The Shaw Report with Jessica Shaw

Kristen Johnston on Reinvention, Sisterhood, and Comedy After 50

Emmy-winning actress Kristen Johnston joins us to talk about her new Netflix sitcom Leanne and why it feels so groundbreaking to see women over 50 at the center of comedy. In this wide-ranging conversation, Kristen shares how her real-life bond with co-star Leanne fuels the show’s sisterhood, why reinvention is such a powerful part of midlife, and how resilience and recovery have shaped her career. From her Third Rock from the Sun breakthrough to her cult-favorite role as Lexi Featherston on Sex and the City, Kristen reflects on the highs, the setbacks, and the freedom that comes with starting over.  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Lonely But Not Alone: Why Gen X Women Are Feeling It More Than Ever

We’re diving into a topic so many Gen X women silently struggle with: loneliness. From aging parents and teens glued to their phones to career transitions and feeling invisible in midlife, Jessica Shaw is joined by author Melissa Hart to discuss Melissa’s powerful Dame Magazine article, "Older Women Are Battling a Loneliness Epidemic." Together, they explore the societal shift that’s left many women over 50 feeling forgotten—and how small acts of connection, unexpected adventures, and even friendship benches (yes, really!) can help rebuild community and meaning.  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

From Tulum to The Big D: Reinventing Yourself at Midlife with Julie Golden

What happens when your Hollywood career, your relationships, and your sense of self all hit a crossroads? For Julie Golden, it meant ditching the executive grind to become a stand-up comic and creator of The Big D - a hilarious, heartfelt dating show for divorced singles. In this laugh-out-loud and deeply relatable conversation, Jessica Shaw and Julie reminisce about belly chains on 90s yoga retreats, trauma bonding under the full moon in Tulum, and why your 40s and 50s are the time to rewrite the rules. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Embeth Davidtz: Her Bold Second Act with ‘Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight’

What does it take to step into a bold second act? In this episode of The Shaw Report, Jessica sits down with actor-turned-director Embeth Davidtz to talk about her powerful directorial debut Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (in theaters July 11). Based on Alexandra Fuller’s memoir, the film explores colonial Zimbabwe through the eyes of a child—raw, unflinching, and deeply human. Embeth shares how six years of writing and self-doubt turned into an extraordinary directorial journey, the lessons she carried from decades on set, and what it means to embrace fear as fuel for reinvention.  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

From Vampire Diaries to We Were Liars: Julie Plec on Love, Loss, and Creative Reinvention

Julie Plec built a Hollywood empire on teen angst, high-stakes love, and unforgettable supernatural sagas—The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, and now We Were Liars on Amazon Prime. But in this candid, funny, and emotional conversation with Jessica Shaw, Julie reveals the deeply personal truth behind her career pivots: how one college class almost stopped her from ever writing again, why she waited decades to direct, and how she learned to stop telling herself “I can’t.” ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.