Best Jamil Simon Podcasts (2025)

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ON WRITING... With Salman Rushdie and Kazuo Ishiguro 24:18

Play Pause

21h ago24:18

24:18

Welcome to another special edition of How to Fail, where I revisit conversations from the How to Fail archives. Each week, we shine a light on a particular theme, hopefully offering inspiration, perspective and comfort through the words of past guests. This week’s theme is on writing - appropriately, because my new book ‘One of Us’ is out this week…

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Johnny Pemberton and Justine Marino 39:10

20m ago39:10

39:10

Actor-comedian, Johnny Pemberton (Fallout, Superstore, up-coming movie Mermaid) and one of the busiest comedians in LA Justine Marino (Comedy Crush @ The Hollywood Improv, Only Fans’ LMAOF) join Jameela to talk about the risks of airport lounge tacos, farting within a relationship, a Universal Studios Tour masturbator who truly had a tramtastic day…

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Mark Ronson - The Stories Behind ‘Uptown Funk,’ Amy Winehouse & ‘I’m Just Ken’ 50:59

6d ago50:59

50:59

Content Warning: This episode contains mentions of drug use. Mark Ronson is the hitmaker behind some of the most iconic music of the past two decades. A nine-time Grammy-winning producer, DJ, and Oscar-winning songwriter (yes - he wrote “I’m Just Ken”), Ronson has collaborated with legends like Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, Miley Cyrus and Duran Duran…

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In Modi's India, journalists must fall in line or risk jail time 30:53

6d ago30:53

30:53

When we first read Suchitra Vijayan’s reporting on the media in India we were shocked to learn that much of the press in the world’s largest democracy, had fallen in line with Narendra Modi’s authoritarian agenda. Now it feels like a portent of what could happen in the United States. In India today, 75% or more of news organizations are now owned b…

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ON GRIEF… With Mo Gawdat and Bonnie Tyler 13:28

8d ago13:28

13:28

Welcome to the newest evolution of How to Fail! Each week, I’ll be diving into the archives to spotlight key themes that have come up throughout my conversations with How to Fail guests. I’ll be sharing bite-sized takeaways every Monday to support, inspire and help with whatever you might be going through. This week’s theme is a big one: we’re talk…

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Zach Noe Towers and Jacquis Neal 41:01

7d ago41:01

41:01

Jameela takes a harrowing journey with Zach Noe Towers (Good Sod Pod, up-coming live dates) and Jacquis Neal (NBC's Grand Crew , Comedian Clash), which includes the thing you NEVER say to a woman, the least fun Coachella ever, and a race against time that ends with tears. So many tears. Jameela's Substack is A Low Desire To Please, you can also fin…

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Robin Wright on ageing, confidence and the myth of being ‘too late’ 49:50

13d ago49:50

49:50

‘I didn’t think I had that confidence, so I turned those roles down.’ Robin Wright is the legendary star of The Princess Bride, Forrest Gump, House of Cards, and Amazon’s gripping new thriller The Girlfriend. An Emmy-nominated actress, Golden Globe winner and now an acclaimed director, Wright joins How To Fail to talk about fear, self-worth, womanh…

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ON HEARTBREAK... With Alain de Botton and Jay Shetty 15:17

15d ago15:17

15:17

Welcome to this brand-new concept for How to Fail – where I dive into the back catalogue of the How to Fail archives, highlighting specific themes each week to bring you bitesize takeaways! Hopefully these episodes can bring some clarity on similar issues you’re facing or great stories that you might find comfort from. This week we’re looking at he…

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Sal Vulcano and Brian Quinn 45:18

14d ago45:18

45:18

Impractical Jokers Sal Vulcano (TERRIFIED standup special on HBO Max, Everything’s Fine tour on-sale now) and Brian Quinn (New season of Impractical Jokers TBS) join Jameela to share stories of shameful hook-ups, firehouse disasters, even more bee attacks and a listener submission that might’ve been a Right Turn for the teenage boy who got to witne…

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Tom Ellis - Fatherhood, Surrogacy and Years of Therapy 49:40

20d ago49:40

49:40

You may know Tom Ellis as the devilishly charming lead in Netflix’s Lucifer, or as the lovable Gary in the BBC sitcom Miranda. He's also made waves in the U.S., starring alongside Gina Rodriguez in Players, and appearing in Hulu’s Tell Me Lies, created by his wife, Meghan Oppenheimer. In 2023, Tom and Meghan welcomed a daughter via surrogate, addin…

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Far from Home: Human Library 38:44

7d ago38:44

38:44

This episode comes to us from independent journalist Scott Gurian. In the Nørrebro neighborhood of Copenhagen, there's a small building with a garden and wooden seats. At first glance, it looks like some sort of neighborhood cafe, but it's actually the Menneskebiblioteket or Human Library, where the "readers" and "books" are people having deeply pe…

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Katherine Blanford and Jamie Loftus 42:15

21d ago42:15

42:15

This episode is wildly funny, celebrates female friendship, and delves into the depths of human misery and despair. Fun! Jameela is joined by writers and comedians Katherine Blanford (The Tonight Show, "Catholic Cowgirl" Special) and Jamie Loftus (Star Trek: Lower Decks, Bestseller "Raw Dog"). Come for the cringe-inducing public twerking, stay for …

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Failure Throwback: Jameela Jamil 58:34

27d ago58:34

58:34

Jameela Jamil is an actor, activist, and founder of the I Weigh movement. From teaching English to starring in The Good Place, Jameela shares the highs, lows, and radical honesty that define her journey. This episode first went out in February 2021. We talk about: Her struggle to be a "good" celebrity Body image battles and self-kindness Financial …

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Kurt Braunohler and Felipe Esparza 45:09

30d ago45:09

45:09

This episode is a master class on perseverance through utter humiliation. Jameela's guests are Kurt Braunohler (Bob's Burgers, The Big Sick, Bananas podcast) and Felipe Esparza (Netflix special "Raging Fool," What's Up Fool podcast). It turns out Kurt's German is nicht so gut, and Felipe glows in the dark in the one place you least want to glow. Ja…

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Failure Throwback: Glennon Doyle 1:07:01

1M ago1:07:01

1:07:01

Author of Untamed and fierce truth-teller Glennon Doyle joins me for a raw and revelatory episode, first recorded in July 2020. We dive into: Why we chase approval instead of trusting our inner voice Her struggles with body image, love, and emotional resilience The failures that shaped her—from family breakdowns to learning self-protection Every mo…

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Peace photography: Healing through the lens 39:16

21d ago39:16

39:16

Peace negotiations and reconciliation processes can change the world – but they’re not much to look at. The shortage of compelling images is one of many challenges to making peace more tangible in our very visual world. But if we expand the concept of peace to include what peace actually means to people who have lived through conflict, then what pe…

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Katherine Ryan and Alan Carr 43:40

1M ago43:40

43:40

International comedy legends Katherine Ryan (What’s My Age Again podcast, The Audacity: Why Being Too Much Is Exactly Enough book) and Alan Carr (Interior Design Masters Netflix, Life’s A Beach podcast) join Jameela for a podcast episode full of mortification - professional, romantic, drunken, and always hilarious. Jameela's Substack is A Low Desir…

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Failure Throwback: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 1:08:02

1M ago1:08:02

1:08:02

This week we revisit one of my all-time favourite guests: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, recorded in July 2021. Best known for Americanah and her globally resonant TED Talks, Chimamanda opens up about the profound grief of losing both her parents within a year—and the raw journey of coping in its aftermath. We talk candidly about: Her essay Notes on Gri…

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Adam Pally and Malik Elassal 34:41

1M ago34:41

34:41

This episode brings us all to the edge of the cringe abyss and keeps us there. Jameela is joined by Adam Pally (Happy Endings, Staying Alive podcast) and Malik Elassal (Adults FX, Resident Alien), who confess to shameful childhood tweets and the car sex story that will scare you off the road forever. Jameela's Substack is A Low Desire To Please, yo…

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Sir Tony Robinson - ‘I learned comedy as a defence mechanism’ 49:45

2M ago49:45

49:45

Recorded with a live audience in Cambridge, this captivating conversation delves deep into the life and career of a cultural force of the last half-century. Known of course for his iconic role as Baldrick in Blackadder, Sir Tony's sharp intelligence and dry humour have had a formative influence on generations. In this candid discussion, he opens up…

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Want a less polarized society? Support local news 30:49

2M ago30:49

30:49

Think about the infrastructure that makes your community tick. Roads, schools, buses and trains, parks and playgrounds, the sewage treatment plant are probably the kind of things that first come to mind. But what about local news? Our guest this episode, journalism scholar Jennifer Henrichsen, says local newspapers, news webistes, and TV and radio…

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Simon Pegg and Richard Herring 46:27

2M ago46:27

46:27

Jameela’s back in London to hang out with comedy legends Simon Pegg (Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, Star Trek, Shaun of the Dead) and Richard Herring (Task Master, Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast, Edinburgh Fringe). Everyone shares tales of public nudity, we get into the risks of seeing nudes when someone else shows y…

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Fern Brady - ‘I make more money in comedy than I ever did from stripping‘ 44:23

2M ago44:23

44:23

In this searingly funny and deeply affecting live conversation, Elizabeth speaks to stand-up comedian, author and Taskmaster favourite Fern Brady about her autism diagnosis, her working-class roots, and the failures that shaped her award-winning memoir Strong Female Character. Fern opens up about late diagnosis, social masking, and stripping to fun…

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Atsuko Okatsuka and Matt Walsh 40:31

2M ago40:31

40:31

Jameela welcomes the very funny Atsuko Okatsuka (Hulu special “Father”, HBO "The Intruder") and Matt Walsh (Veep, The Hangover). Atsuko learns anything can be called a water park, and Matt learns just how unforgiving an elf costume can be. Jameela's Substack is A Low Desire To Please, you can also find her on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Our cons…

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Dorinda Medley on Grief, Identity and The Real Housewives: ‘I was angry. I was lost. I felt like I got cheated.’ 43:33

2M ago43:33

43:33

What happens when the life you thought you’d built - the one with love, money, recognition - seems to slip away? This week, Elizabeth speaks to Dorinda Medley, author, TV personality and iconic former Real Housewife of New York, about reinvention, resilience and learning to be okay with not being liked by everyone. Dorinda opens up about the loss o…

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Can the Vatican Help Reframe the Narrative on Peace? 31:44

2M ago31:44

31:44

This podcast is a project of Making Peace Visible, is a small 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Somerville, Massachusetts. What we do is unique -- consistently analyzing how the media covers conflict, and amplifying stories of resolution and reconciliation that are often ignored by the mainstream media. In the month of July, we're working to …

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Moshe Kasher and Mike E. Winfield 50:06

2M ago50:06

50:06

Danger lurks everywhere in this harrowing episode, Jameela included. She welcomes comedians Moshe Kasher (Netflix, Endless Honeymoon podcast) and Mike E. Winfield (Netflix, Amazon, AGT). Moshe shares his brief and wildly unsuccessful fighting career, and Mike will be lucky if he is ever invited back on a cruise. Jameela's Substack is A Low Desire T…

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Vanessa Williams - ‘It would be hard to be married to me!’ 50:33

2M ago50:33

50:33

As a recording artist, Vanessa Williams has earned 13 Grammy nominations and racked up over 212 million digital streams over the course of her eight albums. Her most popular hit, Save The Best For Last, was Number 1 for five weeks in 1992. She is also a highly successful stage and screen actor, appearing in Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty. She …

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Suzi Ruffell - ‘I didn’t know I was gay until I saw Titanic’ 47:35

2M ago47:35

47:35

In this special live edition of How to Fail, Elizabeth is joined by comedian Suzi Ruffell. Suzi has performed five sellout runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, as well as appearing on live at the Apollo and filming an Amazon special of her show ‘Dance Like Everyone Is Watching’. She was nominated for Best standup show in the National Comedy Awards and has…

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Leslie Liao and Skyler Higley 48:16

2M ago48:16

48:16

This is the episode that made Jameela feel more at home around fellow sociopaths. She welcomes comedians Leslie Liao (Netflix, Tonight Show) and Skyler Higley (Conan, the Oscars). Leslie proves the extent to which she will flip on her friends, and Skyler reveals how ill-equipped he is to handle a kiss. Jameela's Substack is A Low Desire To Please, …

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On the ground in Ukraine with Black Diplomats' Terrell Starr 34:31

3M ago34:31

34:31

This podcast is a project of Making Peace Visible, is a small 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Somerville, Massachusetts. What we do is unique -- consistently analyzing how the media covers conflict, and amplifying stories of resolution and reconciliation that are often ignored by the mainstream media. In the month of July, we're working to …

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Pamela Anderson - ‘It wasn’t about being pretty, it was about being brave’ 52:42

3M ago52:42

52:42

I can’t believe I get to say this but…PAMELA ANDERSON! ON HOW TO FAIL! The one and only! A woman I grew up watching on TV, Pamela was an icon of a generation…But the second act of her career has been the most powerful and Anderson joins me for a vulnerable chat about her long journey of embracing beauty on her own terms, understand her self-worth, …

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Jay Jurden and Michael Cruz Kayne 44:17

3M ago44:17

44:17

Jameela welcomes writers and comedians Jay Jurden (HBO, the Tonight Show, The New Yorker) and Michael Cruz Kayne (Late Show w/ Stephen Colbert, Severance). Jay's sexual adventures in high school will make you feel Puritan by comparison, and Michael lets us know how much cheese is too much cheese. Jameela's Substack is A Low Desire To Please, you ca…

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Melinda French Gates - ‘Just because you’re smart doesn’t mean you’re wise’ 50:25

3M ago50:25

50:25

Melinda French Gates studied computer science and economics and completed an MBA before joining a tech start-up called Microsoft, in 1987. She rose through the ranks to become Manager of Information Products and married the boss in 1994. His name was Bill Gates. Together, the couple founded and co-chaired the Gates Foundation, where, for more than …

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Ali Macofsy and Rachel Scanlon 46:03

3M ago46:03

46:03

Jameela welcomes comedians Ali Macofsky (Colbert, Ali's Interview Show) and Rachel Scanlon (Just for Laughs Festival, Two Dykes and a Mic podcast). Ali recounts her visit to celebrity eyebrow specialists (Spoiler alert: it did not go well). And Rachel managed to make her pap smear, chiropractor, and mindfulness coach appointments deeply disturbing.…

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Monica Lewinsky - ‘I would have liked a more normal life’ 47:50

3M ago47:50

47:50

Monica Lewinsky is an activist, podcaster and producer. At the age of 24, Lewinsky, a White House intern, found herself in the eye of a global scandal. She was subjected to a mass public shaming - losing her livelihood, her anonymity and the future she had once imagined for herself. Now, 51 Lewinsky has garnered a new generation of admirers, who wi…

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Learning from Western news media's mistakes in Afghanistan 32:13

3M ago32:13

32:13

In hopes of learning from the past and In light of US missile strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and subsequent retaliation in an escalating regional conflict, we're revisiting one of our best episodes on how Western media covers war. Guest Bette Dam is a Dutch journalist who covered the war in Afghanistan for 15 years. She began her coverage in 2006…

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Dan Ahdoot and Tien Tran 36:13

3M ago36:13

36:13

Deep Throat Lesbian. There are laughs so high pitched here that only dolphins can hear them. Jameela welcomes comedians and actors Dan Ahdoot (Cobra Kai, Green Eggs and Dan) and Tien Tran (Mr. Throwback, Jockular podcast, How I Met Your Father). Dan picks possibly the world’s worst person to joke about, and Tien desecrates the patriarch of her fami…

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AJ Tracey - ‘Buying my mum a house will always be my proudest achievement’ 50:48

3M ago50:48

50:48

Rapping phenomenon and Tottenham Hotspur superfan AJ Tracey joins us this week to talk about supporting his mum through her cancer journey, the pressures of staying an independent artist and what football has taught him about failure. AJ Tracey has been rapping since the age of four. He dropped out of his Criminology degree at London Metropolitan U…

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How To Cope With A Friendship Break-Up - with Cynthia Nixon - Special Release 27:28

3M ago27:28

27:28

Cynthia Nixon joins Elizabeth to answer YOUR questions and failures including: whose failures would you most like to hear (dead or alive) how to cope with a friendship break up and how to know when to have kids. Elizabeth then takes a moment to reflect on meeting Cynthia, and everything they covered. To hear Cynthia tackling your failures join our …

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Jillian Bell and Chelsea Devantez 38:58

3M ago38:58

38:58

Jameela considers this our most relatable episode yet, and given what you're about to hear, that's terrifying. She welcomes her friends Jillian Bell (Kinda Pregnant, Summer of 69) and Chelsea Devantez (Glamorous Trash, The Problem with Jon Stewart). Jillian completely malfunctions around celebrities and Chelsea does not beat around the bush. Please…

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Cynthia Nixon - ‘Being brave is feeling scared and doing it anyway’ 51:44

3M ago51:44

51:44

Whilst Cynthia Nixon’s versatility is beyond question, it's fair to say that she has become permanently associated with one character, Miranda Hobbs, in Sex and the City and its companion piece, And Just Like That. She won an Emmy for her performance and a generation of fans who identified with the ambitious type-A lawyer whose cynicism disguised a…

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Unmasking American myths about war and the military 33:08

3M ago33:08

33:08

In the United States, about one sixth of the federal budget goes to defense. Why are many Americans so passive in the face of the massive expenditures for defense that crowd out spending on human needs like education, healthcare and infrastructure? Why does much of the media accept the status quo? And is all of this spending making Americans and th…

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Jordan Firstman and Megan Gailey 40:12

4M ago40:12

40:12

Jameela welcomes two guests who damn near made her pass out: actor, writer comedian and singer Jordan Firstman (English Teacher, album "Secrets") and writer, comedian, actress and podcaster Megan Gailey (The Roast of Tom Brady, Sports Bitches podcast). Jordan experiences his own Rear Window, while Megan is more concerned with her back door. Listen …

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Christine McGuinness - ‘I don’t want to hold back anymore - I date women! So what?’ 50:31

4M ago50:31

50:31

TW: discussions around anorexia and sexual abuse. In an incredibly powerful episode (and a How To Fail first), Christine McGuinness speaks publicly about her sexuality for the first time. She reveals she had a long-term relationship with a woman before her marriage to comedian Paddy McGuinness and that she’s now dating women again. She refuses to l…

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Vicky Pattison - ‘You don't become old and wise if you haven't been young and daft’ 55:32

4M ago55:32

55:32

Vicky Pattison was 22 when her life changed and she was cast in reality TV show Geordie Shore. She was on the show for nine seasons between 2011 and 2014, during which time the cameras followed her falling in love, becoming engaged, then breaking up. Now 37, Pattison has rarely been off our screens - whether it’s as a finalist on Celebrity Masterch…

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Beth Stelling and Amy Miller 38:40

4M ago38:40

38:40

A Smelling and a Loosening: Jameela is joined by two great friends and hilarious comedians who are both currently on tour: Amy Miller and Beth Stelling. Amy invents a word you can never unhear, hard as you may try. And Beth tells us what happens when you combine your mother's water bra and Olympian-level flexibility. Please rate and review like you…

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Dannii Minogue - ‘I hit low points where I thought: “I just can’t take this any more.” 56:33

4M ago56:33

56:33

In her most revealing interview to date, Dannii Minogue talks openly about the pressures of fame, the relentless comparisons with her sister, Kylie, and navigating a divorce that left her broke. It’s an extraordinary conversation with a woman who found fame as a 10-year-old in her native Australia. As a teenager Dannii, signed a record deal and act…

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The hidden science of us vs. them 34:57

4M ago34:57

34:57

“Humans are not rational beings with emotions. In fact, we're just the opposite. We're emotionally based beings who can only think rationally when we feel that our identities, as we see them, are understood and valued by others.” Those words from neuroscientist Bob Deutch triggered a lightbulb moment in the mind of Tim Phillips, a veteran peacebuil…

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Jake Johnson, Gareth Reynolds and Eric Edelstein 36:16

4M ago36:16

36:16

In our second Wrong Turns episode, Jameela welcomes We're Here to Help hosts Jake Johnson (Spider-Verse trilogy, New Girl), and Gareth Reynolds (Arrested Development, You're the Worst) along with Eric Edelstein (Parks and Recreation, Twin Peaks). Jake shares a hair don't, Gareth breaks from proper lavatory etiquette, and Eric continues his brave ba…