Shows
Jessica Benson Show with CJ HurtSophia Smith's Goal, Pitbull Stadium, And Cotton Candy BurritosJessica shares her thoughts on USA men's basketball beating Brazil, talks to DeAngelo Williams about musicals, and more.start set the show:06 Olympic highlights:32 USWNT advances to Gold Medal Game in soccer:39 Pitbull Stadium:50 DeAngelo Williams1:11 STORY TIME1:26 Real life 'Challengers' situation at the Olympics1:30 Olympic village without AC1:33 Ramen flavored Funyuns1:35 Cotton candy burrito1:35 Adult website offers Ammirati $250K contract2024-08-071h 41
Comfort MeasuresComfort Measures: S2, E3 - Corona Comfort, SHOWS N PODCASTSIn today's episode, Jessica does things a little differently - not one book or movie or comfort show but three comfort shows, and not just three comfort shows but three comfort shows and their companion podcasts. So, join Jess as she discusses THE WEST WING and the podcast THE WEST WING WEEKLY; THE GOOD PLACE and the podcast THE GOOD PLACE THE PODCAST; and SCRUBS and the podcast FAKE DOCTORS REAL FRIENDS WITH ZACH AND DONALD. The Comfort Food is Blueberry Pancakes (with a side of crispy bacon). For the Community Comfort, Jess gets all Peace, Love, and Hippie...2020-04-2933 min
Comfort MeasuresCM S2E2: THE BLUE CASTLEIn the second episode of season 2, Jessica and Laura do a re-read of the Lucy Maud Montgomery novel THE BLUE CASTLE. The comfort food is chinese food, specifically wonton soup and pork fried rice. And the community comfort is the tactile experience of a bowl of dry rice or beans (listen to the episode for details, you'll get it). So, crack open your copy of THE BLUE CASTLE, and join Jess and Laura for a discussion of the sin of fear, the theft of a silver spoon, and love (and sex) in the time of L. M. Montgomery. 2020-04-151h 23
Comfort MeasuresComfort Measures - Corona Comfort: Season 2, Episode 1 - OUTBREAKIn the midst of the global pandemic of Covid 19, we here at Comfort Measures thought we should try in some small way to help address the crisis and since we're not medical professionals, or essential workers or ventilator manufacturers, we're doing it the only way we know how by discussing a comfort movie and eating some comfort food. As you'll hear, these Corona Comfort episodes will be a little more freeform than our normal eps but will hopefully provide some comfort all the same. In today's episode, Jessica chats about the 1995 Dustin Hoffman gem, OUTBREAK, and addresses the reasons...2020-04-0127 min
Comfort MeasuresComfort Measures: Episode 12 - FARSCAPE, S1, Ep1, PremiereEpisode 12 - In our 12th episode, Jessica tackles her first (but far from her last) science fiction Comfort Media as she takes a deep dive into the premiere episode of the (criminally-cancelled-too-soon - Thanks, Frelling SciFi Channel!) television series, FARSCAPE. The Comfort Food is buttermilk biscuits. And the Community Comfort is (a bit on the nose, we know) Stargazing...so pull some buttermilk biscuits out of the oven, cue up the first episode of FARSCAPE (now available on Amazon Prime) and join Jess for a discussion of a Broken DRD, a Helium-farting Hinerian, the luminous Claudia Black, and action-figure...2019-04-291h 07
Comfort MeasuresComfort Measures: Episode 11 - Faking It by Jennifer CrusieIn our latest episode, Jessica does a re-read of the hilarious Jennifer Crusie novel FAKING IT. The comfort food is blueberry muffins. And the community comfort is the scent of cinnamon (and the Christmas spices that go with it - clove and nutmeg)...so drop a nice cinnamon Christmas blend in the diffuser, grab a warm blueberry muffin (with some soft-but-not-melted butter), crack open your copy of FAKING IT, and join her for a discussion of closet meet-cutes and familial relations, asthmatic artists and multiple personalities, possible hit-men and definite con-men, and the comparative benefits of muffins vs. doughnuts.2019-03-311h 11
Comfort MeasuresComfor Measures: Episode 10 - THE PRINCESS BRIDEEpisode 10 - In our February episode, we jump in to the 1987 Rob Reiner classic - THE PRINCESS BRIDE. So, in the spirit of Inigo Montoya: Hello. My name is Jessica Ammirati. You're seeking comfort. Prepare to (re)watch! Jessica's co-host this month is none other than retired English and American Studies and Dean of Studies, Theresa (aka Mom) Ammirati. The comfort food pairing is beef stew. Get yerself a bowl, grab some crusty bread to go with it, and settle in for a discussion of a princess, a pirate, a giant, a...2019-03-011h 24
Comfort MeasuresComfort Measures: Episode 9 - SENSE AND SENSIBILITYCOMFORT MEASURES is BACK! And, in our first episode of 2019, Jessica is joined by Camilla Ammirati for a deep dive into the Jane Austen film classic - SENSE & SENSIBILITY. Join us for tea and biscuits and a discussion of sisters, WILLOUGHBY(!), weird fingernail things, and spray-painted sheep. For more about Camilla and her folklorist work, check out www.TAUNY.org and for more about Camilla the musician, check out the links below for The Don't Tell Darlings and Uprooted, or, if you're ever in Canton, NY swing by The Buccaneer Lounge, https://www.facebook.com/Bucclounge/. 2019-01-311h 35
Comfort MeasuresComfort Measures: Episode 8 - Gilmore Girls - S1E1 - PilotEpisode 8 - In episode 8, Jessica does a re-watch of the pilot episode of the Gilmore Girls. The comfort food is apple pie. And the community comfort is a fire in a woodstove...so, light up a (nice and contained - safety first!) fire, grab a slice of homemade apple pie, cue up Gilmore Girls on Netflix, and join Jessica for a discussion of the fast-talking/pop culture spouting Gilmores, frying pans to the face, Officer Krupke, and super dry (but very healthy) muffins... As always, thank you to The Don't Tell Darlings for use of their songs "...2018-10-3155 min
Go See a Show!Jake Lipman & Jessica Ammirati of “Relentlessly Pleasant”GSAS! podcast correspondent Tara Gadomski attended the first performance of Tongue in Cheek Theater Productions‘ world premiere Relentlessly Pleasant, and hosted an interview/talkback with the audience, featuring writer/director Jake Lipman and dramaturg Jessica Ammirati. Listen in as they discuss “what it’s like to … Continue reading →2018-10-1929 min
Comfort MeasuresComfort Measures: Episode 7 - HEARTBURN by Nora EphronEpisode 7 - In episode 7, we discuss Nora Ephron's uniquely Washington DC novel, HEARTBURN. Joining Jessica for the deep dive, is actor/producer/writer/director and founding artistic director of Tongue In Cheek Theater (www.tictheater.com), Jake Lipman* (www.jakelipman.com). The comfort food is (Nora-approved) mashed potatoes. Community Comfort is a new one for us at CM - a scent - specifically Calendula - courtesy of Jake. So, get yerself a bowl of hot mashed potatoes, some Kerrygold butter to mix on in, pick up your copy of HEARTBURN, and join Jess and Jake for a...2018-10-121h 04
Comfort MeasuresComfort Measures: Episode 6 - ALIAS - Truth Be ToldIn episode 6, Jessica takes a deep dive into the pilot episode of the JJ Abrams Spy Show Classic - ALIAS. The comfort food is the NY Deli Classic - the black and white cookie. And the community comfort is the Winter Classic - the towel warmer...so, throw on a pair of warm sweat pants, cue up Alias on Amazon, grab a black and white, and join Jessica for a discussion of double agents, (seemingly) absentee fathers, a truly extraordinary chair flip, and blazing red hair... As always, thank you to The Don't Tell Darlings for use...2018-05-041h 14
Comfort MeasuresComfort Measures: Episode 5 - BULL DURHAMEpisode 5 - In honor of Baseball Season's Opening Day, we do a deep dive into the 1988 Baseball Classic - BULL DURHAM. Joining Jessica for the discussion is baseball romance novelist, Jen Doyle and the comfort food pairing is (of course) Cracker Jacks. So "buy me some peanuts and (you know what)", cue up the flick, and join us for the rewatch. You can find Jen's books on Amazon and on her website at www.jendoyleink.com And you can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @JenDoyleInk. As always, thank you to The Don't Tell...2018-03-291h 36
Comfort MeasuresComfort Measures Episode 4 - Searching for Bobby FischerIn episode four, Jessica is flying solo and taking a closer look at the 1993 movie SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER. The comfort food pairing is pizza - but not just any pizza - a pizza that means something special to you. So grab a slice, and join Jess for a discussion that touches on topics ranging from chess to competition to fathers to a stuffed moose. As always, thank you to The Don't Tell Darlings for use of their songs "Never Saw Nothing" and "Till I Get Home" in the intro and outro (respectively) to the pod. For...2018-03-231h 03
Comfort MeasuresComfor Measures: Episode 3 - LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS by Laura Ingalls WilderIn our third episode, we take a closer look at the novel LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Our comfort food pairing is cast-iron-baked-sourdough-bread with Kerrygold butter and our guest co-host is screenwriter, Terri Viani. So, grab a piece of fresh baked bread warm from the oven, slather on a nice big pat of Kerrygold butter, and join us for a discussion of this first book in the Little House Series. You can follow Terri at www.instagram.com/thewriterink. Oh, and I completely forgot to mention while recording that this...2018-03-051h 00
Comfort MeasuresComfort Measures episode 2 - SPORTS NIGHT - The ApologyEpisode 2 - In our second episode, we take a closer look at the show SPORTS NIGHT, specifically season 1, episode 2, "The Apology". Our comfort food pairing is apple cider donuts and our guest co-host is singer/songwriter Miss Lynn - Lynn Hickernell. Enjoy the discussion, the donuts, and the sampling of Miss Lynn's songs including: "The Thread", "Frosted with Sprinkles" (it is, after all, a donut kinda song), "Good Words", and "Normal ('s Just a Town)". You can find more of Miss Lynn's music at www.misslynn.com. As always, a quick thank you to Camilla Ammirati and...2018-02-1358 min
Comfort MeasuresComfort MeasuresIn our first official episode of Comfort Measures, we take a deep dive into the comfort movie - THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (yes I called it a comfort movie) - while munching on one of the truly perfect movie comfort foods - Popcorn! (artisanally) stove-popped of course.2018-01-1545 min
Comfort MeasuresIntroduction to Comfort MeasuresComfort Measures - the podcast that looks at the media we consume and the food we eat when we are seeking comfort. Find out more at patreon.com/comfortmeasures Don't forget to subscribe to the show!2017-12-0309 min