Mariska Hargitay

Jenna and Savannah help viewers navigate some sticky social situations with an edition of “Social Dilemmas”. Also, celebrating National Best Friends Day with the heartwarming story of two unlikely best friends. Plus, sitting down with actress Mariska Hargitay to discuss Multiple Myeloma Awareness and her Broadway debut. And, New York Times best-selling author Tia Williams talks her latest book “The Missed Connection”. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 1967, 3-year-old Mariska Hargitay — now, an Emmy-winning actor known to millions as Captain Olivia Benson on the long-running TV series “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” — was in a terrible car accident. Her mother — the Hollywood icon Jayne Mansfield — and two others were killed instantly. The accident not only took the life of her mother but prevented Mariska from having any lasting memories of her. “My Mom Jayne” is Mariska’s touching and winding documentary journey to learn about her mother’s life and to confront some of the secrets of her own story as well. Mariska joins Ken on the podcast to talk about Jayne’s breakthrough as a young actress and the blonde bombshell image that prevented her mother from being treated as the serious actress she always aspired to be. Through difficult conversations with Mariska’s siblings and trips to a long neglected family storage facility, a more complete portrait of Jayne, the actress and mother, begins to emerge. At this point in the film, an even more deeply buried story — this one about Mariska’s father — takes over. The power of “My Mother Jayne” lies in Mariska’s willingness to reclaim her own story, wherever it may lead. “My Mom Jayne” is streaming on HBO Max. The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix. Follow: @therealmariskahargitay on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and X

Director Mariska Hargitay and Producer Trish Adlesic discuss their new film, My Mom Jayne, with fellow Director Lisa Cortés in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, they discuss how Mariska knew she was ready to take on the film, working with 18,000 photos and 2,500 videos worth of archival materials, and how Mariska came to learn more of the mother who was gone too soon. The film navigates Hollywood icon Jayne Mansfield’s public and private legacy through interviews, and a collection of never-before-seen photos and home movies as Hargitay sought to know, understand and embrace her mother for the first time. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/events/2026/june2026/docseries_mymomjayne-0426

Grammy-winning duo Dan and Shay open up about their newest single, "Say So" which was written to honor their friend who died by suicide in 2025. Also, Mariska Hargitay returns to studio 1A to discuss the season finale of TV's longest-running prime-time drama "Law and Order SVU" and her Broadway debut in "Every Brilliant Thing." Plus, the annual invasion of pesky lanternflies is getting underway, and NBC News Meteorologist Angie Lassman spotlights how a vineyard outside of D.C. is fighting those invasive critters. And, Maxine Sharf shares the secret behind "Benihana-stye fried rice." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Remember Shmoopie from Seinfeld? Me too! Listen in to hear Shmoopie reach new levels of self-loathing and reveal how she is Mariska Hargitay's worst friend. Also, an escaped Mormon turned sociologist tells us how we can reach Paradise in the afterlife.

Haines joins executive producer Brian Teta to discuss today's interview with House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, she shares her experience meeting with Henry Louis Gates Jr. of "Finding Your Roots" and why Mariska Hargitay's new documentary "My Mom Jayne" had a strong emotional impact on her. Have a question or want advice from Brian or a co-host? Call or text us at (917) 960-3037 or leave us a message here: https://woobox.com/kaoojs. Messages may be used on a future podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mariska Hargitay, Allie Wentworth, and Drew sit down to discuss what’s upcoming on SVU, what they love about each other, and more in this non-stop giggle-fest of an interview. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices