From 1986-2007, Sam Ash was the minister of entertainment and advertising at the Homowack Lodge. Sam joines us this week on Episode 105 of The Borscht Belt Tattler Podcast. ⁣ Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on socials! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter To learn more about Jen, follow her at …

Scott Eckers is our guest this week on Episode 104 of The Borscht Belt Tattler Podcast. We are chatting about many fun things, including Stage Door Manor, the iconic Kutsher's sign and why it is so important to maintain the history and culture behind the Borscht Belt. Learn more about Scott HERE. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and su…

Episode 103 is here and Robert Miller shares his memories of The Fieldston, Gilbert's and Olympic Hotel in Fallsburg, New York. Don't forget to check out Robert's podcast, the Follow Your Dream Podcast. Listen and learn now at https://www.followyourdreampodcast.com/. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Be…

Grossingers might have closed in 1986 but that’s not where Joe Lehman's story ended. In 1986, Joe and his family moved from West Palm Beach Florida to live at Grossinger’s after it closed. His father was Robert Lehman, the Vice President of Servico, a company that attempted to reopen the hotel. Today you will hear about Grossinger’s from a very new…

Fact: The Borscht Belt was a training ground Jewish Comic Book Heroes. Our special guest today is Danny Fingeroth, a prominent figure in the world of comics, known for his extensive contributions as a writer, editor and historian. With a career spanning several decades, Danny has worked for major comic book publishers like Marvel Comics, where he p…

I'm thrilled to finally feature Anna E. Jordan and her beautiful book, Shira & Esther's Double Dream Debut, which is now available wherever books are sold. Anna E. Jordan has an MFA from the Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts and was the recipient of the 2013 PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children's Book …

Get ready to explore #grossingers like never before.⁣ Return To The G3D Resort is a Roblox reimagining of Grossinger's Resort & Country Club, one of the most popular borscht belt resorts. Bruce Goldstein is a native New Yorker from The Bronx. He began his career as a professional show drummer at an early age. In 1977, after graduating from the High…

Welcome back to the Borscht Belt! Sarene Leeds (@sareneleedswrites) is a a seasoned journalist who built her career covering TV, pop culture, health, wellness, parenting and general lifestyle subjects. She has been published in The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, Vulture and countless other outlets. On today's sho…

Welcome to episode 97 of The BBT! In this installment, we are in conversation with Allen Frishman, the Archival Officer for the Catskills Borscht Belt Museum. Allen has lived his entire life in Sullivan County where both his grandparents owned bungalow colonies. He ran a business creating architectural scale models for developers and builders, and …

Join us in this captivating episode as we dive into the world of the Borscht Belt with a true bank of knowledge, Dr. Peter Alan Chester. Peter has spent much of his life working in public education, but his affiliation with the Borscht Belt began in 1958, when his family spent their first summer at The Grand Mountain Hotel in Greenfield Park. At 9,…

Today we're chatting with Dr. Samantha Pickette, professor and author of “Peak TV’s Unapologetic Jewish Woman: Exploring Jewish Female Representation in Contemporary Television Comedy”. Samantha is an Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies and the Assistant Director of the Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. S…

Welcome to a BBT Minisode! As we continue to grow and evolve, The Borscht Belt Tattler is excited to share conversations with our favorite comedians, content creators and entertainers who best exemplify the values of the Borscht Belt. Get ready for this fun, entertaining, and psychedelic minisode featuring Shaina Silver-Baird and Michael Goldlist, …

Get ready for Borscht Belt royalty with Patti Greco Sunshine. To find out where Patti is performing next head to pattigrecosunshine.com Shop for one of a kind bohemian fashions at The Funky Hippy Chic Boutique. Located at 679 Resorts World Drive in Monticello, NY. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt …

From ice shows at the Fallsview to Top Shelf on Canal Street, please enjoy this interview with Barbara Hoff. To shop the Top Shelf Jewelry Collention, click HERE. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on socials! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter To learn more about Jen, follow her at @urbanyenta …

Spotlight on the Stevensville Country Club in Swan Lake, NY. It was a summer of firsts: first boyfriends, first jobs. A perfect mix of young and old, American and International guests and staff. The Stevensville for Rachel Cunningham was a sense of community with family by blood and by choice and friendships that lasted a lifetime. See you at Borsc…

Wanna know what really happens in the Borscht Belt after Shabbos? Let the laughter light your way here. ❤️ Join me in conversation with special guest, comedian Talia Reese as we look back on her favorite memories of Kutsher's Country Club. Follow and support Talia HERE. 📢 AND CALLING ALL #COMEDY FANS: Catch Talia in the opening night of The Chosen …

Swimming lessons with Buster Crabbe. The Coed Concord Mafia. A little hanky panky. And friendships to last a lifetime. It could be made for Hollywood but it was all very real. Riva White and Darcy Hammerman share their memories of the Concord Hotel. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on soci…

The Borscht Belt Tattler is officially open for the summer season. Episode 89 is taking you on a journey to Woodland Bungalow Colony in Woodbourne, New York. Get a taste of the Bungalow life with Robin and Heidi! Meet me at Borscht Belt Fest this summer! Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on…

In this captivating episode of The Borscht Belt Tattler, joinGerri Winchell Findley as she takes us on a mesmerizing journey through her time in the Borscht Belt. Geri shares stories about her parents, Danny and Judy Winchell. Danny had an extensive background in the entertainment Industry. He was a music manager, promoter, song plugger, tunesmith,…

In this episode, we sit down with Laura Shapiro, who witnessed the bustling heart of Liberty in its heyday. Sullivan’s was a department store that that was owned and operated by Laura’s father and uncle, Irving and Sidney Shapiro. What started as an Army and Navy surplus store turned into a local institution that boomed with Sullivan County’s hotel…

Happy Memorial Day! Are you ready for the party of the summer? In this episode, I chat with the team team behind the Catskills Borscht Belt Museum. Andrew Jacobs, Robin Cohen Kauffman, Dr. Peter Alan Chester and Allen Frishman share their journey and evolution of the Catskills Borscht Belt Museum project. We talk about the evolution of the project,…

For over 50 years, Howard and Arnold have made show business their business. In its heyday, Charles Rapp Enterprises was the biggest entertainment booking agency for all of the resorts and bungalow colonies. Join me in conversation with Howard and Arnold of NYK Rapp as they look back and share their favorite memories of working and booking entertai…

Our conversation with Esther and Danny Appel. Listen to how they came to be part owners of Crescent Lake Bungalow Colony and Day Camp and helped create summer memories to last a lifetime. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on socials! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter To learn more about Jen, f…

Chatting with our favorite Trumpet player, Jordan Hirsch! Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on socials! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter To learn more about Jen, follow her at @urbanyenta on Instagram.بقلم Jen Stewart

Meet the Tweeds!Get to know the Tweeds from Monticello, New York. Pedro Tweed was born in Dominican Republic and now resides in Monticello, New York where he worked at the Brickman Hotel and has been coaching gymnastics and martial arts for the past 30 years. He is married to actress and model Crystal Tweed who got her first job working as a babysi…

Chatting with special guest Larry Burday about Camp Beaumont (1964-1982), his family's summer camp in Parksville, New York. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on socials! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter To learn more about Jen, follow her at @urbanyenta on Instagram.…

Episode 80 with Ziggie Stern! Enjoy the conversation and be a part of the action. Send me a message if you want to appear on a future episode! Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on socials! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter To learn more about Jen, follow her at @urbanyenta on Instagram.…

Eddy Portnoy from YIVO joins us on the pod this week! ​​​​​​​​ Eddy is an expert on Jewish popular culture and currently holds the position of Academic Advisor and Director of Exhibitions at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. At YIVO, Eddy helps illuminate Jewish history and culture through physical exhibits, events and presentations. He is al…

Born and raised in Monticello, NY, David Hantman recalls coming of age in the Borscht Belt, landing his first job at the Concord at the age of 16 and what it was like to work at the largest hotel in the region. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on socials! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter To …

My guest today is Josh Nadel and his family has been pickling for over three generations. It began with his grandfather, Shimmy the Pickle King, who started out making pickles in his basement. Shimmy sold his pickles at many of the Bungalow Colonies in the Catskill Mountains, and to various farmers markets under the company name, Shimmy's Pickles. …

My conversation with multitalented musician, singer, and storyteller Jake Ehrenreich. Head to jakeehrenreich.com for more information. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on socials! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter To learn more about Jen, follow her at @urbanyenta on Instagram.…

My conversation with Bart Charlow about his family's hotel, Charlow's Hotel Irvington of South Fallsburg, NY. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on socials! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter To learn more about Jen, follow her at @urbanyenta on Instagram.…

Comedian, actor and writer Mark Schiff is on the show today. His new book of humorous essays, “Why Not? Lessons on Comedy, Courage, and Chutzpah” is now available on Amazon. I had a blast chatting with Mark about his five decades performing standup comedy, growing up in the Bronx, moving to LA and summer camp memories in the Catskills. Check out Ma…

Marisa Scheinfeld and Louis Inghilterra make our Borscht dreams come true. Check out maytheborschtbewithyou.com and borschtbelthistoricalmarkerproject.org to learn more about the historical markers, subscribe to the newsletter and stay up to date on the project. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Ta…

Welcome to a very special holiday edition of The Borscht Belt Tattler. On today's show we chat with comedian Lisa Geduldig who is the creator and host of Kung Pao Kosher Comedy. Kung Pao is an institution in San Francisco and one of the city’s longest-running comedy shows. For the last 30 years, Lisa has been producing and performing in this show t…

Your mid week Borscht Belt fix is here and our guest is a former sheriff of South Fallsburg, New York. Alphonso Ray Gilmore was born in South Carolina but his family moved to Woodridge, New York, in search of a better life, escaping violence and the Jim Crow Laws that enforced racial segregation. Growing up in Sullivan County, Al served his communi…

Chatting with David Gold, author of Real Catskill Jews: Memories of Small-Town Life in Twentieth-Century America. Buy the book HERE. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on socials! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter To learn more about Jen, follow her at @urbanyenta on Instagram.…

From Brooklyn to Beverly Hills: it's Bruce Charet, current scribe at the Friars Club veteran producer, entertainment manager and philanthropist. Support the show Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe! Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on socials! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter To learn more about Jen, follow her at @urbanyenta on Instagram.…

Episode 68 with our favorite Bronx Boychik, Avi Hoffman, an internationally known actor, who specializes in Jewish culture and Yiddish theater. His long-running “Too Jewish” trilogy has been seen by millions on PBS and in venues around the world. He has produced and presented shows throughout North America, Europe and Israel. International Festival…

Are you ready to rock? Episode 67 is here to help! This week's double dose of chutzpah features David Fishof, the founder and CEO of Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp and I'm joined by special guest co-host Steve Gold of Yesteryearwear. David is a music producer, sports agent, author and the founder and CEO of Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp. In 2021, David's …

Welcome to Episode 66 with veteran stand-up comedian, Eddie Brill. For 17 years he served as the audience warm-up comic for the late show with David Letterman and for 11 of those years, he was the Stand-Up Comedy Talent Coordinator. In our conversation, Eddie chats with me about his earliest Borscht Belt connection, he reflects on his unplanned car…

My conversation with actress, writer and comedian Cory Kahaney. We chat about about her earliest connection to the borscht belt, the first comedy show she ever saw there and how she continued to entertain in the few remaining bungalow colonies after most of the big hotels closed (which also inspired her play “Pastrami on Rye with Mayo). ​​​​​​​​ ​​…

Lou Menchell was an American comedian and Borcht Belt regular who used Yiddish humor in his inpersonations, songs and standup act. Enjoy my conversation with his son, Emmy-nominated producer and writer Ivan Menchell, as he gives us a glimpse into his father's career. Listen to Lou Menchell, The Most Consistently Funny Comedian HERE. Support the sho…

Sitting down with Jerry Greenfield, author of “He Lost It in the Catskills.” Jerry Greenfield’s story is based on his actual experience of working as a waiter and busboy in the Borscht Belt for over ten summers. This book will bring back memories for anyone who spent summers in the area. Even if you’ve never been there, if you're looking for your n…

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving! We are so thankful for today's guest, Sam Sadigursky who dropped in earlier this year to chat about The Solomon Diaries, a set of new music inspired by the dramatic rise and fall of the Borscht Belt. Get to know Sam HERE. Listen to The Solomon Diaries HERE. Follow The Borscht Belt Tattler on socials! Instagram | Faceb…

Are you ready to double up on your Borscht? Here's episode 61 with Barry Lewis. Barry is the former editor of the Times Herald-Record, where he worked for 20 years and wrote a weekly column about his life in the Catskills, and working at the various hotels as a busboy, waiter and pool manager. On today’s show, we dive into some of his favorite memo…

We're back (finally) and chatting with Comedian Joey Novick. Joey Novick is a professional stand-up comedian with appearances on MTV, Comedy Central and Rascal’s Comedy Hour. He's appeared at hundreds of comedy clubs across the US and Canada, and opened in concert at comedy clubs for Jerry Seinfeld, Robert Klein, David Brenner, Lewis Black, and Pau…

My conversation with writer and photographer Andrea. Based in New York City, Andrea has devoted her efforts in the last several years to fiction and literary nonfiction, which includes her published memoir/history, Bashert: A Granddaughter’s Holocaust Quest, and her novel-in-stories, Floating in the Neversink, a coming of age story in the Catskill …

It was vacationing at its best. Gary Dan is here to chat about Sha-wan-ga Lodge, his family's hotel from 1923-1972. And check out the massive tribute page Gary started with his late father Abby Dan at shawanga.com. Love what we're doing? Want to help? Here's how you can help us in our our mission to keep the keep the Borscht Belt alive: Follow us o…

Barry Mitchell is the Emmy-winning TV producer, comedy writer and musician known to millions of viewers as "Accordion Guy". His scathingly clever parodies and original songs have been featured on ABC-TV's World News Now, CNN Newsnight and ABC-TV's Primetime Live. As a sketch actor he's been seen on NBC Saturday Night Live, Caroline's Comedy Hour an…