Joel Kim Booster Tapped to Host ‘Bad Dates’ Podcast From SmartLess: Actor Says He’s a ‘Survivor of a Lifetime of Bad Dates’
Joel Kim Booster is down to dish about “Bad Dates” — both his own and the cringe-worthy and occasionally raunchy romantic misfires of his guests.
The actor and comedian will host Season 2 of “Bad Dates,” from podcasting and media company SmartLess Media, co-founded by Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes.
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“Bad Dates” hosted by Booster will premiere Aug. 26, with new episodes available every Monday, across all major podcast platforms. SiriusXM XM has exclusive global ad-sales rights to “Bad Dates,” under the three-year, $100 million-plus deal SmartLess inked with the company earlier this year covering the founders’ popular flagship podcast and other shows.
“As a survivor of a lifetime of bad dates myself I am honored to step up and host this podcast,” Booster said in a statement provided to Variety. “Hopefully by coming together and talking about all the things that go into a bad date we can help people learn or move forward or possibly even give up entirely. No matter what I think people are gonna laugh.”
Season 1 of “Bad Dates” was hosted by British actor Jameela Jamil and comedian and TV personality Marie Faustin subsequently served as guest host.
“Bad Dates” features guests sharing tales of their worst and weirdest dates ever and then weighing in on everyone else’s misfortune. In the new season, Booster will chat about dating with an “all-star panel of funny people,” according to SmartLess. He’ll share dating disasters of his own, answer bad-date questions from listeners, and offer his perspective on today’s dating scene.
Booster is best known for writing and starring in Searchlight’s “Fire Island” and starred opposite Maya Rudolph in two seasons of the Apple TV+ comedy series “Loot.” His first hour-long comedy special, “Joel Kim Booster: Psychosexual,” exploring his experiences and observations as a gay Asian American male, debuted on Netflix in 2022 and Variety named it one of the best comedy specials of the year.
“Bad Dates” was created by Robert Cohen and is produced by SmartLess Media. Cohen and Stewart Bailey serve as executive producers, alongside SmartLess’ Arnett, Bateman, Hayes, Richard Korson and Bernie Kaminski. Producers are Devon Torrey Bryant and Anne Harris.
Listen to the trailer for “Bad Dates” hosted by Booster:
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