Northeast Queens Teen And Grandma Get Candid On New Podcast

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — Seventeen-year-old Bayside resident Logan Grodksy calls his grandmother once a week just to catch up, or maybe ask her for a recipe.

Now calls like his are the centerpiece of a new podcast, "Call Your Grandmother," hosted by his nana, Ellin Grodsky, and her longtime friend Rita Kaye that premiered Thursday on iHeartRadio.

Each episode, Grodsky and Kaye will bring in different grandmother-grandchild pairings — including their own families — for a sassy, no-filter discussion of their lives, their relationships and the differences between then and now.

"The banter between the two of us is so uninhibited," Grodsky, 81, said.

An upcoming episode will feature Grodsky's relationship with Logan, one of her seven grandchildren and her trusty cooking partner for family favorites like matzoh ball soup, baked ziti, potato pancakes and brownies.

“He’s just been at my side since he was a little tot cooking," said Grodsky, who lives in the nearby North Shore Towers.

Logan, a self-described history buff, also explores the historical events his grandmother has lived through, from World War II to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. As it turns out, that day has a special meaning in the Grodsky family.

“Poppy and I got engaged the day Kennedy got assassinated, and we thought we could keep it a secret because everybody was mourning,” Grodsky said. "The day after, when everyone was mourning, he went out to get pastrami and corn beef because 35 people were coming over to celebrate my engagement."

Logan plays a behind-the-scenes role in the podcast, too. He helped his grandmother figure out the technology she now uses to make each episode.

"Every episode I tape, I use the Goggle box that Logan set up for me," Grodsky said.

"Oh — Dropbox," Logan replied.

In a time when so many have to stay apart from their loved ones, including Grodsky and Kaye as they tape the podcast, "Call Your Grandmother" offers a different kind of togetherness.

"This is a time when we need a podcast like this," Grodsky said. "This world is in such a mess and there’s something grounding about sitting down with your grandma and having a virtual arm around you while you’re hearing stories and telling stories.”

"Call your grandmother," Logan said. "I think it's important."