ABOUT
TableCakes was founded by two semi-veteran Los Angeles journalists, Katherine Spiers and Drew Mackie. They’ve worked in newsrooms in Seattle, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and Rome since 1999. In other words, right in time to see journalism plunge itself into chaos.
The goal of TableCakes is to create a new launching pad for new voices and increase the size and scope of journalism in Southern California. We’re choosing topics and producing shows that fill out the sections of a traditional newspaper, just in podcast form: business, outdoors, movies, real estate, food, visual arts, and more. When we find funding (hint, hint), we’ll have a breaking news show, too.
We’ve noticed over the years that traditional media can be slow to adapt to new technologies. TableCakes will combine the rigor of a newsroom with the nimbleness of a start-up. Our aim is to pair each of our podcasts with the other forms of media that suit them best, be it a YouTube channel, a newsletter, or something else that hasn’t even been invented yet.
THE TEAM
KATHERINE SPIERSCo-Founder
Katherine Spiers has been a food and lifestyle journalist for almost 20 years (she started in high school), writing for Reuters, Associated Press, Seattle Times, LA Times, and a number of publications that no longer exist, and some that semi-exist: she was an editor at Gawker Media and food editor at LA Weekly. She currently hosts and produces the culinary history/interview podcast Smart Mouth, and, as majority owner of TableCakes, oversees a number of podcasts on the network.
Host: Smart Mouth
DREW MACKIECo-Founder
Drew Mackie is a stay-at-home journalist who used to write for newspapers and once interviewed Carol Burnett. Raised in a central Californian town that once tried to bill itself as the earthquake capital of the world, he watched a lot of old movies and TV shows, building an appreciation for the pop culture of decades past. He has a dog, Thurman, and also a mustache, which is not yet named. He is the TableCakes co-founder.
Host: Singing Mountain, Gayest Episode Ever, Deep Cuts and Superficial Wounds
GARY DAUPHINAdvisor
Gary Dauphin is an award-winning editor, writer, and digital manager with deep experience leading large teams for editorial, membership and mission-based organizations. He helped create or reinvent the largest news and current affairs websites in the $1.8B African American digital space, including AOL Black Voices and BlackPlanet.com. Gary has worked (and continues to work) as a critic for national and international publications, including Artforum, The Village Voice, Vibe Magazine, and the National Magazine Award-nominated Bidoun.
GLEN LAKIN
Glen Lakin has written many things for many people that never got made, so why bother listing them? His feature film — You Can Choose Your Family, starring Jim Gaffigan, Anna Gunn and Samantha Mathis — did get made, so he is happy to talk about that. Also ask him about his new horror script(s) and any of the comics he should be writing/drawing instead of petting Drew’s dog.
Host: Gayest Episode Ever
SAM PANCAKE
Sam Pancake is a West Virginia-bred, L.A.-based actor, comedian and writer who has appeared on screens and stages large and small for nearly 30 years. Yes, Pancake is indeed his real last name. His passion for 1970s made-for-tv horror movies borders on obsession, as if he were possessed by something dark and unnameable that dwelled in the attic of the decrepit southern mansion in which he was raised…
HADLEY MEARES
Hadley Meares is a historical journalist and Los Angeles tour guide, who in a past life was Amy Poheler’s stand-in on the TV show Parks and Recreation. Obsessed with legends, lore and gore- she came by it honestly growing up in the history haunted state of North Carolina. She writes history for outlets including The Hollywood Reporter, Curbed LA, LAist, Los Angeles Magazine, History and LA Weekly. As the host of Underbelly L.A., Hadley hopes to shed some light on LA’s shadiest, stupidest and most sinister stories.
Host: Underbelly L.A. , Happy History
MEIKA GRIMM
Meika Grimm is a Southern California raised musician, audio/video engineer & digital specialist. She studied at the New England Institute of Art and the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences. She is certified on numerous softwears and gears, such as Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, Reason, and L-Acoustics KUDO and Soundvision. During her time working in studios, radio, and freelancing, she has had the pleasure of recording and filming a wide variety of talent, such as the Jonas Brothers, Lil’ Wayne, Christian Slater, Ed Asner, Olivia Newton-John, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bob Costas, and numerous others. She is obsessed with hockey, music, film, Star Wars, video games, and Nintendo Amiibos.
Editor: Smart Mouth, Underbelly L.A., Monday Afternoon Movie, Happy History
JACK GRIMM
Jack is a self-taught designer & developer from the mountains of Southern California. He has been doing graphic design & developing websites for over a decade with a focus on supporting creative projects and professionals. With a passion for art, nature, and activism which guides both his professional and personal life, he runs FlannelBush, LLC with his spouse and founded GenderLab, Inc. for 2/TGI+ people to access competent health care and multiple 2/TGI+ specific services in one location. In his free time he likes to write and play music, ride bicycles, volunteer with animal rescues & native plant events, and cook plant based meals. He participates in mutual aid, makerspaces, and is a licensed ham radio operator. He is up for any adventure in business and life and happens to be a two-spirit transgender man.
Jack-Grimm.com
Jack-Grimm.com
LINDSEY DEATON
Lindsey Deaton is a professional conductor, guitarist, singer, and speaker and a fierce transgender and LGBTIQ+ youth advocate. She is one of the world’s leading experts on the transgender singing voice, and is widely recognized as a leader in building the global trans choral movement. She has spoken and written extensively on how to create a safer choral space for trans and gender non-conforming singers, and has guest conducted the San Francisco Ballet, the Louisville Orchestra, the Spokane Symphony, The Winston-Salem Symphony, the Youngstown Symphony and Chorus, the Schenectady Symphony and numerous orchestras at the Aspen Music Festival, among others. She served as Contemporary Music Director at the Cathedral St. Peter in Chains, Cincinnati, Ohio from 2003 until recently, and now resides in southern California.
Lindsey is married to Joan her wife of 40 years, has two daughters Mary and Joci, and hikes regularly with Joan.
Host: Trans Vagina Dialogues (coming soon!)
SARAH BENNETT
Sarah Bennett is a journalist, editor and media studies professor originally from Los Angeles but forever living in Long Beach, Calif. She is currently journalism faculty at Santa Ana College and has been a freelance writer and editor for over a decade covering news, music, food, beer, art and other social and cultural phenomenon for a variety of local, national and international publications. She is also an avid zine-maker, volunteer organizer of the Long Beach Zine Fest and two-time graduate of USC, where she got her BA in Communications and her MA in Specialized Journalism with an emphasis in music criticism. Her thesis was titled “Whatever Happened to Suburban Rhythm,” which focused on the untold influence the City of Long Beach has had on popular music since the 1980s.
Host: Small Town Sound (coming soon!)
SARYN CHORNEYAdvisor
Saryn Chorney is a freelance senior editor and writer at PEOPLE, focusing on features, viral trends, animals and special projects. Previously, she was the founding managing editor of MSN’s Wonderwall.com and founding editor-in-chief of AOL’s PawNation.com. Earlier in her career, Saryn held senior editor positions at Us Weekly and the New York Post, was a video correspondent for Conde Nast, and a contributing writer for Paper, Seventeen and more. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Saryn is currently earning her masters degree at New York University in Animal Studies and Advocacy, within NYU’s Environmental Studies department.
TINA SALVATOAdvisor
Tina Salvato is an intellectual property and media law attorney at Sheppard Mullin in Los Angeles, where she focuses her practice on defending media clients and protecting brands and creative works. She is passionate about representing media companies on a variety of issues, including defamation, right of publicity, privacy, open records, and copyright law, and she also provides prepublication review. Tina has experience in all aspects of litigation and regularly handles trademark, copyright, and contract disputes. Before becoming a lawyer, Tina was a staff writer for an Atlantic Media Company publication in Washington, D.C. She also previously worked as a law clerk for Tribune Media Company and as a litigator at a media law boutique in Chicago. She is licensed in both California and Illinois.