Lemonada Media

Lemonada Media
IndustryPodcasting
Founded2019; 5 years ago (2019)
Founder
Websitelemonadamedia.com

Lemonada Media is an American podcast network.[1] The company was founded in 2019 by Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs.[2][3] In 2019, Lemonada Media debuted their first podcast, Last Day, offering a personal view on the opioid crisis in the U.S. (Kramer and Wachs both had younger brothers who died from an accidental opioid overdose.)[1][2]

As of 2023, Lemonada has launched more than 40 podcasts,[4] including Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, which was named the 2023 Apple Podcast of the Year,[5] and Being Trans/ Being Golden, which pioneered an unscripted format similar to reality TV,[6] and won three Webby Awards in 2023.[7]

History

[edit]

In 2018, Cordova Kramer and Wittels Wachs met after discovering they had each lost a brother to accidental overdoses.[1] Cordova Kramer reached out to Wittels Wachs after hearing her in an interview. Wittels Wachs initially said no to a podcast partnership with Cordova Kramer but later changed her mind.[8] In 2019, they launched Lemonada Media and their first podcast, Last Day which explores the final days of people who have died to opioids, suicide, and gun violence.[1][3] The company set out to make the hard things in life a little easier for listeners to cope with.[8] The company's name refers to the adage "turning lemons into lemonade" as well as the famous Jerry Seinfeld standup routine where he says "(the car) better not be a lemona, or I'll call my lawya" [3]

Last Day is Lemonada Media's flagship podcast. The first season focused on the opioid epidemic. The first episode covered the last days of Cordova Kramer's brother prior to his fatal overdose.[3] The second season of Last Day focused on suicide[3] and was sponsored by The Jed Foundation, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention.

In 2019, Lemonada Media debuted two additional podcasts, Good Kids and As Me with Sinéad. In April 2020, In the Bubble hosted by Andy Slavitt debuted. In March 2022, Lemonada Media had more than 20 original shows. These include The Cost of Care, The Untold Story: Policing and Good Sex.[9]

In 2020, Lemonada show In the Bubble won the "Favorite Shows" award of Apple Podcasts "Shows of the Year".[10] Last day also won iHeartRadio's Podcast Award for Best Wellness and Fitness Podcast.[11] Lemonada shows received an average of two million listens in each month of 2020.[12]

Lemonada partnered with Neighborhood Villages in late 2020, an organization that advocates for policy reform for early childhood education and care, to create No One Is Coming to Save Us hosted by former ABC news correspondent Gloria Riviera.[1] The podcast discusses the U.S. childcare system. Kristin Bell has made guest appearances.[13]

In 2021, Lemonada added 10 podcasts to its network including, Written Off and Believe Her. Believe Her debuted at the top of the podcast ratings charts.[14] They launched, BEING Studios, a new division to develop a new audio genre called Audio Reality, a cross of reality programming and podcasting.[6] Their debut show, BEING Trans was executive produced by Kasey Barrett who has previously worked on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, The Real World, and Born This Way.[15] Wittels Wachs stated that creating Being Trans was intended to build the empathy.[6] The second season of BEING studios features senior citizens and is called BEING Golden.[6]

In 2022, Add to Cart won the iHeartRadio Podcast Award for Best Beauty and Fashion Podcast.[16]

Lemonada has a global presence with its two shows in Europe: As Me with Sinéad (Ireland) and In Giro Con Fra (Italy).[17][18]

Organization

[edit]

Jessica Cordova Kramer is the company's CEO. She previously served as the executive producer of Pod Save the People. Stephanie Wittels Wachs is the company's chief creative officer. She previously published the book: Everything is Horrible and Wonderful.[3]

In 2020, the company reported $1.5 million in revenue.[1] In 2021, they reported nearly $5 million in revenue.[12] In January 2022, Lemonada Media announced they had secured $8 million in Series A funding and had 43 full-time employees.[12]

Podcasts

[edit]
Title Host(s) or Starring Notes Ref
Add to Cart SuChin Pak and Kulap Vilaysack Focuses on consumerism [19]
After 1954 Aimée Eubanks Davis Explores Brown v. Board of Education Case [20][21]
As Me With Sinéad Sinéad Burke Discusses self-acceptance, self-love, empathy, and biases [22]
BEING Golden Discusses life as a senior in the golden years. From BEING Studios Audio Reality® [23]
BEING Trans Explores life experiences of transgender individuals. First show in the new Audio Reality genre from BEING Studios Audio Reality® [6][17][24]
Believe Her Justine van der Leun Discusses the story of Nikki Addimando and examines domestic and sexual violence and trauma [25][26]
Blind Plea Liz Flock Examines the American criminal justice system [27]
Burnout Connor Franta Examines burnout [28][29]
Call Declined Melissa Beck Explores resilience, friendship, the power of creativity, mental health, and the American prison system [30]
Call For Help Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Zak Williams Explores mental health and the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline [31]
Choice Words with Samantha Bee Samantha Bee Examines navigating the real world, life choices, and decision making [32]
Discarded Gloria Riviera Examines the health and environmental impacts of plastic use [33]
Everything Happens with Kate Bowler Kate Bowler Explores success, failure, suffering, happiness, and humor [34]
Fail Better with David Duchovny David Duchovny Explores the topic of failure [35]
FIRST! with Kareem Rahma Kareem Rahma Discusses people who have had groundbreaking impacts on racial barriers, society, and culture [36]
Good Grief Explores grief, coping, love, and loss [37]
Good Kids Discusses parenting [citation needed]
Good Sex Discusses sex [38]
Hard Feelings with Jennette McCurdy Jennette McCurdy Explores difficult life experiences [39]
Here Lies Me Hillary Frank, Michael Chernus, June Diane Raphael, W. Kamau Bell, Rob Huebel, Stephanie Wittels Wachs Lemonada's first scripted podcast. Discusses the adolescent experience with realism. Explores harassment, classism, sexism, racism, trauma, consent, and finding your voice [40]
I Need To Ask You Something Dr. Monica P. Band Explores difficult conversations, emotional health, and relationship building [41]
I'm Sorry Mohanad Elshieky, Kiki Monique, and Hoja Lopez Discusses cancel culture and apologies [42][43]
In Giro Con Fra Francesca Lazzarin Lemonada's first non-English language podcast, hosted in Italian. Discusses culture, lifestyles, and personal challenges [18][17][44]
In Recovery with Dr. Nzinga Harrison Dr. Nzinga Harrison Explores psychiatry, mental health, and addiction medicine [45][46]
In the Bubble with Andy Slavitt Andy Slavitt Covers the COVID-19 pandemic [47]
Last Day Stephanie Wittels Wachs Flagship podcast on Lemonada's podcast network. Explores grief, the opioid epidemic, suicide, and gun violence [2][3][11][48]
Mouthpeace Michael Bennett and Pele Bennett Discusses parenting and football [49]
New Day Claire Bidwell Smith Covers coping strategies
No One Is Coming to Save Us Gloria Riviera and Kristin Bell Covers childcare in America [1][14]
Our America with Julián Castro Julián Castro Discusses politics [50]
Raised by Ricki Ricki Lake Covers cultural issues
The Cost of Care David Smith Problems within America's healthcare system [51]
The Sarah Silverman Podcast Sarah Silverman Covers cultural issues
The Untold Story Jay Ellis Covered policing issues [52][53]
Written Off Walter Thompson-Hernandez Covers social justice and features formerly incarcerated writers [14][54]
V Interesting with V Spehar Vitus Spehar
Uncared For SuChin Pak
The Letter
Let's Tawk with Jaime Primak Sullivan Jaime Primak Sullivan
Funny Cuz It's True with Elyse Myers Elyse Myers
FIRST! with Kareem Rahma Kareem Rahma
Wiser Than Me Julia Louis-Dreyfus Interviews with wise women on their life experiences

Lemonada has plans to expand the number of shows to more than 30 in 2022.[9]

After 1954

[edit]

In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Brown v Board of Education that the segregation of white and Black students was unconstitutional.[55] The After 1954 podcast, hosted by Aimée Eubanks Davis, explores this historic event and its unintended consequence–the firing of approximately 38,000 Black teachers in the Southern states.[20] Davis also explores the importance of Black educators as key figures in the lives of Black children.[56]

Add to Cart

[edit]

Add to Cart is co-hosted by journalist SuChin Pak and writer, comedian, and director Kulap Vilaysack.[57] Their podcast focuses on shopping and consumerism, exploring trending products and discussing whether those products are worth the cost.[19]

As Me with Sinéad

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As Me is hosted by teacher, fashion enthusiast, and disability activist Sinéad Burke. Burke has also given a TED Talk on design accessibility, and was a guest speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos.[22] Burke has a suite of high-profile guests on her podcast including Victoria Beckham and Jamie Lee Curtis.[58][59] Burke has also made a guest appearance on Lemonada Media's podcast Good Kids.[citation needed]

Wiser Than Me with Julia-Louis Dreyfus

[edit]

Launched in 2023, Wiser Than Me features host Julia Louis-Dreyfus interviewing women older than her on their lived experience and earned wisdom. Guests have included Jane Fonda, Carol Burnett, Isabel Allende and Amy Tan. The show was named Apple's Best Podcast of the Year in 2023.[5]

Reception and awards

[edit]

Lemonada and its podcasts have received positive reviews in a wide range of press. The New York Times describes Lemonada as "a podcast network that creates feel-good stories about feel-bad issues (...) Their roster of sweet-tart shows is deeply personal, mission-driven and solution-minded."[1]

Lemonada has been nominated for more than 15 podcast industry awards, including:

  • Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus was named Apple's Best Podcast of the Year in 2023.
  • Last Day has earned 9 Webby nominations, including 3 wins: It won the 2023 Webby Award winner for Best Individual Podcast Episode (Documentary) and was a 2020 honoree for Best Podcast (Health & Wellness) and Best Individual Podcast Episode[60]
  • Being Trans/ Being Golden won 3 Webby Awards in 2023: Best Podcast (Experimental & Innovation), Best Podcast (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) and the Webby People's Voice Award for Best Podcast (Experimental & Innovation).[7]
  • Add to Cart won the 2022 Webby Award for Best Lifestyle Podcast[61]
  • Believe Her was an honoree for the 2002 Webby Award for Best Crime & Justice Podcast[62]
  • In the Bubble won the 2022 Webby Award for Best Podcast (Health, Wellness & Lifestyle) and was nominated for the 2022 Webby Award for Best Podcast Host (Andy Slavitt)[63]
  • No One is Coming to Save Us was an honoree for the 2022 Webby Award for Public Service & Activism podcasts [64]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Soloski, Alexis (May 20, 2021). "IN Crisis? Lemonada Media Has a Podcast for You". The New York Times. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Greiving, Tim (October 22, 2020). "They Lost Their Brothers to Addiction. Now They're Tackling Deadly Stigmas Head On, With Humor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Greiving, Tim (April 6, 2022). "'Last Day' Podcast Tackles the Explosive Topic of Gun Violence With a Disarming Approach". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  4. ^ "Jessica Cordova Kramer". Podcast Business Journal. 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  5. ^ a b Weprin, Alex (Dec 5, 2023). "Apple Names Julia Louis-Dreyfus' 'Wiser Than Me' Its Podcast of the Year". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e Soloski, Alexis (April 28, 2022). "With Being Studios, Podcasting Meets Reality Television". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Webby Award Winner: Being TRANS/Being GOLDEN". Webby Awards. May 2023. Retrieved Jan 21, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "When Life Gives You Lemons, Make a Podcast". Houstonia Magazine. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  9. ^ a b "Lemonada Media Rapidly Expands Its Slate of Podcasts". Radio Online. March 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  10. ^ Cridland, James (December 2, 2020). "The Best Podcasts in the World – Apple Podcasts 2020". podnews.net. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  11. ^ a b Marquina, Sierra (January 18, 2020). "2020 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards: Full List of Winners". iHeartRadio. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  12. ^ a b c Chan, J. Clara (January 27, 2022). "Lemonada Media Podcast Network Raises $8M in Series A Funding (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  13. ^ White, Peter (May 6, 2021). "ABC News' Gloria Riviera Sets Childcare Crisis Podcast With Help From Kristen Bell". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  14. ^ a b c Hale, James (February 15, 2021). "CAA Signs Podcast Startup Lemonada Media". Tubefilter. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  15. ^ Baron, Katelyn (May 2, 2022). "BEING Studios Ushers in Lemonada Media's Groundbreaking Audio Reality Era". werrrk.com. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  16. ^ Fields, Taylor (February 3, 2022). "2022 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards: See the Full List of Winners". KIIS-FM. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  17. ^ a b c Skjong, Alex (January 28, 2022). "Lemonada Media Secures $8 Million Series A". tech.mn. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  18. ^ a b Villacres, Myriam Paola (October 18, 2021). "JCU Welcomes Jessica Cordova Kramer (CEO of Lemonada Media) for a Lecture on Podcasts". John Cabot University News. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  19. ^ a b Vilaysack, SuChin Pak, Kulap (March 4, 2022). "We're Opposites in the Kitchen, United in Our Love of the Perfect Pot". The Strategist. Retrieved October 31, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ a b "Podcast features Atlanta educator on importance of Black mentorship in the classroom". WABE. March 29, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  21. ^ "New Chicago podcast explores the ripple effects of 1954 school desegregation". FOX 32 Chicago. May 11, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  22. ^ a b Bownass, Helen (December 4, 2019). "Sinéad Burke is the inspirational voice we need to hear right now". Stylist. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  23. ^ "BEING Golden". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  24. ^ "BEING Trans". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  25. ^ "'Believe Her' host Justine van der Leun discusses what happens when a woman kills her abusive partner". Podsauce. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  26. ^ "Believe Her". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  27. ^ "Blind Plea". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  28. ^ "From 'I'm Listening' to 'More Than A Feeling:' Get in the right headspace with these 17 podcasts". Podsauce. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  29. ^ "Burnout". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  30. ^ "Call Declined". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  31. ^ "Introducing: Call For Help". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  32. ^ "Choice Words with Samantha Bee". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  33. ^ "Discarded". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  34. ^ "Everything Happens with Kate Bowler". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  35. ^ Spangler, Todd (27 February 2024). "David Duchovny to Host His First Podcast, About How to 'Fail Better,' With Guests Ben Stiller, Bette Midler and More". Variety. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  36. ^ "FIRST! with Kareem Rahma". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  37. ^ "Good Grief". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  38. ^ "Good Sex". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  39. ^ "Hard Feelings with Jennette McCurdy". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  40. ^ "Here Lies Me". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  41. ^ "I Need To Ask You Something". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  42. ^ "Comedians Hoja Lopez, Kiki Monique and Former Portlander Mohanad Elshieky Have a New Podcast About Apologies". Willamette Week. 31 August 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  43. ^ "I'm Sorry". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  44. ^ "In Giro Con Fra". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  45. ^ "In Recovery with Dr. Nzinga Harrison". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  46. ^ Wagner, William (November 5, 2020). "Nzinga Harrison, M.D., Leads at the Intersection of Advocacy and Addiction". Treatment Magazine. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  47. ^ "In the Bubble with Andy Slavitt". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  48. ^ "Last Day". Lemonada Media. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  49. ^ "Michael and Pele Bennett Became Friends By Accident | Barrett Media". March 11, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  50. ^ "Julián Castro launches podcast "Our America with Julián Castro"". Hola America News. 10 September 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  51. ^ "$629 bandaids? 'The Cost of Care' explores America's broken healthcare system and what we can do to fix it". Podsauce. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  52. ^ VannDigital (15 February 2022). "Jay Ellis Is Back To Host Season 2 Of "The Untold Story" Podcast From Lemonada Media". www.vanndigital.com. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  53. ^ "Jay Ellis Confronts The Criminal Justice System In Season 2 Of "The Untold Story" Podcast". Essence. 8 March 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  54. ^ White, Peter (June 30, 2021). "John Legend, Issa Rae and Randall Park Amplifying Voices Of Formerly Incarcerated Writers In Podcast From Jay Ellis, Walter Thompson-Hernández and Lemonada". Deadline. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  55. ^ "US schools still have a racial segregation problem". Financial Times. 2022-11-14. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  56. ^ "'After 1954' spotlights the importance of Black educators and their impact on students' lives". Podsauce. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  57. ^ "Why Do Shopping Podcasts Sound So Good Right Now?". ELLE. 2022-03-03. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  58. ^ "Sinéad Burke's New Podcast Is A Chance For Public Figures To Tell Their Personal Stories". British Vogue. 2019-10-24. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  59. ^ "Sinéad Burke: 'My goal was to change the entire fashion system'". the Guardian. 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  60. ^ "Last Day Entry on IMDB.com". The Internet Movie Database. Retrieved Jan 21, 2024.
  61. ^ "Webby Winner: Add to Cart". The Webby Awards. May 2023. Retrieved Jan 21, 2024.
  62. ^ "Webby Winer: Believe Her Podcast". The Webby Awards. May 2023. Retrieved Jan 21, 2024.
  63. ^ "Webby Award Winner: In the Bubble". The Webby Awards. May 2023. Retrieved Jan 21, 2024.
  64. ^ "Webby Honoree: No One is Coming to Save Us podcast". The Webby Awards. May 2023. Retrieved Jan 21, 2024.
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