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Hot and Bothered

Not Sorry Productions

Hot and Bothered is all about the power of romance culture. We analyze romance novels and movies to better imagine our own happy endings. Episodes release weekly on Tuesdays.

CURRENT SEASON: Jane Austen’s Persuasion

For Season 6, Hot and Bothered is returning to its roots with a classic romance: Jane Austen's Persuasion. Many readers consider Persuasion Austen's most romantic novel. As a podcast obsessed with romance (and Austen), it was only a matter of time before we answered its siren call.

Joining Vanessa Zoltan this season is her longtime mentor, Harvard Divinity School Professor Dr. Stephanie Paulsell. Together, they'll read Persuasion one chapter at a time, asking what Austen's timeless novel can teach us about grief, beauty, aging, and—of course—love.

SEASON 5: Hot and Bothered (Movie Edition)

For our fifth season of the show, we turned our attention to romantic films. The season began with ten episodes on How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, an iconic film of the early 2000s rom-com oeuvre. Following those episodes, Vanessa was joined by beloved academic and podcaster Hannah McGregor to dig into the canon of romantic films, from Titanic to Twilight to When Harry Met Sally, (just to name a few). We asked every movie “what does this believe about love?” And “do we agree?”

SEASON 4: Live from Pemberley

In Live from Pemberley, we continue our deep-dive into the classic texts of romance literature. This season we take a close look at the most famous Romance novel of all time: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Every episode, Vanessa Zoltan and Lauren Sandler read through the book, talk with experts, and ask themselves the question ‘is this still a story for our time?’

SEASON 3: On Eyre

Vanessa Zoltan and journalist Lauren Sandler embark on the English class you always deserved, diving deep into Jane Eyre through the themes of power and desire. Discussions range from ideas of class and colonialism to sex and gender as Lauren and Vanessa explore the roles of oppression and inequality, empowerment and rebellion in the text.

SEASON 2: Twilight in Quarantine

You may remember BFFs Vanessa & Julia from their all-star advice giving in Hot and Bothered Season 1. In this COVID-19 quarantine they got on the phone three times a week to read and talk about Twilight. On Twilight in Quarantine, they worked their way through the Twilight saga one chapter at a time, giving brilliant well-informed advice to Stephenie Meyer’s characters along the way. Advice like: “maybe you shouldn’t kidnap people.”

SEASON 1: Writing Romance

Season one of Hot and Bothered followed ten first-time romance writers as they tried to write their own romance novels. Each episode explored a particular romance trope and why we love it so much. Along the way, Julia Quinn, writer of the Bridgerton series, gave weekly assignments so listeners could follow along in the process. Season one was made in collaboration with Spoke Media.

Hot & Bothered is produced by Not Sorry Productions, a feminist organization that produces podcasts, educational content, live shows, and immersive experiences with the explicit goal of addressing the spiritual needs of its participants. Through community, rigor, and ritual, we treat traditionally secular things as if they were sacred. To learn more about what we do, visit https://notsorryworks.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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28 episodes
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Avg 47 min
English

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S6 · E12
Tuesday · 59 min
Persuasion, Chapter 11: All Wild to See Lyme
In Chapter 11 of Persuasion, Wentworth leads an expedition from Uppercross to Lyme. There Anne and company take in the sea and meet some charming Navy officers. This week, Dr. Robert Morrison of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, joins us at the end of the episode to discuss Byron, Scott, and Austen's relationship to Romantic poetry. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram Don't spend your daughter's dowry, but if you can spare $5/month, we'd love to have your support on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great Austen content including a weekly bonus conversation between Vanessa and Stephanie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E11
September 15 · 1 hr 1 min
Persuasion, Chapter 10: A Beautiful Glossy Nut
In Chapter 10 of Persuasion, the young people of Uppercross and Captain Wentworth walk to Winthrop. While there, Anne overhears a passionate conversation between Louisa and Wentworth. This week, Austen scholar Claudia Johnson joins us at the end of the episode to discuss ideas of romantic love in Regency England. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram Don't spend your daughter's dowry, but if you can spare $5/month, we'd love to have your support on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great Austen content including a weekly bonus conversation between Vanessa and Stephanie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 11 · 17 min
Special Interview: Persuasion and Jane Eyre
As a special bonus this week, Vanessa is joined by fantasy writer Paula Lafferty to draw comparisons between Persuasion and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Vanessa and Paula are leading a Jane Eyre pilgrimage next year! You can sign-up to join them here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E10
September 8 · 44 min
Persuasion, Chapter 9: Most Disordered Feelings
In Chapter 9 of Persuasion, Charles Hayter, Henrietta Musgrove's suitor, appears on the scene. This week, economist Judd Cramer joins us at the end of the episode to help us understand Wentworth's war wealth in present day terms. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram Don't spend your daughter's dowry, but if you can spare $5/month, we'd love to have your support on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great Austen content including a weekly bonus conversation between Vanessa and Stephanie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E9
September 1 · 1 hr 3 min
Persuasion, Chapter 8: A Perpetual Estrangement
In Chapter 8 of Persuasion, Anne attends a dinner party with Captain Wentworth, watches him flirt with the Musgrove girls, and cries as she plays piano. This week, Dr. Sam Cavell joins us at the end of the episode to talk about women aboard Navy ships. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram Don't spend your daughter's dowry, but if you can spare $5/month, we'd love to have your support on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great Austen content including a weekly bonus conversation between Vanessa and Stephanie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E8
August 25 · 52 min
Persuasion, Chapter 7: Her Eyes Half Met Captain Wentworth's
In Chapter 7 of Persuasion, Anne finally is in the same room as Captain Wentworth. He's just as handsome as ever, but apparently he hardly recognizes her. This week, Rev. Professor Jane de Gay joins us at the end of the episode to talk about Jane Austen's literary legacy. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram Don't spend your daughter's dowry, but if you can spare $5/month, we'd love to have your support on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great Austen content including a weekly bonus conversation between Vanessa and Stephanie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E7
August 18 · 1 hr 5 min
Persuasion, Chapter 6: A Very Troublesome, Hopeless Son
In Chapter 6 of Persuasion, Anne settles into Uppercross and gets caught in the crossfire of the family squabbles there. This week, Dr. Sophie Vasset joins us at the end of the episode to teach us about Bath and its attractions in this period. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram Don't spend your daughter's dowry, but if you can spare $5/month, we'd love to have your support on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great Austen content including a weekly bonus conversation between Vanessa and Stephanie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E6
August 11 · 1 hr 4 min
Persuasion, Chapter 5: Mary, Often a Little Unwell
In Chapter 5 of Persuasion, Anne warns Elizabeth about the influence of Mrs. Clay and then heads to Uppercross to visit her other sister Mary. This week we're joined by the brilliant Carvell Wallace to dissect the chapter. This week, Helen Neild also joins us at the end of the episode to understand dentistry in the early 19th century. Carvell is co-leading our What Matters class for the next year, which starts in just one week! You can sign-up for that here. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram Don't spend your daughter's dowry, but if you can spare $5/month, we'd love to have your support on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great Austen content including a weekly bonus conversation between Vanessa and Stephanie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E5
August 4 · 56 min
Persuasion, Chapter 4: Captain Wentworth Had No Fortune
In Chapter 4 of Persuasion, we finally learn all about Anne Elliot's ill-fated love affair with Captain Wentworth. This week, Dr. Erica Johnson joins us at the end of the episode to explain more about the battle where Wentworth earned his captaincy – the Battle of San Domingo. If you want to be part of the conversation, you can still join us for our weekly class which will follow each episode of the podcast! --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram Don't spend your daughter's dowry, but if you can spare $5/month, we'd love to have your support on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great Austen content including a weekly bonus conversation between Vanessa and Stephanie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E4
July 28 · 1 hr 3 min
Persuasion, Chapter 3: The Sea Is No Beautifier
In Chapter 3 of Persuasion, The Elliot’s and their friends discuss whether it would be acceptable to rent Kellynch Hall to a Navy officer. This week, Dr. Catriona Kennedy joins us at the end of the episode to give us a little context on the British Navy in the Napoleonic Wars. If you want to be part of the conversation, you can still join us for our weekly class which will follow each episode of the podcast! --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram Don't spend your daughter's dowry, but if you can spare $5/month, we'd love to have your support on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great Austen content including a weekly bonus conversation between Vanessa and Stephanie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E3
July 21 · 1 hr 8 min
Persuasion, Chapter 2: They Must Retrench
In Chapter 2 of Persuasion the Elliots and their close friends try to strategize about the family's pressing debt. This week we're joined by one of our closest friends (and our former co-host), Dr. Hannah McGregor, to dissect the chapter. Dr. Alexander Wakelam also returns at the end of the episode to teach us more about debt in the early 19th century. If you want to be part of the conversation, you can still join us for our weekly class which will follow each episode of the podcast! --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram Don't spend your daughter's dowry, but if you can spare $5/month, we'd love to have your support on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great Austen content including a weekly bonus conversation between Vanessa and Stephanie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E2
July 14 · 57 min
Persuasion, Chapter 1: The Ancient and Respectable Family
We meet The Elliots in Chapter 1 of Persuasion and Vanessa and Stephanie Paulsell introduce our themes for this season. Every week we'll be discussing Anne's moral compass, and where we see ridiculousness, beauty, and grief in the chapter. This week, Dr. Amy King joins us at the end of the episode to help us understand how the word 'bloom' is operating in this book. If you want to be part of the conversation, you can join us for our weekly class which will follow each episode of the podcast. This class also free for our $50/month patrons on our Patreon, which you can join here. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great romance content including a bonus conversation between Vanessa and Stephanie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S6 · E1
July 7 · 14 min
Jane Austen’s Persuasion: An Introduction
Virginia Woolf called Persuasion "the most deeply felt of Jane Austen's novels." It may also be her most difficult novel. This season, we're taking it slowly, reading one chapter each week and lingering over Austen's extraordinary sentences together. Join Vanessa Zoltan and the Rev. Dr. Stephanie Paulsell as they explore Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth's second-chance love story while asking timeless questions about grief, goodness, beauty, yearning, and what it means to find your way in a world that doesn't always see your worth. If you want to be part of the conversation, you can join us for our weekly class which will follow each episode of the podcast. This class also free for our $50/month patrons on our Patreon, which you can join here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 26 · 1 min
Season Six Trailer: Jane Austen's Persuasion
We're returning to our roots with Season 6 of Hot and Bothered – reading classic romance literature. This season, Vanessa Zoltan will be joined by her mentor Dr. Stephanie Paulsell to read Jane Austen's Persuasion one chapter at a time. We'll ask questions about grief, beauty, aging, and, of course, love. If you want to be part of the conversation, you can join us for our weekly class which will follow each episode of the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S5 · E106
June 23 · 16 min
So What Did We Learn About Romance Movies?
That's all folks! Season Five of Hot and Bothered, all about romance movies, has come to close. On today's episode, Vanessa shares her finals thoughts on the genre. In two weeks, we're starting our chapter-by-chapter read through of Persuasion! If you want to join us for our weekly class, which will accompany the podcast, you can sign-up at notsorryworks.com or become a $50/month patron at patreon.com/hotandbotheredrompod. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great romance content including a summary of Vanessa's ten top favorite movies we watched this season. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S5 · E105
June 16 · 28 min
Ending Of: Casablanca
For our final bi-weekly scene study, Vanessa, Hannah, and Stephanie Paulsell analyze the ending of Casablanca. They discuss Ilsa's agency, Captain Renault's treatment of women, and how to improve the famous last line of the film. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great romance content including a FREE bonus close scene analysis with Vanessa, Hannah, and Stephanie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S5 · E104
June 9 · 1 hr 14 min
Casablanca
Vanessa Zoltan, Hannah McGregor, and Stephanie Paulsell meet at Rick's Café Américain to record this week’s episode of Hot and Bothered – our last movie of the season, Casablanca. This week we discuss why this movie is an enduring classic, the sexual schemes of Captain Renault, and what makes "America." We finish the episode by calling film historian Noah Isenberg to discuss his book We’ll Always Have ‘Casablanca’: The Life, Legend, and Afterlife of Hollywood’s Most Beloved Movie. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great romance content including a bonus close scene analysis with Hannah, Stephanie and Vanessa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S5 · E103
June 2 · 28 min
Ending Of: Moonstruck
For this week’s bi-weekly scene study, Vanessa and Ariana Nedelman analyze the ending of Moonstruck. They discuss the confrontation between Rose and Cosmo, why Ronny doesn't have to kneel for his proposal, and the underuse of Cher as leading lady. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great romance content including a bonus close scene analysis with Ariana and Vanessa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S5 · E102
May 26 · 1 hr 5 min
Moonstruck
Vanessa Zoltan and our producer, Ariana Nedelman, meet-up at The Met to record this week’s episode of Hot and Bothered, all about Moonstruck. This week we discuss the specter of death, the gender dynamics, and the acting choices of the film. We finish the episode by calling Dr. Fred Gardaphé to get some context on Italian-American portrayals in film. --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great romance content including a bonus close scene analysis with Ariana and Vanessa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S5 · E101
May 19 · 31 min
Ending Of: Shakespeare in Love
For this week’s bi-weekly scene study, Vanessa and podcaster/author Dana Schwartz analyze the ending of Shakespeare in Love. They discuss Viola's fate, the role of a muse, and how to execute a 'tragic' movie ending. Dana Schwartz has a new novel out TODAY, The Arcane Arts by S.D. Coverly. Order now! --- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great romance content including a bonus close scene analysis with Dana and Vanessa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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