Podcast Summary: "Jennifer Fessler & Jackie Schimmel: Allergies & Breaking Ground"

Podcast: Jeff Lewis Has Issues
Release Date: February 6, 2026
Host: Jeff Lewis
Guests: Jennifer Fessler (RHONJ), Jackie Schimmel (The Bitch Bible), recurring contributors

Overview

In this lively and often hilarious episode, Jeff Lewis welcomes back Jennifer Fessler and Jackie Schimmel. The conversation jumps from personal stories about messy relationships and health challenges—including life-threatening allergies and diabetes—to gossipy talk about baked goods, parenting woes, wasted money, and Jackie’s plans to renovate her yard. With Jeff’s signature no-filter commentary, the group dives into the nuances of modern life with candor and sarcasm, all while serving up some memorable laughs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jennifer’s Epic Arrival and LA Logistics

• Jennifer arrives late, flustered by LA's geography and Uber woes.
• Group teases her for not understanding LA distances.
  • “[Jennifer] looks Chicago… I don’t like being late. Especially not for you. I am so sorry.” – Jennifer Fessler (06:41)
• The gang describes Jennifer’s outfit, sparking jokes about statement necklaces.

2. Pet Chaos & Cafe Drama ([02:10 – 06:16])

• Jeff and Oscar update everyone about Oscar’s injured dog. Jeff jokes about caring more for Oscar’s dog than Oscar himself.
  • “If Oscar fell off the sofa and got a spinal injury, I wouldn’t give a fuck. Why do I care so much about a dog I’ve never met?” – Jeff Lewis (02:49)
• Riffs about employees at local favorite café ‘Sight Glass’ dodging work, poor croissant quality, and blame placed on a sprained-ankle baker.
  • “Why does her foot impact her ability to make croissants? Get a stool that rolls and get to work, bitch.” – Jackie Schimmel (03:42)
  • Complaints about outsourcing and bad pastries become a recurring bit throughout.

3. Setting Up Rachel & Kian: Diabetes, Dating, and Disease Education ([07:02 – 26:12])

• Jennifer discusses her daughter Rachel’s type 1 diabetes, life with chronic illness, and the group’s planned matchmaking with Kian.
  • “You are barking up the wrong tree. There is nothing wrong with type 1 diabetes.” – Jennifer Fessler (07:36)
  • Jeff’s ignorance about diabetes becomes a running joke, Jennifer and others educate him (and the listeners) about the differences between type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.
  • “I didn’t know, I don’t know anything about it.” – Jeff Lewis (07:45)
• Discussion of diabetes technology: insulin pumps, glucose monitors, emergency glucagon.
  • “What, he’s gotta walk around with an EpiPen and glucagon on a first date?” – Jeff Lewis (23:27)
  • Jennifer defends Rachel’s normalcy and independence.
• Rachel’s allergy to salmon and her brother’s severe tree nut allergy spark conversation about life-threatening food allergies.
  • “My son has a very life-threatening tree nut allergy.” – Jennifer Fessler (23:49)
• The group jokes about dating with medical baggage, wondering whether Kian is up for the challenge.
  • “I want him to fall in love with Rachel first before we tell him about the diabetes, the pump, the glucagon, the salmon.” – Jeff Lewis (26:01)
• Jennifer recalls discovering her son’s allergy “the hard way,” and the kid’s face swelling up from pistachios (27:03).

4. Parenting & School Struggles ([19:23 – 21:59])

• Jackie and Jeff rant about school drop-off, snack planning, and the finickiness of kids.
  • “You stock up on all the snacks for school, and then she’s like, ‘I don’t want those, I want this.’” – Jeff Lewis (20:41)
• Picky eating versus medical restrictions in kids, how this affects family routines.
• Classic digression: peanut/nut-free lunch tables and anxiety over sending the wrong snacks.

5. Food Allergy Myths, Trends, and Dark Babysitter Tales ([27:29 – 29:38])

• Jackie claims giving babies exposure powders can reduce allergy risk, as learned “at Erewhon.”
  • “I swear to God. I got it at Erewhon. It’s a powder.” – Jackie Schimmel (27:55)
  • Jeff and Jennifer are skeptical. “I feel like you’re talking out your ass right now.” – Jeff Lewis (27:53)
• Jackie admits to using a kid’s peanut allergy as a discipline tool during babysitting years: “If you don’t listen to me, I’m going to get a jar of Jif and spread it all over your body.” (28:36)
  • The child’s mother later adopted this technique, much to everyone’s shock and amusement.

6. Homelessness, Neighborhood, and LA Life ([16:53 – 18:46])

• Jennifer jokes about giving her “F Majors” (designer heels) to the homeless, leading into gripes about local encampments and neighbor complaints.
• Kian is dubbed “a Karen” for calling the cops on RV dwellers outside his house.
  • “He still calls the cops on them. You know about this?” – Jennifer Fessler (17:10)

7. American Dream Mall, Kringle Obsession & Jennifer’s Hotel Misstep ([35:13 – 38:41])

• Jeff and Jennifer bond over the American Dream Mall in NJ, planning Monroe’s trip to rollercoasters and caviar.
• Jennifer confesses her “Kringles” pastry endorsement and laments losing the gig.
• The group roasts Jennifer’s accidental sharing of her Brentwood hotel room and suite number on Instagram: “You sure did. That’s how I knew you were in room 25.” – Jeff Lewis (37:30)
  • She laughs off concerns for her safety: “Listen, I ain’t that famous. No one’s coming.”

8. Money Woes, OnlyFans, and Yard Renovation ([39:28 – 42:41])

• Discussion about divorce-over-OnlyFans spending: a woman drains family savings; what amount is forgivable?
  • “If Andrew spent a couple hundred thousand (on OnlyFans)…I’d be very upset.” – Jackie Schimmel (41:00)
  • Jennifer is more laissez-faire, admitting her own history of wasted money.
• Jackie talks about finally breaking ground on extensive landscape renovations while Andrew’s away.
  • “We’re starting. We waited long enough… I’m pulling the trigger on this.” – Jackie Schimmel (41:53)
  • Detailed plans: moving retaining walls, creating outdoor living space, picking limestone.
  • “We’re using Clyde’s education fund.” – Jeff Lewis (42:39)

9. Diabetes Realness: Listener Call & Clarification ([42:47 – 46:34])

• Julie from Chicago (a listener with type 1 diabetes) calls in to offer advice and clear up some myths:
  • “When I was being trained by the nurse to wear my insulin pump, she told me to take it off for the three S’s: swimming, showers, and sex.” – Julie (43:33)
  • Jennifer and Julie discuss drunk vs. low-blood sugar symptoms—how low blood sugar can appear like drunkenness in social settings.
  • “It’s not about being drunk—when she’s low blood sugar, people don’t realize that. When you get too low, that’s when you have a seizure.” – Jennifer Fessler (45:39)

10. Movies, More Parenting, and Lighthearted Wrap-Up ([46:36 – 50:08])

• Suggestions for movies for Kian to learn about difficult life challenges: Steel Magnolias, A Walk to Remember, The Notebook.
  • “What’s that movie where the girl’s real sick and they fall in love? The Fault in Our Stars. Oh, you have to watch that with her.” – Jeff Lewis (25:36)
• Brief aside: Jeff’s dentist, TV setup, and watching “Frankenstein” (to amusement/disgust of others).
  • “She was so rude. She was like, ‘So are we here for a conversation or a teeth cleaning?’” – Annie, via Monroe (49:58)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cats, Parenting, and COVID:
  • “I have two disgusting black cats that I hate that I just got because during COVID my kids, like, suckered me.” – Jennifer Fessler (07:02)
• On LA Café Woes & Employee Shenanigans:
  • “Who chipped their tooth?... Becky Robinson chipped her tooth on one [of those bagels]. And then she tried to sue me.” – Jeff Lewis (03:36)
• On Food Allergies as a Babysitting Weapon:
  • “If you don’t listen to me, I’m gonna get a jar of Jif and spread it all over your body.” – Jackie Schimmel (28:36)
• On Parenting High-Maintenance Kids:
  • “You stock up on all the snacks for school, and then she’s like, I don’t want those, I want this. It’s like, week by week, moving the goalposts.” – Jeff Lewis (20:41)
• On Chronic Illness & Dating:
  • “First of all, it’s not Type 2… She was born with it. It’s genetic. And for the rest of her life.” – Jennifer Fessler (08:27)
• On Coping with Homeless Encampments:
  • “He still calls the cops on them. You know about this? Yes… Kian’s a Karen.” – Jennifer Fessler (17:10-17:14)
• On Relationship Deal-breakers:
  • “If Andrew spent a couple hundred thousand (on OnlyFans)… I’d be very upset.” – Jackie Schimmel (41:00)
• On Navigating School’s Peanut-Free Table:
  • “The poor kids that can’t sit with the other kids at lunch…” – Jennifer Fessler (29:16)
• On Parenting and Remedial Moves:
  • “We’re starting. We waited long enough… I’m pulling the trigger on this [yard renovation].” – Jackie Schimmel (41:53)
• Listener Julie’s Advice for Diabetic Living:
  • “For the 3 S’s: swimming, showers, and sex. Take off the pump...” – Julie, caller (43:33)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Late Arrival & LA Geography | 01:39 – 07:02 | | Café/Pastry Drama | 02:10 – 06:16 | | Pets, Parenting, and Cats | 07:02 – 07:55 | | Rachel, Diabetes, and Dating Kian | 07:55 – 26:12 | | School Snacks & Picky Eating | 19:23 – 21:59 | | Food Allergies—Discovery, Discipline | 27:03 – 29:38 | | Homeless RVs, Neighborhood Complaints | 16:53 – 18:46 | | American Dream Mall & Kringle Talk | 35:13 – 38:41 | | OnlyFans Divorce & Money Waste | 39:28 – 42:41 | | Jackie’s Landscaping Plans | 41:39 – 42:41 | | Diabetes Call-In & Sex/Drunkenness Myths | 42:47 – 46:34 | | Movie Rec Lists & Jeff’s Dentist Experience | 46:36 – End |

Tone & Takeaways

Unfiltered, quick-witted, and loaded with both sincerity (around health issues and parenting) and savage humor (especially when discussing relationships, money, and Jennifer’s accidental public hotel info). If you enjoy irreverent conversation around real-life challenges, medical mishaps, and the mayhem of modern parenting, this episode captures it all.

Best For:

• Fans of snappy banter and no-filter takes
• Listeners interested in the real lives behind reality TV and podcasting personalities
• Anyone navigating food allergies, chronic illness, or messy home renovations—with a side of laughter

Final Note:
If you need some comic relief on the topics of love, health, money, and croissants (and who doesn’t?), this episode is a gem.