The writer and comedian -- whose newest fictionalized podcast, 'Gossip,' debuts June 14 -- has a thing for over-the-top soaps.
Allison Raskin was made to bring girl power and high drama to the podcasting world.
After all, the popular YouTuber and comedy writer has been a "huge fan of primetime soaps," especially those with a comedic twist, for, well, as long as she can remember. "That love, combined with my unbelievable nosiness and interest in other people’s lives, helped birthed the show," she admits to ET. "I can talk about people for hours -- even if I don’t know them."
Her new fictional podcast, Gossip, which debuts June 14, fits right in, as it features three friends who get together at their local coffee shop every week to gossip about all the crazy things going down (infidelity! murder!) in their suburban town of Golden Acres. "If I was going to do a podcast, I wanted it to tell a story and create a world," she says, noting that her first love is narrative writing. "Despite what we say, we all love to gossip, and we’ve all made some big mistakes -- even though we judge others for doing the exact same thing. I hope everyone will be able to relate to at least one of the many characters in this kooky town."
Just as intriguing is the fact that Raskin has managed to carve a unique corner in the podcasting space -- which has been inundated with a seemingly endless amount of shows over the past few years -- with what is considered the first fictionalized comedic soap opera for the format. However, creating a show that is perfect for TV but solely for the audio space has its unique challenges. "You can’t rely on reaction shots, and I didn’t fully realize how crucial those are for comedy until this process," the New York native says. "You somehow have to convey how people are feeling without being too expositional with the dialogue or relying on facial expressions. It is a tricky balance, but I think it makes the writing sharper.
Strong female friendships have been important to Raskin in both her personal and work life -- not only is Gossip filled with amazing voice actors and friends of hers, she also regularly collaborates with Gaby Dunn, with whom she has a YouTube channel, Just Between Us, and wrote a novel called I Hate Everyone But You. She also clearly loves seeing that dynamic play out onscreen. Here are the five kick-ass female friendships she's loved watching on TV over the years:
UnREAL's Quinn and Rachel
"This friendship verges on a toxic relationship, but that’s part of what’s realistic and great about it -- two unbelievably flawed powerhouses who love each other no matter what, even when they don’t want to."
Jane the Virgin's Jane and Xiomara
"This is the mother-daughter relationship everyone wishes they could have. Not only are they family, they’re best friends."
Friends' Monica, Rachel and Phoebe
"Even the title of this show doesn’t do their friendship justice. These three were there for each other through all of life’s big ups and downs. They even managed to survive being roommates -- something I have never done."
Desperate Housewives' Lynette, Bree and Gaby
"One of the few shows I’ve watched from beginning to end -- twice. These women are completely different yet fiercely loyal. They are the definition of friends becoming family. But I still think they should have just called the police when Carlos killed that guy. (And I’m not including Susan for good reason!)"
Devious Maids' Zoila and Genevieve
"This is maybe my favorite fictional friendship of all time. Genevieve may have started out as Zoila’s boss, but it’s clear she is much more than that. These two are platonic life partners and it’s freaking beautiful."
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