Ask Ronna

There is so much happening in the world right now, but we're DYING to know more about Bill and Melinda Gates' divorce. Who is this former lover that Bill has been spending time with in the Outer Banks? How long has this arrangement been going on? How will it affect their foundation's charitable giving? Enquiring minds! Needless to say, we're giving you a lot to put into your earhole wank bank this week (not our expression, excuse me). And if that weren't enough, we're also delighted to welcome to The Carriage House writer, comedian, and podcast host Jamie Loftus! You know Jamie from her podcast THE BECHDEL CAST and as an Emmy nominated writer for ROBOT CHICKEN, plus her hilarious presence on Twitter! Jamie is here to help us give advice on planning a wedding from two very different perspectives, coping with living alone after a break-up, and a birthday drama brewing in Cabo. As if you needed another reason to become a CHIP (Carriage House Important Person) on Patreon, this week's cliffhanger provides in SPADES.  It's a Dooze McBOOZE, and if you want to hear our answer, you'll have to join us at patreon.com/askronna Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a good thing we've purveyors of some of the best coffee around, pardon me, because we'll need a few cups to deal with our spectacular and vivacious guest this week! After a little conversation about honeycrisp apples and a trip through (Bryan)'s laundry, we welcome to The Carriage House none other than drag performer, recording artist, and winner of the second season of "Drag Race All-Stars" Alaska Thunderf*ck! Catch her all new show "Extra Special Comedy Special" on Apple TV and OUTtv now! Alaska joins us to give advice on the difficulties of being married to an overly protective germaphobe during the pandemic, being in a relationship where a partner is hesitant to introduce the other to their family, and hair removal suggestions for a woman who suffers from PCOS. The number of Carriage House Important People over on Patreon has exploded this past month! Welcome, CHIPs! There's never been a better time to join, so what are you waiting for? Join us at patreon.com/askronna Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now, wait a minute. This is it. The time has arrived. One of our most eagerly anticipated guests we've ever had in The Carriage House. Joining us this week is none other than "instant" New York Times Bestseller (just add water) Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney! Her second book, GOOD COMPANY, is out now, and it's a must-read smash hit. Cynthia is eager to make her Free Feed debut, and she doesn't disappoint when she helps us give advice on dealing with a very strained family relationship, the pitfalls of young (and fickle) love, and an intergenerational dog drama. GOOD COMPANY is officially a New York Times Bestseller, and you can own it today! We can't recommend it enough. Get a copy here & support the show! https://bookshop.org/shop/askronna It's raw ramen time! We've reached the ramen threshold, and Ronna's going to have to chomp on some raw noodles. Keep an eye out for what promises to be a, shall we say, intense video experience. There's never been a better time to join us on Patreon. Case in point: we posted our Oscar Wrap-Up show yesterday where we give our two cents on what was certainly a "unique" ceremony, to put it mildly. We have a LOT to say about it, and it's available ONLY on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now, wait a minute. We may be exhausted from this past weekend (Ronna's tootsies are still hurting) but it's only because we hit it out of the waterpark with our Oscars Preview Party Live Show (if you'll pardon (Bryan)'s mixed metaphor). Thank you all for coming! It was a BLAST, but we're not done entertaining you this week. We're beyond excited to welcome to The Carriage House comedian, actress, and writer Greta Titelman! You know Greta from her podcast THE WORST as well as from HBO's quirky hit series LOS ESPOOKYS. Greta helps us give advice on a very troubling situation with a friend's husband, dealing with sexual compatibility in a new relationship, and the mail forwarding drama to end all mail forwarding dramas. Thanks again to all of you who joined us in The Carriage House on Sunday evening for the Oscars Preview Party Live Show. As an extra treat for our Patreon subscribers, join us on Monday, April 26th (the morning after the Oscars telecast) for an Oscars wrap-up special. We'll no doubt have a LOT to say, so if you were thinking about becoming a Patreon member, now's the time! And if you missed the Live Show, it's still available at https://www.onlocationlive.com/product/dolby-theater-access for another week. Check it out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now wait a minute. You know her as Ronna. A few people call her Ronnie, and only Andy Cohen calls her Rona, but, whatever you call her, she and (Bryan) are here this week with a truly fabulous guest. We're so excited to welcome comedian, writer, and presenter London Hughes to The Carriage House! You know her from her Netflix special TO CATCH A DICK as well as her appearances on THE HISTORY OF SWEAR WORDS. London helps us give advice on offending your in-laws, living a lie with your barber, and what to do when you find a playmate for your dog only to realize that you hate its owner. It's almost here! Our Oscars Preview Party LIVE from The Carriage House is THIS WEEKEND! Join us on Sunday 4/18 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT for analysis, games, prizes, music, and so much more.  With Variety’s own Kate Aurthur & Adam B. Vary as our special guests! Even if you haven’t seen all of this year's movies, you can still count on this being an EVENT, excuse me. Tickets available at askronnalive.com , and we even have a few Meet & Greet Red Carpet Experience tickets left! After the show we'll also have a Zoom room afterparty so you can hang out and chat with your fellow Carriage House cohorts. Will Ronna make an appearance at the afterparty? You never know! Don't forget that Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney is coming to the Free Feed on 4/27! Be sure to read her new book GOOD COMPANY ( https://bookshop.org/shop/askronna )and send your questions for Cynthia by 4/20. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Look, we receive hundreds of letters a month here at Ask Ronna. But with the number of letters we get about issues of the boudoir, we might be two steps away from becoming the Penthouse Forum. Not that we're complaining! You've written in with some, shall we say, titillating questions during the pandemic, and, as you know, we save our most titillating letters for our cliffhangers. So, without further adieu, we present you with Classic Cliffhangers: Carnal Knowledge, Part Deux, a collection of some of our most outrageous letters, including a sexy encounter with a straight friend, the story of the "best gay son" from Cleveland, and an accidental sext. And you can catch the ENTIRE episode on YouTube! Visit youtube.com/askronna to watch. Of course, if you joined us every Friday on Patreon, you'd be getting cliffhanger answers every week along with our most intimate Carriage House experience. Give it a try! Just $5 a month gets you access to a bonus show every Friday, and $10 a month gets you VIP Sauna Privileges access with full video of the episode along with other goodies. Our Oscars Preview Party LIVE at The Carriage House is coming up on 4/18! Predictions, special guests, games...we've got it all. Get your tickets at askronnalive.com ! Today's the day! Carriage House sweetheart Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney's new novel GOOD COMPANY is officially on sale! But if you pre-ordered it, it should be in your mailbox momentarily. Cynthia joins us on the Free Feed on 4/27, so be sure to read GOOD COMPANY and send us your questions for Cynthia by 4/20. Here's your chance to pick a New York Times bestselling author's brain, pardon me. Need a copy? Get it here: https://bookshop.org/shop/askronna  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have we got a show this week or what? First off, it's Comedy Week on Stitcher and we're absolutely thrilled to be included. And with (Bryan) back in The Carriage House again (and not off on a commercial shoot as Marblehead's most vaccinated actor), we thought it was the perfect time for a good old fashioned Carriage House Catch-Up. And, between you and me, I think we deliver in spades! After covering everything from grooming to television to physics, we give our advice on whether or not to tell your husband you made out with your best friend, what to do when you find out one of your best friends is MUCH older than you thought, and some luxurious gift advice for family members going through a stressful start to this year. It's coming! Our Oscars Preview Party LIVE from The Carriage House is happening on Sunday, April 18th, at 8pm ET / 5pm PT...and tickets are available NOW! $15 gets you Dolby Theater access, but, if you want the real red carpet treatment with a 1-on-1 Meet & Greet with Ronna (or Bryan), you need to act fast! Those tickets are limited! Visit askronnalive.com for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now wait a minute. First off, yes, (Bryan) is back with us after his star turn as the new face of Barry's Tow Trucks, but we have GOT to get to our guest today. We've had some heavy hitters on recently, including some high-ranking government officials (we're looking at you, Senior Advisor to President Biden on COVID Policy, Andy Slavitt, excuse me), but we may have outdone ourselves this time, and you deserve nothing less. Joining us in The Carriage House this week is none other than former mayor of San Antonio, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Obama, and our VERY FIRST Presidential candidate, the host of the podcast OUR AMERICA, The Honorable Julián Castro! Secretary Castro joins us this week to help us give advice on dealing with in-laws who have been too lax during the pandemic, a boyfriend who may be sharing too much with his ex, and a young campaign worker trying to balance work and family. And we have a big announcement. Mark your calendars for Sunday, April 18th. We'll be hosting an Oscars preview show LIVE from The Carriage House! We'll have it all: predictions, music, games, prizes, and more...and, just like last month's live show, you'll have a chance for a one-on-one meeting with Ronna or (Bryan). Tickets go on sale this Friday for Patreon members, and next week for the Free Feed. Be there! This week's Carriage House Book Club on Patreon is Lydia Millet's A CHILDREN'S BIBLE. We'll be joined by acclaimed mystery author and LA TImes critic Charles Finch, who's fabulous. Our usual book club cohort, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, is busy promoting her new novel GOOD COMPANY which you can pre-order now ( https://bookshop.org/shop/askronna ). Plus, Cynthia will be a guest on the Free Feed next month. Be sure to read her new book so you'll be in the know when she makes her Free Feed crossover! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After getting a Sputnik vaccine from Yadvina's husband, (Bryan) is off shooting a commercial for a local business in Marblehead and isn't with us this week. Of course he'll be back next week, but, until then, we've managed to find an absolutely delightful celebrity guest/host, excuse me... star of PLAYING HOUSE, host of the upcoming podcast DEEP DIVE, and Ronna's dear, dear friend Jessica St. Clair! After a quick catch-up, Jessica helps us give advice on a best friend who's missing in action, a next door neighbor's noisy dog, and how to dress after pandemic weight gain. Don't forget to pre-order our dear friend Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney's new book GOOD COMPANY from the link in our bio. Of course, Cynthia is a New York Times bestselling author, but our CHIPs know her from her many appearances on Patreon for Carriage House Book Club (patreon.com/askronna).  On April 27, she'll be making the jump to the Free Feed to discuss her new book. It'll be our first ever Free Feed Book Club, and we couldn't have a better guest for it! Pre-order the book ( bookshop.org/shop/askronna ), receive it April 6th, then send us your Qs & comments to askronna@gmail.com! Join us on Patreon for bonus episodes every Friday! Patreon.com/askronna And our fabulous ASK RONNA COFFEE is just the thing to get you through blustery, cold March! Try our original CARRIAGE HOUSE BLEND, or SHADES OF VANILLA. $3 off every bag when you subscribe, you decide how often it comes, and you cancel anytime. Plus, alway FREE SHIPPING on all domestic orders! As Ronna always says “I’d rather be looking at it, than looking for it.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we welcome to The Carriage House utterly delightful writer, actor, and host of the wonderful podcast I SAID NO GIFTS, Bridger Winegar! He helps us give our pearls of wisdom on topics ranging from body image to befriending neighbors to suspicions about a spouse with the "itch." Some exciting things are happening over on Patreon! March's QUIFF selections are past Oscar winners THE APARTMENT and CASABLANCA. And this month's Carriage House Book Club selection, courtesy of (Bryan), is Lydia Millet's A CHILDREN'S BIBLE. Plus we're excited to announce a Patreon crossover to the Free Feed. Our Carriage House Book Club companion, New York Times bestselling author Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, will join us on the Free Feed in April to discuss her new book GOOD COMPANY! It's a Carriage House Round Table, and you're invited! Pre-order now using our linktree on IG to get your copy of the book when it debuts April 6th, and send us your questions and thoughts for our big ep! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices