The Nikki & Brie Show

Episode: Jen Worthington: Hollywood to Hospitality

Date: December 1, 2025 | Host: Nikki & Brie Garcia | Guest: Jennifer Worthington

Episode Overview

In this episode, Nikki and Brie welcome Jennifer Worthington—a producer behind Hollywood hits like Coyote Ugly, serial entrepreneur, and founder of Play Playground, an immersive entertainment and hospitality experience aimed at reigniting adult playfulness and connection. They discuss Jen’s bold career pivots, the meaning of creativity and connection beyond digital distractions, challenges as a female entrepreneur, and the ongoing balancing act between ambition, risk, motherhood, and self-care. The conversation is upbeat, candid, and full of practical insight, making it both inspiring and relatable.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Jennifer Worthington & Play Playground

• [00:51–04:17]

  • Nikki & Brie recount their partnership with Jen and her venues Play Playground (Las Vegas and Nashville), describing it as a “playground for adults” with fun, laughter, and genuine human connection.
  • Both hosts share how adult play with their kids reignites childlike joy and creativity in their own lives.

2. Transition from Hollywood to Hospitality

• [11:31–13:41]

  • Jen shares her journey from producing Hollywood blockbusters (Pirates of the Caribbean, Gone in 60 Seconds, Remember the Titans) to opening iconic bars like Coyote Ugly and founding Play Playground.
  • The transition was prompted by motherhood and wanting a change:

    “I left the film business because I had a baby. …I decided to take a break, moved to Las Vegas… and… realized I am just not a stay-at-home mother kind of person.” — Jennifer Worthington [11:31]

  • The opening of Coyote Ugly in Las Vegas was a wild, instant success—“the highest grossing bar per square foot in the country” in its first week.

3. Designing Play Playground: Combatting Disconnection in a Digital Age

• [15:14–16:44]

  • Jen’s inspiration: Addressing post-COVID loneliness and digital fatigue by creating environments for real human connection.
  • Play Playground is designed for shared, silly, non-judgmental fun to help adults reconnect—whether on a first date or with friends:

    “We created games…so you’re high-fiving, laughing, doing these crazy… bounce houses, jumping on trampolines, Velcro walls… We just wanted people to laugh together.” — Jennifer Worthington [15:14]

  • Venue success: In the first year, 250,000 visitors and multiple couples who got engaged after meeting there.

4. Digital Disconnection & Building Social Skills

• [18:00–21:21]

  • The hosts discuss generational changes—youth feeling disconnected, lack of close friendships, reluctance to share secrets, rise of mental health issues, and how fewer young adults ask others out in person.
  • Personal anecdotes: rejection stories, learning resilience, and the importance of face-to-face interactions for emotional growth.

    “That experience shaped you and gave you the social skills to thrive as an adult. The problem is kids are not getting those social skills anymore.” — Jennifer Worthington [21:12]

5. Advice for Young Entrepreneurs & Women in Business

• [24:01–27:01]

  • Jen fields the question she gets most: How do you start out and succeed as a businesswoman?

    “It’s all about putting in the time. I was the first person at the office, last person to leave… I faked it… The truth is, nobody wants to put in the time anymore.” — Jennifer Worthington [24:24]

  • The importance of persistence, resilience after failure, being willing to take risks, and managing both up and down in your organization.

6. Balancing Work, Ambition & Motherhood

• [27:01–29:37]

  • Real talk about never-ending struggles with work-life balance, guilt, the myth of “having it all,” and treating self-care like a lifelong challenge.
  • Brie’s insight:

    “Luxury is having absolutely nothing to do in a day… for me, that helps balance out.” [28:01]

  • Efforts to unplug: More time without the phone around kids, being mindful of modeling healthy habits.

7. Parenting in a Tech World

• [31:08–32:55]

  • Discussions about phones, social media, and kids: navigating boundaries around technology, wanting to delay devices, and opting for nostalgic alternatives (boomboxes, mixtapes).
  • The challenge and nostalgia of pre-digital childhoods (“patience and getting creative, always finding a way” [33:29]).

8. Game Segment: “Finish the Sentence” with Jen Worthington

• [34:54–41:14]

  • Fun, rapid-fire questions revealing more about Jen’s personality and wisdom:
    • Most boring answer: “First thing I do in the morning is… have a cup of coffee.” [35:13]
    • Comfort meal: “Cipriani in New York” [35:20]
    • If she could relive one moment: “Shooting Coyote Ugly.” [35:34]
    • Best advice: “Manage up and manage down.” [35:53]
    • Las Vegas in one word: “Innovation. A city that reinvents itself every seven years…” [36:23]
    • What describes her best: “Hard worker… a grinder.” [37:44]
    • Biggest risk: “Leaving the film business and starting my own company.” [38:10]
    • Success: “Spending time with my daughter… watching her compete.” [38:55]
    • Dream career, if not current: “Professional tennis player—dream, not successful!” [39:23]
    • If life were a movie: “Walk the Walk.” [40:06]
    • Pump-up song: “Life in the Fast Lane” by the Eagles [40:22]

9. Affirmation & Final Advice

• [42:09–43:28]

  • Jennifer shares her guiding daily practice:

    “I try to wake up every day happy and optimistic. …I always am happy. …Turn negative thoughts into something happy.” — Jennifer Worthington [42:21]

  • Hosts discuss gratitude, positivity, and being intentional about mindset as keys to happiness and resilience.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Adult Play:

  “Everything we have needed in our lives is to go back to that childlike play, have some fun, let loose, and reconnect.” — Bri [01:43]

• On Taking Risks:

  “You have to be able to take the risk and… suffer the humiliation if it doesn’t work, but then you’ve got to stand right back up and try again.” — Jennifer Worthington [26:07]

• On Female Ambition & Guilt:

  “I am not particularly good at [balancing it all]. … As a woman and caretaker, I really worry about everyone around me… My husband says, ‘You’ve got to worry more about your self-care and less about everybody else.’” — Jennifer Worthington [27:04]

• On Nostalgia & Gen Z:

  “All the 90s nostalgia is coming back… The days distilled in us patience and getting creative—and always finding a way.” — Nikki & Bri [33:29]

• On Success:

  “Success to me means spending time with my family, watching my daughter compete.” — Jennifer Worthington [38:55]

• On Positivity:

  “Wake up every day happy and optimistic. I think that’s one of my superpowers, no matter how dark a situation is.” — Jennifer Worthington [42:21]

Important Timestamps

• Guest Introduction & Play Playground concept: 00:51–04:17
• Jen Worthington’s career pivot story: 11:31–13:41
• Play Playground philosophy & impact: 15:14–16:44
• Technology, youth, and social connection: 18:00–21:21
• Advice for young entrepreneurs: 24:01–27:01
• Work-life balance, motherhood & self-care: 27:01–29:37
• Parenting & tech boundaries: 31:08–32:55
• “Finish the Sentence” game: 34:54–41:14
• Affirmation & closing wisdom: 42:09–43:28

Summary Tone

The episode is candid, supportive, empowering, and fun—full of warmth, humor, and a “real talk” approach to both success and struggle. The guest and hosts complement each other with authenticity and insight; listeners, especially women navigating ambition and family, will feel both seen and inspired.

Whether you're craving inspiration, a dose of nostalgia, or practical insight on forging your own path, this episode is a must-listen for anyone eager to embrace risk, reinvention, and real connection.