Comfort Measures:

Going to Tahiti Productions presents a podcast that looks at the media we consume and the food we eat when we are seeking comfort:

Corona Comfort: Season 2, Episode 3: SHOWS & PODCASTS

In the third episode of season 2, Jessica is doing things a little differently this time – instead of covering one book, or movie, or comfort show, she’s doing three comfort shows, and not just three comfort shows but three comfort shows and their companion podcasts. So, join Jess as she discusses THE WEST WING and the podcast THE WEST WING WEEKLY; THE GOOD PLACE and the podcast THE GOOD PLACE THE PODCAST; and SCRUBS and the podcast FAKE DOCTORS REAL FRIENDS WITH ZACH AND DONALD. The comfort food is blueberry pancakes (with a side of crispy bacon). For the community comfort, Jess gets all “Peace, Love, and Hippie” on y’all suggesting some tree hugging. And, as with our last Corona Comfort episode, Jess has some more comfort action suggestions, this time involving Frank Lloyd Wright. So, whip up some flapjacks and join Jess for a discussion of high-quality hugs, connection-despite-Corona, and the importance of a solid “no ash-hole” workplace policy.

Season 2, Episode 2: THE BLUE CASTLE by LM Montgomery

In the second episode of season 2, Jessica and guest, Laura Bultman, do a re-read of the 1926 Lucy Maud Montgomery novel THE BLUE CASTLE. The comfort food is chinese food, specifically wonton soup and pork fried rice. And the community comfort is the tactile experience of a bowl of dry rice or beans (just listen to the episode, it’ll make sense). So, crack open your copy of THE BLUE CASTLE, tuck into some Chinese food, and join Jess and Laura for a discussion of the sin of fear, the theft of a silver spoon, and love (and sex) in the time of LM Montgomery…

Corona Comfort: Season 2, Episode 1: OUTBREAK

In the midst of the global pandemic, while we are all stuck in our homes, we at Comfort Measures were trying to figure out something we could do to help. Because we are not essential workers, and we don’t have a factory we could re-tool to manufacture ventilators or PPE, we were at a loss and then realized we could pitch in the only way we know how – by watching a comfort movie (OUTBREAK) and eating some comfort food (oatmeal raisin cookies). So, grab some cookies, cue up OUTBREAK on Netflix, and join Jess as she discusses comfot in the age of Coronavirus…

Episode 12: FARSCAPE, Season 1, Episode 1 – “Premiere”

In our twelfth episode (April 2019), Jessica tackles her first (but far from her last) science fiction comfort media as she takes a deep dive into the premiere episode of the (criminally-cancelled-too-soon – Thanks Frelling SciFi Channel!) television series, FARSCAPE. The Comfort Food is buttermilk biscuits. And the Community Comfort is (a bit on the nose, we know) Stargazing…so pull some buttermilk biscuits out of the oven, cue up the first episode of FARSCAPE and join Jess for a discussion of a Broken DRD, a Helium-farting Hinerian, the luminous Claudia Black, and a couple of action-figure wedding cake toppers.

Episode 11: FAKING IT by Jennifer Crusie

In our eleventh episode (March 2019), Jessica re-reads Jennifer Crusie’s hilarious romance novel, FAKING IT. The comfort food is blueberry muffins and the discussion covers closet meet-cutes and familial relations, asthmatic artists and multiple personalities, possible hit-men and definite con-men, and the comparative benefits of muffins vs. doughnuts…and more.

Episode 10: THE PRINCESS BRIDE

In our tenth episode (February 2019), Jessica’s mom, (retired Connecticut College Professor and Dean of Studies) Theresa Ammirati, joins her for a re-watch of the Rob Reiner classic – THE PRINCESS BRIDE and a discussion of a princess, a pirate, a giant, a Spaniard, a six-fingered man, and some very large rodents. The comfort food pairing is Beef Stew.

Episode 9: SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

In our ninth episode (January 2019), Jessica’s and her other sister, folklorist and musician, Camilla Ammirati, (of the Don’t Tell Darlings fame), re-watch the Jane Austen/Emma Thompson film classic, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY. Join them for tea and biscuits and a discussion of sisters, WILLOUGHBY(!), weird fingernail things, and spray-painted sheep.

Episode 8: GILMORE GIRLS, Season 1, Episode 1 – “Pilot”

In our eighth episode, Jessica snacks on homemade apple pie, while watching the pilot episode of GILMORE GIRLS. Join her for a discussion of the fast-talking/pop culture spouting Gilmores, frying pans to the face, Officer Krupke, and super dry (but very healthy) muffins.

Episode 7: HEARTBURN, by Nora Ephron

In our seventh episode, Jessica and Jake Lipman (founding artistic director of Tongue In Cheek Theater) tackle Nora Ephron’s semi-autobiographical novel, HEARTBURN and jump in to a discussion of the (now-defunct) Eastern Airlines Shuttle, handsome muggers, group therapy, and hamster-raising ex-husbands… The comfort food is (Nora-approved) mashed potatoes.

Tahiti Dispatches was a monthly podcast devoted to interviews with theater artists who jive with GTTP’s mission. The podcasts offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the GTTP world.