Danny Pellegrino is a New York Times bestselling author, comedian, and host of the podcast “Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino.” He joins Danielle and Simone to pop off about Bravo’s "Vanderpump Rules" reboot, the best movies of 2024, and the artists that made it on their Spotify Wrapped.
Hello Sunshine, Hey besties.
Today, on the bright Side, we're popping off on the biggest pop culture moments of the week with New York Times bestselling author, comedian and podcast host Danny Pellegrino. What's behind Bravos Vander Pump reboot, how did Billboard select their biggest pop star of the twenty first century? And who Spotify rap list is most embarrassing. It's Friday, December sixth.
I'm Simone Boyce, I'm Danielle Robe and this is the bright Side from Hello Sunshine, a daily show where we come together to share women's stories, to laugh, learn and brighten your day. Happy Friday, Happy Happy Friday.
Yes, we made it to the weekend, Danielle. Okay, So our besties don't know about this yet, but you were in New York this week for something pretty special.
Can you tell us about it?
Yes, I was in New York for one day to hang out in Gloria Steinem's living room. So her living room is one of the most iconic places, at least in my mind. In the early seventies, it served as the birthplace of Miss magazine, which was completely groundbreaking because it was really the only magazine or publication out there that was told through the female lens, and she would have people in her living room to foster dialogue, and it eventually turned into something called talking circles, which were really inspired by indigenous practices. Gloria spent a lot of time in India in her early years, and both in India and with Native American communities, there's this idea of talking circles, and she sort of shared that with everybody that would come through, and she has them to this day. And it's actually in her real living room, Like if you go to the right, it's her kitchen, and if you go to the right, it's her bedroom. So it was on my dream list of things to do in my life. I felt so honored to be there, and I also feel like so much of what we talk about on this podcast is really a product of what was talked about in her living room throughout the decades.
So it just felt sort of surreal.
Well, I know that she's a personal hero of yours, so I can only imagine how excited you were for this opportunity. What did you guys talk about in the talking circle? Can you share or is it private?
No, it's not private at all.
We just were talking about all the things you would kind of expect, like there were an amalgamation. I think it was like nine people, all different activists, leaders of their industries, and talking about what was going on in their world, what they needed help with, how people could support one another. And then we actually there was like a moment of like sort of quiet, and so I went up to her and I had my copies of MS magazine.
I've held on to them for years.
I have the test cover and then the first cover that existed, and I showed them to her, and she was like, I think, happy to see them. When we were chatting about it, she was explaining why she chose certain things on her cover, and then I asked her about her love life, which was so fun.
How does this not surprise me at all? Why does this not surprise me that you would be nosy with Glorias dynem Well.
I revere her so deeply, and I wanted to know about the people like who captured Glorious Dynam's heart? Can you imagine how special those people must be?
You would hope they were special, she.
Said they were. She said they were, Yeah.
You would hope that they recognized like the privilege that it is to be in a relationship with that woman, you know, Oh.
My god, I mean, she's so value driven. I think a lot of the people she was with, at least the ones I know about, like that were public relationships, they were all so values driven. Like she dated Jim Brown, who was like a sports figure but also incredibly active in the civil rights movement, and they met like doing work in the civil rights movement together, and so yeah, I just I'm still sort of riding a high. I feel silly saying this, but it was one of those days that I felt lucky to be alive.
Yeah, totally, and one of those days that I feel like, you know, for you specifically, you probably feel like your whole life has been like leading up to a moment like that. You know.
But wait, did you ask her for dating advice?
No, Because once I asked her, that's so funny. Once I asked her about the loves of her life and she started answering, everybody started gathering again because they wanted to hear her answer. So I got like, shy, I just love I wanted it to be about her. But if I ever get the chance to meet her again, maybe I'll I'll.
Try and ask.
Now, you guys will have a shorthand to love, like a romance shorthand, so you'll be good yes.
And you know, she's no for her iconic belts.
Like she said, she doesn't like to change her clothes because she doesn't want to think about it.
She just wants to change her belt.
And she was wearing a great, big, like silver belt and she was telling us about why she does it, and I was like, you know, I wonder if Mark Zuckerberg took that from you. I feel like all these tech founders took Gloria Steinem's fashion ideology.
I mean, Mark Zuckerberg's fashion evolution is a story for another day. We don't have time for that today. But I'm so happy that you had such a wonderful, memorable experience.
I can tell how much this let you up. So thank you for sharing that.
And you know, after hearing about your trip and just reflecting on some of the conversations that we've had here on the show lately, we.
Have decided to bring a little elevation to our show today.
So we had on a guest recently who really redefined that word for me. And I'm thinking of kindness. Researcher Jeanette Murray. When we talked to her on Wednesday Days Show, she imbued elevation with this new meaning. She described it as an emotion of feeling you get when you see the goodness of humanity unfold in front of your eyes. So I'm going to try to use this word in the right context. I don't know if I'm using it correctly, but for me, elevation is how I describe the feeling of everyone sharing in the joy of wicked together. Yeah, that collective excitement. So that's the definition I'm clinging to. But I love learning a new word, or learning how to use a word in a new way.
Simone, we have to go to the thing along.
But I totally agree with you and elevate even saying it sort of makes me feel like I grew three inches, you know.
There's something so beautiful about it.
I'm also still laughing at our conversation with Fortune Fimster.
She is so hilarious.
I cannot wait to see her in the new movie that she's in with Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell next year. And the story she told us about her and her wife Jacks honeymooning in a location. If you haven't seen that or heard the episode, I'll I don't want to ruin it. But there is a location where it is illegal to be gay, and Fortune and her wife Jack's honeymoon there by accident.
Oh man, leave it to Fortune to turn that horrible experience into a bit and make us all laugh from it.
Okay.
So if you are listening and you feel the holiday anxiety bubbling up from your core, just know you are not alone, because I am experiencing that too. It's like, I know it's coming, and I want to try and get ahead of it. And one of the ways that I was able to do that was by talking to our friend Lizzie Mathis on the show. She had some serious gems and really practical tips for hosting holiday gatherings and just making it a lot more seamless and easier. And I loved how she said that the key to a memorable gathering is just making simple things look fancy like she reassured us that you can create an impactful environment on a budget.
I loved her tip about decorating with candles because it looks so elevated.
To use our word of the.
Week and you can do it inexpensively.
You know who else was truly memorable for me? Bosama Saint John Bosama made her debut on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills after years as one of the world's top marketing execs uber Netflix Endeavor. The list goes on, and as a fan of the show, I love how she gave us the real tea on the new season. She was not afraid to speak her mind, and I do think a lot of the cast members can sort of like tiptoe around things.
I love that she's giving the people what they want.
Yes, well, I'm.
Super excited because our guest today is a Bravo girly Okay, he is a Bravo encyclopedia.
I'm so ready for my lesson in the history of the Housewives franchise. Danny Pellegrino is going to bring it today.
He is a.
Housewives scholar, the host of the podcast Everything Iconic.
We've got so much to talk to him about.
But before we get there, it's time to spotlight favorite moment of the week.
Y'all.
Yeah, This week's spotlight goes to Carrie Washington, who was officially inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On Monday, Carrie was given the two thousand, nine hundred seventy sixth star for her incredible career in film and TV, and she celebrated with her family and longtime collaborators Tyler Perry and Shonda Rhimes, both of whom gave really beautiful speeches in her honor. And what was really heartwarming about this is I guess it was one of her dad's dreams. It was a bucket list moment for him. She told People Magazine. I think it was something my dad had always dreamed of and asked me about. It was really special to be able to be here today, to share this moment with my parents, and to have them be here with me. You know, there's this thing about the Hollywood Walk of Fame that feels like, almost like silly at this point, because it's like, Okay, Hollywood, Hollywood. But I think we forget how hard people work to build up to those moments. And so when I saw her share that with her family and particularly her dad, my heart smiled a little bit.
Yes, shouts to Carrie Washington, and not just because of the work she's done in front of the camera, but behind the camera too, especially teaming up with a Reese Witherspoon.
So congrats to her. That's so exciting. All right, Danielle, are you ready to pop off?
Oh? We're ready joining us to pop off today, y'all. Is New York Times bestselling author, comedian and host of the podcast Everything Iconic. It's Danny Pellegrino. Danny, Welcome to the bright Side.
Who welcome?
Hi, Simone and Danielle. I'm so happy to be here, Danielle and I feel like we're kind of parasocially besties, even though you might not know it yet, and now you are too by proxy.
Yes, well, I want to hear. How do you guys know each other? What's the story there?
I think, like every good old fashioned relationship is social media, you know, like every I think that's we just we're friendly on social media.
So actually I think it's a little deeper, Danny, because I don't know if you know this, but we have a mutual friend named Jaten, and years ago when you started posting on Instagram, Jaten has an amazing eye for talent, and Jaten sent me Danny's page and said, this guy is going to blow up. He's amazing and two months later, Boom, Danny was huge.
Atten's the best. And I grew up with him. I mean we were We went to school together as kids and stuff. He's the best.
Yeah, and he was Midwest boys.
Yeah. I love my Midwest. I'm Midwest boys love him.
Yeah.
Well, Danny, you really are living the dream right now. I mean, you wrote, produced, and starred in the new Hallmark Channel holiday movie Deck the Walls, which is trending on Peacock. Congratulations, it's so hard to trend.
Thank you so much. Yeah, we were in the top ten on Peacock after the release, and we were in the top ten of all the TV shows on Friday night when we premiered. And it's going to be airing a bunch of if people haven't seen it, it'll be airing throughout the season on the Hallmark channels. So there's like, you know how they rerun those a million times? So he catched Deck the Walls whenever you see it as if you're flipping the channels, Can you give.
Us a little taste.
What does a Danny Pellegrino spin on a holiday movie look like?
I mean, of course you're all gonna roll your eyes or your listeners are gonna roll your eyes when I say this, but I really love the trope of a big city Goal goes back to her small hometown and falls in love with the honky guy from her past, Like.
I wanted that sweet Home Alabama.
Yes, yes, yes, I wanted that. So I know sometimes when I talk about the movie, people roll their eyes because that is like sort of the essence of Deck the Walls. But I wanted it to be that, and I hope that people watch it and they're going into it with that framework, but then also finding that there's little other touches. I'm super proud of the fact that the movie's already premiered. So this is a bit of a spoiler. Maybe fast forward if you don't want the spoiler, but I'm super proud. At the end, our big city Goal doesn't end up staying in the small town. She doesn't give up her career. She goes back to her big city job, and instead she convinces the guy, Hey, I'll give you a job if you want, and then there's an LGBTQ romance. I'm very proud of the relationship that my character has with the other male Lea, who's a straight guy, we're best friends in it, and I think that's a rare dynamic to see on screen. So there's a lot of little touches within the framework of a hopefully very classically structured Hallmark Christmas movie that well, hopefully people will enjoy throughout the holiday season. But even within that genre, there's like these house renovation Christmas movies, so like, even that's sort of like a subgenre too, so I was excited to sort of celebrate that as well. And you get all those trope things that you love, I hope, but then get those little twists on them as well.
Danny, you've written several books, so I knew that you were a beautiful writer, but I had no idea that you wanted to act. And how cool that you wrote your own role.
Thank you. I did, and I had to audition too, by the way, which was weird because I wrote it for me. But I understand too, because it's a pretty large leading role in the movie and I don't have a lot of experience doing this sort of thing. I do come from an acting background, and that was always sort of the goal. Unfortunately, with writing and podcasting, I got a little off track with that. But so that was always kind of the dream and the goal, and so I was thrilled that Hallmark let me be in it and that was kind of like the most fun creatively because it was a new experience.
Danny, I love your podcast Everything iconic. I do think you were one of the first on the podcast scene. You were podcasting before everyone else was podcasting.
Well, there were some definitely before me. A Bitch Sash was like kind of like the gold star, the shining star for me. I loved that podcast and the watchw Crappens guys are great. They were much sooner than I am in terms of like covering Real Housewives and Bravo and reality TV. But it was like seven years ago, which or twenty seventeen was when I started, which is crazy to say now, but it's been a while that I've been covering reality TV and all that.
Well, there's definitely an emphasis on the Bravo universe, which I love.
And this week was a big week for Bravo fans.
The network announce a complete overhaul of vander Pump Rules. Simon and I were talking about this before the show started. Kind of shocking because there's so much IP built into that show. We know all the characters, the scanned of all of it all, La La Kent, Tom Schwartz, Sheena Shehay, Ariano Maddox, they're all. They're all saying goodbye to vander Pump Rules. There's an entirely new cast being put in. What is happening here? I've never seen a network do this.
It's shocking to me that they did it, especially after they did it with the Real Houses in New York. And I think, by and large, and I don't want to speak for everyone, but I think by and large, the response to the new Real Houses in New York has been not great. Audience really is not great. Yeah, I mean, at least I love it. I mean I think there's a lot of people I think that must really like it. But in terms of ratings and at least in my experience with people who watch these shows and DM man stuff, it seems like the audience response is not great. So I was shocked that they would do it to vander Pump, especially because that was sort of the highest rated show for a while and it was interesting to me. But I'm sure creatively they looked at it and thought where do we go or how do we go from here with the current cast, and maybe they just couldn't find a creative way to make it work. Also, as these shows go, they get so much more expensive with cast, so maybe they looked at the financials and it didn't make sense. But I'm a bigger fan for Bravo doing like those soft reboots that they've done where it's like keep a couple anchors and then bring in a few fresh people. Sometimes I think that I'll be so skeptical of the decision that Bravo makes with casting or something, and then a year later or something, you're like, oh, that they totally Why did I even think that they wouldn't figure it out?
Danny, if you were the exec in charge making the next moves for vander Pump Rules, who would you cast or who are the types of people that you would cast?
Well, I think going forward, knowing that we're doing a reboot, I'm sure they're still going to be bringing in people for guest stars. I thought. I just saw Ariana on a red carpet somewhere and she was saying, Oh, if any of the new people want to walk next door to something about her and get a sandwich, And I was like, oh, that makes so much sense of like how they'll probably launch this. Of course, I think those cast members are going to be gone, but I would be surprised if that first episode doesn't have some of those characters, whether they be Katie at the sandwich shop while the new characters come in there, or you know, some sort of mentorship role. I would imagine there's going to be a lot of guest spots, and that's what I would do. Even though we got rid of all those people, they're still sort of in that restaurant universe, and so I would just litter the show with whatever guest spots made sense for the old cast while we got to know these other people. Because of course we don't want to shortchange the new cast members. I think it's important that we get to know them. But I think it'll help with that ip that you mentioned, I think Danielle earlier where it's like it'll still be recognizable, because I think there's going to be a lot of people that just decide, Okay, well it's the end of the road for this group that I've gotten to know over so long. I mean, I've watched from the beginning, and I tend to talk to a lot of people about these shows, because people come up to me or family or friends will be like, Oh, let's talk about this. And the kind of response I'm seeing is that I think a lot of the people that have followed it for so long, they're just going to be kind of done with the show, not even necessarily because they're upset with the new show or anything like that. It just feels like a final and easy way to wrap up their viewing of this show. So I talked to my brothers and sisters in law the chapter closed, Yeah, and they don't. There's a lot of people who I think kind of casually watch these shows or have caught up with them for years, and I think they'll just sort of dip out. But maybe if there's a big scandal or the new cast has something, they'll be right.
Back on board.
We're going to take a quick break from popping Off, but we'll be right back with Danny Pellegrino. We're back to popping off with Danny Pellegrino. The New York Times just put out its list of the best movies of the year, and film critics who work for the paper ranked their ten favorites. So it's interesting about this list. I'm curious to hear what you guys think, but to me, it just illustrates that divide between what the audience likes and what critics like. So let's get into it. Yes, so what's on this list? It's not the movies that everyone's talking about. It's not Wicked. There's no Inside Out too, no Gladiator too. So number one on the critics list is the film All We Imagine is Light by Indian filmmaker Payel Capadia. Another film that's on this list is Nickelboys, which is based on Colson Whitehead's novel of the same name, and it follows two teenage boys at a reform school in the sixties.
Some other movies on.
The list Jesse Eisenberg's A Real Pain, George Miller's Furiosa Mad Max Saga, Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis, which is interesting because that was critically panned and did not perform well at the box office, and then Sean Baker's a Noorra. He also did the Florida Project from a few years back. So did this list surprise you?
I'm so embarrassed. I haven't heard of any not one of these movies.
I have not even heard their title.
That's kind of what I was saying, Like, it feels like, and it's been like this for as long as I can remember. It feels like the people who critically review films are not on the same page as the audience. The desires and wants are completely on different pages.
Here well, Devil's advocate, though, I would also just say that, you know, sometimes it's great that they would be spotlighting these movies that otherwise the major audiences wouldn't be privy to, ye saying, and so like, I think that's kind of cool because I have heard of a lot of that. I haven't seen a lot of the lists that you just said, but I've sort of heard loosely from like film buff friends and stuff, and a lot of movies like Nora has been one that's been on my list that I'm like, oh, I have to see that because I've heard such good things. But it's not one that I would have ever heard of otherwise.
I just watched a Noora.
Did you like it?
I'm obsessed. I want to watch it over and over again.
Wow, it's a black comedy that has so much heart.
The ending completely blew me away. The star of the film. Hold on, let me look up her name.
What is it, Mikey Madden. She's Mikey mat from Better Things? Did you ever watch Better Things? That show is so great and she was great in it. But I heard Anora it is fantastic.
It's fantastic.
Mikey Madison is the star of this film, and she said that she really wanted to bring dignity to the lives of sex workers through this performance, and she really really does that.
So good.
Danielle, if you haven't seen any of the movies on that list, what movies made your list for best movies of the year?
Ooh, that's an interesting question.
Well, first, I agree with Danny in that similar to this list, I feel this way about the Oscars. Usually there's a ton of movies that pop up that I haven't heard of, and I like learning about them, and then I kind of like slowly watched throughout the year, which is fun and I feel more cultured. Let's see twenty twenty four best movies of the year.
What did I watch Wicked? For sure? Danny? Have you seen it yet?
Yes? Yes? And like everyone, I feel like I saw it and became upset with it. Afterwards, right, like, I just I can't stop thinking about it.
Yeah, and stop thinking about it. That's incredible. That was probably my number one.
It was one of those movies too that I felt like you left the theater and my heart grew three sizes when I saw Wicked, where it was like, oh my gosh, I'm fulfilled in a way that I hadn't been by art in a while, which sounds over dramatic and whatever, but it's not though I felt that way.
It's not though, because that movie carries with it the collective dreams and hopes and pain of an entire community. It's not just the theater community. It's also just anybody who's ever been othered or bullied. So the layers that specifically this version of Wicked gave to us, like through Cynthia's portrayal, the fact that she's a black alphaba, I mean, it just expands the universe and the meaning of it so much.
Did you feel like you went into it. I was worried about it being part one of two, and I thought, me too sure that that was a mistake. I thought this is the worst thing to do, and then I saw it and I was like, no, they made the right decision. That's time.
Yeah, because I want more. I can't wait to go see the second one.
And it still felt like a complete movie.
So moan, I'm going to name one that you love. Okay, what's that Inside Out Too was amazing?
It was It was really good. That one was more for the parents in the audience or for the adults than it was for the kids.
So many kids I saw it, so many people dressed up as like adults dressed up as the Inside Out Too characters for Halloween.
I also think that scene with anxiety at the end of Inside Out Too. Everyone kind of knows when I'm talking about the swirling anxiety. Yes, yeah, I've never I'm someone who's dealt with anxiety most of my life and mental health struggles and stuff, and I've never seen it portrayed so accurately. And it was like this CGI cartoon and I was like, oh my gosh, it blew me away. That scene blew me away.
Oh that's amazing. That is the power of art. We talk about wicked. It can help us view life through a different lens and give us new perspective. When I think about the movies, my best movies of the year, I'm thinking about the movies that really impacted me emotionally. The Substance is high up on that list for me. Did you guys see The Substance?
I haven't watched it yet because I think it's going to be I've heard it's really intense, and I just haven't been able to muster up the energy to do it.
It's super intense, Danielle.
I'm really curious to hear what you think because it hits on so many of the themes that we talk about on our show. It's basically an indictment of impossible beauty standards.
Oh wow, but.
It's it's done in such an exaggerated fashion. It just really drives home the point in a really powerful way.
Is that the one with Demi Moore?
Yes, this is the one with Demi Moore and Margaret Qually.
Oh.
Our show runner Tim is obsessed with this movie. I have to watch. H Okay, Danny, we have another question for you. I went to a Sabrina Carpenter concert a few weeks ago, and I hadn't been to like a pop stars concert in a while, and I definitely hadn't been to like the next Gen pop star concert in a while, and I feel like a lot has changed. I'm curious about where you feel the state of pop stardom is right now for female pop stars.
Well, I'm loving that the gals are all front and center right now. You know, Chapel Roan, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, you know all these people are. I like that it's very female forward right now and pop music, and it's so interesting. I just went to the Eras tour and it was I felt very old there because there was a lot of young people, all different ages. But I was surrounded by these young people who were They were on TikTok the whole time, like they were live streaming it, which I thought was interesting. But I'm thrilled about the state of pop music at the moment. I feel like there's a lot of great women that are killing it right now. Did you guys do the Spotify rapped? Did you do that?
Yes?
Mine was embarrassing.
To tell me why we're always embarrassed by our Spotify raps. It's time to air your dirty laundry. I want to know everybody's top five, top five artists and then give me your number one song too.
Okay, I have my top five right in front of me. Here my top five artists. Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Beyonce Cher was in my top five this year, so there, there we go. Kelly Clarkson, I was in my top five, and then my number one song was I Know I'm So Gay, I'm So Gay. My number one song was I'm going to Get You Back by Taylor Swift, which was actually on like the second part of her Tortured Poets album, so it was like a you know, a B side, but I love that song I'm going to Get You Back.
Okay.
Here my top artists. Number one is the film composer Thomas Newman. He's behind acclaimed soundtracks to Little Women and American Beauty. Max Richter is like a instrumental composer, so those are like my focus soundtracks that I listened to when I'm working, So apparently I did a lot of that. Other artists Chapelerone of course, Christine and the Queens, and Novo More. My number one song is the song that really took me by surprise. The song that I listened to the most was I Surround Are All by gospel legend CC Winans I love that I was really connected to a higher source.
I'll just say that.
That's I think that's beautiful, Okay. My top five are Number one is Thames, number two is snow Allegra, number three is Jojo, number four is Drake, and number five is burna Boy. My top song is dou Wop by Lauren Hill. But I do have to give a shout out to my number five top song, which is Wine Slow by Egyptian.
Why was that my number five song?
This is what I'm talking about when it comes to being embarrassing.
Why were you embarrassed about yours?
I don't get too embarrassed. I mean, I know, I just said I was embarrassed. I kind of think it's just all funny and silly, but I do have old music taste. So my Melissa Ethritch was in like my top five because of a song that she performed. This is so weird to even say out loud, but the roso I'll show for a while was like uploading episodes to YouTube, like from the nineties, full episodes, and I had been watching one one night and Melissa Ethridge performed this song and it's like a ballad, and I became obsessed with it in the summertime, and so it's in my top five, but it's like a B side of Melissa Ethridges from ninety nine and it was like number three on my.
List standing that tracks for you.
It felt right, it felt right. But also I think for the artists, I think Beyonce and Taylor Swift for it both in in my top and the Ariana Grande album I loved. And then also there was like an obscure vander Pump Rules song that was like in my I thought it was going to be in top five. I thought it for sure it was going to be in top five, and then it just missed the cut. But it's called girls Girl, and I fell asleep to it on a plane on and it was on repeat, and I was like, that's going to be my number one, but it just missed out on the top five.
That's hilarious, Simone, Why were you embarrassed?
I'm embarrassed because I lack self awareness. Like I was like getting ready to open up my spot if I wrapped, and I was like, oh, yeah, mine's gonna be like super cool. It's gonna be like a bunch of like cool indie female artists like check this, I open it up. My top song is I Surrender All by cc Winans, So I was clear I know I love cc win in too, but I think I was clearly going through something. If that was that was for what song, I must have been going through a hard time. Also on there was like Chapelerone Christine and the Queens the song love My Way. So yeah, so we still have like a lot of you know, feminine indie energy on there, but there's a dissonance between who I think I am and who I really am.
I think you hit on something. I think that's why these are embarrassing. Yes, yes, did anybody have Beyonce on their list?
She was on my top artist list, and I think her song with Miley was like in my top ten or something. You wait real quickly though, I just one of the other sort of embarrassing, but I want to I give a plug too. Is Addison Ray's Diet PEPSI. That was like in my top and I was like obsessed with that.
So I still have especially a good song.
It's so good and I was like it started as a joke, but yeah, so the first time I listened to it, I was like making fun of it, and then it literally is in my top five and I couldn't shout out from the rooftops more. I think it's like the best song ever.
She's had a real good rebrand this year. It's time for another short break, but we'll be back with Danny Pellegrino. And we're back with Danny Pellegrino.
Okay.
So, Beyonce was named Billboard's Greatest Pop Star of the twenty first century. Mind you, we're only twenty five years into the century, okay, for twenty four and a half twenty four and three fourth. Rounding out the top ten were Adele at number ten, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Betney Spears, Lady Gaga, Drake Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and then Beyonce at number one.
Wasn't it between? Wasn't it? Taylor and Beyonce were like the top two and everyone was wondering, like who was gonna come out on top or something like that.
Was that Pear Summer.
Too, And it was like, yeah, I feel like I saw a headline or something about that, because they had released the list sort of in piecemeals, so it was like everybody had been waiting to see who the top few were.
Wait, Danny, you're right, because it says well, Taylor Swift is the century's biggest pop star. By the numbers, Beyonce tops our staff chosen editorial list based on her full twenty five years of influence, impact and evolution.
I think Taylor Swift would even admit that Beyonce probably deserved that top spot. When I love them all and both, I.
Feel like a group of writers at Boboard got together and were like, listen, we know we're only twenty four years into this new century, but they're going to remember our names. We are going to we are going to tell them that Beyonce is the greatest artist of this century and they can't take that away from.
Us because it is kind of crasy. We're so early.
There was also a lot of people on that missed that list that I was upset about. So, you know, with all of these lists, I take it with a grain of salt. But I feel like Mariah Carey wasn't even on that list, and I'm like, come.
On, she has to be.
What's weird is Adele was on the list. And while Adell is I think one of the best artists of all time. I don't know if I put her in the pop star category, like I would definitely put Mariah in there first.
Yeah, I mean there's a lot of I don't know. It goes back to what we were saying earlier with these lists, where I just sometimes feel like they're created for outrage, and of course we all get outrage saying oh Mariah didn't even make the list or whatever the thing is, and of course it just helps get everyone their clicks on stuff. But then I wonder sometimes, like how purposeful was that. I know, I sound like a conspiracy theorist on your podcast saying.
That we love a little harmless pop conspiracy theory.
Here's what's weird.
Three men were on the list, Kanye Drake, Justin Bieber. I can get behind me. Jbiebes know, well, he is kind of a pop star. I do get your fall.
That's your fault that he's that he's on that list, because I feel like without your impact of a Spotify, without your Spotify list, they might not have taken that in consideration.
Can we all three agree that Kanye West should not be on the list.
I'm surprised that given his rhetoric over the past couple of years that he was on this list.
I just think there's so many other women that deserve to be on the list before Kanye West.
I mean, yes, yes, it's a list. It's designed for our outrage.
You know what people are gonna say though, just that Kanye is a musical genius, Like separate the art from the artist, and if.
That's your stance, that's fine.
But I still don't agree that you're on the pop star list.
You're right about Adele though, because I don't. I love her and have seen her live a million times, but I don't consider I don't think of her in like pop star terms. To me, she's like a vocal prowess or a vocal legend.
Yeah, or one of like the classic divas, you know, like yeah, to me, she's going to be like in the Diana Ross, you know, turn just incredible vocalists.
Wait you guys, I just realized Creed isn't even on this list anyway.
Oh my god, and it's null and void. I was right, conspiracy talk about rage bait and where's next on.
Your Spotify simone?
See another another example of a lack of self awareness. I thought Creed was going to be in my top ten. I guess I need to go harder next year for Scott Stap.
I also just want to say for all of the millennial women out there, they put Britney Spears on the list, and they did not put Christina Aguilera or Jessica Simpson.
That's the real egregious era, Danielle. There's no will of Ford. I don't I didn't see her anywhere, and I'm pissed about it.
Danny Pellegrino, you are such a joy. Thank you so much for joining us and bringing all your expertise.
Thank you so much for having me, And hopefully people will check out Deck the Walls when it's airing on the Hallmark Channel throughout the season. And then I also have a holiday book called The Jolly's Bunch, which is new in paperback if anyone wants to laugh throughout the holiday season. It's also on.
Audiobook and listen to your podcast Everything Iconic, because it is so iconic.
It's so gross to do these plugs, but you know, we got to keep the lights on. Thank you guys for having me.
Of course it was so fun.
Danny Pellegrino's in New York Times best selling author comedian and host of the podcast Everything Iconic. You can watch his new movie Deck the Walls on Hallmark this season.
That's it for today's show.
On Monday, We're answering all your burning holiday etiquette questions with etiquette author and entrepreneur Micah Meyer.
Listen and follow The bright Side on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The bright Side is a production of Hello Sunshine and iHeart Podcasts and is executive produced by Reese.
Witherspoon, production by Arcana Audio. Our producers are Jessica Wank, Krista Ripple, and Amy Padula. Our senior produces It's i Kin Tania, and our engineer is PJ.
Shahamat.
Ar Cona's executive producers are Francis Harlowe and Abby Ruzika.
Arcana's head of production is Matt Schultz.
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Julia Weaver is the supervising producer, and Ali Perry is the executive producer for iHeart Podcasts. Tim Palazzola is our showrunner. This week's episodes were recorded by Graham Gibson and Joel Morales.
Our theme song is by Anna Stump and Hamilton lighthauser.
Special thanks to Connell Byrne and Will Pearson.
I'm Simone Boyce.
You can find me at Simone Boyce on Instagram and TikTok.
And I'm Danielle Robey on Instagram and TikTok.
That's ro b a y We'll see you Monday, y'all.
Keep looking on the bright side.