Table for Two

Long before Ted Sarandos’s company turned “binge watching” into a national pastime, the co-C.E.O. of Netflix stayed up long past his bedtime in order to catch The Jack Benny Program and I Love Lucy, developing a passion for film and television that has guided him ever since. After spending his early career rising through the ranks of the video distribution industry, Sarandos’s acumen caught the attention of Netflix founder Reed Hastings, who pitched Sarandos on his company: what if renting movies and television shows could be done from the couch? Over the following decades, Netflix evolved into the streaming service we know today. And all the while, Sarandos’s keen eye for potential smash-hits such as House of Cards continues to help deliver unforgettable plotlines to homes around the world. On this week’s episode of Table for Two, Sarandos joins host Bruce Bozzi to discuss his early life in Arizona, meeting his wife, Nicole Avant, and the process of writing the prologue to a new edition of her book, Think You’ll Be Happy.

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Martha Stewart has been a household name for over four decades and she still isn’t done building her empire. During her rise, the world’s first female self-made billionaire ignored conventional wisdom to become an Emmy Award-winning TV host, best-selling author, and creator of a groundbreaking magazine. Beyond those accolades, her wildly successful merchandising business and multi-channel lifestyle company has established her as an innovative mind in business.

On this episode of Math & Magic Bob Pittman sat down with Martha for an intimate live recording at iHeartMedia HQ in front of 100 marketing, advertising, and branding executives. Celebrating her 100th book, Martha: The Cookbook: 100 Favorite Recipes, with Lessons and Stories from My Kitchen, this conversation between friends covers the pivotal decisions in Martha’s career and unpacks the guiding philosophy that built an icon.

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Ted Sarandos may be the co-C.E.O. of Netflix, but that doesn’t mean he skimps on reading—especially not when Robert Caro or Walter Isaacson’s names are on the cover. On this week’s bonus episode of Table for Two, the streaming tycoon joins host Bruce Bozzi and discusses the movie that most influenced him, his pet peeve, and the best advice he’s ever received.

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Although her father was director Roberto Rossellini and her mother was actress Ingrid Bergman, Isabella Rossellini had little desire to work in the film industry when she arrived in New York City at 19 years old. She was sure that fashion was her calling—and by her late 20s, a few years after studying costume design at Manhattan’s Finch College, she was appearing as a model in magazines such as Vogue and Interview. Not long after, Rossellini decided to join the family business: she was cast in her first American film in the early 1980s, before starring in David Lynch’s haunting 1986 thriller, "Blue Velvet." Over the last few decades, Rossellini has only further demonstrated the breadth of her talent, working as a producer and director while still modeling and acting, most recently in the papal drama "Conclave," in which she co-stars alongside Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow. On this week’s episode of "Table for Two," the actress joins host Bruce Bozzi to discuss her relationship to her parents’ work, how her style has changed with age, and why she went back to school in her mid-50s.

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From "Blue Velvet" and "Death Becomes Her" to this year’s "Conclave," choosing a favorite Isabella Rossellini film is no easy task. But which film does she love most? Find out on this week’s bonus episode of "Table for Two," in which the actress joins host Bruce Bozzi to discuss her go-to wine, her preferred Italian curse word, and the best advice she’s ever received.

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Growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina, Amy Sedaris watched a lot of television. She counts "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and "Second City Television" as major influences on her desire to perform, whether that meant pranking family members or acting in the plays written by her older brother, the humorist David Sedaris. Siblings aside, she was also surrounded by several other notable comedians, including Stephen Colbert and Paul Dinello, whom she met in her twenties at Chicago's Second City comedy troupe. That trio would go on to create "Strangers with Candy" in 1999, a sitcom underpinned by the same surreal yet comic tone that would come to define Sedaris’s later roles on shows like "BoJack Horseman," "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," and her own series, "At Home with Amy Sedaris." On this week’s episode of "Table for Two," the actress and writer joins host Bruce Bozzi to discuss her years working as a waitress, why she prefers guest-starring over leading roles, and her recent addiction to BonBon candy.

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Anyone who has watched At Home with Amy Sedaris knows that the show's star has distinct preferences when it comes to the kitchen. But what is her favorite comfort food? On this week’s bonus episode of Table for Two, the comedian and actress joins host Bruce Bozzi to discuss her pet peeves, the most influential person in her life (hint: he’s a relative), and the first word that comes to mind when she hears “Andy Cohen.”

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During his youth in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jesse Tyler Ferguson quickly discovered his affinity for the performing arts. Upon joining a local theater group, he found the stage to be a place where he could express himself fully. And when an opportunity arose to travel to New York City as a teenager, Ferguson set his sights firmly on Broadway. His career took off—early Broadway roles included in On the Town and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee—meaning that Ferguson had little reason to give much thought to television. And yet, the script for a new sitcom, called Modern Family, resonated deeply with him—and, as it turned out, with millions of fans. On this week’s episode of Table for Two, the actor joins host Bruce Bozzi to discuss his early years on the theater circuit, the moment he recognized his on-screen chemistry with Eric Stonestreet, and the philosophy behind his own restaurant-oriented podcast, Dinner’s On Me. 

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Given his experience as the host of his own podcast, Dinner’s on Me, it’s no surprise that Jesse Tyler Ferguson is an expert at answering questions in a restaurant setting. On this week’s bonus episode of Table for Two, the actor joins host Bruce Bozzi and discusses whether he prefers performing on Broadway or television, his favorite Modern Family episode, and the one word he’d use to describe Sofía Vergara.

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In the early 2010s, after spending a good deal of her career performing in stage productions such as Spamalot and A Little Night Music, Hannah Waddingham wanted to try something different: acting on screen. Although she’d previously had small film and television roles here and there, her background was in opera and theater. But what seemed like a considerable risk to her at the time paid off in a big way—in the intervening years she has appeared in Game of Thrones, Sex Education, and Ted Lasso (for which she won an Emmy). On this week’s episode of Table for Two, Waddingham joins host Bruce Bozzi to discuss why she enjoys playing characters with a gruff exterior, her perspective on turning 50, and the moment she learned she landed a part in the forthcoming Mission: Impossible film.

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