Hampshire Alums Co-Create New Comedy Show "Seasoned"

The couple’s thoughtful and often wildly hilarious TikTok posts during the early COVID-19 lockdowns went viral, reaching millions of viewers and rocketing the couple to social media fame. Now in 2022, Patinkin and Grody are still regularly posting to their 1.8 million followers. In their videos, the couple mostly share an honest, humorous, and nuanced glimpse into their married life, but they also utilize their platform for advocacy and activism. Their TikTok bio reads, “Welcome refugees. Black Lives Matter. Vaccinate!” 

In fact, according to a 2021 NPR interview, they first started their social media journey working with the International Rescue Committee “as a way to highlight the plight of refugees and help them have a new beginning.” But their platform ultimately grew to incorporate all kinds of content courtesy of their son, who started recording them for fun and quickly realized that there was a big demand for Patinkin content.

Gideon began filming his parents during lockdown, serving not only as the camera operator, but interviewer, editor, and more. His voice can be heard in almost every video asking questions and making commentary. After two years of posting, the resulting video catalog is a patchwork of vignettes, conversations, and commentary that show not just the sunny side of life, but also the hard and the heartfelt. Gideon has shared his parents with the world, developing a following that turns to Patinkin and Grody for laughter, comfort, and community. As Gideon put it in a 2021 interview for The New York Times when referring to his parents, “they are an exquisite mess, but theirs is a deeply rich joy.”

Their joy will soon be viewable not only on the couples’ social accounts but also in a new half-hour comedy show called Seasoned, which Gideon and fellow Hampshire College alum Ewen Wright 04F co-created.

Photo credit: Daniel Arnold for The New York Times