Lemonada Media Rapidly Expands Its Slate Of Podcasts, Including Ricki Lake's "Raised By Ricki," a Cultural Retrospective of the Host's Iconic Talk Show

- New Podcasts Feature Vitus Spehar, Connor Franta, Aimée Eubanks Davis, KSL Podcasts and Zak Williams

- The Award-Winning Podcast Network Will Grow to Over 30 Original Shows in 2022

LOS ANGELES, March 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lemonada Media, the podcast network that makes life suck less, today announced some of its new slate of original programming, all of which further Lemonada's mission to share the unfiltered version of the human experience. On the heels of securing $8M in funding earlier this year, Lemonada has quickly expanded its slate of 20 original podcasts reaching millions of listeners per month and will grow to over 30 original podcasts in 2022.

Coming later this year is Raised By Ricki, hosted by the iconic talk show host and director Ricki Lake. A cross between a rewatch podcast and a cultural re-examination of The Ricki Lake Show, the podcast will dive into Ricki's life, exploring how she came to host her eponymous talk show at the young age of 24.

"The Ricki Lake Show raised all of us. It also tackled great big cultural issues that no one was grappling with at the time, and revisiting her episodes through today's cultural lens is fascinating. Part rewatch, part cultural deep dive, the show will be an absolute joy ride while helping us process Ricki's role in shaping culture then and now," says Chief Creative Officer Stephanie Wittels Wachs. "We wanted to tap into the zeitgeist of processing the 90s, but we wanted to do it with Ricki. She quite literally raised us after school, and informed how we see the world. We are lucky to be able to create this podcast series together," adds Lemonada CEO Jessica Cordova Kramer.

"I am thrilled to be partnering with Lemonada Media," says Lake. "I am such a fan of the content they have already produced. I am so excited to go back in time and revisit my old show with a different lens for a different time. It will be fun, cathartic, historical, nostalgic and I can't wait to get started!"

The team at Lemonada is also partnering with tremendous, diverse talent across a spectrum of topics, including Burnout, hosted by author, artist and activist Connor Franta; V Interesting hosted by LA Times contributor and Under the Desk News creator, Vitus Spehar; and a yet-untitled series on the forthcoming 988 hotline hosted by Zak Williams, mental health advocate and son of the late Robin Williams. Last month, Lemonada added After 1954, hosted by Aimée Eubanks Davis, CEO of Braven. Among the new programs will be the first season from Lemonada's audio reality™ studio BEING Studios, where reality TV meets podcasting, and season 3 of Lemonada's flagship show Last Day. Lemonada will also partner with KSL Podcasts, the makers of the hit podcast COLD, for a forthcoming true crime series, and with The Commonwealth Fund for a series that traces medical diagnoses globally; both out this fall.

New and upcoming Lemonada Media original podcasts include:

• "Burnout," Hosted by Connor Franta, Launching May 2022
  Hosted by Connor Franta, this four-part series takes a deep look at the insidious rise of burnout in the workplace – how it started, how it affects people, and how we can overcome it. In partnership with Mindful.
• "V Interesting with Vitus Spehar," Hosted by Vitus Spehar, Launching June 2022
  Hosted by the beloved host of TikTok's Under the Desk News, V Spehar, this twice-weekly show breaks down news and culture with a mindful approach to tough subject matter for generally intelligent, curious, critical thinkers who want verified facts & context without opinion.
• "Mental Health Hotline Project," Hosted by Zak Williams, Launching Summer 2022
  As the nationwide suicide prevention hotline transitions to the easy to remember 988 in July, Zak Williams hosts this four-part series that takes a look at the promise and perils of a complex and overwhelmed system and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change how mental health emergencies are handed in the U.S. In partnership with Sozosei Foundation.
• "Raised By Ricki," Hosted by Ricki Lake, Launching Fall 2022
  If you were raised in the 90s, you were raised by Ricki Lake. Monday through Friday after school, and for the lucky few, a chance to sit in the live studio audience. The Ricki Lake Show also raised careers, raised Ricki, and shaped culture in the 90s and for decades more. The show will start with a deep dive into Ricki's life and biography - how did she end up hosting the Ricki Lake Show at age 24? What were some memorable moments of that groundbreaking 11-year run, why did she stop doing it, and what has she been doing since? A cross between a rewatch podcast with exclusive licensed audio and a cultural re-examination, with Ricki using her trademark blend of bluntness, vulnerability and warmth to look back on specific topics and episodes to see how they covered it in the 90s, what kind of impact it had on the culture then, and how it's aged looking back with the lens of today. Co-hosted with a Gen Z talent TBA who will help us re-watch with the current day in mind.

Lemonada's current lineup features a uniquely diverse roster of hosts and reaches millions per month, including White House advisor Andy Slavitt (In the Bubble), Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro (Our America), author and grief expert Claire Bidwell-Smith (New Day), comedian Kulap Vilaysack and journalist SuChin Pak (Add to Cart), journalist Gloria Riviera (No One is Coming to Save Us) and actor Jay Ellis (Insecure, Top Gun: Maverick). Other favorites include Here Lies Me and Believe Her. Lemonada's roster of guests has included an array of luminaries from across the entertainment, media, politics and science worlds, such as Tina Fey, Stacey Abrams, Kristen Bell, Elizabeth Warren, Sarah Silverman, Mark Cuban, Kara Swisher, Issa Rae, Florence Welch, and John Legend.

ABOUT LEMONADA MEDIA:
Founded in 2019 by Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs, Lemonada is an award-winning, independent, audio-first podcast network, with a mission to make life suck less. The company is also the creator of the audio reality™ podcast genre, and launched BEING Studios, where reality TV meets podcasting. Lemonada has created hit series including the Gracie award-winning podcast Last Day, In the Bubble with Andy Slavitt, Our America with Julián Castro, Add to Cart with Kulap Vilaysack & SuChin Pak, Believe Her and The Untold Story with Jay Ellis. Lemonada's roster of guests has included an array of luminaries from across the entertainment, media, politics and science worlds. Now with over 50 diverse staff members nationwide, Lemonada is a full-service podcast network.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact: [email protected]. For press inquiries, contact: [email protected]. For more information on Lemonada and its podcasts, please visit www.lemonadamedia.com. Lemonada is represented by Josh Lindgren at CAA.

SOURCE Lemonada Media