All Star Cast In "Bedtime Stories Of The Ingleside Inn" Podcast

 It's always notable that when an industry claims it is in recession, layoffs off hundreds of workers (Spotify, NPR and more) and then spends a bundle on a particular project. It seems as if "the podcast networks doth protest too much, methinks."

Audio Up and SiriusXM have announced their next major scripted podcast, this time taking listeners back to Palm Springs circa 1975. Titled Bedtime Stories of the Ingleside Inn, the series features an all-star cast, including Jason Alexander, Lance Bass, Richard Kind, Michael McKean and more. 

The show debuts on April 18.

Bedtime Stories of the Ingleside Inn is adapted from the memoir of Melvyn Haber, the irrepressible owner of the mid-century Ingleside Inn. The Rat Pack mainstay was a legendary hangout for mobsters and movie stars. And the hotel’s eponymously named restaurant Melvyn’s was a favored haunt for celebrities behaving badly. 

This combustible mixture drives the story; showcasing an inexperienced Mel (Jason Alexander) struggling to manage his nuthouse of a hotel; clashing with and catering to Hollywood’s elite - as well as a few drag queens, pornographers, and mobsters to boot. Additional cast includes David Koechner, Justin Tranter, Nicole Sullivan, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Celia Imrie, and Missi Pyle.

Bedtime Stories of the Ingleside Inn was co-created & produced by Audio Up CEO Jared Gutstadt and co-creator Lance Bass for Lance Bass Productions alongside Academy Award-winning producer Michael Sugar and Mike Mayer, Head of Audio, from Sugar23. The series was directed by Mike Mayer and Drew Pokorny.

The series features an original soundtrack anchored by the Yacht Funk vibes of Grammy-winner Greg Phillinganes, the legendary musical director for Michael Jackson and frequent collaborator with Stevie Wonder and Eric Clapton, as well as Yacht Rock mainstays Toto. He partnered with Gutstadt to create a Palm Springs mixtape with the summer swag and dance vibes of 1977 (by way of 2023). In addition, Justin Tranter, singer-songwriter to the stars (Justin Bieber, Brittany Spears, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, Imagine Dragons) contributes a heart-rending ballad to the project. The first two tracks “The Great Pretender” featuring Greg Phillinganes, and “Let It Go” will be available starting April 21st via all streaming services and SiriusXM. Additional music from the series will release throughout May.

“The seeds for this podcast were planted when I sat down to dinner with Lance Bass,” said Jared Gutstadt. "He was telling me about the fabled Ingleside Inn and its colorful owner, and a project that he’d had in turn around for years. It occurred to me that this story concept had all the makings of a fantastic podcast: rich storytelling, tonal elements that lend to the medium - an audio experience based on great source material. The final piece of the puzzle was to implement original music."

Gutstadt continues: "With Michael Sugar on board, it’s been an amazing process. Who better to anchor the project and bring this character to life than Jason Alexander. We can’t wait to share this project with the world. Ingleside Inn is like an audio vacation to Palm Springs. Not only will the stories and music bring you into that universe, but you'll feel like you are actually there during the heyday of Melvins- and with our original soundtrack, people can relive that experience all summer long."

"I’m ecstatic to finally be bringing this story to life,” added Lance Bass, a real-life friend of the legendary Melvyn Haber. “Mel and I tried to produce it for years— wanting to find the right partners. Michael Sugar and Jared Gutstadt shared my enthusiasm, and we created something I know Mel would love. It’s an honor to tell the story of one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met."