Podcast Summary: Not Skinny But Not Fat – “Jackie Tohn is Happy To Be Here!”
Host: Amanda Hirsch (Dear Media)
Guest: Jackie Tohn
Release Date: November 4, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Amanda Hirsch sits down with actress, comedian, and musician Jackie Tohn, known for her role as Esther on the hit show Nobody Wants This (created by Erin Foster). The conversation is a relatable, energetic deep-dive into Jackie’s upbringing, career, and experience with success, fame, and personal growth. The two share plenty of Jewish East Coast humor, self-deprecation, showbiz realness, and welcoming vulnerability about the highs and lows of working in Hollywood.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Amanda’s "Year of Yes" & Live Show Reflections

• Amanda opens with reflections on her “Year of Yes” in 2025, pushing herself into new experiences outside her norm (00:14–03:12).
  • She describes trying to break out of her comfort zone:
    “I was like, let’s change up this old Amanda…try the thing that you were scared to do or had something blocking you from doing.” (01:30)
• She also recounts her successful one-night-only live show:
  • Despite loving the experience, she doubts she’s cut out for a touring life:
    “Yes, new Amanda, but not everything.” (03:12)

Jewish Upbringing & Early Creative Drive

• Jackie and Amanda bond over their Jewish and New York/L.I. upbringings, joking about city/borough rivalries (08:46–10:11).
  • Jackie: “I grew up in Oceanside, Long Island…being from Long Island, I don’t have that experience because we’re all like, oh my god, Oceanside, Plainview…we can’t wait to tell each other what trash people we are...” (09:32)
• Jackie shares that she was always performing:
  “I never didn’t know that I was all those things right away. I came out of my mom and I was like, hello, my bad.” (10:43)
• Her mother, funny in a Joan Rivers way, was supportive but not interested in performing herself (11:01–11:43).

The Realities of an Acting Career

• Jackie started acting at age 9, recounting her persistence and grit:
  • “It was like a little bit psychotic that I was continuing to try to be in this business…But then I just was like, I’m – this is what I’m doing. If I’m doing it broke, I’m doing it broke.” (13:45)
• Changing desires: Jackie was once focused on fame, but through friendships with highly successful stars (Kristen Bell, Jessica Biel), she learned the real rewards are about the work, not the fame (14:19–19:36).
  • “You realize very quickly that if you can’t eat lunch without people staring at you…that’s not the good part.” (17:30)
• Jackie’s perspective on modern fame vs. artistry:
  • “There’s not a lot of, like, megatalents whose goal is fame. That’s like a new thing.” (19:51)
  • Amanda quips, "That's an influencer," highlighting the culture shift (20:06).

Breaking In: From Long Island to LA via The Nanny and Sopranos

• Jackie shares her early credits, including playing multiple characters on The Nanny (28:31–29:08):
  • “I played a young Fran Drescher…first her second cousin Tiffany twice removed…then a few years later because they were like, who gives a shit?”
• Her mom’s incredible support in getting her to auditions, even with two other children and full-time work (30:10).
• College plans and backup careers: Jackie went to the University of Delaware for elementary education before booking The Sopranos and leaving after one semester (32:47–35:35).
  • Self-deprecating humor about "ruining kids" as a teacher, reflecting her comfort in comedy.

Hollywood Connections & Lessons from Friends' Fame

• Jackie discusses meeting Kristen Bell through black box theatre, living with Jessica Biel, and what it’s like to see friends reach major success (26:57–28:20).
• There are candid insights into how most of her early acting friends quit because of the career’s unpredictability (27:12–27:52).

"Nobody Wants This": Behind the Scenes

• Amanda and Jackie gush over Nobody Wants This, its origins, and the humble expectations the cast had before it became an unexpected hit (43:48–45:23).
  • On the show's success: “It wasn’t like they called cut at the end of season one and we were like, see, everyone else is losers and we’re winners. We had no, no idea.” (44:57)
• Jackie credits the show’s relatability:
  “You’re watching flawed people be real people…these characters aren’t 22…these are truly, like, I love younger people in love…but I also love older people in love.” (46:00–46:59)
• Addressing fan response and anticipation for Season 2, Jackie remains grounded:
  • “The expectations are bonkers. But I’m also like, I gotta grow out of the, like, I’m just happy to be here energy…but also, like, it doesn’t feel like pressure…” (47:32–47:49)

Show Family & Casting Stories

• The show is a family affair: Adam Brody’s wife Leighton Meester guest stars; Jackie’s boyfriend Joe ends up playing Leighton’s husband due to a serendipitous table read (48:41–50:53).
  • Jackie: “It’s my actual boyfriend playing Adam’s wife’s husband. Isn’t that funny? And everyone was like – and cut. Jackie, we’re rolling. Can you leave?” (51:14)
• Jackie initially auditioned for a different role, but friend Kristen Bell encouraged her to go for Esther:
  • “I emailed my agent…Kristen says I should wait for another role called Esther. And they were like, great. We’ll wait for Esther.” (53:12)

The Challenges of Self-Image and Success

• Jackie is strikingly honest about rejection and insecurity in show business (55:00–55:26).
  • “It’s just a lifetime of not getting the part…It’s not like I’m not sitting at home in fetal [position] weeping, but…it’s not you 99% of the time. And so when it’s you, it feels fucking good.” (55:00)
• Discussion of some backlash to her character ("Esther") and the over-analysis of Jewishness and personality in public discourse (55:39–56:46).

Manifesting, Future Projects, and TV Obsessions

• The conversation ends with Amanda leading a quick manifesting session for Jackie:
  • “What are we manifesting next?” (59:18)
  • Jackie: “A musical movie…I wrote a script for a musical romantic comedy that I want to make. I just feel like I’d love to sing in something. I love musicals.” (59:33)
• Jackie’s TV obsessions: RuPaul’s Drag Race ("I watch it in every country. I keep the subtitles on, obsessed." 60:04–60:15), Love Island, and a playfully dismissive take on following reality show couples after the show (60:15–61:03).
  • She wants to be a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race: “Now I’m looking at the camera: judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Thank you.” (61:05)
• Amanda and Jackie close with playful disbelief that their time is up:
  • Jackie: “Wait, we’re done? I blacked out. Did we have fun?” (61:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On sticking with acting despite hardship:
  “At a certain point, it was like a little bit psychotic that I was continuing to try to be in this business as unsuccessful as I had been. But then I just was like, I’m – this is what I’m doing. If I’m doing it broke, I’m doing it broke.”
  — Jackie (13:45)

• On realizing fame isn’t the real prize:
  “The work is inspiring. Having a job, having health insurance, getting to go to set and do this thing you love…But you realize very quickly…if you can’t eat lunch without people staring at you…that’s not the good part.”
  — Jackie (17:30)

• On Nobody Wants This’s surprise success:
  “We had no, no idea…Even when I watched all episodes of season one, I was like, I love this, but you can’t ever be confident as a creator or as an actor.”
  — Jackie (44:57)

• On why the show works:
  “You’re watching flawed people be real people. It’s not like a meet-cute…It’s just real shit that people go through.”
  — Jackie (46:16)

• On seizing her dream role:
  “With the gusto of Kristen in my sails, I emailed my agent…Kristen says I should wait for another role called Esther…And then I auditioned for Esther.”
  — Jackie (53:12)

Important Timestamps

• Amanda’s “Year of Yes” reflections: 00:14–03:12
• Jackie’s creative upbringing: 08:46–13:00
• Insight into showbiz and desire for fame: 14:19–20:25
• Early credits: The Nanny & Sopranos: 28:31–35:35
• Nobody Wants This – origins, success, and experience: 43:48–47:49
• Jackie’s boyfriend and real-life friends on the show: 48:41–50:53
• Manifesting future projects & TV obsessions: 59:18–61:05

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is candid, irreverent, and warm—rich with self-aware humor, honest talk about success and struggle, Jewish culture references, and the supportive, teasing affection of two women who share both comedic timing and real vulnerability. Listeners will feel welcomed into a living room hang more than a formal interview, and be treated to plenty of showbiz “inside baseball” with high relatability.

For fans of “Nobody Wants This,” aspiring actors, or anyone who’s ever doubted themselves, this episode is both entertaining and deeply encouraging.