Welcome back to AthCastMusic. I’m Marlene Sokol Stewart and this is my Podcast. Today’s episode is a really special one for me. My guest is someone I don’t just admire, but someone I genuinely call a friend. Lisa Mende is one of those people in Athens you don’t forget the first time you see her. In fact, when I first spotted her around town, I remember thinking, Who the f— is that? The hair, the clothes, the creative presence that made me wish I were just a little braver in my own wardrobe choices. But what really began our friendship wasn’t the fashion. It was a conversation we had at one of those classic, infamous Athens parties. We started talking about being Jewish in the South, about living in Athens, about the special community of Athens, GA. Lisa is open arms to her community and friends. Not feeling well, I left another one of those parties. Lisa looked at me and said, very firmly, “You better call me if you’re in the hospital.” I did in fact end up in the hospital and within an hour, Lisa and her husband Michael were there, plant in hand, love in tow. I still have that plant. I’ll never forget that kindness. Now, if you recognize Lisa beyond Athens, there’s probably a reason. She’s part of television history as the unforgettable Carol on Seinfeld. If you're a real Seinfeld fan you know the words, , “Jerry, you’ve got to see the bay-bee!” a line that die-hard fans still absolutely lose their minds over. But that’s just one chapter. Lisa has worked in film, television, and comedy, appearing in movies like Hollywood Shuffle, Scrooged, Nothing to Lose, The Five Heartbeats, and Honey, I Blew Up the Kids. She started out in stand-up comedy, running in the same circles as Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David. Eventually, Lisa made the bold decision to leave Hollywood behind to give her daughter a more grounded life—and Athens, Georgia became home. And true to form, she didn’t just move here… she took Athens by storm. She founded the Circle Ensemble Theatre, emcees just about everything in town, and created the non-profit Artist2Artist, that supports underserved members of our community through fundraising and performance. And at the heart of it all is her family. This conversation is funny, heartfelt and nostalgic. I’m so happy to finally have Lisa Mende on AthCastMusic. Let’s get into it. AthCastMusic (©): The Music of Athens Georgia, Now and Then SEASON: 5 EPISODE: LENGTH: 41.09 PUBLISHED: February 19, 2026 UPDATED BI - WEEKLY ON THURSDAYS (some Fridays) ENGINEER: KAYLA DOVER UGA MUSIC BUSINESS SCHOOL INTERN: RAYA ACKLEH RECORDED AT TWEED RECORDING AUDIO PRODUCTION SCHOOL https://tweedrecording.com (https://tweedrecording.com/) Photos by Marlene Sokol Stewart Producer: Marlene Sokol Stewart CONTACT FOR ATHCASTMUSIC: marlene@athcastmusic.com Instagram: AthCastMusic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550294283019 YOUTUBE CHANNEL: AthCastMusic. @MarleneSokolStewart-12 IG: ATHCASTMUSIC LISA MENDE INFO: IG: lisa_mende_actor. Thank you for listening to AthCastMusic. Kindly give a review, follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your favorite listening site. REMEMBER, “IF YOU DON’T LISTEN, YOU CAN’T HEAR!”
