Through a cover of “(Theme From) New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra, fans of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz learned that Meadowlark Media producer and on-air talent Jessica Smetana is relocating from Miami to New York City. Some of the reasons for her move expressed in the song, which was recorded by video producer Taylor Vippolis, included her wanting to “wake up in a city near all her friends where there’s a functioning train and seasonal change.”
Smetana has been in Miami for the last four years and joined the show in April 2021 shortly after Le Batard left ESPN and proceeded to form Meadowlark Media with John Skipper.
Smetana will still be participating on episodes of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz despite residing in New York City. Meadowlark Media has offices in the locale where some of its other programming is recorded, including the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast. In addition to Smetana, Meadowlark Media producer and on-air talent Lucy Rohden also recently moved to the Big Apple and started her own YouTube channel to create original content.
“Congratulations Jess,” Le Batard said. “You have parlayed an assortment of journalistic accomplishments bigger than both Cote’s and Zaslow’s into a New York move that will still have you around. This is goodbye to Miami, not goodbye to the show.”
Mike Ryan, who has been a producer for the show since 2007, expressed that Smetana took a bet on the program years ago before the company had been established and when the program was recording from the Clevelander Hotel South Beach. During her first day, there was a bomb threat that took place, and she also had to move out of her original house because of the neighbors being awful and also dealt with a cockroach infestation. Smetana formerly worked as a video producer at Sports Illustrated and is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.
“We had a really difficult launch for her personally, and professionally, it’s not easy jumping into a fully-formed show that is feeling a whole new phase of its incarnation out, and she was an absolute pro the entire time,” Ryan said. “I’m really sad to see her go, but I understand. I’m also happy to see her go because I know that’s home for her, Leeman and Willow, and I’m glad she gets to reunite up there with Lucy.”
“It’s not goodbye, it’s see you less,” Smetana concluded.
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