And just like that… Carrie Bradshaw has a podcast
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After seeing that Alex Cooper, the host of Call Her Daddy, was profiled by the Wall Street Journal, Time, Bustle, and Refinery29 this week, I couldn’t help but wonder… is podcasting the new column writing?
That question became all the more pertinent when the Cut released a leaked page of the new Sex and the City reboot script this week (which I always think is called I Couldn’t Help but Wonder, though it’s actually called And Just Like That), which reveals that New York City’s celebrity sex columnist Carrie Bradshaw has entered into the world of podcasting.
Carrie Bradshaw is—in a way—a predecessor to Alex Cooper.
Both made their names talking unabashedly about sex from a woman’s perspective; they are both people that many find annoying.
Carrie’s foray into podcasting is a logical progression. Her columns already served as the show’s narration; we know she can write for radio. The sex and dating landscape is competitive—there’s the aforementioned Call Her Daddy, and even within Carrie’s own demographic, there’s Body Stuff with Jen Gunter. I don’t think Carrie would make for a great host—I have a feeling she’d be the kind of host who interrupts her guests to tell them why they’re wrong—but no doubt, she’d have something to say.
Carrie Bradshaw is definitely a celebrity (albeit a fictional one). Alex Cooper is debatably a celebrity—she is a Who to me, but certainly a Them to many millions of listeners. But they have something in common: before they got their platforms, they were unknown. The fictional readers of Carrie’s column got to know her through her writing. Now, we get to know podcast hosts in the same way.
There are many things to be said about Call Her Daddy, but that would require me to actually listen to it. I tried once and lasted five minutes before I had to turn it off. I am one of the many people who finds Alex Cooper annoying, because she talks like a shock jock and that is not my vibe. Thankfully, Rusty Foster broke down the takeaways from each profile in Today in Tabs, so if you’re looking for a brief overview of what this person’s deal is and why she’s worth $60 million, read that instead.
Today, we’re doing something different with The Big Fry, because I’m going to write a sample intro to Carrie Bradshaw’s podcast. You’re welcome, and I’m sorry.
Also, I’ll be on vacation next week, but worry not, Vocal Fridays will still be here for you.
We fed an AI* 6 seasons and 2 movies** of Sex and the City and told it to write the intro to Carrie Bradshaw’s fictional podcast.
*The AI, in this case, is my brain
**We do not recognize the second movie as canon because it is irredeemably terrible
If New York City is dead… where was my invite to the funeral?
In March of 2020, with a calendar full of crossed-out restaurant openings and a closet full of unworn Manolos, New York City was going viral in a way I never could have imagined. With Big pacing in the next room, CNN in the background, I couldn’t help but wonder… if we were stuck in lockdown, would he finally let his heart out of quarantine?
New Yorkers aren’t known for being particularly good at staying in one place. There’s always somewhere to go, someone to see. New restaurants to open, old boyfriends to avoid. But with COVID, we would finally have to learn how to do the unthinkable: stay at home on a Friday night.
And a Saturday night. And, well, every night.
I always knew that brunch with Charlotte and Miranda was important, but I didn’t realize how badly I needed it until it was gone. We tried ordering delivery and talking to each other on Zoom, but it wasn’t the same without one of the girls making a dramatic entrance, pleading, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” and having a terrible excuse for being late
So we gave up on Zoom, and went back to the most primitive forms of communication known to man: we talked on the telephone.
I forgot how great it was to talk on the phone. I got to thinking—if talking to Charlotte and Miranda on the phone was this much fun, why am I not calling everybody?
Hi, I’m Carrie Bradshaw, and you’re listening to “Couldn’t Help But Wonder,” a new podcast about life beyond sex in the city. I’ll be joined by New York’s best dressers, brightest thinkers, and most notorious lovers to talk big ideas, bigger shoes, and yes, we’ll still talk sex.
And no, New York isn’t dead. We were just hibernating.
We’ll be back… in a New York minute.
Calling all news and current affairs producers! The Globe and Mail is hiring a producer for their daily podcast, The Decibel. Full disclosure, I do some work with this team outside of Vocal Fry, which means I can confidently say they are a fab team to work with. The listing is on the Globe’s current openings page, you just need to scroll down.
CJAM at the University of Windsor is hiring a BIPOC engagement coordinator, starting September 1. They’re looking for someone who can foster community and build partnerships with BIPOC students and groups. It pays $19/hour, and applications are due August 6.
The Logic is hiring three positions: a digital marketing manager, an Alberta correspondent, and a partnerships manager. These are exciting opportunities to grow with an independent, made-in-Canada digital newsroom, and applications are due August 8.
And here’s who’s hiring outside of Canada
Whetstone Magazine is hiring a host, podcast producer, sound engineer, and podcast editor. They’re looking for people who can help them launch Whetstone Radio, so if you’re ready to build something, get in touch!
Financial Times is hiring a senior podcast producer in New York for a one-year contract to help launch their new flagship podcast.
Storycorps is hiring a temporary senior podcast producer. Apply by Monday, July 26.
Three Uncanny Four Productions is hiring a podcast producer for a four-month project making a new reported narrative podcast. Caveat: this says it’s a freelance position, but estimates 30 to 40 hours a week. That said, the day rate for this job is USD $650, so I think it’s worth including.
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Alright, I may have recommended this show way back in our very first newsletter, but this is A Very Carrie (Bradshaw) Newsletter so I must once again recommend Caroline O’Donoghue’s delightful miniseries with Dolly Alderton, Sentimental in the City.
Together, they analyze each season of Sex and the City for the great American novel that it is, and they examine all the influences the show had on them as they were growing up. This podcast is definitely for people who already watch Sex and the City and are into doing literary analysis of pop culture.
I don’t usually have patience for podcasts that go longer than an hour, but each Sentimental in the City episode earns its two-plus-hour runtime.
Two-time Olympian Perdita Felicien talks about her memoir, My Mother’s Daughter, on this week’s episode of Well Said.
I may be a bit biased because I produced it, but I find this conversation so uplifting and inspiring.
If you’ve got a case of the summer blues, take 30 minutes to walk around the block and listen to this episode.
This week’s episode of Building Good is all about sustainably sourcing building materials. Martin Kopula is an expert in supply chain transparency, and he joins the show to talk about how technology is changing global procurement for the better.
We want to hear from you! What are you looking for in your podcast news? Let us know on Twitter, Instagram, or at info@vocalfrystudios.com. Thanks to Emily Latimer for editing this newsletter, and to Katie Jensen for designing it. We’ll see you again on July 30. Until then, here’s a bunny I saw on Wednesday.
Yours in friends and fries,
Michal
