Ronna and Beverly

Ronna Marlene Glickman and Beverly Ginsberg (née Kahn) are the 50-something characters created and embodied by actor/comedians Jessica Chaffin and Jamie Denbo, respectively. They host a biweekly podcast on the Earwolf network wherein they interview/interrogate a celebrity guest, interact with one another, and dispense advice to listeners. Chaffin and Denbo developed their characters in 2006 when they were asked to host an all-Jewish 'Kosher Christmas Show' at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.^[1]

Podcast

Ronna and Beverly have a new podcast every other week on their eponymous show, Ronna and Beverly, at Earwolf. The podcast premiered on May 25, 2011.^[2] Former guests include people working in comedy, as well as actors, authors, and filmmakers.

Television

In 2009, a television pilot^[3] based on the two women was produced by Showtime^[4] with Jenji Kohan co-writing and co-producing and with Paul Feig directing. The pilot was not picked up.

In 2012, British network Sky Atlantic aired one season of a chat show^[5] starring Ronna and Beverly. The 6-episode run was also directed by Paul Feig.^[6] Guests included such as Jon Hamm, Michael Bolton, Will Arnett, Warwick Davis, David Walliams, and Alan Cumming, among others.^[7]

Live performances

Ronna and Beverly perform monthly in Los Angeles at the UCB-LA Theatre. They also brought their show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2010.^[8] The characters make especial fuss over their international lifestle, and London is a frequent topic of note on their podcast and in print.^[9] In 2010, Denbo and Chaffin performed in as Ronna and Beverly for a brief run at London's Soho Theatre.^[10]

Canon

The Friendship

Ronna and Beverly met as youngsters at camp in their native Massachusetts. (Random fact: Beverly believes she heard a sexual assault on Ronna at camp, but Ronna corrects her that it was Stacy Silk in the other bunk.) They have been best friends since childhood, with the exception of a two-year span in which they did not speak to one another. They co-wrote the book You'll Do A Little Better Next Time: A Guide to Marriage and Re-marriage for Jewish Singles. They are quick to point out that it says Jewish in the title, but in fact, the book is for everyone. They are based in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and usually broadcast from Ronna's office, but Beverly actually lives in nearby Swampscott.

Ronna Glickman

Ronna married Dr. Bob Glickman. They had one son, Jordan Glickman, who is a film major at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. He is, according to his mother, extraordinarily talented and artsy. A photograph of Jordan recently appeared in the New York press, which apparently showed him brawling in the street with his very close friend, Hervé, and a third unnamed male. Dr. Bob, as Ronna affectionately calls her late husband, perished in an unfortunate snorkeling accident while the family was on vacation in St. Bart's. She and Jordan return to the island every February to pay homage to Dr. Bob. Ronna has been known to keep a male companion from time to time, but is fiercely independent and enjoys hosting events in her lovely shades-of-vanilla home. Ronna enjoys only the finest things in life and is a self described classist. Ronna has a property on Martha's Vineyard which she escapes to every Halloween. She's in fabulous shape thanks to swimming and Pilates.

Beverly Ginsberg

Beverly has been married several times, including to Steve Frisch and Allen Ginsberg (not the one you're thinking of), and though she's unmarried now, she does spend some hot nights with her contractor, Ray Natoli. Beverly has twin daughters, Lainie and Rachelle Frisch. Lainie is very religious, and Rachelle is "at Arizona State University." She also once had a dog named Shayna Punim, who she scrambled eggs for three times a day. Having co-created the sexual role-play game, ISIS Refugee, Beverly could be considered a very sex-positive person. Beverly once had an affair, while on a gay cruise in the Mexican riviera, with a female Spanish-speaking bilingual karaoke director (but she didn't do the English part) who looked like Jose Canseco and was named Lisa. Lisa may or may not be working under cover.

Beverly is fun-loving if a little inconsiderate of others in her pursuit of the many things that please her. For example, while enjoying a cruise, Beverly lost a gorgeous Loro Piana wrap of Ronna's over the side of the ship, a mistake not soon forgotten. She also claims to have synesthesia and other rare skills such as being able to determine which animated inanimate object (think the hot dog from "Grease") her male guests would be. If it didn't mean what it means, Beverly would call a kitten or parakeet "n*gger," which she regards as an adorable name for a pet.

Fans

According to Ronna and Bev, the original listeners are their friends, The Barbaras (Barbara Eschelbach, Barbara Levin, and Barbara Sidman).

I'm A Ronna / I'm A Beverly

Through their time interviewing people and interacting with fans, it became clear that people are often more inclined to relate with one of the hosts to the exclusion of the other. Those who are drawn to Ronna relate to her exquisite taste level and interest in world events and the arts. Those who are drawn to Beverly relate to her free spirit and believe that the human condition must not apologize for itself.

There is a fan movement on the rise to use #imaronna^[11] and #imabeverly.^[12]

Podcast episodes

References