The Sharon Spell Show

The lovely H. Alan Scott (Out on the Lanai, Talking Crime) is in the guest star chair for this first episode of the new year, talking first about absolutely wanting to adopt a child. He and Sharon then launch into the new show theme. Dick GIFs are discussed at length, as is H. Alan's conversion to Judaism. There's a quick stop by Hattiesburg's one gay bar, and then we all go experience some Korean spa visit shade AND emaciated butts. (These may be related.)

The beguiling Shane O'Neill (Tonight's Special, S.U.C.K.), aka Shane Shane, is in the guest star chair this time, and immediately confesses to being a maximalist decorator. He and Sharon then discuss caftans and how they are rapidly becoming unisex. From there, it's an easy transition into comparing early versus late episodes of "The Golden Girls". And from there, it's an even easier transition into how Shane discovered Jean Bice and her Quacker Factory. The two then wrap up be deciding they both want the luxury of their own studio space in NYC.

Sure, it's been a very negative year, but at the same time, Sharon's been investigating hats! So not all is bad as we welcome Lauren Besser (Real Housewives of Bohemia) to the guest star chair this time. Lauren tells Sharon about her experience with caricature forehead shaming, and the two discuss how they love to walk the city at night. Lauren jumps back in next with her intense experience working in politics. And the two wind up with agreeing that they love NYC and we should all work better at comforting each other.

Come with us as Sharon welcomes Robert Dean, soon to open the ONLY Robert Dean Museum in existence, to the guest star chair. They begin by asking, simply, "what would Vanna White do?" Then they discuss the Tony Robbins juggernaut, and how to baa with authority. Robert follows with a tale of going to Medieval Times by himself. They pair then discuss Robert's totally legal basement apartment, and his psychic reading experiences.

Well, there you are, and here Sharon is with this episode's guest, Chris Lamberth (The Mundane Festival). The two start off trading tips about driving in NYC, before moving on to discuss what happens when you bomb on stage. (Sharon once bombed as her hair.) Answer: you end up doing The Substitute Teacher Show. Then it's a reminder that you need only compete with yourself, and that you must...every once in a while...take an account of what you DO have.

Oh, hey! Didn't see you there. Um, so Gabriel Pacheco (Funhouse Comedy) is guest on this TSSS. He and Sharon first discuss, with dread, small-talk run-ins...and how you need to make your own privacy. Plans for respective new comedy albums are then compared, and Gabriel talks about how easy it is to misinterpret the "sad clown" in stand-ups. They then wrap up by discussing how Sharon is stepping away from online dating for a bit - too many dates feeling like interviews. ON TIME IS LATE!

Lauren Conlin Adams (The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Female Gaze) is courteously welcomed to the guest star chair before she has to head to Santa Barbara to drink wine. She and Sharon discuss life as a flow and balance of energy and decide that they are both definitely NOT baby-hungry. The topics of Lyft in LA and set birthday cake are then celebrated. Although, note taken, Lauren does NOT like jiggly desserts. And they wrap up with discovering what you can do to counteract NYC making you a harder person.

The episode description refers to itself in the third person as Sharon welcomes Julie Threlkeld (modernstories.com) to the guest star chair. Modern Stories Mix is the podcast that Julie hosts, and she describes how she likes it to focus on one story from one person. Julie then tells of how she got started in storytelling as a way to get over social anxiety AND her heady experience shopping for a fashionable cane. The two then sample some chicken hot dogs and assume that people are laughing.

Don't know about you, but we're jittery from the heat as Sharon welcomes Pushy Muldowney (Sketch Pod, Brooklyn Loft Party) to the guest star chair. The two lead with an extended reverie about breaking into Jennifer Aniston's closet. Then Pushy tells of her (fairly) recent move to NYC, and the streamlining that results. Sharon takes a sec to explain the rules of the Sharon Spell Show Drinking Game, before Pushy wraps up with tales of her PhD track experience AND her time as a background inmate on OITNB!

Top o' the podcast to ya! Sharon welcomes TJ Mannix (Limbo Land) to the guest star chair this time and they lead off with TJ's embracing his Irish stereotypes. Then they talk about scientologist sightings and how TJ lost 55 pounds - mostly by eating M&Ms slowly. TJ also talks about his work in improvised musical comedy, including the founding of the NY Musical Improv Festival, before he wows us all with the story of his date with Rue McClanahan.