HypeFriend! with Ashley Eckstein & Michael James Scott

Ashley Eckstein & Michael James Scott
  • 4.9 (14)
  • COMEDY INTERVIEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Childhood friends Ashley Eckstein (voice of “Ahsoka Tano” in Star Wars) and Michael James Scott (“The Genie” from Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway) team up for a weekly podcast with the singular mission of starting a friendship revolution, one “HypeFriend” (and one episode!) at a time.

  1. 9H AGO

    Katee Sackhoff: What Different Galaxies Taught Her About Real Friendship | #29

    Sci-fi icon Katee Sackhoff—Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica, Bo-Katan Kryze in The Mandalorian and across Star Wars, and a fan favorite from Longmire—drops into HypeFriend for a candid convo about authenticity, fandom, motherhood, and the friendships that keep you steady when life gets loud. Katee opens up about the fans who carried her from one job to the next, the difference between a work friend and the person you can call with “I’ve got five minutes,” and what it really means to feel seen—not just for who you were, but for who you’re becoming. Add in real talk about smartphones stealing our in-person magic, raising kids to connect off-screen, and Katee’s secret first love as an actor, and this one is equal parts deep exhale, geek-out, and pep talk. Join us in our friendship revolution, one HypeFriend (and one sci-fi galaxy) at a time! Follow HypeFriend here! Michael J Scott here! Ashley Eckstein here! Sign up for HypeFriend news and updates here! (00:00:22) Cold Open: Jan Brady, neon lipstick, and instant chaos (00:01:25) New studio, new energy: Ashley’s upgraded HQ and the coming neon-sign moment (00:05:09) Ashley Bakes: Starbuck-inspired Starbucks cake pops (00:08:23) Hypes & Gripes: sunshine, sweet fan gifts, texting guilt, and Michael vs. “shareable tapas” (00:22:52) Neighborhood Drop-In: Katee Sackhoff (00:25:31) What a HypeFriend means to Katee: remind people what they’re worth (00:27:01) The season that asked the most: new parenthood, work, and the family who stepped in (00:30:12) The Sackhoff Show: why honest conversation fuels Katee (00:34:10) Work friend vs. real friend: the no-guilt five-minute phone call test (00:37:54) Before smartphones swallowed everything: why friendship felt easier in person (00:39:22) Battlestar was early: AI, loneliness, and the fight for real human connection (00:44:14) Parenting against the algorithm: old-school TVs, fewer phones, more playdates (00:48:21) Would Starbuck or Bo-Katan be a HypeFriend? Katee answers (00:50:30) Fandom, loyalty, and why Katee never forgets who keeps the career going (00:52:27) Plot twist: Katee’s first love is musical theater (00:57:11) What makes Katee feel truly seen (01:00:53) Hyping up Michael: 4,000+ Genies and a very elite Broadway club (01:03:34) One Last Thing: let people evolve—and put the phone down

    1h 8m
  2. Scott Hamilton Turns Charades Into An Epic Olympic Broadcast | #28

    4D AGO

    Scott Hamilton Turns Charades Into An Epic Olympic Broadcast | #28

    Have you ever imagined what it would be like to have an actual Olympic gold medalist narrate your game of charades? Yeah, neither did we until today! Watch as we play a game of charades and have Olympic figure skater Scott Hamilton give an olympic-style broadcast to narrate our game. Follow HypeFriend here! Michael J Scott here! Ashley Eckstein here! Sign up for HypeFriend news and updates here!

    13 min
  3. 41,600 Falls: Scott Hamilton on the Joy of Getting Back Up | #27

    APR 6

    41,600 Falls: Scott Hamilton on the Joy of Getting Back Up | #27

    Olympic gold medalist, four-time world champion, Stars on Ice founder, and beloved Olympic commentator Scott Hamilton joins HypeFriend for a conversation that goes way beyond figure skating. This one is about joy under pressure: how to celebrate life when life gets brutal, how friendship can outlast competition, and how resilience is built one fall (or 41,600 falls), one setback, and one comeback at a time. Scott opens up about why a real HypeFriend “celebrates life,” why failure is just information, why the Olympics reveal how much people actually have in common, and the 100-mile bike ride that brought him back to the exact day he wanted to quit chemotherapy. He also shares the perspective shift that hits hardest—look up—and why the best victories in life may have less to do with medals than with family, faith, and showing up for the people you love. Follow HypeFriend here! Michael J Scott here! Ashley Eckstein here! Sign up for HypeFriend news and updates here!

    1h 7m
  4. Mekia Cox Plays Two Truths and a Lie! | #26

    APR 2

    Mekia Cox Plays Two Truths and a Lie! | #26

    Ashley and Michael and, special guest,The Rookie’s Mekia Cox, put their decades-long friendships to the test with a high school edition of Two Truths and a Lie. They dig into their high school memories and nostalgia as some juicy truths are revealed. See who gets called out and who gets away with the biggest lie.

    20 min
  5. How Mekia Cox Handles Starring On The Rookie, Playing a Disney Princess, and Theater Kid Friendships | #25

    MAR 30

    How Mekia Cox Handles Starring On The Rookie, Playing a Disney Princess, and Theater Kid Friendships | #25

    Mekia Cox joins Ashley and Michael and discusses the different roles she’s played, from playing a Disney Princess on Once Upon A Time, starring on The Rookie, and ultimately, the role of motherhood. Mekia talks about the importance of having HypeFriends throughout the various stages of your life and how friendships can change while navigating these different chapters. Follow HypeFriend here! Michael J Scott here! Ashley Eckstein here! Sign up for HypeFriend news and updates here!

    1h 19m
  6. Vanessa Bayer spins The Wheel of Impressions| #24

    MAR 26

    Vanessa Bayer spins The Wheel of Impressions| #24

    Former Saturday Night Live star Vanessa Bayer joins Ashley and Michael for a hilarious round of Wheel Of Impressions. Watch as they flex their comedy acting chops while creating characters from some of the funniest and obscure situations. No pressure, just improvising with an SNL alum. Follow HypeFriend here! Michael J Scott here! Ashley Eckstein here! Sign up for HypeFriend news and updates here!

    11 min
  7. Vanessa Bayer on Sneaking Snacks on the Set of Scrubs and the Healing Power of Friendship | #23

    MAR 23

    Vanessa Bayer on Sneaking Snacks on the Set of Scrubs and the Healing Power of Friendship | #23

    We’re back for Season 2 of HypeFriend and we are joined by SNL and Scrub Revival’s very own Vanessa Bayer. Vanessa welcomes us back for a brand new season by sharing her love for all things craft services, including sneaking some snacks home from the Scrubs set, and opens up about her friendship love languages and how showing up during life’s toughest moments is the most important thing you can do to be a good friend. Follow HypeFriend here! Michael J Scott here! Ashley Eckstein here! Sign up for HypeFriend news and updates here!

    54 min
  8. #22 – “Season Finale Block Party: Friendsgiving!” ft. Andrew Levitt (Nina West), Lesli Margherita, Josh Dela Cruz, and more neighborhood friends!

    11/21/2025

    #22 – “Season Finale Block Party: Friendsgiving!” ft. Andrew Levitt (Nina West), Lesli Margherita, Josh Dela Cruz, and more neighborhood friends!

    It’s giving season finale energy meets Friendsgiving vibes as beloved neighbors Andrew Levitt (aka Nina West), Lesli Margherita, and Josh Dela Cruz crash the Neighborhood Block Party—complete with our first-ever HypeFriend BINGO, a surprise singing telegram from Josh Strickland, and drop-ins from James Monroe Iglehart and Ashley Brown. But being a HypeFriend isn’t about winning BINGO (or is it?). No, it’s about gratitude! And that theme shines through in these conversations as Ashley and Michael celebrate everything from the day-one leap to the full-season finish line, hyping up their friends and family, and look ahead to Season 2! (00:00:18) "TGIF" season finale vibes + manifesting the new HypeFriend neon sign and merch drops (00:03:38) Welcome! “Taking the leap!” – From Comic-Con to HypeFriend (00:06:11) Ashley’s final bake of season 1 packs a vegan (bunch-a-) crunch! (00:09:00) Husband Hypes – Michael and Ashley celebrate their partners and the power of “nightly notes” (00:11:12) The block party begins! Andrew Levitt, Lesli Margherita and Josh Dela Cruz crash the podcast! (00:15:10) HypeFriend BINGO! (00:18:28) A surprise singing telegram from Josh Strickland (00:26:05) "Snope" vs. "Snoke" (STAR WARS villain vs real-world season villain) (00:28:34) James Monroe Inglehart on FOMO, family, and finding creative balance (00:33:51) “Christmas music already?!” Andrew Levitt's seasonal gripe (00:36:11) Michael × Lesli: the case for year-round holiday trees (00:38:30) Daylight savings gripe: Lesli pulls no punches when it comes to time (00:39:26) Ashley Brown's Hypes & Gripes: stormy-day shelter + college roomie nostalgia (00:41:32) Nutella: The stuff the heals (00:43:52) NYC Walking Etiquette: texters, walkers, and Ashley Eckstein (00:47:06) “Sexy CPAP machine” (hi Josh Dela Cruz!) (00:52:45) Michael’s (temporary) win! (00:54:20) Ashley’s brush with the law (00:56:49) Good Gossip – Questlove’s game nights + a quick celebrity lesson for Ashley (01:00:24) Set visit: a peek at the new Muppet movie (01:07:42) One Last Thing! – gratitude for our guests, listeners, crew, and the neighborhood Join us in our friendship revolution—one HypeFriend (and one season) at a time! Follow Andrew Levitt here! Follow Lesli Margherita here!  Follow Josh Dela Cruz here! Follow Josh Strickland here! Follow James Monroe Iglehart here! Follow Ashley Brown here! Follow HypeFriend here!  Michael J Scott here! Ashley Eckstein here! Sign up for HypeFriend news and updates here!

    1h 14m
See All (30)

Trailer

4.9
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Childhood friends Ashley Eckstein (voice of “Ahsoka Tano” in Star Wars) and Michael James Scott (“The Genie” from Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway) team up for a weekly podcast with the singular mission of starting a friendship revolution, one “HypeFriend” (and one episode!) at a time.

Information

You Might Also Like