Podcast

Hot Mess-Terpiece Theatre

From Stitcher After Shows, TV & Film, TV Reviews

Comedian & pop culture critic Jolenta Greenberg has a theory: reality TV isn’t ruining culture - it is culture. Join her and author Laura Mayer as they dig into the details behind the drama and unpack why we can’t get enough of those iconic scenes and unforgettable characters. This is the place for highbrow conversations about “lowbrow” TV

All seasons By the Book & How to Be Fine are also in this feed. To hear back episodes, just scroll down!

Episodes
404
Releases
Weekly
Typical length
55 min
On air since
2017
Latest episode
1 week ago

Episodes

404 episodes, newest first

  1. Who is Sofia - RHOP, RHONY and RHOSLC recaps

    Season 2, Episode 66

    Show notes

    Jolenta and Laura recap almost all the real housewives episodes from last week - minus OC because of technical issues. All your favorite subjects will be covered like Karen’s sobriety, Wendy’s mother’s intentions, what Tia’s husband is dressed like, Erin’s connection to the gossip blogs, Hailey making stoners feel seen, the cost of an apology from Lisa, Mary’s boss dress code, and much more. Quit asking who Sofia is and take a listen.

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    1 hr 34 min
  2. Capybara Bite Blues - RHOP, RHONY, RHOSLC, and RHOC Recaps

    Season 2, Episode 65

    Show notes

    Jolenta and Laura tackle all of last week’s Real Housewives episodes. They discuss pressing issues like what does Ashley see in Josh? Is Wendy blaming happy Eddie for all their legal issues? How did Carole hear about Sai’s divorce before it hit the press but never hear about Epstein? Does Lisa actually think she sounds like Beyonce? And did Vicki eat anything while in Japan. Plus Laura tells us how much that private island coffee maker cost and Jolenta gives a short lecture on why capybaras are great.

    HMT Insta

    Jolenta’s Insta

    Laura’s Insta

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    1 hr 36 min
  3. Don’t be Fleck-less - RHONY, RHOSLC, and RHOC Recaps

    Season 2, Episode 64

    Show notes

    Jolenta and Laura recap and comment on the latest episodes of Real Housewives of New York, Salt Lake City, and Orange County (don’t worry Potomac starts next week for them). Many curiosities are discussed like the fact that our private island is used as a high level corporate retreat location, Carole’s love of a good sock, Vicki’s aversion to raw fish, Angie’s family bed, Britani’s LLC sleuthing, and Jolenta’s trip to the vibrator museum. Don’t be tardy to this party, babes - and don’t be fleck-less.

    HMT INSTA

    Jolenta’s INSTA

    Laura’s INSTA

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    1 hr 28 min
  4. You Can’t Resurrect a Corpse - RHONY, RHOSLC, and RHOC Recaps

    Season 2, Episode 63

    Show notes

    Jolenta and Laura recap all your favorite Bravo shows from the past week. We tackle all your burning questions, such as: What does filming in Midwood mean for RHONY? How much do we think Daisy pays in rent? Does Quai think ‘diablo’ is just a sauce at Taco Bell and not also the Spanish word for devil? Why is watching a misunderstanding about saying ‘address it’ v ‘aggressive’ so satisfying? Is the human red carpet a member of a union? And does Vicki wish her appearances on TV were just livestreams of her answering insurance emails? Plus they touch on Still Flipping Out and RHUGT.

    HMT INSTA

    Jolenta’s INSTA

    Laura’s INSTA

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    1 hr 35 min
  5. Reality Archetype Roundup

    Season 2, Episode 62

    Show notes

    This week Jolenta hits up some unique archetypes: The Psychic, Shadow, Lost Soul and The Double. And she explains their complicated relationships with other characters. Plus there is a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT about what’s coming up next that you won’t want to miss.

    HMT Insta

    SOURCES

    • Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, by Edith Hamilton
    • 45 Master Characters, by Victoria Lynn Schmidt
    • Bravo Shows - Peacock

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    21 min
  6. Shannon Storms - The Jester of the OC

    Season 2, Episode 61

    Show notes

    This week Jolenta profiles the Jester archetype, focusing on Shannon Storms Beador from The Real Housewives of Orange County. Very important topics are covered like why Shannon loves falling down and can’t help but be the butt of the joke. Plus learn how the Jester is different from the Joker!

    HMT Insta

    Jolenta on Threads

    SOURCES

    • Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, by Edith Hamilton
    • 45 Master Characters, by Victoria Lynn Schmidt
    • Bravo Shows, Peacock

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    24 min
  7. HMT REPRISE: The Secret Lives of Mormon Husbands with Honeydew Me

    Season 2, Episode 60

    Show notes

    In honor of the new season of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives starting, we're doing a rewind and giving you the chance to re-listen to this wonderful episode about one of our favorite Mormon husbands.

    Jolenta is joined by Cass and Emma from the wonderful Honeydew Me Pod, to talk about one of their favorite scenes from season four of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives - the scene where Conner reveals his passion for magic. You don’t wanna miss this great conversation about Mormon husbands, relationship dynamics, and playing the villain.

    Honeydew Me insta

    HMT Insta

    Sources:

    •

    Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Hulu

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    1 hr 13 min
  8. Jersey Breaks the Fourth Wall with Louis Peitzman

    Season 2, Episode 59

    Show notes

    Jolenta is joined by Louis Peitzman, the prolific Housewives recapper and host of the podcast Supporting Actresses. Together they discuss an iconic Teresa Guidice moment from season 10 of Real Housewives of New Jersey - when she gets confronted about encouraging Danielle to pull Margaret’s ponytail. Many topics are explored, like fourth wall breaks and how some housewives are protected by production. Grab your sprinkle cookies and take a listen.

    Louis’s insta

    HMT Insta

    Sources:

    •

    Real Housewives of New Jersey, Peacock

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    55 min
  9. Zack Attack: The Nemesis Archetype

    Season 2, Episode 58

    Show notes

    Zack Wickham from The Valley is a polarizing character, you love him or he drives you nuts. Either way, it’s because of his archetype that you feel some type of way about him. Jolenta explains the Nemesis Archetype this week and does a deep dive into why Zack can get so fixated on his enemies.

    HMT Insta

    Jolenta on Threads

    SOURCES

    • Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, by Edith Hamilton
    • 45 Master Characters, by Victoria Lynn Schmidt
    • Bravo Shows - Peacock

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    24 min
  10. Tinsley the Victorian Ghost Child with Laura Mayer

    Season 2, Episode 57

    Show notes

    Jolenta is joined by author Laura Mayer (Tryhard) to talk about a moment from Real Housewives of New York City that flew under the radar - the time Tinsley did a multi-layered product placement and then got surprised by her boyfriend. There’s surprising depth in this commercial moment and even though it’s fleeting it gives us great insight into the complicated, childlike mind of Tinsley Mortimer.

    Laura’s insta

    HMT insta

    Sources:

    •

    Real Housewives of New York City, Peacock

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    1 hr 15 min
  11. Amanda Batula’s Journey to Pessimism

    Season 2, Episode 56

    Show notes

    Why did we all start hating Amanda? Obviously because she betrayed her best friend. But why did she do that? What led her to think that was okay? The answer will surprise you, it’s because she changed archetypes while on Summer House. So let’s talk about her journey from Father’s Daughter to The Pessimist.

    HMT Insta

    Jolenta on Threads

    SOURCES

    • Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, by Edith Hamilton
    • 45 Master Characters, by Victoria Lynn Schmidt
    • Bravo Shows - Peacock

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    28 min
  12. Salt Lake Sprinter Surveillance

    Season 2, Episode 55

    Show notes

    Jolenta is joined by journalist Jonquilyn Hill (Explain It to Me) to talk about that time Britani Bateman recorded the ladies fighting in a sprinter van on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. The two discuss the complicated history the ladies have with leaks to the press, Meredith’s impressive language use, and why Mary is somehow the heart of the show. You don’t wanna miss this one, baby gorgeous.

    Jonquilyn on Threads

    HMT Insta

    Sources:

    •

    The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City - Peacock

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    56 min
  13. Sonja Morgan the Joker

    Season 2, Episode 54

    Show notes

    When you think of old money you don’t think of ad-lib burlesque shows - unless you’re thinking of Sonja Morgan. She’s the epitome of the Joker Archetype. Join Jolenta for a walk down memory lane as she explores Sonja’s character and why it was hard to take her seriously.

    HMT Insta

    Jolenta on Threads

    SOURCES

    • Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, by Edith Hamilton
    • 45 Master Characters, by Victoria Lynn Schmidt
    • Bravo Shows - Peacock

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    30 min
  14. Just Be Cool with JoAnna Ross

    Season 2, Episode 52

    Show notes

    Jolenta is joined by comedian JoAnna Ross (You Only Wear it Once) to discuss a very cool favorite scene: the “just be cool” scene from RHONY Legacy. Together, the two dive into the motivation behind the drama, and dissect why some of the women care so much about a stranger sleeping in their spare room. It’s a must listen if you’re cool…don’t be all like, uncool.

    JoAnna’s insta

    HMT Insta

    Sources:

    •

    Real Housewives of New York, Peacock

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    1 hr 23 min
  15. Dammit Janet: Why Don’t We Like Janet?

    Season 2, Episode 51

    Show notes

    Even though The Valley’s Janet is often right, she drives lots of us nuts - BUT WHY? This week Jolenta introduces us to the Investigator Archetype, part of the Rival family of characters. Find out how messy this archetype really is and why we usually can’t stand characters with Investigator traits

    HMT Insta

    Jolenta on Threads

    SOURCES

    • Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, by Edith Hamilton
    • 45 Master Characters, by Victoria Lynn Schmidt
    • Bravo Shows - Peacock

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    31 min
  16. The Secret Lives of Mormon Husbands with Honeydew Me

    Season 2, Episode 50

    Show notes

    Jolenta is joined by Cass Anderson and Emma Norman from the wonderful Honeydew Me Pod, to talk about one of their favorite scenes from season four of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives - the scene where Conner reveals his passion for magic. You don’t wanna miss this great conversation about Mormon husbands, relationship dynamics, and playing the villain.

    Honeydew Me insta

    HMT Insta

    SOURCES:

    •

    Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Hulu

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1 hr 13 min
  17. Mentor Hubbard: Analyzing Lindsay Hubbard

    Season 2, Episode 49

    Show notes

    This week Jolenta does a deep dive on Lindsay Hubbard and The Mentor Archetype. The star of Summer House and In the City gives off strong mentor vibes. The Mentor loves to give advice and tell people what to do with their lives - but why? Let’s dive into Lindsay’s psyche and TV history to find out what makes this mentor tick!

    HMT on Insta

    Jolenta on Threads

    SOURCES

    • Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, by Edith Hamilton
    • 45 Master Characters, by Victoria Lynn Schmidt
    • Bravo Shows - Peacock
    • TLC Shows - HBOmax

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    35 min
  18. A Special Announcement Bonus

    Show notes

    Jolenta has some news, not unlike many cast members of In The City...

    Hit up the poll on the HMT Insta

    Stay tuned for the next regular ep dropping shortly!

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    5 min
  19. We Love New York with Jazmine Henley-Brown

    Season 2, Episode 48

    Show notes

    Jolenta is joined by TV critic and podcaster, Jazmine Henley-Brown (The Queue, Reality with the King) to talk about a classic reality TV moment - when Flavor Flav rejects New York for a second time on Flavor of Love season two. The two go over Tiffany (New York) Pollard’s huge impact on the landscape of reality TV and why she’s so great to watch. They also discuss how Flav himself was a celebrity reality TV pioneer. Plus they reminisce about all the amazing soundbytes that came from the show… did you know you have 30 minutes?

    Jazmine’s insta

    HMT Insta

    Jolenta on Threads

    Sources:

    •

    Flavor of Love - Hulu

    Thanks to Bellesa for sponsoring the show! EVERYONE who signs up wins a FREE toy or gift card! Just click the link!⁠ https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/hotmessterpiecetheatre-pod

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    58 min
  20. Bummer House - The Aftermath

    Season 2, Episode 47

    Show notes

    In the final installment of our Bummer House Recap Series, Jolenta dives into all aspects of the surprise Aftermath episode. Is Amanda getting a victim Edit? Can we trust Meija? Why is West cheating on everyone and using semantics to avoid accountability? All of these questions, and more, are discussed.

    Jolenta on Threads

    HMT Insta

    Sources

    • Bravo shows - Peacock
    • Lindsay Threads - Threads

    Thanks to Bellesa for sponsoring the show! EVERYONE who signs up wins a FREE toy or gift card! Just click the link!https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/hotmessterpiecetheatre-pod

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    40 min