The Anne Levine Show

Anne Levine and Michael Hill-Levine
  • 5.0 (11)
  • BOOKS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Funny, weekly, sugar free: Starring "Michael-over-there."

  1. 47M AGO

    Fluff & Fold

    Send a text Ever wonder what happens when a Hollywood designer lands on Cape Cod with a toolbox, a memory bank full of backstage stories, and an eye out for robots? We invited Jonathan “Silver Lake” Stockwell Baker into the studio and into our home, where he’s quietly transforming rooms while we broadcast. What starts with a 1975 Pirates of Penzance audition blooms into a bigger story about the places that hold us together, the art that taught us how to feel, and the little rituals—like ocean air and an unapologetic power walk—that keep a life steady. We travel from Provincetown’s calm streets to LA’s strange present, where delivery bots queue on sidewalks and driverless taxis glide through green lights. Jonathan talks to them by name. It’s funny until it isn’t, and then it turns practical—maybe the machines drive better than we do. That sense of uneasy wonder sets the stage for Fluff and Fold, Jonathan’s hands-on design work that treats interiors like living systems: shift a chair, clear a shelf, dust a library, and watch the room remember its purpose. You can hear the care in his choices, and you can feel why a simple rearrangement can change how people read, talk, and rest. With the Oscars looming, we dig into Bugonia without spoiling a beat: a smart, pacey film that refuses to be one thing for too long, anchored by sharp performances and a cameo that lands with 90s-era charm. And then we face the headline: Timothée Chalamet’s offhand swipe at opera and ballet. We don’t just vent. We map a fix—an annual benefit for the Met and City Ballet, visible support for institutions in real need, even buying endangered art and gifting it back. We remember how many of us first met classical music through Bugs Bunny and Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts. If patient cinema matters, the stage that taught patience matters too. It’s an hour about stewardship: of friendships that stretch across decades, of coastal towns that fight sprawl, of art forms that require breath, and of rooms that work better when you make space for what you value. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves movies or ballet, and tell us where you land: are you team patient craft or fast-cut chaos? Leave a review with your take—we’ll read a few on the next show. Find our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/447251562357065/

    1 hr

  2. 6D AGO

    I Came For Oxygen And Got Boat Shoes

    Send a text A blizzard rolled in the same weekend my lungs gave out (again), and suddenly everything we rely on—power, cell phone reception, hospital routines, even the simple act of getting a meal—buckled. We found ourselves riding the fault line between fear and farce: oxygen levels plunging into the 70s, a CT hunt for answers, and a hospitalist who showed up with a high-pitched certainty and brand-new boat shoes. If you’ve ever felt like a passenger in your own care, you’ll recognize the uneasy mix of tests, contradictions, and the quiet calculation it takes to keep your nerve. While I tried to breathe, our house went dark. Michael huddled under blankets with the dogs, reading by flashlight while branches cracked outside. Inside the hospital, generators cut us to half power, red outlets glowed like lifeboats, and surgeries stopped cold. The kitchen jammed, the phones rang unanswered, and “non-select” trays landed with a thud—banana, peaches in syrup, and a full-sugar shake for a diabetic. I pushed back, asked for the right insulin, and learned once again that advocacy isn’t rude; it’s survival. Somewhere between the beeping of an alarmed bed and a 4 a.m. dosage debate, a night tech with a brilliant headwrap sang gospel, and the room lifted. Care is clinical; healing is human. There’s gallows humor too. The PureWick promised dignity and delivered a soaked bed; the fix was plastic sheeting and a no-nonsense diaper that actually worked. Barb, the PCA with the sandpaper voice, narrated the night with Christmas lines and practical grace. We closed with music: Jacob Moon’s layered craft, why tribute shows keep selling out, and why twenty-somethings are lining up for Sinatra. We also held space for loss—names that hurt to say out loud—and a soft goodbye to Neil Sedaka, whose songs thread through our family history. Press play for a story that moves from oxygen crashes to small mercies, from system failures to the people who keep them running. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a laugh-while-you-cope listen, and leave a review to help others find us. Your voice helps keep this one breathing. Find our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/447251562357065/

    1 hr

  3. FEB 17

    Quad God, Curling, And Doctor Storytime

    Send a text The week felt like a sports movie that refused to stick to the script. An allegedly slushy Olympic rink turned figure skating into survival mode, where clean edges mattered more than big jumps and a single stumble reshaped the podium. We break down how ice quality can sabotage world-class technique, why Germany’s pairs team won gold by staying upright, and how Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Sheiderov captured gold through control, not spectacle. Along the way, we talk music choices on the ice—Bolero, Paint It Black, and a show-stealing Diva Dance—and why composure after a fall can change a career as much as a quad. From the rink we glide into curling, that underdog of winter sports that thrives on angles, sweep rates, and quiet nerves. Strategy and patience become the stars, a needed counterweight to the high-velocity wipeouts. Then the spotlight swings to the Oscars, where Marty Supreme grabs us by the collar with a flawed lead you can’t help but root for. We dig into a fearless transformation at the center, Kevin O’Leary’s unexpectedly sharp and menacing turn, and a 90s-leaning soundtrack draped over a midcentury world that crackles with urgency. We also flag Secret Agent, a Brazilian political thriller with Cannes acclaim and historic awards momentum, as essential viewing. The most intimate moment lands in a doctor’s office: an essential tremor, a neurologist with no filter, and a crash course in what separates tremor from Parkinson’s when the stakes feel personal. It’s messy, funny, and useful—proof that clarity can live inside chaos. We close with winter-weary small joys, a nod to the friends who keep us going, and a soft tribute to a beloved actor gone too soon. If you enjoyed the ride—from bad ice to bold cinema—tap follow, share this with a friend who needs a good listen, and leave a quick review. Your notes help others find the show and keep these conversations rolling. Find our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/447251562357065/

    1 hr

  4. FEB 10

    Who's Elijah Wood?

    Send a text What happens when the biggest game of the year can’t keep up with its own halftime show? We start with a Super Bowl that slogged through three quarters, then got eclipsed by a jaw-dropping, Spanish-language performance built like living theater—multiple sets, seamless film inserts, a real wedding, and a closing message that correctly defines “America” as a whole hemisphere. We dig into why that spectacle worked so well: intention, choreography, and cultural specificity that never asked permission to be universal. From there, we talk ads: a wave of AI spots that promised wonder but delivered sameness, the comic timing that actually landed, and the annual Budweiser tearjerker that still understands story beats better than most brand decks. Then we shift to power and pipelines. Netflix continues to bankroll comedy and films at scale, setting the rhythm for modern stand-up, while an indie shock like Iron Lung reminds us a single creator with a clear vision can still rattle the system. The future of entertainment won’t be either gatekeepers or outsiders—it’ll be both, in tension. Our film segment pulls no punches. Hamnet departs boldly from its beloved novel, trusting cinema’s tools—faces, fabric, quiet—over literal adaptation. Jesse Buckley and Paul Mescal give performances that feel lived-in rather than lacquered, and the film earns respect on its own terms. We spotlight Come See Me in the Good Light, a documentary shaped by love, humor, and the urgency of goodbye, with producers like Tig Notaro and Kevin Nealon helping bring Andrea Gibson’s voice to a wider audience. And we hash out Sinners, a lavish, genre-bending surprise whose vampire turn will divide viewers even as its craft and cast impress. We close with the Olympics, the quad-screen chaos versus Peacock’s sanity, curling’s precise drama, and figure skating that treats gravity like a rumor. Through it all, a theme emerges: honest risk beats empty polish. Whether it’s a stadium-scale performance told in Spanish, an indie film punching above its weight, or a costume department that builds a world before a single line is spoken, we’re here for work that commits. If that’s your jam too, hit play, then tell us what moment you can’t stop thinking about. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to keep the conversation going. Find our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/447251562357065/

    1 hr

  5. FEB 3

    Barbey Girl

    Send a text A blizzard at the end of a long Cape Cod driveway is a bad setting for a breathing crisis—especially when you live with a rare lung disease. Before we could dial for an ambulance, we needed a snowplow. That’s how our week of sirens, scans, and unexpected heroes began, with two brothers clearing a path so help could reach the house and a pair of EMTs trying to place an IV while the ambulance bounced over ruts. What unfolded next pulled back the curtain on emergency care for rare conditions. LAM can fool even seasoned clinicians, and the first scans didn’t explain why oxygen wasn’t enough. So we phoned the one person who studies it every day. Within minutes, the focus shifted from “Is the LAM worse?” to “This looks cardiac,” and we moved from guesswork to a plan. Admission brought new characters: an earnest ER doc who asked the right questions, a performative planner with grand promises, a Belarusian night nurse who crossed a line and got reported, and a grounded, brilliant nurse who treated the patient like a whole human. Along the way we discovered the Barbey Pavilion—brand-new, oddly designed, and full of sliding farmhouse doors that feel like a fitness test at 3 a.m. The medical headline is clear: respiratory failure tied to a newly discovered mitral valve stenosis. That means cardiac rehab now, careful pacing at home, and possibly open-heart surgery this summer. The human headline is clearer: advocacy matters. Keep your expert on speed dial. Learn staff names. Ask simple, specific questions. Celebrate the people who show up—Akeem and Rahim with the plow, the EMTs with humor, the nurse who really listens, and the partner who becomes a one-person care team with a stitched hand and a steady smile. We close with a quick swing through Grammys fashion highs and lows and a moment for TV legends we lost, because life doesn’t pause when you’re healing. If this story moved you or helped you think differently about navigating care, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review with your own advocacy tips—we’ll read our favorites on an upcoming episode. Find our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/447251562357065/

    1 hr

  6. JAN 27

    Stop The Sparkly Spit

    Send a text A nor’easter pounds the Cape, the house runs cold, and we warm up by arguing about the most electric late-night guests ever and the sneaky power of real-life detail on screen. From Robin Williams’ cyclone energy to Martin Short’s masterclass in character and timing, we unpack what makes a guest unmissable: unpredictability, generosity, and a host forced into delightful chaos. We trade favorite moments—Goldblum’s sparkling weird, Letterman as the perfect interviewee, Steven Wright’s deadpan precision—and consider how the right pairing turns a segment into TV folklore. We also completely skipped Kevin Nealon and WHY? Then we turn a minor gripe into a bigger thesis: why toothbrushing scenes in movies feel so wrong. The glamorized swish-and-peck is all gloss, no life, and it breaks the spell of intimacy. Authenticity lives in the details—mess, timing, awkwardness—and when films honor that, relationships read truer than any montage. With that lens, we head into awards season and a new fixation: Sentimental Value, a Norwegian standout with a breathtaking lead performance from Renata Reinsve. We chart the contenders across acting, directing, editing, and casting, talk momentum versus merit, and admit that pronunciation shouldn’t be a barrier to recognition, even if it becomes a punchline on ceremony night. We close with a farewell to Valentino—sun-tanned icon, inventor of a red so specific it became its own legend. The memories are vivid: fur-lined coats, immaculate tailoring, a presence that turned sidewalks into runways. It’s a reminder that style, like cinema, is storytelling we wear, and that certain artists echo long after the lights dim. Join us for weather grit, late-night greatness, awards intrigue, and a little fashion history. If you enjoyed the ride, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review—then tell us your all-time talk-show GOAT and your bold awards pick. Find our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/447251562357065/

    1 hr

  7. JAN 20

    More Socks Than Plot

    Send a text What makes a moment stick—the heat, the heart, or the craft? We start courtside in Melbourne, reliving a giddy exhibition with Federer, Agassi, Barty, and Hewitt that turns pure fun into a lesson on mastery. A tight Venus Williams match reminds us how crowds sway momentum and how a single ball toss can tilt a set. As Coco Gauff looms in the next round, we talk form, nerves, and why the Australian Open still feels like summer’s best live theater. Then we wade into the cultural wave everyone’s streaming: Heated Rivalry. The chemistry is undeniable, the intimacy is frank, and the representation matters. But does the story hold? We unpack why people love it, why some bounce after episode one, and how a tender queer romance can be groundbreaking even when the plot loops. It’s the rare show that makes the case for both hype and hesitation at once. We take a hard left into wonder: 52! ways to order a deck means your shuffle has almost certainly never existed before. From there, relativity reframes intuition—why time stops at light speed and how the universe’s expansion can outpace our everyday sense of “fast.” Curious minds, this is your candy: big ideas made graspable without sanding off the awe. Books anchor the back half. The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff earns our full recommendation—an elemental survival tale through Jamestown’s starving time that reads like a prayer carved into bark. Theo of Golden, meanwhile, splits us down the middle: a premise built on kindness that, for us, slides into tidy parable. We get specific about character, momentum, and when sentiment helps or hurts. Finally, we rave about One Battle After Another, a sharp, star‑studded Paul Thomas Anderson ride where DiCaprio, Penn, Del Toro, and Teyana Taylor surprise in all the right ways. It’s funny, bruising, and unnervingly timely. If you’re here for tennis, TV heat, big‑number brain candy, fierce reads, or film craft with teeth, you’ll find a lane—and a strong opinion—to ride home with. Enjoy the show, share it with a friend who loves a good argument, and tap follow so you don’t miss what we break down next. Find our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/447251562357065/

    1 hr

  8. JAN 13

    Rocky Mountain Chai

    Send a text Start with a mislabeled bag and watch an hour unfold. We kick off with a global roll call and a story that turns “chai” into “Chai,” then tumble into a surprisingly tender argument about taste: why a younger friend devoured Homeland but bounced off The Americans for “looking old.” That sparks a bigger question we wrestle with throughout—do we judge shows by their era, or by the energy and craft that still punch through decades later? From there we slide into the rituals that shape a day: the perfect “fridge cig” (Diet Coke to the uninitiated), the real cost of supersized sugar, and the protein-washed milkshakes that get sold as breakfast. It’s part cultural critique, part confession. We admit to reheated beef stroganoff for breakfast, a bagel craving during couture critiques, and the joy of guilty-pleasure game shows. Family Feud even gets a cameo, complete with an unforgettable silhouette that had us questioning sightlines at the movies. The Golden Globes take center stage as we celebrate Nikki Glaser’s sharp, tasteful hosting and break down the red carpet with equal parts admiration and side-eye. Selena Gomez’s old-Hollywood elegance, Jennifer Garner’s hand-beaded masterwork, and a few sheer, jewel-splashed risks remind us that fashion is engineering as much as theater. We talk construction, fit, and the line between statement and stunt, because good tailoring is a story, too. We close on heart. Isiah Whitlock Jr.’s passing hits hard, and we honor the way he could turn a single word into a legend while grounding every scene with warmth and wit. It reframes the hour: media isn’t just content—it’s memory. Whether it’s Arctic base stories, global listeners, or the difference a hyphen makes on a coffee bag, the thread is the same: what truly lasts is character and craft. If you felt seen, provoked, or just entertained, tap follow, share the show with a friend, and leave a quick review so more curious listeners can find us. What’s the one show you think still holds up today? Find our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/447251562357065/

    1 hr
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5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Funny, weekly, sugar free: Starring "Michael-over-there."

Information

  • Creator
    Anne Levine and Michael Hill-Levine
  • Years Active
    2010 - 2026
  • Episodes
    84
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Anne Levine Show
  • Show Website
    The Anne Levine Show