With the new independent podcast, Dead and Kind of Famous, the co-hosts have merged fame with anonymity, and unshackled celebrity from legacy.
The show only began in October and has released two episodes so far, but those episodes are like a bumper car ride into death, celebrity, unsavory behavior, comic relief, descents into salty sarcasm and wildly inappropriate wit.
Boil all these elements into excellent sound quality, comedic chops, and narrative acumen, and you receive an indie podcast that proves yet again that breaking the mold on any genre can make for a superb podcast.
The co-hosts are Courtney Blomquist and Marissa Rivera. Courtney explains how she met Marissa: "We met in kind of a funny way! I had been friends with Marissa’s now ex-husband since high school and had reached out to him when my now husband and I were considering moving to LA. And then he introduced me to his wife, and that wife ended up becoming my best friend."
Marissa adds: "I won her in the divorce, too. She’s MINE."
Marissa responds playfully with: "Wasn’t I the one who sent that?"
In the first episode, Blomquist and Rivera introduce us to Frankenstein. No, not the famous one. The nearly famous one! Our co-hosts clue us in on the eccentric and flamboyant life of Baron Clement von Franckenstein. In the inaugural episode, they take listeners through an amusing adventure in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, where "We use Find a Grave to track down the baron's final resting place." The co-hosts share their first impressions of his marble tombstone, the origin of his captivating surname, and even improvise an obituary that will leave you smiling and giggling.
From youthful escapades and inheritance windfalls to a colorful Hollywood career, Baron Clement von Franckenstein's life was nothing if not extraordinary. We learn about his transformation from an English nobleman to a beloved character actor, with memorable roles in everything from Young Frankenstein to Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
I actually remember him in a small role as the French president in the 1995 film, The American President, with Michael Douglas.
The second episode introduces us to actor Christopher Jones, a long-time actor, carouser, and all-around ne'er do well.
The co-hosts begin by asking: "What if the ghost of James Dean haunted an actor's career? Christopher Jones, a man forever overshadowed by his uncanny resemblance to the rebel icon, lived a life that was as electrifying as it was cursed."
Jones's journey through the swinging '60s is a cocktail of passion and paranoia, particularly in his tumultuous relationship with actor Susan Strasberg.
Throughout the episode, the co-hosts navigate Jones's on-screen triumphs and setbacks, from his role in the cult classic Wild in the Streets to the challenging production of Ryan's Daughter, which saw director David Lean both frustrated and fascinated by Jones's enigmatic presence. Despite the controversies that hounded him, Jones’s unique charisma left a lasting impression, one that still echoes in the halls of Hollywood lore.
Courtney says: "Tune in for an exploration not just of a man, but of a myth in the making, a tale of ambition, love, and the spectral shadow of a legend."
As co-hosts, it is obvious that these two have talent and media experience. They are comfortable in front of the mic, funny, playful, irreverent, and their close friendship infects the tenor of the show. It's like they're inviting you to be their third wheel and enjoy these nearly famous dead people.
Courtney Blomquist is one of those people who has tried a million and one things at least once and has a confusing resume to prove it. She started out singing and acting, dabbled in photography, did standup comedy and finally found her home producing podcasts. Courtney has produced podcasts for top talents like Russell Peters, Rachel Zoe and Meghan Trainor, and she's worked across many genres. She now splits her time working for Resonate Recordings, making this podcast, and living that domestic life with her husband and daughter, Iris.
Marissa Rivera is a Puerto Rican actress, born on a U.S. Army base in South Korea, and raised all over the eastern United States. She received her B.A. in Theatre at Florida State University and studied in London under the tutelage of professors from RADA and Central.
She’s been living and working in Los Angeles for the better part of a decade, and you can always spot her in several national commercials interrupting your favorite TV shows.
Furthermore, she’s a seasoned commercial actress whose credits include: Capitol One with Samuel L. Jackson, multiple spots for Lowe’s and McDonald's - and the 2021 Super Bowl M&Ms campaign with Daniel Levy.
You can also currently catch her on Season three of Good Trouble playing “Magdalena Magda Calderón”! She has two beloved fur babies; Gus and Trudy.
I am a huge Lucifer fan and remember her from an episode in season five titled, "Blue Ballz" where she's at the bar in Lux and Mazikeen asks her if she wants a screwdriver.
When I asked Courtney and Marissa why they started this podcast, Courtney jumped in: "Well, I am a podcast producer by trade, so it wasn’t too big of a stretch! But I had stepped back and was focusing on my new role as a mom, and I realized that I had never produced my own show before and had always focused on producing for other people. I love producing for other people, by the way, but I wanted to run with one of my own ideas. And it gave me an excuse to walk over to Marissa’s late at night and gab and giggle over the obscure dead folks that I’d been researching."
Marissa added: "And I am an excellent friend who wanted to help her make a creative baby in addition to the real baby she had just created. Also, I too wanted yet another reason to hang out."
When I asked: "Why start this particular podcast?"
"Walking through Hollywood Forever Cemetery is one of my favorite things to do in Los Angeles," Courtney admits. "There are peacocks and swans everywhere, and beautiful headstones that always make me curious. Especially for the people I don’t know of. So one day I was walking through with my in-laws and my daughter and I had the idea to investigate the graves that caught my eye. And then I ran home and asked Marissa to do it with me."Marissa said: "And of course, I said yes."
"I do a lot of self taped auditions and voiceover auditions, so I already had a sound optimized studio in my house. So we used that space," notes Marissa.
"Otherwise, we use a Podtrack and Shure SM58 mics. But honestly, starting this show involved finding the graves that stood out, doing a bunch of research, and writing the dang thing," says Courtney.
"Then I rounded things out by listening to her talk, reacting in real time and doing a bunch of unrehearsed accent work," Marissa chimes in.
Courtney says that "our goal is to make a great show with a loyal fanbase and have fun doing it. I’d also like to monetize in one way or another down the line.""But right now, we are focused on making consistently great content," Marissa says.
Like all indie podcasters, jobs, family, and other responsibilities vie for time to work on the podcast.
Courtney observes that "Finding the time to research, write and record. Between my hectic mom life and Marissa’s busy acting career, it’s very hard to find the time. But banking episodes has been key for us."
When I asked Courtney and Marissa what was the weirdest thing that happened during the podcasting process, they answered with: "The weirdest details are in the life stories of the dead people we talk about (Marissa). And that is the TRUTH (Courtney). So please listen. Because we’ll tell you one thing: it isn’t boring." (Courtney & Marissa)
Check out Dead and Kind of Famous. Who said cemeteries can't be fun! Seriously, enjoy the back and forth of two extraordinary podcasters, learn about dead people who hovered around fame, and question the legacy we all leave when we attend that final Rose ceremony. (Bachelor reference!)(NOTE: Do you notice how many photos there are of the co-hosts TOGETHER?)
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