Jersey's Best Podcast

This week, Jersey’s Best Podcast is getting SCARY.  Because Halloween is right around the corner, and there aren’t many holidays that this great state loves more than All Hallow’s Eve. Not just because New Jerseyans love an excuse to commit to the bit and decorate, dress up and eat junk food. Trust me, we do. It’s because we're pretty sure this state is frickin’ haunted. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by Jersey City comedian Nick Fierro to discuss why New Jersey celebrates Mischief Night, Goosey Night and Cabbage Night, some New Jersey-themed Halloween costumes before breaking down the 10 scariest places in New Jersey! Then Nick goes through the Garden State Gauntlet, Halloween edition!

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Hank Azaria isn't just one of the best voice actors and mimics of the 21st century. The man who has voiced countless voices on "The Simpsons" and has played iconic roles in movies like "The Birdcage" is also... the best Bruce Springsteen impersonator in the world, playing a show at the Stone Pony on Oct. 14! Hank Azaria himself joins host Jeremy Schneider to discuss how he became the front man of Hank Azaria and the EZ Street Band, the intricacies of performing as Bruce Springsteen, why he's always loved New Jersey even while growing up in Queens and what it was like meeting The Boss himself. Then Hank goes through the Garden State Gauntlet, Bruce Springsteen edition!

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This week, Jersey’s Best Podcast is hosting an award show for New Jersey pizza! Because New Jersey makes the best pizza in the world — and while pizzerias across the Garden State have been featured on countless best-of lists and earned plenty of national and international honors, no one knows New Jersey pizza better than NJ.com. Which is why our illustrious food team just released our biggest pizza project yet — the 125 best pizzas in New Jersey. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by NJ.com food and culture writers Lauren Musni and Chris Burch to hand out the first ever Jersey's Best Pizza Awards, like the “too much dip on your chip” award for craziest pizza and "take us to your pizza" award for the pizzeria you'd take bring aliens to if they landed in New Jersey! Then Lauren, Chris and Jeremy break down the top 10 of the 125 best pizzas list!

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Follow @laurengisellemusni, @SwishBurch, @JeremyIsHungryAgain and @JerseysBestFood on Instagram!

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This week, Jersey’s Best Podcast is throwing a birthday party for the Meadowlands Sports Complex! Because the Meadowlands is one of the most essential yet exhausting components of New Jersey life — and Sept. 1 marked the 50th anniversary of its opening! Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by NJ.com's award-winning sports columnist Steve Politi to break down the history of the sports complex, its significance to the Garden State, what it means having all those sports and music venues all in one place and if building this on a swamp was one big mistake. Then Jeremy and Steve break down the 11 best moments in Meadowlands history before going through the Garden State Gauntlet, Meadowlands edition!

This week, Jersey’s Best Podcast is throwing a birthday party for the Meadowlands Sports Complex! Because the Meadowlands is one of the most essential yet exhausting components of New Jersey life — and Sept. 1 marked the 50th anniversary of its opening! 

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Follow Steve at @StevePoliti

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Jersey’s Best Podcast is helping New Jersey secede from the United States and become its own country! Because New Jersey is basically its own country — with a vibe and culture all its own. We are already the best state in the country — if we were a country, we’d be the best country in the world! Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by Jersey City-based comedian Alex Nicholas break down who will be the president of New Jersey, the national anthem, the capital, who we're going to war with and who will miss us most. Then Jeremy runs through the Garden State Gauntlet, New Jersey independence edition!

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Follow Alex Nicholas at @notalexnicholas

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New Jersey’s pizza industry is trending away from slices and toward whole pies, and we don’t like it! Look, we're not saying pizza slices are an endangered species. But when Coniglio’s King of Pies, arguably 2026’s most anticipated New Jersey pizzeria, opened in Asbury Park, it did so with a long menu of pies and a proclamation. “No slices. Whole pie or no pie.” More and more pizzerias are going away from slices and serving pies only. This inspired NJ.com to ⁠write a story on the matter⁠ and to do a whole story on the matter. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by Mike Bergemann of Corner Slice to break down the business of why more pizzerias are going pie-only, the science of a good slice, the cultural importance of the slice shop and why Corner Slice still serves slices. Then Mike goes through the Garden State Gauntlet, pizza edition!

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Read NJ.com's story on the death of the N.J. slice here!

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NJ.com just updated its New Jersey sandwich rankings — which generated no controversy or scandal at all! So this week Jersey's Best Podcast isn't just talking about sandwiches, we're drafting them! Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by NJ.com food and culture reporter Lauren Musni to discuss why the Garden State loves sandwiches so much before moving on to the draft — with categories ranging from different regions to different types of sandwiches. Then Lauren goes through the Garden State Gauntlet, sandwich edition!

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Follow Lauren at @laurengisellemusni

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A vast network of surveillance cameras has popped up up not all over New Jersey, but across the country. The cameras are automated license plate readers, logging the make, model, and color of passing cars as we traverse the Garden State. Law enforcement agencies say these cameras have become crucial to investigating crimes. But many across New Jersey believe they create a surveillance state, violate privacy and rights and can easily be misused. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by NJ.com investigative reporter Jana Cholakovska

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Follow Jana Cholakovska @JCholakovska and read her story on Flock cameras here

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We talk about Anthony Bourdain in some way shape or form in pretty much every episode of Jersey's Best Podcast. The Leonia native has become synonymous with Garden State culture. He was one of New Jersey’s greatest champions — he famously once said “to know New Jersey is to love her.”  But this week we’re talking specifically about Mr. Bourdain this week because we are days away from the release of "Tony," the A24 film starring New Jersey’s own Dominic Sessa portraying a young Anthony Bourdain as he falls in love with cooking during a summer on Cape Cod. The movie hits theaters on August 7. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by Men's Health Magazine culture editor Evan Romano to talk about his recent interview with Sessa and director Matt Johnson, review "Tony," critique Sessa's performance as the iconic New Jerseyan and predict how people will perceive the film. Then Evan goes through the Garden State Gauntlet.

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Follow Evan Romano @EvanRomano 

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This week, Jersey’s Best Podcast is talking to one of the most influential and iconic bands in Garden State history — The Bouncing Souls! The boys from Basking Ridge founded The Bouncing Souls all the way back in 1989 — that’s right, they’ve been rocking for nearly 40 years! Their signature energetic punk rock sound helped make them a staple of the New Brunswick basement scene. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by lead singer Greg Attonito to break down how The Bouncing Souls came together, what coming up in the New Brunswick basement scene was like, Warped Tour horror stories and their newest album. Then Greg runs through the Garden State Gauntlet, music edition!

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Follow @gregattonito and @BouncingSoulsNJ on Instagram!

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