The Scribble with Jeremy Bradley

It's the first time Jeremy Bradley has been sick in nearly eight years. It's a big deal... for him! People get sick all the time so it's likely not a major issue for you, but it's thrown JB for a loop. He talks about the humor in suddenly falling ill in what's usually an incredibly healthy household. "We didn't even have pain reliever or cold meds in our medicine cabinet because we don't get sick," JB says. "We asked each other what we should get because we forgot since it's been so long!" It's one thing to work in an office or spend time in classrooms and catch a bug that's going around, JB got sick from a wintry problem in Canada. 

Jeremy Bradley cuts to the chase this week: Interacting with people has become such a pain. It's not necessarily the people themselves, it's the channels and platforms that facilitate the contact. JB discusses the frustration of having a simple question or concern but the never-ending runaround as a customer to come to a conclusion. It leads to another rant about customer service -- or "customer experience" as it's commonly known. Why isn't the customer number 1 anymore? Do you find that companies tell you, the customer, "no" more and more often nowadays? Do you find the service employee puts an effort into finding answers if they don't know? 

It's one thing to have an opinion and share it on your digital platforms, but are you a one-trick pony? Jeremy Bradley talks about the podcasters and YouTubers who only talk about one subject... all the time... over and over again. At some point, the subject matter should be changed up. The Trump haters, the Meghan Markle critics -- just don't stop. Entire channels and pages are devoted to one subject. What happens once Trump is out of office? What happens if something tragic happens to Markle and she dies? Then what? Is your show done? A hard pivot would be necessary but will your audience stick around?

SPECIAL EPISODE:  Moments after our Jan. 30 show went live, all hell broke loose in the celebrity world. We heard Don Lemon was arrested, then Catherine O'Hara died, then more Epstein files were released... all while Jeremy Bradley was heading to a Los Angeles movie theatre to review the Melania Trump documentary. Plus, JB and the broadcast crew are preparing to cover Grammys weekend in radio syndication. He gives quick updates on all the stories in this special episode.

Whether it's the cost or the overall experience, is in-restaurant dining a thing of the past? Jeremy Bradley talks about his recent observations when sitting down to eat. JB has long talked about his lack of interest in cooking so ordering food is a near-daily habit. Whether it's waiting to be seated, overhearing loud staff conversations, or wondering why you get a giant wine glass that is never filled to the top like every other drink, JB discusses why customers might be losing interest in the dining-out experience.

Jeremy Bradley has been covering red carpets for over 15 years. It started with Canadian Idol in Toronto and then moved to A-list Hollywood events. He talks about how the red carpet experience has changed thanks to social media and selfies. "It's no longer about the celebrity and their moment," recalls JB. "It's now the "influencer's" look-at-me moment and fanning out." He talks about how you wouldn't dare ask for a selfie with a celeb back in the day. "Getting on a red carpet meant you had journalistic credibility. Now, it's about the size of your social platform." As for the TV ratings of awards shows, are they likely to rebound this year? Perhaps it depends on the platform that broadcasts them.

Are there things you love the smell of but hate the taste of? It's a battle of the senses with Jeremy Bradley. He loves the smell of coffee but has no interest in drinking it. He loves the smell of orange but not eating it. When it comes to garlic -- oh, garlic -- you can love the taste but hate the smell. JB talks about an awkward situation in a workplace when he was on a garlic kick. Later, have you seen the light? JB does something odd with his eyes and has no idea why. It's kinda strange. See if you can figure it out. Also, there are certain sounds he just can't handle -- can't - handle!

Jeremy Bradley talks about the time he thought he was headed for a corporate PR job (based on the role's description) but it was anything but. Anything. He talks about the company fudging the details of the employment opportunity. JB, however, admits that it was clever for the employer to catch attention and prompt job applications. He goes on to describe the inhumane and emotionally disturbing antics of management.

"We totally need to get together! Let's keep in touch!" But do you really mean it? We've all been there, says Jeremy Bradley. He's talking about running into someone from your past and being on the spot and pretending like you're happy to see them. What about hearing from someone out of the blue? For JB, it came in the form of a text. He talks about a former colleague suddenly reaching out and shares his reaction to what happened when he replied. From there, it took JB down the rabbit hole of looking up others associated with the former colleague. He then began reaching out to them and checking in. Those responses were surprising.

Happy New Year! ...but it's only October... or so Jeremy Bradley thinks. Though for you, it's 2026 and the talk of new year's resolutions comes into play. Or does it? That's what JB rants about this week. What do you plan on changing in your life this year? It's the standard obsessions, vices and addictions people want to shake: less time on the phone, workout more, eat better, save money and blah, blah, blah. The likelihood of success? You already know the answer. JB wonders why people use the calendar as a countdown to start making life changes. "If you really wanted to do it, you'd just do it. Why does a calendar need to act as a deadline to start your self-inflicted punishment?" Later, there's that old saying, "out with the old, in with the new" but is new always better? JB talks about how he hates being forced to upgrade technology because a company says so.