About this Episode
Episode 148: Published on Jan 26, 2024
We discuss the ubiquitous career path of Skladany, an icon across industries, working as a television and radio personality, writer, editor, publicist, and lifestyle content expert.
How to Reinvent Yourself in Media, with Joey Skladany ’09
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[MUSIC PLAYING] MAX: Welcome back to Northwestern Intersections, a Northwestern Alumni Association podcast. We'll be talking to alums about their career paths and the lessons they've learned along the way. Our guest today is Joey Skladany, writer, TV personality, and author. He's had a host of interesting jobs in the entertainment industry, from PR work, to editing, producing, and writing. He's best known for his contributions to popular sites like People magazine, Apartment Therapy, and Food Network, covering a multitude of topics, including food, travel, lifestyle, and LGBTQ issues.
He is also a contributor for The Today Show. And he wrote his own cookbook, Basic Bitchin' 100 Plus Everyday Recipes For The Basic Bitch In Your Life. We will dive into all these topics and more in this edition of Northwestern Intersections.
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Joey Skladany, thank you so much for being here.
JOEY SKLADANY: Oh my gosh. Thanks for having me. I'm so happy to be here.
MAX: I'm so excited to talk to you. You have had a whirlwind career already. But first, I want to look back to your time at Northwestern. So what brought you to Evanston? And what did you study?
JOEY SKLADANY: Yeah, so I actually was a Cherub. So I was very familiar with Northwestern and everything the university had to offer. But what brought me, I would say first and foremost, is just that it pretty much ticked all the boxes when it came to what I was looking for in a college. It was the only school that did. I wanted to be in a major city, I was debating whether or not I wanted to go into things like journalism, or theater, or to keep things broad like communications, which I ultimately ended up doing.
I was a communications studies major, theater minor. And actually, I think I was the first declared theater minor at Northwestern, which is going to age me. But yeah. So I think it just-- yeah, it was the-- it was the university, the one college that for me, when I wrote out a list of what I want on paper, it kind of hit all of those things. But I will say, Northwestern rejected me. And I came in as a transfer student my sophomore year. So pooh on you, NU.
MAX: Hey, the winding route is only that much more valuable.
JOEY SKLADANY: Absolutely. And you know what I always say? The gag here is that the reason why I most likely was rejected is I just sucked at standardized testing. I got a 560 on my verbal SAT. I will happily admit it. But the joke's on the world because I am now a writer. And I literally-- my job is to work with words. So don't worry if you suck at testing. Life gets better.
MAX: You got to Northwestern. And you're-- so you're communication studies and theater. What motivated you to take that sort of broader route with your major, but then like you said, something a little bit more specialized with the minor?
JOEY SKLADANY: Yeah. So I feel like I'm a little bit of a Joey of all trades in that I have a bunch of different skills, but also passions and interests. And as a early 20 something, it was pretty difficult for me to narrow down what I wanted to do. I could envision myself being on television, going the Medill broadcast journalism route. But I also just enjoyed media in general, and aspects like advertising, marketing, production.
So ultimately, that is why I kept things a bit broad, and did communication studies. I also did a bunch of internships throughout college. And again, I dabbled in a bunch of different fields, liked them all for different reasons, and thought, why pigeonhole myself into doing one thing that's very specific when this industry really does encompass so many different areas?
And as long as I was writing, as long as I was interacting with people who were in the entertainment industry, and the media industry after graduating, I knew that was a baseline of happiness for me. So that's kind of why I ultimately made that decision. I just was indecisive, like the story of my life.
MAX: When you mentioned doing a lot of different internships, do you think that that helped and or influenced your career trajectory now, where you've obviously worked in a lot of different jobs as well?
JOEY SKLADANY: Absolutely. I think the most life-changing internship was I worked a PR internship for Fox Entertainment in LA. And they did such an amazing job of immersing interns into the day to day. So it wasn't just office work, but it was going to press junkets, going to red carpets, going to photo shoots. And I had such a high. And it felt also so natural and tapped so much into my wheelhouse. Because at the time, I was completely engrossed in pop culture, and would always say, I'm going to be the next Ryan Seacrest.
And I'm going to be the next host of E News. And I just-- yeah, absolutely. I mean, these internships really did paint a clear picture as to what I not only wanted to do, but what I was also good at, and kind of uncovered, I would say, some skill sets and things I didn't realize I was good at along the way. And I still to this day will always tell everyone, school is important. But that hands-on experience, especially in this industry, nothing, nothing will compare to that.
MAX: Talk to me a little bit about the first full-time job that you had after doing the internships. What were your first few-- or what was the first, or maybe your first few jobs, looking like?
JOEY SKLADANY: Yeah, so I graduated in 2009. Literally, the worst year you could ever graduate because despite doing seven internships, I had nothing lined up. I even took off my last quarter to do a CNN internship thinking, oh, I'll just stay in New York. I'm sure CNN will hire me. They're just-- there are no job opportunities whatsoever. Funny enough, I used to work during the holidays at Lacoste when I was home. And one of my clients happened to be Judge Judy's personal publicist, but also was hired on by NBC to do the PR for all of the syndicated talk shows.
So that was Jerry Springer, RIP, Maury, and Steve Wilkos. So that was my first gig. He just remembered the customer service that I provided, I guess. And I sent him a follow-up note one time after he made a big purchase. And it resonated with him. And he called me up one day and was like, I'm in Naples, Florida. Do you want to grab dinner? I'm looking for a junior publicist. And that just shows you the power of never burning a bridge, making connections. Because you never know who is going to think of you, remember you, and consider you for a future opportunity.
So that helped me get my foot in the door. I did that for about six months. Their studios were in Stamford, Connecticut. At least got me to the Northeast, which is kind of where I figured I wanted to be to start. And then from there, it kind of pivoted into an agency role that I took in the city where I had, my God, a plethora of clients. Anything from a foot cream, to TV shows, to these small businesses that were promoting things like, God, what was it? It was like-- it was dated almost.
This is when like OpenTable just started. It's like iterations of OpenTable. Just the most, I would say, diverse portfolio of clients you can imagine. But I'll never, ever say that was an unnecessary experience. If anything, it made me a better publicist in the beginning of my career. But PR was my start. Yeah. PR was-- it just made the most sense. I felt like it gave me a 360-degree view of the entire industry while also allowing me to play into my skill set, which was writing, you're doing a lot of writing. And a lot of that just face-to-face communication, either with brands and clients, but also talent.
MAX: So obviously, before our call, we got to talk a little bit. And I got to look over your resume. And you've done so much work since then in a bunch of different areas. For people who might not know, talk to me about some of the other projects that you got to work on. Take me step by step in the trajectory to where you are now. Because it's obviously very different from just the hard line PR.
JOEY SKLADANY: Exactly. Yeah. I-- again, I'm the most indecisive person in the world. And it's a blessing and a curse to have a lot of interests because you get bored quite easily, but is great in that I feel like I can kind of dabble in multiple things at once, and find little success points, and still make it work. But yeah. Right after that agency gig is when I got an in-house position with TLC.
And I would say that kind of cemented the foundation of what my career is going to look like because I launched, and was the lead publicist, on major shows like Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. And I worked on Long Island Medium, Say Yes To The Dress, My Strange Addiction, all of these pop culture, I almost want to say, iconic shows that developed cult followings over the years. And again, going back to what I said, I loved it because it was truly a 360-degree view of the entire industry.
And it allowed me to work with every type of person in this industry, from ad sales, to production, to media that I was pitching to get them to write about my shows, to talent relations. It truly immersed me in the industry. But that's also when I realized, OK. I don't really like representing other people, and other places, and things as much as I like representing myself. So maybe I'm a little bit selfish. And that's when I just decided, I'm going to make the pivot. And I want to focus on writing. Because writing has been a passion of mine since I was literally a child.
When kids were out playing catch, I was folding together pieces of paper, stapling them, and writing books. So I was a #loser, but it all-- like a stereotypical one, let's say. But it all paid off in the end because I was able to come from a career in PR, which is really hard to do, and get my first gig as a writer.
What made the most sense was to be a TV editor. So that was my first writing job was for a site called Zimbio. And the person who hired me took a chance on me because A, she went to Northwestern. So she knows that we work hard. Purple Mafia. It exists. But she took a chance and said, listen. This is someone who clearly has a talent for writing. He maybe doesn't have the experience, at least when it comes to traditional editorial, but I see his vision. I see his, just commitment to making this work. And she got me my first writing gig.
And then that eventually, I would say, transitioned into more of the food, lifestyle, travel, health, beauty stuff that I do today. Because after that gig, my first writing job was with Food and Wine magazine. And then from Food and Wine is where I got my managing editor gig at CBS Interactive, which owned, and I think still owns, Simon and Schuster. So that is when I was able to put out my book, Basic Bitchin', because we were going to do a brand book-- I feel like I'm going to talk about my life in way too much detail.
But I was trying to make a long story short. This is a long story long. Sorry, folks. But because we were going to do a brand book with Chowhound, so that was the food site that I was managing editor for, Simon and Schuster was going to throw their money behind it because it was within the company. But I pitched a personal idea, which was Basic Bitchin'. And my publisher at the time, my editor also, she was like, I want to do that idea. I don't want to do the brand book.
So I was able to take a step back, switch from managing editor to editor at large, and just work on my book for a year. And I put that out during the pandemic. So not the best timing in terms of building up a personal brand. But that's what happened. And then ever since then, once I was laid off with the rest of my team, I've been self-employed. So just continuing to write in this space.
But then expanding to opportunities like television, which I have another passion for, and that's why I'm now a monthly contributor for The Today Show and do shows like Tamron Hall, and CNN, and Entertainment Tonight, and Wendy Williams when she was around. And that's kind of the gig at the moment. That was a long timeline. But that just shows you kind of how long it takes to get from point A to point B, honestly.
MAX: Well, and I'm curious, thinking about that timeline, and all the different work that you did, and especially, I think, switching to writing, and specifically working on your own book. When you look back on your experience, how do you think you leveraged the things that you'd already done into new projects? And what advice would you give to people who are trying to do the same thing?
JOEY SKLADANY: Always, always use everything as leverage. Honestly. It's-- everything-- I freaking hate the slogan, everything happens for a reason. But I-- I'm a firm believer in that everything that does happen can be used to benefit you later in life in some way.
And never burn a bridge in this industry because the first thing I did when I got a writing job, I knew I wanted to parlay it into being a talking head on television, is I reached out to every single booking producer that had my talent on when I was a publicist at TLC and reminded them of the times that I would give them access to people like Honey Boo Boo and said, hey. You owe me.
And every experience I've had in this industry, I've been able to use for something else in the future. And that I would say mostly also boils down to just the relationships that I've created. Because at the end of the day, you really only have yourself and the people who can help you get ahead to fall back on.
And if you don't believe in yourself, and you don't have those strong relationships within the industry, quite frankly, you're not going to get anywhere. You're going to be plateaued. So absolutely do I incorporate past relationships, past experiences, and use that to my advantage. And I encourage everyone to do that no matter what type of career you pursue. Because that really does play a major role in who we are today, and who we want to be in the future.
MAX: I'm also curious for you going from big companies like CBS to now working independently, and even working, I would imagine, like pseudo independently when you're working on a book. What's it like working specifically for a client, for a company, versus doing your own projects, and now working completely independently?
JOEY SKLADANY: Well, the former sucks. That's the big difference. No, listen. Everybody has their likes, their dislikes. I quickly came to realize that I am not a huge fan of authority, and a huge fan of people telling me what to do. I enjoy a collaborative environment. I think a lot of great things can happen, especially from a creative brainstorming standpoint when you've got other like-minded people, and also devil advocates around you, to make an idea the best that it possibly can be.
And there's obviously access to resources with major organizations that I just will never have as someone who's self-employed. But that being said, I really do enjoy my independence. And I enjoy not having to go through the corporate red tape just to get something greenlit, or to have this amazing idea and to run it up the ladder, the chain of command, only to be told, no, or to have it fall on deaf ears.
I just was so tired, and frustrated, and impatient that a corporate environment no longer worked for me. I would rather-- and that was always the one bit of feedback I got back from my bosses. It was, you need to know when to ask for help because I always wanted to do everything by myself. I just was impatient. And now, to work for myself, I really have nobody to answer to except for me and my clients, of course. But even so, because I am a writer, I have so much creative flexibility when it comes to how I approach an article, or a project.
And I can put my little Joey-isms within it. You don't really get away with doing that much in a corporate environment. It's very cut and dry. You go in, you know the exact job you're meant to do, and there's not a lot of wiggle room. So I'd say that's the big difference. And I absolutely prefer what I'm doing now.
Also, how great is it to wake up at 10 o'clock in the morning and start your work with your laptop on your lap, and like literally not have to be in an office? I-- just me, I'm obsessed with that life.
MAX: What's your dream project? Or what's just a big broad goal that you're working towards?
JOEY SKLADANY: Yeah, I obviously want to see this Today Show opportunity through and see it evolve into something bigger. I think the dream is to always have my own show, or be a more of a permanent fixture on television. It's a medium that I still just love, and is near and dear to my heart other than writing. And it's funny. Because I feel like such a damn cliche when I say like, Ryan Seacrest is my career idol. But I've been saying this since high school because he's someone to me represents, or just does it all.
He's got his toes dipped in literally every aspect of the industry, from hosting, to production, to radio, to-- because I also do a weekly podcast. I've been on the Taylor Strecker Show, which was on Sirius XM for 10 years, before coming to Patreon. There are just so many aspects of the business that I love. And they fulfill me in so many ways. And they connect me to such interesting people. And I feel like he does it all.
So I want to do it all too. No dream is too big for me. But that's, I would say, the dream is to be able to just have the financial security where I can take bigger risks and attach myself to bigger projects and see how they pan out. That to me is the big goal.
MAX: I want to ask you a couple questions about the current work that you're doing as well. I feel like lifestyle content is just massive right now, whether it's on social media, or YouTube, Shorts, reels, whatever it is. You're going to see that type of content. What do you think makes that so appealing and important, especially for the younger audience right now?
JOEY SKLADANY: Well, I have a love-hate relationship with content creation in general, and especially on social media because on the one hand, I do think it's a great way to express yourself and to really showcase what makes you unique, and especially in the lifestyle industry. What do you do that makes you fascinating? What makes you stand apart? And even if you don't have that, it's just a great way to give someone insight into your everyday life.
And if people find you to be an interesting person, you get that direct access, which is great. At the same token, I believe that we're all kind of turning into carbon copies of each other. And there's not a lot of room for ingenuity. And that is troublesome, and not inspiring. And that's why I really just don't even post photos anymore in feed when I do social media because I'm like, great. Another homosexual in a Speedo promoting a tequila brand. It's like, I'll take the check. But I'm not doing anything novel.
So I don't like this pressure to, I don't know, I guess follow the norm because it's going to make me money. But that being said, I do like how social media, especially in the lifestyle space, and content creation, kind of is challenging us to think outside of the box. Because like I said, it's just, everything's been freaking done. And it's boring now. And it's repetitive.
So I think to your question, it's an oversaturated market. There's way too much of the same stuff. But I get excited by still seeing people reinvent themselves and reinvent the ways in which we are exposed to different people, products, and things.
MAX: I just feel like it's such a divided topic. I think that the older generation, it's kind of like, social media, keep that separate. But then for people who are doing content creation, working in TV and stuff, do you leverage it? Do you not use it? How do you [INAUDIBLE]?
JOEY SKLADANY: It's a struggle, I think, for millennials because we were around when all of this first started. But we didn't know what to make of it.
I remember when Instagram first came about. And I only used it to filter my photos. I was like, dang, I look cute with this. I wasn't even thinking down the road of like, let me get all these handles that could potentially have a lot of followers that I could monetize. And the people that had that forethought are the ones who are thriving. And rightfully so. But what I just don't love right now is that everybody's trying to imitate that. And it's not going to bode successfully for them.
It's a worn-out model. It's going to be successful for those influencers who already have the clout and the following. So what I always say, and what I implore this-- I implore myself to do this, is to just try to figure out ways in which I can insert myself into the conversation of just lifestyle and present the things that I love, and the things that I love to do, in a way that's different than what everyone else is doing.
Have I figured that out yet 100%? Absolutely not. I thought I did with my book, Basic Bitchin'. I was like, that's an idea that hasn't been done before. That can translate into a hilarious Instagram. But I was at the mercy of a pandemic, where the last thing people wanted to do was laugh at a guy holding avocado toast on a cover of a book. So it's a constant struggle. And I know it's a constant struggle for everyone in this space. I'm not alone in this.
MAX: Thinking about just the future projects that you're doing, are there any avenues that you haven't explored yet that you're thinking, I might want to try this media, or this medium I should say, out?
JOEY SKLADANY: You know what? It's what I want to try and what I know I need to try. Two completely different things. But obviously, it sucks because I so badly want to do another book. And I had an idea for a memoir that my agent was like, this is genius. But she said, you're not going to sell this unless you're Antoni from Queer Eye. You need to be that level of active on social media.
So what I know I need to be doing more of is TikTok is Instagram Reels, the stuff that people are actually consuming and engaging with. But do I want to do that? No. Because I can't see that immediate success. And I'm such an impatient person that if I'm not getting paid to do it, or if it doesn't-- if it's not something that I enjoy doing, because I don't like editing video, it-- I put it on the back burner. That's what I know I need to be doing in the future. And I likely will.
But what I want to be doing more of, too, is I would love to launch my own podcast. I would love to do my own newsletter, things that will potentially be brand definers for me. They just are quite a heavy lift. And when you are in a industry like media, where it's so temperamental, and inconsistent when it comes to how much work you're getting, it's hard to prioritize those things when you're like, damn, my February, the only amount of work I have is my rent. So you're chasing a paycheck instead of a dream, or something that's going to help you from a personal brand perspective.
MAX: Before we close, I want to ask you just a few fun questions kind of looking ahead. First of all, what do you think is the most fun project that you've ever gotten to work on?
JOEY SKLADANY: Oh my gosh. I mean, I would say being the lead publicist for Here Comes Honey Boo Boo just because it was so absurd, so outrageous. And to be able to see the evolution of that show going from just-- they were a backup family on Toddlers & Tiaras. They weren't even supposed to be on the show. The family that was supposed to be featured, the daughter was sick or something.
And my boss was like, you are-- we're going to give you-- I mean, they really did-- I will give TLC a lot of credit. They entrusted me with a lot. I was 24 years old when I was the lead on that show, which is bizarre. But I just really enjoyed every aspect of that. And the family, I will say, was wonderful. And we made a really-- we really went out of our way to not take Alana Honey Boo Boo out of school for anything PR related. But that was just one of those projects where I put so much time, effort, and energy into it.
And to be able to see it all pay off, I think, was probably one of the most rewarding experiences of my career thus far, and also now, my favorite party factoid when we're doing an icebreaker of sorts. That and the fact that I have been struck by lightning. Those are my two go tos.
MAX: OK, I got to ask that now. How'd you--
JOEY SKLADANY: Yeah, long story short, I grew up in Florida. And a lightning bolt hit a tree next to me. And the current traveled and zapped my feet. So had to go to the ER. And that was actually the summer before I went to Northwestern. So yeah. Crazy, crazy times. But that and Honey Boo Boo are always the two shock-- that and also my cousin married Chris Kirkpatrick from NSYNC. Those are my three claims to fame, or also near-death experiences. And--
MAX: Those are great. Oh, those are great to pull out at a party, though. Random pop culture moments to think back on.
JOEY SKLADANY: That's what's also so crazy about my career and my life. It's people are so shocked. They're like, it feels like you've lived 10 lives. But at the same time, they're also like, this is so unsurprising because this is so Joey. This is such a Joey thing to happen. Of course, your cousin would marry someone from NSYNC. I've so many stories like these where I've run into celebrities in really awkward situations, or I've been cast on the most bizarre things.
I actually was wearing this-- the sweatshirt I'm in now because I was on Deal or No Deal for College Week and I wrapped Northwestern. I have the most random stories when it comes to this industry. So nothing is surprising anymore. And this is where I feel like I'm meant to be.
MAX: Yeah, I feel like that's a testament, though, to your personality and your career. I feel like when you're done so many things, it would suck if that weren't the case, doing all these different things. So I don't know. I feel like that means you're on the right track.
JOEY SKLADANY: I would say so. And I always tell people to look for the signs and follow them. And always trust your gut. Your gut will not fail you. It sounds so cliche. But you know when an opportunity is right for you. You know when an opportunity is wrong for you. And it's about making those changes intelligently and following the signs truly. You know yourself more than anyone else. And while it's great to rely on mentors and those you love for advice and feedback, ultimately, you've got to do what works best for you. And you will know. You will know.
But I also say, don't waste time figuring that out. If there's-- you have a hunch that something's not going in the direction you want it to, and maybe you're not in the career field that's meant for you, that's aye OK. And I switched from PR to editorial when I was 27 years old, when I was at the peak of my PR career. I could have-- by now, I would be an executive vice president at a major-- I know this because I see everyone who was my colleague. And they're all making like half a million dollars at Netflix right now being PR executives.
And I'm-- think to myself, damn. Maybe I did make some bad decisions. But no. Ultimately, my happiness is what matters most. So just I always say, follow your gut.
MAX: Now, thinking back, all the way back, again, to Northwestern, are there any Northwestern shoutouts that you'd like to give people, places, experiences, anything that was formative in your time?
JOEY SKLADANY: Deering Library, the one that looks like Harry Potter. I'll give a shout out to that location because that was my way to honestly barricade myself. And college for me was a very interesting experience. I absolutely learned a lot about myself. But I still had a lot of fear. I was closeted till I was 22. I never came out when I was at Northwestern. That's not to say it wasn't the most accepting and inviting community. Because it truly was, and the probably the best environment for me to come out in.
But I had a lot of fears. And a lot of them were, honestly, selfish because I thought that they would have affected my career down the road. Not to age me, but when I was looking at people like Ryan Seacrest, but also people like Anderson Cooper as career idols, he was not out at the time. So I thought that every one of my personal life decisions could negatively-- negatively impact or dictate what my future would look like. So I hid in areas like Deering Library, as those were safe spaces for me.
So I'm grateful for them because while it was detrimental in that I removed myself from the rest of the student body, and did a lot of things on my own, it allowed me a lot of time to self-reflect. And I think that is just as important as going to the frat party on the weekend to have that face-to-face social interaction. Just that-- those times of independence were really great that Northwestern offered me.
MAX: Absolutely. What do you think in terms of all of the different pivots that you've made in your career, can you look back and identify one where you were like, that's the one that totally changed my trajectory? What was the most important, significant, meaningful decision that you made?
JOEY SKLADANY: Yeah, absolutely. It was getting that first TV editor job. And when I left TLC, I actually didn't go straight into that. I had a brief PR job at Gilt Groupe. But after three months, I just knew, I was like, I just don't enjoy PR anymore. I want to write. And I took, I think it was a $30,000 salary cut to go from PR to editorial. But I knew that I had the dedication and the drive to eventually make it work.
And that was the career-defining change. And while Zimbio didn't put me be on the map like a People magazine or an Entertainment Weekly would, it was such a great first gig because it taught me all the ins and outs of the industry, allowed me to fail so many times without repercussion before I could then pitch myself to the big guns, and the heavy hitters, who really-- they just, they don't have as much time for error.
MAX: So final fun question. If you could insert yourself as a character into any TV show, movie, book, what production would you insert yourself into?
JOEY SKLADANY: I think people are going to roll their eyes when I say this, but Friends the TV show. Because I've been in New York for 16 years. And I've kind of fallen out of love with the city because it's changed in a way that may be great for this next generation. But I think the magic of New York for me has died. And it maybe just could be that I'm getting older, and wiser, and I miss the grit, and the struggle of being a New Yorker in my 20s.
We were all in it together. We were literally all shopping at the one Trader Joe's in Union Square. And there was a line going out the store. And you'd literally have to shop while you were in line to check out. I don't miss that. But I miss that element of looking at every other New Yorker around me and thinking we're all in this together. But there was just such a support. And I had such a strong group of friends.
And while I'm kind of figuring out what I want with this next phase of my life, I always cling to that memory and that feeling of what New York offered me in my 20s, which is very similar to Friends the TV show, or also Sex And The City, where it's just a group of people finding their way and throwing spaghetti against the wall every single day in every aspect of life, relationships, jobs, just navigating a subway. And I miss that element. I feel like New York's almost too easy.
MAX: I think you've done a pretty good job finding your way. This was so much fun. Thank you, again, for being on the show. Congrats on The Today Show, by the way.
JOEY SKLADANY: Thank you. Yeah, we'll see what happens. I'm going to keep going on monthly. And thank you to you. I mean, this is such an awesome opportunity to connect with people. And I am always one to pay it forward. I want to make sure that Purple Mafia exists. So if there's anybody who ever like wants to change careers, has-- anyone who has a question about just media in general, I am always, always willing to help out, and pay it forward. So don't be shy. I may regret saying that though.
MAX: Joey Skladany, thank you so much for being here.
JOEY SKLADANY: You got it.
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He is also a contributor for The Today Show. And he wrote his own cookbook, Basic Bitchin' 100 Plus Everyday Recipes For The Basic Bitch In Your Life. We will dive into all these topics and more in this edition of Northwestern Intersections.
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Joey Skladany, thank you so much for being here.
JOEY SKLADANY: Oh my gosh. Thanks for having me. I'm so happy to be here.
MAX: I'm so excited to talk to you. You have had a whirlwind career already. But first, I want to look back to your time at Northwestern. So what brought you to Evanston? And what did you study?
JOEY SKLADANY: Yeah, so I actually was a Cherub. So I was very familiar with Northwestern and everything the university had to offer. But what brought me, I would say first and foremost, is just that it pretty much ticked all the boxes when it came to what I was looking for in a college. It was the only school that did. I wanted to be in a major city, I was debating whether or not I wanted to go into things like journalism, or theater, or to keep things broad like communications, which I ultimately ended up doing.
I was a communications studies major, theater minor. And actually, I think I was the first declared theater minor at Northwestern, which is going to age me. But yeah. So I think it just-- yeah, it was the-- it was the university, the one college that for me, when I wrote out a list of what I want on paper, it kind of hit all of those things. But I will say, Northwestern rejected me. And I came in as a transfer student my sophomore year. So pooh on you, NU.
MAX: Hey, the winding route is only that much more valuable.
JOEY SKLADANY: Absolutely. And you know what I always say? The gag here is that the reason why I most likely was rejected is I just sucked at standardized testing. I got a 560 on my verbal SAT. I will happily admit it. But the joke's on the world because I am now a writer. And I literally-- my job is to work with words. So don't worry if you suck at testing. Life gets better.
MAX: You got to Northwestern. And you're-- so you're communication studies and theater. What motivated you to take that sort of broader route with your major, but then like you said, something a little bit more specialized with the minor?
JOEY SKLADANY: Yeah. So I feel like I'm a little bit of a Joey of all trades in that I have a bunch of different skills, but also passions and interests. And as a early 20 something, it was pretty difficult for me to narrow down what I wanted to do. I could envision myself being on television, going the Medill broadcast journalism route. But I also just enjoyed media in general, and aspects like advertising, marketing, production.
So ultimately, that is why I kept things a bit broad, and did communication studies. I also did a bunch of internships throughout college. And again, I dabbled in a bunch of different fields, liked them all for different reasons, and thought, why pigeonhole myself into doing one thing that's very specific when this industry really does encompass so many different areas?
And as long as I was writing, as long as I was interacting with people who were in the entertainment industry, and the media industry after graduating, I knew that was a baseline of happiness for me. So that's kind of why I ultimately made that decision. I just was indecisive, like the story of my life.
MAX: When you mentioned doing a lot of different internships, do you think that that helped and or influenced your career trajectory now, where you've obviously worked in a lot of different jobs as well?
JOEY SKLADANY: Absolutely. I think the most life-changing internship was I worked a PR internship for Fox Entertainment in LA. And they did such an amazing job of immersing interns into the day to day. So it wasn't just office work, but it was going to press junkets, going to red carpets, going to photo shoots. And I had such a high. And it felt also so natural and tapped so much into my wheelhouse. Because at the time, I was completely engrossed in pop culture, and would always say, I'm going to be the next Ryan Seacrest.
And I'm going to be the next host of E News. And I just-- yeah, absolutely. I mean, these internships really did paint a clear picture as to what I not only wanted to do, but what I was also good at, and kind of uncovered, I would say, some skill sets and things I didn't realize I was good at along the way. And I still to this day will always tell everyone, school is important. But that hands-on experience, especially in this industry, nothing, nothing will compare to that.
MAX: Talk to me a little bit about the first full-time job that you had after doing the internships. What were your first few-- or what was the first, or maybe your first few jobs, looking like?
JOEY SKLADANY: Yeah, so I graduated in 2009. Literally, the worst year you could ever graduate because despite doing seven internships, I had nothing lined up. I even took off my last quarter to do a CNN internship thinking, oh, I'll just stay in New York. I'm sure CNN will hire me. They're just-- there are no job opportunities whatsoever. Funny enough, I used to work during the holidays at Lacoste when I was home. And one of my clients happened to be Judge Judy's personal publicist, but also was hired on by NBC to do the PR for all of the syndicated talk shows.
So that was Jerry Springer, RIP, Maury, and Steve Wilkos. So that was my first gig. He just remembered the customer service that I provided, I guess. And I sent him a follow-up note one time after he made a big purchase. And it resonated with him. And he called me up one day and was like, I'm in Naples, Florida. Do you want to grab dinner? I'm looking for a junior publicist. And that just shows you the power of never burning a bridge, making connections. Because you never know who is going to think of you, remember you, and consider you for a future opportunity.
So that helped me get my foot in the door. I did that for about six months. Their studios were in Stamford, Connecticut. At least got me to the Northeast, which is kind of where I figured I wanted to be to start. And then from there, it kind of pivoted into an agency role that I took in the city where I had, my God, a plethora of clients. Anything from a foot cream, to TV shows, to these small businesses that were promoting things like, God, what was it? It was like-- it was dated almost.
This is when like OpenTable just started. It's like iterations of OpenTable. Just the most, I would say, diverse portfolio of clients you can imagine. But I'll never, ever say that was an unnecessary experience. If anything, it made me a better publicist in the beginning of my career. But PR was my start. Yeah. PR was-- it just made the most sense. I felt like it gave me a 360-degree view of the entire industry while also allowing me to play into my skill set, which was writing, you're doing a lot of writing. And a lot of that just face-to-face communication, either with brands and clients, but also talent.
MAX: So obviously, before our call, we got to talk a little bit. And I got to look over your resume. And you've done so much work since then in a bunch of different areas. For people who might not know, talk to me about some of the other projects that you got to work on. Take me step by step in the trajectory to where you are now. Because it's obviously very different from just the hard line PR.
JOEY SKLADANY: Exactly. Yeah. I-- again, I'm the most indecisive person in the world. And it's a blessing and a curse to have a lot of interests because you get bored quite easily, but is great in that I feel like I can kind of dabble in multiple things at once, and find little success points, and still make it work. But yeah. Right after that agency gig is when I got an in-house position with TLC.
And I would say that kind of cemented the foundation of what my career is going to look like because I launched, and was the lead publicist, on major shows like Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. And I worked on Long Island Medium, Say Yes To The Dress, My Strange Addiction, all of these pop culture, I almost want to say, iconic shows that developed cult followings over the years. And again, going back to what I said, I loved it because it was truly a 360-degree view of the entire industry.
And it allowed me to work with every type of person in this industry, from ad sales, to production, to media that I was pitching to get them to write about my shows, to talent relations. It truly immersed me in the industry. But that's also when I realized, OK. I don't really like representing other people, and other places, and things as much as I like representing myself. So maybe I'm a little bit selfish. And that's when I just decided, I'm going to make the pivot. And I want to focus on writing. Because writing has been a passion of mine since I was literally a child.
When kids were out playing catch, I was folding together pieces of paper, stapling them, and writing books. So I was a #loser, but it all-- like a stereotypical one, let's say. But it all paid off in the end because I was able to come from a career in PR, which is really hard to do, and get my first gig as a writer.
What made the most sense was to be a TV editor. So that was my first writing job was for a site called Zimbio. And the person who hired me took a chance on me because A, she went to Northwestern. So she knows that we work hard. Purple Mafia. It exists. But she took a chance and said, listen. This is someone who clearly has a talent for writing. He maybe doesn't have the experience, at least when it comes to traditional editorial, but I see his vision. I see his, just commitment to making this work. And she got me my first writing gig.
And then that eventually, I would say, transitioned into more of the food, lifestyle, travel, health, beauty stuff that I do today. Because after that gig, my first writing job was with Food and Wine magazine. And then from Food and Wine is where I got my managing editor gig at CBS Interactive, which owned, and I think still owns, Simon and Schuster. So that is when I was able to put out my book, Basic Bitchin', because we were going to do a brand book-- I feel like I'm going to talk about my life in way too much detail.
But I was trying to make a long story short. This is a long story long. Sorry, folks. But because we were going to do a brand book with Chowhound, so that was the food site that I was managing editor for, Simon and Schuster was going to throw their money behind it because it was within the company. But I pitched a personal idea, which was Basic Bitchin'. And my publisher at the time, my editor also, she was like, I want to do that idea. I don't want to do the brand book.
So I was able to take a step back, switch from managing editor to editor at large, and just work on my book for a year. And I put that out during the pandemic. So not the best timing in terms of building up a personal brand. But that's what happened. And then ever since then, once I was laid off with the rest of my team, I've been self-employed. So just continuing to write in this space.
But then expanding to opportunities like television, which I have another passion for, and that's why I'm now a monthly contributor for The Today Show and do shows like Tamron Hall, and CNN, and Entertainment Tonight, and Wendy Williams when she was around. And that's kind of the gig at the moment. That was a long timeline. But that just shows you kind of how long it takes to get from point A to point B, honestly.
MAX: Well, and I'm curious, thinking about that timeline, and all the different work that you did, and especially, I think, switching to writing, and specifically working on your own book. When you look back on your experience, how do you think you leveraged the things that you'd already done into new projects? And what advice would you give to people who are trying to do the same thing?
JOEY SKLADANY: Always, always use everything as leverage. Honestly. It's-- everything-- I freaking hate the slogan, everything happens for a reason. But I-- I'm a firm believer in that everything that does happen can be used to benefit you later in life in some way.
And never burn a bridge in this industry because the first thing I did when I got a writing job, I knew I wanted to parlay it into being a talking head on television, is I reached out to every single booking producer that had my talent on when I was a publicist at TLC and reminded them of the times that I would give them access to people like Honey Boo Boo and said, hey. You owe me.
And every experience I've had in this industry, I've been able to use for something else in the future. And that I would say mostly also boils down to just the relationships that I've created. Because at the end of the day, you really only have yourself and the people who can help you get ahead to fall back on.
And if you don't believe in yourself, and you don't have those strong relationships within the industry, quite frankly, you're not going to get anywhere. You're going to be plateaued. So absolutely do I incorporate past relationships, past experiences, and use that to my advantage. And I encourage everyone to do that no matter what type of career you pursue. Because that really does play a major role in who we are today, and who we want to be in the future.
MAX: I'm also curious for you going from big companies like CBS to now working independently, and even working, I would imagine, like pseudo independently when you're working on a book. What's it like working specifically for a client, for a company, versus doing your own projects, and now working completely independently?
JOEY SKLADANY: Well, the former sucks. That's the big difference. No, listen. Everybody has their likes, their dislikes. I quickly came to realize that I am not a huge fan of authority, and a huge fan of people telling me what to do. I enjoy a collaborative environment. I think a lot of great things can happen, especially from a creative brainstorming standpoint when you've got other like-minded people, and also devil advocates around you, to make an idea the best that it possibly can be.
And there's obviously access to resources with major organizations that I just will never have as someone who's self-employed. But that being said, I really do enjoy my independence. And I enjoy not having to go through the corporate red tape just to get something greenlit, or to have this amazing idea and to run it up the ladder, the chain of command, only to be told, no, or to have it fall on deaf ears.
I just was so tired, and frustrated, and impatient that a corporate environment no longer worked for me. I would rather-- and that was always the one bit of feedback I got back from my bosses. It was, you need to know when to ask for help because I always wanted to do everything by myself. I just was impatient. And now, to work for myself, I really have nobody to answer to except for me and my clients, of course. But even so, because I am a writer, I have so much creative flexibility when it comes to how I approach an article, or a project.
And I can put my little Joey-isms within it. You don't really get away with doing that much in a corporate environment. It's very cut and dry. You go in, you know the exact job you're meant to do, and there's not a lot of wiggle room. So I'd say that's the big difference. And I absolutely prefer what I'm doing now.
Also, how great is it to wake up at 10 o'clock in the morning and start your work with your laptop on your lap, and like literally not have to be in an office? I-- just me, I'm obsessed with that life.
MAX: What's your dream project? Or what's just a big broad goal that you're working towards?
JOEY SKLADANY: Yeah, I obviously want to see this Today Show opportunity through and see it evolve into something bigger. I think the dream is to always have my own show, or be a more of a permanent fixture on television. It's a medium that I still just love, and is near and dear to my heart other than writing. And it's funny. Because I feel like such a damn cliche when I say like, Ryan Seacrest is my career idol. But I've been saying this since high school because he's someone to me represents, or just does it all.
He's got his toes dipped in literally every aspect of the industry, from hosting, to production, to radio, to-- because I also do a weekly podcast. I've been on the Taylor Strecker Show, which was on Sirius XM for 10 years, before coming to Patreon. There are just so many aspects of the business that I love. And they fulfill me in so many ways. And they connect me to such interesting people. And I feel like he does it all.
So I want to do it all too. No dream is too big for me. But that's, I would say, the dream is to be able to just have the financial security where I can take bigger risks and attach myself to bigger projects and see how they pan out. That to me is the big goal.
MAX: I want to ask you a couple questions about the current work that you're doing as well. I feel like lifestyle content is just massive right now, whether it's on social media, or YouTube, Shorts, reels, whatever it is. You're going to see that type of content. What do you think makes that so appealing and important, especially for the younger audience right now?
JOEY SKLADANY: Well, I have a love-hate relationship with content creation in general, and especially on social media because on the one hand, I do think it's a great way to express yourself and to really showcase what makes you unique, and especially in the lifestyle industry. What do you do that makes you fascinating? What makes you stand apart? And even if you don't have that, it's just a great way to give someone insight into your everyday life.
And if people find you to be an interesting person, you get that direct access, which is great. At the same token, I believe that we're all kind of turning into carbon copies of each other. And there's not a lot of room for ingenuity. And that is troublesome, and not inspiring. And that's why I really just don't even post photos anymore in feed when I do social media because I'm like, great. Another homosexual in a Speedo promoting a tequila brand. It's like, I'll take the check. But I'm not doing anything novel.
So I don't like this pressure to, I don't know, I guess follow the norm because it's going to make me money. But that being said, I do like how social media, especially in the lifestyle space, and content creation, kind of is challenging us to think outside of the box. Because like I said, it's just, everything's been freaking done. And it's boring now. And it's repetitive.
So I think to your question, it's an oversaturated market. There's way too much of the same stuff. But I get excited by still seeing people reinvent themselves and reinvent the ways in which we are exposed to different people, products, and things.
MAX: I just feel like it's such a divided topic. I think that the older generation, it's kind of like, social media, keep that separate. But then for people who are doing content creation, working in TV and stuff, do you leverage it? Do you not use it? How do you [INAUDIBLE]?
JOEY SKLADANY: It's a struggle, I think, for millennials because we were around when all of this first started. But we didn't know what to make of it.
I remember when Instagram first came about. And I only used it to filter my photos. I was like, dang, I look cute with this. I wasn't even thinking down the road of like, let me get all these handles that could potentially have a lot of followers that I could monetize. And the people that had that forethought are the ones who are thriving. And rightfully so. But what I just don't love right now is that everybody's trying to imitate that. And it's not going to bode successfully for them.
It's a worn-out model. It's going to be successful for those influencers who already have the clout and the following. So what I always say, and what I implore this-- I implore myself to do this, is to just try to figure out ways in which I can insert myself into the conversation of just lifestyle and present the things that I love, and the things that I love to do, in a way that's different than what everyone else is doing.
Have I figured that out yet 100%? Absolutely not. I thought I did with my book, Basic Bitchin'. I was like, that's an idea that hasn't been done before. That can translate into a hilarious Instagram. But I was at the mercy of a pandemic, where the last thing people wanted to do was laugh at a guy holding avocado toast on a cover of a book. So it's a constant struggle. And I know it's a constant struggle for everyone in this space. I'm not alone in this.
MAX: Thinking about just the future projects that you're doing, are there any avenues that you haven't explored yet that you're thinking, I might want to try this media, or this medium I should say, out?
JOEY SKLADANY: You know what? It's what I want to try and what I know I need to try. Two completely different things. But obviously, it sucks because I so badly want to do another book. And I had an idea for a memoir that my agent was like, this is genius. But she said, you're not going to sell this unless you're Antoni from Queer Eye. You need to be that level of active on social media.
So what I know I need to be doing more of is TikTok is Instagram Reels, the stuff that people are actually consuming and engaging with. But do I want to do that? No. Because I can't see that immediate success. And I'm such an impatient person that if I'm not getting paid to do it, or if it doesn't-- if it's not something that I enjoy doing, because I don't like editing video, it-- I put it on the back burner. That's what I know I need to be doing in the future. And I likely will.
But what I want to be doing more of, too, is I would love to launch my own podcast. I would love to do my own newsletter, things that will potentially be brand definers for me. They just are quite a heavy lift. And when you are in a industry like media, where it's so temperamental, and inconsistent when it comes to how much work you're getting, it's hard to prioritize those things when you're like, damn, my February, the only amount of work I have is my rent. So you're chasing a paycheck instead of a dream, or something that's going to help you from a personal brand perspective.
MAX: Before we close, I want to ask you just a few fun questions kind of looking ahead. First of all, what do you think is the most fun project that you've ever gotten to work on?
JOEY SKLADANY: Oh my gosh. I mean, I would say being the lead publicist for Here Comes Honey Boo Boo just because it was so absurd, so outrageous. And to be able to see the evolution of that show going from just-- they were a backup family on Toddlers & Tiaras. They weren't even supposed to be on the show. The family that was supposed to be featured, the daughter was sick or something.
And my boss was like, you are-- we're going to give you-- I mean, they really did-- I will give TLC a lot of credit. They entrusted me with a lot. I was 24 years old when I was the lead on that show, which is bizarre. But I just really enjoyed every aspect of that. And the family, I will say, was wonderful. And we made a really-- we really went out of our way to not take Alana Honey Boo Boo out of school for anything PR related. But that was just one of those projects where I put so much time, effort, and energy into it.
And to be able to see it all pay off, I think, was probably one of the most rewarding experiences of my career thus far, and also now, my favorite party factoid when we're doing an icebreaker of sorts. That and the fact that I have been struck by lightning. Those are my two go tos.
MAX: OK, I got to ask that now. How'd you--
JOEY SKLADANY: Yeah, long story short, I grew up in Florida. And a lightning bolt hit a tree next to me. And the current traveled and zapped my feet. So had to go to the ER. And that was actually the summer before I went to Northwestern. So yeah. Crazy, crazy times. But that and Honey Boo Boo are always the two shock-- that and also my cousin married Chris Kirkpatrick from NSYNC. Those are my three claims to fame, or also near-death experiences. And--
MAX: Those are great. Oh, those are great to pull out at a party, though. Random pop culture moments to think back on.
JOEY SKLADANY: That's what's also so crazy about my career and my life. It's people are so shocked. They're like, it feels like you've lived 10 lives. But at the same time, they're also like, this is so unsurprising because this is so Joey. This is such a Joey thing to happen. Of course, your cousin would marry someone from NSYNC. I've so many stories like these where I've run into celebrities in really awkward situations, or I've been cast on the most bizarre things.
I actually was wearing this-- the sweatshirt I'm in now because I was on Deal or No Deal for College Week and I wrapped Northwestern. I have the most random stories when it comes to this industry. So nothing is surprising anymore. And this is where I feel like I'm meant to be.
MAX: Yeah, I feel like that's a testament, though, to your personality and your career. I feel like when you're done so many things, it would suck if that weren't the case, doing all these different things. So I don't know. I feel like that means you're on the right track.
JOEY SKLADANY: I would say so. And I always tell people to look for the signs and follow them. And always trust your gut. Your gut will not fail you. It sounds so cliche. But you know when an opportunity is right for you. You know when an opportunity is wrong for you. And it's about making those changes intelligently and following the signs truly. You know yourself more than anyone else. And while it's great to rely on mentors and those you love for advice and feedback, ultimately, you've got to do what works best for you. And you will know. You will know.
But I also say, don't waste time figuring that out. If there's-- you have a hunch that something's not going in the direction you want it to, and maybe you're not in the career field that's meant for you, that's aye OK. And I switched from PR to editorial when I was 27 years old, when I was at the peak of my PR career. I could have-- by now, I would be an executive vice president at a major-- I know this because I see everyone who was my colleague. And they're all making like half a million dollars at Netflix right now being PR executives.
And I'm-- think to myself, damn. Maybe I did make some bad decisions. But no. Ultimately, my happiness is what matters most. So just I always say, follow your gut.
MAX: Now, thinking back, all the way back, again, to Northwestern, are there any Northwestern shoutouts that you'd like to give people, places, experiences, anything that was formative in your time?
JOEY SKLADANY: Deering Library, the one that looks like Harry Potter. I'll give a shout out to that location because that was my way to honestly barricade myself. And college for me was a very interesting experience. I absolutely learned a lot about myself. But I still had a lot of fear. I was closeted till I was 22. I never came out when I was at Northwestern. That's not to say it wasn't the most accepting and inviting community. Because it truly was, and the probably the best environment for me to come out in.
But I had a lot of fears. And a lot of them were, honestly, selfish because I thought that they would have affected my career down the road. Not to age me, but when I was looking at people like Ryan Seacrest, but also people like Anderson Cooper as career idols, he was not out at the time. So I thought that every one of my personal life decisions could negatively-- negatively impact or dictate what my future would look like. So I hid in areas like Deering Library, as those were safe spaces for me.
So I'm grateful for them because while it was detrimental in that I removed myself from the rest of the student body, and did a lot of things on my own, it allowed me a lot of time to self-reflect. And I think that is just as important as going to the frat party on the weekend to have that face-to-face social interaction. Just that-- those times of independence were really great that Northwestern offered me.
MAX: Absolutely. What do you think in terms of all of the different pivots that you've made in your career, can you look back and identify one where you were like, that's the one that totally changed my trajectory? What was the most important, significant, meaningful decision that you made?
JOEY SKLADANY: Yeah, absolutely. It was getting that first TV editor job. And when I left TLC, I actually didn't go straight into that. I had a brief PR job at Gilt Groupe. But after three months, I just knew, I was like, I just don't enjoy PR anymore. I want to write. And I took, I think it was a $30,000 salary cut to go from PR to editorial. But I knew that I had the dedication and the drive to eventually make it work.
And that was the career-defining change. And while Zimbio didn't put me be on the map like a People magazine or an Entertainment Weekly would, it was such a great first gig because it taught me all the ins and outs of the industry, allowed me to fail so many times without repercussion before I could then pitch myself to the big guns, and the heavy hitters, who really-- they just, they don't have as much time for error.
MAX: So final fun question. If you could insert yourself as a character into any TV show, movie, book, what production would you insert yourself into?
JOEY SKLADANY: I think people are going to roll their eyes when I say this, but Friends the TV show. Because I've been in New York for 16 years. And I've kind of fallen out of love with the city because it's changed in a way that may be great for this next generation. But I think the magic of New York for me has died. And it maybe just could be that I'm getting older, and wiser, and I miss the grit, and the struggle of being a New Yorker in my 20s.
We were all in it together. We were literally all shopping at the one Trader Joe's in Union Square. And there was a line going out the store. And you'd literally have to shop while you were in line to check out. I don't miss that. But I miss that element of looking at every other New Yorker around me and thinking we're all in this together. But there was just such a support. And I had such a strong group of friends.
And while I'm kind of figuring out what I want with this next phase of my life, I always cling to that memory and that feeling of what New York offered me in my 20s, which is very similar to Friends the TV show, or also Sex And The City, where it's just a group of people finding their way and throwing spaghetti against the wall every single day in every aspect of life, relationships, jobs, just navigating a subway. And I miss that element. I feel like New York's almost too easy.
MAX: I think you've done a pretty good job finding your way. This was so much fun. Thank you, again, for being on the show. Congrats on The Today Show, by the way.
JOEY SKLADANY: Thank you. Yeah, we'll see what happens. I'm going to keep going on monthly. And thank you to you. I mean, this is such an awesome opportunity to connect with people. And I am always one to pay it forward. I want to make sure that Purple Mafia exists. So if there's anybody who ever like wants to change careers, has-- anyone who has a question about just media in general, I am always, always willing to help out, and pay it forward. So don't be shy. I may regret saying that though.
MAX: Joey Skladany, thank you so much for being here.
JOEY SKLADANY: You got it.
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