The Jay & Tony Show Show - Vertically Challenged

By Jay Blumenfield, Tony Marsh, Geoff Bell

Two partners. One podcast. Zero patience for stale TV.

Hollywood talks a big game about "disruption," but the real shift is happening overseas, wh... more

· Comedy
· TV & Film

FAQs about The Jay & Tony Show Show - Vertically Challenged:

How many episodes does The Jay & Tony Show Show - Vertically Challenged have?

The podcast currently has 58 episodes available.

The Jay & Tony Show Show - Vertically Challenged episodes:

September 22, 2026 157 - The Vertically Challenged Laws of Life and Micro-dramas
As vertical micro-dramas lurch into the mainstream and everyone pretends they saw them coming, Jay and Tony are back to unpack the booming industry through the only lens that makes sense… production trauma. Well, that and the physical laws governing life. From Hofstadter's Law to The Dunning-Kruger Effect to The Pareto Principle, they break down the universal laws that govern indie sets, impossible deadlines, micro-drama chaos, and the terrifying moment when "we'll figure it out on the day" becomes an actual business model. Then the break down a few principles of their own design, like The Chipotle Doctrine, The Producer Credit Ratio and The Pizza Cheese Principle. Tired, wired, over-caffeinated, and still somehow employed, they wrap another week from the trenches of modern entertainment.
Instagram: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

TikTok: @vertically_challenged_jt

YouTube: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

Reddit: @vert_challenge_pod

Contact: [email protected]
...more
32min
September 15, 2026 156 - Blink Like You Mean It: Acting For Verticals
Jay and Tony get into the chaos of directing actors in the microdrama trenches, where forgotten lines, phone distractions, and big movements can derail an entire day. They break down how performers can actually survive fast-turnaround shoots, why vertical framing turns every eyebrow twitch into a backstory, and how the Kuleshov effect lets audiences project a whole reaction onto one controlled stare. They dive into facial recognition, stress management, and the delicate art of keeping actors emotionally alive without letting the set become group therapy. The takeaway: there is absolutely no crying on the yacht.
Instagram: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

TikTok: @vertically_challenged_jt

YouTube: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

Reddit: @vert_challenge_pod

Contact: [email protected]

The Jay and Tony Show: www.jayandtonyshow.com
...more
27min
September 08, 2026 155 - The Vertical Drama Hype Machine: What's Real and What's Bullshit
Jay and Tony unpack the gold-rush nonsense currently flooding the microdrama business, where every headline has a higher number than the last, and everyone suddenly owns a calculator from Fantasyland. They dig into the "$150 billion market" claim, how ad spend can shove AI-driven apps up the charts and make it look like a movement, and what is actual business versus beautifully packaged delusion. Along the way, they question whether big names play, and if names like James Franco are real audience drivers or just expensive trade-press confetti.
Instagram: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

TikTok: @vertically_challenged_jt

YouTube: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

Reddit: @vert_challenge_pod

Contact: [email protected]

The Jay and Tony Show: www.jayandtonyshow.com
...more
28min
September 01, 2026 154 - Throwback Tuesday: Don't Kill The Cast (Our Very First Podcast from 2014)

Instagram: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

It's late August, deep summer, and we're buried in production shooting a whole new slate of vertical micro-dramas. Since we didn't have time to record a brand-new episode this week, we're opening up the time capsule and taking you all the way back to September 2014.

Long before AI, micro-dramas, and vertical video were things, we were just making TV and recording our very first podcast. Tune in to hear our inaugural 2014 episode, "Don't Kill the Cast," from a time when Tony and I were younger, happier, and talking unscripted TV. Regular programming returns next week!

TikTok: @vertically_challenged_jt

YouTube: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

Reddit: @vert_challenge_pod

Contact: [email protected]

The Jay and Tony Show: www.jayandtonyshow.com

...more
53min
August 25, 2026 153 - The Production Domino Effect
Jay and Tony crack open the production notebook for another unfiltered look at what actually happens when you shoot vertical micro-dramas on micro-budgets. One sick crew member triggers a full production domino effect, exposing just how fragile a skeleton crew can be. From there, things devolve into a brutally funny debate about set hygiene, communal crimes, catering politics, and the very real fury of background heavies who apparently not offered enough lean protein.

Instagram: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

TikTok: @vertically_challenged_jt

YouTube: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

Reddit: @vert_challenge_pod

Contact: [email protected]

The Jay and Tony Show: www.jayandtonyshow.com
...more
50min
August 18, 2026 152 - In the Trenches of Vertical Drama: Heat, Hacks, and Moleskine Notes
Recording on location from a sweltering Northern California ranch, Jay and Tony take you behind the scenes of shooting fast-paced vertical microdramas. Pulling direct observations from a pocket notebook on set, they break down the real-world mechanics of producing 9x16 content: why framing for vertical requires completely rethinking insert shots and cutaways, the logistical headache of turning long summer daylight into night shoots, and how the tight margins force tough decisions around AI visual effects. From navigating ravenous background extras decimating craft services to the high art of casting the ultimate oversized "thug" to sell the story, this is a raw, funny, and practical look at what it actually takes to direct, shoot, and survive indie vertical production in the heat of the moment.
Instagram: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

TikTok: @vertically_challenged_jt

YouTube: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

Reddit: @vert_challenge_pod

Contact: [email protected]

The Jay and Tony Show: www.jayandtonyshow.com
...more
31min
August 17, 2026 151 - Thugs, Timers and TikTok: Live from Set
Broadcasting straight from the rural trenches of Northern California in 100-degree heat, Jay and Tony give a raw, unfiltered look into the daily chaos of producing vertical micro-dramas. They dive deep into the unique production challenges, from wrestling with lighting to negotiating phone etiquette on set to the hilarious nightmare of extras raiding crew catering. They also explore whether generative AI can solve background shot challenges and share the unpredictable reality of last-minute "thug casting" when you need a convincing villain on the fly.

Instagram: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

TikTok: @vertically_challenged_jt

YouTube: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

Reddit: @vert_challenge_pod

Contact: [email protected]

The Jay and Tony Show: www.jayandtonyshow.com
...more
32min
August 16, 2026 151 - The Raw Truth of Vertical Production: Thugs, Timers, and TikTok (reloaded)
Broadcasting straight from the rural trenches of Northern California in 100-degree heat, Jay and Tony give a raw, unfiltered look into the daily chaos of producing vertical micro-dramas. They dive deep into the unique production challenges, from wrestling with lighting to negotiating phone etiquette on set to the hilarious nightmare of extras raiding crew catering. They also explore whether generative AI can solve background shot challenges and share the unpredictable reality of last-minute "thug casting" when you need a convincing villain on the fly.
...more
31min
August 04, 2026 150 - Inside the Mind of a Micro-Drama with Meagan Johnson - Part 2
Jay, Tony, and Meagan Johnson continue their deep dive into the evolving vertical drama landscape. In Part 2, they discuss the power of community reviews, the clash between audience demands and app data, and the subtle cultural differences in storytelling tropes between Eastern and Western markets. The conversation turns to the rise of AI in short-form media—exploring everything from Uncanny Valley acting and AI script-writing to niche trends like cat verticals—and concludes with a look at what it takes to build real viewer retention in the digital age.

Instagram: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

TikTok: @vertically_challenged_jt

YouTube: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

Reddit: @vert_challenge_pod

Contact: [email protected]

The Jay and Tony Show: www.jayandtonyshow.com
...more
31min
July 29, 2026 149 - Inside the Mind of a Micro-Drama Superfan with: Meagan Johnson - Part 1
Jay and Tony kick off the episode with a classic rant on digital burnout and technology fatigue before diving into a candid conversation with micro-drama "superfan" and audience liaison Meagan Johnson. Meagan shares her journey into the world of vertical short-form content—discovering it as a comforting escape during grief—and explains how micro-dramas satisfy a unique demand for tropey, heightened entertainment that mainstream media often ignores. They unpack consumer behavior, the psychological draw of guilty-pleasure media, and the shift toward more proactive female leads in modern storytelling.

Instagram: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

TikTok: @vertically_challenged_jt

YouTube: @vertically_challenged_pod_jtss

Reddit: @vert_challenge_pod

Contact: [email protected]

The Jay and Tony Show: www.jayandtonyshow.com
...more
29min

FAQs about The Jay & Tony Show Show - Vertically Challenged:

How many episodes does The Jay & Tony Show Show - Vertically Challenged have?

The podcast currently has 58 episodes available.

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The Jay & Tony Show Show - Vertically Challenged

FAQs about The Jay & Tony Show Show - Vertically Challenged:

How many episodes does The Jay & Tony Show Show - Vertically Challenged have?

The Jay & Tony Show Show - Vertically Challenged episodes:

FAQs about The Jay & Tony Show Show - Vertically Challenged:

How many episodes does The Jay & Tony Show Show - Vertically Challenged have?