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“I felt like I was suffocating. I am someone who has to express myself. And I thought, ‘I'm not putting myself back in the box.’ It was one of the hardest things that I ever did, and I don't regret it at all. It was the best thing I did.”
–
host of Booked Up podcast
Jen Taub – whip smart & super soulful & charming af – is our guest today
Jen is a personal hero, but she’s also a friend. This interview contains many treasures including the story of Jen’s journey and how she figured out who she was. Jen writes the beloved Substack Money & Gossipand is host of the trailblazing podcast, Booked Up with Jen Taub, which has rotating cast of all star guest writers, like:
Kathy Griffin & + moreJen Taub, choice quotes
On why she started her podcast
Ever since COVID and beyond, we've just been impoverished. And I wanted to rebuild that. I think I started this podcast. I wanted to do this for a while. Because I realized when my second book came out, there weren't that many opportunities to talk to people about it. And I thought I want to be that opportunity for people.
On how being a podcast host requires certain level of improv
You just may have maybe listened to the Michael Lewis interview, but I didn't realize I was going to say to him, ‘Oh, so you write.’ And like, he went with it.
On the art of asking a question ( by not asking a question)
I don't typically ask a direct question. I'll say something about myself. I'll make a random comment. And the next thing, you know, someone's told me their [00:42:00] life story. People really want to be seen and they want to be heard. And I really want to hear and see them.
On her idea of heaven
Talking with the authors is heaven.
Jen Taub recommends 4 newsletters on Substack
- ’s
“I had Lauren Hough on the show and I love her voice. She's from Austin and she was the one who did that cable guy article that was so funny and then she wrote a gorgeous memoir called, Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing. I think she is utterly inspired. So I encourage everyone to read that.”
- ’s
“Joyce Vance sets me up for the week. Joyce is a former federal prosecutor. Talk about a lovely person. I mean, she raises chickens. She used to dye yarn. And she's got a great podcast called – I'm wearing a shirt that says – ‘Sisters in Law.’”
- ’s
“Dean Obeidallah takes a stand on news and moral issues. He has his own podcast and radio show. You'll sometimes see him on MSNBC.”
- ’s
“Steve Vladeck is utterly brilliant as a legal mind. He's at UT-Austin. Also just a lovely person. I had him on the show because of his book on the shadow docket, which is an excellent book explaining that concept.”
Some fabulous guests coming up on Kurt Vonnegut Radio:
Jason Zinoman the soulful genius who has written the NYT’s Comedy column since 2011 (We do deep dive on Zinoman’s pieces on Hasan Minaj controversy and Jim Gaffigan plus the Marc Maron vs. Joe Rogan comedy podcast beef)
- the amazing journalist of fame
- renowned novelist who writes your fav
Samantha Hunt cherished novelist and just all around literary goddess
- author of beloved newsletter
Jill Bialosky virtuoso writer and executive editor at W. W. Norton & Company
Daniel Gumbiner who just pubbed his 2nd novel and is the editor of The Believer.
Thank yous
Heartfelt thank you to our most recent paid subscribers at KVR:
You all are my ride or die peeps. Bless you.
I have some questions for you. Almost any answer you give will be correct.
Do you have a podcast? If so, pls name it in the comments so I can check it out.
If you were going to create a podcast, what would the name of it be and what would it be about?
Can I take full credit for
& ’s recent pivot to audio even if (so far) they have refused to credit me or call me Big Audio as I have repeatedly asked them to in private?What’s the perfect length for a podcast episode? (My answer: 2000 hours)
What is your favorite podcast and why?
37. Why Jen Taub is putting her whole heart into her books podcast