Jill Kargman: Thermos!


We are a TV family. We have a TV in almost every room. We eat dinner with the TV on and go to sleep with the TV on… yup, we do. We have Netflix, Hulu, HBOGo and our beloved Apple iTunes. We can even watch live American TV from here in Paris by the grace of God and the magic of Sling TV. My husband watches mostly creepy murder movies so he’s not allowed to watch TV in our bedroom near me because that stuff affects me and I usually have to turn on an episode of the Barefoot Contessa to calm me down. My daughter mostly watches Broad City because she’s cool. I, on the flip side of cool, mostly, strictly watch reality TV. And on top of that, I usually only watch the Bravo Channel if I’m not watching the E! Channel where I watch the Kardashians and get my news. Speaking of news, I also watch every night Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, BBC and CNN. So, if you have any questions regarding the current state of affairs in the world… Come to me. I can answer all of your questions about bank closures in Greece and its austerity policies, Pakistani Nobel peace prize recipient, Malala Yousafzai, inaugurating her first school for Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon on her 18th birthday, Harper Lee’s second book, Go Set a Watchman, after To Kill a Mockingbird, and on top of that I can answer all of your questions regarding any of The Housewives of New York (Ramona Singer in the yellow bikini in the heels in the Turks and Caicos, Bethenny Frankel imitating Dorinda… All part of my health and wellness package towards curing my ALS). Trust me, I know my TV.

So, it is with great confidence, that I can recommend my new favorite show on Bravo… Odd Mom Out.

If you have not seen the show, your homework over the next few days is to watch every back episode. Don’t worry, there are only six episodes as the series just premiered. Go ahead… I’ll wait…

Odd Mom Out is a new Bravo channel scripted series written by Jill Kargman. Who is Jill Kargman? First of all, she is definitely somebody I would want to be friends with because she is smart, witty and self-deprecating… my favorite combination. Let me give you some facts before we continue…

 


Jill Kargman

             Well-educated… Spence, Taft, Yale (graduated in three years with honors majoring in art history) and BADA (British America Drama Academy) at Stanford. So there.

             Is a New York Times best-selling author and has written 10+ novels.

             Has written hundreds of articles for all of our favorite magazines.

             Her father is Arie Kopelman, former president of Chanel and avid historic preservationist, whom I happen to think is one of the most elegant and gracious men. I have met him a few times as he is a friend of my friend, Diandra Douglas. He also said that he loved my shop, Circa, in Santa Barbara so obviously I’m a huge fan. :-)

             Her sister-in-law is Drew Barrymore. Cute.

             She shares a mutual dislike of cilantro with David Foster.

             Had stage III skin cancer and thinks humor is the best medicine. Moi aussi.

             She hates summer and loves stationery.

I first started to think, “Who’s that girl” when I saw her on my favorite design video series, Stylish Shopping with Susanna Salk via Quintessence Blog. Watch…

 

Okay, are you with me? Now that we have discovered Jill’s background and she has proven her street cred… Let’s discuss her show…

 


The running theme behind Jill’s novels and new show is something that I am slightly familiar with… The Upper East Side of New York and all of its idiosyncrasies. I used to live smack dab in the middle of the Upper East Side on 68th St. and Park Avenue. Half of my friends live in the vicinity and are the subject of Jill’s humor. If you don’t know what I’m talking about read Jill’s book titled, Momzillas. Jill’s satirical half joking/half not joking portrayal of the uber-wealthy residents of Manhattan’s elite neighborhood is spot on. You find yourself thinking while watching the show, “I can’t believe she just said that!” And then you laugh hysterically.

My two favorite characters on the show are Jill’s best friend, Vanessa, played by actress K.K. Glick and Jill’s mother-in-law, Candace Weber, played by Joanna Cassidy. When Jill’s mother-in-law uttered the phrase in the last episode, “French third-base” I nearly spit out my vanilla soy chai latte.

Even though some critics say that the show is geared towards a niche market of the “1 percenters” and argues that not everyone can relate… I don’t agree. First of all, why does someone always have to relate to something to get it? Secondly, more subdued versions of these Upper East Side families exist in every community, across every continent…. Don’t fool yourself.

So, if you need a little humor in your day, go binge watch Odd Mom Out. Two words: chocolate starfish.

You can order all of Jill’s books HERE.

Visit Jill’s website HERE.

Follow Jill on Instagram HERE and Twitter HERE.

A toute!

25 comments:

  1. I love Jill...she & the show is brilliant! I wss dying the other night. Hilarious! Btw I've been remiss in keeping up with you..hope ur doing well..xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. OMG! I refuse to answer any phone calls or get engaged in any conversations with my sons on Tuesday nights from 8-10:30 p.m. bc RHONY is on followed by Odd Mom Out and then Andy Live show (whatever it's called)! Jill is hilarious! When they were trying to have "behind" sex the other night and she suggested "thermos" as their "safe word" I thought I was going to die! And then when she was delivering her sister-in-law's baby, and her dress was literally soaked with bloody hand prints - so so funny! And then her husband brought her the red possibly Herve Leger dress in hospital to change into!! I could go on and on!! And then the "sip and see"?! But I have to say, the sight of Ramona in her yellow bikini in her high wedges in that squat whilst trying to shut that huge sliding glass door is SEARED into my brain!! Did you hear or read that Heather has quit the show? We are same way - tv in every room but bathrooms and dining room! I loved the episode of Friends when someone told Joey they didn't have a t.v., and he said "Well, then what do you point all your furniture at?"

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ellie, I was planning to have a "productive" day. Now all I want to do is watch that show!!!! I can't wait! Thank you, I think. Leigh

    ReplyDelete
  4. You had me at " chocolate starfish" you wicked one. Will check out the series, love these kind of shows.

    ReplyDelete
  5. So glad that you are a t.v. addict. Love Bravo.
    We actually have a lot in common...ha!
    Sheila in Port Townsend

    ReplyDelete
  6. I eat, drink, breathe Bravo. I am in love with "Odd Mom Out." I did not have high hopes for it because the last scripted series, something about a divorcee, stunk. My favorite character is the sister in law. Speaking of Bravo... I think this should be Heather's last season on RHNY and Bethany is a know-it-all.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm cracking up at the similarities. A TV in every room, Bravo Reality and cooking shows for me, creepy violent dramas for my husband and an ongoing stream of "breaking news" from CNN. Of course we have to eat and sleep with the TV on - Ha! Odd Mom Out is so funny and full of good advice too…like the time she suggested cutting a tampon in half to stop a bloody nose – Brilliant! I’m not sure if you’re still watching “Chrisley Knows Best”, but the last episode involved escargot, foie gras, and frogs legs (ain’t nothing Southern about that). Did you see your friend Derek Blasberg is going to be part of the “Fashionably Late with Rachel Zoe” show? Lastly, I heard the reason some people dislike the taste of cilantro is because of an enzyme on their tongues that makes it taste like soap. xox

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Donna! I absolutely live for "Chrisley Knows Best." My daughter says that he is me in a male form. I am concerned about their house though because I can't tell if it is a rental or a prop because they don't have all of their furniture yet. I need to know what's going on. I like how he decorates. Can't wait for Rachel Zoe's new show! XOXO

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ellie! Yes he could be the male version of you with all those witty one-liners ;)

      I’m not sure we’ll see more furniture considering they downsized from 30,000 to 12,000 sq. ft. in the middle of bankruptcy proceedings. I read that Atlanta designer Toby West decorated their first house, with Todd's help. He’s an antiques dealer…hence the great furniture. Their current house could be a rental. There’s not much written about it. In any case, we should be seeing more of them. Todd’s getting his own late-night talk show, as well as a spin-off show based on the two kids going off to college (and Todd micromanaging them from a distance?) Guess we'll have to stay tuned-in and turned-on! XOX

      Delete
  9. :(

    This sad face is brought to you by your friend Heather who lives in Hicksville, Provence and so French Netflix (which we only just got after years of waiting) broke our internet. Literally. It did. Let alone afore-mentioned loser friend who does not have a credit card with a US address and so gets a big "wah-wah" when trying to access Hulu, Slingtv all of the above (one of the sites actually has a creepy female robot voice repeating "you are forbidden access to this site...you are forbid -" ok! I get it! Sheesh).

    Sooo, don't mind me, I guess I'll just go back to chopping up my twenty pounds of green peppers that I don't even like and reading Sartre...
    ;)

    Sending you the Strength of Superman lifting up a train and Love like the first time you ever saw the ocean,
    Heather

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sorry if this repeats. I never comment but your blog and you have moved me so much. I love Odd Mom Out so much but I love you even more. Thank you for sharing your life.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ellie I remember when Susanna di this video with Jill and thought what a cool and fun woman she is!
    I can't wait to check out the show!!

    xoxo
    Karena
    The Arts by Karena
    Gratitude

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ok, you've convinced me. I'll start subscribing to it now. Have you watched Doc Martin. It's very soothing and biting funny. Off I go tro subscribe.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I was at the airport this afternoon in Southern California. While waiting for my flight I was chatting with a woman who was sitting next to me. She told me about this TV program. Then I decided to catch up with my emails and dear Ellie also talks about the same program. My goodness but the world is small.
    Judy

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love Jill's show as well. It was interesting to learn about all her many accomplishments; very impressive. But most of all, I appreciate -- I think -- your introduction to Quintessence and Susanna Salk's At Home videos. I say I think because I have spent the last three hours watching them. I loved seeing all the beautiful homes of the designers she interviewed. Now I must get out of my pjs. Have a great day.
    XO, Victoria

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love Odd Mom Out and love that you love it too! I've been taping it while live viewing. When re-watching, I find funny lines I missed the first time because I was laughing so hard. Jill is truly a gifted - and hilarious - woman.
    xoxo
    Joanne

    ReplyDelete
  16. Just been over to youtube to watch an episode of OMO .... this could be dangerous! Thank you so much for educating us Eliie, and for doing your research so thoroughly

    xox

    ReplyDelete
  17. Love Jill Kargman. Now I have to watch two shows! Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin and now Odd Mom Out!!

    XXOO

    ReplyDelete
  18. I've avoided OMO because Bravo has historically been awful with scripted series. But your recommendation is enough for me to give it a three episode shot. It will be a nice distraction from my already rampant Christmas planning compulsion. The other night I woke up at 3AM, got on eBay and bought three silver gravy boats, and then went back to sleep. Who says you need ambien to sleep shop? I think it's the weather--it's been rainy and in the 60s, so my biological Christmas clock stared ticking like its late September.
    Housewives: Kristen on NY needs to go. She's too nice and civil to be of any value on the show. I do love her gradient crystal necklace she wears in interviews though. And her douchey husband with his Yoko Ono hats. Can't stand him. My favorite moment was when Heather was crying in the kitchen about the strange, naked man. About which LuAnn was quite nonchalant. I think that's all. I need to go get fabric for my sweatshop seamstress (sometimes I just call her 'mom') for my Thanksgiving tablecloth. It's the perfect Hermes orange.

    ReplyDelete
  19. PS-I've come full circle with Ina. I loved her at the start of her show, swore when I was 55 I'd ascend to the IGNOGG (Ina Garten Network of Older Gay Gentlemen), probably try to date TR (aka fuck behind a neatly clipped boxwood lit by white candles in glass hurricanes) while the piano crescendo built as Ina garnished her party platter, but then something changed as her show moved into the barn and the attempted catchphrase "how easy was that?!" took hold. Who watches barefoot contessa because they want easy? Rachel Ray has that covered. So I boycotted Ina for a while and sold my imaginary house in East Hampton. Buuuut then I saw her on the other day and thought I should check in. Then bought all the episodes I'd missed on Amazon. The how easy was that still gets on my nerves, but it's way better than any of the other shows. So very long story short, I've forgiven her and hopefully TR didn't block my number. Let's hope in the Inaverse no one ages and he'll look the same by the time I get my IGNOGG card.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Stephen needs to be on Saturday Night Live (I hate to do initials; I never get any of them!) Seriously. He does. Tell him. He won't listen to me.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I forgot to say. You have to be on there with him.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Let me first say that I adore you. I also often take your recommendations. So, I tried the Odd Mom Out and suffered through the first episodes but by the third one I was out. It is terrible, practically unwatchable. Idiotic, over the top. And Jill Kargman in the role of Jill Weber is the worst.
    Sadly also, the show producers should know that Czechoslovakia ceased to exit in 1992 and peacefully dissolved in two countries, Czech Republic and Slovakia. FYI in the third episode the two friends,Jill and the doctor, say that they should go to Czechoslovakia. Also, sadly, someone should inform them that von as in von Weber is pronounced fon and not van. If that was part of the humor, most Americans didn't get it. This is why I would rather watch a bad drama than "good " comedy. It is not funny!!! I have to select the anonymous profile but I am not anonymous. v.j. kohout (female)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear V.J. okay I agree with you about Czechoslovakia and that they should know. But just try the episode titled Sip and See and watch the one about Brooklyn. I promise you will giggle. :-)

      Delete