Podcasts have taken on a lifeform of their own. As of late, there has been a surge in this on-demand, audio medium, and people are loving them. Whether they’re ingesting today’s news or listening to a completely biased synopsis of your favorite TV show or chatting sex and relationships with hosts that could totally be their BFFs (see below) people are tuning in whenever and wherever they can.
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The ‘Girls Gotta Eat’ podcast launched a little over 3 months ago and has already cracked Itunes Comedy top 100 podcasts, a true testament to the comedic caliber and realness they convey in each episode. They’re just your two, filterless, carefree, girlfriends who will give you their honest, no holds bar opinion, from experience. They push limits and talk about things that you may or may not be comfortable speaking with your own friend group about. Rayna and Ashley provide an outlet and have listeners saying ‘Oh wow, I’m not alone’, providing a comedic yet intelligent outlook on topics most people just whisper about.
The two of you are forces in your own right, tell me more about your backstory before Girls Gotta Eat:
Rayna: One Hungry Jew started as a hobby while I was working in tech startups. I spent all my time trying new restaurants and just wanted a place to put the photos, so I used my personal Instagram account. At the time there were very few large food IG accounts so mine grew very quickly. Within 6 months the account had grown to 10k followers and shortly after I built the website to act as a partner for reviews and food/travel guides and taught myself have to shoot photos with my Canon. In under 3 years, the following grew to over 320k followers and now I travel and create content for brands all over the world.
Ashley: My background before social media “influencing” was writing and comedy. BrosBeingBasic started with a blog I wrote in 2014 (What If Guys Acted Like Girls on Instagram?) — the blog got some big media attention, so I started the Instagram account immediately to capitalize on the “basic” phenomenon (which is thankfully still a thing). In 3.5 years, it has grown to 755K followers and become a lucrative career path for me — I create content for brands, sell merchandise, and of course, shamelessly promote Girls Gotta Eat to our following.
How did you two meet, and, more importantly, where did the idea of starting this podcast come from?
R: We met on a press trip in Aruba, at a candlelit dinner on the beach. We crashed a wedding at our hotel together later that night and knew we were meant to be friends.
A: It was definitely friendship at first sight/wedding crashing. At that point, I had known for a while I wanted to do a podcast about relationships/dating, and decided I wanted to do it with another strong, funny female. After Rayna and I solidified our friendship over tequila and pizza back in NYC, I realized she’d be the perfect person to partner with, and I texted her one night “Would you want to do a podcast?” and she wrote back “Absolutely.” Then I asked “Are you cool being open about sex and dating stuff?”, and she was basically like, “Um, have we met?” A few months after that, we got it off the ground!
Speaking of advice, social media plays such a large part in modern-day relationships (Shakespeare would be proud, right?). What’s your opinion on how much of a role it should play?
A: There’s a healthy balance with social media, and everyone is different. I think when you’re in a relationship, you’re naturally a part of each other’s social media and “consuming their content.” Try not to make yourself crazy by analyzing their every move/post but on the other hand, if you see something, say something (Homeland Security-style). Insta story views can mean something or nothing at all — we had an eye-opening discussion about this with our male guest on Episode 12, so I definitely recommend that listen. As for people who don’t use social media, it can be a red flag, but there are exceptions to every rule. I would file it under a yellow flag and just be on alert for any other shady behavior.
Exes – they’re our past, but they sometimes creep into our present. What are some tips for dealing with them?
R: It’s important to talk about the past, at an appropriate time, because it is a part of your story and what makes you ‘you’. I am not a huge fan of being friends with an ex or my significant other being friends with an ex. Most of the time, there is no positive outcome to be generated from prolonged contact. Of course, there are outside factors such as the reason for the breakup and length of time that has passed. I’d prefer for there to be no bad blood, but you can still stay out of each other’s lives. I would ignore an ex that was constantly reaching out but if the behavior persists it’s good to just nicely make it clear you are seeing someone new and for the sake of your current relationship, you need the space.
While on the topic, what’s your best moving on advice?
Both: STOP STALKING THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA! Surround yourself with friends/family and seek out hobbies as a fun distraction. Make a list of all the things that were wrong in the relationship (and conversely, a list [of ] all your awesome traits) and put it on the f*cking fridge. (And listen to our Breakup Episode (episode 11) for even more in-depth tips.)
If you could have one guest on your podcast, who would it be and why?
Both: Melania Trump….on truth serum. If that isn’t an option, we would love to sit down with Amal Clooney. She is an amazing woman in her own right, and successfully tamed the world’s most eligible bachelor. Also, Rayna’s mom (but that’s a long shot).
What’s up next for you both?
R: One Hungry Jew will continue to be a platform for food & travel advice in NYC and beyond. I have partnerships with festivals and tourism boards this summer to showcase great activities, amazing brand collaborations, and a new merchandise line coming soon.
A: Bros is still growing rapidly and I’m continuing to partner with great brands to create fun, engaging content. I’m still doing stand-up comedy, and hope to eventually finish the book I started writing (I have a whole two chapters down, so I’m killing it!).
And for the podcast?
Both: Fame, riches, never flying coach again, and a cover story in NY Mag exclaiming “These Two are the Voice of the Modern Day Relationship.”
Additionally, our main goal is to keep creating content that is fun, engaging and helpful/inspirational to our audience. Finding exceptional guests with an interesting story to tell is paramount to that goal. As the audience grows, we would love to do live shows, tours, and release bonus episodes throughout the week.
Lastly, if you could tell pre-dating you one thing, what would it be?
R: Live your life. Do things to make yourself & the people you love happy and proud. The rest will just fall into place.
A: Put your happiness first. Also, don’t get so drunk
Be sure to download, rate, review and subscribe to the ‘Girls Gotta Eat Podcast’ and check out new episodes every Monday, it’s a great way to start the week.
Instagram: @girlsgottaeatpodcast
Photo Credit: Jeremy Jacobowitz
