Best Jennifer Bangs Podcasts (2025)

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Journey Back to Oz (feat. Will Ashton of Cinemaholics) 57:13

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4d ago57:13

57:13

Just like Dorothy, we’re returning to the yellow brick road! In this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., Will Ashton of Cinemaholics joins us to explore the often-overlooked animated sequel Journey Back to Oz (1972). With Judy Garland’s own daughter, Liza Minnelli, stepping into Dorothy’s ruby slippers, this curious continuation of the Oz…

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'The Wizard of Oz' (feat. The Famous Ashley Grant) 56:40

26d ago56:40

56:40

We’re off to see the Wizard! On this episode of Close Watch, host Robert Yaniz Jr. and returning guest The Famous Ashley Grant take a trip down the Yellow Brick Road to explore how 1939’s The Wizard of Oz became one of the most beloved and enduring films of all time. From Judy Garland’s timeless performance and “Over the Rainbow” to the movie’s dre…

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Grease (feat. Kai Yaniz) 1:21:27

7M ago1:21:27

1:21:27

Grease is the word on this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., which also closes out our recent series on movie musicals. So we’re heading back to Rydell High to revisit the 1978 blockbuster that made a vibe of summer lovin’. With its unforgettable soundtrack, iconic performances from John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, and a rebellious…

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Moonwalker (feat. Russ Robinson of Infectious Groove Music) 1:39:02

8M ago1:39:02

1:39:02

Michael Jackson didn’t just dominate the charts—he redefined the music video and took it to the big screen with Moonwalker. On this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we take a deep dive into Michael Jackson’s 1988 film. Part music video anthology, part retrospective, and part sci-fi parable, Moonwalker also serves as a quintessential (a…

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'Moulin Rouge!' (feat. Jennifer Howell of Every Rom Com) 1:14:13

8M ago1:14:13

1:14:13

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to watch—and discuss—a movie in return! On this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we step into the dazzling, high-energy world of Moulin Rouge!, the 2001 jukebox musical that redefined modern movie musicals. Directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, this visually …

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‘Chicago’ (feat. The Famous Ashley Grant) 1:05:25

8M ago1:05:25

1:05:25

Murder, media, and musical numbers—oh my! On this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we take center stage with The Famous Ashley Grant to explore the razzle-dazzle of the 2002 film Chicago, the Oscar-winning musical that brought Broadway’s show-stopping energy to the silver screen. Directed by Rob Marshall and starring Renée Zellweger, C…

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‘The Sound of Music’ (feat. Phoenix Clouden of Curtain To Curtain) 1:11:00

9M ago1:11:00

1:11:00

The hills are alive with the sound of podcasting! On this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we celebrate one of the most beloved musicals in cinematic history, 1965’s The Sound of Music. Directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, this Rodgers and Hammerstein adaptation became an instant classic, winning …

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'Fiddler on the Roof' (feat. Pete Abeyta of Middle Class Film Class) 1:13:30

9M ago1:13:30

1:13:30

For this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we raise a glass—L’Chaim!—to one of the most celebrated musicals of all time. Robert is joined by Pete Abeyta of Middle Class Film Class to dive into 1971’s Fiddler on the Roof, Norman Jewison’s sweeping adaptation of the beloved Broadway show. With Topol’s unforgettable performance as Tevye an…

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'Wicked: Part I' (feat. Lauren Knight of That Movie Is Fine) 1:23:00

9M ago1:23:00

1:23:00

Rejoicify! Close Watch is back with the first Crooked Table podcast of 2025. As we continue talking movie musicals, we’re off to see the wizard with the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation of all time. Lauren Knight of That Movie Is Fine joins us to discuss Wicked: Part I (2024), the first of Jon M. Chu's ambitious two-part adaptation of the belov…

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'tick, tick... BOOM!' (feat. Rachel Wagner of Rachel's Reviews) 1:01:28

12M ago1:01:28

1:01:28

Although its sister show Franchise Detours has been trucking along, the feed for Close Watch has been deafening quiet throughout 2024. But fear not, dear listener, the podcast is far from over. In fact, ahead of its triumphant return in 2025, here's another in our series on movie musicals. Rachel Wagner of Rachel's Reviews joins Close Watch to dive…

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'West Side Story' (1961/2021) (feat. Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast) 2:28:27

2y ago2:28:27

2:28:27

In a harmonious double feature, Close Watch continues venturing through the world of movie musicals with an in-depth breakdown of both the 1961 classic West Side Story and Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake. Does the Oscar-winning original still hold up, and was its update worth the creative risk? Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast joins us in this melodi…

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'An American in Paris' (feat. Philip Boone of Ultimate Gilmore Girls Movie Night) 1:29:30

2+ y ago1:29:30

1:29:30

Every episode, Close Watch gives us the chance to get to know our guest through the movie they love. But more recently, the show has sharpened its focus on the wide world of movie musicals. And after the man-eating plant of Little Shop of Horrors and the cultural celebration of In the Heights, musical icon Gene Kelly has officially entered the chat…

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'In the Heights' (feat. The Lady-Wan from Screen Run) 1:35:44

2+ y ago1:35:44

1:35:44

Way back in 2020, a few hardcore Hamilfans -- including this episode's guest -- united for the first-ever Crooked Roundtable to talk up the Disney+ release of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning musical Hamilton. Now, at last, loyal listeners get the long-awaited spiritual sequel to that discussion. On this episode, Close Watch continues its year-lon…

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'Little Shop of Horrors' (1986) (feat. film critic Morgan Roberts) 1:08:12

2+ y ago1:08:12

1:08:12

It's 2023, and Close Watch has a song in its heart this year. For the next year, we're dedicating this podcast to movie musicals. Every month, the show will feature at least one episode in which Rob and a guest go in-depth on a beloved movie musical. And what better way to celebrate one of cinema's most beloved genres than with a man-eating plant f…

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The Scoop on Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions with Author and Professor Francesca T. Royster 1:00:09

3y ago1:00:09

1:00:09

Francesca T. Royster's Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions is a vital read that helps us to understand how country music got whitewashed, stripping it of its distinctly African American origins in slavery and its aftermath, and shows us how embracing that history will only enrich the form. Royster weaves Black, queer, and feminist schola…

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'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story' (feat. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast) 1:08:01

3y ago1:08:01

1:08:01

After UHF, "Weird Al" Yankovic fans faced a wait of more than three decades for another movie featuring the musical icon. And finally, along comes Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Starring Daniel Radcliffe as "The Weird One" himself, the movie pokes fun at Yankovic's life and career as well as the very notion that someone would make a biopic about him…

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Michael Ausiello and the Making of Spoiler Alert 1:05:39

3y ago1:05:39

1:05:39

TV journalist Michael Ausiello wrote a 2017 memoir called Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies that detailed his 13-year relationship with his husband Kit Cowan, who, in a devastating turn, was diagnosed with terminal cancer and, as the title tells us, died. Not to sound jaded, but there are a lot of memoirs about cancer and death. This book, however, is s…

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Life's Work: A Memoir, from One of TV's All-Time Greatest Writers 43:43

3y ago43:43

43:43

Consider this a Pop Literacy year-end gift: the recommendation of a deeply engrossing read for the average book fan, an extra fantastic read for writers of all mediums and genres, and a round-up of some of the finest dramas to ever unfold on the small screen. All those things come courtesy of Life's Work: A Memoir, the personal and professional aut…

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'Bandits' (feat. The Famous Ashley Grant) 1:08:04

3y ago1:08:04

1:08:04

Cate Blanchett might be poised to win a third Academy Award for her performance in Tár. But more than two decades ago, the actor -- who was already well on her way to becoming one of the best actors of her generation -- co-starred with Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton in an under-seen crime comedy-drama. And unsurprisingly, she steals the film. …

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And It All Started with The Big Bang (Theory) 51:32

3y ago51:32

51:32

The Big Bang Theory ran for 12 seasons, 279 episodes, on CBS, and continues to be a pop culture presence with its frequent re-airings on cable, permanent home on HBO Max, and its spin-off life with the CBS hit Young Sheldon. With its spot in television history firmly secured, the series was due for a comprehensive chronicle of its success, and jour…

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Black Hollywood with Carell Augustus 59:24

3y ago59:24

59:24

Carell Augustus's brilliant and beautiful photography book Black Hollywood reimagines, and restages, iconic Hollywood moments from the likes of Breakfast at Tiffany's, Singin' in the Rain, and Mission Impossible with Black entertainers at their center. The work allows Black people to see themselves as part of the fabric of Hollywood history and als…

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'Cloud Atlas' (feat. Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast) 1:35:20

3y ago1:35:20

1:35:20

Some movies are too big to cover in a single conversation. Cloud Atlas -- the 2012 epic directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer -- is definitely such a movie. So to celebrate the film's tenth anniversary, we invited Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast to help us dig into the movie and its ensemble cast, which includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry,…

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The Tragedy and Triumph of George Michael, with James Gavin 1:20:24

3y ago1:20:24

1:20:24

James Gavin's stunning biography of pop star George Michael—simply entitled George Michael: A Life—dives deep into an enigmatic, charismatic figure who dominated pop music in the 1980s and '90s, but never seemed to find peace and happiness. James's thorough and riveting account of Michael's life traces how his battles with his own sexuality, his la…

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'Willow' (feat. Jeremiah Stewart of Let's Talk) 1:09:45

3y ago1:09:45

1:09:45

Unless superheroes, hobbits, or boy wizards are involved, fantasy films are all too rare these days. But in the 1980s, the genre was thriving on the big screen. Filmmakers coupled state-of-the-art visual effects with puppetry, make-up, and good ol' movie magic to create worlds fans could previously only imagine. Director Ron Howard's 1988 film Will…

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Summer Rerun | The 'Jenny from the Block' Video: A Historical Analysis 1:37:06

3+ y ago1:37:06

1:37:06

The episode originally aired July 23, 2019. Jennifer Lopez turns 50 this month and is at the top of her game: dancing her way through an international tour, engaged to baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez, and managing to be one of the few massive pop stars with lots of loyal fans and relatively few haters. But it wasn't always thus. Her career hit a …

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Summer Rerun | Will 1990s Nostalgia Always Be the Best Nostalgia? 50:35

3+ y ago50:35

50:35

This episode originally aired March 4, 2019. It was the decade of "The Macarena," the O.J. Simpson trial, the teen pop boom, VHS tapes, and Nintendo. It was also before 9/11 and Columbine, a time when the nation hung on every lurid detail of the president's sex life and the Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan feud. Though 2000s nostalgia is on the way—as …

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Summer Rerun | The State of the Boy Band 54:11

3+ y ago54:11

54:11

This episode originally aired April 8, 2019 Boy bands as we know them have been around since New Edition got together in 1978—and now, they're bigger than ever, thanks to online fandom. New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, O-Town, 98 Degrees, and Boyz II Men are among the groups who have recently been on tour or recorded new music. And the boy b…

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'Airplane!' (feat. film critic Albert Lanier) 59:26

3+ y ago59:26

59:26

Cinema -- like all art forms -- is wholly subjective. And within that, comedy is perhaps most subjective of all. That being said, 1980's Airplane! remains widely considered one of the funniest movies of all time. So as Close Watch emerges from a lengthy hiatus, we'll take to the skies for an in-depth chat. On this episode, film critic Albert Lanier…

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Summer Rerun | 2000s Nostalgia: Yes, It's Happening 1:31:23

3+ y ago1:31:23

1:31:23

This episode originally aired February 19, 2019. AOL Instant Messenger, the first iPods, Paris Hilton, emo, Mean Girls, The O.C., low-rise jeans… Now that it's 2019, it's time to prepare for a wave of 2000s nostalgia. Pop Literacy host Jennifer Keishin Armstrong is joined by guest co-host Andrea Bartz, author of the forthcoming 2009 nostalgia novel…

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Summer Rerun | BTS for Beginners 1:00:09

3+ y ago1:00:09

1:00:09

This episode originally aired April 16, 2019. After years of massive popularity around the world, Korean boy band BTS is breaking through to the top of mainstream American culture. They just dropped a new album (Map of the Soul: Persona), which includes the single "Boy with Luv," featuring Halsey; and they played Saturday Night Live, a first for a …

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The Mystery of the Man Who Invented Movies, Then Disappeared, with Paul Fischer 1:15:32

3+ y ago1:15:32

1:15:32

Thomas Edison and the French Lumiere brothers have widely been credited with inventing motion pictures, but there's another strong contender for the distinction: Louis LePrince, a driven inventor who dedicated every moment of his life and most of his money to making moving pictures not only possible but accessible enough to be widely available—and,…

Jennifer Bangs Podcasts

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Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.

OddPods Media

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She Bangs She Bangs: Marriage, Adultery, Texas & Jesus

Jennifer Bangs

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Pop Literacy

Jennifer Keishin Armstrong & Kimberly Potts

1
Journey Back to Oz (feat. Will Ashton of Cinemaholics) 57:13

1
'The Wizard of Oz' (feat. The Famous Ashley Grant) 56:40

1
Grease (feat. Kai Yaniz) 1:21:27

1
Moonwalker (feat. Russ Robinson of Infectious Groove Music) 1:39:02

1
'Moulin Rouge!' (feat. Jennifer Howell of Every Rom Com) 1:14:13

1
‘Chicago’ (feat. The Famous Ashley Grant) 1:05:25

1
‘The Sound of Music’ (feat. Phoenix Clouden of Curtain To Curtain) 1:11:00

1
'Fiddler on the Roof' (feat. Pete Abeyta of Middle Class Film Class) 1:13:30

1
'Wicked: Part I' (feat. Lauren Knight of That Movie Is Fine) 1:23:00

1
'tick, tick... BOOM!' (feat. Rachel Wagner of Rachel's Reviews) 1:01:28

1
'West Side Story' (1961/2021) (feat. Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast) 2:28:27

1
'An American in Paris' (feat. Philip Boone of Ultimate Gilmore Girls Movie Night) 1:29:30

1
'In the Heights' (feat. The Lady-Wan from Screen Run) 1:35:44

1
'Little Shop of Horrors' (1986) (feat. film critic Morgan Roberts) 1:08:12

1
The Scoop on Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions with Author and Professor Francesca T. Royster 1:00:09

1
'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story' (feat. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast) 1:08:01

1
Michael Ausiello and the Making of Spoiler Alert 1:05:39

1
Life's Work: A Memoir, from One of TV's All-Time Greatest Writers 43:43

1
'Bandits' (feat. The Famous Ashley Grant) 1:08:04

1
And It All Started with The Big Bang (Theory) 51:32

1
Black Hollywood with Carell Augustus 59:24

1
'Cloud Atlas' (feat. Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast) 1:35:20

1
The Tragedy and Triumph of George Michael, with James Gavin 1:20:24

1
'Willow' (feat. Jeremiah Stewart of Let's Talk) 1:09:45

1
Summer Rerun | The 'Jenny from the Block' Video: A Historical Analysis 1:37:06

1
Summer Rerun | Will 1990s Nostalgia Always Be the Best Nostalgia? 50:35

1
Summer Rerun | The State of the Boy Band 54:11

1
'Airplane!' (feat. film critic Albert Lanier) 59:26

1
Summer Rerun | 2000s Nostalgia: Yes, It's Happening 1:31:23

1
Summer Rerun | BTS for Beginners 1:00:09

1
The Mystery of the Man Who Invented Movies, Then Disappeared, with Paul Fischer 1:15:32