in high school. James shares his favorite memories from Nava's class, gets candid about growing up as a theater kid in Texas, and recalls his favorite moments working alongside Penn on set.

This week we get to experience Kevin Bacon in the first degree! Kevin tells us all about his new podcast, Six Degrees with Kevin Bacon, how his mother influenced his passion for philanthropy, and how he came out of the womb seeking attention. Kevin shares why fame doesn't bother him (too much), how he draws inspiration for his spirited Tik Tok account, and most significantly, finally agrees to share a piece of marriage advice.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Who is the most charming man alive?” and come up with Matthew McConaughey, you are correct. This week, the hosts bask in the light of Matthew’s infectious spirit as he regales them with stories from his adolescence in Texas, important lessons on love and patience, why a little bullshitting is vital, and shares the inspiration behind his new children’s book, Just Because.

Our guest this week is the one and only Bobby Berk (Queer Eye, Nailed It!). Bobby shares about his road to self discovery, from coming out to his family and church community as a teen, to finding his passion for art and design. He shares about how he manifested the Fab 5 with a group chat before final casting of Queer Eye, the time he almost punched a fan by accident, the principles of design that his new book Right at Home, explores, and why making your bed every morning can make or break the rest of your day.

**This episode of Podcrushed was recorded prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.** Our guest this week is none other than Taylor Momsen (The Pretty Reckless, Gossip Girl). She and Penn reunite for the first time since filming the season finale of Gossip Girl in 2012. Taylor shares what it was like being the youngest actor on set, her impressions of working with Penn, and why it was important for her to give her all to pursuing a career in music. Taylor lets us in on her creative muses, how she's drawn inspiration from the darkest moments of her life, and how she's learned to pick herself up after facing heartbreaking losses.

Today we bring you an episode from "I Weigh", the podcast against shame hosted by Jameela Jamil, where she sits down with Penn for a wide-spanning conversation. From Jameela's feed: "Actor, podcaster, and most thoughtful man Penn Badgley joins Jameela and the two ponder life, love and fame. They discuss his experience becoming an adult in the limelight, what it feels like to be heavily sexualized, why they both don't enjoy sex scenes, how his fame affects his children, his personal journey with finding peace and happiness, and together they ask the toughest question - what is love?"

The hosts are back with their S2 AMA (or should we say AUA -- Ask Us Anything) episode. They reflect on who their favorite guests have been, their most vulnerable moments on the show, things they’ve learned about each other in the process of making Podcrushed, and everyone shares a critical lesson they’ve learned about love.

**This episode of Podcrushed was recorded prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.** Today we're joined by actor, podcaster, and certified Hollywood icon Rob Lowe, who spares no details about the highs and lows of his truly remarkable life. Nothing is off the table -- from stories of his teenagehood in the limelight, to his journey with sobriety and spirituality, to his discoveries about parenthood, Rob's signature blend of honesty and optimism is in full force throughout.

You may know her from her viral Netflix specials, "Quarter Life Crisis" and "Look at You", but this week's guest, the bright, witty, and ludicrously funny Taylor Tomlinson, feels duped! She thought she was coming on for a breezy conversation on first periods and childhood crushes, and instead found herself deep in a conversation on heartbreak, rejection, death, and mental illness. The hosts hold nothing back, too, this week as they reflect on sudden loss and middle school trauma. This is a special episode of Podcrushed you won't wanna miss.

ALOK (author, poet, comedian) wows the Podcrushed gang with their deep insights into human nature, connection, friendship, and identity. They share stories of self-discovery and acceptance, healing and growing with compassion — all with their trademark blend of wry humor and deep wisdom.

**This episode of Podcrushed was recorded prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.** Nina Dobrev (Vampire Diaries) stops by the pod to share recollections from her early adolescence, including her time as a substitute on the national Canadian gymnastics team, navigating Canadian culture under a strict Bulgarian upbringing, and recognizing how recreating family-seeking patterns in romantic relationships was preventing her from finding real love.

This week the brilliant Jenny Han—creator of To All the Boys I've Ever Loved, XO Kitty and The Summer I Turned Pretty—shares the real story behind the letters she wrote to all the boys she'd ever loved. She also talks about the importance of protecting her young actors, investing in new talent, and how she convinced Taylor Swift to let her use a track off the unreleased 1989 (Taylor’s Version!)

Kelly Clarkson, the award-winning singer, songwriter, and television personality, brings her buoyant spirit to the pod for a wide-ranging chat about everything from her new album, Chemistry, to living out of her car after her apartment burned down, to the moment she realized as a middle schooler that she could SING sing.

Today we're running back one of our favorite episodes! America's favorite friend Lisa Kudrow speaks candidly about her adolescence, family tragedy, her days in a comedy troupe with Conan O'Brien, and what it was really like to revisit "Friends" after all these years.

Multi-hyphenate talent — actor! writer! comedian! book imprint owner!—Phoebe Robinson (Two Dope Queens, Sooo Many White Guys) struggles to keep her cool in front of Penn, while opening up about why she *wasn't* the class clown when she was younger, the most insulting thing a guy's ever told her during a romantic moment, and what she's learned from her astrologist who's also her life coach.

The gang sits down with Dr. Sasha Hamdani, who weaves together her personal experience growing up with ADHD and her professional experience as a psychiatrist to upend some fundamental stigmas about ADHD. And it’s not all business — Sasha tells stories of starting a riot in her classroom in fourth grade and biting her water polo teammate mid-game.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld, Veep) proves why she’s such a national treasure. Authentic, charismatic, and thoughtful — Julia shares about standing up to a major studio when they wanted to sue her as a young actress, how fighting breast cancer was a lot like surviving a shark in open waters, and why she stays open to life’s great mysteries.

In this very special episode of Podcrushed, we invite YOU showrunner, Sera Gamble (The Magicians, Supernatural) to reflect on 4 seasons of YOU—from her earliest pitch meetings, to landing on Penn as Joe, to saying goodbye four seasons later. We get to hear her side of the now infamous boundary-setting conversation, and Sera shares why she's the real Joe Goldberg.

Lilly Singh -- YouTube icon, author, actor, and the first female late-night host in over 30 years -- drops by the pod and impresses the hosts with her wit, warmth, and depth. From her middle school obsession with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, to the obstacles she faced in late night, to why she'll still be anxiously seeking her mother's approval on her death bed -- Lilly does not hold back!

Our conversation with Roy Wood Jr, front runner to take over the Daily Show and host of this year’s White House Correspondent’s Dinner, runs the gamut —from why he started a fight at a Stop the Violence rally when he was a middle schooler to why he isn’t afraid to get political in his standup.

Today's guest is Iliza Shlesinger, the inimitable stand-up comedian, best-selling author, and podcaster. She opens up about growing up Jewish in conservative Texas, confronting her crush while in her high school mascot regalia ("a gigantic foam hornet head"), and doing stand-up comedy in parking lots.

The brilliant Jameela Jamil (She Hulk, The Good Place) stuns the group with her unparalleled ability to flip between painful recollections, deep wisdom, and delightfully wicked humor all in the same thought. Jameela shares about the inspiration behind I Weigh, why she backed out of a chance to star in S4 of YOU, and why failure is her good place (we had to!). You also won’t want to miss the moment Jameela cries out “get to the f&$king point Penn,” while Sophie and Nava lose their minds with glee.

“She’s blonde!” The delightful Tilly Keeper (YOU, East Enders) shares about her humiliating first school play, why Britney Spears was her religion, and finally shares the long-awaited answer to what life-altering wisdom Joe whispered in Lady Phoebe’s ear. You don’t wanna miss it!

You've probably seen him all over your For You page on TikTok, or your Discover page on Instagram, but this week Chris Olsen opens up like never before, sharing how the hardest moments led to his most important transformations. He opens up about rehab and his journey to sobriety, the pressure to assimilate, and how a 23andMe DNA test exposed a hidden family history.

This week Adam Brody (Fleishman is in Trouble, Shazam!, The O.C.) stops by and wins the group over with his endless trove of middle school stories. Adam gets passionate explaining his take on marriage, and shares why he’s the happiest he’s ever been.

Today on the pod we have Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill, Good Sam, John Tucker Must Die), who sits down to discuss her activism journey, love as a daily practice, and navigating life in the public eye.

Today we're joined in-person by the brilliant actor and Penn's co-star Ed Speleers (You, Downton Abbey, Star Trek: Picard), who shares why his first play shocked and stunned his entire school, the reason that his first movie role, Eragon, was almost his last, and why his character Rhys from You is his favorite villain. (RHYYYYYS!)

We kick things off in Season 2 with the phenomenal, Emmy-award-winning actor Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us, I'm a Virgo). He shares about why he almost missed his audition for a little Oscar-winning project called Moonlight, why breaking someone else's heart meant breaking his own, and why projects that speak to the culture are so important to him.

Watch this episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/b3Z2gtnE5Rk The gang is back with another bonus episode breaking down YOU S4, Part 2. Penn shares why episode 8 is his favorite of all time, where season 5 might find Joe, and what it was like to (SPOILER ALERT!) direct all his previous leads. As always, this episode is full of spoilers. Tread with caution.

Today’s episode is a rerun of our pilot! Penn invites his old pal Leighton Meester to help kick things off. They reminisce about the first project they ever worked on together (spoiler - it's not Gossip Girl). The gang chats about fake heart attacks, unfair beauty standards, and whether it's time for Leighton to play Timothee Chalamet's mom.

Today we're rerunning our episode with Tati Gabrielle! In this episode, Sophie and Nava swoon over Penn's You S3 cast mate Tati Gabrielle, while Penn tries (unsuccessfully) to keep them grounded. Tati opens up about her life, the girls have fun roasting Penn, and the gang bonds over their shared love of the esoteric.

In this special, bonus episode of Podcrushed, Sophie and Nava grill Penn all about the first five episodes of You, Season 4. They get into the new characters, the most surprising plot points, and some BTS on the show’s approach to intimacy this season. This conversation is *full* of spoilers so listen at your own peril…

This is a rerun of our episode with Jenna Ortega! She gets refreshingly candid about representation, body image, and therapy, and spills the deets on what it was like working with Tim Burton on the iconic Netflix series "Wednesday."

Today we bring you an episode of Why Won't You Date Me? with Nicole Byer. From Nicole’s feed: “Oh my god, he's here. Penn Badgley (You, Gossip Girl, host of Podcrushed) joins Nicole to discuss why people are infatuated by his serial killing character, why love is not depicted accurately in media, bringing down your walls to connect with people, and the existential insecurities he had when dating.”

Elizabeth Lail is our very special guest for the Season 1 finale of Podcrushed. She shares about early social stigmas that shaped her current world views, prevalent and problematic romantic tropes, and what she thinks should happen to Joe at the conclusion of YOU.

Singer, songwriter (and current queen of TikTok) Meghan Trainor joins us this week to talk about being frenemies with her brothers in middle school, why she’s homeschooling her kids, and how social media stardom has transformed her career. As a special bonus, Ryan Trainor stops by to share about his and Meghan’s podcast, Workin' On It, and how he’s working to overcome addictions stemming from childhood trauma.

Renowned physician and author Dr. Gabor Mate visits the show this week to share gems about the myth of normal, forming vital intergenerational bonds, and the importance of compassion in healing trauma.

This week Brian Baumgartner (The Office) stops by and offers some theories on why The Office is the most streamed comedy in history, and also opens up about a traumatic medical procedure in middle school that altered the course of his life.

Conan O’Brien steals the show this week, helping Penn regain control from the normies (Sophie & Nava). He also reminisces about his disastrous first school play and reveals his Gossip Girl standom.

If you are enjoying Podcrushed, there’s another series that we just know you’re going to love. After first going viral on TikTok by telling the story of how she got stuck buying 100 tacos on a first date, Elyse Myers now has millions of eyeballs watching her videos daily. Each week on Funny Cuz It’s True, Elyse sits down with her favorite creators, friends and comedians to find the stories that have stuck with them and changed their lives in small ways. She wants to know how they handled these situations and learned to laugh about them years later. In this episode, legendary director, writer, and actor Paul Feig joins Elyse to talk about Elyse’s first kiss, and Paul's own awkward romances (like the ones that inspired his show "Freaks and Geeks”). Plus, Paul shares his experiences from “The Office.” To hear more Funny Cuz it’s True, head to https://link.chtbl.com/funnycuzitstruewithelysemyers

Our most requested guest of the season, Victoria Pedretti (YOU, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) drops by the pod… for the second time this season! Hear her thoughts on the commonalities of fame and bullying, iconic moments on YOU, and why it’s okay to acknowledge when things aren’t okay.

In this special episode of Podcrushed, Penn answers all of your questions about his Netflix show, YOU — including his favorite moments with each season’s co-lead, and the cringiest scene he’s ever had to film. Fans of YOU, this one’s for… well, you get it.

Chart topping singer-songwriter Andy Grammer brings his signature buoyancy and relentless optimism to a frank and reflective conversation around death, songwriting, and always being true to yourself.

We've got two guests! Today's episode is with Sasheer Zamata and Nicole Byer, two brilliant comedic minds (and fellow podcasters) who just so happen to be best friends. The gang talks poker faces, ghost stories, and worst on-stage bombs.

Justin Baldoni -- actor, director, and New York Times bestselling author -- stops by the pod to share stories from his youth, and lessons from his quest to understand the meanings and misconceptions around what it is to “be a man”.

This week our guest is the incomparable Domino Kirke-Badgley (musician, doula, and happens to be married to our host, Penn). She shares the story of how she and Penn met, and offers a deep dive into how traumatic events from her adolescence continue to shape her now.

Mark Ronson -- the seven-time Grammy Award winner you may know from songs like "Uptown Funk" and "Shallow" -- swings by the show this week and shares stories of interning at Rolling Stone as a 12 year old, being in the room when some of the greatest songs of all time were being crafted, and even shares a few lessons he’s learned about love.

The Internet's best friend, Elyse Myers, stops by the show and shares the real story behind the taco date that made her a Tik Tok sensation, how she knew her husband was different from all the other men she'd dated, and how she navigates the highs and lows of social media celebrity.

The youngest artist ever inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, Kelsea Ballerini, shares about her brand new album, her time as a judge on The Voice and what it was like to be supported by Taylor Swift, and that one time she stole* a mailbox.

We're back from hiatus! Sebastian Stan (Pam & Tommy, Fresh, I Tonya, the Marvel franchise, etc.) joins us to talk about moving to America in eighth grade, losing himself in his roles, and memories of Penn from their time together on the set of Gossip Girl.

Saniyya Sidney (King Richard, Hidden Figures, Fences) takes a break from beating Will Smith in tennis and hanging out with Beyoncé to give the lowdown on what it’s like being a fifteen-year-old in 2022. She tells stories of her remarkable career and reminds us that being positive is a choice.

Relationship scientist, critically-acclaimed author, and Penn's couples therapist, Dr. Stan Tatkin, joins the pod to talk all things love and relationships. He gives tips on how to help a relationship thrive… even when you want to *kill* the other person.

For today's special episode, we are pulling back the curtain and interviewing each other! Penn reminisces on being an awkward teenager, Sophie remembers her globe-trotting childhood, and Nava recalls being TOTALLY COOL when she met Penn in her own apartment.

America's favorite friend Lisa Kudrow speaks candidly about her adolescence, family tragedy, her days in a comedy troupe with Conan O'Brien and what it was really like to revisit "Friends" after all these years.

The extraordinary journalist Mona Chalabi wins everyone over with her deep intellect and even deeper compassion. Mona is a catalyst for the group's most open and vulnerable conversation yet, touching on mental health, long-term illness, and the death of beloved family members.

Shay Mitchell (Pretty Little Liars, YOU, Dollface) reunites with Penn for a delightful conversation on vision boards, manifesting, mama bear-ing, and embracing failure on the path to success. She opens up about pre-partum depression and why in high school she frequently ate lunch alone in the bathroom.

Chace Crawford stops by and opens up about frosted tips, heartbreak, and being "okay" at football (this is disputed; we've heard he's quite good). He and Penn reminisce on their Gossip Girl days, while Sophie and Nava try to act casual.

Penn squirms while Evan Rachel Wood reads entries from her tween diary — revealing their mutual crush on each other. Evan delights the gang by recalling the lyrics to Penn’s first love song.

Writer, comedian, actress, and The Bear star Ayo Edebiri charms the crew with stories of first periods and missed Leonardo DiCaprio encounters.

Amy Schumer reads an entry from her middle school diary, dishes on her first breakup, and gets real about love and postpartum vulnerability.

Jenna Ortega gets refreshingly candid about representation, body image, and therapy, and spills the deets on what it was like working with Tim Burton in the upcoming series "Wednesday."

Rainn Wilson regales the group with stories of heartbreak, courage, and finding your footing when you *really* don't fit in. The cherry on top: he sings!

Sophie and Nava swoon over Penn's YOU Season 3 castmate, Tati Gabrielle, while Penn tries (unsuccessfully) to keep them grounded. Tati opens up about her life, the girls have fun roasting Penn, and the gang bonds over their shared love of the esoteric.

Drew Barrymore joins the crew to share hilarious and heartfelt stories about her turbulent adolescent years in the spotlight. They marvel at the power a little discomfort has in bringing you closer to your full self.

Penn invites his old pal Leighton Meester to help kick things off. They reminisce about the first project they ever worked on together (spoiler - it's not Gossip Girl). The gang chats about fake heart attacks, unfair beauty standards, and whether it's time for Leighton to play Timothee Chalamet's mom.

Podcrushed — the podcast where Penn Badgley reads your middle school story — explores the heartbreak, anxiety and self-discovery of being a teenager. Hosts Penn Badgley, Nava Kavelin, and Sophie Ansari bring you stories and conversations about middle school —   from childhood crushes, to battles with body hair, to schoolyard scuffles. The results are sometimes awkward, sometimes heartwarming, and always relatable.