It's Open with Ilana Glazer

This week Ilana sits down with stand-up comedy sensation Gianmarco Soresi, who was named in Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch For 2025 and Deadline’s Comics Who Won 2025. He and Ilana discuss the relentless pursuit of craft, the charismatic leaders that populate the musical theater world, the state of stand up, moms who over-share, and generational Judaism. Gianmarco is currently touring North America, the UK, and Europe on his massive THE MISERY LOVES TOUR tour, while his self-released 2025 comedy special THIEF OF JOY now claims over 5 million views on YouTube. Go see him out there, and come on in here, it’s open!

Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Finder: https://www.benjerry.com/flavors

Go to groundnews.com/feds to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world.

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian, Rebecca O’Neill
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod

On this week’s episode, Ilana sits down with Andrew Rea, the self-made YouTuber behind two of the platform’s largest and most influential cooking shows—BINGING WITH BABISH and BASICS WITH BABISH—claiming over 10.5 million subscribers. Andrew shares the radical personal transformation that followed his discovery of anti-depressants as well as mushrooms, boosting his self confidence, and prompting the creative a-ha moment where he began producing YouTube videos by combining his two life long loves: film & food. And the rest is history. Ilana and Andrew discuss the softness that men need, inspiring men to cook, and his new found spirituality. Also that he loves Jews. Come on in, it’s open! 

Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Finder: https://www.benjerry.com/flavors

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian, Rebecca O’Neill
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

Go to groundnews.com/feds to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world.

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod

On this episode of It’s Open, Ilana sits down with friend and colleague Jay Jurden — a powerhouse, rising star comic whose first comedy album JAY JURDEN, Y’ALL debuted at #1 on iTunes, his debut stand-up special YES MA’AM is streaming on HULU, and you can catch him around the country on his NOTHING SPECIAL tour or at his London debut in August. Jay and Ilana dig into the fraught cultural landscape of the stand-up comedy and podcast scenes, sorting out the divide between creators that are socially responsible and those that are socially (and politically) reckless and unaccountable. Jay Jurden is dazzling, sharp, and can spar with the best of them, and he is a fierce advocate for his black, queer, and trans community! Let’s go in - it’s open!

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian, Rebecca O’Neill
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

Go to groundnews.com/feds to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world.

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod

Join us today to get hyped on Gen-Z leadership because it rocks. We sit down with the spectacular Elise Joshi, a progressive political organizer, climate activist & journalist who has been lighting up digital media with clear, hard-hitting content since she was 17. Elise discusses how—growing up during COVID, California’s wild fires, and the emergent climate crisis—she learned to question authority, found the grassroots coalition through making digital content, and went on to help found and then executive direct Gen-Z for Change. Now, Elise is reporting and producing groundbreaking local news coverage from within the Emmy-award winning nonprofit More Perfect Union, and is launching More Perfect University, a national project that aims to train and spotlight young local reporters across the country. Get a glimpse of a near-future progressive USA! Come on in, it’s open.

Enjoying It’s Open with Ilana Glazer? The best way to support the pod is also the easiest: Subscribe! It tells the platforms what we’re doing, which helps us grow, and ensures you never miss an episode. Loving it? Leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Thank you for being a part of our community.

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian, Rebecca O’Neill
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

Go to groundnews.com/feds to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world.

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod

Today, Ilana was thrilled to meet and talk with actor, comedian, singer John C. Reilly. For decades, and through his unique expression of sincerity and comedy, John’s performances have shaped the impact of American movie classics—like Chicago, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Step Brothers. Ilana and John discuss his current and recent projects: a one-man-plus-band musical performance MR. ROMANTIC and the surreal Italian-American Western feature film HEADS OR TAILS. John discusses his love for singing love songs, his belief that kindness is absolutely everything, and nature-vs-nurture when both your sons are working models. Come on in, it’s open.

Enjoying It’s Open with Ilana Glazer? The best way to support the pod is also the easiest: Subscribe! It tells the platforms what we’re doing, which helps us grow, and ensures you never miss an episode. Loving it? Leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Thank you for being a part of our community.

Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian, Rebecca O’Neill
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur

Go to groundnews.com/feds to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world.

All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod