Over 30 years ago, when co-hosts Ron Silver and West Moss were practically kids, they opened Bubby’s Restaurant in New York City, and while they’re no longer partners, the business, and their friendship have survived the decades.
In the intervening years, both Ron and West have turned their energy to making art – Ron as a visual artist and West as a writer. In “Tales from the Underbelly”, these two old friends (who simultaneously love and want to kill each another) chat with a wide range of creative people from playwrights and clothing designers, to painters, jingle-writers, and university presidents, about how they set up their lives in weird and fascinating ways that we can all learn from.
Avunculicide: Co-hosts Ron Silver and N. West Moss, longtime friends and business partners, discuss the history of their Tribeca restaurant, reminiscing on Bubby’s beginnings and providing insight into the ensuing season of podcast episodes.
The Rat King of NYC: Ron Silver and his son Abe co-host this episode featuring guest Vinny Barille, New York City native and health inspector by trade. The three take a deep dive into Vinny’s life and work, reminiscing on the senses and smells of 1990s New York.
East Meets West: N. West Moss makes her debut; she and Ron discuss Bubby’s in a pre-millennium Tribeca, their unexpected road to success, and revel in the fragrant delights of nostalgia.
Jim Farmer: Ron and West dive into conversation with Jim Farmer, New York-based artist, composer, and playwright. The three muse about what it meant to be an NYC creative in the 1980s and analyze what that same thing means today.
Serenity Now: Serene Jones, esteemed theologian and president of the Union Theological Seminary in New York City, joins the podcast to discuss her book, Call it Grace. Co-hosts Ron and West engage Serene in conversation about her own journey in theology and academia, as well as the application of these practices in education.
Reaganite to Weed CEO: Ron and West sit down with Kim Rael, CEO and cofounder of Azuca, the burgeoning cannabis start-up seeing incredible success. With Kim at the helm, Azuca is rethinking the world of cannabis.
Sk8 or Live: Featuring Dave Ortiz, quintessential New Yorker and self-proclaimed ex-“graffiti kid.” Ron, West, and Dave reincarnate the effervescence of their city memories and ponder the poignance of art as an underpinning of business and innovation.
Plight of the Black Farmer: Ron and West co-host the Provost family, creators of the Provost Farm, a New Iberia, Louisiana-based beacon of farming, activism, and tradition honoring Black and Indigenous heritage.
Many Mona Lisas: Season 1 concludes with an appearance from Spanish multidisciplinary artist Domingo Zapata. Known for his modern takes on the Mona Lisa and a multitude of other artistic works and accomplishments, Zapata discusses his career, with an emphasis on his catalytic 2021 exhibition in the Louvre Museum.