Hello and welcome to Good News York, sponsored
by Ads on the Go, GetAdsOnTheGo .com. I'm your
host Mike Brindisi. Follow me on socials at MikeBTV
and you can find all our episodes Monday through
Thursday at 5 p .m. Eastern at Good News York
on all socials and of course GoodNewsYork .com.
Every now and then we do a special episode and
the reason why I say this is special is because
these are friends of ours, clients of ours here
at Clickstream Studios. They have their own podcast
in which we produce called Crazy Real with Bougie
and Zog. And I am joined by Jenna Marissa, Bougie
and Zog. Again, it's always a wimpy clap, but
I got to do it. Welcome. Good morning. Thank
you. Is it still morning? Yeah. Where to start?
So, Jenna Marissa, first of all, who's Bougie?
Let's get that out of the way. Let's show the
viewers who's Bougie, who's Zog. I'm bougie.
That was my main name be would you be you gg.
It was a bougie. Yeah, I like bougie and that
word has blown up So I don't bougie in and then
you're Zag. Yeah, right because it's a plan.
You're on your name. You're your last name. I
won't mention but How did it the first of all,
how did the nickname bougie? Bougie come about
for you. That's actually that was my last name.
Oh Really? That's my last name. So I got married
your maiden name. Yeah. Oh, I thought it was
like a nickname No. Well, that's just a cool
name. Like, my last name is Brindisi. And it's
just, it's clunky. It's long. I have to spell
it a million times on the phone. Bougie's like...
Bougie. So growing up, I just was Bougie. Yeah.
Why wouldn't you be? Yeah. I was never Jen. That's
such a great name. Yeah. So you guys are unique
in that you came to us as one of our first clients
that didn't necessarily own a business. You came
to us as two people looking to get a podcast.
that just showcases who you are and talking about
crazy and real things that other moms and women
can relate to. And it's a super fun podcast.
Tell us a little bit about your backgrounds first
and then how did this idea for the podcast come
along? Okay, so I grew up in Syracuse. I graduated,
um, CNS in 98. I went to Oswego State, got my
degree in broadcast journalism, wanted to be
a news reporter. And then as I was interning
my last year and I was just like, this is not
my thing. I cannot do this. It was a sad story.
And my uncle had his own real estate company
said, just come work for me. So I've been with
him for 23 years. And I just started walking
one day, like starting to walk and get healthy.
And I started listening to Nicki Marie unplugged
and two bears, one cave, total opposites. And
I was like, you know what? Why? And being a mom
at 45, I wanted something a little more. You
know, you do the same thing every day for your
kids, your husband, work. And I was like, so
I came to Marissa, I was like, let's just start
it and see where it goes from there. Because
to me, it's kind of like not work. Like I just
left work now. I'm on my lunch hour. Like, this
is like relaxing. Like I'm having a good time.
And then I got to go back to numbers when I go
back, you know? So I just. So let's just. So
it's almost as much your own. therapy and passion
that it is just a podcast that you want to do
because it's something you're good at. It's almost
like a therapy for you in a way. Yeah, it's just
fun and not really work. Marissa, tell us a little
bit about your background and how this came along.
It's a little bit different than hers. I'm from
McGraw, New York. Grew up on a dairy farm. After
graduating, I went to Simi Courtland. Elementary
education, was a third, fourth grade teacher.
Then got married and when I got pregnant, I decided
to stay home So I've been home for stay at home
mom for the last Let's say 11 years. Well, so
was ready for a change. She came to me Maybe
August and said I have an idea. Let's go to dinner.
Oh, and I had no idea what Her idea was she's
like, let's do a podcast and she had it all mapped
out like episode, like what to talk about. And
I said, okay, let's try it. And so when we first
tried it, it was like... We tried to do it on
our own. On our own, yeah. Like in a bedroom.
Like in a bedroom, like we set up a thing. I
mean, look, that's not really crazy. I mean,
you can do a podcast anywhere these days, but
I bet you found it's a little more challenging.
Oh, it was awful. It was awful. It was terrible.
We looked at each other and we're like, what
the fuck are we doing? This is ridiculous. The
lighting, the sound, and then we're looking up
apps and we're like, we can't do this. Yeah,
technically we can never do it. And then how
did we get on your radar at Clickstream Studios?
We googled it. Really? And Jenna Murphy. I realized
that this was the place that Jenna Murphy was
going. So that's how we ended up here. That's
amazing. Yeah. You know, it's funny because I
too went, I went back to school for TVR, television,
radio. They call it television and digital media
now. And so there's a strong journalistic component
to that field. And so I kind of understand what
you mean, Jen, about, you know, once you kind
of peel the curtain back on journalism, especially
in today's world, it's not as fun and enjoyable
as you thought. And you learn, like, unless you
kind of work your way up to these bigger networks,
there's not a lot of money in it and you got
to love it. So I think it's... I commend you
because a lot of people are too afraid to say,
ooh, this is what I wanted to do. I guess I got
to go do it now. You decided, you know, this
isn't for me. And what's kind of cool is that
this podcast is along those same lines. I mean,
obviously you're not reporting anything, but
you're in front of the camera. Do you feel that
being on a podcast kind of scratches that same
itch for you? Like, it kind of fulfills that?
Kind of, but I... don't want to where I got to
research and get my facts. And I just want it
to be fun. You want to be you. I just want to
be us. I talk about housewives, talk about kids,
you know what I mean? So kind of, but not not
really like working with a reporter and the hours
and the money. Like, it's just not. Yeah. My
thought on that was along your lines, too, is
I was like, I could never do this because I just
I. I just can't take myself serious being like,
and now we're going to go into this story here
about a dog. You know what I mean? The buffalo
bells lose again. And I can't with the yuck yuck
on the voice. I'm like, I can't. I respect those
people, but it's just not me. It's not really
me. Can they teach you to do that? No, no. Well,
they do. Yeah, there's a whole class that you
have to take. where you will learn how to do
stand -ups and you will learn how to sit at a
desk with an earpiece in and you have to do a
mock news thing. And that's actually when I did
learn that like, oh, this isn't for me because
it was too rigid and stiff for me. And by the
way, people don't understand how hard it is to
be a journalist and to be a news anchor. It is
a talent. I'm talking about just the cadence.
We were the minutia of it. Our professor would
be like, you're talking about something sad.
You can't have an uptick in your voice. It is
very impressive, but it just wasn't for me. Like
you said, you know, it wasn't for you. And in
fact, the professor would say, stop, that's a
little too much yuck, yuck on the voice, which
is this thing here, you know, like, I mean, it's
not, yeah, it's a little too much. But anyway,
with that being said, so you decide, I want to
do a podcast, you tell Marissa, and... I assume
you had to have this conversation with your husbands.
What were their reactions? Were they... I mean,
obviously they were supportive, but were they
like, what? Or... Actually, mine was... I was
shocked. He was like, no, I think it's great.
Go for it. Do it. And he's been very supportive.
And actually, funny, he works at the firehouse
and all the guys... will like play it for him.
And he's like, will you stop doing that? Like
they're not really teasing him because the first
episode we talked about him a lot. Yeah, of course.
And his corks or whatever. But yeah, like he
was driving the truck and he's like, they won't
stop playing this goddamn podcast if you're talking
about me. But he loves it. That's an element
of this I never thought of. You know, you work
in a firehouse. There's a lot of ball busting
going on. They love it. The more you talk about
your husbands, they're going to just crank it
out. They're going to crank it out. I want to
do an episode. I want to have two wives on. And
we could talk about what it's like being married
to a fireman. Like an honor this whole... See,
here's the advantage of having a husband that's
not really good with technology. He doesn't know
that it's been released. So he's constantly like,
when's it gonna be out again? And, oh, here's
a good topic for the next podcast. And he'll
just shoot some ideas out. Meanwhile, he has
no idea what's really... He was supportive though,
right? Oh, yeah. He's getting good. And the kids...
And the kids, my son will come down with his
iPad and all of a sudden he'll just have the
intro playing on blast. And he's walking by dancing.
I'm like, will you stop? So earlier you talked
about kind of your origin story with your podcast,
Crazy Real, with Buji and Zog, which airs. You
know, we produce it here at Clickstream Studios.
You can listen or watch anywhere. You consume
podcasts. You were inspired by Two Bears, One
Cave, right? Is that the right one? Yes. With
Burt and Tom Segura. You said you were also really
inspired by Nick, is it Nicky Marie Unplugged?
Yes. And you followed her. Yes. Tell us a little
bit about, what is it about her and that show
that kind of inspired you to want to do this?
So she is just a mom, like me. She's just in
her own home, comfortable like me. I live in
my sweatpants. I live in my yoga pants. You're
never going to see me dressed up. She's the same
way. She talks about exactly what I want to talk
about. Kids, raising two kids and funny things.
Disney, her and I, her obsession with Disney
is like me and that kind of, and then Disney
like picked her up and she now goes as an influencer.
They send her and her kids and I was just, that's
like... why I wanted to do this. I want to get
big where I can go to Disney. That's really my
goal. That's your goal. So my kids and I should
go to Disney. Let's just be honest. This whole
thing is so... Literally. ...Boojie can go to
Disney. That's it. I'm not lying. It's stupid
to some people. No, it's not stupid. But it's
like... It's not stupid. I just... You know what
it is? And correct me if I'm wrong. I feel like
you listen to Two Bears One Cave and it's funny
and you think, oh, man, that would be so fun
to do a really professional podcast. And I bet
you, correct me if I'm wrong, that the Nick and
Marie unplugged kind of showed you like, oh,
oh, wait a minute. It doesn't have to be like,
like it can be professional, but like I can be
in my sweatpants and I can talk about Disney.
Did that kind of give you the idea of like, oh,
wait, I can I can do this and still be me and
laid back. Yeah. And she's more relatable, like
on my level, like kind of like Two Bears One
Cave. I just love because they do talk about
the stupidest things and they're funny. But a
lot of those guys like Theo Vonem, they're comedians.
Yeah. I'm not funny. So it's like, I feel like
a lot of those guys are funny and that's what
they work off of, you know, their comedic thing.
And then she's kind of more like just you and
I. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like if she can
do it, I mean, it takes a lot of work. The behind
the scenes. I can't believe all the stuff behind
the scenes. You can still be you can still be
funny and not be a comedian. You know, there's
a way. And yeah, you're right. You know, and
you guys are funny because you're in your element.
That's the key with podcasting is as long as
you're doing something that's in your element
where you can be you. And that's what you guys
are doing. And so, before we talk about the podcast,
I do want to mention, speaking of Nikki Marie
on Plug, very exciting for us here at Clickstream
Studios, but more exciting for you guys, and
we're so happy for you. She ended up sharing
one of your clips from an episode of Crazy Real?
Yesterday. Talk about it. On the Disney episode,
we talked about her, because Sarah, who we had
on, went on an influencer cruise that Disney
sent them on. Yes, I produced that episode. And
Nikki was on it. She goes, Oh, yeah, Nikki was
on it, too. So we just started talking about
her and we just tagged her in it. And she reposted
on Instagram. She reposted the video on Facebook.
Her mom requested to follow us. I requested to
follow her mom. Her mom was the first one to
like our video today that went out. So it's like
a lot of people might not. It's a big deal. It
is a big deal. And it is a big deal. Because
in your world, that's someone that's a main influence
of yours. It's someone that you follow. And,
you know, I tell clients all the time that, and
I tell our social media team that edits these
clips, like, make sure you tag some of the companies
or people you're talking about because you never
know when they're going to reshare it. And that's
how collaborations start. More than any other
industry, you know, podcasting specifically now
is just a ton of cross -marketing and networking
where everybody wins. You know, back... Back
in the television days, it was very much more
competitive because you're competing with networks
and ratings. And now we're in a world where,
yes, there is a ton of over -saturation, but
it allows for cross -marketing and networking
where everybody can have their own thing and
their own pockets of fame. And I'm going to say
one more thing. Nikki, we'll be on a girls' trip
in Boston at the beginning of March, so if you're
around. I'm just, I'm just kidding. The chances
of that happening. Where does she live? Massachusetts.
All right. Yeah. See? Anything's possible. Anything's
possible. But let's talk about your podcast,
Crazy Real, with Gujian Zag. I love it. I'm one
of the producers, along with Danny Tripodi. We're
so happy to have you as clients. What I love
about your podcast is everything you've already
explained, which is it's professional. It's interesting.
You know, you had a psychic on. That's going
to be on the next episode. I loved that. But
it's also very relatable because, again, you
guys are relating to other women your age and
moms and wives. But tell us, at the meat of it,
what is kind of your goal and what's the overall
theme of Crazy Real? What do you think our goal
is? Well, we know the goal is you need to get
to Disney. That's number one. That's the ultimate
goal. Let's get that out of the way. For free.
That's number one. For free, yeah. Honestly,
just to get big, you know, I hate to say this,
but in reality, people, it's to make money, too.
Sure. Like, and I just can't believe we're meeting
with marketing people. There's just so much work.
Yeah. I mean, it's like a full -time job. It
is a full -time job. It's like a whole other
job. So to make money. But I think that every,
the goal is to just have, like, every, like to
have everyday conversations. Yes. And do people
come up to us like, hey, you know, that episode
really, you know, hit me in a certain way or?
You know what I mean? Stuff like that. Just to
reach out to people, too. What are some of the
topics and or guests that that you're going to
talk about and have on on the show that people
can expect? What kind of things do you talk about?
So actually, our next episode is Regan's acts
of kindness. Everybody who lives in the area
knows what happened in 2017. So like people will
remember that story, you know, just to get it
out, to have people, you know. It was a heavy
episode. Yeah, to remember her. I kind of don't
know. I just want to have a little bit of everything.
I don't know what's going to interest people.
I don't know what people are going to hate. I
don't know, you know. Yeah, no. And that's that's
kind of the theme of all of this for everybody
is, you know, I tell people all the time, get
rid of preconceived notions, just find something
that you love and that fulfills you in the in
the podcast realm. Be yourself and the success
will come because the people that are interested
in you are going to are going to find you. And
they're and they're going to latch on, you know,
and that's the beauty of this, because. Before,
when there were just relied on networks, right,
I keep going back to this on television, you
know, shows were forced on people and you're
like, I don't like this. Now it's like you can
find your own shows like, oh, crazy, real, bougie.
That's totally something I'm into. And and you
have your own little pocket of a fan base. And
that's that's awesome. Like next week, we're
going to come in. We're literally going to talk
about the real house. I haven't thought like
city just because. we're obsessed with the show
and she's like, we gotta have your cousin Mark.
So my cousin Mark's gonna come and listen to
us and talk about it because he's so obsessed
with it too. That's great. And he's funny. Yeah.
So in a perfect world, if you could, you know,
when you guys picture who your listeners, followers,
fan base would be, who do you, I know you want
to cater to everybody that'll listen, but like
when you picture that, what's your target audience?
What do you think? What do you think? It's probably
more so Women, yeah. I would have to say. Oh,
sure. Yeah. Probably moms. New and our age. And
people that go to Disney. People that go to Disney.
People that go to Disney. Yeah, there you go.
Coming up, what can we look forward to? I know
you did, I did kind of tease that there's going
to be an episode, the heavy episode. Also, you
have, I think, a psychic that came on. Give us
a little tease of some guests or shows coming
up. We're going to talk about the Salt Lake City.
Also, I have reality TV. We also want to do an
episode just her and I about kids. Between the
first and the second, the difference. Running
around with sports, that type of stuff. A psychic
we just did. I have another. story that I'm not
going to talk about right now yet, but it's a
good feel story too of something in the area
that happened. I have a couple other guests that
I have inquiries in, but they're not definite
yet, so I don't really want to say, but yeah.
I mean, I like the guest thing. I really do.
I love the guests. Yeah, we do love the guests,
but we do have to do some with just us too. You
know, it's just to see. Oh, absolutely. I recommend,
you know, like with Good News York, we do. We
have guests and there's times where it's just
Matt and I and we're kind of riffing and there's
a beauty in both of those. So we're still trying
to figure it out. I really don't know. It's okay.
And it's a continuous process of figuring things
out and changing things up. Do you have a vision
in the short or long term of where you would
like this podcast to go? Any big goals or milestones
you want to hit? Are you just kind of on the
ride? Just kind of on the ride. On the ride,
yeah. That's the right mentality. Yeah, I really
don't have a main goal. Yeah. Just to get to
Disney again. For free. For free. Yeah. For free.
Is there anything else you guys want to chat
about that I have not hit? Because I know you
brought some notes with you, so I want to make
sure we hit everything. Yeah. No, I think we
really... What is one thing that each of you
would like people to know about yourselves. What
you see is what you get. Yeah. I can attest to
that. I will tell you to your face. I will. I'm
not gonna lie. I'm not gonna... I am so loyal.
I will be so nice to you. But if you do something
to me or my family, it's that Italian... Are
you Italian? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Me too. And
my husband calls me Italian Northside. From the
Northsides, we don't... That's a joke. That's
how I've always been. I've always been the, like,
you know, if I love you, you'll never feel more
love. And if I don't like you, I'm not going
to like you. Watch out. Watch out. Oh, yeah.
And it's weird, too, how, like, you know, in
high school, you're like, you have your people
you like, people you hate. Then as you become
parents, it's the same thing. It's like fricking
high school again at these kids' schools. You're
just like, oh, my God. Oh, it's brutal. It's
brutal. What about you? I just like social media.
Isn't it funny how you can exist? No, listen.
I do. This is my career and there are so many
aspects of social media I absolutely hate. That's
where I'm at. I feel like the older I get, the
more difficult it becomes. I am now at the point
where I'm asking my 11 -year -old for help. There's
no shame in that. One of the things I've said
to people over the years is that my dad actually
told me this once. He said, there was this episode
of The Twilight Zone where this guy wished he
could hear everybody's thoughts and he was granted
that wish. And by the end of the episode, he
goes clinically insane. Yes, I know that. Right.
And my father was like, that's what social media
is. You're hearing everybody's thoughts. Yes.
And there's a lot of people out there whose thoughts
we probably don't want to hear. A lot of people.
But there's so much beauty and awesomeness and
so much money to be made in social media. You
know, for me to say I hate social media wouldn't
make sense. I work in that field. But there is
no shame in saying, hey, even though I do this,
there are aspects of social media I cannot stand.
And I get it. And a big thing I hate, too, is
people hide behind their little computer. Oh,
of course. And they think they're so tough and...
No profile pic. And they're just commenting.
So that's going to be a... Once that starts going
and you start getting the negatives, I'm like,
could it be a good thing? Are we making it in
the world? Yeah. Or, you know, just can't let
it bother you? I took... that I'll give to you
is because obviously once Good News York started,
there's always trolls on there making fun of
your appearance. And I would get that out of
shape sometimes, you know, because like any human,
I have insecurities. And then someone said to
me, never take criticism from somebody you wouldn't
go to for advice. And I loved that. And I lived
by that. And that's something I love to share
with our clients is, you know, we there's going
to be negativity. But it's less about you and
more about the people on the other side who are
hiding behind their little thing and they probably
As soon as you see they don't have a profile
picture or their profile pictures their dog,
you know, like They're either ugly on the outside
or on the inside or both either way crazy real
with bougie bougie and Zag Produced here at clickstream
studios You can find it anywhere and everywhere
podcasts are consumed downloaded watch Give us
the plugs. Where else can we get a hold of you
guys? Where can we find episodes, social media
handles, all that? Yeah, Instagram, at crazy
real bougie Zog. Same thing for Facebook, YouTube,
TikTok. TikTok's another one. And Instagram,
we have our link tree. You can click on that
and it has everything in there. Awesome. Yeah.
Any final thoughts? No. Thank you. Tune in, click
and subscribe. That's right. Well, there it is.
It is Crazy Real with Buji and Zogg. Marissa
and Jen, two of our clients that we love so much.
We're so happy to have them here at Clickstream
Studios. Tune into Crazy Real with Buji and Zogg.
Just as they said, you can find them on all those
socials. And that is it for Good News York, sponsored
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You can follow me on all socials at MikeBTV and
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We will see you.